Once cautioned against as fattening, new research indicates that pistachios are actually a superfood. Studies have shown the nut helps in lowering triglycerides and curbing appetite. Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar from Texas Tech and Amber Wilson with American Pistachio Growers spoke recently with Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network to go over these recent findings. Watch this quick interview and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Category: Featured Post
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Almond Market Reaching Stability
Bearing acreage for California almonds has declined for the first time since 1995 and total acreage has been declining for over four years as the business reaches equilibrium. However, growers in California will continue to contribute about 80% of the global supply as production in other countries remains flat. Matthew Malcolm with California Ag Network talked to the Almond Board of California President and CEO Clarice Turner about these recent developments in the almond industry. Watch this quick video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
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Dry Farming with Tomatoes
In the summer of 1993, I visited the two small farms on the campus of UC Santa Cruz (UCSC). One of them was a flat, sunny site near the coast, the air pleasantly warm instead of blistering hot like further inland. The tour guide showed us a field in which small, round, bright-red tomatoes peeked out from brown, withered, un-staked vines. I felt appalled to see a UC growing tomatoes so incorrectly.
The tour guide then extracted some of the red globes from the brown rubble of vines and gave each of us one to try. The juicy tomato erupted with deep, complex flavor and sweetness. Feeling disloyal to the Jersey tomatoes I had enjoyed every summer growing up, I had to admit that this was the best tomato I had ever tasted. It still is 33 years later. I happily revised my opinion of the UCSC farming methods.
The tour group leader explained that the tomatoes were dry farmed, meaning that they were grown with only the water that the soil absorbed the previous winter. The tomato vines did not need staking because the dry surface of the ground was inhospitable to harmful insects and fungi.
The lack of water concentrated the flavor and sugars into a smaller volume. As researcher, Yvonne Socolar said at a recent dry farming webinar, “Dry-farmed tomatoes and grapes taste incredible, and consumers are willing to pay for that. But most dry-farmed crops don’t have a quality bump, so it is not a slam dunk for dry farming.”
Dry farming concentrates rich flavor in the tomatoes. Photo by Berkeley Food Institute However, dry farming is getting more attention across California as growers look for ways to farm in a water-constrained environment. But what does dry farming actually involve, where does it work well and what are the tradeoffs?
The dry farm webinar, sponsored by the Berkeley Food Institute, dug into those questions. Socolar — one of two presenters — noted that the changing climate is making the water supply in California less predictable, and 16% of California’s main groundwater systems are running dry.
As in other Mediterranean climates, rain falls mainly in the cool winter season and typically not at all in the summer growing season. Dry farming of tomatoes occurs in coastal areas but potentially could work in parts of the western foothills of the Sierras. By contrast, the inland valley floors are too hot and dry.
Socolar presented a map of suitable locations for dry farming in California that she generated based on interviewing dry-farm tomato growers. The map can be seen in her research paper at Where dry farming could work in CA. Fortunately, the high priority water areas do have land suitable for dry farming.
Researcher Yvonne Socolar of Berkeley Food Institute conducted a study on dry farming. Photo by Berkeley Food Institute How Do the Plants Survive?
Socolar explained that dry farming is inherently a diversified farming system, with cover cropping and hedgerows complementing the crop. The plants need deep roots in soil that holds moisture. Organic matter from cover crops is central for holding water and creating a conducive microbiome.
Although not widely used yet, biochar can also hold water, and it does not break down, so it might help even in years when the cover crop does not thrive. Cover crops, however, also provide nutrients. Foliar sprays also may be used to distribute micronutrients.
Eight of the 10 farmers who Socolar interviewed also rotate crops, but two do not, growing tomatoes repeatedly (10 years in a row and counting), or switching between tomatoes and fallow.
Socolar wrote in her article, “These management decisions to maintain fields as dry farmed rather than rotating irrigated crops through are particularly compelling in light of recent research on many of the same fields, showing that repeated seasons without any external irrigation result in soil microbial communities that are associated with improved dry farm tomato performance.”
Water Savings
The dry-farm methods used in California come from Greece and Spain, which have the namesake Mediterranean climate. Whereas the average water consumption for irrigated crops on typical dry-farm land is roughly 3 acre-feet per acre, most dry-farm tomato growers use between zero and ten inches of water.
Socolar estimates that nearly half of the water of the Shasta reservoir could be saved — 776 billion gallons/year — if all the potential dry farmland were dry farmed.
