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Ron Rayner, an advisory committee member for the USDA NIFA Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) project on sustaining groundwater-dependent agriculture in the Southwest, was recently honored with an honorary doctorate from the University of Arizona in recognition of his longstanding leadership in Western irrigated agriculture.

This month’s cover story features Ron Rayner, the scion of an Arizona farming family that has been active in the state since 1913 and an influential figure in advancing irrigation technology and influencing policy in the state and nationwide. Mr. Rayner served on the boards of both the Central Arizona Project and the Family Farm Alliance, played a key role in promoting drip irrigation in Arizona, and still has his finger on the pulse of technical development. Our fascinating conversation ranges from the early 20th century to the vertical farming installations of the future.

This study introduces a novel decision support web tool (doi.org/10.15140/D3J04K) to assist farmers and policymakers in managing salinity in California’s Central Valley. The tool integrates agronomic, economic and spatial data to predict crop yield and profitability under varying irrigation water salinity. This resource also supports policymakers and groundwater sustainability agencies in identifying areas where saline groundwater prevents profitable farming and prioritizing those areas for land repurposing to reduce agricultural water demand.

The University of California, Davis, has long stood in the top tier of U.S. research universities, driving forward innovation that transforms lives. However, the university’s ability to continue this groundbreaking work is now in jeopardy, as the federal government — the single largest funder of UC Davis research — has terminated and threatened grants.

Areas such as climate change, health equity and gender-affirming care may see sharp declines in support.

From the Groundwater Demand Management Network:

“A coalition of leading water experts recently announced the launch of the Groundwater Demand Management Network, a new statewide initiative designed to create a comprehensive community of practice for managing California’s critical groundwater resources.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Researchers at Stanford are hoping to jump start a water revolution in California.

The goal is to rapidly expand the areas where we store water -- not by building reservoirs, but by returning millions of gallons back into the ground in a new and efficient way.

You could say San Jose is a city on the way up. We're not talking tech jobs or housing prices, but its geology.

On January 22, 2025, university, agency, and industry water experts gathered in Albuquerque, NM, to discuss groundwater and agriculture. The University of California-Davis Agricultural Water Center hosted its 3rd Annual USDA/UC-Davis Project Symposium, Southwest Groundwater and Sustainable Agricultural Systems, which reported on research carried out within the multi-university project.

Visit the link below to listen to the podcast:

1/3/25 - MyAgLife Episode 244: Interview with UC Davis' Srinivasa Rao Peddinti on Precision Ag for Water Management by MyAgLife

Crop water use refers to the amount of water that is lost from vegetation, soil and other surfaces to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. In this process, the liquid water is released as water vapor. Once it rises into the atmosphere, it becomes invisible, mixes in all directions, thus evading our ability to manage it.

Water management is becoming more challenging with increases in both very dry and very wet years — often back-to-back. This dry-wet-dry “weather whiplash” can be especially challenging to manage in perennial crops like nuts and wine grapes. One emerging strategy and philosophy for coping with weather whiplash is regenerative agriculture.

Extreme weather spurred by climate change, including droughts and heavy rains, may increase the risk of nitrates from fertilizers ending up in groundwater, according to a recent study from researchers at the University of California, Davis. The study found heavy rains after a drought caused nitrates to seep 33 feet under farm fields in as little as 10 days.

Anew report from the University of Arizona looks at the challenges that a drying climate poses to agriculture, particularly in arid places such as Arizona. The Future of Agriculture and Food Production in a Drying Climate makes wide-ranging recommendations to help agriculture adapt to an uncertain future, including developing new drought-tolerant crops, improving soil moisture retention, and expanding partnerships with tribal farmers.

Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S., with an economy that offers many opportunities for workers and businesses. But it faces a daunting challenge: a water crisis that could seriously constrain its economic growth and vitality.

On a warm February afternoon, Kirk Pumphrey walks down his rows of almond trees at Westwind Farms in Yolo County. He notices the buds on the branches have already sprouted pink. It worries him. The earlier the trees bloom, the more likely winter frost will damage the nuts. Early blooms are occurring more often as higher temperatures from climate change stimulate plant growth.