Celebrating 20 Years of CRAE: A Legacy of Collaboration and Impact
For 20 years, the California Roundtable on Agriculture & the Environment (CRAE) stood as a beacon of collaboration, bringing together agriculture and environmental leaders to address California’s most complex challenges.
From its inception in 2004 to its conclusion in 2024, CRAE’s mission was clear: bridge divides, foster dialogue, and create actionable solutions for a sustainable and resilient California.
See below for CRAE’s impacts, white papers, and archive of signon-letters and summit results.
“CRAE is a unique and extremely valuable forum that brings together members of the agriculture and environmental communities to work towards sustainable agriculture and sustainable ecosystems for California. Members believe strongly that we can work together to make progress on our share objectives.”
A Unique Approach to Partnership
CRAE’s strength lay in its ability to unite diverse perspectives—across agriculture and the environment, and from state agencies and NGOs to academics and policymakers—around shared goals. Its roundtable model created a neutral space where conversations turned into commitments and ideas into action. At its heart was a systems-thinking approach that enabled the group to see problems and opportunities holistically.
20 Years of Impact: Highlights from CRAE’s Journey
- Advocacy with Purpose: CRAE successfully advocated for increased Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) funding, environmentally sound pest management policies, and ag labor reform supported by both agricultural and environmental groups.
- Guiding National Policy: CRAE’s work shaped federal legislation, including principles to mitigate unintended environmental impacts of food safety practices and national climate change programs for agriculture.
- Innovative Solutions: From woody biomass utilization to ecosystem services guidelines, CRAE developed practical tools and frameworks that balanced agricultural productivity with environmental stewardship.
By the Numbers
830+
meetings of collaboration and dialogue.
34
sign-on letters amplifying collective advocacy.
6
major reports that shaped policy and practice.
105
Organizations over 20 years
∞
Countless contributions to panels, presentations, and media.
Landmark Products
CRAE’s legacy is reflected in its wide array of resources and initiatives:
- Guiding Principles: Climate change, food safety, and permitting restoration.
- Reports and Databases: Ecosystem services projects, nitrogen management policies, and drought collaboration statements.
- Collaborative Actions: Joint letters to state and federal leaders, culminating in tangible policy outcomes.
- Other Ripples: Dozens, maybe hundreds, of relationships that reinforced collaboration and action far beyond CRAE.
A Legacy to Celebrate
From shaping the Farm Bill to advancing land preservation and water management, CRAE’s work leaves an indelible mark on California’s agricultural and environmental landscape. Its ability to convene stakeholders and drive progress across disciplines was unmatched.
Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future
As CRAE closes its doors, its legacy endures in the policies, practices, and partnerships it inspired. For two decades, it showed what’s possible when diverse voices come together to tackle shared challenges. While its work has concluded, the impact of CRAE’s contributions will guide California’s agricultural and environmental efforts for years to come.
About CRAE’s members: CRAE’s accomplishments over the past 20 years would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of its members. We extend our deepest gratitude to the diverse organizations and individuals who came together to advance sustainable solutions for California’s agriculture and environment.
Thank you to UCANR: This webpage was made possible with the generous support of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), a dedicated member of the California Roundtable on Agriculture & the Environment (CRAE) for many years. UCANR’s commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship was instrumental in shaping CRAE’s legacy.
RESULTS
This webpage celebrates CRAE’s accomplishments and showcases the wealth of tools, reports, and principles it produced. We invite you to delve into these resources and carry forward the spirit of collaboration and innovation that defined CRAE’s 20 years of work.
A Call to Action to Preserve California Agricultural Land
A Call to Action to Preserve California Agricultural Land describes a suite of policy recommendations for slowing the rate of farmland conversion.
Policy Considerations for Managing Agricultural Nitrogen to Reduce Groundwater Contamination in California
Policy Considerations for Managing Agricultural Nitrogen to Reduce Groundwater Contamination in California communicates both a set of key facts important to building policy regarding nitrate in the agricultural context, and a set of key considerations to support effective policy-making.
Guidelines for Creating Effective Ecosystem Services Incentive Programs and Policy
Guidelines for Creating Effective Ecosystem Services Incentive Programs and Policy is a synthesis of best practices to support ecosystem service programs in developing successful and comprehensive conservation incentives.
Permitting Restoration: Helping Agricultural Land Stewards Succeed in Meeting California Regulatory Requirements for Environmental Restoration Projects
Permitting Restoration: Helping Agricultural Land Stewards Succeed in Meeting California Regulatory Requirements for Environmental Restoration Projects provides a set of recommendations to facilitate the permitting processes for on-farm environmental restoration projects. Four case studies accompany the report.
The CRAE Food Safety Principles
(2010) outline practical, science-based approaches to protect public health while minimizing unintended environmental impacts, offering a balanced framework for sustainable food production.
The CRAE Climate Principles
outlines principles for integrating agriculture into a national climate change program, emphasizing voluntary participation, performance-based incentives, offset programs, and the recognition of agriculture’s role in greenhouse gas mitigation, carbon sequestration, and environmental adaptation.
CRAE ARCHIVE
Contact
info@aginnovations.org
(707) 823-6111
708 HWY 116 N #1015
Sebastopol, CA 95472
This is a virtual office address – please email or call us if you’d like to find a time to meet in person!