Built-In Pest Control
Because the surface of dry-farmed soils is dry during the growing season, weeds, pests and diseases have a harder time gaining a foothold. That lessens the need for labor. “Weed seeds need water to germinate, so they don’t emerge as easily, and fungal diseases that thrive in moisture do not have the conditions they need to take hold and spread,” Socolar described.
But Socolar cautions that not all that potential dry-farm land is ready to be dry farmed immediately. Rehabilitation with cover cropping and incorporating green manure may take years before the field reaches the level of performance needed to dry farm.
For farmers renting land, the lease term would need to be at least ten years to make the investment in soil benefits worthwhile and so the farmer can get to know the fields. The grower also needs a market willing to pay the quality premium.
Socolar notes that some farmers have also found nuts and orchard fruits to be desirable options to add to tomatoes and grapes for dry farming. “These crops have similar market appeal and quality premiums, making them economically viable,” Socolar wrote. Olives, too, being from the Mediterranean area are traditionally dry farmed, and were grown without irrigation until the 1970s. Globally, by far most olive oil crops are still dry farmed, according to Leandro Ravetti of Cobram Estate Olive Oil.
Whatever the crop, the current dry farmers are paving the way for viable options for other California farmers as the squeeze on water tightens.
— By Nancy Power, Assistant Editor
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Registration Open for 2026 California Agritourism Summit
The UC Ag and Natural Resources Agritourism is approaching and accepting registrations. From Sept. 23–25, San Luis Obispo County will become a hub for agritourism knowledge exchange.
Through keynote speakers, panel discussions and breakout sessions, summit participants will gain practical tools to strengthen agritourism in California. By visiting local farms, attendees can learn directly from business owners.
Find all the details on the event and register.
Event organizer Rachael Callahan, UC SAREP statewide agritourism coordinator, is excited to introduce attendees to the area’s diverse operations.
“We’re going to an urban farm. Then we’ll be out on a big, huge cattle ranch. And an indoor mushroom growing facility,” said Callahan. “San Luis Obispo just has a lot to offer in terms of scale and products.”
The program is tailored for multiple audiences: current agritourism operators, policymakers, regulators and tourism and economic development professionals.
Growers may take interest in breakout sessions on emergency preparedness or strategies for accessing capital. Tourism and economic development professionals can learn how to attract agritourism to their regions. The networking sessions hosted by event supporter California Grown will bring all stakeholders together while enjoying the state’s agricultural bounty.
According to Callahan, the summit coincides with the agritourism industry receiving increased attention and validation. Last year, California lawmakers passed legislation that streamlines permitting for low-impact camping on private sites. The decision was met with cheer from the agritourism industry, especially growers interested in hosting campers.
“Passing low-impact camping legislation was a big accomplishment,” said Callahan, who hopes the law will inspire conversations and new ideas to facilitate continued growth in the industry. “What can we learn? What other pathways can we open up?”
Lynette Sonne, founder of FARMstead ED, a summit partner and agritourism nonprofit in San Luis Obispo, expressed gratitude about the summit coming to her county.
“We look forward to wandering off the beaten path, with new friends and old, to discover urban farms, tucked-away family ranches and hand-crafted goods made right along the trail. These are places shaped by seasons, sweat and tradition,” Sonne said.
For growers or other land managers interested in adding agritourism to their operations, visit the California Agritourism website to learn about getting started in the industry and sign up for the e-newsletter to find local workshops hosted by UC ANR.
The 2026 California Agritourism Summit is organized by UC SAREP in collaboration with the 2026 planning committee, summit supporters and sponsors. Summit co-hosts include California Grown, FARMstead ED/SLO County Farm Trail, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and Siskiyou Economic Development. — Story contributed by UC Ag and Natural Resources
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Transportation Policy Supports Timely Fertilizer Deliveries to Growers
The Fertilizer Institute welcomed an announcement from the Trump Administration temporarily removing hours of service (HOS) regulations for fertilizer deliveries.
“TFI thanks USDA Secretary Rollins and DOT Secretary Duffy for recognizing the essential need of getting fertilizer from production plants and retailers to farmers exactly when and where it is needed,” said TFI president and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. “We are well into spring planting and the window farmers have to get their fertilizer applied is small. Expanding transportation flexibility can help alleviate strain within the system and help avoid any potential bottlenecks in the fertilizer supply chain, especially as we transition to summer and fall fill.”
