California Ag Network

Category: Featured Post

  • February USDA Lending Rates for Ag Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for February 2026, which are effective Feb. 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.

    Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans      
    FSA offers farm operating, ownership and emergency loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation.      

    Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for February 2026 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders. To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.

    Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
    Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.

    More Information
    To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Additionally, producers can use online tools, such as the Loan Assistance Tool and Debt Consolidation Tool to explore loan options.

  • Best Practices for Nighttime Applications

    Honey bee health remains a top priority for almond growers as bloom approaches. According to the Almond Board of California’s Honey Bee Best Management Practices (BMP), one of the most effective ways to reduce bee exposure to crop protection materials is to schedule applications during the evening or nighttime hours, when foraging bees have returned to their hives. The BMPs also emphasize strong communication among growers, beekeepers, PCAs, and applicators to ensure everyone involved knows when applications will occur and can coordinate accordingly.

    Working after dark though can be dangerous. While doing so helps to reduce pollinator exposure to applications, it also requires growers to operate within California’s specific nighttime safety regulations.

    Understanding Nighttime Safety Requirements

    California’s Outdoor Agricultural Operations During Hours of Darkness standards apply to all agricultural work occurring between sunset and sunrise. These regulations require growers to ensure adequate visibility throughout the work environment. Orchard areas, walkways, and paths to restrooms must meet minimum illumination levels measured directly where workers walk or perform tasks.

    Additionally, equipment such as trucks, tractors, and other self-propelled machinery must have headlights and rear lights capable of illuminating at least 50 feet ahead and behind, improving safety for both operators and ground crews. These lighting requirements help reduce the risks posed by diminished nighttime visibility, especially when work involves multiple people and moving equipment.

    Preparing Crews with Pre‑Shift Safety Meetings

    Before each night shift begins, California regulations require supervisors to hold a safety meeting to review important site information. Workers must be informed of the locations of restrooms, drinking water, designated break areas, nearby bodies of water, and high traffic zones. Because nighttime conditions can make familiar surroundings more difficult to navigate, these meetings ensure workers can safely move around the orchard and are aware of any specific hazards.

    Employers are also required to provide and ensure the use of Class 2 high‑visibility garments, helping equipment operators maintain awareness of workers on the ground. Review the Outdoor Agricultural Operations During Hours of Darkness fact sheet for more information and all of the requirements.

    A Unified Approach for Safer, More Effective Operations

    When growers pair honey bee protection guidelines with the required safety measures for nighttime work, the result is a more sustainable and efficient approach to orchard management. Bees remain safely inside their hives during nighttime applications, greatly reducing their exposure to crop protection materials. At the same time, crews can work confidently and safely under proper lighting, with clear preparation and the right equipment.

    As bloom approaches, these practices support the long‑standing commitment of the almond industry to safeguard both pollinators and people. This thoughtful balance ensures that orchards remain not only productive, but also safe and welcoming places for the bees that sustain them. To learn more about protecting pollinators, download the ABC Honey Bee Best Management Practices guide. — Article and image courtesy of Almond Board of California

  • APHIS Expands Mediterranean Fruit Fly Quarantine in California

    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) expanded the Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly) quarantine in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, California. This action parallels the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expansion of the Santa Clara Medfly quarantine published on January 2.

    APHIS and CDFA expanded the Santa Clara Medfly quarantine following the confirmed detection on December 17 of one wild male Medfly from a trap in on a residential property in an orange tree in Milpitas, Santa Clara County. This action expanded the quarantine by 17 square miles and does not include additional commercial agriculture. The amended quarantine encompasses 241 square miles with 58.76 acres of commercial agriculture, including grape, olive, orange, pepper, stone fruit, and tomato.

    APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Agricultural Commissioners of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties to eradicate this transient fruit fly population following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions

    The APHIS Exotic Fruit Flies website contains descriptions and maps of all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register. —USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

  • Ag Council Announces Duane Simpson as an Annual Meeting Speaker

    Ag Council is pleased to announce that the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) President and CEO Duane Simpson will speak during the 107th Annual Meeting taking place March 11–12, 2026, at Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa, California.

