California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • New Food Freezing Concept Improves Quality, Increases Safety and Cuts Energy Use

    Shifting to a new food freezing method could make for safer and better quality frozen foods while saving energy and reducing carbon emissions, according to a new study by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of California-Berkeley scientists.

    “A complete change over to this new method of food freezing worldwide could cut energy use by as much as 6.5 billion kilowatt-hours each year while reducing the carbon emissions that go along with generating that power by 4.6 billion kg, the equivalent of removing roughly one million cars from roads,” said ARS research food technologist Cristina Bilbao-Sainz. She is with the Healthy Processed Foods Research Unit, part of ARS’s Western Regional Research Center (WRRC) in Albany.

    “T­hese savings could be achieved without requiring any significant changes in current frozen food manufacturing equipment and infrastructure, if food manufacturers adopt this concept,” Bilbao-Sainz added.

    ARS scientists Cristina Bilbao-Sainz (right) and Roberto Avena-Bustillos demonstrate the use of isochoric freezing chambers. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    The new freezing method, called isochoric freezing, works by storing foods in a sealed, rigid container—typically made of hard plastic or metal—completely filled with a liquid such as water. Unlike conventional freezing in which the food is exposed to the air and freezes solid at temperatures below 32 degrees F, isochoric freezing preserves food without turning it to solid ice.

    As long as the food stays immersed in the liquid portion, it is protected from ice crystallization, which is the main threat to food quality.

    “Energy savings come from not having to freeze foods completely solid, which uses a huge amount of energy, plus there is no need to resort to energy-intensive cold storage protocols such as quick freezing to avoid ice crystal formation,” Bilbao-Sainz said.

    Isochoric freezing also allows for higher quality storage of fresh foods such as tomatoes, sweet cherries and potatoes that are otherwise difficult to preserve with conventional freezing.

    Another benefit of isochoric freezing is that it also kills microbial contaminants during processing.

    “The entire food production chain could use isochoric freezing—everyone from growers to food processors, product producers to wholesalers, to retailers. The process will even work in a person’s freezer at home after they purchase a product—all without requiring any major investments in new equipment,” said WRRC center director Tara McHugh, co-leader of this study. “With all of the many potential benefits, if this innovative concept catches on, it could be the next revolution in freezing foods.”

    UC-Berkeley biomedical engineer Boris Rubinsky, co-leader of this project, first developed the isochoric freezing method to cryopreserve tissues and organs for transplants.

    Since then, ARS and UC-Berkeley have applied for a joint patent for applying isochoric freezing to preserving food. The research team is now developing the best applications for this technology in the frozen foods industry, especially scaling up the technology to an industrial level. They also are seeking commercial partners to help transfer the technology to the commercial sector.

    UC-Berkeley mechanical engineer Matthew Powell-Palm, one of the lead authors of the study paper, noted that “isochoric freezing is a cross-cutting technology with promising applications in not only the food industry, but in medicine, biology, even space travel.”

    WRRC has also been designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark in 2002 by the American Chemical Society for developing the Time-Temperature Tolerance studies, which made possible the production of stable, safe and high quality frozen food, revolutionizing the industry in the 1950s.

    This research was published in Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $17 of economic impact.

  • California Biodiversity Day a Time to Recognize State’s Extraordinary Natural Environment

    Today is California Biodiversity Day, and CDFA is pleased and proud to recognize this day along with the Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other government agencies and partners that spend every day working hard to restore, to preserve and enhance California’s biodiversity.

    Our state is a biodiversity hotspot — we have 1,500 species that are only found here in California, the most of any other state; we have a fabulous Mediterranean climate, one of only five in the world; we have the highest point and the lowest point in the continental US; and we have multiple microclimates that contribute to our biodiversity.

    Biodiversity is the foundation for healthy, thriving agricultural production system. Our farmers are right there on the edge of natural working landscapes, food security, and interacting with our natural environment, and it all starts with soil. We sometimes forget that a quarter of diverse species are under our feet… in soil. One handful of soil contains more microorganisms then all the people on the globe. That’s pretty remarkable!

    Our farmers take care of that soil with a number of different practices. They are always looking to sequester organisms that will give them longer-term productivity by storing carbon in the soils, and that increases water holding capacities, stops erosion, and helps to preserve biodiversity. It also improves the resiliency of our plants and helps us fight climate change.

