California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • California Avocado Commission Virtual Field Day, Sept. 17

    On September 17th from 3:30pm – 5:00pm the California Avocado Commission will host a virtual field day concerning Avocado Branch Canker disease that will consist of two 30-minute presentations by Dr. Themis Michailides, University of California Kearney Agricultural Center and Dr. Liz Dann, University of Queensland, followed by a question-and-answer session. Registration for the virtual event is now open.

    Dr. Themis Michailides, Professor of Plant Pathology, is one of the world’s leading experts on this group of fungi. He has been working on a CAC-funded project since October 2018 to determine exactly what pathogens cause avocado brank canker in California, the extent of their presence in California avocado groves and how they can be managed. He will present his research results to date and discuss why he believes this group of pathogens has become problematic in recent years.

    Dr. Liz Dann is a Principal Research Fellow with the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation at the University of Queensland, Australia. She has worked extensively on avocado diseases in Australia and has recently started studying the role of the Botryoshpaeriaceae in flower blight of avocados in Australia. She will share her knowledge of these pathogens with growers and the impacts they have on avocado production in Australia.

    Date: September 17, 2020
    Time: 3:30pm – 5:00pm
    Location: Online Webinar

  • CA Almonds: Global Shipments & Trends

    Almond Board of the California — As California almond growers consistently produce yields at record or near-record levels year after year, it is important that those nuts find a home. Increasingly, that means expanding existing export markets and continuing to grow demand in those regions, while always keeping an eye on new opportunities globally.

    In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a temporary challenge in moving nuts from California ports to export markets, a challenge coupled by situations like China’s continued tariffs. Still, the Almond Board of California (ABC) continues to strongly support the California almond industry through key marketing initiatives, education and negotiation with foreign trade officials, and frequent discussions with regulators in the U.S. and abroad.

    Take a deeper dive into how last year’s crop performed in terms of global shipments and hear from ABC program leads on market and trade trends, as well as ways that Almond Board staff are continuing to grow demand and support trade worldwide.

    Production: 2.55 Billion Pounds

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has a challenging task in forecasting California almond production. Each July, USDA-NASS releases the Objective Measurement Report, which is based on samples of orchards gathered from throughout the state and measuring/weighing of kernels in order to estimate that year’s production. The production forecast reflects a range, which USDA-NASS has been within nine points of in the last 13 years. However, the 2018 report was narrowly outside the range and the 2019 report missed the mark by quite a bit.

    To address this issue, in the fall of 2019 ABC convened an Almond Forecasting Task Force made up of industry members, USDA-NASS officials and ABC staff to review almond forecasting procedures and identify potential changes to sampling methodologies to improve future crop estimates. To help USDA-NASS refine its production estimates, the task force recommended leveraging almond acreage information from Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental scientific research and consulting firm that developed and maintains a comprehensive living map of California almonds. Implementing that and other changes, USDA-NASS has improved its data collection process, and hopes remain high that future Objective Reports will be closer to actual crop yields.

    Total Shipments: Domestic and Export

    This past year, the industry saw nearly parallel growth between domestic shipments (which grew 4.5%) and exports (which grew 5.0%). This growth comes despite the current challenging trade environment. The California almond industry’s investment in nutrition research and global market development has helped lay a strong foundation for demand around the world that has helped the almond community navigate through tougher times.

    And the work continues. In the past year, the Almond Board expanded its areas of nutrition research with its first study in the area of beauty. To ensure consumers are keeping almonds top of mind, the Almond Board is also continuing its efforts to build demand through consumer marketing programs in 11 countries, from India and Japan to the U.S. and Mexico. The past year’s programs included launching new advertising campaigns in multiple markets, including in the United Kingdom and India to continue building demand globally for California almonds.

    “One of the things that I first noticed when I joined the Almond Board four years ago was the passion and pride staff have in helping grow this industry,” said Vice President of Global Market Development Emily Fleischmann, “and that fire continues. It’s what has helped our teams launch innovative new campaigns like ‘Do You Almond’ in the UK this past year and what helps almonds remain the number one nut in new product introductions for 10 years running.”

    Fleischmann said ABC’s marketing staff will continue to create additional ways to spread the nutritional and health message associated with almonds.

    “Our teams keep pushing harder to make our programs stronger year over year,” she said. “In the year ahead, stay tuned for more on our U.S. partnership with Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings as she works toward the Tokyo Olympics, as well as a brand new campaign in France and our first digital program in India.”

    Export Shipments: Top 10 Destinations

    Global trade tensions with China have changed the landscape of priority markets.

    “Five years ago, China was our second-largest export destination. It stayed as the third-largest market for several years, surpassed only by the strong growth of the Indian market,” said Julie Adams, vice president of Global Technical and Regulatory Affairs for the Almond Board.

