California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • US Loses $44 Billion to Soil Erosion

    “Dirt cheap.” It’s an old saying, but hardly accurate. The fact is, the United States loses about $44 billion each year from soil erosion. The challenge is to keep that dirt where it is needed. Soil erosion is the detachment and movement of soil from one place to another by water or wind. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists from around the country have long studied the problem and recently developed a coordinated strategic vision for ongoing ARS erosion research, including improved models to predict erosion and how to control it. Their work, the ARS Strategic Plan for Erosion, was published in the November/December issue of the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.

    “ARS is the world leader in understanding and modeling erosion and has been since at least the 60’s,” said Marlen Eve, ARS deputy administrator for natural resources and sustainable agricultural systems. “Erosion mitigation research has been a core effort of ARS for decades and this strategic plan is an effort to modernize our models and create new ‘precision agriculture’ approaches to managing soils and mitigating erosion. This is a doubling down on our commitment. Our soil erosion research is helping lead America toward a more sustainable, food secure future.”

    The plan is the result of an ARS soil erosion modeling workshop held in the fall of 2019 and is a coordinated effort across several soil erosion modeling platforms, including the Rangeland Hydrology Erosion Model (RHEM). RHEM has been a focus of several ARS labs for nearly 30 years. In addition, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) rely on RHEM.

    The ARS team has also developed an RHEM PowerPoint tutorial for NRCS, BLM, and the governments of Kazakhstan and Jordan and provides training upon request to state and federal agencies.

    “The most vulnerable rangeland areas for soil movement are where annual precipitation is between 4 and 16 inches per year, which limits the soil moisture available to sustain plant growth,” said Mark Weltz, rangeland hydrologist with the ARS Great Basin Rangelands Research Unit in Reno, NV. Weltz was one of the authors of the ARS Strategic Plan for Erosion. With low plant density and minimal plant canopy and ground cover, these arid and semi-arid areas are prone to erosion from wind and water following wildfires, or from overgrazing and off-road vehicles.

    Typical consequences of erosion include reduced soil quality for plant growth; build-up of eroded sediment in riverbeds, harbors, and behind dams that must be removed to maintain safe passage and prevent dam over-topping; and transportation of salts and nutrients that reduce water quality, such as algae blooms that harm aquatic life. To get a picture of what extreme wind and water erosion can lead to, one has only to look at historical records of the Great Dust Bowl of the 1930s and national monuments, such as the Grand Canyon and the Badlands.

    “The subtle aspect to soil erosion is that it removes water-holding capacity that plants need to grow and restricts the types of plants that can grow on the site,” Weltz said. “Further, most plant nutrients are stored in the surface soil. Once lost, it may take centuries to recover. In certain situations, once soil erosion has occurred to sufficient depth the productivity of the site is forever lost.”

    Fortunately, there are things that can be done to mitigate or prevent erosion, and that’s where the ARS Strategic Plan for Soil Erosion comes in. – By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications

  • CA’s Planet-Smart Dairies: Model for National Climate Efforts

    Dairy Cares — 2020 has been a historic year, and the only thing for certain in 2021 is more change. President-elect Joe Biden will reenter the U.S. into the Paris Climate Agreement, renewing national commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift toward a clean energy economy. The new federal administration plans to address climate change, relying heavily on executive action through agencies, including the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This will be a monumental effort, on top of the countless far-reaching challenges the pandemic has created. Tom Vilsack, Biden’s nominee for USDA Secretary, is fully aware of the role dairy farms play in a sustainable and nutritious food system, their track record of reducing GHGs, and what it will take to achieve further reductions.
     
    Vilsack, whose nomination is still subject to Senate confirmation, has spent the past four years serving as the president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). He has been a part of the conversation as the national dairy sector has been voluntarily developing goals and working strategically to reduce its climate impact. At a time when dairy foods are especially critical as a source of affordable nutrition, it is reassuring that Vilsack understands the great challenges and opportunities facing the nation’s dairy farmers.
     