    I’m really pleased that CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program is a key part of the state’s biodiversity initiative across agencies. We have been able to invest more than $40 million in incentive grants to our farmers to use compost to sequester carbon and plant cover crops, hedge rows, riparian habitat and pollinator habitat, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building up our productivity and sustainability.

    Here are a couple of specific examples, out of many — almond growers have put in hundreds and hundreds of acres of pollinator habitat, and rice growers have spent the last two decades making their rice fields a winter home to a multitude of species along the Pacific Flyway.

    In closing I would like to reiterate that biodiversity is essential in California. It makes our state a special and unique place, and I call on all of us to share a commitment to preserve it, restore it and enhance it. Let’s celebrate our biodiversity today and every day!

    — By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross

  • Organic Trade Association Announces 2022 Organic Week

    Thrilled to be kicking off a year of in-person organic advocacy, the Organic Trade Association is pleased to be hosting its 2022 Organic Week early next year in the nation’s capital. The forward-looking event from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 is themed “The Future of Organic” and promises organic stakeholders an unparalleled opportunity to help advance organic policy priorities and to protect the future of organic.

    “This is a critical time for organic. ‘The Future of Organic’ will be all about moving organic forward, and working together to advance organic priorities,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association. “In these 72-hours, we’ll work on solutions for the complex issues surrounding organic food and farming, focus on continuous improvement in organic, and celebrate organic leaders. And we can’t wait to again see our members in person!”

    The trade association’s flagship event will be held at The InterContinental at the Wharf located on the Potomac River in D.C.’s recently revitalized Southwest waterfront promenade. Activities during the three days include the Member Day workshops, Conference Day, Advocacy Day and the annual Congressional reception. Also for the first time ever, the Organic Trade Association’s Leadership Awards Dinner and Annual Membership meeting will take place during Organic Week.

    Benchmarking trust in organic

    A highlight of 2022 Conference Day will be the exclusive debut of an in-depth study by Edelman, a global communications firm, to benchmark and analyze trust in the Organic seal, both in the U.S., and in key markets outside the country. The Edelman study builds on its respected Trust Barometer, which for 21 years has surveyed upwards of 30,000 consumers in 28 countries, posing a series of questions to track evolving trust and credibility of government, businesses, NGOs and media.

    Ambassador Darci Vetter, former Chief Agricultural Negotiator and Deputy Under Secretary of Agriculture, and now Senior Advisor at Edelman Global Advisory, will present the findings. With its Trust Barometer as the model, Edelman – under contract with the Organic Trade Association — designed a companion project examining USDA Organic’s trust and credibility among consumers in the U.S. and in key global markets. Vetter will detail the results of the investigative project and offer insights on how to employ the findings to advance organic globally.

    “The information gained from this analysis will inform our organic promotion efforts globally and fill a crucial gap in understanding consumer perceptions and trust of U.S. organic products. The outcomes also will shape our association’s ongoing consumer promotion efforts in foreign markets and enable us to better target foreign consumers. It will help us build for the future,” said Batcha.

    Three action-packed days, one great location and lots of connections
    The InterContinental at the Wharf in Washington, D.C. is the Organic Week headquarters hotel where all activities will be based.

    Day 1, Monday Jan. 31, is Member Day. This day features sector council and task force in-person working sessions, meetings with federal agencies and departments, interactive sessions to plan for the next farm bill, and more. The day will be capped off with an event supporting Organic PAC, the only political action committee devoted to advancing organic’s voice with policymakers in our nation’s capital.

    Day 2, Tuesday Feb. 1, is Conference Day. Always a powerful gathering of hundreds of organic industry leaders, coalition partners and government officials, the 2022 conference will feature, in addition to the Edelman report, thought-provoking keynotes on the issues making news in organic from members of Congress, agency chiefs and other policy and industry influencers. The day ends with a networking reception and the Organic Dinner Celebration in honor of this inspiring week.

    Day 3, Wednesday Feb. 2, is Advocacy Day. A day of Congressional and agency visits. Members will work in small teams to attend hundreds of pre-scheduled meetings across Capitol Hill and then toast a full day of advocating for organic during the association’s annual Congressional Reception, attended by trade association members, lawmakers and agency officials.