    Duane was named president and CEO of NCFC in 2025 and leads the organization’s efforts to advance the interests of America’s farmer cooperatives by promoting sound agricultural policy, rural economic development, and market access. He brings a distinguished career in agricultural policy, public affairs, and executive leadership, including prior service as vice president and head of agricultural affairs and license to operate at Bayer Crop Science. Throughout his career, Duane has led bipartisan coalitions, navigated complex legislative and regulatory environments, and worked to protect and expand market access for agricultural producers and cooperatives. — Agricultural Council of California

  • Ag, Natural Resources Support California’s Rank as World’s Fourth-Largest Economy

    Last year, California surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy. Contributing to that achievement are over a million farm laborers, winemakers, park rangers, agricultural truckers, renewable energy technicians and many other workers who generate value from the state’s natural landscapes.

    Academics from University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources have done the math on the economic scope of these working lands, compiling their findings in the publication “California’s Working Landscape: Evolving Contributions to National, State, and Regional Economies.” This new report includes the latest data on state employment, earnings, sales and businesses, providing an update to the first edition of this report, released in 2019.

    Working landscapes encompass land areas actively managed for economic purposes, primarily agricultural lands, forests and rangelands, as well as the land and water areas that create economic value, like those used for fishing, renewable energy production, mining and outdoor recreation. In total, those working landscapes support nearly 1.5 million jobs and 75,500 businesses while generating $404 billion in sales and providing $103 billion in worker earnings.

    When it comes to the farming sector, the report demonstrates a simple fact: the Golden State is an agricultural behemoth. Business establishments across the state’s four agricultural sectors – agricultural production, support, processing and distribution – generated $310.8 billion in sales and contributed more than 1.2 million jobs in 2024.

    Those numbers affirm California’s rank as the nation’s most agriculturally productive state.

    “This report once again shows how our working landscapes are critical as a foundation of the California economy,” said Glenda Humiston, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “It also underscores the importance of continuing to invest in agriculture, natural resources and related industries to maintain California’s position as one of the world’s economic powerhouses.”

    According to the report, the most common jobs affiliated with California’s working lands help produce our food supply, including positions in agricultural support, production, processing and distribution. The agricultural supply chain is linked across California’s geography, with hubs of activity in the Central Coast, San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area and Los Angeles regions.

    The report proves the benefit of keeping a close eye on the economy over time, according to co-author Alexandra Hill, an agricultural economist and UC Berkeley professor of Cooperative Extension.

    “It’s pretty crucial to analyze data over multiple years,” Hill said.

    For instance, this report picked up on a recent surge of agricultural support jobs, positions that provide specialty support to farmers, like fertilizer retailers or business consultants. In Hill’s interpretation, this uptick in agricultural support roles could be related to anecdotal evidence of more farmers securing labor through contracting businesses, rather than directly recruiting farmworkers themselves.

    Hill hopes the report will reach stakeholders – including the diverse cross-section of experts employed by UC ANR – who can lend their own experience to tease out new research questions based on the data.

    “There are just many different ways that you can divide this report. There are many possible avenues we can take this work in,” Hill said.

    Besides demonstrating the impact of California agriculture, the report encompasses other natural resource sectors, including mining, outdoor recreation, fishing and renewable energy. The report provides national context by ranking the valuation of these sectors in multiple states. The results place California in the top five of every category included, and in most cases, first place. The state leads in the four agricultural sectors, outdoor recreation and renewable energy.

    “That was useful to see California emerge as one of the top contributors across most sectors,” Hill said.

    Notably, the report highlights California’s huge growth in the renewable energy sector, which includes solar, wind and geothermal. The state’s latest accolades: ranking first nationwide in renewable energy business, sales and earnings. The renewable energy sector is the fastest-growing working landscape included in the report.

    In addition to Hill, the report was co-authored by Alec Dompka and Aaron Wilcher, UC Cooperative Extension advisors on the Community Economic Development team.

    The full report can be found at https://ucanr.edu/working-landscapes-2025.

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings UC information and practices to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu.

    To read more UC ANR news, visit our newsroom at ucanr.edu/News.

