California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • California Association of Winegrape Growers Opens Nominations for 2025 Awards of Excellence Program

    The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) is pleased to announce nominations are now open for its prestigious 2025 Awards of Excellence Program. These awards are designed to honor growers and industry leaders who have shown outstanding leadership and commitment to the winegrape industry, benefiting both their communities and the environment.

    The Grower of the Year Award, the highest honor bestowed by CAWG, recognizes individuals, families, or companies who exemplify excellence in viticulture and management. Recipients are acknowledged for their innovative practices, leadership, and exceptional quality of winegrape production.

    Previous Grower of the Year Award winners include John Kautz, John Kautz family; Steve McIntyre, Monterey Pacific; Andy Beckstoffer, Beckstoffer Vineyards; The Ledbetter Family; Jerry and Bruce Fry, Mohr-Fry Ranches; Brad & Randy Lange, LangeTwins Family Winery & Vineyards, Steve Schafer, Schafer Vineyards; Andy Hoxsey, Napa Wine Company/Yount Mill Vineyards; The Bogle Family, Bogle Vineyards; Dana Merrill, Mesa Vineyard Management; and Sangiacomo Family Vineyards.

    The Leader of the Year Award is bestowed upon exceptional individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership benefiting California’s wine industry. Recipients are recognized for their commitment to championing issues of importance to winegrape growers and effecting positive change within the industry.

    Previous Leader of the Year Award winners include: Nat DiBuduo, Allied Grape Growers; Ben Drake, Drake Enterprises; Richard Keehn; Volker Eisele, Volker Eisele Family Estate; Richard Smith, Smith Family Wines; Al Scheid, Scheid Vineyards; Karissa Kruse, Sonoma Winegrowers; Brad Goehring, Goehring Vineyards, Inc; Dr. Anita Oberholster, UC Davis; Jeanne Malitz, MalitzLaw, Inc; and California Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross. Nominations for the 2025 Awards of Excellence Program are open until June 15, 2024.

    Winners will be honored at a special reception on January 28, 2025, during opening night of the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento, CA.

    To nominate a deserving individual or company, please visit cawg.org for more information.

    About the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG):

    CAWG is a statewide nonprofit trade association advocating for California’s winegrape growers to ensure the sustainability of the winegrape industry. CAWG promotes the industry’s long-term success by advancing the adoption of sound public policies and fostering awareness and understanding of winegrape growers’ contributions to the economy, environment, and California communities. Learn more at cawg.org.

  • HLB Funding Prioritized in Farm Bill Proposal

    California Citrus Mutual (CCM) commends Chairwoman Stabenow of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Chairman Glenn Thompson from the House Agriculture Committee for prioritizing the citrus industry’s fight against Huanglongbing (HLB) in each of their frameworks for the 2024 Farm Bill. Each Chair’s framework continues support of the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program at $25 million per year for the life of the Farm Bill.

    “This is a significant step towards reaching a bipartisan Farm Bill compromise that will continue critical research to find a cure to Huanglongbing,” said CCM President/CEO Casey Creamer.  “While this isn’t the finish line, it clearly signals that Congress supports maintaining citrus funding.  We thank the Chairs of the Committee and our California Congressional delegation for championing our needs.”

    The $25 million in funding will go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to fund research to find a cure for HLB. The funding is overseen by grower representatives from California, Texas, and Florida.

    This is a big win for the citrus industry as there were significant headwinds with the current fiscal battles in Washington, D.C., including escalating Farm Bill baseline expenditures and competing priorities within agriculture.  It proves the strength of the advocacy partnership with Florida and Texas Citrus Mutuals in addition to the strong support received from allied industry organizations.

    About California Citrus Mutual (CCM)

    CCM is a voluntary, non-profit trade association representing California citrus growers on the economic, regulatory, and political issues that most impact them.

  • Congressional Wine Caucus Invites Sonoma County Leadership Academy to Washington Reception

    The members of the third class of the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos’ Leadership Academy were surprised to learn Thursday afternoon that they will soon be leaving for Washington, D.C., to attend the Congressional Wine Caucus as guests of Congressman Mike Thompson.  They will be traveling to the nation’s capital courtesy of Alaska Airlines’ ‘Gift of Flight’ for the June event, the remaining costs are paid by the Foundation primarily through the generosity of local grape growers.

