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SACRAMENTO, February 19, 2026 – CDFA’s (California Department of Food and Agriculture) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) announces $1.69 million in grant funding for six projects to advance California growers’ understanding and implementation of improved nitrogen and irrigation management practices. Benefits of the awarded projects include increased water quality, reducing nitrate leaching into groundwater, optimizing nitrogen management in organic cropping systems and more.
This funding is being awarded through the annual FREP Grant Program, which funds research and outreach projects related to the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizing materials in many of California’s important and environmentally sensitive cropping systems. Since 1991, FREP has awarded $32 million to over 280 projects, available to view and convenient for growers to implement via the FREP Research & Project Database.
Summary of Funded Projects Starting in 2026:
Reducing Orchard Nitrate Leaching to Groundwater with HFLC and AgMAR: Ground-Truthing and Guiding the ILRP Assessment Tool
Project Leader: Thomas Harter, UC Davis
FREP Grant funding: $299,629
This project funds several focused investigations while continuing to monitor the impact of high frequency, low concentration fertilizer applications (HFLC), or applying fertilizer incrementally through fertigation, on water quality in an almond orchard. Research objectives include providing valuable data to better understand the potential risks and benefits of Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge (AgMAR) on water quality and assessing irrigation and fertigation uniformity within the orchard. The project will also evaluate soil nutrient dynamics of a young orchard planted after grinding and reincorporating the wood from the previous orchard (Whole Orchard Recycling) and measure on-site evapotranspiration (ET). Project results will be communicated to growers and consultants to guide irrigation and nutrient management practices through extension events. Data generated from field monitoring will also be used to calibrate modeling tools used by the Central Valley Regional Waterboard to comply with the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP).
Nitrogen Runoff and Leaching Loss from Nursery Production
Project Leader: Christopher Shogren, UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Los Angeles County
FREP Grant funding: $300,969 This project seeks to quantify nitrogen runoff and leaching from common combinations of irrigation method (drip vs. overhead), fertilizer type (controlled release vs. water-soluble) and soilless substrates with varying carbon to nitrogen ratios. The research will measure and compare nitrogen losses for plants grown with a single fertilizer and irrigation method from soilless substrates of different carbon to nitrogen ratios, measuring the percentage of nitrogen lost through leaching and runoff for both controlled-release and water-soluble fertilizer applications throughout the production cycle. In addition, the researchers will measure and compare nitrogen losses for overhead and drip irrigation methods when controlled-release and water-soluble fertilizers are applied. Findings will be used to develop best management practices that are protective of water quality that will be shared with nursery producers through outreach events and resources.
Development of Diagnostic Tools to Support Site-Specific N Management Decisions in Organic Cropping Systems
Project Leader: Paul Zerbe, Soil Health Lab LLC
FREP Grant funding: $301,589
This project will provide growers with decision-support tools to optimize nitrogen management in organic cropping systems at the field level. Data will be collected on the management history, grower perception of nitrogen management challenges and a suite of soil properties on 120 organic vegetable fields in the Salinas Valley. Through statistical data analysis, researchers will establish relationships between these factors and incorporate their findings into a diagnostic tool and interpretive guide that can identify which fields can perform well with lower-cost inputs and which require more intensive investment. Using field testing and validation, the project aims to provide practical tools that improve both nitrogen efficiency and profitability. Beyond this project, the approach offers a scalable model for developing field diagnostics that support informed decision-making in complex farming systems.
Advancing Irrigation and Nitrogen Management of Cantaloupe in Southern California using Field Experiments and Remote Sensing
Project Leader: Amir Verdi, UC Riverside
FREP Grant funding: $301,222
The overall goal of this project is to enhance the sustainability of cantaloupe production in Southern California by developing science-based irrigation and nitrogen application recommendations for the major soil types in the region. Objectives include evaluating the response of cantaloupe to different irrigation and nitrogen amounts for heavy and coarse soil types in Riverside and Imperial counties and developing recommendations for irrigation and nitrogen management region-specific recommendations. Findings will be used to develop and evaluate a statistical yield predicting remote sensing-based models using drone and satellite data and update the California Fertilization Guidelines.
Nutrient Management: A Collaborative Approach between Agriculture and Regulatory Programs in the San Diego Region
Project Leader: Valerie Mellano, San Diego Region Irrigated Lands Group
FREP Grant funding: $190,339
In this outreach project, the San Diego Region Irrigated Lands Group (SDRILG) will lead a collaborative effort with agricultural and regulatory programs in the San Diego region to provide nutrient management outreach and education to growers who produce predominantly orchard, vine and nursery crops. This goal of the project is to establish and extend best management practices that achieve regional water quality goals, which are particularly focused on surface water contamination. This work will analyze the specific best management practice needs collaboratively with regulatory program staff and support SDRILG in providing data-driven outreach and education to its members. This will allow for implementation of the most effective practices for the unique agricultural operations in the region and provide education to growers on their effective use.
Developing Tools and Information to Enhance Water-Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Sustainability of Avocado Production Systems
Project Leader: Aliasghar Montazar, UCCE, San Diego, Riverside and Imperial Counties
FREP Grant funding: $301,639
Optimizing nitrogen applications along with appropriate irrigation management practices is important in all crops; however, in avocado production, managing salt buildup in the soil is an added challenge. This study will address this by conducting extensive field experiments and data collection in 15 commercial avocado sites in Southern California. The aim of the work is to develop new nitrogen and water management tools and information that enhance efficiency while increasing yield and economic return. Key objectives include assessing the impact of grower practices on avocado tree growth, fruit quality, nitrogen removal, nitrogen soil availability and leaching, and developing nitrogen-removal crop coefficient values in California avocados. A long-term impact of the study will be achieving a higher ratio of harvested nitrogen to cropland nitrogen inputs, which may contribute significantly to reduced nitrate contamination in groundwater.
CDFA’s Mission: To safeguard a resilient food system and promote an equitable marketplace, cultivating a California grown food supply that is globally recognized for innovation, quality and sustainability.
