SACRAMENTO – CDFA’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program, FREP, is pleased to announce the award of $800,000 in grant funds to agricultural organizations and universities this year.

The grants will fund four projects designed to improve nutrient efficiency and reduce the nitrogen footprint of fertilizer use.

Nitrogen is a key nutrient for food production. However, if not used efficiently, it can also lead to water and air quality impacts.

“These four projects will provide us with the science-based evidence and necessary training we need to better guide our decision making,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We look forward to ongoing collaboration with agriculturalists, policymakers and the academic community.”

The projects are research examining the nitrogen cycle in nursery production; bilingual training on nutrient management and irrigation system efficiency; examining the ratio between crop yield and nitrogen; and programs to help minority farmers better understand nitrogen uptake patterns for specific Asian vegetable crops.

Since 1990, FREP has funded more than 220 projects focusing on California’s environmentally sensitive cropping systems. A database of completed research is publically available at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/FREPresearch.

The FREP mission is to promote the efficient and environmentally friendly use of fertilizers through the funding of fertilizer research and education, and the decision to utilize the findings of FREP research ultimately lies in the hands of the grower.

For more information, please visit the FREP website at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/FREP.