California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • Resources for Employers Amidst COVID-19 Outbreaks at Ag Facilities

    Almond Alliance of California – There have been multiple COVID-19 outbreaks at agricultural facilities and operations throughout the State.  Several of the outbreaks in agricultural areas have been reported in farmworker housing facilities, fields and processing facilities.  CalOSHA, Department of Health Services and the Attorney General’s office have been engaged in situations with multiple positive cases.  Many of our peer agricultural organizations and individual employers have received letters from the Attorney General’s office reminding about the need to provide guidance to our membership on the health and safety of the agricultural workforce.

    Many grower and employer associations, local farm bureaus, and health and safety compliance businesses have shared resources with their members to help agricultural operations conduct an examination of workplaces to ensure that adequate measures are being undertaken to protect the health and safety of agricultural workers.

    Below are resources for almond growers, huller shellers and processors.  As these materials are updated, the Almond Alliance will distribute revisions. Please post COVID-19 safety materials in Spanish and English throughout the workplace.  Please call the Almond Alliance team if you have any questions or need additional information.   

    Responding to COVID-19 in the Workplace:

    This guidance and checklist are for use by employers experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 in their workplace. Employers should be proactive and keep in mind that identification of even a single positive case among employees may quickly develop into an outbreak. As outbreak circumstances and work practices vary, employers may need assistance from their local health department (LHD) to plan and coordinate a response to the outbreak that meets the needs of the workplace.

    • Industry Guidance:  Agriculture and Livestock: Click Here.
    • COVID-19 General Checklist for Agriculture and Livestock Employers: Click Here.

    COVID-19 Safety Posters and Materials for you to Place in the Workplace in English and Spanish to Reduce the Risk of Employee Exposure in the Workplace:

    • CDC Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) English Poster: Click Here.
    • CDC Síntomas del coronavirus (COVID-19) Spanish Poster: Click Here.
    • CDC Share facts about COVID-19 English Factsheet: Click Here.
    • CDC Comparta la información sobre el COVID-19 Spanish Factsheet: Click Here.
    • OSHA Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus English Poster: Click Here.
    • OSHA Diez Medidas que Todos los Lugares de Trabajo Pueden Tomar para Prevenir la Exposición al Coronavirus Spanish Poster: Click Here.

    Cal/OSHA Guidance and Resources:

    • COVID-19 Daily Checklist for Agricultural Employers: English | Spanish
    • COVID-19 General Checklist for Agricultural Employers: English | Spanish
    • Infection Prevention for Agricultural Employers and Employees: English | Spanish
    • COVID-19 Worker Protection Video – Infection Prevention for Agricultural Workers (Video Transcripts:  English | Spanish | Mixteco

    What to Do if You Have COVID-19 Confirmed Positive or Exposed Workers:

    This document recommends a consistent approach in how a company can continue operations in the event an individual has tested positive, given the global COVID-19 pandemic and high transmissibility of this respiratory virus from person to person.

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):  What to Do if You Have COVID-19 Confirmed Positive or Exposed Workers in Your Food Production, Storage, or Distribution Operations Regulated by FDA: Click Here.

    Food Industry Recommended Protocols When Employee/Customer Tests Positive for COVID-19:

    This summary, derived from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, outlines key steps that employers and workers can take to help stay open, prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19, and support continuity of essential operations if workers are diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19, or show symptoms associated with COVID-19: Click Here.

    Additional Materials:

    • Agricultural Employer Checklist for Creating a COVID-19 Assessment and Control Plan: Click Here.
    • Testing Strategy for Coronavirus (COVID‐19) in High‐Density Critical Infrastructure Workplaces after a COVID‐19 Case is Identified: Click Here.

    Note: This document is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Almond Alliance of California does not advise on the application of law to an individual’s or company’s specific circumstances. Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult a lawyer if you want professional assurance that our information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.

  • Additional Commodities Eligible for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

    Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced an initial list of additional commodities that have been added to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), and that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made other adjustments to the program based on comments received from agricultural producers and organizations and review of market data. Producers will be able to submit applications that include these commodities on Monday, July 13, 2020.  USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting through Aug. 28, 2020, applications for CFAP, which helps offset price declines and additional marketing costs because of the coronavirus pandemic. USDA expects additional eligible commodities to be announced in the coming weeks.