    “With an estimated one in six Americans and a quarter of U.S. children facing a hunger crisis, farmers reeling, and rural communities struggling to weather the pain and economic fallout of the pandemic, Vilsack will bring the experience and bold thinking needed to deliver immediate relief to farmers, ranchers, producers and families all across the country,” Biden said in a news release announcing the nomination.
     
    While food availability is paramount, there is also no doubt that the dairy sector will continue to shrink its climate footprint. Vilsack recognizes that American dairy farmers have already made tremendous achievements—reducing the carbon footprint of a gallon of milk by 19 percent since 2007 (63 percent since 1944). “I think it’s important to set the stage by indicating that the dairy industry has always been committed to sustainability,” Vilsack said during a panel discussion at the virtual California Dairy Sustainability Summit this past November. He then described the national dairy industry’s ambitious net zero initiative, an industry-wide goal to achieve carbon neutral or better (net zero climate impact) by 2050. Vilsack noted that resources, including research and incentives, will be needed to make it affordable for dairy farms of all sizes to implement climate-smart practices and technologies.
    “The federal government can be a strong partner in this [national dairy industry’s net zero initiative] by providing resources, providing incentives, and providing research dollars,” Vilsack said.

     
    California is already demonstrating that incentive-based programs are highly effective in reducing GHGs, particularly methane, from the dairy sector. The state’s two dairy manure methane reduction programs—the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program and the Alternative Manure Management Program—are collectively estimated to reduce 2.3 million metric tons of GHGs (MTCO2e) per year, more than any other individual program in the state’s climate investment portfolio. The reductions are being achieved by installing technologies and adopting new manure management practices, including anaerobic digesters, solid separators, and vacuum trucks. The state has invested a total of $265 million to date, with more than $422 million being provided in matching private funds.
     
    While California’s dairy methane reduction programs have been achieving much success, additional opportunities for even greater reductions can be created through research and development. One example is the area of enteric emissions, or the release of methane directly from the digestive systems of cattle. A number of feed additives are demonstrating promise to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminant animals by 30 percent or more. As these products are further verified and eventually become commercially available, it will be critically important to ensure that these feed additives are economically viable for farmers and ranchers to incorporate into daily feed rations.
     
    Another tremendous opportunity would be to increase the use of manure nutrients as natural soil amendments—something Biden mentioned during an October town hall. California’s dairy community is currently working with researchers, non-governmental organizations, and technology providers to explore expanding the use of manure nutrients in ways that help sequester carbon. California dairy farmers have long been applying manure to build soils and fertilize their forage and grain crops, which are fed to cows. Now, dairy farmers are looking for new ideas to create a circular fertilizer economy, in which manure-based soil amendments can be used to grow even more crops. Much more research is needed to fully explore how a promising list of technologies and strategies could potentially serve the needs of dairies and other farms. This area of research and development represents a significant opportunity for public-private partnerships.

    The change in federal leadership is expected to promote the public-private partnerships needed to advance the sustainability of the dairy sector. From his time at USDEC, Vilsack has seen firsthand the global demand and implications of sustainable farming practices. The market is already demanding that dairy farm and food production practices become more climate friendly, the dairy sector has already pledged its bold commitment to do so, and California has created a model to build upon.
     
    As the U.S. embarks upon renewed efforts to fight climate change, it is imperative that initiatives remain financially feasible for family farms. That will not only ensure the viability of our culturally-rich dairy farm legacy, but also a continued, reliable supply of delicious, nutritious milk and dairy foods for the American people.
     
    The federal government can follow California’s lead—taking bold steps to nourish families while fighting climate change.

    Center, Tom Vilsack spoke on a panel with national dairy industry leaders during the virtual California Dairy Sustainability Summit on November 6, 2020.

  • Stay Vigilant with Asian Citrus Psyllid Finds on the Rise

    In the past few months, we have seen sporadic Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) detections popping up across California. While the citrus industry’s efforts have thus far kept Huanglongbing (HLB) out of commercial groves, these recent ACP detections are a reminder that we cannot let our guard down. The most effective way to prevent the spread of HLB is to keep psyllids out of our orchards.

    After ACP detections in multiple counties (Kern, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Tulare, Contra Costa and others) were confirmed earlier this fall — including areas with historically low ACP activity — the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee is encouraging all growers to stay informed, scout for ACP and treat when advised.

