California’s most productive agricultural regions face some of the nation’s worst air quality. Geographic factors, heavy transportation corridors, agricultural activities, and climate change are all contributing factors that are creating serious health risks for farmers, farmworkers, and nearby communities. This chapter explores how California is implementing stricter air quality standards, phasing out agricultural burning, promoting cleaner equipment and zero-emission technologies, supporting alternative residue management and manure treatment, and advancing dust mitigation and wildfire response efforts to improve air quality, protect public health, and support a more resilient agricultural system.
Strategy 9.1 Improve air quality from agricultural operations.
- 9.1.1 Support research on air quality impacts related to agricultural operations.
- 9.1.2 Coordinate outreach about state programs between state agencies.
- 9.1.3 Increase access to equipment upgrades and changing agricultural operation practices that improve air quality.