CMSF. “In the 1920s, the region saw a huge expansion of lettuce and other row crops, leading to a rapid increase in irrigation. As agriculture and water usage grew throughout the years, so did water quality impairment issues. For the past 30 years, the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Water Quality Protection Program has worked closely with growers in the Salinas Valley to implement voluntary measures that improve water quality and protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. We continue to work with farmers today to improve ocean health by reducing pollutants entering coastal waterways and sequestering greenhouse gases. Our Reduced Tillage project with Braga Ranch proves that small changes in working land management can greatly impact soil health, local watersheds and coastal waters. We are proud to work with companies like Braga Ranch, who are scaling up regenerative practices and leading the way for growers in the Salinas Valley to adopt healthy soils practices that protect both people and the planet.” Protecting Nature for the Future P2 programs work in collaboration with farmers to protect pollinators, their habitats and agricultural productivity. Through their Bee Friendly Farming (BFF) initiative, a certification program that integrates science-based conservation directly into working lands, farmers can implement essential habitat features, including diverse floral strips, nesting sites and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to support honey bees and native pollinators. In collaboration with California almond growers, P2 integrates conservation into commercial farming by supporting
Regenerative for the Future Western Growers members have long been leaders in agricultural conservation. One such project is the Braga Ranch Regenerative Farming Program, a collaborative initiative inspiring the future of conservation through regenerative agricultural practices. This project implements reduced tillage and permanent cover crops to improve soil health, sequester carbon and protect ocean ecosystems. Through a three-year California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) HSP, the project successfully demonstrated significant environmental benefits, including a 36.8 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and a 57 percent decrease in tractor passes compared to traditional organic farming. “At Braga Ranch, a hundred years of farming has taught us that long-term success begins with healthy soil,” said Jaylen Calabro, Sustainability Specialist at Braga Fresh. “Our regenerative certification and Healthy Soils Project with the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation put that belief into action. We’re seeing stronger root systems, better water movement through the soil, less disturbance in the field and soils that are storing more carbon. Early results are encouraging, and they show that when large- scale farmers take a conservation-focused approach, we build resilience, improve efficiency and care for the planet while feeding people.” “Conservation in agriculture, specifically in the Salinas Valley, has changed immensely over the last 100 years,” said Taylor van Rossum, Agriculture Water Quality Program Coordinator at
43 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com April – June 2026
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