    The recommendations outlined in the Voluntary Grower Response Plan, developed collaboratively by growers and scientists, represent the most effective tools known to the citrus industry at this time and are meant to supplement the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s required regulatory response. You can help prevent the spread of ACP by following these best practices, participating in recommended winter treatments and ensuring haulers and transporters are tarping loads.

    While we should expect to see this type of “flare up” occasionally, we need to remain vigilant – even when things are quiet – to ensure we continue to stay on top of this elusive pest and the dangerous disease it spreads. The upfront cost to manage ACP is much less than the potential hit to our industry if HLB spreads throughout the state. To date, HLB has only been identified in backyard citrus trees in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and hasn’t made its way into a commercial citrus grove yet. To keep HLB out of commercial citrus, psyllid control is especially critical this season with warmer weather encouraging more pests.

    Here is what you can do:

    • Follow the best practices outlined in the Voluntary Grower Response Plan for Huanglongbing
    • Participate in treatment strategies recommended by the University of California (UC)
    • Adhere to tarping regulations that help keep pests from hitching a ride to new areas of the state

    Visit citrusinsider.org for more information and resources on the voluntary grower best practices, tarping regulations and UC treatment recommendations.

    Questions?
    Contact your regional grower liaison for the latest information on detections near you and coordinated or area-wide treatment schedules. Find your grower liaison here.

    Let’s work together to protect California citrus for your businesses, neighbors and generations to come.

    Sincerely,
    Jim Gorden
    Chair, Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee

  • Central Valley Dairies to Receive Mailed Salt Control Program Notices​

    During the week of January 4, 2021, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) will send letters to dairies and other bovine operations, and many other water quality permit holders. The letters will be titled as Notices to Comply.

    These letters notify permit holders that they must comply with a new regulation known as the Salt Control Program. Parts of the new regulation went into effect in January of 2020 and the remaining portion went into effect in November of 2020. Its primary aim is to reduce the impacts of salt accumulation in Central Valley groundwater.

    “The good news for Central Valley dairies is that they are already in compliance with the Salt Control Program, if they are members of the Central Valley Dairy Representative Monitoring Program (CVDRMP),” said CVDRMP Chairman Justin Gioletti, a Turlock area dairy farmer.

    “The Regional Water Board is required to notify water quality permit holders about this regulation, which is why Central Valley dairies and other cattle operations will receive the letter in early January,” said J.P. Cativiela, CVDRMP Administrator.  “However, if those operations are already CVDRMP members, the notice is essentially a formality. Recipients who read the letter carefully will learn that if they are CVDRMP members, they do not need to respond to the notice. These CVDRMP members are already in compliance.”

    As a monitoring coalition representing about 1,250 dairies and bovine operations, CVDRMP negotiated – prior to the official notice – an agreement that enrolls all its members in an alternative compliance option, known as “Pathway B.”

    For dairies, cost for enrolling in the Salt Control Program will be $72 for 2021, to be collected as part of their annual CVDRMP fees. However, the Salt Control Program alone will not result in a fee increase for CVDRMP member dairies, because the dairy farmer-led CVDRMP Board of Directors reduced costs in other parts of the monitoring program to compensate.

    “Through efficiencies, we have been able to reduce our monitoring costs enough to compensate for the additional costs of the Salt Control Program,” said Rodney Kamper, CVDRMP Treasurer and a Riverdale dairy farmer. “That means for our dairy members, the total annual cost for both groundwater monitoring and Salt Control Program compliance will be $972, the same amount we have charged for just groundwater monitoring since the start of the program in 2011.”

    However, there will be a cost increase for bovine operations who are CVDRMP members and regulated under the Regional Water Board’s “Bovine Order.” For those, cost of the Salt Control Program will be added to their 2021 fee invoices and will range from $160 to $320 per year depending on herd size. Enrollment will be automatic for all members.

    Kamper cautioned that this does not include the new costs associated with another new regulation recently adopted by the Regional Water Board, known as the Nitrate Control Program. Costs of the Nitrate Control Program are still being determined and will initially involve many CVDRMP members in so called “Priority 1” areas such as the Turlock, Modesto, Chowchilla, Kings, Kaweah, and Tule groundwater basins.