    With an increasing middle class and economic growth, China was on track to expand, and ABC’s marketing investments helped spur that growth. But retaliatory tariffs implemented two years ago changed that momentum.

    “Starting in April 2018, we saw the impact of the trade war, which took almonds from a 10% tariff to the current 55% tariff,” Adams said. “Over the last two years, shipments to China/Hong Kong dropped 25% in crop year 2018-19 and another 23% in crop year 2019-20, with Australia benefiting.”

    The situation has resulted in China dropping to fourth in the line of U.S. export destinations. Taking a long-term view, however, China still is key to building demand for expanded crop production.

    “Many of the trade issues we face in our markets – from import controls to food safety standards or pesticide MRLs – take a long time to resolve,” Adams explained. “It is essential that we build good relationships with trade and regulatory authorities in these markets so we can engage quickly to find a solution that will allow almonds to continue to flow freely into consumer channels.”

    ABC is widely respected by authorities worldwide for being proactive in understanding market needs and its ability to provide technical, fact-based information across a wide range of issues.

    Export Shipments: Regional Breakdown

    Global appeal among customers and consumers worldwide is clearly reflected in the almond industry’s regional shipments. Being well diversified helps counteract trade disruptions that can unexpectedly come up in one market or another.

    “There are so many growth opportunities around the globe,” Adams said. “For years, the Middle East and Africa were a small share of exports, but now they represent almost 20%.”

    While acknowledging the many challenges facing California almonds, Adams also believes “the opportunities are limitless.”

    Export Shipments: Product Type

    India remains the number one export market for U.S. almonds and the largest importer of in-shell almonds. Historically, India and China have been the primary destination for in-shell markets, but given the recent trade situation with China, India has absorbed much of those shipments.

    U.S. Agricultural Exports by Value

    Value Breakdown:

    • European Union (EU-27 + UK): Almonds are the number two export, at $1.8 billion, behind soybeans at $1.95 billion.
    • India: Almonds are the number one ag export at $732 million, accounting for 40% of all U.S. ag exports to India.
    • China and Hong Kong: Almonds are the second-largest tree nut export at $374 million and the seventh-largest ag product, overall.
    • Japan: Almonds are the ninth-largest ag export.
    • United Arab Emirates: Almonds are the number one ag export and account for around 23% of total U.S. ag exports.
    • South Korea: Almonds are the ninth-largest ag export.
    • Mexico: Tree nuts are a small-sector category for exports to Mexico at $342 million total and $99 million for almonds.

    Do you want to learn more about ABC’s global marketing and trade and regulatory work in countries across the world? Mark your calendar for Dec. 8-10 to attend The Almond Conference 2020. Held virtually for the first time this year, this ABC-hosted event will allow maximum global participation while offering the same quality information and engagement as past conferences. Learn more at almondconference.com.

  • Selecting the ‘Right’ Walnut Rootstock

    Walnut rootstock options were historically seedlings, either Northern California Black (Juglans nigra), or Paradox (a cross between English Walnut, Juglans regia, and Northern California Black). Those two options still exist, but as research and technology advances in walnut cloning, clonal rootstocks are becoming more available. With this new advancement, growers have questions. Hopefully, I can  provide some answers.

    What is the difference?

    There is a large difference between clonal rootstocks and Paradox seedlings. This is due in part to the genetic variability, or genetic differences, in Paradox seeds. UC/UCCE/USDA Walnut researchers, specialists, and farm advisors studied the genetic background of Paradox seedlings and found high variability from one seed to the next. This means that each seed is different from the next one. One seed might be more vigorous, one seed might be  more susceptible to phytophthora , one seed might encourage more seed production, while another encourages more leaf and branch growth. This leads to a highly variable stand of trees in an orchard. Clonal rootstocks, on the other hand, are cuttings of the same plant. Walnut varieties are a good example of this process, as every Chandler tree in California came from one single mother tree which was originally produced by a seed. Much like how every Chandler tree tends to produce the same nut (some differences do develop depending on the growing conditions), every RX1 clonal rootstock will develop similar characteristics in the tree. Therefore, a Chandler orchard on a clonal rootstock tends to be more uniform in growth than an orchard on Paradox seedlings.

    What is the RIGHT choice?

    I honestly cannot think of a single “right choice” in agriculture, there’s just options. Options are nice, but they can also be confusing. Here is some background information that might help the decision in the future. RX1 and VX211 are both UC selections,  chosen from acres of single seedling crosses based on their potential benefits. These were developed as a part of the Paradox diversity study done by UC/UCCE/USDA researchers, specialists and farm advisors. RX1 appears to show some tolerance to Phytophtora, a root infecting fungus like organism, but if disease pressure is high, the rootstock may still succumb to Phytophthora. VX211 was selected based on its potential tolerance to some nematode populations, but again, much like RX1 and Phytophthora, if nematode pressure is high, VX211 may still succumb. Both RX1 and VX211 were field tested against a handful of other selections as well as Paradox and Vlach. Vlach was developed by a private party which originated from a Paradox seedling tree in our very own county of Stanislaus. The tree was selected based on its high level of vigor.

