In a north-south swap of agricultural expertise, a UC Davis agricultural researcher recently shared California farming lessons with Idaho farmers who are in the process of developing Farm Improvement Clubs. "Marketing, water issues and information exchange were paramount to the Idaho farmers, just as they are in California," says Robert L. Bugg, an expert in cover crops and restoration ecology from the UC Davis-based UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. In exchange, Bugg found that the Farm Improvement Clubs, based on small, self-identified groups of farmers with common interests, offer a useful model for California agriculture. "The Farm Improvement Club model, which was pioneered in Montana, has excellent potential value for California farmers and I'm eager to see that model extended here," says Bugg. The clubs would be an ideal sequel to educational segments of the Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems project, intended to help reduce chemical reliance and increase knowledge of farm ecology.