    “The Salt Control Program should not be confused with the more expensive Nitrate Control Program. More information will be coming to CVDRMP members in January and February about new fee schedules related to the Nitrate Control Program,” Kamper said. “For now, we want to assure our members that they do not need to worry about, or respond to, the Salt Control Program letters they receive in January.”

    CVDRMP members (or non-member dairies and bovine operations who want more information about how to comply) are welcome to contact CVDRMP at 916-594-9450 or CVDRMP@gmail.com with any questions they may have or to check the status of their facility’s membership in the program.
    About the Central Valley Dairy Representative Monitoring Program​
    The Central Valley Dairy Representative Monitoring Program is a not-for-profit group of more than 1,000 Central Valley dairies, organized and overseen by directors elected from its membership. The group’s purpose is to reduce regulatory costs for members by administering a representative program for dairies. Membership in this voluntary program fully substitutes for individual monitoring requirements currently in regulation .

  • Agriculture and Business Coalition Challenge Cal/OSHA Emergency Standards to Protect Nation’s Food Supply

    A coalition of agricultural and business employers has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging the COVID-19 related emergency temporary standards (ETS) recently approved by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Board). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the Board lacks statutory authority to impose many of the sweeping measures of the ETS on California employers.

    For California’s multi-generational farmers, the health and safety of their employees and the consumers they serve is their top priority.

    “In the weeks and months following Governor Newsom’s emergency declaration in March, California farmers and processors moved quickly to implement dramatic new safety practices aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace,” said Dave Puglia, President & CEO of Western Growers. “While these measures helped reduce transmission in workplaces, this virus has swept through communities large and small in spite of lockdown orders and mask mandates, and through every sector of the economy as well despite extraordinary efforts by employers and employees alike. The Board imposed unrealistic, unfounded and economically harmful standards in total disregard of these realities. We have no choice but to seek judicial relief.”

    The standards promulgated by the Board are unprecedented and sweeping. They were adopted with little public notice or opportunity for comment based on a purported “finding of emergency” and a declared need for immediate action, even though it took the Board nine months to enact these rules. Furthermore, Cal/OSHA staff insisted the ETS were not necessary for the agency to enforce the continually evolving general and industry-specific guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19. As stated in the complaint, “the ETS does not solve a crisis as much as it creates one.”

    “We take this unfortunate yet serious action because we believe there are unconsidered mitigation steps that have and would continue to better protect farm workers while allowing our farmers to continue to produce a consistent supply of fruits and vegetables,” said Christopher Valadez, President of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. “As this pandemic has shown us over the last several months, it is imperative that science and data drive policy. That is at the core of what we seek in this lawsuit.”

    The ETS create significant new obligations and liabilities for employers, and subject well-meaning California farmers and other businesses to additional enforcement actions and substantial penalties. The practical effect of these emergency standards is to shift the public health and economic costs of COVID-19 monitoring, investigation, compliance and remediation onto employers, all without any consideration of the financial damage inflicted on businesses already struggling to recover from the pandemic.

    “These regulations will disrupt food supply operations all along the line, but it will be especially hard on our 20,000 small family farming members,” said Jamie Johansson, President of the California Farm Bureau Federation. “They and their employees are the unsung heroes of the pandemic but once again, they must react to a rule handed down by fiat instead of going through a deliberate regulatory process where the voices of farmers would be heard. We hope the court forces government to follow the law.”

    It is important to note that the ETS will have a disproportionate impact on California farmers and their employees since one aspect of the regulations is to substantially reduce and eliminate vitally needed agricultural housing during a statewide housing crisis. A reduction in already-scarce housing will directly impact farmworker communities and harm rural economies across the state that depend on agriculture.

    The lawsuit filed by lead attorney David A. Schwarz, Kent R. Raygor and Barbara Taylor, with Sheppard Mullin, argues that in enacting the emergency regulations without due process, the Board failed to explain the causal link between the ETS and the emergency situation to be addressed, or to adequately justify the necessity of the new rules. Additionally, the complaint contends that many of the regulations have nothing to do with workplace health or occupational safety but are designed to address non-work-related COVID-19 exposure risks.

