Innovators who prioritize environmental stewardship have been maintaining cover crops in the row middles and minimizing tilling, while still achieving vine vigor, managing harvest operations, and addressing rodent challenges. Their pioneering work lowers the risk for other growers to adopt sustainable practices.

The California Soil Restoration Project recruits these leaders into a special category we call Soil Health Trailblazers. Soil Health Trailblazers work closely with the CSRP team to document best practices and calculate the economic and agronomic impact of practice implementation. They share their experience in field days and webinars. They provide colleagues with access to their fields so others can appreciate the benefits of sustainable practices.

Soil Health Trailblazers will play a critical role in increasing the adoption of sustainable practices among the entire community of permanent crop producers in California. The CSRP team will promote purchase of credits from the acres managed by Soil Health Trailblazers as a premium offering for carbon removal credit buyers.

Growers interested in applying to be a Soil Health Trailblazer should contact Oakville Bluegrass Cooperative for more information.