    “Producing world-class wine starts with a world-class agricultural workforce. That’s what makes the Leadership Academy’s work so important — it empowers Sonoma County vineyard employees, expands our workforce, and trains our leaders of tomorrow,” said Congressman Thompson.  He added, “My colleagues and I look forward to welcoming the outstanding leaders of the Vineyard Employee Leadership Academy to Washington, D.C. to advocate for agriculture and share our great wine region with others.”

    Launched in 2022, the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos’ (Voice of the Vineyard) Leadership Academy is the nation’s first and only leadership program specifically for vineyard employees.  The Academy does not teach new farming skills.  Instead, the focus is on introducing, developing, and advancing vital skills needed for vineyard employees to become future leaders in the wine industry and local community.  Topics taught during the eight-month program include sustainability, financial literacy, conflict resolution, communications, human resources, education, disaster preparedness, health care and wine appreciation.  Given that all the Academy participants primarily speak Spanish, the courses are taught with interpreters present to ensure the content is understood and any questions can be asked and answered.

    “Given our commitment to social sustainability, we were intent on creating the best leadership program of its kind.  So, to witness the growth of the past participants as they become our future business and community leaders is both gratifying and amazing,” said Karissa Kruse, executive director of the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos’ and CEO of the Sonoma County Winegrowers.  She added, “Last year, our Leadership Academy members were shaking hands with Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional members while sharing their story of working in Sonoma County’s vineyards.  They made a huge impression on the Wine Caucus members which is why Congressman Thompson invited the next graduating class.”

    The success of the Leadership Academy speaks volumes about the benefit of the program.  More than 50% of the graduates from the first two Leadership Academy have taken on new responsibilities at work since they graduated.  One-third of the graduates have received promotions.  Every graduate of the first two classes have become mentors to the current Leadership Academy participants.  Just as important, the employers of the Leadership Academy graduates have noted that their employees possess more confidence, demonstrate stronger leadership skills and have become better at teaching, communicating and supervising.  Traveling to Washington. D.C., and meeting Congressional leaders, as the past two classes have, is a big part of the growth process for participants.

    Alaska Airlines also took to the podium to announce the airline is donating flights from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., for every Leadership Academy participant to make the trip and attend the reception.  For many of the participants, this will be their first trip on a plane, their first visit to Washington, and their first opportunity to meet with congressional members.

    “As a proud partner with the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos Leadership Academy, Alaska Airlines is excited to provide memorable moments for the leadership class through our gift of travel to Washington, D.C., where they will share their stories with members of Congress,” said David Tucker, Managing Director, California Public Affairs, for Alaska Airlines.  He added, “From the vineyard to our nation’s capital, I can only imagine what’s in store for them next!”

    The 2024 Leadership Academy participants are:

    Name:                           Employer:                               Years with Company:
    Jesus Garcia                           Bevill Vineyard Management                              15
    Sacramento Ortiz                  Cornerstone Certified Vineyard                          23
    Amelia Lopez                         Cornerstone Certified Vineyard                            3
    Antonio Lozoida                    Dutton Ranch                                                          31
    Miguel Carmona                    Dutton Ranch                                                         38
    Juan Avila                               Emeritus Vineyards                                               24
    Misael Patino                         Joseph Phelps Vineyards                                        5
    Jaime Salgado                        Lynmar Estate                                                          5
    Valerio Ruiz                            Martinelli Winery                                                   31
    Luis Martinez                         Mauritson Farms                                                    16
    Inocencio Vargas                   Munselle Vineyards                                                12
    Maribel Morales                    Munselle Vineyards                                                  5
    Gustavo Gonzalez                  Redwood Empire Vineyard Management           5
    Ermelando Gaytan                Sangiacomo Family Vineyards                              9
    Jorge Andrade                       Skipstone                                                                   17
    Joaquin Andrade                  Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards                                       3
    Jose Antonio Villagomez     Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards                                     14
    Juan Ruiz                                St. Francis Winery                                                   10
    Amadeo Lopez                       St. Francis Winery                                                   16
    Elias Alvarez                          Vino Farms                                                                24

    About the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos:

