California Ag Network

Category: Featured Post

  • June 30 Last Day to Complete Enrollment for 2020 Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage Programs

    Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2020 must do so by June 30. Although program elections for the 2020 crop year remain the same as elections made for 2019, all producers need to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to sign a 2020 enrollment contract.

    “The Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs are critical safety-net programs for farmers, helping producers weather market distortions resulting from natural disasters, trade disruptions and, this year, a pandemic,” said FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce. “Contact your FSA county office today to complete enrollment before June 30. This can be done in concert with filing your acreage report and applying for other FSA programs.”

    To date, more than 1.4 million ARC and PLC contracts have been signed for the 2020 crop year. This represents 89 percent of expected enrollment. FSA will send reminder postcards to producers who, according to agency records, have not yet submitted signed contracts for ARC or PLC for the 2020 crop year.

    Producers who do not complete enrollment by close of business local time on Tuesday, June 30 will not be enrolled in ARC or PLC for the 2020 crop year and will be ineligible to receive a payment should one trigger for an eligible crop.

    ARC and PLC contracts can be mailed or emailed to producers for signature depending on producer preference. Signed contracts can be mailed or emailed back to FSA or, arrangements can be made in advance with FSA to drop off signed contracts at the FSA county office – call ahead for local drop off and other options available for submitting signed contracts electronically.

    Producers are eligible to enroll on farms with base acres for the following commodities: barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium- and short-grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.

    More Information

    For more information on ARC and PLC including web-based decision tools, visit farmers.gov/arc-plc.

    USDA Service Centers, including FSA county offices, are open for business by phone only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

    Visit offices.usda.gov to find location and contact information for the nearest FSA county office.

  • CA Winery Tasting Rooms Begin to Reopen in Time for Summer Sipping

    California wine lovers have good reason to raise their glasses; on June 12, wineries were given the green light by the state to reopen their tasting rooms to visitors in approved counties. Tasting room experiences will look a bit different this summer, but California wine country’s natural beauty and world-class wines are as spectacular as ever.

    Protecting the health and safety of their visitors and employees is a top priority for California vintners. Wineries have implemented stringent cleaning and sanitation protocols as well as employee wellness screenings and the use of face coverings among other practices.

    Visitors can expect to see several changes during their next California wine country excursion:

    • Visitor flow will be monitored. Vintners are limiting the number of guests who are allowed to visit at any one time. This helps wineries maintain physical distancing and creates a more intimate atmosphere for guests. They are also limiting group sizes.

    • Tables are spaced to meet the six-foot physical distancing requirements and give visitors plenty of room to relax and enjoy the experience.

    • Tastings are moving outdoors. California wine country is known for its gorgeous vineyards and beautiful winery estates, so it’s a great time to get outside and enjoy the views. Many wineries have moved tables outside to ensure proper spacing between tables or are offering outdoor-only tastings. Some are also featuring fresh-air activities such as private vineyard hikes and curated picnics. Check winery websites or call ahead for the latest offerings.

    • Tours have gone private. Wineries are limiting tour groups to members of the same household, so different parties will not be mixed together. This results in a more personalized experience for participants.

    • Masks are in fashion. Guests are asked to wear face coverings while checking in or when coming within six feet of winery staff and other guests. Masks are generally not required while seated or tasting.

    • Reservations are highly encouraged. To help control the flow of visitors, wineries are asking guests to book tasting appointments. Calling ahead also gives visitors the opportunity to find out about any special tastings or experiences the winery is offering. Guests should also check with wineries in advance for county-specific requirements. As always, please stay home and reschedule your visit if you or anyone in your party is unwell.

    If you can’t make it to a California winery this summer, many wineries are also continuing to offer virtual tastings and experiences which can be found at discovercaliforniawines.com. You can also recreate the experience at home with  Wine Country Table: With Recipes that Celebrate California’s Sustainable Harvest.

    Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses that initiates and advocates state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine. The organization works to enhance the economic and environmental health of the state through its leadership in sustainable winegrowing and a partnership with Visit California to showcase California’s wine and food offerings and the state as a top travel destination.