    “During this time of national crisis, President Trump and USDA have stood with our farmers, ranchers, and all citizens to make sure they are taken care of,” said Secretary Perdue. “When we announced this program earlier this year, we asked for public input and received a good response. After reviewing the comments received and analyzing our USDA Market News data, we are adding new commodities, as well as making updates to the program for existing eligible commodities. This is an example of government working for the people – we asked for input and we updated the program based on the comments we received.”

    USDA collected comments and supporting data for consideration of additional commodities through June 22, 2020.

    Changes to CFAP include:

    • Adding the following commodities: alfalfa sprouts, anise, arugula, basil, bean sprouts, beets, blackberries, Brussels sprouts, celeriac (celery root), chives, cilantro, coconuts, collard greens, dandelion greens, greens (others not listed separately), guava, kale greens, lettuce – including Boston, green leaf, Lolla Rossa, oak leaf green, oak leaf red and red leaf – marjoram, mint, mustard, okra, oregano, parsnips, passion fruit, peas (green), pineapple, pistachios, radicchio, rosemary, sage, savory, sorrel, fresh sugarcane, Swiss chard, thyme and turnip top greens.
    • Expanding for seven currently eligible commodities – apples, blueberries, garlic, potatoes, raspberries, tangerines and taro – CARES Act funding for sales losses because USDA found these commodities had a 5 percent or greater price decline between mid-January and mid-April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, these commodities were only eligible for marketing adjustments.
    • Determining that peaches and rhubarb no longer qualify for payment under the CARES Act sales loss category.
    • Correcting payment rates for apples, artichokes, asparagus, blueberries, cantaloupes, cucumbers, garlic, kiwifruit, mushrooms, papaya, peaches, potatoes, raspberries, rhubarb, tangerines and taro.

    Additional details can be found in the Federal Register in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Final Rule Correction and at www.farmers.gov/cfap.

    Producers have several options for applying to the CFAP program:

    • Using an online portal, accessible at farmers.gov/cfap, allows producers with secure USDA login credentials—known as eAuthentication—to certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign applications and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center.  New commodities will be available in the system on July 13, 2020.
    • Completing the application form using our CFAP Application Generator and Payment Calculator found at farmers.gov/cfap. This Excel workbook allows customers to input information specific to their operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form, which can be printed, then signed and submitted to their local USDA Service Center.  An updated version with the new commodities will be available on the website on July 13, 2020.
    • Downloading the AD-3114 application form from farmers.gov/cfap and manually completing the form to submit to the local USDA Service Center by mail, electronically or by hand delivery to an office drop box. In some limited cases, the office may be open for in-person business by appointment. Visit farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status to check the status of your local office.

    USDA Service Centers can also work with producers to complete and securely transmit digitally signed applications through two commercially available tools: Box and OneSpan. Producers who are interested in digitally signing their applications should notify their local service centers when calling to discuss the CFAP application process. You can learn more about these solutions at farmers.gov/mydocs.

    Getting Help from FSA

    New customers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer general assistance. This is a recommended first step before a producer engages the team at the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.

    All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap. For existing FSA customers, these documents are likely already on file.

    All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors may also be required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in office, by phone and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.  

  • CA Congressional Delegation Asks USDA to Make Winegrape Growers Eligible for Direct Relief

    California’s congressional delegation wants winegrape growers to receive financial relief through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

    Beginning May 26, CFAP intended to provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to agricultural producers who suffered losses due to COVID-19 related market and supply chain disruptions. Winegrapes were not among the 43 commodities listed under CFAP specialty crops.

    “The COVID-19 pandemic has broadly undermined market prices for California winegrapes and we believe the U.S. Department of Agriculture should include winegrapes on the list of specialty crops eligible for direct payments in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program,” stated a July 6 letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, signed by 25 representatives and two senators.

    The delegation’s letter follows a May 19 letter from CAWG and the California Farm Bureau Federation to Perdue, which also urged USDA to allow winegrape growers access to COVID-19 assistance. The letter cited several factors contributing to growers’ current and future economic losses.

    “The letter from the California congressional delegation is a tremendous boost to our efforts to seek vital financial assistance for winegrape growers,” CAWG President John Aguirre said. “We applaud and appreciate the leadership of Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) in crafting the letter and garnering support from his colleagues.”

  • USDA Confirms Record 3 Billion Pound CA Almond Crop Forecast

    The California Almond Objective Measurement Report, published today by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), estimates that the 2020 crop will be 3.00 billion meat pounds, up 18% from the 2019 crop production of 2.55 billion pounds.[1] This estimate is even with the 3.00 billion pounds estimated in the California Almond Subjective Forecast, published in May 2020.