HOS regulations mandate maximum driver hours and rest periods for commercial drivers. It is not uncommon for agricultural states to have seasonal waivers for HOS around peak planting or harvesting times. Waiving HOS regulations for fertilizer deliveries was a potential policy solution TFI shared with the White House in a letter earlier this month.
“First- and last-mile delivery of fertilizer is a crucial piece of the logistical journey fertilizer takes,” Rosenbusch explained. “Fertilizer moves in a variety of ways, but all fertilizer touches a truck at least once on its way to farmers’ fields and that is often the last part of the trip. This move by the administration will ensure that fertilizer doesn’t get ‘trapped’ at distribution points.”
The HOS exemption will be in effect through August 26, 2026.
“The fertilizer industry’s priority is ensuring farmers receive the nutrients they need safely, efficiently, and exactly when and where they are needed,” Rosenbusch concluded. “This temporary and targeted flexibility helps support spring planting while maintaining the industry’s strong commitment to transportation safety.”
— Story Contributed by The Fertilizer Institute
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UC Explores Tea’s Potential as ‘Champion Crop’
After 60 years of growing oranges, pistachios and grapes in Fresno County, Stan Ishii has seemingly seen it all.
But growing tea in the sun-drenched Central Valley? Now that was something different.
Curiosity inspired the farmer and his wife Karen to join about 100 other attendees at Tea Day on March 19 at the University of California Kearney Research and Extension Center in Parlier.
“If they’re growing tea in this arid region, I was just wondering how that worked out,” said Ishii, who has been a regular green tea drinker since his youth. “I always assumed tea was grown in a more humid environment – like Southeast Asia and areas like that.”
Every seat in the conference room was taken, as a diverse audience of growers, scientists, college and high school students and teachers, gardeners and other community members gathered to hear about the feasibility of tea production.
Atef Swelam, director of Kearney REC and West Side REC (both operated by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources), acknowledged the brewing interest in tea in the San Joaquin Valley and across the state.
“Tea could be one of the champion crops for the future of agriculture in California because it’s a high cash-value crop and a climate-resilient crop,” Swelam said. “We have found that tea is growing fantastically here under the Mediterranean climate of California.”
He envisions tea as part of the solution for growers who must make more profit with less land under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The landmark law will be implemented in 2040, and an estimated 1 million acres of farmland (mostly in the Central Valley) will be retired. Growing tea – especially premium teas – could help keep farms afloat.
“According to some statistics in the literature, tea can produce revenue, on the same acreage, five times to 15 times that of traditional crops,” said Swelam. For almonds the difference is even greater; just five acres of tea could generate revenue equivalent to a 100-acre almond orchard.
Tea Day attendees also heard about the immense market for tea, the second-most popular beverage in the world behind water.
“In the U.S., about 160 million people drink tea – almost half of the population – so that means it has huge potential here,” Swelam said. “And yet it’s not grown domestically; the United States imports about $6 billion worth of tea annually.”
Central Valley Conditions Well-Suited for Tea Cultivation?
At Tea Day, attendees first heard from Parlier Mayor Alma Beltran and UC Davis Global Tea InstituteDirector Katharine Burnett. Then UC Davis researcher Jacquelyn Gervay-Hague introduced the history of tea at Kearney REC.
In the 1960s, tea giant Lipton funded a research project overseen by UC Davis professor Karl Ingebretsen. He identified several cultivars that could thrive in the Central Valley environment.
“There’s no question, from the varieties that were selected, that tea can grow quite well here in California,” said Gervay-Hague, professor emerita in the Department of Chemistry.
The Lipton study ended in 1980, but tea research was rekindled in 2017 when Gervay-Hague planted clonal cuttings to study chemical changes in tea plants. By growing tea at Kearney with the latest technologies and techniques, she identified standout cultivars among 21 tested varieties. She also developed some best practices, which she shared with the Tea Day audience.
Whereas scientists in the 1960s thought they needed to create humid conditions for tea plants by applying large quantities of water, Gervay-Hague said that tea can thrive just with drip irrigation. And, surprisingly, California’s consistently dry conditions are actually conducive to growing and harvesting tea.
“In other parts of the world, too much rain can really destroy the tea plants; you also have to pick the tea at a time when leaves are not too damp,” Gervay-Hague explained. “So the fact that we live in a dry climate, we have plants that prosper here.”
More proof can be found at Redwood Tea Estate, arguably the most successful commercial tea-growing operation in California. During an interview at his Stockton area tea farm, owner Patrick Sunbury said the arid conditions offer another advantage.
