California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • USDA Invests Over $90 Million in Grants for Food Producers Affected by Pandemic

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of $92.2 million in competitive grant funding under the 2018 Farm Bill’s Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). The LAMP grants announced today are funded through the Farmers Market program as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers Initiative. USDA launched this initiative in March to address shortfalls and disparities in how assistance was distributed in previous COVID-19 assistance packages, with a specific focus on strengthening outreach to underserved producers and communities and small and medium agricultural operations. These grants support the development, coordination and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and enterprises and value-added agricultural products.

    “We have an opportunity to transform our nation’s food system with a greater focus on resilient, local and regional food systems,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These grants will help maximize opportunities for economic growth and ingenuity in local and regional food systems to kickstart this transformation. LAMP grants have a history of generating new income sources for small, beginning, veteran and socially disadvantaged farmers and creating new market opportunities for value-added and niche products.”

    USDA encourages projects that assist underserved local and regional agricultural businesses, producer networks and associations, and local and tribal government in responding to COVID-19 disruptions and impacts. Funding is not contingent upon applicants directly addressing these issues.

    The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring equity across the Department, removing barriers to access, and building inclusive programs for the agricultural sector. For grants intending to serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, veteran producers, and/or underserved communities, USDA encourages applicants engage and involve those beneficiaries when developing projects.

    Increasing Local Food Access Through Direct and Intermediary Producer-to-Consumer Markets

    USDA will award $76.9 million ($22.5 million in the 2018 Farm Bill, $47 million provided as emergency funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and $7.4 in annual appropriations) to FMLFPP. Projects under the Farmers Market Promotion Program support direct-to-consumer markets like farmers markets and CSAs. Projects under the Local Food Promotion Program supports indirect-to-consumer markets like food hubs and value-added product incubators.

    Building Robust and Resilient Local and Regional Food Economies

    USDA will award $15.3 million ($5 million in the 2018 Farm Bill and $10.3 provided as emergency funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021) to RFSP to fund public-private partnerships that build and strengthen viability and resilience of local or regional food economies. Projects focus on increase the availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products and alleviating unnecessary administrative and technical barriers. Projects can cover the planning and design of a local and regional food economy as well as implementing or expanding an existing one.

    Application and Grant Eligibility

    Applications undergo external expert peer review and the process is highly competitive. All grants require matching funds from community partners or stakeholders. The amounts and match amounts vary by program and are specified in the RFAs.

    Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due dates established in the respective Request for Applications (RFA’s). Any grant application submitted after the due date will not be considered unless the applicant provides documentation of an extenuating circumstance that prevented their timely submission of the grant application. Read more in AMS Late and Non-Responsive Application Policy (PDF, 431 KB).

    For more information about grant eligibility and previously funded projects, visit the FMPP webpage, LFPP webpage or RFSP webpage or contact us at USDAFMPPQuestions@usda.gov, USDALFPPQuestions@usda.gov,orIPPGrants@usda.gov.

    Technical Assistance

    AMS offers RFA webinars for new applicants to help walk them through the RFA while also providing helpful hints on what has made past recipients successful. Additionally, Frequently Asked Questions are posted on the AMS Grants website, and grants management specialists are standing by to answer any incoming questions and emails during regular business hours.

  • Transitioning to High-Density, Mechanically Harvested Table Olive Acreage

    California’s table olive industry is over 100-year-old, and it is currently undergoing transformation to mechanically harvestable acreage similar to almond, walnut, prune, pistachio, and other tree crops.

    The modern acreage configuration for table olives provides multiple benefits including increased tree count, efficient irrigation methods, mechanically adapted spacings, and a uniform tree structure. While traditional olive acreage is typically planted 60 to 80 trees per acre and hand-harvested, the modern acreage system is optimized with 200 to 250 trees per acre and mechanical harvesting using shaker technology. This approach doubles the yield per acre and reduces harvesting costs to roughly one-third of hand harvesting, which drives significantly improved grower economics.

    Olive trees are also drought-tolerant and annually use less water than almonds or walnuts – a critical attribute given California’s constant drought concerns, rising water costs, and tightening water supply.  The trees enjoy peak productivity for decades and perform well on marginal soil, which helps minimize capital investment. Another outstanding attribute of the California olive industry is virtually all products are marketed and sold within the United States with zero reliance on export markets.

