Work is well under way in both States.
Teams of ARS and University of California scientists are selecting practices to incorporate into viable cropping systems. Because growing strawberries is very specialized, the California Strawberry Commission is serving as liaison between the project and commercial growers to arrange for land and production practices to be used in the field studies. Production practices on the plots will closely duplicate those used on growers' fields. A cooperative agreement with the commission will help cover the high production costs. ARS and UC scientists, and the commission, will cooperatively select practices and set up and monitor the demonstration sites, located in the central and southern coastal areas of the State.