As part of an ongoing collaboration on Climate-Smart Agriculture between the UC Davis World Food Center, Wageningen University, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Air Resources Board, this webinar will focus on the challenges and opportunities for soil management to mitigate and adapt to changing climate.

1. Third webinar on CSA California –
Netherlands
Challenges and opportunities of
Soil Management

2. WELCOMING &
OPENING REMARKS
Dr. Josette Lewis
World Food Center – UC Davis
Dr. Neli Prota
Wageningen University and Research
Challenges and opportunities of Soil Management
Third webinar on CSA California – Netherlands

3. ORGANIZERS
Josette Lewis
World Food Center
UC Davis
MODERATOR
Neli Prota
CSA Booster
Wageningen UR
MODERATOR
Madeleine
van Mansfeld
Wageningen UR
Amrith
Gunasekara
CDFA
Gertjan Fonk
Dutch Ministry of
Economic Affairs
Josh Eddy
CDFA
Challenges and opportunities of Soil Management
Third webinar on CSA California – Netherlands

4. MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
FOR HEALTHY SOILS
Dr. William Horwath
UC Davis
Dr. Titia Mulder
Wageningen University and Research
Challenges and opportunities of Soil Management
Third webinar on CSA California – Netherlands

5. ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES TO
ADDRESS GHG MITIGATION AND CARBON
SEQUESTRATION
William R. Horwath
Department of Land Air and Water Resources
University of California, Davis
CALIFORNIA-NETHERLANDS WEBINAR
CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE: SOIL MANAGEMENT
FEBRUARY 14, 2017

6. Objectives
• Mitigating N2O emissions in agriculture thru micro irrigation
practices
• Subsurface drip reduces N2O emissions
• Tomatoes
• Dairy
• Assessment and potential for soil carbon sequestration
opportunities
• Sequestration rates optimistic
• Where would the nitrogen come from to sequester soil
carbon?

7. Processing Tomatoes: Annual N2O Emissions
Fertilizer Rate & Irrigation Effects
kgN2O-Nha-1
0
2
4
6
8
Tomato (Furrow-irrigated)
Oct 2009 - Sept 2010
0 75 162 225 300
kg N ha-1
applied
180
SDI
kgN2O-Nha-1
0
2
4
6
8
Tomato (Furrow-irrigated)
Oct 2010 - Aug 2011
0 75 162 225 300
kg N ha-1
applied
180
SDI
Crop N off-take: 150 to 230 kg N ha-1

8. Statistical significance
GWP in tomatoes as a function of cover
crops and irrigation practice
FI= Furrow Irrigation
SDI=Subsurface drip irrigation
Fallow= No cover crop
Trit=Triticale
Mixed=Legume/grass
• N2O emission < 1/3 total
Unpublished data; do not cite

9. 0
Applying Dairy Manure Through Subsurface Drip versus Flood
Irrigation Reduces N2O Emissions in Forage Production Systems
Unpublished data; do not cite
2015 2016
System Soil Irrigation Total
N20 Electricity Diesel
kg CO2 eq. ha-1
SDI wheat 847 95 190 1130 (±260)
SDI corn 180 575 190 942 (±50)
Flood wheat 3530 99 190 3810 (±1520)
Flood corn 1700 75 190 1960 (±280)

10. POTENTIAL OF US SOILS TO SEQUESTER C AND MITIGATE
CLIMATE CHANGE
Ecosystem Land area*
(Mha)
Rate
(Mg C ha-1 y-1)
Total Potential
(Tg C y-1)
Reference
Cropland 156.9 0.3-0.5 45-98 Lal et al. (1998)
Grazing land 336.0 0.04-0.21 13-70 Follett et al. (2001)
Forest land 236.1 0.11-0.43 25-102 Kimble et al. (2002)
Land
conversion
16.8 0.125-0.46 21-77 Lal et al. (2003)
Soil restoration 498.4 0.05-0.12 25-60 Lal et al. (2003)
Other land use 166.0 0.09-0.15 12-25 Lal et al. (2003)
Total 144-432 (288) Lal et al. (2003)