    Click here for a fact sheet that details the basis for the legal challenge.

    Click here for the full text of the complaint with exhibits.

    The six plaintiff organizations are listed below:

    • California Association of Winegrape Growers: Michael Miiller
    • California Business Roundtable: Brooke Armour Spiegel
    • California Farm Bureau Federation: Dave Kranz
    • Grower-Shipper Association of Central California: Christopher Valadez
    • Ventura County Agricultural Association: Rob Roy
    • Western Growers: Cory Lunde

  • Vie-Del Company Completes Acquisition Of Constellation Brands’ High-Color And Standard Grape Concentrate Business Lines

    Vie-Del Company (Vie-Del), the oldest family-owned grape processor and supplier of bulk juices, concentrates, brandy, wine and spirits in California, announced today the completion on December 29, 2020 of the acquisition of the Canandaigua Concentrate High-Color Concentrate (HCC) and standard grape concentrate business lines from Constellation Brands U.S. Operations, Inc. (CBUSO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Constellation Brands, Inc. (Constellation). The transaction was approved by the Federal Trade Commission on December 23, 2020. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

    The acquisition is comprised of the Canandaigua Concentrate MegaNatural HCC, Mega Purple and Mega Red, and standard grape concentrates, which will be incorporated under the Vie-Del Company brand. Additionally, the acquisition included certain intellectual property, inventory, goodwill, interests in certain contracts and other assets.

    “The Canandaigua Concentrate acquisition enhances our already expansive lines of grape juice concentrates and takes Vie-Del into the High-Color Concentrate business with immense opportunity for growth,” said Dianne S. Nury, President of Vie-Del. “Our team of specialists will continue to serve our industry partners, existing and new, with quality products to fuel their growth and the same personalized business approach our family-owned company has delivered for the past 70 years.”

    The acquisition expands Vie-Del’s product offerings and solidifies the company as a leading supplier of High-Color and standard grape concentrates in North America. Together with Vie-Del’s existing concentrate business, these new capabilities will further enhance the company’s ability to serve the needs of the marketplace – domestically and internationally. This is complemented by Vie-Del’s other products that include wine, brandy, grape and fruit spirits, purée and custom fruit concentrates, natural wine flavors and wine reductions. To support this growth, Vie-Del is embarking on a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art facility expansion in the heart of California’s agribusiness region, Fresno County.

    Vie-Del Company Chairman of the Board Mike Nury pictured with President Dianne S. Nury, two generations who have led the company to be the leading North American supplier of grape concentrates, among other product offerings.

    About Vie-Del Company

    Founded in 1946, Vie-Del Company is owned and operated by the Nury family and is one of the oldest California-based grape processors and suppliers of bulk juices, concentrates, brandy, wine and spirits. Led by President, Dianne S. Nury for the past 30 years, Vie-Del also holds title as the largest woman-owned bulk winery, distiller, and fruit juice processor in the United States. The company operates out of two California facilities in Fresno and Kingsburg; its vineyard and winery are certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, acknowledging adherence to international sustainability standards and continuous improvement. Vie-Del additionally produces a variety of other products for the wine, spirit, food and beverage industries – domestically and internationally.

    For more information about Vie-Del Company visit www.vie-del.com and follow on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/vie-del-company) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/viedelcompany).

  • NAPA Valley Grapegrowers & NAPA Valley Farmworker Foundation Reach Millions Through Covid-19 Response

    In the face of this year’s challenges, Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) and the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) have maintained a steady focus and commitment to supporting the community through challenging times.

