Sacramento Valley Field Crops

this is a photo of Sarah Light holding a turnip.

Sarah E. Light 

Agronomy Farm Advisor 

142A Garden Hwy, Yuba City, CA 95991

(530) 822-7515   selight@ucanr.edu 

< Profile and Bibliography>

About Sarah and her program

Sarah has been serving as the Agronomy Advisor in Sutter, Yuba, and Colusa Counties since 2017. She has a B.A. in Latin American Studies, a dual M.S. in Soil Science and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University, and is fluent in Spanish.

Her research and extension focuses on crop production, nutrient management, soil health, cover crops, water management, and pest management. This website is designed to provide research-based information, updates, and educational resources for farmers, researchers, and others interested in field crop production.

 

Upcoming Events

Nitrogen Management Training

"Join UC Cooperative Extension for a practical training focused on nitrogen management in row crops."

<Learn more and register>

<Agenda>

CDFA INMTP Credits: 3 hrs 

CCA Credits: pending 

Yuba City Training: 

Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Location: 142 Garden Hwy A, Yuba City, CA 95991

Modesto Training: 

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Location: 3800 Cornucopia Way # A, Modesto, CA 95358

 

Transition to Organic Webinar - Free virtual Series

"Thinking about transitioning your crop operation to organic? Join us for a ten-week webinar series designed to guide producers through every major step of the organic transition."

<Learn more and register>

*Spanish and Hmong interpretation will be available at every session

Date: Wednesdays, January 14 – March 18, 2026

Time: Noon - 2 PM

Event Type: Virtual (A virtual link will be communicated before the event.)

 

Newsletters

Sacramento Valley Field Crop Newsletter - June 2025 (PDF, 1.48 MB)

  • UC Works with Blackeye Farmers to Improve Varieties for the California Industry
  • 2024 Colusa County Garbanzo Bean Variety Trial
  • A Nitrogen Fertilizer Calculator for Annual Crops
  • More Than Just Chemistry: The Hidden Role of Weather in Herbicide Performance
  • Cover-Cropping in California’s Water Scarce Environments

 

 

 

Project Summaries

cover crop pic - Sarah project

 

RECENT PROJECTS:

< view more project summaries>

 

Decision Support Tools

"Our web tools feature interactive user experience on a growing number of topics related to the management of soil health in California. To view more decision support tools, click the title above."

California Bulk Density Calculator

"This calculator estimates bulk density based on saturation percentage and soil organic matter in California soils."

< Access the calculator>

Cover Crop Species Selector

"The cover crop Species Selector recommends cover crops based on your cover cropping objectives, local climate and soil type."

< Access the calculator>

 

The Soil Health Connection

This is Sarah's YouTube channel. The videos focus on interviews with individuals actively working to improve soil health in California’s Sacramento Valley, including farmers, scientists, policy advocates, and farm advisors. Interviewees include farmers, scientists, policy advocates, and farm advisors. 

< Watch an episode to learn about soil management practices>

Source URL: https://www.ucanr.edu/county/cooperative-extension-sutter-yuba-counties/sacramento-valley-field-crops