SANTA MARIA STRAWBERRY FARMER HONORED FOR CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Natural Resource Conservation Service California recognizes Jesus Castillo’s environmental stewardship
SANTA MARIA, CA - Jesus Castillo was a small farmer in his native Jalisco, Mexico. Since he arrived at the Santa Maria area, he has used his years of experience to carve a living, growing strawberries and tomatillos.
Castillo is being recognized by the California division of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for his outstanding contributions to environmentally-responsible farming.
“Conservation is important to me because we live on this planet and we are destroying it by contaminating and applying the wrong practices,” he says through an interpreter. “The planet has to be passed down to future generations for them to use it and live on it, as we have done.”
While Monica Barricarte, of the Cachuma Resource Conservation District (RCD), was assisting other producers with the mobile irrigation lab, Castillo approached her about using his irrigation system as a model for his neighbors. That’s how the relationship started between Castillo, the RCD and the NRCS.
Soon, Castillo was attending the Water Quality Planning short course developed by the UC Cooperative Extension. As he become more interested in bringing more conservation practices to his operation, NRCS and the RCD helped him with the sound use of fertilizers in the production of strawberries.
His work with the NRCS helped him reduce excess nitrogen fertilizer applications in his fields and served as a model to his peers. When the NRCS and the RCD reached out to Castillo with a tailored package designed for a better understanding of nutrients, soil and plant needs, Castillo eagerly applied what he learned.
The result: healthier plants with bigger and better production, reduction of nutrient levels in groundwater and the saving of thousands of dollars in fertilizers.
“I’m really happy and satisfied,” he says. “I am willing to start doing something bigger and better, but I also want to keep learning so every day I can improve my work and practices.”
Castillo’s recognition came about when the NRCS decided to launch a national conservation campaign. He was one of four farmers statewide chosen by NRCS Conservationists familiar with the work of hundreds of farmers in their areas. As part of the selection process, one farmer would represent California in a nationwide competition with farmers from each state. Nine farmers would be selected as Featured Conservationists to appear in national video spots, posters and stories. Castillo made the national list of finalists but didn't ultimately make the final cut. However, he is being featured on success story fact sheets, on the internet and in other ways.
Castillo's conservation accomplishment is featured on the "Area 2 Central Coast" link on the Success Story section of the NRCS-CA website http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/news/stories/ . The story is listed there as "Conservation Outreach: Santa Maria.” His story is also on page 13 of the "Trends in Conservation" publication, featured on the Publications section of the NRCS-CA Web page at http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/news/publications/
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Photo caption: Jesus Castillo, second from left, is as dedicated to environmentally responsible farming as he is to his crops.
(Left to right: Daniel Mountjoy - Assistant state conservationist for field office operations; Jesus Castillo - strawberry and tomatillos grower; Monica Barricarte - Water resources specialist for the Cachuma resource Conservation District; Ed Burton - State conservationist; Dawn Afman - District conservationist for Mariposa; Adriana Morales- biologist Cachuma resource Conservation District; Tom Lockhart - Cachuma resource Conservation District manager.)