    Are any commercially available walnut rootstocks resistant to crown gall?

    Short answer: no. Long answer: Paradox seedlings, RX1, VX211, and Vlach can all be infected with the causal agent of crown gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) and develop galls. YET the production of clonal  material AVOIDS many opportunities for infection. Paradox seedlings are collected from the field as walnut seeds. Previous UC/UCCE/USDA research (funded in large part by nurseries) demonstrated that Agrobacterium  tumefaciens is picked up from the ground in seed orchards. Nurseries funded this research to find ways to make their production better and have since developed ways to reduce crown gall in new Paradox  seedling  rootstocks  by  incorporating the use of tarps or catch frames. That said, Paradox seedlings are highly susceptible to Agrobacterium tumefaciens and clonal material skips this field collection step. Please be advised that orchards on RX1, VX211, and Vlach still require proper sanitation, ie,  cleaning pruners/loppers with 10% bleach solution or 70% ethanol and avoid wounding  the crown, trunk, and roots during planting and other practices.

    Are these our only options?

    When excluding Blackline (please see my summer 2019 issue for further information http://cestanislaus.ucanr.edu/newsletters/ Walnut_News_-_Fruit_For_Thought80737.pdf), for now, yes, but not forever. The California Walnut Board in combination with the US Specialty Crop Research Initiative is currently funding ongoing research in the breeding and development of future rootstocks. We are looking at three to four selections for various reasons, one of  which being resistance to crown gall. These rootstocks are being field tested now and will  be made available in the future provided they prove themselves worthy, in other words capable of producing a good crop.— By Kari Arnold Ph.D. UCCE Area Orchard and Vineyard Systems Advisor, Stanislaus County

  • Request for Research Proposals to Support and Enhance Honey Bee Health

    Scientific research provides us with the foundation of knowledge we rely on in order to understand honey bee health threats and address them.

    Project Apis m. and the National Honey Board are requesting research proposals to support and enhance honey bee health. Proposals will be accepted between September 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020. Please visit www.ProjectApism.org/rfps to view the full RFP. PAm and NHB supported research projects can be explored in detail at the Bee Health Collective.

    In June, 2016 Project Apis m. (PAm) and the National Honey Board (NHB) announced that PAm would begin administering the NHB Production Research funds. This collaboration has streamlined efforts to support the beekeeping industry, by connecting the NHB research funding opportunities with several other efforts coordinated by PAm. This collaboration allows opportunities to consider a broader spectrum of efforts linked to supporting the industry, to support collaborations and synergy, and harmonize and access deeper resources when necessary for projects that need larger time or money commitments. Merging efforts has also resulted in one less round of work for all of our hardworking bee researchers who write proposals, the scientific reviewers who read them, and selection committees and administrators who see these processes through.

    The National Honey Board (NHB) is an industry-funded agriculture promotion group that educates consumers about the benefits and uses of honey and honey products. NHB research, marketing and promotional programs are funded by an assessment on domestic and imported honey and are designed to increase awareness and usage of honey by consumers, the foodservice industry and food manufacturers. For more information please visit www.honey.com.

    Project Apis m. (PAm) is the go-to organization at the interface of honey bees and pollinated crops. Since 2006, we’ve infused over $8.5 million into honey bee research and $2.9 million into forage programs, resulting in better pollination and increased crop yields for growers, and lower losses and better honey production for beekeepers. We work closely with commercial beekeepers, growers, and top bee scientists in the USA and Canada to fund projects and direct strategic efforts focused on practical solutions. PAm funds studies, offers graduate scholarships to encourage careers in pursuit of science-based solutions to honey bee challenges, and has expanding efforts to put forage on the landscape where bees need it most. We are a 501(c)5 nonprofit organization governed by an eleven-member board of stakeholders representing major national and state industry organizations, and an additional seven-member Science Advisory Board. Learn more at www.ProjectApism.org.

  • Tracking Almond Irrigation Improvement

    Almond Board of the California — For almond growers, better understanding your irrigation options and learning small ways to improve your practices has never been easier, thanks to the Almond Board of California’s (ABC’s) new Pathway to Irrigation Improvement guide.

    The guide – which can be downloaded or printed from ABC’s website – aims to help growers track their progress in implementing irrigation best practices, and is something growers can keep in their truck or office and to reference regularly. It is divided into four sections: Irrigation Systems, Water Use, Monitoring Soil and Plant Water Status, and Management. Each section has specific practices associated with it that are rated as Levels 1.0 (fundamental), 2.0 (intermediate) and 3.0 (advanced).

