BIOS growers are encouraged to follow many of the techniques employed by organic farmers, such as planting a fall cover crop and encouraging the presence of beneficial predators – "the good guys" of the insect world.
Cleo and Twyla Jantz
"BIOS" Almond Growers, Winton, California
The harvest is well in progress as we stand beside Cleo and Twyla Jantz in their almond orchard in Winton, California. It's late morning and most of the nuts have already been shaken from the trees and swept into the "windrow" ready for pick-up by the noisy 
mechanical sweeper working a few rows away. Cleo scoops up a few nuts as he tells us about his orchard, cracking the shells and absent-mindedly popping a few into his mouth as he speaks.
Cleo has been on the farm all of his life. Born into a Mennonite family in 1938, which makes him a spry 62 years old, Cleo's father and grandfather before him all worked the land. But it was Cleo who planted the first almond trees during the late '60s in what had previously been his grandfather's 40-acre dairy farm. Many of the Jantz's neighbouring farmers were surprised when five years ago Cleo and Twyla decided to adopt the BIOS system for the entire orchard. Now, driven by concern at relying on costly synthetic pesticides and looking for ways to keep their farms thriving, rather than just surviving, many of those same neighbours are joining them. Cleo acts as a valued mentor to newcomers to the BIOS program which began with 30 farmers and is rapidly catching on, especially around the nearby Modesto area.
We're intrigued by the many barn owl nests we see, not only on Cleo's land, but in the surrounding orchards too. Cleo explains that barn owls are native to the area and play a essential role in gopher control – a major hazard not only for the small trees they chew on – but also because they wreak havoc with the orchard floor. Says Cleo: "We were the first farmers in this area to erect barn owl nests on our property. Now everybody’s doing it.
"They've even got a program at the local college where the students learn how to build the nests – using mostly recycled materials."
The presence of barn owls and other beneficial predators is one of the key elements of the BIOS system, the basic aim of which is to maintain good yields through the health of the orchard (see sidebar on BIOS below). The BIOS system sprang out of a growing awareness of the damage being caused by the orchard industry's heavy dependency on chemicals. Although anticipating the growing regulations on chemical use by the State of California, and concerned at the ever-increasing cost of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, many growers are nervous about adopting stringent organic methods. The BIOS system appeals to these farmers as "the middle road" – which explains its increasing popularity.
BIOS growers are encouraged to follow many of the techniques employed by organic farmers, such as planting a fall cover crop and encouraging the presence of beneficial predators – "the good guys" of the insect world. The difference is, in a bad year when infestation threatens to seriously deplete a grower's yield, chemical spraying – albeit at greatly reduced levels – is allowed. This means the farm is still in production and, as Cleo says, "At least the farmer doesn't lose the entire yield." Strict records are kept on sprays used and farmers are discouraged from using conventional chemicals known to have long-lasting residual effects, such as groundwater contamination, in favour of less harmful "contact" chemicals.
Twyla, Cleo's wife, is a soft-spoken woman very much involved in the orchard's management and interested in the BIOS technique. "It's been hard work," she tells me, "but along with learning healthier ways of farming the land, we're learning a healthier lifestyle for ourselves."
Cleo says the BIOS program is still in the early days and it's a continuous learning process for them all. But farming this way makes sense to Cleo and it gives him a good feeling to be producing abundant yields while building up a healthier soil.
Rancho Vignola has been importing transitional almonds from the Jantz's orchard for about four years. Priced in between commercial and organic, transitional almonds give the concerned or chemically sensitive consumer another choice. We are pleased to be giving our support to the BIOS system and hope that many more commercial growers will see the benefits of adopting BIOS principles, thereby lessening the impact on the environment by chemical residues.
As we walk back through the orchard, commenting on the richness of the soil, Cleo smiles and tells us of his father Elmer's favourite saying: "When you see earthworms in the ground, you know it's good soil."
Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems – BIOS
BIOS is a program that is helping farmers in some California counties experiment with cover cropping and biological control techniques. The program – originally conceived by UC entomologist Robert Bugg (yes, that's his real name!) and CAFF (Community Alliance with Family Farmers) Foundation – provides farmers with a customized farm plan, frequent field days and demonstrations, a field monitoring program, access to cost sharing programs and consultations as needed with the Management Team. The BIOS system has been in operation since the early '90s, with a three-year pilot program involving 26 Merced County almond growers which started in 1993.
Four Principles of BIOS Farming:
1. Feed the soil first: with a rich population of soil organisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi and earthworms) and a balanced supply of organic matter (OM). Cover crops, compost, manure and prunings are good sources of OM.
2. Make a home for predators: includes a rich mix of plant life to support diverse insect populations as well as hawks and owls that feed on rodents.
3. Keep your eyes peeled: systematic observation is used mostly to monitor changes in pest and beneficial insect populations.
4. Work with nature: an a eye-opener for conventional farmers newly converted to BIOS is that they can trust nature to do the work they used to do from the seat of a tractor. As they learn to become "resource managers," most BIOS program participants have eliminated dormant sprays and greatly reduced other chemical pest controls.
For more information on the BIOS system, contact CAFF (Community Alliance with Family Farmers) Foundation through Jim Tischler at: jimtischler@caff.org