    In 2020, the organizations provided vital information and resources to grape growers, vineyard managers, vineyard workers, and their families. Together, NVG and FWF:

    • Formed a COVID-19 Taskforce to implement a multi-media, cross-county PSA campaign, including daily PSAs aired on Univision and Azteca, a 4-month digital billboard campaign, and a podcast, “Cuidándonos de COVID-19 con Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation”, to educate the community on COVID-19 health & safety

    • Distributed 2,500 COVID-19 Health & Safety Kits to grower and vineyard teams; the kits included a personal thermometer, thermal water bottle, cotton bandana, 9 ounce bottle of hand sanitizer, protective eyewear and anti-fog spray, drawstring bag, and an educational handout on safety protocols in the workplace

    • Contributed funds toward staffing and supplies for the St. Helena Hospital Foundation’s COVID-19 Mobile Testing Van, which visited vineyard sites and provided accessibility to tests for up to 200 farmworkers daily

    • Provided four months of free childcare for children of farmworkers through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley; the program covered all fees and provided the children with meals and remote learning support

    • Distributed 15,000 reusable cloth masks and 25,000 N95 masks to Napa Valley’s vineyard workforce

    • Provided a bilingual library of resources, educational materials, and timely webinars to inform the community about the spread of COVID-19

      Through our work, millions of farm-working families have had access to bilingual COVID- 19 safety information.

      Even as exciting news of vaccines reaches us, we know that there is still more work to be done to carry our community to the other side of the pandemic. Under Napa County’s new stay at home order, agriculture remains an essential business, allowing for vineyard operations to continue. As the situation evolves, so do the resources that NVG and the FWF provide. This includes newly released updates to NVG & FWF’s COVID-19 Safety Protocols that, throughout the pandemic, have provided the farming community with the most comprehensive industry standards for prioritizing the health and safety of vineyard teams. Winter work will pick up again in January, so NVG and the FWF are focused on providing Napa County grape growers and vineyard managers with “Back to Work” safety protocols, tools to reinforce safety best practices to reduce virus transmission, a “Safe Holiday” PSA about avoiding non-essential travel and gatherings, paycheck stuffers promoting health and safety, as well as timely webinars on updates to state and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health mandates, and more.

    NVG and the FWF are looking ahead to the new year with plans to do even more, extend our educational reach, and continue to serve as go-to resources for the Napa Valley grape grower and farmworker communities.

    For more information about NVG and FWF’s 2020 COVID-19 response, view the 2020 Annual Report or visit www.napagrowers.org

  • Storing and Preserving Fresh Nuts

    One of the many wonderful things about California’s climate is that in many regions of the state you’ll find orchards of walnut, almond, pecan, pistachio or chestnut trees. You may be growing or planning to grow one or more of these trees in your yard so you can enjoy consuming the nuts. But do you know how to safely store, and preserve these fresh nuts?

    There are just a few simple steps to follow. First, be sure to promptly remove the hull (the fibrous outer covering) that may still be remaining on some of the nuts. (If you have hulled walnuts before you will know they’ll stain your hands brown, so you should wear gloves to hull walnuts.)

    During this time of COVID-19, you may be tempted to wash your fresh nuts, but don’t. Washing the nuts in their shell could increase their moisture and provide the environment for mold or bacteria to grow. Although not required to safely store the nuts, to decrease the likelihood of walnuts, almonds, pecans and pistachios developing mold, you may want to dry them. For walnuts and almonds, spread them out preferably single layer on a flat screen or tray that allows good air circulation. To prevent birds and other critters from making off with them while they are drying, cover them with another screen or plastic netting. Stir and move the nuts around daily.

    It will take several days for them to dry. To determine when they are sufficiently dry, remove the shell from several nuts. Break apart the almond kernels, or walnut meat. If they are rubbery, they’re not dried sufficiently. If they are crisp or brittle when broken, then they are dried adequately.

    For pecans, they should be dried slowly in air temperatures 75–85 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the shells from cracking. A fan blowing on the nuts will speed up the drying process, which can take up to 10 days. The pecans are dry when they’re brittle and the membrane between the kernel halves separate easily from the kernels.

    Pistachios can be dried in the sun on a plastic tarp, or they can be dried in the oven at 140–160 degrees Fahrenheit for 10–14 hours. They are dried when the kernels are crisp, but not brittle.

    Before consuming or storing at room temperature, fresh home-grown walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios or chestnuts, or those bought at farm stands, pasteurize them to kill any insects or insect eggs. To pasteurize, simply place them in the freezer for 48 hours. (Make sure your freezer is set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.)