    According to the 2020 Objective Report, the average nut set per tree is 5,645, up 21% from the 2019 almond crop. The Nonpareil average nut set is 5,621, up 27% from last year’s set. The average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.51 grams, down 2 percent from the 2019 average weight.

    “This year’s crop is proof that California is the perfect place to grow almonds,” said Holly A. King, Kern County almond grower and Chair of the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors. “Perfect weather during bloom, coupled with the steps almond growers have taken to ensure our orchards provide a healthy environment for honey bees and other pollinators, resulted in the abundant crop we are seeing on the trees up and down the Central Valley.”

    Recent disruptions in global trade due to COVID-19, and ongoing trade disputes and negotiations with China and other key markets extending into the year, have caused some short-term challenges with the current crop, but the long-term outlook remains positive.

    “As a shelf stable and nutritious food enjoyed by consumers around the world, we’ve weathered these disruptions in pretty good shape,” said Almond Board President and CEO Richard Waycott. “Domestic and export shipments are up year-to-date, and we expect global demand to be stronger than ever as we market this year’s record crop.”

    While the Subjective Forecast provides an initial estimate of the 2020/2021 crop, the Objective Report is based on actual almond counts and uses a more statistically rigorous methodology to determine yield. In Dec. 2019, ABC’s Board of Directors approved a modified sampling protocol to further improve the accuracy of USDA-NASS’s reporting. From this year forward, the Objective Report will include measurements from 1,000 target orchards throughout the state (an increase of 150 samples from 2019) and provide nut counts on not one but two branches per tree. The Objective Report will also provide the weight, size and grade of the average almond sample broken down by growing region – no longer growing district – and variety.

    USDA-NASS conducts the annual Objective Report, Subjective Forecast and Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions, and thanks all farm operators, owners and management entities for their time in providing the information necessary to create these reports. These reports are the official industry crop estimates. —Article & Featured Image Courtesy of the Almond Board of California

    [1] USDA-NASS. 2020 California Almond Objective Measurement Report. July 2020.

  • CA Winegrape Growers Expected to Suffer $437 Million in Lost Sales

    California wine grape growers could suffer at least $437 million in lost sales from this year’s grape harvest due to COVID-19 related economic disruptions. According to an analysis by Jon Moramarco, managing partner of bw166 and editor of the Gomberg-Fredrikson Report, increased sales of wine at off-premise retailers will not offset lost wine sales via on-premise channels and direct from wineries to consumers through wine clubs and tasting rooms. Off-premise includes supermarkets, liquor stores, club stores and wineries; on-premise includes restaurants, hotels and stadiums.

    The volume of California wine sales over the 12 months from March 2020 to February 2021 is expected to decline by 9.21 million cases from the same 12-month period in the prior year. This translates into $437 million less sales revenue for growers.

    Moramarco notes in his analysis that lost sales revenue due to COVID-19 would come on top of the $395 million in reduced sales revenue expected to occur as a result of excess wine inventory following the large winegrape crop in 2018 and slowing consumer demand for wine. Growers’ losses from March 2020 to February 2021 could total $832 million.

    “Moramarco’s analysis makes clear what many California growers already know: growers will experience significant economic hardship following this year’s grape harvest,” California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) President John Aguirre said. “California growers are accustomed to cyclical markets, but the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to turn a down year into a financial catastrophe for many of them.”

    Mike Testa, Santa Barbara Wine Grower & CAWG Chair

    Santa Barbara County grower and CAWG Chair Mike Testa said, “I’ve never seen so much uncertainty in the marketplace. Growers are struggling to find a home for their fruit, vineyard acres are being pulled out and our winery customers are experiencing extraordinary challenges. For many growers, getting paid this year is no sure thing. It is essential that the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes the harm COVID-19 has caused our markets, and winegrape growers need to be included in the next round of financial assistance for agricultural producers.”

  • PMA Launches the Essentials of Produce Safety — Online Professional Training Program

    The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has announced the launch of its eLearning certificate course Essentials of Produce Safety, an entirely online, affordable and in-depth program covering the key challenges and best practices in produce safety. The course is the first certificate program in PMA’s new educational platform offering, FreshEd Academy. The course was developed in partnership with Intertek Alchemy, the industry leader in produce safety eLearning solutions.