“We don’t have to use fungicides because of the dry climate, which is a great boost for us –a lot of tea growers in other parts of the world have to use large amounts of fungicide,” said Sunbury, who added that the caffeine in tea also serves as a natural pest deterrent.
Furthermore, the relentless sunshine and significant day-night temperature swings put beneficial “stress” on the tea, resulting in more distinctive aroma and flavor. That plant stress is why high-altitude environments across Asia produce some of the most prized teas in the world.
Case Study of California Tea Suggests Profit Potential on Small Acreage
The premium tea market is where Sunbury found his niche. A landscape architect by trade, Sunbury was diagnosed with a neurological condition that prevented him from working long hours on a computer. Instead, he sought a way to make a living by growing crops on a small half-acre plot of family land.
He decided on tea – even though he never drank the beverage before becoming a tea grower. On Feb. 14, 2020, Sunbury planted his first plants, each only six to 12 inches tall, and strived to adhere to agroforestry practices incorporating native beneficial plants and insects that offset pest pressure.
“The hard part is that there isn’t any guidance; if you want to plant grapes, you can go to a UC Cooperative Extension advisor and they can tell you which cultivars you want, how to arrange the field, what amendments to provide,” Sunbury said. “But this is something where there’s no infrastructure built up, and not really much of a knowledge base.”
Through trial and error and close attention to his tea plants, Sunbury grew them to tabletop height and had his first harvests in 2024. He plucks only the young, tender tips – “two leaves and a bud” – every time they emerge, from first flush in April to the last in October.
In the intervening years, Sunbury has identified the cultivars best suited for his specific terroir and established his own off-site processing facility where he can make white, green, oolong and black tea. The different types of tea – all from the same plant, Camillia sinensis – fall on a spectrum of oxidation, with green at zero percent oxidation, black tea at 100%, and white and oolong at percentages in between.
Customers can sample that range of teas by becoming members of Sunbury’s tea club – similar to a wine club – through which he makes “a large proportion” of his sales (customers also can purchase tea directly from his website).
“We are one of the few domestic tea farms to offer a club,” he said. “People on a quarterly basis will receive four 1-ounce bags of tea that we grow here on the farm. We meet other customers through festivals and events held throughout the year in California, such as the Terra Madre festival and San Francisco International Tea Festival.”
As he continues to experiment with different cultivars and processing techniques, Sunbury is also expanding beyond his half-acre “mother plot” outside of Stockton. By the end of the year, he aims to have three more acres planted in the Lodi area. There, he will once again begin the cycle of adaptation and adjustment until those plants are established.
“Tea can be a relatively finicky plant,” he suggested, when asked for advice to new tea growers. “Just go at it with a little bit of patience and perception; make sure that you are going to start on a smaller scale, and then expand gradually as you learn these lessons.”
Demand for Tea Could Grow through Cultural, Generational Change
On top of high initial setup costs, another challenge for making tea profitable at scale is the limited demand for high-end tea. While American coffee palates have become more sophisticated over the last few decades, mass market tastes in tea are still immature, according to Sunbury.
“We’re still in the ‘Folger’s/Taster’s Choice/Yuban’ stage of tea drinking, where people are having very low-quality powderized teas,” he said, noting that all parts of a tea plant may be shredded and pulverized to fill those familiar tea bags. He added that using older leaves and harsh processing techniques are detrimental to flavor.
Moving to premium looseleaf tea will be a major cultural shift. Back at Tea Day, Alex Ng – a lecturer in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan – discussed the roots of tea culture and the evolution of the tea industry on the island. Ng said the domestic market in the U.S. would be well-served by deepening cultural appreciation for tea.
“Tea brings people together; when you enjoy it, you always want to enjoy it with your friends and family,” Ng said. “In Taiwan, we believe that tea is more than a beverage – there is a lot of cultural significance in it: how do you incorporate tea into your social behavior, in your daily life? That’s very important.”
A “certified tea artist,” Ng explained to Tea Day participants how to use all five senses to savor the drinking experience, and then the attendees sampled a variety of teas from Taiwan and California. One participant, Fresno City College student Eleni Deamant, appreciated both the flavor and health benefits of tea.
Contemplating a career in nutrition, Deamant said she sees tea as the next stage of a broader generational shift in beverage preferences from sugary sodas to coffee and other alternatives.
“I think tea is going to become popular in the new generation,” Deamant said. “Not only is bubble tea very popular, but now matcha has become trendy and absorbed into the younger generation’s vocabulary and tastes a little bit…and I hope to see white tea or oolong tea be more absorbed into the younger generation’s tea culture in the U.S.”