    To store your walnuts, almond, pecans or pistachios, place them in clean moisture free, odor tight packaging, such as glass or plastic jars or other containers. The nuts can be stored shelled or unshelled. They can be stored up to a year in your refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Almonds can be stored in your freezer (set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower) for a year or more, walnuts and pecans for two years plus, and pistachios for three years. 

    Chestnuts are different from the other nuts because they’re more like potatoes than tree nuts. They usually develop mold within two weeks if stored at room temperature. Unshelled chestnuts can only be stored for two to three months in the refrigerator, but shelled chestnuts can be stored for a year in the refrigerator. Both shelled and unshelled chestnuts can be stored in the freezer for one year or more.  Enjoy your stored nuts throughout the year! — By Kathy Low, UC Master Food Preserver of Solano & Yolo Counties

    For more information about the UC Master Food Preserver Program, including the Food Preservation Video Library, visit mfp.ucanr.edu.

  • Bee Habitat Installation on California Vineyards

    Despite the setbacks and challenges brought to every industry by the pandemic this year, our staff has been working closely with four different vineyards in three major winegrape regions of California providing both technical and financial support to help these vineyards achieve Bee Better Certification. This work is a continuation of our efforts to expand Bee Better Certified (BBC) within the wine industry (click here to read more about the project’s launch).

    After months of planning and preparation, we broke ground (literally) on these projects this fall. Throughout the month of October, Bee Better and Xerces Society staff, farm labor crews, and volunteers planted the equivalent of almost a mile of high quality pollinator habitat at the four participating farms. This floral-rich habitat includes a diversity of native plants that will provide pollen and nectar throughout the season and includes host plants for declining species such as the monarch butterfly.

    Locally sourced native plants are sorted and ready to be installed on planting day. (Photo: Jessa Kay Cruz).

    Once the fall rains begin, participating vineyards will also be planting nearly 20 acres of insectary and pollinator cover crops across their vineyards. Blooming cover crops that achieve at least 50% bloom before they are terminated qualify as Temporary Habitat under the Bee Better Certified Production Standards.  Bee Better growers protect both permanent and temporary habitat from pesticides to reduce the impact on visiting pollinators and other wildlife.  For example, blooming cover crops must be past bloom or mowed at least 24 hours before crops are sprayed.

    In addition to creating habitat, certification requires growers to adopt rigorous pesticide risk mitigation practices including discontinuing the use of high risk pesticides, reducing drift, adopting non-chemical pest management practices and including a robust scouting and monitoring protocol as part of their pest management strategy. This ensures that the habitat planted will be protected from pesticide contamination and makes the vineyards overall a more friendly place for pollinators.

    Once all planting is complete, each vineyard will have at least 5% of their total acreage in pollinator habitat.  Each farm, vineyard, and orchard that commits to maintaining 5% of their total acreage in pollinator habitat brings us one step closer to creating an agricultural landscape that is better for bees and other wildlife. — By Jessa Kay Cruz, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, California and the Intermountain West (Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation)

  • Santa’s Reindeer Cleared for Entry into California by State Veterinarian

    California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones has granted a 24-hour permit clearing all brand inspection and health requirements for nine reindeer scheduled to visit California on the evening of December 24 and in the early morning hours of December 25.

    The permit application was filed via email and followed by a Zoom meeting with Animal Health Branch staff and a rotund, jolly man with a red suit, white beard, and a pocketful of candy canes. The signature on the application reads, “K. Kringle.”

    State law mandates that all animals entering California be individually identified. The nine reindeer named on the permit are: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen and Rudolph.

    The permit was granted with two conditions: the nine reindeer may not co-mingle with other reindeer in the State of California, and the visiting reindeer may not be used for breeding purposes while in the state. They are, however, invited to partake of the Golden State’s famous and varied agricultural bounty if they need to refuel.

    “We are pleased to issue this permit to Mr. Kringle,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We wish him safe travels and plenty of California milk and cookies as he and his reindeer make deliveries to the good children of our state.”

    Families concerned about COVID-19 risks for Santa Claus should know that the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, traveled to the North Pole to personally vaccinate Santa.