    Organic Week in Washington D.C. is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain strategic insights, new advocacy tools and valuable personal connections, and the series of events are designed to build on each other over the course of the week. Attendees will work side by side with other organic leaders to focus on the future of organic and have exclusive opportunities to connect with sponsors.

    Registration for Organic Week is open. Register here for the event that unites the entire organic sector to take action on issues at the forefront of organic food, agriculture and trade priorities. Choose one of the Residency Packages to enhance opportunities to meet with colleagues, share experiences and enjoy the convenience of one central location.

  • What Effects do Forest Fires have on the Storage of Carbon?

    The other day I was enjoying a nice breakfast, when I saw a man sitting next to me with his bicycle. Of course, my wife started talking with him! It turns out that he is a professor from Columbia, NY who, as far as I could understood, teaches something related to climate change. I couldn’t help asking him, do we still have time to fix the global warming problem and mitigate climate change? His tone of voice changed and his gazed off and said, “Save yourself, there is nothing we can do about it.” Still, a week after that conversation I am thinking about his comment! I consider myself an optimist, but it worries me when I see what is happening with the fires on the West Coast, and recently the floods in Belgium, Germany, and other places.

    According to the National Interagency Fire Center as of August 26, 88 large fires are burning in the US across 13 States. They have destroyed nearly 2.4 million acres of forest. We know that trees are our best friends, they can store and sequester carbon. We know that a healthy forest reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but what happens when a forest catches fire?

    The answer is not very simple because the carbon cycle is very complicated, with many variables involve. When carbohydrates are burned, they oxidize, creating carbon dioxide (CO2). Photosynthesis on the other hand, removes CO2 from the atmosphere and simultaneously stores carbon in the form of wood. According to NOAA, a very big and hot wildfire could emit the same amount of CO2 as six large coal power plants in one year.

    To better understand the role that a forest ecosystem has on the storage of carbon, a study was conducted by the NASA Institute on Climate and Planets. They studied what happens in unburned and burned sites in the Black Rock Forest, NY. The hypothesis for the study stated that the unburned site will significantly store more carbon than the burned site.

    The results, as we expected, showed that more carbon was stored in the unburned plot than in the burned plot, which means that the fire diminishes the carbon that was originally store in the wood. On the other hand, some of the vegetation is not consumed by burning, instead it is transformed to charcoal which has the advantage that it resists degradation so it can store carbon in soils over long periods of time. As it was mentioned before, the carbon cycle is very complicated, and fire has other consequences like emissions from decomposing dead wood which can surpass the direct emissions from the fire itself. But at the same time, new growth in the burned areas starts once again to take CO2 from the atmosphere and store it. This topic is very complicated, but fortunately, it looks like the effects of wildfires on climate change are smaller than the effects of coal, oil, and gas. — By Henry Mayer, University of Florida, Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences

  • Hard work and Fine Fruit Results in Five Medals for Fresno State Wines

    Fresno State enology and winery student assistant Karley Curtis, August 27, 2021, photo by Geoff Thurner

    Karley Curtis, an enology senior from Easton, was drawn to Fresno State so she could channel her passion for science into a lifelong career. However, the Jordan College honors research cohort member, had to make a slight detour from her initial path as a pre-nursing major.

    “I loved my chemistry course that first semester, but realized that the hospital setting wasn’t the best fit for me,” Curtis said. “Luckily, my dad suggested enology, and I was able to quickly shift to another of Fresno State’s top programs. Constantly checking on the wine during the fermentation process involves a lot of the same training as we monitor various pH and acidity levels and potentially add other things to hone it to perfection.”

    Her appreciation for wine grapes started at an early age as she played in a neighbor’s vineyard. Its career potential took root while traveling with her father, Brett, on his work calls. The Fresno State agricultural business alumnus works as an irrigation consultant and created systems for vineyards throughout the Central Valley and Central Coast.

    Now as the Fresno State Winery’s lead student assistant, Curtis will have a chance to help extend its reputation as a top collegiate winery — a standing further solidified after the winery earned five medals at the recent San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association wine competition.