11. 4 PER THOUSAND INITIATIVE
COP21
Total Pool = 825 Gt .... Batjes
(1996)
= 850×0.4%= 3.6 Gt C/yr
Global Soil Organic Carbon Pool 0-40cm Depth
Soil C sequestration
potential (t ha-1
10 y-1
)
Gt soil carbon
(globally 10 y-1
)
1 2.7
3 8.0
5 13.4
10 26.8
15 40.2
20 53.6
• 2,682 million hectares agricultural land globally in 2030 (FAO)
• assume consistent indefinite management to sequester soil C
• Including rangeland/pastures (5x ag area and plantation
forests 20% of ag area) would help in achieving goal
Assume:
What is possible on agricultural land:
4 per thousand
in 10 years
is 36 Gt C/ 10 yrLikely
outcome

12. • Irrigation technologies: sub-surface drip irrigation improves
yield, reduces N2O emissions and reduces GWP.
• Soil carbon sequestration to meet 4 per mille goal is
optimistic
• Requires additional nitrogen input
• Climate warming could increase soil carbon priming and
GHG
• Regardless of goal, any increase in soil carbon would be
beneficial
SUMMARY

13. Thank you!

14. Soil carbon sequestration as a strategy for
climate change mitigation
4 per mille Initiative - Soils for Food Security and Climate
Dr. Ir. V.L. Mulder, Prof. B. Minasny, Dr. Ir. D. Arrouays
Climate-Smart Agriculture Webinar, 14 February 2017
Soil Geography and Landscape Group, Wageningen University

15. 4 per mille
Initiative for
Food Security
and climate
15
Minasny et al., 2017. Soil carbon 4 per mille.
Geoderma, 292, pp. 59-86

16. Wageningen UR & 4 per mille
 Climate Smart Agriculture, Sustainable Development Goals
 Wageningen UR has the scientific expertise and knowledge at
the process level on the behaviour of carbon and organic
matter in soils
 National and EU FP7 and H2020 research projects
● Soil carbon sequestration
● Soil degradation
● e.g. AnimalChange, SmartSoil, Catch-C and RECARE and iSQAPER.
 Convey relevant messages and provide quantitative evidence
 Today: Identify where to conserve soil carbon stocks and
where soil carbon sequestration is most feasible and how easy
a 40/00 can be achieved
16

17. Soil carbon 4 per mille (Minasny et al.,2017)
 Review assessment
● 20 regions of the world
● Current SOC stock
● Potentials and challenges for SOC sequestration
17
Minasny et al., 2017. Soil carbon 4 per mille.
Geoderma, 292, pp. 59-86

18. Potentials and challenges in implementing
the 4 per mille Initiative
18
Country/region Potentials Challenges
Chile Afforesting degraded areas
Conserving native forest and peatlands
Peatland conversion
Limited cropping areas
Australia Large agricultural area
Best management practices
Lack of water
Zero or minimum tillage has been implemented almost
80%
Kenya Best management practices
Land restoration
Erosion
Rapid expansion of agricultural lands
Converting marginal lands into agricultural lands
Lack of data
China Mainland Conservation tillage and straw return
Balanced fertilization
Lack of C sequestration data on subsoil
Not all cropping areas are under best management
practices
France SOC monitoring
Land use changes
Best management practices
High soil sealing rate due to urbanisation and
infrastructures
Canada Best management practices
Improving degraded land
Development and implementation of innovative practices
Russia Best management practices on croplands
Conversion cropland to grasslands and
forest
C loss through cultivation
Scotland
Reducing peatland degradation
Forest and agricultural expansion
Large area of peatlands
Expansion of intensive agriculture
Minasny et al., 2017. Soil carbon 4 per mille.
Geoderma, 292, pp. 59-86

19. Regeneration of our agricultural lands
 TEDx Talks Grand Forks: Regeneration of Our Lands: A
producer’s Perspective, by Gabe Brown https://youtu.be/QfTZ0rnowcc
19
Minasny et al., 2017. Soil carbon 4 per mille.
Geoderma, 292, pp. 59-86
If we consider 4 per mille in the top 1m of global
agricultural soils, SOC sequestration is between
2-3 Gt C year− 1, which effectively offset 20–35%
of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas
emissions.