    “FreshEd Academy is our commitment to delivering thought leadership to the produce and floral industries, while providing member partners with innovative, yet affordable, educational solutions” said Gina Jones, VP of Insights and Analytics at PMA. “Essentials of Produce Safety is the first of a number of courses and broader initiatives we are launching that pick up where today’s traditional training programs end.”

    Taught by produce safety experts with real life understanding of the challenges and risks, Essentials of Produce Safety is available to individual learners and employee groups alike, with all enrollees benefitting from:

    • Enhanced produce safety proficiency
    • Improved communication across the organization and supply chain
    • Immediate application of learnings to the work environment

    “It is critically important for produce safety supervisors and managers to have an opportunity to receive education on why they are doing what they do, and to gain insights into how to do it even better,” says course author, instructor and former PMA Chief Science & Technology Officer, Dr. Robert Whitaker. “Essentials of Produce Safety is designed to provide that educational experience; converting staid food safety training into an educational opportunity that cultivates industry leading food safety professionals.”

    Essentials of Produce Safety is delivered entirely online via a device responsive learning management system that enables learners to complete the course anywhere, on any device — desktop, tablet or mobile. The course consists of seven learning modules, a review module, and a certificate exam.

    Essentials of Produce Safety instructor Afreen Malik, Director of Technical Services at International Food Safety adds “understanding the science based fundamental principles of produce safety can help lead to a safer produce supply chain globally. Essentials of Produce Safety helps us to do just that.”

    For more information, visit: https://freshed.academy.

  • US Sweet Cherry Production Down 6 Percent (California Increases)

    United States sweet cherry total production for 2020 is forecast at 334,000 tons, down 6 percent from 2019. In California, growers reported sufficient chill, despite an unusually warm winter. Cool weather in March extended the fruit growing season, which led to increased expected yields compared with the previous season. In Oregon and Washington, severe cold snaps in February and mid-March had varying impacts across the region. The later blooming varieties were well behind the rest of the crop, leading to lower expected yields, especially in Washington. 

    Tart Cherry Production Down 25 Percent

    United States tart cherry total production for 2020 is forecast at 197 million pounds, down 25 percent from the 2019 production. In Michigan, the largest tart cherry producing State, an early-May frost damaged the crop throughout the State and most significantly in southwestern Michigan. In Wisconsin, growers reported some crop damage due to heavy winds and frost during blossom. In Washington, growers expressed some concern due to freezing temperatures.

     

  • COMMISSION PROMOTES JUNE CALIFORNIA AVOCADO MONTH

    Summer 2020 marks the ninth year the California Avocado Commission (CAC) has celebrated California Avocado Month, showcasing the availability and versatility of the premium fruit during peak harvest in June. This year, with extended safer-at-home orders in states with the majority of California avocado distribution, the Commission placed renewed emphasis on recipes consumers can prepare at home. “Consumers are continuing to do more cooking at home and they are seeking recipes both for simple comfort foods and for ideas that break the boredom,” noted Jan DeLyser, CAC’s vice president marketing. “During California Avocado Month CAC is promoting recipes on both ends of the spectrum.”

    The Commission partnered with Chef Jordan Kahn of Vespertine in Culver City (who was named “best new chef” in 2017 by Food & Wine Magazine) to create a variety of California avocado-centric recipe concepts. When the in-person California Avocado Month media preview event was cancelled in May, the Commission quickly pivoted and delivered Chef Kahn’s culinary creations and branded California avocado items to the homes of key Los Angeles media and influencers. These personalized deliveries were designed to generate excitement for peak California avocado season and inspire the influencers to share their love for their home-state fruit on their social channels.

    To meet consumers’ penchant for healthy and creative California avocado recipes they can easily prepare at home, the Commission partnered with four award-winning chefs who developed recipes they felt would become the next hottest trend in avocados — in other words, the “next avocado toast.”

    The Commission also partnered with 11 influential California Avocado Blogger Advocates. Throughout the month of June these advocates are publishing unique recipes, blogs posts and photography on their social channels while highlighting techniques that will help consumers prepare fresh California avocado snacks and meals at home.

    CAC’s “Living Well” Brand Advocates will showcase the nutritious benefits of the fruit with recipes consumers can enjoy throughout the day. Registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) Elizabeth Shaw is sharing California avocado recipes suited for any summer occasion — from backyard picnics to holiday celebrations — on her blog, social channels and ABC’s San Diego Connect. Culinary influencer Patty Mastracco will be a guest on Sacramento’s KTXL FOX40. During the two-part live television segment she will feature grilled California avocados as a great addition to classic summer recipes for the American summer holidays and beyond. RDN Manuel Villacorta crafted a recipe focused on a top health issue facing men today: hearth health. His California Avocado Steak Sandwich Recipe provides consumers with a grilled summer alternative that can be served as a sandwich or salad.