  • Three Ways to Prevent Almond Hull Rot

    As almond growers in California prepare for hull split, almond hull rot is often a problem on their minds during this time. As UC Cooperative Extension Orchard Systems Farm Advisor Franz Niederholzer says, prevention is key.  Watch this brief interview with Franz as he shares three tips on avoiding this costly issue in the orchard, and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine. Don’t currently receive the magazine? Subscribe for free at: https://malcolmmedia.com/pacific-nut-producer-magazine-subscriptions/

  • Reusing Chicken Litter Shows Benefits

    Chicken is the most consumed protein in the United States. According to the National Chicken Council, the U.S. produced more than 9.2 billion broiler chickens in 2019. US consumers spent more than 95 billion dollars on chicken products.

    All these broilers – chickens raised for meat – need millions of tons of litter, or bedding material. Reusing chicken litter can save costs. There exists some health and safety concerns though.

    A new study shows that the environment in reused poultry litter can deter growth of pathogens like Salmonella.

    “When you read or hear that broiler litter is reused to raise multiple flocks of chickens, the typical reaction is that it must be bad for food safety,” says Adelumola Oladeinde, a co-author of the recent study. “Our study demonstrates the exact opposite.”

    Oladeinde is a researcher at the USDA’s National Poultry Research Center in Athens. He and his colleagues found that ‘good’ bacteria in used poultry litter can hinder Salmonella growth.

    “It may be worthwhile to invest time and resources to characterize the bacteria in reused litter,” says Oladeinde. “We can develop the promising ones into beneficial microbes for better chicken gut health.”

    The study also explored litter characteristics, such as moisture and ammonia levels. These characteristics can dramatically affect the litter microbiome – the mix of bacteria, fungi, and viruses in litter.

    “Our findings provide new information on the relationship between the physical environment of broiler litter and its microbiome,” says Oladeinde. “Management techniques that account for both factors may help reduce Salmonella in chickens.”

    Chicken litter plays a big role in determining broiler health. After a broiler chick gets to a farm, it usually spends the next several weeks pecking and living on litter.

    In fact, chicks begin to eat litter even before eating from feeding troughs or drinking. The microbiome present in the litter likely become the ‘first settlers’ in the guts of the chicks.

    “These first microbes play a key role in determining gut health,” says Oladeinde. “Therefore, it is critical to determine what a beneficial litter microbiome looks like.”

    The team collected samples of reused poultry litter from the University of Georgia Poultry Research Center. The litter was used to raise three flocks of broiler chickens under conditions like those used in broiler farms. “Each sample represents a unique broiler litter environment,” says Oladeinde.

    In the lab, researchers measured characteristics of the litter samples. Then they added Salmonella to each sample. After that, the samples were tested for levels of Salmonella, other bacteria, and physical characteristics.

    Within two weeks of adding Salmonella, most samples developed predictable microbiomes. Certain microbes, such as Nocardiopsis bacteria, seemed to reduce growth of Salmonella.

    That makes sense, according to Oladeinde. Some species of Nocardiopsis bacteria are known to produce antibiotics and toxins. These compounds could be keeping Salmonella levels low in the litter samples.

    A key aspect of reusing broiler litter is how long to wait before reuse. This waiting period is called litter downtime.

    “For farmers, a shorter downtime will result in growing more birds through the year,” says Oladeinde. However, we know little about how downtime affects litter microbiome.

    Results from the study show that surveying levels of specific bacteria could help determine if litters have had enough downtime. That could be of big help to farmers.

    “Poultry litter is a complex environment to study,” says Oladeinde. “We showed that the reused litter after two weeks of downtime had a microbiome that was unfavorable to Salmonella.”

    Oladeinde aims to repeat these experiments with litter from various sources. He also wants to test for multiple Salmonella strains. “These studies will tell us about the underlying mechanisms behind reusing litter and reducing Salmonella,” he says.

    Read more about this research in Journal of Environmental Quality. This work was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

  • NIFA Invests $4.8 Million to Train Ag Workforce Through Community Colleges

    Today, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of $4.8 million to support 12 projects that will offer workforce training by community colleges. These awards are made possible through the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) Agricultural Workforce Training program priority area. This is the first time that the NIFA has specifically targeted community colleges to increase training opportunities for the food and agricultural workforce sector.