    For instance, under Irrigation Systems, a grower at level 1.0 would regularly record the pressure variation in his or her system and calculate an average application rate while irrigating. A 2.0 grower would employ more sophisticated practices – such as measuring distribution uniformity – to achieve “more crop per drop” of water, and then a 3.0 grower would be even more advanced as he or she would look to employ those efficient practices more regularly.

    Tom Devol, ABC’s senior manager of Field Outreach and Education, noted that all the information in the guide is culled from the 149-page Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum, created by the Almond Board and the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources team.

    “For this guide, we took the incredibly detailed Irrigation Continuum and restructured it with simplified visual cues,” Devol explained. “This way, when growers approach the Continuum and want to refer to specific sections that will help them reach the next level of efficiency, they can reference this guide to quickly understand where in the Continuum they should look.

    How to achieve ‘more crop per drop’

    To be most efficient in optimizing your irrigation practices, Devol said the first step for any grower is to “know how your irrigation system uses water and evaluate how well your system performs.”

    Next, growers need to focus on understanding water use.

    “How much do your trees need?” Devol asked. “We walk you through three levels to determine that. Then you need to determine second part, which is to understand how much water you’re using.”

    From there, growers are encouraged to gain a stronger grasp of their soil moisture and then learn how to best manage it, which especially helps growers in times when the trees may be experiencing more stress.

    The final element of optimal practices is the execution of learnings and best practices so growers can best set themselves up for success.

    “When you know what you’re doing, you will know how to manage it,” Devol said. “You have to first know your need, how much water your system is putting out and how to measure it, and then you’ll determine how to manage it.”

    Devol and his team work closely with growers up and down the state on irrigation practices. They use the feedback they receive face-to-face as well as information provided by growers who participate in the California Almond Sustainability Program (CASP) to determine the focus of their outreach.

    “For instance, from information pulled in aggregate from the CASP database, I can see where California almond growers (as a whole) are excelling and where an increase in improved practices could be achieved – where I have more work to do,” Devol said.

    As an example, Devol said that about 75% of growers still use visual means to determine tree stress instead of using a pressure chamber, which can provide a more accurate analysis of stem water potential (how much water moves through a leaf).

    “That tells me I need to do more training,” he said, adding that grower understanding of soil physics and plant stress are two of the most challenging and complicated areas with which he deals.

    Recognizing that pressure chambers are expensive tools – costing as much as $4,000 each – Devol and his team have developed what he calls a “lending library.” Growers can “check out” a pressure chamber for a couple of weeks and use it in their orchard before making a commitment to buy one. Growers interested in “checking out” a pressure chamber should email fieldoutreach@almondboard.com for more information.

    Ultimately, the purpose behind this guide and the larger Irrigation Continuum is to give growers useful information they can act on and provide support along their growing journey, striving to help the industry as a whole achieve the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals, one of which is to reduce water use by an additional 20%.

    “We have a really diverse grower population,” Devol explained. “With some practices, it’s hard to get to Level 3.0, and some practices simply don’t work well for certain growers’ orchard systems. We’re therefore just trying meet everyone where they’re at and help them make improvements to ultimately help them ensure a more healthy, productive orchard.”

  • CAWG Addresses Grape Grower & Winemaker Smoke Exposure Challenges

    Last month’s widespread lightning storms resulted in multiple fast-moving and devastating wildfires that affected many regions of the state. More than 1 million acres have burned, resulting in lives lost, damaged structures and property, and smoke-filled days. These wildfires have produced unprecedented challenges for California’s winegrape growers and wineries.

    Growers and wineries have been challenged to determine with certainty how smoke from the state’s many fires has affected this year’s winegrape crop. With that in mind, California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) President John Aguirre issued the following statement:

    “Numerous growers have reported that wineries will not schedule delivery of grapes under contract until laboratory test results are available to indicate the grapes are unaffected by the presence of certain smoke compounds. The few commercial labs serving the industry are backlogged, with wait times of three or more weeks to test and report the results for new grape samples. In other instances, wineries are delaying harvest and grape deliveries pending the completion of small-batch or micro-fermentations of grapes and resulting analyses. These delays – in addition to wineries demanding test results – mean many growers face the prospect of significant crop losses and economic injury. This is unacceptable.

    “Unless specified in a contract, no buyer should believe they are entitled to reject a grower’s grapes based on concerns over smoke damage without corroborating evidence to indicate those grapes have, in fact, been damaged. It’s important to acknowledge a key fact: the presence of smoke in a vineyard, even if heavy at times, does not mean the grapes from that vineyard will invariably be smoke damaged. The challenges posed by recent smoke exposure events do not provide license to buyers to cast aside their contractual obligations to growers.

