Additional Readings and Resources on Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture
Funded Proposals
2022-24 California Department of Food and Agriculture Beginning Farmer Program, “Regenerative Agriculture for Socially Disadvantaged Beginning Farmers in the Monterey Bay Region”
2022-23 USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture Beginning Farmer program, “Closing the Loop: Regenerative Agriculture on Minority-owned and Operated Small Farms in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties, California.”
2022-23 University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, “Providing Socially Disadvantaged Farmers with the Knowledge, Techniques and Practices to Survive and Thrive in the U.S. Agricultural System”
2022-24 SARE Professional Development Grant: “Closing the Regenerative Agriculture Economy Loop on Small Farms: A Training program for Agricultural Professionals and
Curriculum for Small Farmers.”
2021 Western Farmer/Rancher Grant proposal: “Increasing food yields from urban and peri-urban farms through deployment of small-scale agricultural technologies,“submitted with Whiskey Hill Farms, October 2020.
Pending Proposals
Submitted in Partnership with Esperanza Farms and Pajaro Valley Unified School District, USDA FY 2023 Farm to School Grant Program, Pajaro Valley Farm to Cafeteria Initiative
Proposals Submitted but not Funded
UCSC CITRIS Seed Funding, “Fostering Climate Resilience via User-friendly IT access and tools for Disadvantaged Latinx farmers in California.”
USDA Climate Smart Commodities, “Closing the Loop: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sequestering Carbon from Organic Wastes through Regenerative Agriculture and Climate Smart Ethanol, Compost and Foods.”
ARSX 2022, “Circular Economy Agriculture with Organic Wastes.” We made it to the second round!
2023 Western SARE Research and Education Pre-Proposal, “Closing the Loop: A Technical Assistance Program to Support Regenerative Agriculture on Disadvantaged Small Farms in California.”
EJ4Climate (Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience) Competition:“The Sustainable Urban Food Initiative: Teaching Farmworkers to Farm in the Face of Climate Change”
Pre-proposal to 2021 SARE Research & Education Program, “Supporting Small Farms and New and Future Farmers through Agricultural Technology, Regenerative Practices, Permaculture and Best Practices.”
Submission to USDA 2021 Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program (SPECA): Teaching Agricultural Science, Technology, Environment & Management through Regenerative Practices, Biodynamics & Permaculture on Small Farms (STEM2 Farming), with Whiskey Hill Farm and Watsonville High School.
2020 USDA Urban Agriculture and Innovation grant proposal: The Sustainable Urban Food Technology Initiative (SUrFTI): Agricultural technology for small farms and gardens, July 2020.
For Further Reading
Breure, A.M. J.P.A. Lijzen, L. Maring, 2018. “Soil and land management in a circular economy,” Science of The Total Environment 624: 1125-1130,
California Department of Food & Agriculture. 2020. “Equity: 2020 Report to the California Legislature on the Farmer Equity Act,” Sacramento, CA.
Calo, Adam, 2018. “How knowledge deficit interventions fail to resolve beginning farmer challenges,” Agriculture and Human Values 35: 367-81.
EPA. 2021. “Climate Change and Social Vulnerability in the United States: A Focus on Six Impacts.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 430-R-21-003.
Emerick, Kyle & Manzoor H. Dar. 2021. “Farmer Field Days and Demonstrator Selection for Increasing Technology Adoption,” The Review of Economics and Statistics 103, #4 (October): 680-93.
Fernandez-Bou, Angel Santiago , et al., 2021. “Regional Report for the San Joaquin Valley Region on Impacts of Climate Change.” California Natural Resources Agency. Publication number: SUMCCCA4-2021-003.
Garcia-Pabón, José & Marcia Ostrom, 2015. “Communicating with Latino Farmers: Cultural Aspects and Strategies,” Washington State University Extension, FS191E.
Leeper Girgis, Courtney. nd. “6-5-4-3: The Fundamental Principles of Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Health,” Noble Research Institute.
Loures, Luis, et al. 2020. “Assessing the Effectiveness of Precision Agriculture Management Systems in Mediterranean Small Farms,” Sustainability 12, 37655.
Nogueira A, Ashton W, Teixeira C, Lyon E, Pereira J. “Infrastructuring the Circular Economy,” Energies. 2020; 13 #7:1805.
Ostrom, Marcia, Bee Cha & Malaquias Flores. 2010. “Creating access to land grant resources for multicultural and disadvantaged farmers,” Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development 1, #1 (August): 89-106.
Regenerative Agriculture Initiative, California State University, “What is Regenerative Agriculture?” February 16, 2017
Roesch-McNally G, Garrett A, Fery M. 2020. “Assessing perceptions of climate risk and adaptation among small farmers in Oregon’s Willamette Valley,” Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 35, 626–630, at: .
Starkweather, K., et al, 2011. “Improving the Use of USDA Programs Among Hispanic and Latino Farmers and Ranchers,” Lyons, Nebraska and Columbia, Missouri: Center for Rural Affairs & Cambio Center.
Swisher, M.E., Mark Brennan & Mital Shah, 2007. “Hispanic-Latino Farmers and Ranchers Project,” Final Report submitted by University of Florida Center for Organic Agriculture to Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (CSREES) /Economic and Community Systems (ECS) and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE), Sept. 2006-September 2007.