    Dan Flynn

    These many attributes are why modern olive acreage has been coined “California’s crop of the future” by no less of an authority than the UC Davis Olive Center.  Join industry leaders to discuss how California’s table olive industry is transforming to a state-of-the-art, high-density, mechanically harvested tree crop and get more information on what it takes to make the transition.

    Dennis Burreson

    The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, June 23, from 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  Hear from Dan Flynn, the founding executive director, UC Davis Olive Center, and Dennis Burreson, Vice President of Field Operations and Industry Affairs, Musco Family Olive Co. Register for the webinar HERE.

  • Over 100 Small Farms get a Giant Boost

    Access to start-up capital is a big challenge for farmers. A small grant program through the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is helping. More than 100 farmer veterans received word Friday that they are being awarded equipment thanks to the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund. The grant supports veterans in their early years of farming and ranching.

    “We directly purchase a piece of equipment the farmer has identified as being critical,” explains Jeanette Lombardo, FVC Executive Director. “Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect us. It’s an honor to help them grow their operations so they can continue to feed their communities.”

    Over 11 years, this funding has been the difference maker for farmers. More than 700 veterans have benefitted with $3.5 million in equipment distributed. That’s 600 individual stories FVC has been able to tell already, with 100 more to share on the near horizon.

    The 2021 class of Fellows includes:

         •  Representation in nearly 40 states – from Alaska to Maine, and even Guam
         • 47 females, doubling the percentage of women awardees as compared to prior years
         • Nine awardees who have spouses who also served in the military
          • 52% Army, 18% Marines, 17% Air Force, 11% Navy, 2% Coast Guard


    Equipment will soon be delivered to farms – starting now and into the summer. Grantees anxiously await greenhouses and grow tents, walk-in coolers and cold storage units, milking systems, water filtrations, and honey extractors. Other unique requests include a mushroom substrate steamer and a lavender bud stripper.

    “It’s Christmas week at FVC and we’ve all been so busy wrapping the presents!” beams Rachel Petitt, who has managed the Fellowship program for seven years. “Now we start loading them into Santa’s sleigh.”

    Veterans Helping Veterans

    Funding is made possible by Kubota Tractor Corporation, Tractor Supply Company, Wounded Warrior Project, Farm Credit, Tarter USA, Homestead Implements, Vital Farms, and even directly from other farmer veteran members.

    This year FVC is humbled to see support come full circle, with two prior Fellows funding awardees.     Eric Grandonof Sugar Bottom Farm in West Virginia got a grant for a 50 cubic foot refrigerator in 2015 to store the Romaine lettuce he delivered to local schools. Now he supports 5 beekeepers with equipment. Anthony Barreras, a 21-year Army veteran, operates Barreras Family Farm in Nebraska where his 2019 grant allowed construction of his poultry barn. He is funding a fellow in his same state.

    And     Julie Hollars – who famously exclaimed that “most girls want diamonds, all I want is a tractor!” when she was awarded a Kubota through the Geared to Give program in 2016 – also pledged her support via donation.

    Some of this year’s grantees have been mentored by other farmer veterans throughout their career. Many intend to hire veterans as they expand their own businesses. A few will purchase their piece of equipment from another FVC member, in essence doubling the impact within the community.

    “The need in our rural communities is great,” acknowledges Lombardo. “We are inspired by the members who applied. This year it was difficult to select finalists; we understand the impact the grants make on peoples’ lives. This furthers our commitment to secure more funds for the next round.”

    Her words come on the heels of the single largest day of new membership the organization has ever seen. Last week, after the Office of Veterans Affairs shared news of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, 1,300 new members signed-up in 24 hours. “It probably took 3 years to get what we have had these last few days,” marvels FVC Founder Michael O’Gorman.

    Now these 128 Fellowship recipients persevere on their mission of serving our country a second time – by feeding it – with the added help of new capital. Amy Hess raises chickens, ducks, guineas, and heritage turkeys after serving 23 years in the Army. She offers this perspective upon receiving the news: “Tears of joy! These funds will purchase a large incubator cabinet for hatching. [It] will make me just about 100% self sufficient and not reliant on a hatchery. This is amazing!”