    “Community colleges provide substantial workforce development throughout the nation,” said NIFA Director Scott Angle. “These awards will lead to workers earning a two-year degree or an industry-accepted credential, which will open better job opportunities in the food and agricultural sector.”

    The 12 awardees were selected from over 30 applications after and evaluated by a peer panel knowledgeable about both community colleges and workforce training. “The community colleges and cooperating Institutions range geographically from Rhode Island to Hawaii,” said Angle. “Training subject areas include improving worker skills in nursery production, pesticide application, aquaponics, hydraulic systems, leadership for workers in rural areas, and more.” While diverse in geography and subject matter, the successful projects have three things in common:

    1. Projects must result in needed workforce training at community colleges;
    2. Projects must provide experiential learning opportunities that allow students more time working in job simulation or ‘on-the-job’ training environments; and
    3. Trainees must either receive a two-year degree or an industry recognized credential that will improve their skillset and employability.

    The twelve organizations receiving the awards are:

    West Hills Community College; Coalinga, California – $500,000
    Dakota College at Bottineau; Bottineau, North Dakota – $500,000
    Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech University; Blacksburg, Virginia – $500,000
    Michigan State University; East Lansing, Michigan – $499,999
    South Central College; North Mankato, Minnesota – $499,657
    Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Institute; Kingston; Rhode Island – $499,654
    University of Hawaii Systems; Kahului, Hawaii – $498,759
    Cornell University; Ithaca, New York – $495,799
    Bismarck State College; Bismarck, North Dakota – $458,839
    Chemeketa Community College; Salem, Oregon – $273,295
    Pittsburg State University; Pittsburg, Kansas – $95,254
    Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay, Wisconsin – $24,897

    Award grant details can be found on NIFA’s website.

    NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural science, visit https://nifa.usda.gov/impacts, sign up for email updates or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAimpacts.

  • Western Plant Materials Centers Working for Butterfly Conservation

    June is national pollinator month and a great time to recognize the importance of pollinators.  NRCS has numerous programs and conservation practices to benefit habitat for many pollinators, including honeybees, native bees, butterflies and other pollinators.  To best support the creation and management of butterfly habitat, it’s important to understand the special needs of butterflies. Plant Materials Centers (PMCs) in western states are actively studying butterfly habitat development practices and producing useful tools for NRCS field offices regarding butterfly conservation.

    Instead of having bee mouth parts, adult butterflies feed on nectar using a long straw-like tube called a proboscis.  For this reason, any pollinator habitat created with butterflies in mind, needs to include a suite of flowers known to produce nectar and not just pollen.  Western PMCs have developed a number of resources to help guide field offices in butterfly habitat design such as Idaho Plant Materials Technical Note 71: Monarch Butterfly Habitat: Development and Maintenance and Idaho Plant Materials Technical Note 73: Creation and Management of Utah Butterfly Habitat.

    Numerous butterfly species may soon warrant listing as a threatened or endangered species not only because plants for adults are less available, but also because host plant populations for larvae (caterpillars) are diminishing.  NRCS PMCs are directing their expertise to better understanding the production, establishment, and promotion of those plants critical to all stages in the life cycles of western butterflies.

    Monarch butterflies, for example, are perhaps the most iconic insect in North America; however, this species faces severe challenges.  Experts predict that Western monarch numbers have been steadily and dramatically decreasing since the 1980’s.  One of the factors linked to monarch declines is the reduction of available milkweed (Asclepias spp.) populations.  Adult monarchs will only lay eggs on milkweed plants, which comprise the sole food source for the developing larva.


    PMCs in California, Oregon, Montana and Idaho have been studying milkweed to determine best practices for habitat restoration and management.  The Aberdeen PMC in Idaho is investigating the propagation of milkweed via root or rhizome cuttings.  They have found that root cuttings of showy milkweed (A. speciosa) as small as 1/8” diameter can produce new plants.  This technique may provide an effective method to establish milkweed in native habitats as well as, home flower gardens.  Aberdeen PMC staff are conducting field burning treatments as part of a study investigating milkweed management for monarch butterfly habitat. Likewise, the Corvallis, Oregon and Lockeford, California PMCs are studying practices to establish and manage milkweed species in seed mixtures to produce optimum monarch habitat.  In Montana, the Bridger PMC worked collaboratively with the Teller Wildlife Refuge, Pheasants Forever, NRCS Hamilton Field Office, and the Montana State University Ag Experimental Station to establish a milkweed and pollinator planting to evaluate different milkweed planting methods.


