During a free NII on-farm consultation, farm advisors and their staff work with growers to identify management practices, monitoring techniques, and infrastructural upgrades that can reduce nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation use. Consultations are a tool to provide individualized recommendations and assist growers with implementing best management practices. 

Topics that may be discussed during a consultation include:

Continuing Education Units

Beginning in October 2024, growers in the San Joaquin Valley who self-certify their Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) Worksheets through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Training Program are also eligible to receive one CDFA INMP continuing education unit each calendar year through an NII on-farm consultation. Program participants may choose to maintain their self-certification by obtaining three hours of continuing education through annual consultations within the 3-year eligibility period.

Upon completion of a consultation, NII farm advisors and staff will submit information to FREP on the grower's behalf. FREP staff will send a Certificate of Course Completion via email within one month. 

To request an NII on-farm consultation, please contact your local NII farm advisor:

Fresno and Kings Counties: Mae Culumber, Ben Halleck

Kern and Kings Counties: Mohammad Yaghmour Cristal Hernandez

Tulare County, Kearney Research and Extension Center: Khaled Bali

Madera and Merced Counties: Phoebe Gordon

Monterey County: Michael Cahn, David Chambers

Santa Clara and San Benito Counties: Aparna Gazula

Santa Cruz County: Michael Cahn, Jorge Calva 

Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties: Zheng Wang, Jacqueline Vasquez Mendoza

For questions about the process for receiving CDFA INMP credit from an NII on-farm consultation, please email FREP@cdfa.ca.gov.