    Rounding out the California Avocado Month promotions are “The best avocados have California in them” advertising campaign, consumer emails, California Avocado Month posts on the Commission’s social media platforms and promotional videos. These assets will appear on streaming video, digital and social channels to reach consumers who continue to shelter at home and encourage them to seek out their favorite fruit during the peak of California avocado season.

  • CA Prune Board Authorized to Continue for Another Five Years

    Following a successful public hearing, the California Prune Board (CPB) has been authorized by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to continue for another five years through July 31, 2025 – without the need for an industry referendum. At the hearing, prune growers and processors voiced unanimous support for the CPB, along with sharing numerous examples of the board’s favorable results on behalf of the California Prune industry.

    “The CPB continuation is a major win for California Prune growers, processors and handlers,” said Joe Turkovich, California Prune grower and Chairman of the California Prune Board. “The board’s work is vitally important to the success of the prune industry. It has carefully considered strategic priorities that will continue building industry momentum for the next five years and beyond.”

    California Prune Board: Delivering Leadership and Value
    The hearing comes amid industry headwinds facing California agriculture in general, such as rising labor costs and increasing regulations. Additionally, the California Prune industry has specific challenges including a global market driven by low prices and smaller, inferior quality imported fruit.

    “We have navigated through many challenges and are currently addressing others – such as tariffs that create major impediments to growing markets – all while knowing there are many challenges around the corner. Yet, we believe in the values the industry has together set forth,” said Donn Zea, Executive Director of the California Prune Board. “Our board and committee members are dedicated to the industry’s success and bring integrity and unique perspective to each discussion. The CPB team around the world is both humbled and proud to join them for the hard work that lies ahead.”

    Together, we have achieved much as a board and as an industry, added Zea, citing examples such as:

    • Securing more than $50 million in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchases of California Prunes during a three-year timeframe (2017 – 2019) for school nutrition programs and food banks
    • Dedicating more than $1.25 million during the past three years to nutrition research to scientifically validate the remarkable health benefits of California Prunes for gut and bone health, as well as
      overall wellness
    • Investing more than $1.3 million during the past three years to crop production research, including important findings and advancements related to mechanical pruning, rootstock anchorage, new varietal development, and pest and disease control
    • Securing $11.4 million in federal grant funding for export programs, while partnering with the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) each year to defend, grow and develop international markets
    • Being recognized by FAS as “highly effective” in CPB proposal quality, strategic execution, and financial and regulatory compliance
    • Developing an extensively researched, thoroughly vetted new California Prunes brand to unite the global industry under a cohesive banner to communicate the one-of-a-kind premium nature of California Prunes

    California Prune Board: Building on the Momentum, Advancing Priorities
    With input from numerous industry members and under the leadership of the CPB executive committee, the board has outlined key priority areas to rally the industry’s efforts. Focus areas include:

    • Nutrition research
    • Trade policy and market support
    • Industry unification
    • Production research
    • Global visibility expansion for California Prunes

    “We have listened intently to California Prune growers and handlers to identify these priority areas that will inform our focus, guide our decisions, and ultimately, make a positive and sustained difference for the global California Prune industry,” said Zea.

    California is the world’s largest producer of prunes providing about 40 percent of the world’s supply and more than 90% of the U.S. supply. Today, there are more than 40,000 bearing acres of California Prune orchards concentrated in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.

    ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA PRUNE BOARD
    Created in 1952, The California Prune Board aims to amplify the premium positioning and top-of-mind awareness of California Prunes through advertising, public relations, promotion, nutrition research, crop management and sustainability research, and issues management. The California Prune Board represents approximately 800 prune growers and 28 prune, juice, and ingredient handlers under the authority of the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

  • Study Finds 82 Percent of Avocado Oil Rancid or Mixed With Other Oils

    Consumer demand is rising for all things avocado, including oil made from the fruit. Avocado oil is a great source of vitamins, minerals and the type of fats associated with reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. But according to new research from food science experts at the University of California, Davis, the vast majority of avocado oil sold in the U.S. is of poor quality, mislabeled or adulterated with other oils.