    A further group of western butterflies that are threatened due to host plant population losses are the silverspots or fritillaries.  These beautiful checkered butterflies rely on violets (Viola spp.) to produce their offspring.  The Corvallis and Aberdeen PMCs are studying methods of violet seed and plant production to aid conservation efforts in critical habitats. In Corvallis, they published findings on practical solutions for seed production of early blue violet (V. adunca), while scientists at Aberdeen have begun investigating propagation and seed production of northern bog violet (V. nephrophylla).

    In addition to these specific activities, PMCs have developed several publications outlining management practices and species appropriate for butterfly habitat in the many ecoregions of the western states.  For more information, visit the website of the PMC in your area.

  • Stinknet is Spreading in Southern California

    Stinknet (Oncosiphon piluliferum, aka globe chamomile) is a winter annual that is spreading across Southern California and poses threats to wildlands, rangelands and agricultural areas. Stinknet was first found in western Riverside County in the early 1980’s. It slowly spread to surrounding areas and by the late 1990’s it was found in over a half dozen locations in Riverside and San Diego Counties. By this time, it had also spread to Phoenix. While stinknet has not been one of the fastest weeds to spread across the state (stinkwort, Dittrichia graveolens, is definitely a top contender for that spot, see here) it is now currently found in every county in Southern California (except Imperial, yet) with the largest infestations in Riverside and San Diego Counties. Stinknet continues to spread north across Los Angeles, the central valley and coast, and east across Arizona, it was also recently found in Las Vegas.  

    Identification

    Stinknet is easiest to identify when in flower. At flowering, it grows from several inches to 3 feet tall.

    Stinknet in full flower (Image credit: Chris McDonald)
    A closeup of stinknet flowers (Image Credit: Chris McDonald)

    Stinknet is closely related to the pineapple weeds (Matricaria spp., see here) and brass buttons (Cotula spp. see here and here), and resembles those more common weeds. The main difference is the flower of stinknet is very round, like a globe, (see above) while the flowers of pineapple weed and brass buttons tend to be slightly conical to half a sphere.

    Brass buttons (Cotula coronopifilia Image credit: Carol Witham)

    Pineapple weed and brass buttons also tend to grow more along the ground, and stinknet grows upright. Another diagnostic feature is that stinknet stinks. All plant parts have an unpleasant turpentine, pine or tar-like smell, and even very small plants have this smell. You can even smell the odor of a large field of stinknet when you are near a very large infestation.

    Successful Control Options

    Stinknet can be controlled with several herbicides that can be used in wildlands. Milestone (aminopyralid), Capstone (aminopyralid and triclopyr) and glyphosate are all highly effective at controlling stinknet, but only before the plants have flowered. Often if herbicides are applied after flowering, stinknet can finish flowering before the herbicides have killed the plant. Milestone and Capstone also provide season-long control of stinknet with suppression lasting up to and in some cases beyond 12 months. Several researchers, including myself, are working on other control measures and understanding its biology to better help managers control stinknet. Those projects should wrap up in the next year or two.

    What doesn’t work well at controlling stinknet? 

    Telar XP (chlorsulfuron) was not effective at controlling stinknet in Southern California. Transline (clopyralid) was inconsistent at controlling stinknet. Transline had shown promise of effective control in relatively dry years, but in other more wet years the treated plants were able to grow out of the treatment. Mechanical removal (mowing or string trimmers) has shown to be of limited effectiveness, mostly because the cut plants resprout and flower closer to the ground. Multiple cuttings close to the ground alleviate this problem and can provide good control, but a simple single cutting is not very effective. Stinkent can grow in dense patches so hand pulling will only work on a very small scale, and multiple sessions are needed. Stinknet is not palatable to livestock, so grazing will not be an effective management strategy and can make the problem worse.

    Threats to California Agriculture

    In Western Australia, stinknet is a problem weed in small grain crops. In both South Africa (the home range of stinknet) and Austrailia stinknet is a problem weed in rangelands too. This is because stinknet is unpalatable to many livestock. While stinknet is not currently known to be toxic, there are reports it can taint the meat and milk from those animals. If the patterns in Australia and South Africa hold in the US (and so far in a few observed cases it appears to be similar) and if stinknet continues to spread into rangelands and agricultural areas in California, then it will cause problems.

