In the heart of California, where agriculture is both a backbone of the economy and a significant consumer of water, a new study is shedding light on the real-world impacts of agri-environmental programs. The research, published in *Environmental Research Letters*, leverages field-scale satellite data to evaluate the outcomes of California’s substantial investments in water-saving and soil-health-improving agricultural practices. The findings offer a nuanced perspective on what’s working, what’s not, and why.
Corisa A. Wong, a researcher at Stanford University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, led the study that analyzed nearly 600 fields receiving grants from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) between 2014 and 2022. The focus was on almonds, grapes, and walnuts—crops that have received the most funding under CDFA programs aimed at reducing water use and greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining or improving agricultural productivity.
The study’s findings are a mixed bag, revealing that not all interventions yield the expected outcomes. For instance, fields that received grants for both upgrading irrigation systems and installing water management sensors showed reduced consumptive water use and greenness—a proxy for agricultural productivity—by an average of 3.5% and 4.2%, respectively. However, the adoption of only irrigation water management sensors led to an increase in both consumptive water use and greenness, suggesting that the sensors alone might not be driving the desired water-saving behaviors.
“Our analysis reveals that the outcomes of these agri-environmental programs are complex and sometimes counterintuitive,” Wong said. “It’s not as simple as implementing a practice and expecting a straightforward result. The interactions between different interventions and their environmental and agricultural impacts need to be carefully considered.”
The study also found that grants for compost addition and cover cropping led to small increases in greenness but had negligible effects on consumptive water use. This suggests that while these practices may improve soil health and productivity, they may not be the silver bullet for water conservation that some had hoped for.
The commercial implications of these findings are significant. For growers, the study underscores the importance of carefully selecting and combining practices to achieve desired outcomes. It also highlights the potential for satellite data to provide valuable insights into the performance of different agricultural practices, enabling more informed decision-making.
For policymakers, the research suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach to agri-environmental programs may not be the most effective strategy. Instead, a more tailored approach that considers the specific needs and contexts of different growers and crops may be necessary to achieve the desired environmental and agricultural outcomes.
Looking ahead, this research could shape future developments in the field by encouraging a more data-driven and nuanced approach to agricultural management and policy. As Wong puts it, “The key takeaway is that we need to move beyond broad generalizations and start looking at the specifics. That’s where the real insights—and the real impacts—lie.”
The study, “Measuring impacts of California agri-environmental programs using field-scale satellite data,” was published in *Environmental Research Letters* and was led by Corisa A. Wong of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University.