Cultivating industry prosperity for the long term is at the core of the California walnut industry’s strategic plan. A year ago, the Grades & Standards Committee began working with US Department of Agriculture (USDA) looking into ways to update the outbound inspection process in order to remove redundancies and duplicative costs to bring more efficiency to the industry. As part of this process, the California Walnut Board (CWB) voted to suspend enforcement of mandatory USDA outbound inspections of California walnuts.
This action resulted in USDA issuing a preliminary six-month moratorium on the enforcement of the mandatory inspection requirement, effective September 1, 2021. The Board’s vote to suspend inspections stands to benefit the industry by mitigating market disruptions (i.e. labor shortages, shipping constraints) during the season. The Federal Marketing Order rules governing inspection, which date back to the Order’s inception in 1948, are obsolete as market and customer quality demands have since surpassed USDA grading standards.
In addition to USDA programs, many handlers have already invested in state-of-the-art equipment to comply with food safety, quality, and traceability requirements set by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), while also employing qualified staff to oversee rigorous programs to meet additional market-driven quality standards.
“All handlers should know that despite non-enforcement of mandated outgoing inspections, the Dried Fruit Association (DFA) remains available for voluntary inspections and business needs,” said Eric Heidman, CWB Chair of the Grades & Standards Committee.
The market already demands quality that well exceeds USDA grade standards and handlers will continue to inspect product to the specifications as contracted with their customers.
“This moratorium will be extended when the CWB goes through the formal rulemaking process to modernize the Federal Marketing Order,” said Joshua Rahm, CWB Director of Regulatory & Technical Affairs. “As part of this process, CWB will establish a new method of assessing walnut handlers. We are hopeful the new authority will be available for the 2022-2023 crop year and expect assessments to be collected following the formal rulemaking process.”
California walnut grower Donald Norene, stated, “I support the Board’s initiative to streamline and update the inspection process to keep up with current market demands and make it more efficient to save resources, ultimately working harder for the industry.”
While the CWB works through the rulemaking process, it will continue essential operations by tapping budget reserves to offset the temporary non-collection of assessments. The Board will be evaluating its spending to determine how to best operate until the formal rulemaking process is complete.
About the California Walnut Board
The California Walnut Board (CWB) was established in 1948 to represent the walnut growers and handlers of California. The CWB is funded by mandatory assessments of the handlers. The CWB is governed by a Federal Walnut Marketing Order. The CWB promotes usage of walnuts in the United States through publicity and educational programs. The CWB also provides funding for walnut production, food safety and post-harvest research.
On September 13th, President Biden announced his intent to nominate several individuals to serve as key economic and trade representatives, including the Elaine Trevino to serve as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the United States Trade Representative.
Elaine Trevino is the President of the Almond Alliance of California (AAC), a member-based trade association that advocates on regulatory and legislative issues in areas of international trade, food safety, water quality and availability, crop protection, air quality, worker safety, supply chain and feed quality. As the leader of an organization that advocates for California’s leading agricultural export, Elaine understands tariff and nontariff barriers to trade and the importance of maintaining America’s strong trade agreements and global positioning. Elaine has worked on advocating for funding for COVID-19 relief, addressing retaliatory tariffs, climate smart farming, public private partnerships for opening new markets and strengthening existing markets and addressing technical sanitary and phytosanitary barriers. Elaine works at the local and federal levels on addressing port congestion, supply chain disruptions and excessive costs.
Elaine served as a Deputy Secretary at the California Department of Food and Agriculture for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Governor Gray Davis. She was responsible for the oversight of the international export and trade programs, specialty crop block grant funding, division of marketing services, plant health and pest prevention and the statewide county fair network. Elaine serves on USDA’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC). Born and raised in the Central Valley of California, Elaine has a long history of community service and has a great respect for agriculture and the value of the industry to the overall economy. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California Berkeley and attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Elaine and her family currently reside in Sacramento, California.
Almond Alliance Chairman Mike Curry shared, “We are thrilled to see Elaine nominated for this position and know that her experience with us at the Almond Alliance will carry over into her new role – working first for farmers and ranchers, their families and the workers and businesses in the rural communities where we live. Her new position is responsible for conducting and overseeing international negotiations related to trade of the nation’s agricultural products – all of them including California almonds. Elaine’s nomination requires U.S. Senate confirmation (which will take time) and be assured that the Board of Directors of the Almond Alliance will lead a smooth transition in partnership with Elaine to identify and hire her successor. While we’re transitioning, the Board, Elaine and the Almond Alliance team will not skip a beat in our advocacy work on behalf of California almonds, both on the state and federal levels. Although we will miss Elaine’s leadership and energy, we are excited for the almond industry, the Central Valley (where she grew up) and California agriculture to have such a passionate and committed person serving in the Chief Agricultural Negotiator role.”