    EDRR

    Right now, the best way to keep stinknet from spreading locally in California is to identify early infestations and rapidly respond to those initial infestations. This strategy is called early detection and rapid response (EDRR). Fortunately, the largest stinknet populations are found in only a few locations in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. However, numerous small populations occur across Southern California. I have also noticed that very few stinknet patches decline in size, once stinknet colonizes a site it tends to expand, or even hold its ground during a drought. The areas with the earliest known stinknet populations, in both California and Arizona, now have large, very high-density patches. Those patches can be over a dozen and up to hundreds of acres in extent. Stinknet appears to be a strong competitor especially in disturbed areas, but also in undisturbed wildlands too, and can quickly become the dominant plant. It does this by creating numerous small patches and as those patches grow, they form large blankets carpeting acres or long strips along roads and trails. Stopping those small stinknet patches can prevent them from turning into large infestations.

    More information on stinknet will be available as our research progresses and we learn more about its biology, spread and controlling it. — By Chris McDonald, UCANR

  • New Recommendations for Laurel Wilt Disease

    By Ben Faber, UC Cooperative Extension — Laurel Wilt Disease of Avocado and the relatives of avocado in the Laurel Family has devastated the the forests along the east coast from North Carolina down to Florida and along the Caribbean into Texas.  It has caused significant losses to wildlands and to the Florida avocado industry.

    Ambrosia Beetle

    The extent of the native tree loss is shocking and there is very little that can be done to correct the problem, other than to curb the spread of contaminated wood that is spread by humans,  There has been some success in the avocado orchards. While there is no “silver bullet”, there is some progress, e.g. pruning to increase light levels to suppress Ambrosia Beetle activity.  In addition, research has continued for:

    • Vaccinations to protect avocado trees from the LW pathogen
    • Developing a faster LW diagnostic tool
    • Screening scions and rootstocks for tolerance/resistance
    • AB control tactics and suppression
    • Molecular understanding of the pathogen
    • Economics and the LW epidemic

    Read the latest results in these two recent publications:

    Recommendations for the Detection and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt Disease in Avocado and Related Tree Species in the Home Landscape

    Recommendations for Control and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt and Ambrosia Beetle Vectors in Commercial Avocado Groves in Florida1

    Dead avocado trees from Laurel Wilt in Florida

  • Organic Trade Association Honors Jeff Huckaby of Grimmway Farms

    Jeff Huckaby, currently President of Grimmway Farms and Cal-Organic Farms, is being honored by the Organic Trade Association as Organic Farmer of the Year.

    Huckaby started farming organically in 1999 as a farm manager for Grimmway in Bakersfield, California, growing several hundred acres of organic carrots. In 2000, he took over all of Grimmway’s organic farming operations throughout California. A year later, he became general manager of Cal-Organic Farms after Grimmway purchased Cal-Organic to expand their organic operation. Today he still leads the organic operations as President.

    During Jeff’s tenure, he has grown the business from several hundred acres to over 45,000 acres of certified organic vegetables. His commitment to owning the land and building up the soil has allowed Grimmway to convert over 95 percent of its owned land to organic and grow over 65 different organic vegetables each year without the use of any outside growers. Today, Grimmway’s organic footprint has grown to cover multiple growing regions in California as well as Washington, Colorado, Georgia and Florida.
     
    Jeff has been the visionary for Grimmway’s organic program, helping develop year-round programs with most major retailers. His leadership allowed Grimmway to work with Costco to convert all of their carrots to organic. As a result, Grimmway is the sole supplier of carrots for Costco in the U.S. and several other countries. He has educated hundreds of buyers and has been asked to speak at multiple retailer produce training programs. He has given farm tours to hundreds of produce buyers, educating them on what it takes to grow organically and be sustainable. He has spoken at organic conferences and USDA meetings, and has testified before a House Agricultural Committee to emphasize the importance of the National Organic Standards Board. He serves on various agricultural boards and advisory committees.