  • Scientists Offer Breakage Insights with Potential Benefits for Crops

    When pistachio hulls split before the nuts are harvested, insects and fungi can get inside, damaging the nut, costing farmers money and contaminating the nuts. About 4% of the overall crop experiences hull split, but some cultivars can split as much as 40% under certain conditions.

    For the first time, scientists at the University of California, Davis, are seeking solutions for California’s $2-billion-a-year pistachio industry. New research reveals how the hull is built and how cell walls in certain layers break down, along with the genes and corresponding mechanisms that spark and control those changes.

    Pectin, a component of cell walls, makes fruit skin strong in part by keeping cells hitched to each other. In pistachio hulls, the composition of pectin changes as the hull ripens, causing the cells to come unhitched. This leads to cracks and tears in the hull.

    In the Journal of Experimental Botany, recent Ph.D. graduate Shuxiao “Susan” Zhang, a student in the lab of Department of Plant Sciences Professor Georgia Drakakaki, identified genes that control how cell walls change as the fruit ripens, leading to the hull breaking down. The research will help breeders select for traits that will make the hulls less vulnerable to tearing and cracking.

    “This is the first time anyone has studied the pistachio hull at the anatomical and cellular level while also looking at gene expression and physiological data,” Drakakaki said. “Susan really got into the details of how the hull is built with different layers and how the cells in those layers are of different sizes. The layers respond differently to changes in pectin, and that causes the hull to split in different ways.”

    Zhang built on the work of two more scientists in the department and their teams. Grey Monroe, an assistant professor, and Barbara Blanco-Ulate, an associate professor, assembled a reference genome of Pistacia vera ‘Kerman,’ the leading female pistachio cultivar in California. They also defined the stages of the nut’s growth and the characteristics at each stage. Their work was published last year.

    A Model for Fruit Split in a Variety of Crops

    Over three years, the team took samples of pistachio hulls from trees in a commercial orchard near Fresno and at the Wolfskill Experimental Orchard, operated by UC Davis near Winters, Calif. They worked with the most common varieties grown in the state, including Kerman, Golden Hills and Lost Hills. They took samples from trees at different points late in the hulls’ development, stretching over several months.

    Using special imaging tools and techniques, Zhang and her team measured hull thickness and cell size, and they counted hulls that were intact, tattered, cracked or both. They also measured how well cells in the hull were sticking to each other, and in each sample counted the cells that had come unhitched.

    Then, the team pulled out RNA from the samples to learn which genes were being expressed at different stages as the hull develops and breaks down. They found that key genes express differently as that process unfolds.

    Since all hulls were intact at 91 days after flowering, Zhang and team reasoned that fruit ripening may be linked with hull split. So, the team also examined the genes — including those involved in pectin modification — that change the cell wall as the fruit ripens. Researchers discovered that cells in the interior layer of the hull expand, while cells in the exterior layer tend to stay the same size. This, in combination with changes in the cell wall, led to different types of hull breakdown.

    “This is one of the major novelty factors for our paper,” Zhang said. “Loads of people have looked at pectin in all kinds of fruits, but not many people have observed that, depending on which cell layer you’re in, the pectin, cell size and so on will change differently during ripening.”

    The physics of forces operating within the cell layers and humidity also influence degradation of the hull, Zhang found.

    Because pistachio hulls are the fruit of the tree, even though we eat the seed, the research has applications for many non-berry fruit crops, Zhang concluded.

    The California Pistachio Board funded most of this research, with additional support from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the James Monroe McDonald Endowment and the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources. — By Trina Kleist, UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences

  • Friant Water Authority Announces Johnny Amaral as CEO

    Friant Water Authority (FWA) announced the appointment of Johnny Amaral as its new Chief Executive Officer, following years of service and leadership within the organization.

    Amaral joined Friant Water Authority in March 2019 as Chief of External Affairs and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in early 2022. In these roles, he has overseen FWA personnel and day-to-day operations, while leading FWA’s engagement on water supply reliability, water policy, legislative advocacy, and communications. As Chief Executive Officer, Amaral will focus on protecting the Friant water supply, safeguarding critical infrastructure such as the Friant-Kern Canal, strengthening trusted partnerships across the region, and leading FWA’s experienced and dedicated team.