Another Tea Day attendee, Sue Ruiz, said the health benefits of tea present a marketing opportunity to grow demand.
“Didn’t they do that with the pomegranate and pistachios? Look how big those industries are – and it was coming from the health perspective,” Ruiz said. “So why can’t we do that with tea?”
Labor a Potential Barrier to Growing Tea at Scale
Tea Day participants also visited the greenhouse where potted tea plants are prepared for the field, as well as the quarter-acre plot where neat rows of 21 different cultivars are now well-established and ready for harvest. Ryan Puckett, Kearney REC staff research associate, showed the crowd a newly purchased handheld tea harvester, a hedge trimmer-like device that could save time for a grower.
Intensive labor requirements represent a major cost in producing high-quality tea. In her experience, Gervay-Hague said the most time-consuming task is the harvest of the leaf, with a skilled worker taking an hour to collect a pound of prime leaf (which produces only a quarter pound of dry tea).
“So you can just do the math and understand the economics,” she said. “That, to me, is one of the biggest challenges in terms of production of the tea plants.”
Gervay-Hague sees the current lack of tea-production infrastructure in California to be an opportunity. Cutting-edge techniques can be applied to that relatively clean slate to make harvesting and processing as streamlined and profitable as possible.
“We can start from scratch using technology from today,” she explained. “That’s what is going to be needed for us to really have a vibrant tea industry here.”
Analyzing the costs and benefits of mechanization versus hand-picking will be key. Swelam said Anderson Safre, a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in agricultural technology and innovation at Kearney REC, will be studying how to incorporate the latest ag tech into tea production systems.
In addition, Swelam said Ahmed Ayoub, a UCCE water resources advisor based at Kearney REC, will research the most efficient approaches to irrigation.
Water requirements for tea production top research questions
Water needs, of course, are a paramount concern in the Central Valley.
“Because of our changing environmental conditions, we’re not getting the snow and rain like we used to,” said Ishii, the longtime grower.
Ishii’s questions on irrigation requirements for tea were echoed by Sue Ruiz, a Fresno area resident who works on rural economic development issues. Ruiz said she was intrigued by the idea of tea as an “alternative crop” for Valley growers, especially small farmers.
“We don’t have enough viable crops for them to grow that we know take less water,” Ruiz said. “And if they are priced out of this just because of water, then they can’t provide a life for themselves.”
Ruiz was interested in how a blossoming tea industry could create jobs and other entrepreneurial opportunities.
“Does it have the potential? It sounds like it does,” she said. “The bottom line is going to be the dollar – it’s going to be the dollar for the farmer, for the landowner, for the producer, and for the community people.”
Just as Ruiz hopes the UC can provide economic analyses and practical insights on this new crop, Sunbury – the established grower – would like the university to focus more on tea research. Specifically, he is seeking insights on the chemical breakdown of California tea, as well as hardier cultivars that can withstand the state’s intense summer heat waves.
“We had to do our own breeding program and testing to try to find cultivars that can survive our climate,” he said.
Scientific and consumer interest tea continues to brew
At Kearney REC, the 1,000 tea plants in the field and 3,000 in the greenhouses have done so well that Swelam is planning to plant another 1.5 acres with tea. He will work with UC ANR researchers to test a host of different variables to determine the optimal soil conditions, irrigation practices, disease and pest management strategies, and mechanization of tea cultivation.
Ng, the visiting scholar from Taiwan, said he is heartened that the UC is turning its focus to tea.
“The UC system has a lot of experience in developing different kinds of agricultural products like wine, beer and coffee,” he said. “It just makes a lot of sense to use their resources to develop tea to meet the market in the U.S.”
In that vein, Gervay-Hague highlighted the pioneering work of Jean-Xavier Guinard, a UC Davis sensory scientist in the Department of Food Science and Technology. Guinard developed a vocabulary for the spectrum of flavors and aromas for wine and coffee, and his research team is now working on a “flavor wheel” for tea.
Sunbury has already seen firsthand the fervent enthusiasm of tea connoisseurs. Many of his tea club subscribers also visit the farm, where Sunbury offers educational tours to members and the general public. Even without any advertising, he said there has been “high demand” for those programs.