    “CAWG urges California’s wineries to work with their grower partners to address the shared risks resulting from smoke exposure events. We ask wineries to consider the following:

    • Communicate as soon as possible the standards and conditions, consistent with contract terms, that will be used to decide the acceptability of grapes.
    • Decision-making should be transparent to the grower and determinations regarding the quality status of grapes should be based upon or corroborated by test results from a third-party, accredited laboratory.
    • When data regarding grape quality is unavailable, wineries should discuss with growers, prior to harvest, risk sharing arrangements that are fair and equitable to both parties.
    • In the absence of express contractual authority to do so, wineries are not entitled to impose upon growers’ terms and conditions related to smoke damage risks after accepting and processing grapes delivered under contract.

    “CAWG recognizes the timing of recent wildfires presents exceptional challenges for growers and wineries. We are confident that growers and wineries will unite to overcome current and future challenges, protect the California brand and ensure our wines meet consumers’ expectations for quality and value.”

  • Watermelon Master Classes to Educate, Inform & Inspire

    The first of its kind, the Watermelon Virtual Master Classes were arguably one of the largest pivots of the Spring-Summer season for the communications program of the National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB). The challenge was to move an NYC-based freelance summertime media event to online: a virtual version for the at-home world of media and influencers to educate, inform and inspire watermelon content and coverage.

    The reinvention of the media event turned into three separate virtual events with three different topics, three different presenters with three sets of recipe ideas, sending out three different curated boxes of watermelon goodies for the media to enjoy and utilize for their Watermelon Master Classes. The strategies were tri-fold:

    • Lean on “Back to Basics” materials to educate at-home cooks on easy ways to get creative with watermelon
    • Leverage “Use the Whole Watermelon” messaging to encourage use of the rind and juice
    • Develop strong relationships with members of the media and influence their watermelon content for months to come

    NWPB spent weeks pitching media contacts from major publications, in a time when much of the country was in a “shelter in place” order, to offer an at-home, free event to create content and excitement about the sweet summer staple. Additionally NWPB provided education focused on a year-round message to extend the seasonal reach and amplify watermelon’s appeal.

    “We confirmed attendees across the country, rather than have to only host those based in the NYC-area. We sent out custom curated watermelon boxes with a mix of items related to each class and related to our brand: a logoed chef’s apron and a new kitchen knife, a cocktail shaker and food pun spatula, etc. The boxes generated excitement and enthusiasm for the classes, and each one was well attended… with the cameras turned ON!” said Stephanie Barlow, senior director of communications.

    Further, the timing of the classes gave many attendees the opportunity to create their own watermelon content this summer, in time for National Watermelon Day and beyond. Several attendees posted on their personal social pages, where media turn into influencers and endorse watermelon recipes, usage ideas and health benefits. In total, NWPB hosted 60 food editors, writers and media dietitians. Their enthusiasm and delight over the events ensures earned media attention for watermelon to come for months.

    “To date, we have nearly 40 social media posts and 15 articles covering these events, which wasn’t even one of the main strategies but it is additional earned content on their personal influencer networks. We look forward to building long lasting partnerships with writers and their publications in the coming year,” said Barlow.

    These were the Watermelon Master Classes:

    ·       Watermelon Wellness with Pam Smith, RDN featuring Salted Watermelon Woju, Watermelon Overnight Oats, Watermelon Poke Salad and a Watermelon Yogurt Smoothie

    ·       The Ultimate Watermelon Workshop with cookbook authors Mark Scarbrough and Bruce Weinstein, creating Thai-inspired Watermelon Rind Salad, Curried Wheatberry Watermelon Salad and Watermelon, and Prosciutto and Mozzarella Skewers

    ·       Summer Sips Watermelon Cocktails with Jordan Catapano from This Girls Walks into a Bar, mixing a Watermelon Rose Sangria, Watermelon Gimlet and a Summer into Fall Cocktail

    Each of the classes incorporated watermelon key messages of health, value, versatility and year-round availability, but also gave attendees the opportunities to ask questions to the hosts or the watermelon experts from NWPB.

    “The engaging questions were rampant throughout all the classes, asking everything from watermelon storage techniques to flavor pairings, or alternative ingredients when you couldn’t find elderflower liqueur or red wheat berries, which effectively made these events much richer than a plain recipe demonstration,” Barlow continued.

    About National Watermelon Promotion Board

    The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), based in Winter Springs, Florida, was established in 1989 as an agricultural promotion group to promote watermelon in the United States and in various markets abroad. Funded through a self-mandated industry assessment paid by more than 800 watermelon producers, handlers and importers, NWPB mission is to increase consumer demand for watermelon through promotion, research and education programs.

