California Ag Network

Category: Featured Post

  • USDA Dairy Roundtable Delivers Record Exports to Indonesia

    The USDA-sponsored “U.S.–Indonesia Dairy Roundtable” event, held in Jakarta on September 30, 2019, has delivered record results for U.S. dairy exports. In the year since the seminal event concluded, U.S. exports of dairy products to Indonesia surged to more than 160,000 metric tons, valued at more than $346 million. Moreover, U.S. market share of Indonesia’s nearly $1.4 billion dairy import market dramatically increased from 14 percent to 25 percent. In calendar year 2020, as of September, the U.S. had already exported a record volume of dairy products to Indonesia and is on track to reach a record value by the end of the year. The event was an excellent example of FAS collaboration with host government officials, local importers, and U.S. industry stakeholders to increase U.S. exports.

    Background

    Held at the Grand Hyatt Ballroom in Jakarta on September 30, 2019, the U.S.–Indonesia Dairy Roundtable was a groundbreaking event designed to increase trade in dairy products between the U.S. and Indonesia. Led by USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs, Ted McKinney, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Joseph R. Donovan, and Indonesia’s Minister of Trade, Enggar Lukita, the gathering brought together key stakeholders from both countries for day-long discussions on dairy trade and policy. In addition to hearing from senior level officials from both governments, participants engaged in one-on-one business meetings designed to expand importer knowledge of U.S. dairy products and exporter knowledge of Indonesian buyers’ requirements. Arranged by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and FAS Jakarta, industry representatives from 13 dairy exporters and producers met directly with buyers from 60 Indonesian companies representing importers, processors, and retailers. FAS Jakarta collaborated closely with USDEC to organize and manage this USDA- sponsored event. The event was an excellent example of how FAS can join with host government officials, local buyers, and U.S. industry stakeholders to increase U.S. exports.

    Ambassador Joseph R. Donovan speaks at the U.S. – Indonesia Dairy Roundtable event alongside Agricultural Counselor, Chris Rittgers (center) and USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs, Ted McKinney (right).

    Results

    In the immediate months following the roundtable, exports of U.S. dairy products to Indonesia accelerated across key product categories including Non-Fat Dry Milk (NFDM), Whey, Lactose and Cheese. This strong performance in the final quarter led to a record quantity of U.S. exports to Indonesia in 2019. Despite market and demand disruptions related to Covid-19, strong demand for U.S. dairy products continued throughout 2020. Far outpacing the record 2019 year, in the year since the roundtable concluded (October 2019 – September 2020), U.S. exports of dairy products to Indonesia surged to more than 160,000 metric tons, valued at more than $346 million.

    Source: USDA – GATS

    Importantly, the gains for U.S. dairy were not solely derived from Indonesia’s growing dairy consumption. Global trade data in the year following the roundtable demonstrates the vast majority of growth in U.S. exports were a direct result of increasing market share. The U.S. market share for Indonesia’s $1.4 billion dairy import market increased nearly 80 percent in the year following the roundtable. This impressive growth, from 14 percent to 25 percent market share, came almost exclusively at the expense of dairy exports from the EU.

    The gains in U.S. exports have made Indonesia the fourth largest market for U.S. dairy by volume and the sixth by value. Significantly, this achievement is not the result of increased exports for any one particular product, but rather an upsurge across various dairy product categories:

    Top Destinations for Key U.S. Dairy Products by Value and Volume

    Seizing Opportunity

    The success of the U.S.–Indonesia Dairy Roundtable can in a large part be attributed to the fast response by U.S. Ambassador Donovan, FAS Jakarta, and the dairy industry to seize an opportunity to expand U.S. exports. Upon hearing reports of trade tensions between the EU and Indonesia related to palm and palm- derived products spilling over into trade of other commodities, FAS Jakarta and the dairy industry moved quickly to mobilize a high-level event that could capitalize on the changing trade environment. Ambassador Donovan spearheaded the engagement with the Ministry of Trade, which ultimately brought together U.S. exporters and Indonesian importers together at an opportune moment when Indonesia sought to diversify trade in dairy products away from the EU.

    Following the roundtable event, both FAS Jakarta and USDEC have continued to work aggressively to link U.S. dairy exporters with Indonesian buyers. This collaboration is perhaps most clearly demonstrated in the successful efforts to register new U.S. dairy facilities for export to Indonesia. Since concluding the roundtable, over 30 new U.S. dairy facilities have submitted applications to the Ministry of Agriculture seeking approval to export. Accordingly, USDEC has expanded its counseling to members on the application process and halal product requirements for Indonesia, while FAS Jakarta has actively engaged U.S. exporters to review and troubleshoot applications before submission and continually advocate with the Ministry of Agriculture for expedited review of U.S. applicants. As a result, 13 U.S. dairy facilities have been approved for export to Indonesia in 2020 and an additional 19 are undergoing the review process. Currently, 114 U.S. dairy facilities are approved for export to Indonesia, more than double the number of any other country. — By Garrett Mcdonald, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

