California Ag Network

Category: Featured Post

  • Crush Report Reveals an 8.7% Increase in California Grapes

    After recuperating from another rigorous harvest season, California grape grower and vintners anticipate the release of the annual Grape Crush Report from USDA & CDFA – and that time has come with preliminary results revealing an 8.7% increase from the 2020 crush. Read the following report for more details.

    The 2021 crush totaled 3,858,841 tons, up 8.7% from the 2020 crush of 3,551,312 tons. Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 2,016,959 tons, up 10.7% from 2020. White wine varieties crushed totaled 1,596,051 tons, up 0.3% from 2020. Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 137,959, up 225% from 2020, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 107,872, up 13.2% from 2020.

    The 2021 average price of all varieties was $848.42, up 24.8% from 2020. Average prices for the 2021 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $1.055.18, up 32.4% from 2020; white wine grapes, $668.89, up 19.7% from 2020; raisin grapes, $292.23, up 16.6% from 2020; and table grapes, $183.12, up 14.6% from 2020.

    In 2021, Chardonnay continued to account for the largest percentage of the total tonnage crushed at 16.0%. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second largest percentage of the total crush at 15.3%. Table grape varieties crushed for wine accounted for 2.8% and raisin varieties crushed for wine were 3.6% of the total crush.

    District 13 (Madera, Fresno, Alpine, Mono, Inyo Counties; and Kings and Tulare Counties north of Nevada Avenue (Avenue 192)), had the largest share of the State’s crush at 1,190,395 tons. The average price per ton in District 13 was $335.75.

    Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price at $6,090.55 per ton, up 32.5% from 2020. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest average price at $2,671.57 per ton, up 10.7% from 2020.

    The 2021 Chardonnay average price of $967.52 was up 16.6% from 2020 and the Cabernet Sauvignon average price of $1,643.06 was up 33.0% from 2020. The 2021 average price for French Colombard was $324.51, up 13.0% from 2020, while the Zinfandel average price was up 21.7% from 2020, at $636.79 per ton.

    Prices for 2020 reflected adjustments due to smoke damage, as reported by purchasers. For more information about how purchasers reported smoke damaged grapes last year, go to: cdfa.ca.gov/mkt/pdf/GrapeCrush2020_Smoke_Taint_FAQ.pdf

    Grasp the full picture of the 2021 grape harvest by reading the March feature in American Vineyard Magazine. Don’t currently receive the print publication? Subscribe for free HERE.

  • CA Tomato Processors Forecast Larger Crop In 2022

    USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service — As of January, California’s tomato processors reported they have, or will have, contracts for 12.2 million tons in 2022, which is an increase of 10% compared to 11.1 million contracted tons forecast in the August 2021 California Processing Tomato Report. Processors estimate that the contracted production for 2022 will come from 245,000 acres, generating an average yield of 49.8 tons per acre. The contracted planted acreage forecast is 7% higher than the 2021 acreage of 229,000 reported under contract in August.

    The USDA-NASS Pacific Regional Office surveyed California’s tomato processors for their intended contract acreage and tonnage for the upcoming 2022 season. The data reported by processors was either tonnage with derived acreage, or acreage with derived tonnage.

    This early processing tomato estimate is funded by the California League of Food Producers.

  • Smoke Taint with Anita Oberholster, Prepare Your Vineyard for Future Threats

    Smoke taint is unfortunately an annual concern now for wine grape growers, and this was a topic of interest at the recent Sonoma Grape Expo. Watch this brief video with UCCE Specialist Anita Oberholster as she shares what’s been learned so far about the issue and how growers can prepare their operations as they head into another dry wildfire threatening season. Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • State of the American Pecan Industry

    While we hear more about almonds, walnuts and pistachios in California, pecans are still a significant crop for the Golden State, and are grown across the nation. Watch this brief interview Jeff Smutny from the American Pecan Council as he shares his production and market outlook for the pecan industry. Read the full proceedings of the annual Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo where he spoke in the coming issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.

  • Spray Timing for Almond Bloom Diseases with Brent Holtz

    Beekeepers have begun delivering hives to almond orchards and the buds of all varieties are swelling and prepping for bloom. Watch this brief interview with UCCE Farm Advisor Brent Holtz as he shares some important advice with growers regarding bloom fungicide spray timing, and read his monthly Almond Tasks column in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.

  • Pesticides, Air Quality and Upcoming Statewide Notification System Explained

    California has allocated $10 million to begin the development of a statewide system the provides information to the public about pesticides used around them. DPR is working in partnership with several agricultural commissioners on local pilot projects as part of the development of the system this year. Watch this brief interview with Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner Ruben Arroyo as he explains what this means for the public and agriculture.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • State of the Wine Industry, Lodi/Interior with Mike Needham

    There’s been a lot of activity in the wine market over the past several months as the industry heads into 2022 with tighter inventories. Watch this brief interview with Mike Needham as he shares some insights of what he’s been seeing in California’s interior wine grape regions based on his recent presentation at Malcolm Media’s Tree & Vine Expo.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Almond Processor Shares How Supply Chain Disruption is Impacting Business, Industry

    The seemingly never-ending supply chain disruptions continue to impact many aspects of our everyday lives, and our agricultural industries have also suffered tremendous losses due to these challenges. Watch this brief interview with Katie Staack-Dorsett from Grizzly Nut as she shares to find out and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.

  • SJV Air Pollution Control District Addresses Phase Out of Ag Burning

    Agricultural burning as we know it is currently in the process of being phased out.  So what’s the timeline, what alternatives are out there and what incentive programs are available for the industry to make this big transition? These topics were addressed at Malcolm Media’s recent Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo. Watch this interview with Crystal Yunker from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to learn more.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Almond Board Unveils New Marketing Partnership with MARVEL

    Among the vast amount of information shared at the annual conference of the Almond Board of California, Chairman Brian Wahlbrink shared some of the most exciting news related to their 2022 marketing campaigns. Watch this brief interview to find out and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.