20. Outlook
Soil carbon
sequestration
can be the
solution for
mitigating
climate change
over the next ten
to twenty years
20Potential interactions between scientists, farmers, policy makers, and
marketeers engaged in implementation of soil C 4 per mille initiative
(Minasny et al., 2017)

21. References
Minasny, B., McBratney, A.B., Angers, D.A., Arrouays, D., Chambers, A., Chen,
Z.S., Cheng, K., Das, B., Gimona, A., Hedley, C., Hong, S.Y., Malone, B., Mandal.,
B., Marchant, B.P., Martin, M., McConkey, B.G., Mulder, V.L., Paustian, K.,
O’Rourke, S., Odeah, I., Padarian, I., Pan, G., Poggio, L., Savin, I., Stolbovoy, V.,
Stockmann, U., Sulaeman, Y., Tsui, C., Vagan, T, van Wesemael, B., Winowiecki,
L. (2017). Soil Carbon, 4 per mille. Geoderma, (292), 59-86.
Mulder, V.L., Lacoste, M., Martin, M., Richer de Forges, A., Arrouays, D. (2016).
National versus global modelling the 3D distribution of soil organic carbon in
mainland France. Geoderma, (263), 16-34.
Mulder, V.L., Lacoste, M., Martin, M., Richer de Forges, A., Arrouays, D.,
(2015). Understanding large-extent controls of soil organic carbon storage in
relation to soil depth and soil- landscape systems. Global Biogeochemical Cycles,
29.
21

22. POLICY INITIATIVES AROUND
HEALTHY SOILS
Dr. Geetika Joshi
CDFA
Annet Zweep
Dutch Min of Economic Affairs and Min of Infrastructure and Environment
Challenges and opportunities of Soil Management
Third webinar on CSA California – Netherlands

23. 14 february 2017
Soil management in
climate change
Annet Zweep
Department of Agro and
Nature Knowledge
The Netherlands

24. Need for sustainability: soil is the basis
• Sustainable
economy
• Healthy food
• Beautiful, vital
landscape
(biodiversity)
• Climate adaptation
and mitigation
14-2-2017

25. Agricultural soils
• Soils and climate: biomasse production; carbon
buffer; greenhouse gases
• In NL major part is permanent grassland; arable
land with high production: sandy soils to heavy
clay; drained peatlands with special care
Farmer is the maintainer of his land: responsibility
Knowledge important tool for good soil
management: information and tools for farmers
14-2-2017

26. Research a method to assess and realise policy
• Several Public-private research programmes:
from fundamental to get the results into practice
• Soil is complex: more practical knowledge on
organic matter, soil management and effect on
greenhouse gasses
• Organic matter plays central role for sustainable
soils and climate change
14-2-2017

27. Important programme is PPS Better Soil
management
• Wijnand Sukkel (panellist webinar) and
Joeke Postma are coordinating.
• Individual and integrated approach of soil
chemistry, physics and biology aspects
• Measuring: important to measure and link
soil management to soil information.
• Organic matter, carbon cycle: central role
• Soil management and effect on
greenhouse gases is part of research
Webiste: www.beterbodembeheer.nl
14-2-2017

28. THE HEALTHY SOILS INITIATIVE
AND PROGRAM
CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE – HEALTHY SOILS
WEBINAR
FEBRUARY 14, 2017
Contacts:
Geetika Joshi*, Ph.D. (Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor) Geetika.Joshi@cdfa.ca.gov
Amrith Gunasekara. Ph.D. (Science Advisor to CDFA Secretary and
Manager, Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation) Amrith.Gunasekara@cdfa.ca.gov

