California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • New Blackberries: Eclipse, Galaxy, and Twilight

    The best of eastern and western blackberry genetics have been melded to create Eclipse, Galaxy and Twilight, three new blackberry varieties released by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

    ARS’ Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, working in cooperation with the Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, has blended the desirable traits of eastern erect-cane blackberries and western trailing blackberries into new varieties with thornless semi-erect canes to fill new niches in the fresh berry market.

    Eclipse was the first of the three varieties from these crosses to move from the test fields to final selection. Its name was changed from ORUS 2816-4 to Eclipse to commemorate the total solar eclipse visible in Corvallis in 2017.

    One of Eclipse’s parents, Triple Crown, known for highest marks in productivity, vigor and flavor, ripens in late summer. Eclipse inherited the same triple high scores, but it ripens earlier, filling a hole in the fresh market harvest season between when trailing varieties ripen and when Triple Crown ripens.

    “Eclipse inherited Triple Crown’s outstanding flavor, beloved for its sweet, fruity taste, with hints of root beer and spice. But what Eclipse has that Triple Crown doesn’t is a firmer skin that gives you a good pop when you bite down. Firmer skin also means the berries handle and ship better and don’t leak, which is always an attractive feature for the fresh market,” said biological technician Mary Peterson, who works in the blackberry breeding program.

    The second blackberry release, Galaxy, also has Triple Crown as a parent and inherited similar traits, with the firmer skin of Eclipse. But it produces a few days earlier than Eclipse. Galaxy’s berries are slightly larger than those of Eclipse with dark-colored fruit.

    “People who’ve tasted Galaxy have detected hints of blueberry, mint and grape,” Peterson said.

    The third release was named following the same sky theme, and the specific name Twilight was selected because it ripens last of the three varieties, 4-5 days after Eclipse, Peterson explained.

    With an ancestry seven-eighths eastern U.S. blackberry and one-eighth western blackberry, Twilight is higher yielding than Eclipse. Tasters have remarked on its complex, deep blackberry jam flavor, with floral and honey notes, but the berries are perhaps not quite as sweet.

    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 $20 of economic impact.

  • CDFA Accepting Proposals for Riverside County Grower Liaison

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is currently accepting proposals for its Request for Proposal for a contractor to serve as the Riverside County grower liaison. Proposals must be received by Nov. 18. Responsibilities may include conducting outreach directly to growers in Riverside County, providing them up-to-date information on the latest industry news or updates, staying engaged in CDFA activities, communicating voluntary or mandatory treatments Riverside County and more.

    The battle to save California citrus from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) is a collaborative effort that involves local, county, state and federal officials, researchers, scientists and commercial citrus growers. To help facilitate pest management and disease eradication, grower liaisons are key pieces to that puzzle and are dedicated to serving a specific region in the fight against HLB.

    This position requires a fundamental knowledge of citrus production, a working knowledge of grove operations, and the relationship between growers, shippers and allied businesses that work in the area of pest and disease control. A Pest Control Advisor’s license is desirable, but not required. The contractor should be familiar with California agriculture and specifically its citrus industry. Knowledge of the ACP and HLB is desirable.

    To submit a bid for the contract, you must follow these steps:

    • Visit ca.gov, if you do not have a profile you must register for one in order to view the Request for Proposal (RFP).
    • Once logged in, visit the Get Public Procurement Information page and select “See current bids.”
    • Under “Search Events,” type in “Asian Citrus Psyllid Outreach and Education.”
    • Once on the Events Details page, click “View Event Package,” then under the “View Attachments” area, click “view” to download the official Request for Proposal. Once there, you should be able to view the full RFP and Start a Bid if you meet the qualifications. Please note, you must have a profile and be logged in to view the RFP.

    Proposals are due to CDFA by Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. The term of this contract is Dec. 1, 2020 or upon final signature, whichever is later, through Nov. 30, 2022.

    For additional questions, contact Contracts Analyst Donna Weber at donna.weber@cdfa.ca.gov.

  • Watermelon Board Fall-Winter Marketing Tactics

    On the heels of strategic planning and virtual Board meeting, which took place October 23, National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) is entering in to the fall and winter months well-positioned to strengthen demand for watermelon. Considering more than 30% of watermelon is consumed in the fall/winter months, year-round promotion is an integral part of NWPB programs.