    In the country’s first extensive study of commercial avocado oil quality and purity, UC Davis researchers report that at least 82 percent of test samples were either stale before expiration date or mixed with other oils. In three cases, bottles labeled as “pure” or “extra virgin” avocado oil contained near 100 percent soybean oil, an oil commonly used in processed foods that’s much less expensive to produce.

    “I was surprised some of the samples didn’t contain any avocado oil,” said Selina Wang, Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology, who led the study recently published in the journal Food Control. “Most people who buy avocado oil are interested in the health benefits, as well as the mild, fresh flavor, and are willing to pay more for the product. But because there are no standards to determine if an avocado oil is of the quality and purity advertised, no one is regulating false or misleading labels. These findings highlight the urgent need for standards to protect consumers and establish a level playing field to support the continuing growth of the avocado oil industry.”

    Testing domestic and imported brands  

    Wang and Hilary Green, a Ph.D. candidate in Wang’s lab, analyzed various chemical parameters of 22 domestic and imported avocado oil samples, which included all the brands they could find in local stores and online. Wang and Green received a $25,000 grant from Dipasa USA, part of the Dipasa Group, a sesame-seed and avocado-oil processor and supplier based in Mexico.

    “In addition to testing commercial brands, we also bought avocados and extracted our own oil in the lab, so we would know, chemically, what pure avocado oil looks like,” Wang said.

    Test samples included oils of various prices, some labeled extra virgin or refined. Virgin oil is supposed to be extracted from fresh fruit using only mechanical means, and refined oil is processed with heat or chemicals to remove any flaws.

    Fifteen of the samples were oxidized before the expiration date. Oil loses its flavor and health benefits when it oxidizes, which happens over time and when exposed to too much light, heat or air. Six samples were mixed with large amounts of other oils, including sunflower, safflower and soybean oil.

    Only two brands produced samples that were pure and nonoxidized. Those were Chosen Foods and Marianne’s Avocado Oil, both refined avocado oils made in Mexico. Among the virgin grades, CalPure produced in California was pure and fresher than the other samples in the same grade.

    A push for standards

    Ensuring quality is important for consumers, retailers, producers and people throughout the avocado oil industry. Retailers want to sell quality products, shoppers want to get their money’s worth and honest producers want to keep fraudulent and low-quality oil out of the marketplace.

    But since avocado oil is relatively new on the scene, the Food and Drug Administration has not yet adopted “standards of identity,” which are basic food standards designed to protect consumers from being cheated by inferior products or confused by misleading labels. Over the last 80 years, the FDA has issued standards of identity for hundreds of products, like whiskey, chocolate, juices and mayonnaise. Without standards, the FDA has no means to regulate avocado oil quality and authenticity. 

    Avocado oil isn’t the only product without enforceable standards. Honey, spices and ground coffee are other common examples. Foods that fetch a higher price are especially ripe for manipulating, especially when adulterations can be too subtle to detect outside a lab.

    Wang is working to develop faster, better and cheaper chemical methods to detect adulteration so bulk buyers can test avocado oil before selling it. She is also evaluating more samples, performing shelf-life studies to see how time and storage affect quality, and encouraging FDA officials to establish reasonable standards for avocado oil.

    Wang has experience collaborating with industry and the FDA. Ten years ago, she analyzed the quality and purity of extra virgin olive oil and discovered that most of what was being sold in the U.S. was actually a much lower grade. Her research sparked a cascade of responses that led California to establish one of the world’s most stringent standards for different grades of olive oil. The FDA is working with importers and domestic producers to develop standards of identity for olive oil.

    “Consumers seeking the health benefits of avocado oil deserve to get what they think they are buying,” Wang said. “Working together with the industry, we can establish standards and make sure customers are getting high-quality, authentic avocado oil and the companies are competing on a level playing field.”

    Tips for consumers

    • The flavor of virgin avocado oil can differ by varieties and region. In general, authentic, fresh, virgin avocado oil tastes grassy, buttery and a little bit like mushrooms.
    • Virgin avocado oil should be green in color, whereas refined avocado oil is light yellow and almost clear due to pigments removed during refining.
    • Even good oil becomes rancid with time. It’s important to purchase a reasonable size that can be finished before the oil oxidizes. Store the oil away from light and heat. A cool, dark cabinet is a good choice, rather than next to the stove.  
    • How do you know if the oil is rancid? It starts to smell stale, sort of like play dough.
    • When possible, choose an oil that’s closest to the harvest/production time to ensure maximum freshness. The “best before date” is not always a reliable indicator of quality.

    – By Diane Nelson, UC Davis