    Watermelon packs a nutritious punch, with each serving providing an excellent source of Vitamin C (25%), a source of Vitamins A ( 8%) and B6 (8%), and a delicious way to stay hydrated (92% water), with only 80 calories. For additional information, visit www.watermelon.org.

  • California Walnut Industry Gears Up To Market Record Crop

    On August 28, USDA NASS released the Objective Measurement of the 2020 walnut crop at 780,000 short tons, an increase of 19% over the prior year. “The industry has been expecting increases given continued growth in new acreage, more densely planted orchards, and heavier yielding varieties and has planned accordingly,” stated grower Robert Driver, California Walnut Commission (CWC) Chairperson. “Demand creation for future crop utilization has been years in the making, with the industry’s strategic plan focused on growing sales in the U.S. domestic market and internationally.”

    To take advantage of the large crop and continued demand, a tremendous growth opportunity exists in the U.S. market to expand all sectors of the walnut business across retail, food manufacturing/industrial and foodservice. “We have been planning for these larger crops by expanding consumption through all sectors,” said Michelle Connelly, Executive Director/CEO of the California Walnut Board and Commission (CWB/CWC). “Despite what you might think, per capita consumption of walnuts is only 0.6 pounds per year in the U.S., leaving an exceptional opportunity to further develop consumers’ love of walnuts.”

    Efforts are underway to expand grocery retail presence through two national promotional campaigns, which include a program focused on growing the snacking segment. “While walnuts are not often thought of as a snack, our consumers are telling us otherwise with snacking becoming our top consumer use,” said Jennifer Olmstead, Marketing Director, Domestic PR at CWB/CWC. “Our goal is to make walnuts top-of-mind, not only for consumers, but for food manufacturers and foodservice as well. Not only are walnuts a versatile ingredient that can’t be overlooked, they are a powerhouse of nutrition – offering essential ALA omega-3 (2.5 g/oz.) and plant-based protein (4 g/oz.) – with benefits that are critical to consumers who are seeking healthy, clean, nutritious foods now more than ever.”

    The domestic market offers advantages to the industry: proximity, stability and risk prevention from some of the turbulent times that recent tariff issues have created. However, the industry’s export markets remain vital to the industry’s growth strategy, accounting for more than 60% of annual shipment volumes. The industry has continued to adapt to tariff market challenges, while pursuing new markets for walnuts. Export market diversification has been key to this strategy, and continuing to find and develop export markets is essential.

    “We know we can further diversify the segments of business – similar to the U.S. with growth in food manufacturing and foodservice – while propping up our retail channel. Interestingly, COVID-19 has actually helped increase sales in the retail segment. Retailers and consumers increasingly embrace e-commerce, opening new avenues for retail promotion, while also bolstering the importance of neighborhood grocery, in many countries like Spain and India,” said grower Todd Ramos, CWC Market Development Committee Chairperson.

    Core export markets in Europe and Asia remain critical to the industry and, despite their once-perceived mature status, present excellent opportunity. “But we aren’t stopping there,” stated Pamela Graviet, CWC Senior Marketing Director, International. “With expanded programs in the Middle East, the industry has identified untapped potential among markets that traditionally heavily consume nuts and dried fruits. Global population projections predict that 30% of the world’s population by 2050 will be new mouths to feed; therefore, market research will continue to identify opportunity in new and established markets.”

    To encourage handler investment to grow the walnut market through individual marketing activities, the industry pursued credit-back authority through a marketing order. “We know that the development of new walnut applications is critical to our expansion of the walnut market, and handlers are already making investments, but this program is poised to take that to the next level,” stated grower William (Bill) Tos, CWC Executive Committee Chairperson. The program authority, if approved by a vote of the growers, would come into effect this 2020/21 season.

    At a time when consumers globally are seeking healthy foods more than ever, walnuts offer a multitude of benefits further demonstrated by nutrition research. “Thirty years of research has established walnuts’ heart health benefits and more. But as with all things, the evolution of science is changing rapidly, and that change is also driven by what is important to consumers – gut health, sleep quality, mental health and obesity. Our health research program continues to identify how walnuts can play a role in these important consumer public health issues, while offering a simple, convenient way to potentially improve overall health,” stated Jack Mariani, CWB Market Development Committee Chairperson.

    Investment in production research remains foundational to helping growers produce a better crop, protect against disease and improve orchard management practices, ultimately enhancing the sustainability of the industry. Post-harvest research continues to identify potentially exciting means to improve shelf life, best practices to help manufacturers incorporate more walnuts, by-product utilization and food safety.

    “Our objective has been and continues to be to keep demand ahead of supply. The industry’s investment, careful planning and foresight have set the stage for continued success,” Tos went on to say. Walnut production has doubled in the last 15 years, with new acreage reaching 380,000 with an additional 75,000 acres set to come into production. California walnut growers’ investment in the future will allow more consumers worldwide to enjoy the benefits of consuming walnuts.