Of Trevino, Matthew Malcolm, Editor of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine shared, “While faithfully serving the California almond industry in her role as President of the Almond Alliance of California, Elaine has also demonstrated time and time again her commitment to the greater agricultural community in her tireless efforts and involvement in addressing issues such as food supply chain disruptions, international trade disputes, securing funding for agricultural burn alternatives, and much more. While she will be missed in her role at the Almond Alliance, we are thrilled with the opportunity she will have to represent the interests of farmers at such a critical time as this. We are confident that she will continue to do great things, as she has done for the almond industry.”
Richard Waycott, President & CEO of the Almond Board of California concurred, “We are thrilled to see Elaine nominated for this critical position, in recognition of the importance of California agriculture and the role of specialty crops like almonds. We’ve worked closely with Elaine and the Almond Alliance over the years in addressing global trade issues, and look forward to supporting her in her new role as chief ag negotiator.”
Manuel Cunha President of the Nisei Farmers League added, “I believe Elaine will do a great job representing our agricultural industries. She knows the commodities and markets very well. She is bright and bold. She understands the politics and knows how to communicate well with both farmers and legislators.”
Of the nomination, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai shared, “Elaine Trevino understands the importance of America’s farmers and farming communities to the vitality of our economy. Her experience will help the Biden Administration craft durable trade policy that creates broad-based prosperity. Throughout her impressive career serving in leadership positions at the state and federal level, Elaine has developed strong relationships with key stakeholders and demonstrated a keen understanding of trade and agriculture policy. If confirmed as Chief Agriculture Negotiator, Elaine would be the first woman of color and the first Latina in this critical position that will help USTR advance President Biden’s vision to increase American competitiveness. I hope the U.S. Senate can quickly confirm her to fill this important role so she can get to work on behalf of the American people.”
Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association added, “Having had the pleasure of serving on the USDA Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade with Ms. Trevino in recent years, I’m confident she will position U.S. agriculture interests competitively, remain vigilant to protect U.S. businesses from myriad barriers to trade, and embrace diplomacy and relationship-building. As a resident Californian and former deputy secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Elaine Trevino is well aware of the importance of trade to California—the state exported $2 billion worth of dairy products in 2020— and to U.S. dairy. IDFA is eager to get to work with Ms. Trevino to continue the growth of our dairy exports and the global competitiveness of the dairy industry. We encourage the U.S. Senate to confirm her quickly.”
“The role of Chief Agricultural Negotiator is essential in pursuing positive trade policy results for U.S. dairy farmers and in expanding overseas markets for dairy products,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). “NMPF is pleased that in choosing Ms. Trevino to nominate for this position, President Biden has selected someone with the right background and clear understanding of trade’s importance to American agriculture, both of which are vital to success in this position. I’ve been fortunate to serve on the president’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee with Ms. Trevino and hope to see swift confirmation of her nomination by the Senate so she can commence the work that’s so key for farmers across the country.”
“U.S. dairy farmers, exporters and manufacturers have been eagerly awaiting the nomination of a Chief Agricultural Negotiator given the sizable role that trade plays in providing a home for the equivalent of more than a day’s worth of U.S. milk production each week,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of US Dairy Export Council. “The world needs U.S. dairy and U.S. dairy needs the world. Our industry is eager for additional market opportunities to help us create more jobs here in America as we meet that demand with our high-quality, sustainably produced products. We urge the Senate to move swiftly to confirm Ms. Trevino and look forward to working closely with her to expand markets around the world.”
Doug Palmer in the Politico Pro shared, “Biden has been under pressure from farm-state senators to fill the position, which Congress created 20 years ago to elevate the importance of agricultural issues in U.S. trade negotiations. Depending on the year, anywhere from 18 percent to 40 percent of the income U.S. farmers earn is derived from goods transported to other countries… By selecting Trevino, Biden helps fulfill his goal of bringing diversity into his administration, while also giving a key position to someone from the largest U.S. agricultural exporting state.”
Palmer continued, “The Senate Finance Committee will schedule a hearing on Trevino’s nomination sometime after it has received her official paperwork from the White House. Her nomination is the last of six Senate-confirmed positions in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that Biden needs to fill. Of those, only U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is already on the job.”
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service — The initial 2021-22 California Navel orange forecast is 70.0 million cartons, down 14% from the previous year. Of the total Navel orange forecast, 67.0 million cartons are estimated to be in the Central Valley. Cara Cara variety Navel orange production in the Central Valley is forecast at 6.0 million cartons. These forecasts are based on the results of the 2021-22 Navel Orange Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey, which was conducted from June 15 to September 1, 2021. Estimated fruit set per tree, fruit diameter, trees per acre, bearing acreage, and oranges per box were used in the statistical models estimating production.