    While each department at the Board has a different audience – including consumer, foodservice, retail and international – consistent programming strategies throughout the fall and winter months will focus on leveraging partnerships, serving as a resource, educating about watermelon’s health and versatility benefits, and maximizing social platform engagement. Not an exhaustive list, activity highlights by department include:

    Communications

    “How do you WINTERmelon” consumer social campaign utilizing influencer partnerships and earned media PR tactics to visualize watermelon in the winter usage ideas and versatility benefits

    • National paid feature syndication with winter-focus “Add Fruit Flavors to Fun Holiday Desserts” suggesting watermelon in nontraditional winter kitchen dishes
    • Dietitian education, inspiration and “edutainment” through FNCE virtual expo and culinary demo, highlighting RD Toolkit, Zero Food Waste and Watermelon Flavor Pairings
    • New launch of Jump with Jill multimedia educator portal with lesson worksheets built on existing watermelon partner videos for teachers and parents at home or in classrooms
    • Influencer social partnerships with Produce for Kids/Healthy Family Project, Kim Rose Dietitian, Fannetastic Food, Ana Quincoces and Pam Smith highlighting versatility and health benefits of watermelon year round
    • Shooting new TV commercial content focusing on both wellness and happiness, to be advertised on YouTube and other streaming content channels

    Foodservice
    • Print, digital and social media advertising with predominant foodservice publications to reach foodservice operators traditionally reached at events
    • New yield tool showcasing dice, wedge, juice and other formats yield from different watermelon sizes so chefs can easily switch between mini and seedless watermelon
    • Chef’s Roll partnership to create technique and recipe videos featuring popular watermelon formats including dice, wedge, juice, julienne rind, etc. to be shared through Chef’s Roll and used by the NWPB to educate and inspire operators
    • Virtual Flavor Experience conference to highlight watermelon’s year-round availability and versatility on foodservice menus
    • Partner with StarChefs to host a recipe contest to engage with no less than 200 chefs, build our recipe database and spotlight champions of watermelon
    Retail & International Marketing
    • Year-round retailer activations via domestic and international retail account management team
    • Continued distribution of Retail Kit in print and digital formats
    • Independent grocer outreach via Live. Balanced wellness activation kit planned for early 2021
    • Retail dietitian and retailer education outreach through virtual platforms
    • Presence at virtual conferences, trade shows and networking events“For many years, the NWPB has been tasked with promoting watermelon all twelve months of the year,” said Mark Arney, Executive Director for the NWPB. “Watermelon’s health benefits and versatility lends itself to everything from Halloween carvings to holiday punch to elevated usage ideas.”

      The next NWPB Board meeting, where staff will recommend marketing programs and the Board will vote on a budget for the 2021-2022 year, will take place virtually on Saturday, March 6, 2021. For more information or specifics about individual departments, contact Stephanie Barlow, Senior Director of Communications at sbarlow@watermelon.org. 

  • Developing the Perfect Chile Pepper for Mechanical Harvest

    There are many variables in producing the perfect New Mexico green chile pepper. Consumers select for flavor profile, and pepper pod size, shape, thickness and color. Agricultural producers want a high yielding plant with picture-perfect pods that are easy to harvest. Food producers want chile peppers with no stem and no damage to the pod.

    New Mexico State University researchers have developed what is on its way to being the perfect chile pepper for mechanical harvest. “After many years of traditional selective breeding, we have a new advanced green chile line with the proposed name NuMex Odyssey,” said Stephanie Walker, NMSU chile researcher and Cooperative Extension Service vegetable specialist.

    The new green chile line, Odyssey, is the result of the NMSU College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ ongoing efforts to resolve issues associated with harvesting green Chile. “Because of difficulty in obtaining people to hand harvest the green chile, we have been working on a mechanized harvest system,” Walker said. “We began by identifying a harvester manufactured in Israel that gives us the most efficient pick of the chile compared to other machines tested.”

    While testing various harvesters, the research team realized they needed some changes in the plant and chile pod. “We worked on plant architecture and fruit attributes that would mechanically harvest better,” Walker said. “We needed the plant to have a strong, single stem with fewer basal branches. The low lying lateral branches interfered with the machine, causing it to uproot the plant. We also found that fruit setting slightly higher on the plant and also detaching from the plant with less force contributed to a cleaner mechanical pick.”

    Fixing these traits in Odyssey resulted in higher mechanically harvested yield, with significantly less fruit loss in the field, compared to standard commercial green chile varieties.

    While this plant architecture helps the harvest efficiency of the plant, Walker said another really exciting thing about the Odyssey variety is the destemming – pedicel removal – efficiency of the fruit.

