California Ag Network

Category: Featured Post

  • News Accounts Exaggerate Current Threat of Asian Giant Hornets

    Though “murder hornets” are dominating recent headlines, there are no Asian Giant Hornets currently known to be living in the U.S. or Canada, according to UC Riverside Entomology Research Museum Senior Scientist Doug Yanega.

    Yanega is one of the country’s foremost insect identification experts. Beekeepers in Canada consulted him when a colony of the 2-inch-long hornets — the world’s largest hornet species — was discovered in the Canadian city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in September 2019.

    Entomologist Doug Yanega holds two Asian Giant Hornet specimens to demonstrate their relative size. (Doug Yanega/UCR)

    This was the first sighting of the hornet in North America, and authorities eradicated that nest to prevent it from becoming established. According to Yanega, “There have not been any sightings in 2020 that would suggest the eradication attempt was unsuccessful.”

    A resident on the U.S. side of the border, about 50 miles from Nanaimo in Blaine, Washington, reported two additional Asian Giant Hornet sightings in December 2019. The Washington State Department of Agriculture collected one of these hornets, which was dead. The other reportedly flew into a nearby forest. 

    Neither that live hornet nor its nest were ever found, but it is unlikely that the insect is still alive, Yanega said. 

    Recent genetic tests confirm that the dead hornet was not genetically related to the eradicated Nanaimo nest.

    “The fact that the second hornet turned out to be genetically different somewhat raises the odds that there could be more of them,” Yanega said. “However, right now all authorities are doing is asking people to keep their eyes peeled in case there were queens that escaped destruction and established their own nests nearby.” 

    The sighting is a concern, as Asian Giant Hornets can destroy honeybee hives and their venom is more toxic to humans than that of a honeybee.

    The hornet spotted in December was likely introduced to North America at the same time as those eradicated in Nanaimo. Therefore, if any of them are still living, they would be in the immediate vicinity of Vancouver Island, he said.

    There are an estimated 10 million insects, less than 2 million of which are “known species.” Yanega can identify about 90 percent or more of them, both known and unknown, to the rank of family or better.

    – By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

  • COVID-19 Impacts on Food Supply Chain (May 12 Zoom Call)

    Why is milk being dumped and produce left to rot in fields while grocery store shelves go empty during the COVID-19 pandemic? Why are grocery stores running out of meat, and eggs becoming so expensive?

    The head of California’s Department of Food and Agriculture, researchers from the University of California, Davis, and food purveyors will tackle these and other questions in an online panel discussion at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.

    UC Davis invites the public to attend “Food Shortages in a Pandemic” over the web through Zoom conferencing. To do so, register online at least 48 hours in advance.

    The 90-minute event, which will include a question-and-answer period with the Zoom audience, will feature:

    • Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture since 2011
    • Dan Sumner, director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis, and former assistant secretary for economics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
    • Bu Nygrens, co-owner and director of purchasing at Veritable Vegetable of San Francisco, which distributes organic produce from more than 200 small and mid-size growers to restaurants, markets and co-ops across five states
    • Chelsea Minor, corporate director of public affairs for Raley’s Supermarkets of West Sacramento, a regional grocery chain in Northern California and Nevada

    Moderating the event will be Catherine Brinkley, who, as an assistant professor in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis, studies the architecture of food supply networks. 

    The panel will discuss how the food supply chain works, why the COVID-19 pandemic has been so disruptive, how distributors and supply chains are adapting to serve restaurants and grocery stores, and whether changes can or should be made to make food systems more resilient.

    The lecture is the third in the Savor series, which explores some of the biggest food and beverage topics being studied today at UC Davis — a world leader in the study of agriculture. The series is presented by the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science and the UC Davis Library.

    – By Jessica Nusbaum and Julia Ann Easley, UC Davis

  • California Strawberry Growers & Farm Workers Pick Safety

     

    Pick Safety is a new effort from the California Strawberry Commission to highlight farmworker safety and industry-leading training and safety practices by emphasizing that everybody is responsible to always pick safety.