    Originally called the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation (SCGGF), Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos was first established in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) organization to help fund educational workshops in Spanish for agricultural employees. Relaunched in January of 2016, the Fundación is focused on improving the lives of Sonoma County’s agricultural employees and their families, while ensuring Sonoma County remains a place where agricultural workers will continue to live, work, and thrive.  In 2022, the first class of the Leadership Academy met to brainstorm names for the Foundation which would best represent them and the work they do.  They selected Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos.  Since its relaunch in 2016, the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos has continuously proven it has a unique model of outreach and support, recognizing and relying on the trusted relationship that farmers have with their employees. The Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos collaborates with various community-based organizations and agencies to identify existing resources, leverage available support, and create new programs to assist local agricultural employees and their families. This includes a focus on healthcare, affordable housing, childcare, education, recovery and resiliency, and workforce development.  The Fundación is managed by the Sonoma County Winegrowers with a 16-member board of directors comprised of agricultural leaders, vineyard and winery owners, and Sonoma County community leaders.

  • Department of Labor Announces $6.5M in Available Grants to Provide Housing Services for Farmworkers, Dependents

    The Department of Labor has announced the availability of $6.5 million in grants to help organizations improve their delivery of safe and sanitary housing solutions for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents.

    Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the National Farmworker Jobs Program will award approximately eight grants to organizations that propose project designs to provide housing services in one or more states with the highest estimated number of eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers, including Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas and Washington.

    Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the funding will connect eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their dependents to permanent and temporary housing. At least 70 percent of the funds will go toward permanent housing.

    Successful applicants must understand farmworkers’ needs, enabling them to propose projects that improve access to safe and sanitary housing services that helps workers and their dependents achieve their educational and career goals and promotes economic mobility.

    Learn more about the National Farmworker Jobs Program Housing Services funding opportunity and apply.

  • House and Senate Ag Committee Chairs Release Visions for New Farm Bill

    U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has published a detailed preview of the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024, laying out a path forward in the extended process to secure a new Farm Bill. A product of years of dialogue, and reflecting aspects of over 100 bipartisan marker bills, this proposal is a step forward, and is thoughtfully crafted to center the needs of farmers and ranchers across the country. We welcome this progress, and applaud Chairwoman Stabenow for her leadership and ongoing work in service of our food and agriculture systems and the people who power them.

    Concurrently, U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn G.T. Thomson (PA-15) published a broad summary of key provisions of the House Farm Bill. We look forward to reviewing a more detailed draft later this month when the bill language is released ahead of an anticipated committee markup on May 23.

    We appreciate the progress that these two visions represent, and recognize that the Farm Bill process is one defined by compromise. Though there is much work to be done to achieve bipartisan and bicameral agreement, we see the releases as healthy discourse in service of crafting a bill that meaningfully addresses the many challenges facing farmers and ranchers, and particularly Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) farmers.

    “Our 2022 Young Farmer Agenda is clear about the meaningful and necessary changes to federal farm policy that the new generation of young farmers and farmers of color need in order to steward the sustainable and resilient food systems our communities will depend on into the future,” said Michelle Hughes, Co-Executive Director of the National Young Farmers Coalition. “We are heartened to see the Senate Farm Bill priorities include steps toward more equitable land access and transition, support for the conservation practices young farmers are already leading on their farms, expanded investment in farmer mental health and well being, and more. While there is much more that farmers are calling for, and that Congress can do to address their needs and challenges, we see yesterday’s announcements as bringing us one step closer to that shared goal.”

    The Senate proposal includes a number of provisions that we see as directly responsive to priorities laid out in the 2022 Young Farmer Survey Report and our policy advocacy efforts over the last several years.

    Access to Land and Capital

    Equitable access to affordable, quality farmland is a foundational need of the growers and land stewards across the country, and is closely linked to accessibility of affordable capital. We are grateful and encouraged to see that the Senate outline directly addresses several land and credit access needs that farmers in our network have been asking for. Highlights include:

      • Amending Heirs’ Property Relending Program to authorize grants and cooperative agreements, in addition to loans;
      • Investing in cooperative agreements with heirs’ property and fractionated land legal clinics;
      • Improving eligibility language for farm ownership loans to recognize one year of farming experience or an established relationship with a mentor approved by the Secretary;
      • Increasing the total amount any one borrower may owe on microloans from $50,000 to $100,000;
      • Clarifying and affirming the important role of Buy-Protect-Sell transactions within the Agricultural Land Easement Program;
      • Reauthorizing and amending the Commission on Farm Transitions, expanding the scope of the Commission to include addressing unique barriers faced by historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

    “I might be a young farmer, but here in Indiana County, and across Pennsylvania, farmers are aging,” said Jane Kaminski, a young farmer advocate in Pennsylvania. “We’re reaching a point where many farmer-landowners will be transitioning their land, planned or unplanned. At the same time, young farmers and BIPOC farmers are faced with a lack of access to affordable land… Lack of secure land tenure, including the lack of access to land in the first place, is a crisis faced by the next generation of American farmers. We need a farm bill that will meaningfully address the land access crisis and support the young people who will steward the future of our food system.”