    “For green chile processing, we needed the pedicel – stem and calyx – to come off the fruit easier and cleaner,” she said. “Often when you pull the pedicel off of other varieties, you might either break it and partially leave it on the fruit, or you break the chile fruit.”

    Pedicels perfectly detached from Odyssey fruit 68 percent of the time as opposed to 34 percent for AZ 1904 and 24 percent for NuMex Joe E. Parker.

    “With Odyssey, we get very good, clean breaks,” she said. “This will also help hand-harvesting.”

    Pedicel removal is very important for the quality of commercial processed green chile.

    “In a processing plant where you are getting thousands of pounds of chile through the system, you have to remove the stem, or otherwise it creates woody material in the processed food,” said Walker, who began her work with chile as a quality control supervisor in a processing plant.

    “Currently, with the 100 percent hand-harvest system, the people actually remove the pedicel out in the field,” she said. “When it doesn’t come off easily, they sometimes break the fruit which causes yield and quality loss.”

    Ultimately, how does Odyssey taste? After taking a bite from the green chile pod, Walker declared, “Delicious New Mexico chile flavor, although very mild.” The new variety’s heat factor averages between 300 and 400 Scoville units.

    New Mexico State University researchers Brad Tonnessen and Stephanie Walker look at a NuMex Odyssey chile pepper plant that they have bred for easier harvesting (NMSU photo by Jane Moorman).

    Watch Walker talk about the new variety on YouTube, youtube.com/watch?v=Eoevm6aXHZI

    For a complete list of chile developed by NMSU, visit aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/horticulture/RR792/. — By Jane Moorman, New Mexico State University

  • How to Design a New Pistachio Orchard

    Considering planting a new pistachio orchard? What is the ideal row/tree spacing? How many male pollenizer trees will you need? Should you plant on berms or not? These are just a few of the questions addressed by UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor Craig Kallsen in this video.  Watch his brief interview and read more about growing pistachios in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.  Don’t currently receive it?  Subscribe for FREE today at PacificNutProducer.com.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Driving Market Demand for Walnuts During COVID-19

    California Walnut Board — As we enter the seventh month of lockdowns and shelter-in-place, many people wonder what the impact of this pandemic will be on the walnut industry and consumer spending. Together, as your partners, we have been monitoring and evaluating the COVID-19 media landscape and consumer sentiment and have adapted plans and messaging as necessary across all of our audiences and platforms, ensuring our messaging continues to resonate with our consumers and drive market demand for walnuts.

    During COVID-19, the California Walnut Board (CWB)/California Walnut Commission (CWC) have been working collectively to promote the health benefits of walnuts to U.S. consumers and around the world. One example includes tapping into the pandemic trend of “at-home baking” and showcasing the many benefits of walnuts. Another example includes expanding our retail efforts with an e-commerce campaign as well as a targeted snacking campaign in the U.S., which will drive awareness and encourage purchase. There remains incredible growth opportunity in the U.S. market, particularly in retail, to drive demand. We will continue to find new ways to reach our consumer in the U.S. and around the world.

    Capitalizing on Current Trends

    It is the CWB/CWC’s goal to ultimately make walnuts the desired and preferred choice for consumers and the ingredient of choice for food manufacturers and food service operators – used in cooking, baking and snacking. Having a steady drumbeat of media coverage on walnuts is key to keeping walnuts top of mind with the consumer, which drives them to purchase at retail food outlets.

    Cooking and baking at home is trending and has been for months, as many people worldwide continue to shelter in place. In the U.S., we pivoted our media outreach to focus on baking, especially banana bread and cookie recipes. Total U.S. media coverage was up 85% year-over-year for the March through May timeframe and was viewed by consumers 3.1 billion times, leading them to in-store/online purchase. Interest in baking and cooking drove recipe coverage for April/May to exceed holiday coverage, demonstrating record interest in using walnuts.

    In India, a large percentage of the middle class has hired help to cook their meals, and during COVID, many left the major cities to return to their villages. For some, this was the first time that they have had to prepare meals for themselves, and recipes and instructional videos from celebrities, chefs and prominent influencers have become a lifeline. With our versatility across all parts of Indian cuisine, as well as international recipes, we reached out to the media, promoting walnuts as a healthy staple to have in every home. Each month, these efforts have reached hundreds of millions. For example, during just the month of May, our recipes alone reached over 237 million consumers.