    You can view the     full list of 2021 awardees here.

    The five ‘Geared to Give’ Kubota tractor Fellowships will be announced later this month.

    About Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC)
    The mission of Farmer Veteran Coalition is mobilizing veterans to feed America. A national non-profit that serves nearly 30,000 veterans turned farmers, FVC creates a new generation of farmers and food leaders. It simultaneously offers veterans a new purpose on America’s farms. Established in 2008, its in-house programs include the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund small grant program, the nationally recognized Homegrown By Heroes label for veteran-grown products, and national and regional conferences. As the nation’s largest nonprofit assisting veterans and active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces embark on careers in agriculture, FVC has been successful in getting millions of dollars of USDA funds appropriated for farmer veteran and the groups that support them. Learn more at: www.farmvetco.org or follow on Facebook or Instagram at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and Twitter at @FarmVetCo.

    To sponsor equipment for the Fellowship Fund, contact Rachel Petitt at rachel@farmvetco.org. To donate to support farmer veterans directly, visit www.farmvetco.org or text GIVE and the dollar amount to 270-838-3276 (270-VET-FARM).

  • Could Seasonal Wildfires Ruin our Wine?

    Many wine lovers know that a hint of smoky flavors in Zinfandel or Pinot Noir are the perfect complement with grilled meats. They may also be familiar with the phrase, “Stressed vines make the best wines.”

    But what if those smoky overtones go overboard as the grapes are exposed to destructive wildfires? And what if those stressed vines are the result of prolonged drought conditions?

    As the effects of climate change are felt in California wine country and around the world, vintners are anxious about what the future holds. They wonder if some wine regions are becoming too warm to properly grow such signature grapes as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. They’re concerned about prolonged droughts that decrease harvest yields and lead to dry conditions that set the stage for massive wildfires. Those fires can not only destroy precious vineyards but also damage fruit through prolonged smoke exposure.

    With so much at stake in the world’s wine industry, UC Davis researchers are focused closely on mitigating the effects of climate change in viticulture. They’re working with the wine industry to study such pressing issues as smoke taint, drought-tolerant rootstocks and other ways that grape growers can adapt to warming temperatures.

    “We’re seeing the impact of climate and climate change,” said Megan Bartlett, a UC Davis plant biologist and assistant professor. “Especially after the heatwaves and the megadrought a few years ago, we really saw, as an industry, declines in (crop) yield. These are really pressing problems, especially now.”

    The spectre of smoke

    The 2020 vintage was a lost year for Stuart Spoto. His premium brand, Spoto Family Wines, sources much of its Cabernet Sauvignon in the Oakville appellation in Napa Valley, on a plot of land that’s also used by UC Davis researchers at Oakville Station.

    As wildfires and hazardous smoke whipped around the Napa Valley in the fall of 2020, Spoto couldn’t help but fret. He’d been through this in 2017, when Napa was similarly engulfed in flames and smoke from the wine country fires.

    While Spoto Family Wines was still able to release a 2017 vintage, this time was different. Early analysis showed that prolonged smoke exposure had most likely tainted the grapes that made the wine, leaving Spoto to scrap the 2020 vintage. Shafer Vineyards in Napa’s Stags Leap District and Somerston of St. Helena were among those who made the difficult decision to forgo the 2020 vintage due to smoke taint concerns.

    “Part of being in Oakville is we have a good team of fellow vintners, and UC Davis is part of that,” said Spoto ’82. “We had a lot of data collected and we relied on other people’s information and sensory evaluations. Sitting down with UC Davis, we had a pretty clear idea to not produce wine.”

    Anita Oberholster uses a large pipette to grab a sample of smoke-exposed wine that’s been sitting in fermentation tanks (photo courtesy of Joe Proudman/UC Davis)

    ‘Can you imagine licking an ashtray?’

    Anita Oberholster, a Cooperative Extension enology specialist at UC Davis, has studied the effects of smoke taint over the past four years, as wildfires have become an annual event in California. She’s now one of the world’s leading experts in the issue.

    If grapes are exposed to smoke, especially for extended periods of time, they can impart unwanted flavors into finished wine. That’s smoke taint, and it has the capability to ruin entire vintages of wine.