    “Our new I Pick Safety logo reminds people to be safe and healthy, and it highlights why this is important,” said Carolyn O’Donnell, communications director of the Commission. “Incorporating the tag line ‘For Me. For All.’ keeps the focus on every person’s role in protecting our families—from kids to seniors, along with the community at large.”

    The Commission is highly respected for its award-winning food safety program, providing train-the-trainer, classroom and in-field training programs, as well as sustainability and a variety of workforce training and safety courses. As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic was identified, the Commission went straight to work, identifying how to keep workers safe and healthy, and working with government and medical experts to provide the best advice available to California strawberry farmers.

    The Commission’s website has become the go-to source for current information on the coronavirus/COVID-19 situation, specifically tailored for farms and farm workers (https://www.calstrawberry.com/en-us/Coronavirus). This website has a series of audio, video, visual aids, guidance, and other resources that are available in English and translated into Spanish and Mixtec to help farm workers stay safe on the job and at home. Many materials are printed and suitable for posting on the ranch.

    Over the past 60 days, the Commission staff has visited nearly every strawberry farm currently operating in California, and provided on-site training, signage and informative materials to keep farm workers healthy, highlighting the Centers for Disease Control guidance on creating a safer work environment, and how to protect oneself through daily activities.

    California’s 400+ family strawberry farms provide over 70,000 well-paying jobs and generate over $3.4 billion of annual economic impact. “Strawberries are one of the most labor-intensive crops, and strawberry farmers are working diligently to protect farm workers while providing a consistent supply of this nutritious fruit to consumers,” said  O’Donnell. “Many strawberry farmers started in the fields planting and picking berries. This gives them a unique perspective and they are very appreciative and protective of their workforce.”  

    The Commission’s efforts include information on increased illness prevention training (at home and work), adopting crew and schedule modifications to implement social distancing during harvest, increasing the amount of hand washing facilities and hand sanitizing stations available in the field, sanitizing field facilities and work stations more frequently and keeping a watchful eye on employee health.

    Strawberry farmers and field supervisors are also working to quickly identify any workers who may be exhibiting illness symptoms and are being trained to help them isolate the individual to avoid spreading the virus to others. In California, most strawberry farm workers have paid sick leave as well as health insurance.

    While COVID-19 presents new challenges, for many years farmers in California have operated under the most stringent standards in the nation, governing field sanitation and worker safety. These existing standards have provided an important basis for the I Pick Safety program as farmers move with expediency to adopt worker protection protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, maintain the health of our dedicated farm workers and ensure the safety of our food supply. The increased training and attention during this coronavirus pandemic should reassure consumers that wholesome and delicious strawberries will remain available for their families to enjoy.

    About California Strawberries:

    The California Strawberry Commission represents more than 400 strawberry farmers, shippers, and processors, proudly working together to advance strawberry farming for the future of our land and people. Commission programs create opportunities for success through groundbreaking programs focused on workforce training, strawberry production research, and nutrition research. Through science-based information and education, we deliver good news about sustainable farming practices that benefit the health of people, farms, and communities. California Strawberry Commission

  • USDA ARS Moves Forward with Smoke Exposure Research

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is partnering with federal and state research institutions in California, Oregon and Washington on a collaborative $2 million research effort to address important wildfire issues affecting grape production areas.

    West Coast winegrowing associations involved in a task force, focused on wildfire smoke issues, led the effort to obtain federal funding for ARS to support grape smoke exposure research. ARS has committed those funds to a collaborative research effort involving the University of California-Davis, Oregon State University and Washington State University.

    The West Coast Smoke Task Force was formed by industry leaders and three West Coast winegrowing associations: California Association of Winegrape Growers, Oregon Wine Board and Washington Winegrowers. Four industry representatives – Alisa Jacobson, Joel Gott Wines; Patrick Rawn, Two Mountain Winery; Mike Testa, Central Coast Vineyard Care; and Gregg Hibbits, Mesa Vineyard Management – are working through these associations to coordinate industry efforts to address a range of industry and economic issues associated with smoke exposed grapes. Other groups involved in the effort include the Oregon Winegrowers Association and Wine Institute.

    Since 2011, increasingly frequent and severe wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington have caused significant disruption and economic losses for grape growers. The negative impacts of smoke exposure on wine quality is an industry-wide concern.

    Climate change models predict increased wildfire risks in the Western United States, which threatens the long-term sustainability of important winegrowing regions. To combat the increased risks of wildfire smoke to grape value and wine quality, researchers will focus on developing and proving new risk assessment tools, mitigation measures and management strategies for use in vineyards and wineries.

    ARS researchers, in collaboration with colleagues at the three land grant institutions, will address components of the yearly life cycle of wildfire impacts on winegrape production, including:

    • Smoke exposure in the vineyard
    • Chemical changes in grapes and wines
    • Consumer perception of smoke taint

    The $2 million in new ARS funds will be allocated as follows:

    • $700,000 to the USDA-ARS, Davis
    • $300,000 to UC Davis collaborator Anita Oberholster
    • $400,000 to USDA-ARS, Corvallis
    • $300,000 to OSU collaborator Elizabeth Tomasino
    • $300,000 to WSU collaborator Tom Collins

    Researchers will start using ARS funds for research this summer and they plan to provide regular updates to the industry.

    “Congress, the Agricultural Research Service and winegrowing organizations from the states most affected by wildfires really did a great job to obtain $2 million in research funding for smoke exposure issues,” said associate professor Elizabeth Tomasino, Oregon State University. “And, I know those efforts are ongoing. With more funding, I’m certain this collaborative research effort can deliver new tools and techniques to help growers and wineries reduce smoke exposure related losses.”

  • Tree & Vine Growers Eligible for Ongoing Disaster Assistance for Drought, Wildfire, Etc.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started making payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program – Plus (WHIP+) to agricultural producers who suffered eligible losses because of drought or excess moisture in 2018 and 2019. Signup for these causes of loss opened March 23, and producers who suffered losses from drought (in counties designated D3 or above), excess moisture, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms or wildfires can still apply for assistance through WHIP+.

    “To date, FSA has received more than 33,000 WHIP+ applications,” said Richard Fordyce, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “We want to remind producers that we are still accepting applications for WHIP+, and we encourage producers to call our offices for next steps on how to apply.” 

    To be eligible for WHIP+, producers must have suffered losses of certain crops, trees, bushes or vines in counties with a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or a Secretarial Disaster Designation (primary counties only) for qualifying natural disaster events that occurred in calendar years 2018 or 2019. Also, losses located in a county not designated by the Secretary as a primary county may be eligible if a producer provides documentation showing that the loss was due to a qualifying natural disaster event.

    For losses due to drought, a producer is eligible if any area of the county in which the loss occurred was rated D3, or extreme drought, or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor during calendar years 2018 or 2019. Producers who suffered losses should contact their FSA county office.

    In addition to the recently added eligible losses of drought and excess moisture, FSA will implement a WHIP+ provision for crop quality loss that resulted in price deductions or penalties when marketing crops damaged by eligible disaster events. To ensure an effective program for all impacted farmers, the Agency is currently gathering information on the extent of quality loss from producers and stakeholder organizations.

     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 on Service Centers can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus, and more information on WHIP+ can be found at Remind.

  • American Farmland Trust Farmer Relief Fund Awards 1,000 Farmers $1,000

    American Farmland Trust’s Farmer Relief Fund started sending out $1,000 grant checks to 1,000 farmers across the country as Americans witnessed unprecedented disruptions to the food system. A huge thanks goes out to our donors, members and the host of corporate contributors who stepped up when farmers needed it most. The funds are going to help small to mid-size producers that sell direct to consumers, to food services businesses, or to institutions. All funds raised by AFT are being put in the hands of farmers with no restrictions on use, only that they use the money to support modifications to their business model that will get them through until their normal markets return. 

    Direct-to-consumer farmers have been severely impacted by “social distancing” policies and closures that have kept them from selling to their usual customers and necessitated they make dramatic shifts in the way to they do business to stay afloat. With break downs in the broader systems, we’ve seen these farmers step in to bring eggs, milk, meat and fresh produce to consumers.  But their resources are limited, and often small infusions of cash can make a big difference.

    “We are helping in a small way where the need is huge. We believe that farmers who sell direct to consumers were most immediately impacted when the pandemic set it, with no federal safety net in place,” said John Piotti, AFT president and CEO.   “There’s no question that our farmers and ranchers are struggling, no matter what size operation or what they produce. Challenges with transportation, labor shortages and even COVID-19 among the processing workforce has disrupted Americans’ ability to put food on their tables, especially those that have been or are now food insecure.”

    The range of farmers that will be helped by The Fund is diverse, from farmers that sell specialty produce items tailored to restaurants, to farmers that depend on flower sales for weddings or Community Supported Agriculture memberships to sell their vegetables, small grass-fed beef operations that sell to local butcher shops and farmers that market all kinds of products through farm to school programs.

    On March 27, Billy Salmon, owner of Banks Mountain Beef, had 70 brood cows on 450 acres and over a dozen calves on feed that would have been ready for processing in 30–60 days. Billy direct-markets grass-fed, non-GMO-grain-finished beef to restaurants and butcher shops in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. Billy’s sales dropped to zero with the COVID-19 outbreak. “I don’t do this for the money. I do it for the love of farming. That’s what drives most of us,” said Billy. “But this is a tremendous shock. I certainly appreciated hearing from AFT, who I have been working with to implement regenerative farming practices in my beef operation, about the Farmer Relief Fund.”

    Fourth generation farmers Brent and Nicole Coston are the owners and operators of Bearwallow Valley Farm, located between the Smokey and Blue Ridge mountains. The Costons have focused their production on addressing food insecurity, partnering with housing developments to deliver fresh produce and most recently with a local hospital to provide a discounted CSA box to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients. Their CSA offering is their largest source of income. With the onset of the coronavirus, 75% of their shares got canceled. “We were able to recoup some off that by increasing our presence on social media, but not as much as we expected,” said Nicole. Regardless, she maintains a strong faith that her farm and her family will be able to weather this storm. “I know that someway, somehow my family will get fed and this business will continue.”

    Hilltop Community Farm, owned by Erin Schneider and Rob McClure, derives up to 70% of its income from fruit and flower sales for weddings and restaurants. Vanished event and restaurant sales have compelled McClure and Schneider to narrow their market segment to focus on their neighborhood, connecting with individuals and buying clubs that purchase directly from local farms. “We’re all asking questions about how this will play out, but we think we might as well adapt and experiment!” Schneider said. Hilltop has also been working to expand its online presence to offer the experience of a farm without physically being there.

    Alejandra Rodriquez Boughton’s La Flaca Farm grows herbs, chilis, fine greens and edible flowers selling to restaurants across Austin. With the arrival of the COVID-19 virus, her orders dried up overnight just as she was about to ramp up for spring. To keep going, La Flaca is working to make its products available through direct-to-consumer apps and pivoting their crops to meet the needs of their community. “This summer we’re going to try planting peppers, since they’ll be able to grow in the Texas summer heat and drought,” explained Rodriguez Boughton.

    AFT plans to continue fund raising to meet the urgent need to help farmers and to shore up the local and regional food supply.

    Meanwhile, we ask Congress to move fast to provide federal assistance for farmers and ranchers including implementation of the agricultural support provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act under which the USDA announced that it will provide $16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers plus an additional $3 billion in purchases of agriculture products including meat, dairy and produce.

     In addition, AFT is working with allied organizations and congressional staff to advocate for additional stimulus to producers that would also support improvements in conservation outcomes and protect the land base, which AFT believes will be vulnerable to development as farmers and ranchers face growing uncertainty about the economy and their future in agriculture.

    American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.

  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan Applications Now Open for Ag

    The U.S. Small Business Administration began accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance applications today at 9:00 AM PST on a limited basis only, to provide relief to dairy farms and other U.S. agricultural businesses. The application is available here. 

     The Small Business Administration is encouraging all eligible agricultural businesses with 500 or fewer employees wishing to apply to begin preparing their business financial information needed for their application. During this application window, only agricultural business applications will be accepted due to limitations in funding availability and the unprecedented submission of applications already received. 

    For more information or to apply, visit this link.

    The National Milk Producers Federation has numerous EIDL resources available on its coronavirus website page, www.nmpf.org/coronavirus. Among them:

  • 2020 Strawberry Market Outlook with Rabobank

    Strawberry planted acreage in California is up YOY in 2020 from its lowest level in almost 15 years, and increased plantings in the Santa Maria producing region continue. Florida’s acreage remains flat, while strawberry plantings in Mexico continue to expand.

    Updated estimates, based on our proprietary analytical tool, show that weekly strawberry shipments will increase in 2020, especially during California peak season in May and June, bringing prices down in specific weeks, compared to observed prices in 2019. We now include estimates for the organic strawberry market. Higher yields and acreage will boost weekly shipments during spring/summer 2020. Despite general price-pressure, there are market windows with potentially more favorable opportunities in the organic space for cost-competitive firms.


    Impacts from COVID-19 are a mixed-bag for the strawberry industry. Food-service sales are in decline, while retail grocery sales have jumped. Labor availability is being negatively impacted, and remains the biggest issue.

     

    Click here to download the report

  • Andrew & Williamson/Good Farms, Rancho Guadalupe & Dynasty Farms Support Food Banks

    In one of the first agreements of its kind between California producers and a county food bank, two farms will begin providing, at a reasonable rate, produce to the Alameda County Community Food Bank, allowing it to provide additional much-needed fresh fruit and vegetables to a growing number of residents in need of assistance. This innovative pilot program assists the food banks while keeping the agricultural supply chain together which is critical to the future of food supply.

    “We are excited that our members have the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded organizations such as the Alameda County Food Bank who support initiatives like Food as Medicine. The COVID-19 pandemic has focused our efforts on building and supporting the health and wellbeing of our broader communities; ensuring the future of fresh produce plays a paramount role in our efforts. This partnership enables our food supply chain to stay intact and therefore our producers can continue to grow fresh produce at the same level,” says Kirti Mutakar, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedAg.

    “When the COVID-19 crisis hit, and the foodservice operations all came to a standstill overnight, millions of jobs were lost and with it the demand for our produce. To bring more diverse options to the foodbank, and at the same time recover our cost to grow and harvest it, creative solutions were necessary to take care of those who need it most and help keep agriculture whole,” says A.J. Cisney, General Manager of Rancho Guadalupe.

    Deliveries will begin May 5, with nearly 4,000 pounds of strawberries from Andrew & Williamson / Good Farms, Rancho Guadalupe, and over 7,000 crowns of broccoli from Dynasty Farms. These are foods that have not been regularly available at the food banks. The pilot program hopes to expand into the larger state network of food banks (California Association of Food Banks) and increase its product offerings. UnitedAg Member Farms are hopeful this concept will grow into something bigger.

    About UnitedAg

    Founded in 1980, UnitedAg is a multi-commodity member-owned agricultural trade association dedicated to providing innovative healthcare solutions for a strong and healthy agricultural industry. Our over 1,000 agriculture affiliated member organizations network and share creative ways to transform our ever-changing industry. UnitedAg strives to bring innovative health benefits and solutions to agribusiness by meeting our member’s employee health benefits needs, advocating for ag with lawmakers and helping members comply with regulations.  Based in Irvine, Calif., UnitedAg has offices in Oxnard, Corona, Salinas, Fresno and Santa Maria.

  • Navel Orangeworm Host Preferences & Need for Collaborative Control

    Some may think Navel Orangeworm is just a pest of almonds and pistachios, but there are other crops it thrives off of as well. Watch this brief interview with Bob Klein from the California Pistachio Research Board as he shares his insights on preferred overwintering hosts for this pest as well as in-season comparisons.  It’s going to take a unified approach across industries to defeat this pest.