Matthew Grieshop, director of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research, and Associate Professor Charlotte Decock were awarded a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture to evaluate how novel regenerative organic horticultural practices affect soil health, insect and disease incidence, weed occurrence and crop yield of common Central Coast vegetables.

The project is inspired by test fields established by Braga Fresh in the Salinas Valley exploring a bedless vegetable production system that maintains both a rye and clover cover crop, along with a transplanted cash crop. Working in collaboration with Braga Fresh, Grieshop and Decock will replicate a multi-year study and develop unique field-based learning modules that will provide Cal Poly students with opportunities to expand their knowledge of organic production systems, sustainable production practices, experimental logic, design, analysis and reporting and the development of outreach materials.

Providing hands on training for Cal Poly students is an equally important outcome for this project as it will develop the talent needed to further develop organic production in the Central Coast and beyond.