“There are people who are lifetime tea drinkers and tea’s a really passionate part of their life…and unless they’re able to spend thousands of dollars and get a translator to go to Asia, they have no way to connect with a tea farmer and with tea in general,” Sunbury said. “So having our tea farm here, we’re able to welcome guests for tours and show them how tea is grown and they can learn more about the product.”
— Story Contributed by UC Ag and Natural Resources
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Milk Production Shows Growth at Slowed Rate
Milk production grew 2.3% on a liquid basis in March, marking the fourth consecutive month of positive but slowing milk production. Despite decelerating production, milkfat supplies remain ample, and CME butter prices have eased over the last month as a result.
Skim solids tell a different story: Nonfat dry milk (NFDM) prices set records throughout April and into May as new cheese capacity and insatiable demand for high-protein dairy products competed with dryers for milk. Yogurt and cottage cheese production and retail sales continue to gain momentum, and whey protein concentrate use rose almost 20% in March despite steep prices.
However, even as protein demand remains high, warning signs of economic pressures on consumers are beginning to flash. Inflation in April accelerated to 3.8%, and consumer sentiment dropped to a record low. Economic pressures have translated to softer foodservice volumes, highlighted by cheese and butter domestic use easing. Overall, the Class IV rally driven by NFDM has helped buoy the All Milk Price, resulting in a March DMC Margin of $9.57/cwt, yet that improved margin disguises significant regional variation.
Graph of the Month
Milk production is still growing but has recently showed signs of deceleration. While component growth contributed heavily to increases in milk production in 2025, recent year-over-year increases were almost entirely due to growth in the milking herd. Beef-on-dairy is contributing significantly to farm income as dairy commodity prices ease; producers are producing additional black calves in response but are not pushing for additional component growth due to the cost of the additional feed input relative to the marginal gain in production. Still, genetic advancements continue, meaning that some growth in liquid milk per cow and higher component production are built into today’s herd.
Click here to read more on the May Dairy Market Report. — Story by National Milk Producers Federation
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Jersey Cheese Contest Being Held in Missouri
The American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ) invite cheesemakers from across the country to participate in the Second Annual People’s Choice Jersey Cheese Contest, to be held during the 2026 AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings in Springfield, Missouri, June 17-20, 2026.
The contest will once again showcase the exceptional quality, flavor and versatility of cheeses made with Jersey milk while highlighting the innovation and craftsmanship of Jersey dairy producers and artisan cheesemakers nationwide.
The inaugural contest, held during the 2025 Annual Meetings, featured outstanding entries from across the country. Cinnamon Ridge Dairy of Iowa earned top honors as the first-ever People’s Choice Jersey Cheese Contest champion, while Marcoot Jersey Creamery of Illinois was named runner-up.
Contest entries will be featured throughout the annual meetings during several social events, including the Welcome Reception and Wine & Cheese Social, the National Heifer Sale social and the AJCA Breeders’ Banquet. Attendees from across the Jersey industry will have the opportunity to sample cheeses and vote for their favorites throughout the week, with winners announced following the AJCA Breeders’ Banquet on Saturday evening.
“All entries must use Jersey milk, allowing us to showcase the rich quality and exceptional components Jersey milk brings to dairy products,” said Kim Billman Director of Communications for AJCA. “This contest is a fun and engaging way to promote Jersey products while giving attendees the opportunity to experience cheeses from Jersey producers across the country.”
There is no cost to enter the contest, and participating cheesemakers will be recognized as sponsors of the social events during the annual meetings. Participants are encouraged to provide promotional materials to accompany their entries.
Contest Guidelines Include:
- Entries must use Jersey milk.
- A minimum of 10 pounds of each cheese entry must be submitted.
- Full wheels or cuts are accepted.
- Entries should arrive at the meeting headquarters hotel no later than Monday, June 15, 2026.
- Each cheese variety requires a completed entry form.
The 2026 AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Springfield, Missouri, and will feature educational sessions, tours, youth activities, the National Heifer Sale and celebrations recognizing 50 years of Young Jersey Breeders and 50 years of the Equity Program with National All-Jersey Inc.
For contest information or entry submissions, contact Kim Billman, kbillman@usjersey.com at 614-322-4451
Entry link can be downloaded from: https://usjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/AJCA_Awards/Cheese_Contest/EntryForm_Cheese26.pdf
Information sheet also available at: https://usjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/AJCA_Awards/Cheese_Contest/InformationSheet_Cheese-Contest.pdf
Additional information and registration details for the Annual Meetings are available at:
www.usjerseyannualmeeting.com— Story contributed by the American Jersey Cattle Association