    Fresno State claimed double gold medals for its 2018 Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon wines; a gold medal for its 2019 Albariño; and silver medals for its 2018 Alicante Bouschet and 2019 Chardonnay.

    “This was definitely our best showing in 10 years at this competition,” said Kevin Smith, winery marketing and sales director. “It also reflects the improved quality of our wines, thanks to the hard work that our students are putting in, and the fine fruit our winemaker, Tom Montgomery, is sourcing for us.”

    The Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay came from grapes harvested in the Napa and Sonoma areas through industry and alumni contacts. The Albariño fruit was harvested from the nearby Saviez Vineyards on the San Joaquin River, as well as Alicante Bouschet grapes from the Papagni Vineyards near Madera.

    Fresno State Winery, viticulture and enology honors cohort member & winery student assistant Karley Curtis and winemaker Tom Montgomery, first crush day of 2021 (Saviez Pinot Gris grapes), August 11, 2021, photo by Geoff Thurner

    “Among all the awards, I’m extra proud of the Barbera since it is from the Fresno State vineyard,” said Tom Montgomery, the campus winemaker. “Other California areas have had national recognition for a long time, and now the San Joaquin Valley is becoming equally well known for its own types of varietals that excel specifically in our weather and soil conditions.”

    Several of these wines were also recognized earlier this year by the San Francisco Chronicle, which awarded a gold medal to the 2019 Chardonnay and silver medals to the 2018 Alicante Bouschet, President’s Reserve Barbera and Sargent Zinfandel wines.

    Looking ahead, the campus winery hopes to add more wine awards from two international wine contests that will be held later this year: the San Francisco International Wine Challenge and Sommelier Challenge.

    All of the campus wines are currently available at the Fresno State Winery website and are equally popular with its wine club. Members receive 20% off wines through three, four-bottle shipments throughout the year, as well as special access to limited edition wines and special events.

    Members might have noticed that a select group of campus wines now brandish black labels. The redesign showcases wines that are initially prioritized for wine club members for three months after bottling. Any remaining wines are then available online, at the Gibson Farm Market, area stores, and fine restaurants that now include Harris Ranch.

    As new lots of grapes arrive at the winery this summer and fall, Curtis will use her winery and lab training as a member of the Jordan College Honors Research Cohort. The fifth-generation agriculturist will assist enology faculty member Dr. Kristy Sun to study Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and how vine canopy treatments and aging affect wine anthocyanin content.

    Curtis, a former Washington Union High School valedictorian and Fresno State dancer, is unphased by the workload since she has always successfully juggled multiple interests, and still works as a youth dance coach.

    “It’ll be a busy year, but it will be so rewarding,” she said. “Being able to walk from classes and lab to the winery and vineyard next door is such an exciting balance and I can’t wait.”

    Fresno State Winery, December 9, 2020, photo by Geoff Thurner

  • California Walnut Crop Forecast Down 15%

    USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service — The 2021 California walnut production is forecast at 670,000 tons, down 15% from 2020’s record production of 785,000 tons. The forecast is based on 385,000 bearing acres, up 1% from 2020’s estimated bearing acreage of 380,000.

    Widespread freezing temperatures in late fall of 2020 resulted in frost damage to walnut orchards across the state. Growers reported the frost damage delayed leaf out and reduced nut set in affected orchards. Additionally, because of the state’s drought conditions, orchards experienced a higher degree of freeze injury. Walnut growers throughout the state struggled with drought conditions and water availability, as most of the state is in a drought emergency. Chilling hours were up from last year.

    Survey data indicated an average nut set per tree of 992, down 17% from 2020’s average of 1,197. Percent of sound kernels in- shell was 99.5% statewide. In-shell weight per nut was 22.2 grams, while the average in-shell suture measurement was 32.4 millimeters. The in-shell cross-width measurement was 33.4 and the average length in-shell was 37.9 millimeters.

    Estimated nut sets, sizing measurements, average number of trees per acre, and estimated bearing acreage were used in the statistical models.

    SURVEY HISTORY

    The Walnut O.M. Survey began in 1958 to fulfill industry needs for an accurate walnut production forecast prior to harvest. The original sample was chosen proportionally to county and variety of bearing acreage. With each succeeding year, additions and deletions have been made in the sample to adjust for acreage removed, new bearing acreage, and operations that choose not to participate in the survey.

