Press Release: Upcoming SGMA workshop for Kern County growers

The University of California Cooperative Extension will hold a workshop for growers with updates on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

When: Wednesday, October 29, 2025 

Time: 8:00 AM-Noon, Registration opens at 7:30 AM Where: University of California Cooperative Extension, Kern County 1031 South Mount Vernon Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93307 Contact: Mandeep Riar (Restoration Ecology and Weed Science Advisor) 

Contact : Mandeep Riar, Restoration Ecology and Weed Science Advisor mriar@ucanr.edu/661-868-6216 

Light refreshments and lunch will be provided. 

Registration link: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=46986 

Registration fee: $25. Continuing education units available for CCA, CPAg, CPSS and CPSC: Crop Management: 1.5, Soil and Water Management: 0.5, Sustainability: 1.0 

DESCRIPTION 

This workshop will provide growers with timely updates on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and explore practical options for managing land that may be fallowed under groundwater restrictions. Presentations will highlight opportunities for on-farm recharge, technical assistance available to growers, and research-based insights into annual grains, and other potential crops suited for water-limited environments. The goal is to equip participants with knowledge and strategies that can help turn SGMA-related challenges into productive alternatives for their operations. 

AGENDA

7:30 a.m. – Registration, coffee and donuts 

8 a.m. – Welcome and Introductions Mandeep Riar, UCCE Farm Advisor (Kern, Tulare, and Kings) 

8:15 a.m. – SGMA and farmland transitions in the San Joaquin Valley, Caitlin Peterson, Public Policy Institute of California 

8:45 a.m. – Train the Trainer: On Farm Recharge/AgMAR Rogell Rogers, Sustainable Conservation 

9:15 a.m. – Underrepresented Communities, California tribes, and small farmers, Groundwater Technical Assistance Program (URCTA) Luis Paniagua, SGMA Community Education Specialist, UC SAREP 

9:45 a.m. – Break 

10:00 a.m. – Evaluating Effects of Deficit Irrigation Strategies on Forage Sorghum Yields and Nutrient Composition, Jackie Atim, UC ANR Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist 

10:30 a.m. – Strengthening Water-limited Small and Medium Farms in California with Agave Cropping, Srabani Das, UC ANR Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist 

11:00 a.m. – Management Approaches for Maximizing Water Productivity of Winter Cereal Forage and Grain Crops, Mark Lundy, Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension, UC Davis 

11:30 a.m. – Multi-benefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP)- New Funding Opportunities, Megan Powers, CA Department of Conservation 

12:00 p.m. – Lunch