  • COVID-19 Impact on the Almond Industry & Future Prospects

    Many have heard initial projections as to how COVID-19 might impact the California almond industry, especially at such a critical time with growers expecting their largest crop ever this year. But how has the market actually been impacted up to this point?  And are evolving consumer habits beneficial to this growing industry?  Watch this brief interview with Emily Fleischmann from the Almond Board of California to find out and read more about it in the coming issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Grazing & Riparian Restoration Are Compatible When You Put in the Work

    With a little time and effort, rangeland managers can have a dramatic impact on the resilience of California’s riparian areas, which are important to the state’s human, environmental and economic well-being. Rangeland ecologists at the University of California, Davis, found that when ranchers invest even one week a year in practices that keep cows away from creeks — like herding, fencing and providing supplemental nutrition and water — they can improve riparian health by as much as 53 percent.

    “The human factor is remarkably significant,” said Ken Tate, professor and Cooperative Extension specialist in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. “Common thinking is that effectiveness of various rangeland management tools is site specific and largely due to site factors, such as topography and plant communities. Some practices are better suited to certain ranches for these reasons. But this study suggests that how you implement the tools might be the biggest factor in keeping rangelands productive and environmentally sustainable.”

    Tate collaborated with UC farm advisors and several other UC rangeland ecologists on the large-scale riparian conservation study recently reported in the Rangeland Journal.  

    One-third of California — 38 million acres — is rangeland. Much of it is mountainous and arid and managed for livestock production. Grazing on rangeland feeds livestock and also offers many environmental benefits like keeping invasive weeds in check, reducing risk and intensity of wildfires, and supporting habitat for certain animals and plants found nowhere else in the world.

    Problems arise, though, when cattle spend too much time near water, where manure can create water-quality risks for people downstream. That is especially true in California where some 80 percent of the state’s drinking and irrigation water is stored on or passes through rangeland. Overgrazing in riparian areas also tramples sensitive habitat and lets perfectly good forage on hillsides go to waste.

    Examining 1 million acres

    Tate and his team studied 46 grazing units on ranches and national forests covering nearly 1 million acres of dry, rugged rangeland in east-central and northeastern California. With the ranchers’ help, they looked at the relationship between number of livestock, managerial effort and riparian health. To measure riparian health, researchers looked for tiny aquatic bugs, animals and insects known as benthic macroinvertebrates.

    “We collected the kind of things you’d find under rocks when you crawled around creeks when you were a kid,” Tate explained. “The types of bugs and creepy crawlies present and absent tell us a lot about the biodiversity and health of a stream.”

    The team found no significant relationship between riparian health, number of livestock and simple yes/no answers on whether ranchers used fencing, herding or water and salt licks on hillsides to coax cattle from creeks. There was, however, a significant correlation between riparian health and time spent implementing those tools.

    “It doesn’t take a lot of effort, but it does take some effort,” Tate said. “When you put a salt lick on a hillside to attract cattle, for example, it’s going to lose its effectiveness if you don’t go back and refill it and move it to another hillside when the grass around it is grazed. Cows cannot live by salt alone.”

    Tate is encouraged by the results and the solutions they suggest.

    “We see a lot of win-wins,” Tate said. “Effective management opens up new forage opportunities and increases productivity. And when you have more useable land, you relieve pressure on riparian areas, which is good for the environment and for agriculture.” — By Diane Nelson, UC Davis

  • Long-time Wine Industry Leader to Leave Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association

    Chris Chandler, the longest serving executive director of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association (LVWA), will be leaving at the end of the year. She has led the non-profit marketing and membership organization representing wineries, vineyards and businesses in Livermore Valley since the spring of 2007.

    “We have appreciated Chris’ guidance and her capacity through the years to stand with all the wineries, both large and small. Her ability to forge a path through the middle, that benefits everybody has been tremendous. She leaves behind numerous legacies in the Valley,” said Darcie Kent, proprietor of Darcie Kent Vineyards. Her partner, David Kent, noted, “One legacy that stands out in particular is how Chris got up and got going on the downtown wine country hotel. It would have been a very different outcome without her leadership, attention and ability to mobilize a broad section of the community to stand up for what is right and do what was needed to advance our wine country.”

    In 2019, Diablo Magazine featured Chandler as one of “three female power players bringing their A games to our local wine region.” She was devoted to LVWA members and prioritized community and collaboration. Chandler served for several years on the board of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation, which hosts the annual charity auction; the Las Positas College Viticulture & Enology program advisory board, East Bay-Economic Development Alliance (EB-EDA) Marketing and Land Use committees and the Visit Tri- Valley board of directors.

    “Chris has always been willing to partner and advocate on behalf of the hoteliers and wineries in the region,” said Tracy Farhad, CEO of Visit Tri-Valley. “She has served seven years as an invaluable director on the Visit Tri-Valley board, and has long understood and contributed to the larger, regional and national marketing efforts. We will miss her.”

