Water scarcity, resource limitations, and global economic competition are driving innovations in california's agricultural industry to improve productivity, resource efficiency, and long-term land…

The University of California Office of the President, Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources (UC ANR) received a $150,000 Project Grant award dated September 15, 2025, under the Renewable Resources Extension Act (RREA) National Focus Fund program (CFDA 10.515), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The two-year project, extending through September 14, 2027, is designed to expand adoption of rangeland management practices among California ranchers by demonstrating and communicating their economic benefits through innovative extension programming.

The primary products and services delivered under this award include scalable and replicable educational resources for rangeland owners and managers, including workshops, webinars, and online materials that showcase methods, results, and proven approaches to rangeland management. These activities address barriers to practice adoption, such as uncertainty about economic returns and lack of practical demonstration models, by providing peer-to-peer case studies and hands-on demonstration projects that highlight reduced management costs and improved operational outcomes. The project complements and builds upon ongoing large-scale rangeland management initiatives in California, with work performed at UC ANR's Oakland, California location.

Water scarcity, resource limitations, and global economic competition are driving innovations in california's agricultural industry to improve productivity, resource efficiency, and long-term land stewardship. Rangeland management has the potential to deliver significant soil health, water conservation, and productivity benefits, thereby enhancing the long-term viability and profitability of the agricultural sector. Management practice for rangelands such as pasture seeding, grazing, and riparian zone management offer opportunities for stewardship of working lands. However, adoption of these practices remains limited due to uncertainty about economic returns, lack of practical demonstration models, and short-term program timelines of incentive programs that mask long-term benefits. Additional targeted outreach is needed to adapt existing technical assistance and grant programs for rangelands and pastures, along with more peer-to-peer case studies demonstrating reduced management costs and improved operational outcomes. The goal of this project is to expand adoption of rangeland management practices by clearly demonstrating and communicating their economic benefits to ranchers through innovative extension programming and hands-on demonstration projects. This renewable resource extension action (RREA) national focus fund project will address education and extension needs by producing scalable and replicable resources for rangeland owners and managers. Planned activities include workshops, webinars, and online materials to share methods, results, and proven approaches, thereby enhancing reproducibility and adoption. The project will build upon and complement ongoing large-scale efforts in california that focus on rangeland management and technical assistance for agricultural producers.