This forecast includes production of conventional, organic, and specialty Navel oranges (including Cara Cara and Blood orange varieties).
Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 239, down 25% from the previous year and b e l o w the five-year average of 344. The average September 1 diameter was 2.145 inches, below the five-year average of 2.208 inches. The Cara Cara orange set was 211 with a diameter of 2.146 inches.
SURVEY SAMPLE
A sample of 785 Navel orange groves was randomly selected proportional to county and variety bearing acreage, and 707 of the groves were utilized in this survey. Once a grove was randomly chosen and grower permission was granted, two trees were randomly selected. The Navel orange sample included conventional, organic, Cara Cara, and Blood orange groves.
For each randomly selected tree, the trunk was measured along with all connected branches. A random number table was then used to select a branch, and then all connected branches from the randomly-selected branch were measured.
This process was repeated until a branch was reached with no significant limbs beyond this point. This randomly-selected branch, called the terminal branch, was then closely inspected to count all fruit connected to this branch, as well as all of the fruit along the path from the trunk to the terminal branch. Since each selected path has a probability of selection associated with the path, a probability-based method was then applied to estimate a fruit count for the entire tree.
In the last week of the survey period, fruit diameter measurements were made on the right quadrant of four trees surrounding the two trees of every third grove. These measurements were used to estimate an average fruit diameter per tree. Of the 707 utilized groves, 10 were in Madera County, 119 were in Fresno County, 419 were in Tulare County, and 157 were in Kern County.
SURVEY HISTORY
A Navel Orange Objective Measurement Survey has been conducted in the Central Valley every year since the 1984-85 crop year, except for the 1991-92 season due to a lack of funding. The data from the first two years were used for research purposes in developing crop-estimating models. The Cara Cara forecast was undertaken at the request of the California Citrus Advisory Committee.
In response to California State Senator Melissa Hurtado being forced to pull SB 559 after the California State Assembly Appropriations Committee removed all funding provisions, a coalition of leading California fresh produce organizations issued the following statement:
“With nearly 90 percent of the state in extreme or exceptional drought, including virtually all the 3.25 million acres of farmland dependent on irrigation from the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, the move to strip SB 559 of its funding demonstrates the clear intent of the Assembly to drive food production out of California,” said California Fresh Fruit Association President Ian LeMay. “In light of the staggering state budget surplus, the decision to defund the repair of our critical conveyance systems is not financial, but ideological, and will harm thousands of multi-generational family farms and countless disadvantaged communities in the San Joaquin Valley.”
“Water supply reliability is central to the production of food in California, and vital to the rural communities and statewide economy that is supported by the agriculture industry,” said California Citrus Mutual President and CEO Casey Creamer. “SB 559 would have funded long overdue repairs to canals and other conveyance infrastructure that have been damaged by subsidence. California cannot afford to waste even a single drop of its limited water resources in the face of changing hydrological conditions and recurring drought. In addition to the need to build more above and below ground storage, our state must also invest in fixing our broken water delivery systems.”
“Farms that cannot irrigate crops to grow food will inevitably reduce operations or cease farming altogether. When enough of them do, farmworkers lose the most,” said Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia. “In once again eviscerating Senator Hurtado’s legislation to repair critical water infrastructure, the Assembly’s leaders leave no uncertainty as to the future they want for the farms, farmers, farmworkers and communities of the San Joaquin Valley. They will do whatever it takes to keep taxpayer money flowing to a high-speed rail project we can do without and do whatever it takes to deny funds to help repair water infrastructure we cannot do without. We are enormously grateful to Senator Hurtado for her tenacity and to those who stood with her even as their leaders gave them, and all of us, the middle finger.”
About California Citrus Mutual:
California Citrus Mutual was founded by growers in 1977 as a non-profit trade association and is headquartered in Exeter, California. Our members are citrus growers that collectively grow oranges, lemons, mandarins, and grapefruit across roughly 250,000 acres in California. They provide Californian’s and the world with the highest quality fresh citrus, are a critical economic sector for our rural communities, and provide ladders of opportunities for their hardworking employees and their families.
About California Fresh Fruit Association:
The California Fresh Fruit Association is a voluntary public policy organization that works on behalf of our members – growers, shippers, marketers and associates – on issues that specifically affect member commodities: fresh grapes, kiwis, pomegranates, cherries, blueberries, peaches, pears, apricots, nectarines, interspecific varieties, plums, apples and persimmons. It is the Association’s responsibility to serve as a liaison between regulatory and legislative authorities by acting as the unified voice of our members.
About Western Growers:
Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Western Growers’ members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce.