The world is at war with California agriculture, and there never has been a more important time for the industry to be united and have a strong voice in Sacramento and Washington than now. That’s why we have lobbying trade organizations like the Almond Alliance of California to unite and support the needs and priorities of growers, hullers and processors. Watch this brief interview with Almond Alliance President Elaine Trevino as she explains at their annual convention. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Category: Featured Post
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Almond Board of CA Explores Options for Exporting Almond Biomass
With all the new almond acreage coming into production, that means more almond hulls and shells to find a home for? So what are some economical options? Watch this brief interview with Julie Adams from the Almond Board of California to discuss options for exporting these coproducts overseas. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
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Maximizing Use of Water Stored in Soil Could Result in Savings for Farmers
As California faces more frequent and severe droughts, agriculture, which relies on irrigation from surface water and groundwater, could become expensive and unsustainable. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, looked at using a “free” resource — rain water stored in the soil — and found that optimizing its use could go a long way to help meet demand for five California perennial crops. Their findings appear in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
“The study highlights a climate-smart opportunity to make better use of the rain that does fall,” said lead author Scott Devine, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources.The study examined different water management scenarios for alfalfa, almonds, grapes, pistachios and walnuts. It found that water can be saved by delaying the first irrigation of the season to allow the crops’ roots to soak up more of the rainfall already stored in the soil. Devine said irrigating less frequently but more deeply also reduces water loss from evaporation, by allowing the soil surface to dry out.
In a 13-year irrigation management simulation based on climate data from 2003 to 2018, the study showed that these techniques could save enough water to fill California’s largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, more than six times.
Potential trade-offs
The magnitude of the water savings will vary depending on location, soil characteristics and climate. In some cases, irrigating less frequently could affect yield, and that yield loss needs to be considered relative to the value of water savings.
“This strategy may not work in some areas of the state where frequent irrigations are needed to keep salts from accumulating in the root zones,” said co-author Toby O’Geen, a professor and soil resource cooperative extension specialist in the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources.
Researchers envision these strategies as a first step to managing limited water supplies in the future if droughts become longer and more frequent. O’Geen said exploring ways to encourage deeper roots for perennial crops is needed to efficiently capture more deep soil water storage.
The study was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation Climate Change, Water, and Society Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program.
Media contact(s)
Amy Quinton, News and Media Relations, 530-752-9843, cell 530-601-8077, amquinton@ucdavis.edu
By Amy Quinton on May 14, 2019, in Food & Agriculture
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Almonds Included in Round 2 of Relief Funding Due to Tariff Retaliation
Today USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced round two of support for farmers impacted by retaliatory tariffs and trade disruption in key export markets, specifically China. California almonds are included in the $16 billion trade mitigation package. The package will consist of $14.5 billion for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), $1.4 billion for the Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP) and $100 million for the Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) program. The damage assessment figure assigned to almonds is not known at this time. Payments for almonds will be based on a per acre basis, not Average Gross Income (AGI) like the first round of retaliatory tariff mitigation support.Almond Alliance President Elaine Trevino noted almonds are one of California’s top three valued commodities and the leading agriculture export. The California almond industry exports 67% of what it produces. “The Almond Alliance has been working tirelessly to ensure that almonds are included in the discussion, both in the trade impacts experienced to date and the desired mitigation outcome. During the first round of trade assistance, approximately 50% of California almond growers applied for direct payment, but many were limited due to the AGI limitations,” said Trevino.
Almonds have been impacted by retaliatory tariffs in a significant way, and this announcement is confirmation of that reality by the Administration. The mitigation is based on the trade impacts in China, with almond exports down about 33%. Looking specifically at direct China shipments for the first quarter of 2019 (Jan-March), California almonds are at about 60% of what was shipped in the first quarter of 2018. Meanwhile, Australia has taken full advantage of the 0% tariff under their FTA with China, increasing their 11-month almond exports into China by almost 2,000 percent. These retaliatory tariffs have impacted California’s market share of almonds in China, a region that the California almond industry has invested in for over 30 years to develop.
“While direct payments are not the ideal solution, they will help assist those who have been negatively impacted by the pricing effects resulting from the retaliatory tariffs and allow them to continue to operate in these uncertain times,” said Trevino. “I would like to strongly state that the California almond industry is focused on trade and market growth. None of the mitigation programs will begin to offset the financial impacts, the disruptions to our relationships with commercial partners, or the longer term effect this could have on the considerable market development investments the almond industry has made over the past decades.”
The California almond industry generates about 104,000 jobs statewide, over 97,000 in the Central Valley, especially in areas that suffer from chronic unemployment. The industry also generates more than $21 billion in economic revenue and directly creates more than $11 billion to the size of the state’s total economy.
The announcement by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue pertaining to almonds is a result of the industry coming together and advocating through the Almond Alliance. “The California almond community should be proud that through a unified organized effort they were able to have their voice heard and be acknowledged for what they provide to the national economy and what significance they have in the international market place,” said Trevino.
