Water Assessment
All irrigation, wash and drinking water at the Valley Road site is supplied by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA; Primary Service Area). Electronic copies of annual water quality reports are kept in the DFI office. Crops are primarily irrigated through drip irrigation, and periodically by overhead systems for seed germination or when necessary for crop health. Wash water at Valley Road is tested before and monitored during vegetable washing (see Part 3, Harvest and Produce Washing).
Sewage from the farm is treated via the municipal wastewater system. There are no lagoons, septic systems, municipal/commercial sewage treatment facilities or landfills within or adjacent to the farm.
Land Assessment, Soils & Soil Amendments
Land Assessment
DFI fields were used for alfalfa production from 2003-2005. From 2005-2013, the land was vacant and uncultivated. The hoop house area was used as an informal gravel parking area prior to 2013 and then converted to agriculture. There are no known food safety risks regarding past or present surrounding land uses, other than potential wind or airborne pathogens from livestock land uses (Equestrian Center) at the north end of the site. Annual soil tests do not indicate contamination. See Part 1 for discussion of current surrounding land uses; see below for discussion of mitigation of adjacent livestock risks.
Soils and Soil Amendments
Electronic records of soil tests are maintained in the DFI office. DFI uses bulk soil and compost amendments in hoop house and row crops, and certified organic/OMRI approved retail products in the greenhouse plant propagation program. Annual soil amendment produce records (for compost and amendments of animal origin) are maintained in the DFI office.
No livestock are present at the DFI farm. No biosolids of any kind are used on site. Vegetative waste from the farm is composted at Valley Road or discarded.
Domesticated Animals & Wildlife
Domesticated Animals
Pets are not permitted at DFI farm sites. Domesticated animals are not allowed in or near sources of irrigation water or on any parts of DFI farm sites during the growing season. Chickens, sheep and other livestock may be incorporated into farm management in the future, but managed such that raw manure will not contact plants or produce within 90 days of harvest. Horse and cattle stables and pastures are located west of Fields 2 and 3 at Valley Road; no feedlots or manure lagoons are located on or near the site.
Wildlife
Wildlife is often observed at the DFI farm sites, primarily including bird species (geese, hawks, crows, finches); rabbits, mice, squirrels, and other rodents; coyotes; and beneficial and pest insects.
Farm facilities are continuously monitored for rodent and pest activity – observed activity or evidence thereof is recorded in a monthly animal activity record to enable identification of trends over the course of each year. Traps are placed inside the Wash House building, hoop houses, and greenhouse and removed/replaced as needed at least every week (see Part 3, Wash House Cleaning procedures and log).
The ceiling and walls of the Wash House are regularly inspected and maintained to prevent infestation (recorded in the Wash House Cleaning procedures and log). The doors of the Wash House are kept closed when not in use to prevent animal intrusion.
If an exterminator or pest control company were to be hired to control an infestation, a service report would be provided and updated as necessary.
Co-Management and Integrated Pest Management
Co-management involves practices to minimize the risk of fecal contamination, microbiological hazards and pest pressure associated with food production while simultaneously conserving soil, water, air, wildlife and other natural resources. DFI incorporates co-management elements into aspects of farm management, and continues to evaluate other methods for doing so. Current practices include:
- Implementation of integrated pest management procedures (see annually updated IPM plans)
- Use of organic and biological controls for pest insects and disease
- Attracting beneficial insects with flowering and native plants throughout the farm, including perennial gardens and hedgerows
- Crop rotation for soil health and to minimize pest infestations and disease
- Cover cropping and green manures for soil health
- Crop selection for their resilience and drought tolerance in the high desert climate (promotes water conservation and efficient use of resources)
- Cultural practices rather than synthetic chemicals to control weeds
- Companion planting and inter cropping to reduce pest pressure
- Locked storage of organic chemicals; restricting chemical use to trained personnel
- Diversion ditches at Main Station to capture surface water runoff
- Drip irrigation and mulching for water conservation and soil health
- Installation of owl boxes to attract birds of prey that help to control rodent populations
- Deterring geese with decoys and plantings that interrupt their lines of sight in open field