    Health and wellness are top of mind now more than ever with consumers who are looking for foods that will contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Our ongoing messaging around the scientific health research continues to solidify walnuts as a key food to have at home year-round. In Spain, during the height of lockdown, we shared with consumers how to keep a healthy lifestyle with walnut recipes and nutritional and exercise tips through videos, influencers and press activities reaching 26% of the Spanish population.

    These are just a few examples of how we capitalized on timely and media-worthy opportunities to drive media coverage and encourage purchase.

    You may be wondering how media coverage impacts you as a grower/handler. The more visibility we have with press and consumers, the more likely they are to purchase, driving retail and industry demand.

    Snacking Drives Consumption

    To drive meaningful ways for the media to cover California walnuts, the CWB commissioned a consumer survey to assess changes in snacking habits in light of COVID-19. The survey revealed that, not surprisingly, consumers are snacking now during COVID more than ever. They are also nearly split on preference for sweet versus savory snacks. Providing these types of timely and relevant hooks is key when pitching media outlets to grab their attention and make sure they write about walnuts.

    Typically, consumers are more likely to try products recommended by a celebrity or influencer than by the brand. One example of using a key influencer (with celebrity status) is with Ali Fedotowsky-Manno, of The Bachelorette and E! television fame. We partnered with Ali to promote her favorite walnut snack ideas, encourage trial and drive market demand.

    Online Shopping

    As the pandemic continues, consumers’ cooking and shopping habits have changed. Consumers are looking for simple recipes using ingredients they already have in their refrigerator/pantry. As part of their changing habits they are also more open to learning new ways to do things, which include shopping online. To piggyback on this trend of online shopping, the CWB/CWC created shoppable engagements. A shoppable engagement allows a customer to add recipe ingredients directly to their online shopping cart – leading to purchase. In the U.S., sponsored recipes with walnuts as an ingredient increased 38%, while California Walnuts recipes and blog articles promoted through digital media resulted in a 200% increase in clicks versus the same period a year ago, showing that our marketing efforts are leading to purchase.

    In the U.S. we also conducted a retail e-commerce test program that launched in July on Kroger, Amazon, Instacart, Albertsons Safeway and Ahold banners. The online program drove mass awareness and ensured California walnuts stayed top of mind while consumers were actively grocery shopping online. A dedicated California Walnuts product page created an easy way to encourage purchase, and at the end of August, this program had delivered $490,687 in attributed sales with over 67,000 units sold. Instacart has had the strongest performance with 13.8x return on advertising spend; 2-4x is the typical benchmark for the platform.

    In Korea, we ran an online promotion for one week at the end of April with an e-commerce site called “we make price” that is popular for its daily delivery service. We created a landing page with over 40 different sizes and packaging of California walnut products and promoted the landing page through the we-make-price mobile app. Our ad reached 3.6 million consumers, and with this promotion, we saw a 2,340% sales increase year-over-year. With e-commerce promotions, not only do we have the opportunity to drive sales, but we can also create awareness with consumers who are actively in the purchase mode.

    As COVID-19 continues to unfold in the coming months, the CWB/CWC continue working to protect, develop and grow the California walnut industry. There remains an incredible growth opportunity in the U.S. and around the world to drive market demand.

    For the latest news and developments, please visit walnuts.org.

  • Almond Board Mummy Shake Video Contest

    Halloween will come and go, but mummy nuts are here to stay… unless you shake them away!

    To help remind growers to break the link between mummy nuts and overwintering navel orangeworm (NOW), the Almond Board of California (ABC) created a parody song that’s sure to be an “orchard smash,” just in time for the most spooky holiday of the year. It’s The Mummy Shake — listen now (lyrics here) and submit a video of your family dancing along to this “orchard smash” for a chance to win a $500 Amazon gift card!

    How to Enter: Video Specifications  

    • Create a video with family dancing – and, if desired, singing – to The Mummy Shake. You can film this video anywhere, though an orchard backdrop is encouraged.
      • Entry videos must be at least 30 seconds in length (approximately a verse and a chorus) and up to the duration of the full song.
      • Entries will be judged based on enthusiasm, creativity and composition.


    How to Upload Your Video

    • You have TWO OPTIONS when submitting your video:
      • Get Up and Dance: Don’t worry about singing; just get out in the orchard and show us your moves and/or lip-sync the lyrics. We’ll add the audio to your video!
      • Sing-Along Style: Get out in the orchard, play the Mummy Shake video and sing along with the lyrics!
    • Submit your entry in one of two ways:
      • Upload the video in .MP4 or .MOV format to this ABC webform.
        • MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THE CONTESTANT’S NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE FILE NAME
      • Post the video on the Almond Board of California Facebook page 
        • DON’T FORGET to include the hashtag #MummyShake in your post to ensure your video is considered for the $500 Amazon gift card!

