State's Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel Releases Panel Report Detailing Nitrogen Requirements
Published Friday, May 8, 2026
On March 30, the California State Water Resources Control Board released the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Draft Panel Report. California Farm Bureau prepared a template comment letter for county Farm Bureaus and joined two comment letters with various agricultural groups and irrigated lands coalitions to raise concerns about the draft report. The state water board will hold working group meetings for the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel on May 18 from 3 to 6 p.m. and May 27 from 3 to 6 p.m. to facilitate panel considerations to public comments received in response to the draft panel report. For more information, including meeting location, and how to participate, refer to the notice.
Key points from the report include:
- Nitrogen applied minus removed (A-R) is the appropriate metric to evaluate and quantify nitrogen discharges to groundwater for regulatory purposes.
- Nitrogen applied divided by removed (A/R) is essential to assess grower and ranch performance but is not appropriate to assess nitrogen discharge.
- Crop specific nitrogen targets and limits for nitrogen applied minus removed (A-R) can be set to protect groundwater, particularly in vulnerable basins with existing nitrate contamination.
- Nitrogen targets and limits should be addressed on a local and regional basis rather than a one size fits all program.
- Three-year rolling averages of reported nitrogen metrics should be used for regulatory compliance and enforcement rather than annual comparisons.
- Each region should have flexibility to determine the best program.
- Winegrape vineyards, alfalfa, nonfertilized pasture and clover pasture, nursery and floral industry, some organic and regenerative farms and farming practices, and areas with no current or reasonably foreseeable groundwater use may be candidates for reporting exceptions or alternative compliance pathways with more research.
- Need effective verification and auditing processes to ensure reductions on A-R and correct reporting.
- Nitrate quick tests are currently the best management practice to guide fertilization of crops.
- Need education, outreach and technical assistance to help growers use best management practices and effective irrigation and nutrient management practices.
Staff contact: Kari Fisher, kfisher@cfbf.com.
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