29.  More than 400 agricultural commodities in California,
including unique specialty crops.
 California remained the No. 1 state in cash farm
receipts in 2015, with $47 billion in revenue from
76,400 farms and ranchers (#1 for more than 50
years).
 Some of the most fertile and diverse agricultural soils:
soils are fundamental plant growing medium.
 2015: United Nations declared International Year of
Soils.
 Meeting with Governor’s Office and administration on
initiative; interagency meetings with several agencies
and departments.
HEALTHY SOILS INITIATIVE
Image Source: USDA Cropscape - Cropland Data Layer
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/HSInitiativ
e.html

30. ACTIONS FOR THE HEALTHY SOILS INITIATIVE:
INTERAGENCY AND STATE-FEDERAL
PARTNERSHIPS
Actions:
 Protect and restore soil organic matter in California’s soils.
 Identify sustainable and integrated financing opportunities to facilitate healthy soils.
 Provide for research, education and technical support to facilitate healthy soils.
 Increase governmental efficiencies to enhance soil health on public and private lands.
 Promote interagency coordination and collaboration to support soils and related state
goals.
Working with USDA-NRCS:
 USDA-NRCS provides funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program
to support conservation practices including soil health.
 Comet-Planner Tool: http://www.comet-planner.com/
 Joint USDA-NRCS and CDFA Summit: Building Partnerships on Healthy Soil in
Sacramento, CA on January 11, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPy5C5J1qjg&feature=youtu.be&rel=0

31. 31

32. HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM:
OBJECTIVE AND FUNDING
 Objective: To build soil carbon and reduce agricultural GHG
emissions through incentives.
 $7.5 million to develop a new incentive and demonstration program
on the CA Healthy Soils Initiative from the Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund.
 Farmers and ranchers incentivized to implement practices such as
compost application, no-till, cover-crops, etc., with quantification of
greenhouse gas reductions (GHG) achieved by projects.
 Demonstration projects for on-field GHG reductions through
partnerships between ag operations/industry groups, academia
and/or non-profit organizations, resource conservation districts.
 Request for grant applications by May, awards by September 2017.
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/

33. PARTNERSHIPS FOR SOIL HEALTH
THROUGH PROPOSED INCENTIVES
PROGRAM
Environmental Farming Act
– Science Advisory Panel
Next Meeting:
March 16, 2017
Sacramento
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/efasap/

34. TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Winfried Raijmakers
Yara Benelux – N-Sensor®
Prof. Keith Paustian
Colorado State University – COMET-Farm tool
Challenges and opportunities of Soil Management
Third webinar on CSA California – Netherlands

35. Carbon and greenhouse
gas evaluation of
conservation practices
COMET-FarmTM andCOMET-Plann
www.comet-farm.com www.comet-
CA-Dutch Climate Smart Agriculture
Webinar
February 14, 2017
Mark Easter, Amy Swan, Kevin Brown
and Keith Paustian
Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory & Dept. Soil and
Crop Sciences
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO
Adam Chambers
Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Environmental Markets
Leader
Fort Collins, CO

36. COMET-Farm™ & COMET-Planner™
Greenhouse Gases in Agriculture
The
COMET
Tools
Provide a
Systems
Approach
to
full GHG
Inventories
and
Conservatio
Image courtesy of Amy Swan of the NREL at
Colorado State University

37. COMET-Farm™ & COMET-Planner™
Calculation Methods
• Implements the peer-
reviewed, USDA-sanctioned
entity-level inventory
methods.
• Soil-related GHG emissions: DayCent
dynamic model, also used in the U.S.
NationalGreenhouse Gas Inventory +
additional empirical models.
• Livestock-related GHG emissions:
statistical models based on USDA and
university research, largely consistent
with models used in the U.S. National
Inventory.
• Energy-related GHG emissions: based
on the models used in the USDA/NRCS
EnergyTool along with supplemental

38. COMET-Farm™
How it works
Equation
Factors,
USDA
Methods,
IPCC
Historic
Rotations
NRI, Cropping
Practices
Survey,
CSRA
Climate & Soil
PRISM
&
SSURGO
Web Interface
CSU Server
Empirical
Models
Outputs
Results
Specific
Location
Specific
Activities
User inputs their unique Farm or Ranch
management.