    Under Chandler’s direction, and for the first time in the Association’s history, LVWA pursued and won two grants to support regional marketing. The grants awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture totaled just under half a million dollars.

    Rachael Snedecor, executive director of Livermore Downtown, Inc. (LDI), said, “Chris and her team established a highly successful media relations program. She always took a collaborative approach and reached out to invite LDI to join in Winegrowers-sponsored FAM tours and media visits to the benefit of not only the wineries but downtown restaurants and businesses as well.”

    Alameda County District Supervisor Scott Haggerty remembers, “We worked with Chris and her team back in 2009 to ensure that they could successfully establish the wine country signage program throughout the Valley.”

    Chandler also successfully led the organization through one of the worst economic recessions on record. “It hasn’t always been easy. The Great Recession of 2008-2009 was difficult on wine regions all over the state, including Livermore Valley, she said. “It was nothing like the hardships of this pandemic, but I am confident that the region’s history, creativity, dedication and heart will carry the Valley forward.”

    Among Chandler’s other important legacies are her work on paving a path to establish the Wine Heritage District that will secure sustainable, long-term funding for marketing the region and the expansion of Taste our Terroir from a single night event into an iconic, four- day celebration of local wine country.

    “It’s been an honor and privilege to represent Livermore Valley’s wineries and vineyards for almost 14 years,” said Chandler. “I’m so proud of everything the members, team, board and I have accomplished together!”

    “The Association thanks Chris for her leadership and dedication over the past 13+ years and we all wish her only the best,” said Amy Hoopes, president of Wente Family Estates and two-term LVWA board president.

    Long-time LVWA Operations and Membership Director Brandi Addington will oversee the organization with support from the board of directors for the foreseeable future.

    Livermore Valley Vineyard at Sunset (Photo by Barry Zupan)

    About the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association

    The Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association is a 501(c)6 organization that supports the wineries, growers and members in the Livermore Valley American Viticultural Area through educational and marketing programs. For more information, please visit www.LVwine.org

  • Navel Orangeworm Winter Sanitation Considerations

    Winter sanitation is a critical step in your Navel Orangeworm IPM programs. But when should you start and is it enough just to shake those mummy nuts off of the trees? Watch this interview with Bob Klein from the California Pistachio Research Board as he shares some key insights growers should consider when approaching winter sanitation and read about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • $12 Million to Eradicate an Invasive Rodent of Unusual Size

    You may have heard of them in the comedy film Princess Bride as “Rodents of Unusual Size”, but this is the real thing — only not so large and formidable.  Nutria were originally introduced into the United States as part of the fur trade in the late 1800s, but were eradicated from California in the 1970s.  They made a sudden reappearance a few years ago, and are a great threat to our water infrastructure, indigenous wildlife, and even certain crops. Watch this brief interview with Brian Popper from USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services, who spoke about a number of wildlife pests at Malcolm Media’s annual Tree & Vine Expo recently.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Numbers Threaten Resurgence of Pierce’s Disease in SJV Grapes

    When it comes to Pierce’s Disease and Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter, it’s critical for growers to pay attention to both the disease and the vector.  Although collaborative efforts within the grape industry have kept disease levels down in recent years, population levels of the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter have been elevating in the San Joaquin Valley. Watch this brief interview with UC Cooperative Extension Entomology Farm Advisor David Haviland as he addresses these concerns and read more in American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • How to Prevent Grape Bunch Rot

    At Malcolm Media’s recent Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo, UCCE Viticulture Advisor Gabriel Torres provided an in-depth presentation on sour rot prevention and management. If you missed his presentation or would like a refresher, watch this brief interview as Gabriel provides of some key points growers should consider in season-long prevention/management of this crop spoiling complex.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Raisin Bargaining Association Announces Big Changes

    The California raisin industry is evolving and the Raisin Bargaining Association with it, as RBA leadership looks to better meet the needs of its grower membership.  Watch this brief interview with RBA representative Dwayne Cardoza as he shares how the association is refocusing its mission to the core objectives it was founded on. Much more to be shared virtually in his State of the Raisin Industry presentation with Sun-Maid CEO Harry Overly at the annual Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo on Nov. 13th, so don’t miss it. Register to attend for free at AgExpo.biz.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Protecting your Almonds from Ant Damage

    Almonds sat on the ground to dry a little longer this season due to the abnormal drop in temperatures and increase in humidity at harvest. This provided a longer window of opportunity for ants to feast on the valuable product.  Regardless of what the future brings, there will always be ants in the orchard and now would be a good time to freshen up your knowledge on how to manage them in the orchard. Watch this interview with UC IPM Advisor Kris Tollerup and don’t miss his upcoming ant management presentation at the annual Tree & Vine Expo on November 10th.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.