    “Can you imagine licking an ashtray?” Oberholster said. “When wines are heavily impacted, it can taste like that.”

    The impact of smoke taint isn’t always cut and dried. You can’t predict which grapes may have suffered damage based on anything intuitive, such as sight, smell or even the flavor of fresh grapes. Just because there’s smoke in the air doesn’t mean grapes are tainted.

    “There are so many variables,” Oberholster said. “Freshness of the smoke, number of times exposed, variety of grape — the list goes on. There’s so much we don’t know.”

    Chemical analysis can help predict the likelihood of smoke taint, but time is of the essence. In the fall of 2020, as grapes hung heavy on the vine in Northern California, commercial labs were backed up for several weeks to test for possible smoke taint. Even if the grapes were unaffected, disruption could still be felt around the wine industry.

    “Growers were in a tough position because buyers were cancelling contracts unless you could prove your grapes hadn’t suffered damage,” said David Block, UC Davis viticulture and enology professor and department chair, “and demand for analysis far exceeded supply.”

    Mysteries and myths

    Thus, the research related to smoke taint continues, with a long list of mysteries and myths to decipher.

    “Number one, are we looking at the right molecules?” Oberholster said. “We can’t fully assess smoke-related issues if we don’t completely understand the nature of the compounds at play.”

    Smoke barriers are also on Oberholster’s radar. She wonders if a spray could be developed that growers could use to protect grapes from the harmful compounds that burning woods emit.

    Additionally, Oberholster hopes to see the development of low-cost sensors that support growers’ ability to estimate smoke-taint risk.

    “That would expand lab capacity because you’d only have to test grapes that were in a high-risk zone,” she said.

    As for myths, Oberholster wants to dispel the misconception that grapes and wine will automatically suffer in smoky conditions.

    “Consumers have no reason to shy away from vintage 2020,” she said. “Winemakers will ensure the quality of the wine is what the consumer expects. They know that if consumers taste wine that is tainted, they won’t reach for it again.”

    Rising temperatures, thirsty vines

    2020 started on a worrisome note in terms of water. In February, the U.S. Drought Monitor classified nearly 60% of the state’s land as “abnormally dry.” That included the wine grape growing counties of Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino.

    Meanwhile, a broader and equally troublesome trend was emerging in California’s wine country. Napa, for example, was moving into a warmer climate category according to the Winkler Index. Developed at UC Davis by A.J. Winkler and Maynard Amerine, this system classifies the climate of wine growing regions based on a heat summation scale and serves as a guide for which grape varietals are best suited for a given area.

    Back at Oakville Station, Kaan Kurtural works directly with growers regarding climate change and wine. He’s a professor of viticulture at UC Davis who researches rootstocks and clone combinations that show promise in being more drought-tolerant, along with farming practices that mitigate the effects of warming weather. Some future plots at Oakville Station will focus on varietals that are native to southern Italy and Greece and will be tested for plant-fitness in California’s warming climate.

    “I don’t think there was ever a doubt with grape growers that it was happening,” Kurtural said about climate change. “This is bottom-line — grapes are money, it’s business.”

    In response to warming temperatures, Kurtural is testing shade films that can be used in vineyards to filter certain types of ultraviolet light. Grapes can still be grown outdoors but have the potential to stay cooler and expand the growing season with these systems.

    “It was one of the first things that Napa Valley growers asked me to test when I came to UC Davis in 2015,” Kurtural said. “Now we have shades over the rows to block out the vineyards. It looks like you’re growing the grapes in a greenhouse but the site is open.”

    Kurtural is also helping lead a trial that focuses on Napa’s most signature grape: Cabernet Sauvignon.

    This red varietal, which likely accounts for slightly more than half of the Napa Valley’s grape plantings, requires very particular conditions to thrive. It needs warmth to ripen — but too much heat can make its flavors go flat and boozy. And without enough water supply, growers can face low crop yields.

    Kurtural is now part of a research team that’s collaborating with Napa’s Beckstoffer Vineyards and Duarte Nursery in Stanislaus County in what’s been called “the mother of all cabernet trials.” It encompasses 3,600 plants with 10 clones of Cabernet Sauvignon crossed with different 10 rootstocks.