39. COMET-FarmWork Flow

40. COMET-Planner2.0
1) Aligns GHG
reduction estimates
with COMET-Farm
and the USDA
entity-scale GHG
inventory
methods.
2) Improving the
spatial resolution of
estimates from the
sub-national scale
to multi-county
regions.
3) Adding options for
implementing
various
COMET-Planner 2.0
Estimates
resolved at the
MRLA-scale

41. Webinar
Climate Smart Agriculture
N-Sensor in Netherlands
Winfried Raijmakers
Feb. 14, 2017

42. Smart intensification
Webinar Challenges and Opportunities for Soil Management - 2017-02-14 42
Destroy more nature, or increase productivity ?
http://yara.com/doc/221347_Yara_Climate-smart-agriculture_2015.pdf

43. Reducing Carbon Footprint
43
3.5 0.1 5.1
Precision farming is part of the solution !
http://yara.com/doc/199057_ya_ed_bro_ANvsUREA_9-0-BD.pdf
http://yara.com/products_services/fertilizers/pure_nutrient/the_carbon_footprint_of_fertilizers.aspx
Webinar Challenges and Opportunities for Soil Management - 2017-02-14
PRODUCTION TRANSPORT FARMING HARVEST CONSUMPTION CAPTURE

44. • Right Rate
• Right Place
• Right Time
• Right Fertilizer
Yara Tools:
• ImageIT® app
• N-Tester
• N-Sensor®
Smart Fertilization
44
Continuous crop monitoring for best N-efficiency
Webinar Challenges and Opportunities for Soil Management - 2017-02-14

45. Variable nitrogen application
45
N-application
N-strategy depends on crop, growth stage & situation.
Farmer can always overrule.
N-uptake (kg N/ha)
N-rate(kgN/ha)
Webinar Challenges and Opportunities for Soil Management - 2017-02-14
N-uptake

46. 1. Simplicity: direct application, no clouds, no 3th parties
2. In control: manual overrule always possible
3. Proven technology: >15 yrs agronomic validation
4. Target farm: >150 ha potato & cereals
Why sensors don’t fly in Netherlands:
1. ”Too expensive”: 20-35 k€ investment (= 15-30 €/ha)
2. ”Not ready”: research overkill: farmers can’t filter
3. ”Will get better”: don’t realize direct gain & updates
N-Sensor in practice
46Webinar Challenges and Opportunities for Soil Management - 2017-02-14
N-Sensor demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrixH9tFxoA

47. Thank you

48. DISCUSSION PANEL
Wijnand Sukkel
Wageningen UR
wijnand.sukkel@wur.nl
Wim de Vries
Wageningen UR
wim.devries@wur.nl
Cynthia Cory
California Farm Bureau
ccory@CFBF.com
Gijs Kuneman
CLM
gkuneman@clm.nl
Judith Redmond
Full Belly Farm
judith@fullbellyfarm.com
Geetika Joshi
CDFA
Geetika.Joshi@cdfa.ca.gov
Winfried Raijmakers
Yara Benelux
winfried.raijmakers@yara.com
Challenges and opportunities of Soil Management
Third webinar on CSA California – Netherlands
Annet Zweep
Min EZ - Min I&M
A.T.Zweep@minez.nl
Titia Mulder
Wageningen UR
titia.mulder@wur.nl
William Horwath
UC Davis
wrhorwath@ucdavis.edu
Keith Paustian
Colorado State Uni
Keith.Paustian@colostate.edu

49. CLOSING REMARKS
Challenges and opportunities of Soil Management
Third webinar on CSA California – Netherlands
Dr. Josette Lewis
World Food Center – UC Davis
Dr. Neli Prota
Wageningen University and Research