    Read on below for complete contest eligibility guidelines.

    Mummy Shake Video Contest – OFFICIAL RULES

    NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MAKING A PURCHASE OR CONTRIBUTION WILL NOT IMPROVE CHANCE OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

    1. Preliminary Information and Contest Period: The Mummy Shake Video Contest (Campaign) is open for entries starting October 26, 2020 at 12:01AM Daylight Pacific Time (PT). All entries must be submitted by the contest deadline: 11:59PM PT on November 20, 2020 (Contest deadline). Campaign is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws. This Campaign is sponsored by the Almond Board of California (Sponsor), 1150 9th St. #1500, Modesto, CA 95354.

    2. Agreement to Rules: By participating, the Contestant agrees to be fully and unconditionally bound by these Rules and decision of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding. Contestant represents and warrants that they meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, Contestant agrees to accept the decisions of Sponsor as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Campaign.

    3. Eligibility: Contestant may enter to win if he or she is a legal resident of the state of California, age 18 or older at the time of entry, and is a member of the California almond industry, which includes growers, handlers, hullers/shellers and allied industry members. Contestant’s submission may include family member and/or friend of a Contestant provided that such family member or friend consents to being featured in the submission. If Contestant chooses to feature his or her children under the age of 18 in his/her submission, Contestant grants Sponsor permission to display, broadcast and/or share video for promotional purposes of this Campaign or future Campaigns. Employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives and their immediate families (parents, children, siblings, spouse and each of their respective spouses, regardless of where they live) or members of the households of the Almond Board of California/Sponsor, their parent companies, subsidiaries, agencies and anyone connected with the production and distribution of this Campaign may submit an entry for use by Sponsor solely to promote the Campaign, but are not eligible to win or be awarded a prize.

    4. How to Enter: To enter, Contestants must create a video featuring themselves and/or family or friends dancing to the Almond Board of California’s “Mummy Shake” song, in an almond orchard or another setting of their choosing. Entry videos must be at least 30 seconds in length (approximately one verse and one chorus) and up to the duration of the full song. Entries will be judged based on enthusiasm, creativity, and composition. Judges will be comprised of employees of the Almond Board of California. Submit your video entry in one of two ways:

    • Upload the video in .MP4 or .MOV format to this ABC webform. 
      • MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THE CONTESTANT’S NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE FILE NAME.
    • Post video on Sponsor’s Almond Board of California Facebook page: http://facebook.com/AlmondBoardofCalifornia/
      • DON’T FORGET to include the hashtag #MummyShake in your post to ensure your video is considered for the $500 Amazon gift card!
    • Email industry@almondboard.com with questions

    Multiple entries per person or household will be accepted and judged, but only one (1) prize will be awarded per person or household. Entries that are incomplete or that contain errors, copyrighted images or inappropriate/derogatory/defamatory images or language, dogs in the orchard, guns/firearms, nudity, violence or profanity will be automatically disqualified in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, altered or destroyed entries. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received and/or the number of contestants participating in the contest. If Contestant uses fraudulent methods or otherwise attempts to circumvent the rules, the submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of Sponsor. The Contestant may be asked to provide all appropriate clearances, permissions and releases for the submission.

    All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Proof of sending will not be deemed proof of receipt by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to edit or summarize the submission or any written description or picture prior to posting to Sponsor’s website and/or social media channels.

    5. Prize: The Winner of the Campaign (“Winner”) will receive a Grand Prize consisting of a $500 Amazon gift card.

    The prize will be sent to Winner’s provided email address within two (2) weeks of notification. Any applicable Federal, State or Local taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner and paying any expenses associated with any prize which are not expressly included as part of the prize. Prizes are not transferable. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize package with another prize of equal or greater value if advertised prize or any component thereof is not available.

    6. Winner Selection and Notification: Winner will be selected under the supervision of the Sponsor. Winner will be notified by email or by direct message on Facebook within five Sponsor business (5) days following selection of Winner. Sponsor shall have no liability for Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam, junk email, or other security settings or for Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If Winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within seven (7) Sponsor business days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and release as required, the prize may be forfeited, and an alternate Winner selected. Receipt by Winner of the prize offered in this Campaign is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Any violation of these official rules by winner (at Sponsor’s sole discretion) will result in Winner’s disqualification as Winner of the Campaign, and all privileges as Winner will be immediately terminated.