    The trial’s goals are to find the hardiest rootstocks for Cabernet Sauvignon by identifying biomarkers for overexposure and water stress.

    Explained Kurtural, “We’re going to use these biomarkers to identify the most resilient rootstocks and clone combination for Cabernet Sauvignon. “It’s unlikely that things will change overnight,” he added, “or the markets will accept a substitution for Cabernet or (Bordeaux varieties). This will buy us some time to find some breeding material to blend in.”

    Bartlett, the plant biologist, also works to identify traits that can improve drought tolerance in rootstocks. She’s part of a UC Davis project that’s looking at the characteristics of root cells that help the roots maintain water intake from dry soil. Once the genes with those traits are identified, they can screen across large populations for breeding.

    “We’re trying to see how we can solve problems by improving these plants,” Bartlett said. “We want to see how we can scale up these traits for overall stress tolerance and performance from the plant.”

    Harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at Oakville Experimental Station under smoky conditions in 2017. From left to right are Ph.D. student Raul Girardello, M.S. student Arran Rumbaugh and Anita Oberholster, cooperative extension specialist in the Department of Viticulture and Enology (Photo courtesy Anita Oberholster).

    So as the wine world looks to the 2021 vintage and beyond, questions remain about climate change and what the future may hold.

    “A crystal ball would be nice in terms of climate change,” said Spoto, the Oakville Station winemaker. “I let the experts take the lead. Having UC Davis in our backyard is beyond words for the benefit we get.” — By Chris Macias & Diane Nelson, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

  • Stone Fruit Season Kicks Off With Early Season Organic Cherries and Apricots

    Fruit World, a family-owned, flavor-focused grower-shipper of organic and conventional fruit, is now shipping their organic cherries and will begin packing and shipping organic apricots the first week of May. “What a difference one year makes,” said Bianca Kaprielian, Fruit World co-founder and CEO. “2020 was a bumpy stone fruit season in California, but this year we had enough chill hours and favorable weather, and the trees are full of great looking fruit.”

    Unaffected by the late April rains, Fruit World’s Coral, Lynn and Tioga cherries are at peak flavor. Packed at Podesta Packing in Linden, CA, a new, state-of-the-art optical sorter ensures that only the best of the best cherries make it into the retail pack. “The fruit looks spectacular. We are really happy with this year’s crop, and it looks great in our fun and bright packaging,” said Richter. Fruit World’s organic cherry season continues through the end of May.

    “I’ve never seen the trees so heavy with apricots,” said Fruit World sales director, Cindy Richter. “It was a great set. The color and sugars are still developing, a week or so behind schedule due to the weather cooling off a bit, but as soon as we start shipping we’ll have promotable volumes through June and maybe into July.” Fruit World grows organic apricots in Reedley, CA. Continuing a long and fruitful partnership, Fruit World is also marketing Blossom Hill apricots from their ranches in Patterson, CA. In addition to the standard pack styles, this year they are excited to offer a new sustainable cardboard clamshell.

    When it comes to peaches and nectarines, Fruit World is the exclusive marketer of the world-renowned organic Masumoto Family Farm fruit. “We appreciate growers who share our values and vision. That’s why we’re super excited about our partnership with Masumoto Family Farm, bringing their legendary peaches and nectarines to market,” Kaprielian effused. “And we’re also excited to begin shipping organic peaches this year from our own orchard.”

    If your customers long for the juicy, flavorful stone fruit their parents and grandparents reminisce about, delight them this year with organic cherries, apricots, peaches and nectarines from Fruit World.

    For more information or to place an order, call (559) 650-0334, or visit fruitworldco.com to learn more about the Fruit World story.

    About Fruit World

    Fruit World is a fresh and creative produce company with generations of history. Fruit World grows and ships the most flavorful fruit in California—including organic and conventional citrus, organic grapes, organic stone fruit, and more—and works with customers who share a passion for quality and taste. They’re all about honoring their growers, staying true to their farming heritage, and keeping family farming thriving into future generations. Visit fruitworldco.com.

