Ag Innovations Network

ROUNDTABLES, COLLABORATIVES, AND MULTI-STAKEHOLDER CONVENINGSCRAE: Ag Innovations facilitated a series of roundtable discussions in the CA Roundtable on Agriculture and the Environment (CRAE) to strengthen collaboration to improve stewardship of working lands and a systems-exploration of the challenges related to agricultural viability given new groundwater regulations, climate change, and market forces.Groundwater Leadership Forum: Ag Innovations facilitates the Groundwater Leadership Forum, a group working to make collective impact around the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). This effort was supported by the Water Foundation. They have undertaken a systems level evaluation process of SGMA, and are planning for collective action that will help SGMA more effectively achieve its goals. This includes increasing alignment, collaboration, and cohesion between environmental justice groups and conservation groups working on water issues in California. The GLF continued its work from a grant from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) of $2 million to support technical assistance to support the inclusion of drinking water and the environment in groundwater management actions. In summary, the GLF has conducted the most comprehensive review of SGMA to date, and in this process has become a trusted and known resource for agencies. California Water Action Collaborative: Ag Innovations facilitated the CA Water Action Collaborative, using systems thinking to support water stewardship and restoration in CA between corporations and non-governmental organizations. It also learned from experts about policy and issues facing water supply and stewardship in CA, and worked on issues related to SGMA, measuring collective impact on water stewardship. It facilitates working groups in three regions of California, including the Bay Area, the South Coast, and the San Joaquin Valley region, in order to foster collaborative project investments. It also continued an exploration of social equity applied to water stewardship in California.Tulare Basin Watershed Network: Ag Innovations continued to facilitate a collaborative network in the Tulare Basin focused on connecting resource management agencies, non-governmental organizations, land managers, tribal entities, and others on innovative, collaborative action around watershed stewardship. In addition, TBWN and Ag Innovations are partnering together to provide facilitation and outreach support to a Multibenefit Land Repurposing Grant won by the Pixley GSA. This grant extends through 2025.MULTISECTOR COLLABORATIONSustainable Pest Management Working Group: Ag Innovations completed a two year process facilitating the CA Department of Regulations Safe and Sustainable Pest Management Working Group, Using a systems approach, the Work Group and Urban Subgroup identified strategic points and priorities for advancing sustainable pest management in agricultural and urban settings. They then developed recommendations, resulting in a Roadmap to reducing pesticide use in CA. This Roadmap will be used to guide state policy and collaborative action throughout CA.Ag Order 4.0, Central Coast: The Central Coast Water Quality Preservation, Inc. (Preservation Inc) engaged Ag Innovations and their partner, JM Consultants, to assist with convening a stakeholder process. The goal was to collaboratively develop 3P Work Plans that comply with the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Boards (CCRWQCB) Ag Order by understanding interests and commonalities and facilitate a collaborative advisory process for developing these plans. This project involved participants from agriculture, the environment, and environmental justice, and was successful in accomplishing these initial outcomes.CAPACITY BUILDING AND ASSESSMENTSolano Agricultural Assessment: Solano County asked Ag Innovations and its partner Rural Urban Strategies to develop an assessment and recommendations for the future of agriculture in Solano County. Ag Innovations interviewed over 40 people from the County and beyond, including growers, land managers, food businesses, agencies, and nonprofits. They then worked with the steering to continue planning for sustainable agriculture land conservation. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT:Solano SGMA: Ag Innovations facilitated collaboration between five groundwater sustainability agencies in the Solano Subbasin, and led public engagement to understand the interests and needs of beneficial users of groundwater in developing a groundwater sustainability plan. Ag Innovations was hired by Solano GSA to provide these services, and also supported via a grant for facilitation services via the Department of Water Resources, as a facilitation services provider with Stantec, Inc.Ag Innovations facilitated environmental justice outreach and a community benefits program for the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). Through grassroots efforts Ag Innovations has outreached to 1735 Delta residents, attending 17 community events, and given presentations to 9 community based organizations to inform residents about the latest developments in the DCP and how to get involved in the public review process of the Draft Environmental Impact Report. Ag Innovations has also facilitated community benefits program meetings with the City of Courtland, CA, in order to help develop beneficial programs for the Courtland community as a means to demonstrate goodwill and a concern regarding adverse effects the Delta communities would endure through construction of the proposed Delta Conveyance Project. These efforts continue through 2022.Firesmarts Napa: Ag Innovations furthered work on a Firesmarts Playbook, intended to identify learnings from the Firesmart work in Napa and beyond. This Playbook outlines the rationale for a collaborative approach to wildfire resilience, and introduces some ways to think about, organize, and facilitate that work across silos.