    7. Rights Granted by Contestant: By entering this Campaign, Contestant understands and agrees that Sponsor, anyone acting on behalf of Sponsor, and Sponsor’s licensees, successors, and assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, Contestant’s entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the Campaign, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes, without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent. By entering this Campaign, Contestant represents and warrants that entry is an original work of authorship and does not violate any third party’s proprietary or intellectual property rights or right of publicity. If entry infringes upon the right of any third party including, without limitation, any intellectual property right or right of publicity, Contestant will be disqualified at the sole discretion of Sponsor. If the content of the entry is claimed to constitute infringement of any proprietary or intellectual proprietary rights or right of publicity of any third party, Contestant shall, at his or her sole expense, defend or settle against such claims. Contestant shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Sponsor from and against any suit, proceeding, claims, liability, loss, damage, costs or expense (including attorneys’ fees), which Sponsor may incur, suffer, or be required to pay arising out of such infringement or suspected infringement of any third party’s right.

    8. Terms & Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Campaign should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond Sponsor’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Campaign. In such case, Sponsor may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Campaign or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. Sponsor has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Campaign, to void entries for any reason. Any attempt by a Contestant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Campaign may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.

    9. Limitation of Liability: By entering, Contestant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such Contestant’s participation in the Campaign and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.

    10. Disputes: This Campaign is governed by the laws of the United States of America and California, without respect to conflict of law doctrines. As a condition of participating in this Campaign, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Campaign, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in California having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Campaign). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

    11. Privacy Policy: Information submitted with an entry is subject to the Privacy Policy stated on the Sponsor’s website. To read the Privacy Policy, click here.

  • Main Fungal Canker Diseases Affecting California Almonds

    In California, fungal canker diseases have long been known to affect almond trees. However, they have become an increasing concern to growers in recent years as they are affecting a greater extent of young trees, eventually resulting in significant tree losses. Canker diseases can also become prevalent in mature orchards, impacting yield, the lifespan of trees, production costs and overall profitability of almond orchards. Ultimately, trunk and scaffold canker diseases constitute a major cause of tree death and branch dieback in California almond orchards.

    As the University of California (UC) Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist in Plant Pathology for fruit and nut crops when I receive calls from farm advisors, almond growers and Pest Control Advisers (PCAs) the questions they most frequently have are in relation to canker diseases, asking how can it be diagnosed, and how can it be treated.

    Symptoms on affected trees are very conspicuous and often alarming to growers. Moreover, field diagnosis of canker diseases is difficult as symptom delineation among the various canker diseases is not clear. Hence, laboratory tests are usually required to obtain accurate disease diagnosis, which is essential to the implementation of appropriate management strategies.

    With support from the Almond Board of California (ABC) and with the help of farm advisors, my laboratory conducted statewide surveys to characterize canker diseases in almond orchards and to get a thorough understanding of the main diseases and pathogens present. This work has provided molecular tools and a database for the accurate identification of fungi commonly isolated from almond cankers.

    This article will provide an overview of the main canker diseases that impact almond trees and how they can be recognized. But first, let’s review some general concepts about canker diseases.

    What is a canker?

    A canker in woody plants generally refers to a lesion produced in the bark of a plant’s stem, twig, or branch, often resulting in a dead area that can block water and nutrient transport to portions of the tree, thus causing parts of the plant to die back. Most cankers are caused by fungi, which invade bark tissue and the current season’s wood. However, some fungi colonize in both bark and internal wood tissue, causing canker rot or wood cankers that persist for years.

    Wood cankers typically consist of brown-to-dark brown discoloration of xylem tissues and may vary in shape from wedge-shaped to round, or irregular. 

    What are the main infection pathways and disease cycles of canker diseases?

    In orchard systems, cankers usually originate around wounds such as pruning wounds, mechanical injuries, sunscald and sunburn lesions, as well as wounds caused by insect borers. In almonds, canker pathogens infect trees mainly through pruning wounds made for primary and secondary scaffold selection to provide the general structure of trees. Cracks in the tree crotch or on the trunk as well as shaker injuries provide other entry points for canker-causing pathogens in almonds. Canker diseases may go unnoticed during the early stages of infection, though symptoms become more visible as the trees age.

