Panel flags nurseries, alfalfa and organic systems as candidates for alternative reporting pathways

At its Jan. 14 session, the State Water Resources Control Board’s agricultural expert panel listed several agricultural systems it believes may warrant alternative reporting or compliance approaches, provided that further research and targeted monitoring support such a change.

Thomas Harder, who joined the meeting in the afternoon, said he reorganized draft language in Question 9 to gather candidate industries into one place and to propose a small ‘library’ of supporting materials drawn from presentations, submitted studies and published literature. “I sorted the library by these groups: vine grapes, alfalfa and pasture systems, nursery and floral industry, and organic farming systems,” Harder said.

Nurseries: The panel noted the California nursery and floral industry has a small footprint relative to other cropping systems but presents measurement challenges because much production occurs in containers and small operations. Panelists emphasized that pathways of nitrogen loss (surface runoff, groundwater leaching, atmospheric losses) depend strongly on application method (fertigation vs. surface-applied slow-release fertilizers) and that monitoring systems targeted at the operation or cluster scale (40–80 acre analysis units) will be needed to assess groundwater impacts.

Alfalfa and pastures: Panelists discussed evidence that some alfalfa systems can show high nitrogen removal and low fertilizer application in the years they are in production, but they also noted varied rotation patterns by region. The group agreed that exceptions or alternative approaches might be appropriate in places where alfalfa is effectively a permanent crop (for example, long-term stands) but that a regionally based, place-based approach is needed when rotations are frequent.

Organic systems: Panelists said organic systems may reduce soluble-synthetic fertilizer inputs and in some cases increase immobilization of nitrogen in soil organic matter; however, they stressed that the science on how organic management affects long-term nitrate leaching to groundwater is limited and that research needs should be captured in the research section.

Next steps: The panel asked staff to collate presentations and submitted materials into an appendix or a reference library that future researchers or the board could consult if it pursues alternate compliance pathways. Thomas Harder agreed to circulate a revised Q9 draft within 24 hours; the panel will consider the revised text when the compiled draft is shared later in the week.

What to watch: Whether regional boards choose to develop alternative compliance pathways will depend on subsequent research, monitoring design, and regulatory analysis by the State Water Board and regional boards.