    “We welcome Johnny in his new role as he brings a strong understanding of Friant operations, water policy, and the needs of Valley farmers and communities,” said Rick Borges, Chairman of the Friant Water Authority Board of Directors.

    During his time at FWA, Amaral has played a central role in advancing initiatives critical to the region’s water future. His work has included expanding opportunities for groundwater recharge for San Joaquin Valley farmers and leading the Friant-Kern Canal Capacity Correction Project as FWA’s staff lead on construction activities. In this role, Amaral has worked to secure funding and develop partnerships to support long-term repairs to this vital facility, helping protect both water deliveries and the communities that rely on them.

    Amaral has also led FWA’s efforts to build and maintain strong working relationships with Groundwater Sustainability Agencies, community representatives, farm bureaus, commodity groups, advocacy organizations, and other water agencies, recognizing collaboration as essential to achieving long-term water sustainability in the San Joaquin Valley.

    Prior to joining Friant Water Authority, Amaral served as Deputy General Manager for External Affairs at Westlands Water District for more than four years. He began his career in public service as Chief of Staff to Congressman Devin Nunes, where he worked on water and public policy matters for over 13 years.

    A native of Tulare, Amaral lives in Exeter, California with his wife, Stephanie. They have two children: Taylor, a senior at Baylor University, and John Tomas, a sophomore at San Diego State University.

  • Developing a New Phone App that Detects Bee Diseases

    RS researchers are looking to help U.S. beekeepers better detect and treat their honey bee populations. Honey bees are important pollinators in agriculture. With an estimated 50–80% of crops pollinated by honey bees, they generate approximately $20 billion annually in market value in the United States alone. However, pathogens and the Varroa destructor parasitic mite threaten their health, costing the industry over $500 million each year.

    Commercial beekeepers face challenges in protecting their hives from bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases. Accurate diagnosis of brood disease, especially distinguishing European Foulbrood (EFB), a bacterial disease, from viral infections with symptoms similar to EFB, remains challenging and time consuming. Misdiagnosis often results in inappropriate antibiotic use, leading to increased antimicrobial resistant bacteria and significant disruption of the honey bees’ gut microbiome.

    In a published study, researchers at the ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, AZ, developed an image-based artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic tool to rapidly identify and differentiate between bacterial and viral infections in honey bee brood. Over many years, the researchers collaborated with apiary inspectors and university extension agents to generate a dataset of 2,759 honey bee larvae images gathered from multiple apiaries. Each image was paired with definitive molecular evidence of viral or bacterial infection.

    Using image analysis, the proof-of-concept models achieved 73–88% accuracy in identifying the diseases.

    “This study represents a significant step toward addressing the challenge of brood disease diagnosis, which has traditionally relied on visual inspection by experienced apiarists with variable accuracy,” said ARS Research Microbiologist Duan Copeland.

    “AI models can provide rapid, objective disease diagnostics which can reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics and preserve the integrity of the gut microbiome, a significant contributor to colony health in commercial beekeeping operations.”

    According to Copeland, the goal is to develop a phone-app diagnostic tool whereby beekeepers can upload photos and receive accurate diagnoses in seconds. The findings show promise, but more research and development are required to produce field-ready diagnostic tools. Future research will focus on including all major bee pathogens and extending landscape representation throughout the U.S.

    The research was funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant and conducted in collaboration with Apiary Inspectors of America, Michigan State University, and the ARS Bee Research Laboratory. – by Jessica Ryan, ARS Office of Communications

  • Livestock Losses and Wolf Deterrence Efforts Cost Californians Millions

    Nearly a decade after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the state’s first wolf pack, the rural community in Sierra Valley faced unprecedented challenges when the Beyem Seyo wolf pack began to regularly attack and kill domestic livestock. Despite extensive efforts at non-lethal deterrence, the pack became so dependent on cattle as a food source that several members of the pack were ultimately euthanized in October 2025. A new study by UC Cooperative Extensionanalyzed the costs associated with these wolf attacks and found that, when combining the costs of livestock losses and interventions aimed at deterring further depredations (the injuring or killing of livestock by wolves), the economic toll over seven months reached at least $2.6 million.