    Most fungal canker pathogens produce fruiting bodies on dead wood of infected host plants. The spores produced by these fruiting bodies serve as inoculum for new infections, mostly during wet weather. The vegetation present in the vicinity of orchards, particularly trees in riparian areas or neighboring orchards of susceptible crops, may serve as inoculum sources for fungal canker pathogens affecting almonds. Once a canker disease has been established in an orchard, infected almond trees can provide additional inoculum for further infection. 

    Does stress play a role in the exacerbation of canker disease?

    Recent outbreaks of canker diseases in perennial crops have been attributed in part to drastic changes in production practices, climate change and increased plant stress, the continuing adaptation of pathogens to new environments, and, most importantly, the global movement of plant material. Ultimately, though, trees suffering environmental stresses are more susceptible to canker diseases.

    Microorganisms that usually do not cause disease in non-stressed hosts may become opportunistic pathogens of stressed plants. Increases in canker diseases are common during extended periods of drought or following sudden temperature fluctuations. Drought stress can also impair the plant’s ability to defend against fungal invasion. Conversely, excessive watering can kill roots and predispose plants to canker pathogens.

    What are the main canker diseases in California almonds, and what are their symptoms?

    Ceratocystis canker

    Ceratocystis canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Ceratocystis destructans (formerly known as Ceratocystis fimbriata), is one of the most prevalent canker diseases in California almonds – it occurs statewide in all almond producing counties. While this disease is generally associated with shaker damage and bark injuries on trunks during harvest, C. destructans is also capable of infecting branches from fresh pruning wounds and if left untreated can kill branches, scaffolds and entire trees. Ceratocystis is spread by several species of sap-feeding beetles and fruit flies.

    Ceratocystis canker starts as water-soaked injuries that are darker than the surrounding healthy tissue. Symptoms of established infections include amber-colored gumballs that are produced around the margin of the canker, where the fungus is most active. The cankers are perennial, persist over several years, and are most active during the growing season. Young trees infected with Ceratocystis canker may die rapidly while infections in older trees usually progress slowly. 

    Band canker and other Botryosphaeriaceae cankers

    Although band canker was first reported years ago as a disease in almonds, it’s appearance had been very sporadic up until the last decade, when this disease was suddenly being reported in large numbers of commercial orchards and causing severe damage.

    Band canker

    Band canker produces unique symptoms that include oozing amber sap that forms in a ring around the circumference of the tree. Young, vigorous varieties that grow quickly from aggressive nitrogen and water inputs are especially prone to band canker. Solid sprinkler irrigation or micro-sprinklers that wet the tree trunk can create conditions favorable for infection.

    Band canker is often an annual disease that occurs when trees are in their second-to-fifth leaf and usually does not necessarily reappear the following year. However, an increasing number of cases have been reported lately where cankers are being re-activated in following year. Tree death due to band canker has become more common as multiple bands can develop as the canker continues to grow from one growing season to the next.

    Botryosphaeriaceae cankers are characterized also by gumming around pruning wounds made near the trunk or in main scaffold branches. Band canker and Botryosphaeriaceae cankers are particularly common in young almond orchards in the northern San Joaquin Valley and well as in the Sacramento Valley.

    Infections by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi are usually associated with growth cracks or pruning wounds on the trunk and main scaffold branches. Studies have revealed there are at least 12 different Botryosphaeriaceae species in almonds, each with various levels of virulence. Among them, Neofusicoccum species, including N. parvum and N. mediterraneum, are the most common in California. Neoscytalidium dimidiatum also occurs frequently in cankers developing around pruning wounds on the trunk. This pathogen also can cause shoot blight and fruit rot in almonds.

    Eutypa dieback

    Eutypa dieback in almonds occurs sporadically in the Sacramento Valley and in the northern San Joachim Valley. Eutypa dieback is caused by the fungus Eutypa lata and is a common disease in apricots, sweet cherries and grapevines. Eutypa dieback in almonds is usually found in young trees.

    Cankers mostly originate from pruning wounds on limbs or trunks as well as from cracks formed at the junction of scaffold branches and the trunk, extending downward toward the graft union or upwards into one or more scaffold branches. Amber-colored gum turning dark brown to reddish brown normally exudes around the cracks. Irregular-shaped to wedge-shaped, brown-colored cankers are observed from cross sections of limbs and trunks.

    Limb dieback may occur several months or years after infection. The fungal fruiting bodies, i.e. the perithecia of E. lata. are rare in almond orchards, suggesting sources of inoculum for this disease most likely originate from surrounding susceptible hosts including apricot and grapevine as well as natural host plants in riparian areas such as willows. 

