FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 13, 2004
 CONTACT :
 Craig Reynolds
(916) 319-2008

Governor Signs Wolk Bill On Alternatives To Pesticides

UC grant program promotes innovative farming
SACRAMENTO - Governor Schwarzenegger has signed into law legislation by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) extending the University of California Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) program, which was scheduled to end in December of 2005. Assembly Bill 2054 would extend the program until 2010.

BIFS is a competitive grant program for on-farm demonstrations of innovative, biologically-based farming systems that reduce chemical use through environmentally sound techniques. The BIFS program is administered by the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP).

Since 1995 the BIFS program has funded nine multi-year projects in nine different farming systems, including crops as diverse as rice, winegrapes, dairy, prunes, tomatoes and cotton, strawberries and citrus. The program has demonstrated the economic and environmental benefits of adopting biological farming practices in a variety of crops.

"I'm pleased that the Governor recognizes the importance of the BIFS program to our state - its value to agriculture, the University, and the public," concluded Wolk.

AB 2054 was sponsored by the Community Alliance of Family Farmers, and was supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Planning and Conservation League, and enjoyed bipartisan support in the Legislature.
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