    The gray wolf, a species protected under both federal and state Endangered Species Acts, was first introduced into Idaho and Yellowstone in the mid 1990s. After a century-long absence, the first wolf was documented migrating into California in 2011, and the first pack was confirmed in the state in 2015. By the end of 2024, at least 50 individual wolves had been confirmed in California. While some saw this as a conservation success story, ranchers in Sierra Valley experienced the downside of this resurgence when the Beyem Seyo pack began preying on local cattle in March 2025.

    By summer, the pack was found near residences during daylight hours and had become dependent on cattle as its main source of food. To reduce the harm this pack was causing to the community, CDFW deployed what they called the Summer Strike Team – a group of biologists, wardens, and CDFW staff – whose goal was non-lethal hazing and deterrence of wolf-related livestock attacks. Yet despite spending 18,000 staff hours over 114 days, the attacks continued to increase, and by October 2025, 92 cows and calves had been injured or killed by the pack. As a result, four members of the pack were ultimately euthanized.

    To better understand the economic impact of this livestock depredation, UC Davis professor of Cooperative Extension Tina Saitone and UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor Tracy Schohr analyzed the direct costs associated with the attacks.

    First, they looked at the direct costs of cattle losses between March 7 and Oct. 10, 2025, that either the CDFW or the U.S. Department of Agriculture verified as ‘confirmed’ or ‘probable’ wolf depredations; only these verified kills were eligible for rancher compensation under the state’s Wolf Compensation Program. Using the fair market value for these ‘confirmed or probable’ kills, the authors estimated $234,735 in losses to Sierra Valley ranchers.

    Saitone said, “Beyond direct predation, wolves impose additional costs. Cattle exposed to wolves show increased vigilance and avoidance behaviors that reduce weight gain and conception rates while increasing disease vulnerability. Producers face higher expenses from intensified monitoring, fence repairs, non-lethal deterrents, and depredation investigations.”

    Further, when the authors considered missing or unconfirmed cattle losses, the total wolf-related depredation losses ranged from between $533,688 to $1.7 million, depending on methodology. When these costs are added to the cost of agency interventions (e.g., the efforts of the Summer Strike Team), which totaled more than $2 million, this single wolf pack was responsible for damages of at least $2.6 million in 2025. This research underscores the importance of wildlife agency resources and funding of comprehensive livestock loss compensation programs.

    To learn more about the economic impacts of the Beyem Seyo wolf pack on California, read the full article by Tina L. Saitone and Tracy K. Schohr: “The Beyem Seyo Wolf Pack: Economic Toll of Unprecedented Livestock Conflict in California.” ARE Update 29(2): 1–5. UC Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, online at https://giannini.ucop.edu/filer/file/1767890615/21559/

    ARE Update is a bimonthly magazine published by the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics to educate policymakers and agribusiness professionals about new research or analysis of important topics in agricultural and resource economics. Articles are written by Giannini Foundation members, including University of California faculty and Cooperative Extension specialists in agricultural and resource economics, and university graduate students. Learn more about the Giannini Foundation and its publications at https://giannini.ucop.edu/. -By Ria DeBiase, Communications Director, Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, Ag & Resource Econ at UC Davis

  • Federal Funds Awarded on Behalf of West Coast Dairy Businesses

    Over $11 million in grant funding has been released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) to support dairy producers and businesses through the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI) initiative. The allocation of $690,000 will strengthen small and mid-sized dairy businesses and university pilot plants in California, Oregon, and Washington – all served by the Pacific Coast Coalition – Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII).

    “We anticipate a quick turnaround in distributing these funds so the awardees can see results,” said PCC Director Carmen Licon Ph.D. “Based on applications submitted in the recent Fall 2025 cycle, these resources will help dairy processors in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products,”

    According to Project Co-Director and “Cowkeeper” Susan Pheasant, PhD., many generational farms and new innovators will now be able to better produce cheese, ice cream, and additional higher value dairy products.

    Hosted by California State University, Fresno, The PCC-DBII is funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and is a collaboration with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chapman University, Oregon State University, Oregon Dairy Council, Washington State University, and the California Dairy Innovation Center. For more information: https://www.dairypcc.net or nancyvanleuven@gmail.com.

    PCC grantee Cottage Hill Creamery goat milk products (Beavercreek, OR)