Adaptation of resilient regenerative agricultural practices by small-scale growers towards sustainable food production in north-central Arizona

Urban Farm DB summary

A study in north-central Arizona, United States, investigated land use and farm practices among small-scale growers and their role in resilient, sustainable local food production. Amid rising pressure from population growth and extreme climate on agricultural land, Arizona's average farm size fell 57% while the number of farms rose 127% between 1997 and 2017, and family farms under 10 acres now make up 50% of the state's farmer population. The study found that 52% of the surveyed small farms were family operations, with regenerative and sustainable practices predominating — cover cropping (27%), compost use (26%), crop rotation (23%), animal or green manure (22%), no-till (21%), and reduced tillage (18%) — while conventional practices such as intensive tillage (5%) and synthetic fertilizers (13%) were less common. For pest, weed, and disease control, 95% of growers used biological, cultural, or mechanical methods versus 5% using conventional synthetic chemicals, and for irrigation, 78% used water-saving methods (drip, subsurface, sprinkler) while 11% used open flood irrigation.