  • USDA’s Risk Management Agency Amends Potato Crop Insurance Options

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on May 4th that its Risk Management Agency (RMA) is modifying four Northern Potato Crop Insurance Policy optional endorsements. The options are available to producers who choose to purchase additional coverage on top of their multi-peril crop insurance policy. The changes specify that the premium only applies to planted acreage and is no longer charged on acreage prevented from planting. The changes will be effective for the 2022 and succeeding crop years.

    RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy

    “Producers will benefit from this change since the premium will only be due for years when the crop is planted, which will make the additional coverage more affordable in years when the crop is prevented from planting,” said RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy.

    The modifications are applicable to the Quality Endorsement, Processing Quality Endorsement, Certified Seed Endorsement and the Storage Coverage Endorsement. Currently, insured operations are charged a premium if they elect the optional endorsements by the sales closing date, regardless if the acreage was prevented from planting or not.

    For example, the Storage Coverage Endorsement extends crop insurance coverage for potatoes that have been harvested and are in storage. Acreage prevented from planting would not need coverage that is specifically designed for a final harvested crop. Previously the acreage was still charged a premium.

    The changes are a result of RMA’s outreach to potato commodity groups and the crop insurance industry. With these changes, producers will see their premium reduced during years when there are prevented planting losses and an offsetting increase in years without those losses, which enhances the overall financial stability provided by insurance.

    Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.

    USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

  • Japan Lifts Aflatoxin Inspection Order on Walnuts

    On April 1, 2021, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) suspended a mandatory aflatoxin inspection regime imposed on walnuts from the United States and other exporting countries. The suspension marks the first time Japan lifted a 100 percent inspection requirement for aflatoxin- vulnerable imports since 2004 when the current monitoring plan was implemented. In 2020, the United States exported $114 million of walnuts to Japan.

    General

    Japan’s Food Sanitation Act designates the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) as the country’s competent authority for food safety. In that role, MHLW develops and enforces aflatoxin regulations for domestic and imported food products. Since 1996, MHLW has mandated a 100 percent hold-and-test approach (called “inspection order”) for imported tree nuts, including walnuts, due to aflatoxin concerns. MHLW justified the inspection order as a response to violations of Japan’s aflatoxin action limit (i.e., 10 parts per billion for walnuts).

    According to Japan’s “Imported Foods Monitoring Plan”, MHLW may lift an aflatoxin-related inspection order for an exporting country, whether under a country-specific or global inspection order, if one of the following conditions is met:

    1. No aflatoxin violations for two years OR for one year or longer with 300 compliant shipments

    2. Bilateral discussion after exporting country

      -Completes root–cause investigation

      -Implements preventive measures based on investigation

      -Confirms effective implementation of the preventive measures through bilateral discussions, on–site inspections, and/or a series of non–violative inspection results.

      • On April 1, 2021, MHLW lifted the global aflatoxin inspection order on walnuts because all exporting countries satisfied the first condition described above. Therefore, MHLW’s inspection schedule for U.S. walnut exports to Japan now follows Schedule 1 of the Imported Foods Monitoring Plan.

        According to MHLW, a single aflatoxin violation in walnut imports from the United States would lead to the immediate resumption of the inspection order on U.S. walnut exports. On the other hand, aflatoxin violations in shipments from other exporting countries would not impact inspection frequency for U.S. walnuts. MHLW indicated that the suspension of the aflatoxin inspection order on walnuts represents the first time since the implementation of the monitoring plan in 2004 that MHLW lifted a global inspection order imposed on imports due to aflatoxin concerns. — By Tomohiro Kurai, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

  • UnitedAg Announces Updates to Executive Leadership Team

     UnitedAg, a healthcare leader for the agricultural industry, announced several changes across its executive leadership team, further positioning the non-profit agricultural association health plan for future growth. The new executive leadership team reflects the strategic importance of UnitedAg’s member-focused approach.

    “UnitedAg’s success is attributed to the talent, culture, and our instinct, sense of empathy for the community we serve,” said Kirti Mutatkar, President and CEO of UnitedAg. Our leadership team has been an essential driver in UnitedAg’s strategy and distinction amongst other health plans. I firmly believe that our new leadership team will help us provide more value and better outcomes for our members.”