  • Identifying Insect Pest Damage Through Harvest Sampling

    With almond and walnut harvest underway, it is a good time to review harvest nut sampling strategy and protocols for the best estimation of field loss by common pests. It is a general understanding that the grade sheet from your processers only represents about half of what is  going on in the field. Also, the whole sum percent damage from the grade sheet does not identify which pest is causing the most economic loss. Insect population in orchards builds over time; therefore, knowing the history of damage helps to address potential risks and strategies to next  year’s pest management program.

    1. Harvest Sampling in Almonds

    Taking a minimum of 500-1000 sample nuts from an average-sized orchard, anytime between shaking and sweeping, is recommended. Infestation can vary among different sides of the tree, and between edges and interiors of the orchard. This is especially true for navel orangeworm damage. Use paper bags to collect samples from multiple spots (>10 sampling spots, if possible) within the orchard. Store the sample bags in a cold room or freezer until you  have time to do crack out. Look for damage signs associated with insect species described in the following paragraphs. Major insect pests for the damage evaluation are navel orangeworm (NOW), peach twig borer (PTB), oriental fruit moth (OFM), ants, leaffooted bugs (LFB), and brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). BMSB is an invasive stink bug species, which is established and causing damage in almond orchards in the northern San Joaquin Valley.

    1.1. Worm Damage (NOW, PTB, OFM). NOW feed in the kernel (nutmeat) and create deep feeding tunnels. Feeding by NOW results in a significant amount of white frass, and webbings on the kernel (Fig. 1a). Since NOW and PTB often infest the same nut, NOW feeding damage often masks the PTB damage. Feeding damage signs by PTB and OFM on the nutmeat are similar (i.e., the presence of the shallow tunnels and surface grooves on the kernels, and no webbings) (Fig 1b & 1c), except OFM leaves a small amount of reddish frass on the hull, which is absent in PTB damaged nuts.

    Fig. 1. Almond kernels (nutmeat) damaged by: a) navel orangeworm, b) peach twig borer, c) Oriental fruit moth

    1.2. Ant Damage. The percentage of almond  damage by ants at harvest depends on the duration the nuts are on the ground after shaking. The longer almonds are left on the ground gives more time for ants to feed on them, results in more damage. Also, more damage is likely in orchards with drip or sprinkler irrigation compared to orchards with flood irrigation. Cover or vegetation in the orchards also favors ant activity. Nuts with tight shells or with narrower (<0.03-inch wide) hull split have less ant damage. Ants can completely hollow out the nutmeats and leave only thin skin (i.e., pellicle). Other signs of ant feeding damage include scraped or peeled pellicle and presence of “sawdust”, with the absence of webbings and frass (Fig 2a).

    1.3. Leaffooted Bug and Brown Marmorated  Stink Bug Damage. Most nuts infested by the leaffooted bug or BMSB, early in the season (mid- March to mid-May), abort and drop. A small percentage of those infested nuts do not drop but end up becoming shriveled and gummy kernels at harvest (Fig  2b).  Both  LFB  and  BMSB  feeding  after  the shell hardening can result in sunken dark spots on kernels (Fig. 2c), although the degree of damage tends to be higher with BMSB feeding than LFB. Late-season feeding (July-August) by BMSB, can cause dark stained kernels (Fig 2d). Varieties with soft shells such as Fritz, Sonora, Aldrich, Livingston, Monterey, and Peerless are more susceptible to bug damage and for a longer period during the season.

    Fig. 2. Almond kernels damaged by: a) ants, b-d) leaffooted bug and brown marmorated stink bug

    2. Harvest Sampling in Walnuts

    It is recommended to take a minimum of 1000 nuts at the harvest and evaluate for the damage caused by navel orangeworm , codling moth, ants, husk fly, and sunburn. It is important to have representative samples (>10 samples with a minimum of 100 nuts/sample) from the orchard for better estimation of the infestation. The damage signs associated with these specific insect pests and sunburn are described as follows:

    2.1. Worm Damage (NOW, CM). Navel Orangeworm damage can be identified by the presence of a large amount of frass and webbings (Fig 3a). NOW larvae are present in groups and can bore deeply into the kernel. Heavy infestation may give a nutshell an oily appearance. In contrast to NOW, a single codling moth larva infest the nut, and has a lot cleaner damaged area inside the nut. Frass is evident, but only at the entry  point  on  the  husk;  very  little  webbing present (Fig. 3b). If larva is present, look for crescent-shaped marking just behind the head to confirm navel orangeworm.