    His expertise in organic farming has been tapped by regulators, trade associations, elected officials, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and USDA for input into all areas of organic production. Jeff actively represents Grimmway and Cal-Organic Farms in their support of the Organic Trade Association and The Organic Center.
     
    “It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by my peers and fellow members of the trade association. I look at this as one of the greatest awards anyone involved with organic can receive, and I am grateful to accept on behalf of the many dedicated farmers who work alongside me at Grimmway and Cal-Organic Farms,” Huckaby said. “My passion for farming spans four generations of my family and almost every decade of my life. I’ve been growing organic at Grimmway for more than 20 years, and I am proud to have helped build our organic program and expand the Cal-Organic Farms brand. Over these years, I’ve witnessed the commitment, hard work and downright grit among all members of this community who are fighting to ensure a bright future for organic in the U.S. I am deeply proud to help lead in this charge and pave the way for the next generation of farmers. Thank you for your support.”

    The Organic Trade Association’s Annual Organic Leadership Award was established in 1997. Awardees are nominated by their peers and chosen unanimously by the association’s Board of Directors. A complete list of past honorees is featured on our website.
     
    “Each year we look forward to recognizing those within the organic sector who have led with valuable contributions to help grow and expand organic agriculture and products. It is exciting this year to have three organic farmers who together represent the real diversity of what organic farming looks like today in the United States, yet each is a steward of the land, helps feed their communities, and inspires others to do the same.” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association.

    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect ORGANIC with a unifying voice that serves and engages its diverse members from farm to marketplace. The Organic Trade Association does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, national origin or ancestry, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation or military status. Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for communication of program information can contact us at info@ota.com

  • Field Fresh Farms Expands Retail Distribution in Response to Market Changes

    Field Fresh Farms (fieldfreshproduce.com), a leading grower/shipper of conventional and organic produce, has responded to market changes and consumer demand created in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, by building upon existing relationships and expanding its retail presence by establishing new collaborations. In conjunction with this move, the company has refreshed its branding and website, and developed new conventional and organic retail packaging.

    “Field Fresh Farms and Beach Road Organics are a trusted supplier of high-quality leafy greens to the foodservice industry. We built our business with strong food service partnerships, and they have been our sole supporters for decades,” said Fernando Ramirez, sales manager.  “We have a long history of responding to market needs quickly and decisively. When it became clear retailers were looking for additional sources of conventional and organic produce, we quickly adapted. Now we have the capacity to continue to meet the needs of our foodservice customers, while also filling a gap for the growing retail segment.”

    Field Fresh Farms and Beach Road Organics will continue to grow, pack and ship to their existing and new foodservice partners. The retail initiative, which has already gained significant momentum, will broaden our offerings.

    “As our business moves into a new phase, we thought it was the perfect time to refresh our website and our branding,” said Jacob Dobler, marketing manager and fourth generation farmer whose family founded the company in the 1950s. “People familiar with Field Fresh Farms will notice that the iconic seaside cypress tree that has been a key element of our farm and visual identity for many years is still featured. However, it’s been updated to make an even bolder, modern statement. We feel the change is a great metaphor for what’s taking place at our company, as we leverage our legacy to build new relationships with respected retailers around North America.”

    Field Fresh Farms’ business model emphasizes innovation, sustainability and product quality through careful stewardship of the land and practices such as operating packing facilities that are minutes away from the company’s fields so that teams can harvest, pack and ship products at the peak of freshness. The company is also known for providing attentive and proactive customer service.

    The updated logo and website were designed by Salinas, CA-based Moxxy Marketing, an award-winning agency focused on serving agriculture and food/beverage companies. Moxxy also designed the new retail packaging including clamshell labels, bags and cartons to help showcase the high-quality, fresh-packed products, and grow brand awareness for both Field Fresh Farms conventional, and Beach Road Organics, products.  

    About Field Fresh Farms:
    Field Fresh Farms is a fourth-generation grower/shipper of sustainably grown conventional and organic produce. Founded in 1953 and headquartered in Watsonville on California’s Central Coast, the company provides top-quality head lettuce, arugula, romaine hearts, spinach, spring and Mega mixes, and other products to foodservice and retail customers across North America under the Field Fresh Farms and Beach Road Organics labels. They operate year-round in California and Arizona. Visit fieldfreshproduce.com or call 831-722-1422 to learn more.