    Effective April 1st, UnitedAg’s leadership team will include the following appointments:

    Alex Chee has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer of UnitedAg. Alex joined UnitedAg in 2020 as the chief technology officer. His vast expertise and skills in data analytics, business intelligence, financial analysis, and deep understanding of the healthcare industry further accelerated his promotion. As executive vice president and chief financial officer, Alex will be responsible for helping UnitedAg achieve financial goals and objectives and increase operating performance.

    Yvonne Park has been named associate general counsel of UnitedAg. Yvonne is an instrumental addition with expansive experience in ERISA fiduciary provisions, DOL investigations, and IRS audits. As associate general counsel, she will oversee all issues related to compliance with PPACA, COBRA, HIPAA, employee assistance programs, and health reimbursement arrangements. Additionally, Yvonne has played a critical role in implementing the new Federal laws and regulations established by the Department of Labor due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Sachin Varma has been named senior director of underwriting of UnitedAg. Sachin comes to UnitedAg with a deep understanding of analytical risk management and pricing and 20 years of underwriting experience in the healthcare space. As senior director of underwriting, Sachin will be responsible for developing new products and services for the agricultural community’s unique needs.

    The new leadership team will continue to reinforce UnitedAg’s vision to provide the best, most affordable, innovative health benefits and services for the agricultural industry.

    About UnitedAg

    UnitedAg is an agricultural trade association created to provide innovative health benefits for a strong and healthy agricultural industry. UnitedAg represents more than 1,000 agriculture-affiliated member companies and helps its members meet their employee benefits needs, promotes their interests with lawmakers, helps them comply with legislation and regulation. Based in Irvine, Calif., UnitedAg has offices in Salinas and Santa Maria and wellness centers throughout Central and Northern California. Today, UnitedAg and its association-sponsored health plan has grown to over 220 million in annual contributions and covers more than 55,000 agricultural workers in California and Arizona. For more information, visit www.unitedag.org.

  • Westlands Water District Board of Directors Appoints Ryan Ferguson as President

    The Westlands Water District Board of Directors recently elected Ryan Ferguson to serve as president of the District. Ferguson succeeds Daniel Errotabere, who will continue to serve on the Board.

    Director Ferguson was elected to the Westlands Board of Directors in 2017. His family has lived and worked on the westside, in what is now Westlands Water District, for four generations. He has farmed in the Lemoore area since 2003, growing almonds, pistachios, tomatoes, and reproduction seed cotton on their family farm. He currently serves as chair of the Finance and Administration Committee and represents Westlands on the board of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and as an alternate on the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA) board.

    “As a second-generation family farmer in Lemoore and Huron, I understand firsthand the challenges farmers in Westlands face as a result of the current drought, uncertainty about water supply, and the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. I recognize the complexity and weight of the issues the Board will navigate in the coming months and years, and I am committed to building upon the legacy of collaboration and service Dan Errotabere and those who came before him, have established,” said Ferguson. “Dan has served the westside for decades in a wide range of roles and made innumerable contributions to the District and the community at large. I know I speak for the entire Board when I say we are extraordinarily grateful for his leadership and his continued dedication to the families, farms and communities served by Westlands. The District is better off due to Dan’s leadership.”

    “It has been an honor to serve as President of Westlands, and I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow Board members, the District staff, and those served by the District,” said Errotabere. “Ryan Ferguson is a thoughtful, engaged leader with deep insight into the challenges the District faces, and I know he will lead the Board with great vision and integrity. Westlands faces many water supply challenges and grower can be fully confident your current board is focusing on securing water supply to keep agriculture sustainable in the region.”

    Director Errotabere was elected to the Westlands Board of Directors in 1993 and was most recently re-elected in 2017. He and his family currently farm in the Five Points area, growing processing tomatoes, processing garlic, processing onions, garbanzo beans, and almonds.

    About Westlands Water District

    Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than five decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation, and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology.

  • New Monitoring Tool for Navel Orangeworm in Mating Disrupted Orchards

    Traditional navel orangeworm monitoring tools have proven less effective in the presence of mating disruption technology in the orchard. Watch this brief video with UC IPM Advisor Jhalendra Rijal as he addresses the issue and shares about some new technology that can help growers more effectively monitor this tree nut pest.  Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.