    Fig. 3. Walnut damaged by: a) navel orangeworm, b) codling moth

    2.2. Ant Damage. Similar to almonds, nut damage by ants increase as the duration of the harvested nuts on the ground increase. Ants enter the nuts from the soft tissues (i.e., stem end) and/ or through a codling moth injury. Ant damage on nuts is identified by the presence of deep chewing channels with clean kernels (i.e., no frass, no webbings, no deep boring) (Fig 4a).

    Fig. 4. Walnut damaged by: a) ants; b) walnut husk fly; c) sunburn
    Fig. 5. (Left) Brown Apical Necrosis is shown on the left, not to be confused with Walnut Blight, shown on the right, and caused by the bacterial pathogen, Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Figure provided by Themis Michailides).

    2.3. Husk Fly Damage. Walnut husk fly larvae (technical term: maggots) feed in groups by boring into the husk. Early season damage results in shriveling and darkening of the kernels, with  the increased potential for mold growth. Late- season infestation causes little kernel damage  (Fig. 4b), although it may stain the shell and make the husk removal process difficult.

    Fig. 6. (Right) Moldy, off color nuts which lead to economic loss due to downgrading (Figure provided by Themis Michailides).
    2.4. Sunburn Damage. Sunburn damage on nuts can be confused with husk fly damage. In the case of sunburn, nutmeat is shriveled and darkened on one side of the nut — no evidence of frass, webbings, or larval presence (Fig. 4c). Husks  from sunburn damaged nuts can be removed from the shell during processing, which is not the case for the nuts damaged by husk fly.
    — Article by Jhalendra Rijal, PhD, UCCE IPM Advisor, Stanislaus, Merced & San Joaquin Counties

  • New AVA Approved For Santa Barbara Wine Country

    In Santa Barbara Wine Country, the Alisos Canyon area has long been revered for its high-quality fruit with its unique affinity towards Rhone-style varietals, and now the TTB has formally recognized Alisos Canyon as the region’s newest American Viticultural Area (AVA).

    Nestled between the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley, Alisos Canyon is a tightly defined, stand-alone AVA that covers 5,774 acres distinguished by its unique geology, soil structure, and climate pattern.

    ·      The Alisos Canyon AVA exhibits a distinct viticultural influence of the San Antonio Creek Valley, which runs directly from the mouth of Alisos and Comasa Canyons to the Pacific Ocean 20 miles to the west.

    ·      The ingress of cooling marine winds and fog along the San Antonio Creek Valley helps define the climate of the Alisos Canyon AVA.  Due to some of the greatest diurnal shifts in the central coast, the mean temperature is one of the lowest of all AVAs, resulting in a degree-day average above Santa Rita Hills and significantly below Ballard Canyon.

    ·      Soils are based on weathered sandstone and shale, the Paso Robles and Sisquoc formations with a rare limestone streak along the corridor of the AVA.

    As a result of the distinct meso-climate and specific soil characteristics, Alisos Canyon produces amongst the finest Rhone-style wines on the West Coast with elegant flavor, expressive aromatics and significant longevity. Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc and Petite Sirah are among the standouts in Alisos Canyon.

    During the AVA petition process, researchers highlighted a geological phenomenon called “The Goldilocks Rhone Zone,” where the climate is perfectly suited for Rhone grapes. In Northern Santa Barbara County, there are three primary “channels” that run from the Pacific Ocean to the interior coastal ranges: The Santa Ynez River channel to the south (feeds into Ballard Canyon), the Santa Maria River channel to the north (feeds into Foxen Canyon), and the San Antonio Creek channel in the middle (feeds into Alisos Canyon). Interestingly, there is a consistent distance of 24.5 miles from the Pacific down these channels where top Rhone varietals are grown. “Alisos Canyon falls perfectly within the Goldilocks Rhone Zone, a phenomenon that has proven itself true over three decades of winegrowing history in Santa Barbara,” said Wes Hagen, winemaker and author of the AVA petition.

    Alisos Canyon joins six other AVAs in Santa Barbara County. Historically, the region has added only one AVA about every five years. Grape growers have carefully studied the data of each phase within the seasons throughout the three decades and have defined the areas that produce this distinct and diverse wine style throughout the county. The unique, transverse nature of the valleys of Santa Barbara Wine Country provides a patchwork quilt of micro-climates and terrains, resulting in one of the most diverse grape growing regions in the world.

    About Santa Barbara Vintners

    Santa Barbara Vintners (Santa Barbara County Vintners Association) is a non-profit 501(c)6 organization founded in 1983 to support and promote Santa Barbara County as a world-class wine producing and wine grape growing region. The association includes winery members whose annual production is at least 75% Santa Barbara County (or sub-AVA) labeled, winery associates, vineyards, vineyard management companies, hospitality, and industry associate members. The association produces festivals and wine country weekends; educational seminars and tastings; provides information to consumers, trade, and media; and advocates for the Santa Barbara County wine and grape industry.