    SAMPLING PROCEDURES

    The 2021 Walnut Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey was officially conducted from July 25 through August 26, 2021. There were a few samples completed before July 25th for training and scheduling purposes. There were 1,402 trees sampled from 701 orchards.

    Once a block is randomly selected and permission is granted by the operation for enumerators to enter the block, two trees are randomly selected. An accessible branch is chosen which is 5- 15 percent of the total cross-sectional area of the primary limbs and reachable with a twelve-foot ladder. Measurements are made on the trunk, each primary, and each split leading to and including the accessible branch. The sample tree and accessible branch are marked by a single tag, so that the same trees are sampled the following year if that orchard is selected. On the accessible branch, every nut is counted and the first of every five nuts is picked for use in size and grade determinations. If available, at least ten nuts are harvested from the accessible branch for this purpose.

    The following measurements are made on nuts selected for sizing:

    1. Weight of nut including hull
    2. Width of shell at suture
    3. Width of shell 90 degrees to suture line (cross-suture) 4. Length of shell
    5. Kernel grade
    6. Weight of nut in-shell

    The Objective Measurement Survey is funded by the California Walnut Board.

    DATA RELIABILITY

    The 80 percent confidence interval is from 610,000 tons to 730,000 tons.

  • September USDA Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for September 2021, which are effective September 1. USDA’s 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 ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.  For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for historically underserved producers, including veterans, beginning producers, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.

    Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for September 2021 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.

    You can find out which of these loans may be right for you by using our Farm Loan Discovery Tool.

    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.

    Disaster Support

    FSA also reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the year’s winter storms, drought, and other natural disasters that USDA has programs that provide assistance. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are prepared with a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to residents, agricultural producers and impacted communities. Many programs are available without an official disaster designation, including several risk management and disaster assistance options.

    Pandemic Support 

    FSA’s Disaster Set-Aside provision is available to direct loan borrowers who have been impacted by the pandemic. This enables an upcoming annual installment to be set aside for the year and added to the final installment. For annual operating loans, the loan maturity date may be extended up to twelve months in order to set aside the installment.  This provision is normally used in the wake of natural disasters, and a second Disaster Set-Aside may be available for direct loan borrowers who already have a DSA in place on a loan due to another designated natural disaster.

    More Information

    Producers can explore available options on all FSA loan options at fsa.usda.gov or by contacting your local USDA Service Center.

  • California Processing Tomato Crop Forecast Below May’s Expectation

    Contracted production for California processing tomatoes is forecast at 11.1 million tons, averaging 48.9 tons per acre. The current production forecast is 1.9% below last year’s contracted production, and 4.3% below the May forecast. The projected harvested acreage of tomatoes grown under contract is 227,000 acres, which 0.4% lower than in 2020.

    Drought concerns impacted planting decisions for the 2021 processing tomato crop and acreage has decreased significantly from early season intentions. Extreme high temperatures in May and throughout the summer lowered expected yields and slowed down operations at the canneries. Crop quality is reported to be average or slightly above average.

    Harvest began the first week of July and the flow of tomatoes has generally kept pace with the previous two years. The Processing Tomato Advisory Board published shipments through August 28, 2021, showing a 4.3% decrease compared to the end of August in 2020.

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

  • CA Farm Water Crisis – The Big Picture with Aubrey Bettencourt

    California farmers were already in a tight water supply situation before this dry year began. With water curtailments, SGMA implementation, settlement agreements and little progress in water infrastructure improvements, farmers have a lot of concerns regarding the future of their livelihoods. Watch this brief video with Aubrey Bettencourt as she provides the big picture of where agriculture currently stands in the California water crisis. Bettencourt has served California agriculture in various capacities over the years and is now Director of Sustainability with the California Cattle Council and Western United Dairies.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Upcoming Legislation on Product Packaging Concerns California Farmers

    As if transportation issues and port congestion weren’t challenging enough for California agriculture and other industries, further legislation to regulate the type of packaging producers can use to ship their products is pending state approval. Watch this brief video with Almond Alliance of California’s lobbyist Dennis Albiani how this will impact agriculture, and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.