For USDA’s press release, Click Here.
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U.S. Organic Sales Break Through $50 Billion Mark in 2018
Clean, transparent, fresh, sustainable. Environmentally friendly, animal humane, high quality, social activism. Those traits are all identified with organic, and in 2018 they all helped push organic sales to unprecedented levels. The U.S. organic market in 2018 broke through the $50 billion mark for the first time, with sales hitting a record $52.5 billion, up 6.3 percent from the previous year, according to the 2019 Organic Industry Survey released Friday by the Organic Trade Association.
New records were made in both the organic food market and the organic non-food market. Organic food sales reached $47.9 billion, for an increase of 5.9 percent. Sales of organic non-food products jumped by 10.6 percent to $4.6 billion. The growth rate for organic continued to easily outpace the general market: in 2018, total food sales in the U.S. edged up just 2.3 percent while total non-food sales rose 3.7 percent.
CHART: TOTAL U.S. ORGANIC SALES AND GROWTH, 2009-2018
Millennials are pushing for transparency and integrity in the food supply chain, and they are savvy to misleading marketing. The USDA Organic seal is gaining new appeal as consumers realize that organic is a certification that is not only monitored and supported by official standards, but is the only seal that encompasses the spectrum of Non-GMO, no toxic pesticides or chemicals, dyes or preservatives.
Almost 6 percent (5.7 percent) of the food sold in this country is now organic. Today’s consumers can find organic products – food and non-food items — in every aisle of their grocery stores. They can choose organic in their favorite big box store, their club warehouse store, even in their neighborhood convenience store, and increasingly on the internet. Organic is no longer a niche market.
“Organic is now considered mainstream. But the attitudes surrounding organic are anything but status quo,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association. “In 2018, there was a notable shift in the mindset of those working in organic toward collaboration and activism to move the needle on the role organic can play in sustainability and tackling environmental initiatives.”
“Activism is a natural reaction from an industry that is really close to the consumer. When we are in an environment where government is not moving fast enough, the industry is choosing to move to meet the consumer rather than get stalled,” said Batcha.
Produce still reigns supreme
Still the stalwart of the organic industry, sales of organic fruits and vegetables rose to $17.4 billion in 2018 for a 5.6 percent rate of growth, on par with the growth attained in 2017. By comparison, the overall fruits and vegetables category, including both organic and conventional products, grew by just 1.7 percent in 2018.
Fruits and vegetables now account for 36.3 percent of all organic food sales. Organic fruits and vegetable make up close to 15 percent (14.6 percent) of all the produce sold in the U.S., and have nearly doubled their market share in the last ten years.
Produce is a gateway to organic for consumers, especially Millennials and those with young families. Industry experts note that the more people learn about health and wellness, the more people buy fresh produce.
Popular in the organic produce aisles: the classics like carrots, greens, apples, bananas. Also hitting stride are organic berries, avocados, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and tropical fruits like mangoes and papayas. And outside the fresh produce section, the frozen, canned, and dried vegetable and fruit sections also made gains.
Innovation is key in the organic dairy market
Shoppers, especially young families, are increasingly seeking out products made from high-quality simple ingredients from brands committed to sustainable agriculture and its environmental benefits. Those shoppersturn to organic dairyas a trusted clean product free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones and chemicals. But growth in the U.S. dairy sector slowed for the second straight year due largely to shifting diet trends. Still the second-largest organic category, dairy and egg sales were $6.5 billion in 2018, up 0.8 percent from 2017.
Although growth in organic egg sales has slowed from the strong double-digit growth seen in the first part of this decade, the $858 million category still grew by a solid 9.3 percent in 2018. As more consumers get into organic, organic egg demand is expected to continue growing.
But where skim milk and low fat products were not so long ago favored by consumers, products high in healthy fats and protein are now popular. Many Millennials have also moved away from livestock-based products toward plant-based foods and beverages. Experts said that to satisfy today’s consumer, the importance of innovation in the organic dairy sector has never been greater. In 2018, the industry responded with milk beverages with increased protein, more full-fat dairy products, new flavors and grass-fed products.
Organic reaching far beyond food
Consumers are making the connection that the same reasons they choose to eat organic food apply to the non-food products they use–whether napkins for their dinner table, food for their pets, lotions they put on their skin or the supplements they ingest. Consumers want clean labels and to reduce the chemical load on their bodies. Millennials also have a higher awareness around supply chain transparency and sustainability. All of these factors bode well for the future of the organic non-food industry.
In 2018, the organic non-food category reached $4.6 billion in sales with a growth rate of 10.6 percent. This rate is both well above the 7.4 percent growth rate reported in 2017, and the 3.6 percent growth rate reported in 2018 for the overall non-food industry (conventional and organic combined).
The strongest growth came from fiber, the largest of the non-food categories, which accounts for 40 percent of the organic non-food market. In 2018, fiber recorded $1.8 billion in sales, up from $1.6 billion in 2017.
An organic outlook of innovation and activism
The outlook for organic is not without its challenges, but all expectations are that innovation and activism by the organic industry will continue to build as the sector works to maintain the credibility of the Organic seal and the trust of consumers.
“Organic is in a unique and tough environment. The government is slowing the advancement of the organic standard, but the positive news is that industry is finding ways to innovate and get closer to the consumer without walking away from the organic program—the sector is innovating yet requiring that federal organic be in place,” said Batcha. “So, whether it’s grass-fed, regenerative, or Global Organic Textile Standard certified, they all have to be organic. The industry is committed to standards and giving consumers what they want.”
This year’s survey was conducted from January through April 2019 and produced on behalf of the Organic Trade Association byNutrition Business Journal (NBJ). More than 200 companies completed a significant portion of the in-depth survey. Executive summaries of the survey are available to the media upon request. The full report can be purchased online.
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California Milk Advisory Board 2019 Executive Committee Officers
TRACY, Calif.— May 21, 2019 — Newly elected 2019 officers of the California Milk Advisory Board Executive Committee are (top row, left to right): Treasurer David Vander Schaaf of Stockton, Member-at-Large Renae DeJager of Chowchilla. Shown in the bottom row (left to right): Member-at-Large Megan Silva of Escalon, Chairman Josh Zonneveld of Laton, Secretary Essie Bootsma of Lakeview, Member-at-Large Kirsten Areias of Los Banos. Vice Chairman, Tony Louters of Merced, not shown.
For further information, please contact Jennifer Giambroni, Director of Communications
(209) 690-8244, jgiambroni@cmab.net.About Real California Milk/the California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Departmentof Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s more than 1,300 dairy families and is one of thelargest agricultural marketing boards in the United States. With a mission to increase demand for products made with Real California Milk, the CMAB is celebrating 50 years in 2019 promoting California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
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California Dairy Family Provides Habitat for 25,000 Imperiled Birds
MERCED, Calif., May 21, 2019 – A Merced dairy family is playing a key role in protecting imperiled Tricolored Blackbirds, a California-native species federally listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern and as a State of California Threatened Species.
A large colony of the birds has been nesting at Diamond J Dairy since late March, and Luciana and Wiebren Jonkman halted their silage harvest to allow the birds to complete their nesting cycle. Now the colony, which peaked at 25,000 birds, is nearing completion.
“At least 10 percent of this entire species is nesting on this one Merced farm,” said Aaron Rives, soil conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Merced. “Without the help of the farmers, this species could be set back for years. And once it’s gone, that’s forever.”
Because Tricolored Blackbirds are colonial nesters, thousands of birds may impact—and beimpacted by—farming operations near their nests. By delaying harvest farmers can allow theyoung birds to safely fledge.
“We are grateful for the tricolored blackbird restoration project,” said Luciana Jonkman. “We are a first-generation farming family, and we know that sustainability is vital to our farm families and our community. At Diamond J we are constantly looking for opportunities to partner withthe community, the state and the federal resources. I hope that folks will see this as a huge win-win for conservation and dairy food security in the state of California.”
The last population estimate was done in 2017, when there were 178,000 birds. If the population is of a similar size this year, that means that over 70 percent of the birds were found on dairies. Two NRCS wetland projects have also provided nesting sites for nearly 20,000 birds.
Most Tricolored Blackbirds reside in the Central Valley, typically nesting in wetlands and dairysilage fields. The young birds need up to 45 days to fledge. With the help of NRCS and partners at Audubon, Western United Dairymen, California Farm Bureau and Dairy Cares, farmers receive technical and financial assistance to delay harvest until the birds have safely fledged. This year NRCS enrolled nearly 600 acres on 14 dairies, investing $385,000 on forage harvest delay.
Over the past seven years, farmers’ participation in this initiative has resulted in nesting success for tens of thousands of birds.
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New Powdery Mildew Spore Trapping Technology for Grapes
As powdery mildew begins to develop resistance to our traditional fungicides, it is more important than ever that growers apply just the right products at the right times, and a new mildew spore trapping technology is now available to help growers better diagnose what’s out in the field. Watch this brief interview with Dan Rodrigues from Vina Quest and the Cal Poly Viticulture & Enology Department as he explains.
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How to Prepare your Vineyard for the Heat of the Summer
Grape growers last summer experienced some pretty significant periods of hot weather that, for some, negatively impacted the health of their vines and crop yield. In the center of much of this heat, Fresno County UCCE Viticulture Advisor George Zhuang has been researching ways to reduce the impact of such temperatures which are sure to return to both the Central Valley and other parts of the state. Watch this brief interview with George, reporting from the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo as he explains. Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.
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Resurgence of Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer in California Vineyards
As if California grape growers didn’t have enough pest issues to deal with, UCCE Entomologist Surendra Dara reported a recent resurgence of the Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer in California. Watch this brief interview with Dara, as he shares where the pest is resurfacing and how growers can manage it both conventionally and organically. Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine. Don’t currently receive the publication? Subscribe for free at https://malcolmmedia.com/american-vineyard-subscriptions/.