    Cytospora cankers

    Cytospora species have been isolated sporadically in almond orchards in California, Cytospora canker is generally associated with pruning wounds in the branches of third-leaf trees or older. At least five species of Cytospora have been associated with cankers in California almonds. Symptoms of Cytospora canker include longitudinal cankers in branches and scaffolds often associated with pruning wounds, vascular discoloration of the wood and moderate gumming.

    Florent Trouillas, UC Davis Plant Pathologist

    Cytospora species have been traditionally thought to be secondary to sunburn and other stresses or injury in stone fruits. However, their prevalence in cankers together with pathogenicity studies suggest that this group of fungi constitutes virulent pathogens. Overall, Cytospora pathogens are of increasing concern in recent years in many fruit and nut crops in California.— By Florent P. Trouillas (Through the Almond Board of California), Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of California, Davis

    Stay tuned for a follow-up article from Trouillas on how growers can manage different types of canker diseases in their orchards. Growers are also encouraged to check out the Univeristy of California IPM website for more information on various types of canker diseases.

  • Japan Grants Market Access for All Varieties of US In-Shell Walnuts

    As of September 16, 2020, Japan allows imports of all varieties of U.S. in-shell walnuts to Japan. Back in 1986, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) granted market access to Hartley, Payne and Franquette varieties of U.S. in-shell walnuts. Since then, the United States had requested that Japan expand market access to all U.S. walnut varieties.

    On September 16, 2020, Japan revised the Ordinance for the Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act with immediate effect. This revision allows exports of all varieties of U.S. in-shell walnuts to Japan.

    Due to Japan’s phytosanitary concern about codling moth in the United States, U.S. in-shell walnut exports to Japan must be fumigated. Furthermore, a phytosanitary certificate issued by APHIS is required to import fresh and frozen in-shell walnuts to Japan. For detailed import requirements for in- shell walnut, please consult MAFF’s Standards and Regulations; for U.S. walnuts (available in Japanese only). — By Tomohiro Kurai, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

  • Nutria Eradication Bill Becomes Law

    Today, President Donald Trump signed Representative Josh Harder’s (CA-10) first standalone bill into law. The new law authored by Rep. Harder reauthorizes the Nutria Eradication and Control Act and amends the bills to ensure for the first time in history, California and other states impacted by nutria are statutorily eligible for the program’s federal funding of $12 million for each of the next five years The nutria is an invasive species of swamp rat from South America which threatens water infrastructure, almond trees, and local ecosystems.

    “It’s an incredible honor to have my first bill signed into law by the President – and it’s an example of what we can achieve if we’re willing to come together on commonsense issues,” said Rep. Harder. “Working together, we’re going to protect our farmers, our water infrastructure, and the native ecosystems threatened by the swamp rat menace.”

    Nutria were originally introduced to the United States as part of the fur trade in the late 1800s but were eradicated from California in the 1970s. The invasive rat made a sudden reappearance in 2017. Over 1,600 have been taken from the wild since then. Nutria can devour up to 25 percent of their body weight daily and one female can lead to 200 offspring per year. These invaders threaten water infrastructure, certain crops, and indigenous wildlife.

    In June of 2019, Rep. Harder introduced his bill to reauthorize the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003. Since its introduction, the bill was amended to direct $12 million to programs in nutria-impacted states, including California. The programs supported by the bill encourage habitat protection, education, research, monitoring, and capacity building to provide for the long-term protection of wetlands from destruction caused by nutria.

    Representative Harder has repeatedly pushed to pass the bill. Last year, he brought “Nellie,” a life-size taxidermy nutria to a Congressional hearing to illustrate the threat posed by the invader. In a separate hearing, he brought a graphic example of the invasion curve (colloquially referred to as a “#RatChart”) to demonstrate the need to act urgently. In February, during House debate on his bill, Rep. Harder brought Nellie back to the Capitol again – this time to the House floor –  to encourage his colleagues to support his bill.

    The bill passed the House with  unanimous consent and a broad bipartisan vote. The Senate passed the bill through the “hotline” process, which requires unanimous support from every single Senator. Rep. Harder was joined on the bill by Republican Garrett Graves of Louisiana as well as fellow California Representatives Jim Costa, TJ Cox, John Garamendi, Barbara Lee, and Jimmy Panetta. Identical legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators John Kennedy and Dianne Feinstein.