    Climate Action

    We are heartened to see several provisions within the Conservation Title that acknowledge the important role that our nation’s farmers play in protecting our climate and stewarding farmland and natural resources. The Senate framework will support farmers as they implement on-farm conservation practices by permanently authorizing conservation programs, permanently expanding baseline conservation funding, and investing in initiatives rooted in the real-life challenges farmers face today. Other highlights include:

      • Pathways for small farms to utilize conservation programs through a 10% set-aside within the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for small farms;
      • Authorization for NRCS to enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to support farmer-led conservation education, a necessary tool in supporting farmer education to combat climate change; and
      • Amendment and expansion of purposes and definitions for key conservation programs, such as EQIP and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, to include activities that promote greenhouse gas emission reductions and other climate-friendly activities, as well as increasing baseline funding for these programs.

    Additional Priorities Reflecting the Young Farmer Agenda

      • Investment in local and regional food systems: including increased funding for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, improvements to the Produce Prescription Program and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive, increased appropriations for the Local Agriculture Market Program, and improved processes for farmers to receive SNAP and participate in other nutrition programs;
      • Increased funding for Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network providing necessary mental and behavioral health support for producers;
      • Creation of an Office of Small Farms, requiring the Secretary to designate a Small Farm Coordinator at each agency and in each State, and providing associated microgrants to small-scale farms and ranches; and
      • Maintained funding and included interpretation and translation services for the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach project to continue beginning farmer training programs and outreach to farmers of color.

    Though there is much work ahead to reach a bipartisan agreement on the details of the next Farm Bill, we are excited to see this progress, and will continue to advocate for the policy priorities of the young and BIPOC farmers in our network.

    The National Young Farmers Coalition (Young Farmers) is a national grassroots network of young farmers changing policy and shifting power to equitably resource the new generation of working farmers. Visit Young Farmers on the web at www.youngfarmers.org, and on Twitter, Facebook,YouTube and Instagram.

  • Almond Board of California 2024 Elections Underway

    Elections are underway, and almond growers have the opportunity to vote for and select two independent grower positions and two independent handler positions on the Almond Board of California Board of Directors. Alternate seats for those spots are also on the ballot. Voting ends May 23.

    Candidates for the independent grower positions:

    Grower Position #1, Member (1-year term):             Grower Position #1, Alternate:

    Paul Ewing, Los Banos (incumbent)                         Katie Staack, Hughson (incumbent)

    Grower Position #3, Member (3-year term):              Grower Position #3, Alternate

    Joe Gardiner, Earlimart (incumbent)                          No declared candidate

    Candidates for the independent handler positions:

    Handler Position #2, Member (3-year term):             Handler Position #2, Alternate:

    Bob Silveira, Williams (incumbent)                            Dexter Long, Ballico (incumbent)

    Justin Morehead, Coalinga (petitioner)

    Handler Position #3, Member (1-year term):             Handler Position #3, Alternate:

    Darren Rigg, Le Grand (incumbent)                           Chad DeRose, McFarland (incumbent)

    Ballots and instructions have been mailed to all independent growers and handlers whose names are on file with ABC. Ballots must be received by ABC by May 23. Any independent grower or handler who does not receive a ballot can contact Toni Arellano at tarellano@almondboard.com.

    “Every vote is important, and it’s equally important to have as much of the industry as possible represented in the voting,” said ABC President and CEO Clarice Turner. “The Board of Directors represents more than 7,600 growers and 100 handlers. They guide the work of the Almond Board to help the industry build a positive future in these complicated times.”

    All details, documents, open positions, timelines and frequently asked questions can be found at Almonds.com/Elections.

    The ABC board is made up of five handler and five grower representatives. It sets policy and recommends budgets in major areas, including marketing, production research, advertising, public relations, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.

    Results will be announced June 1 and the new board will start its term Aug. 1.

  • California Bearing Almond Acreage Drops for the First Time in Decades

    California’s bearing almond acreage decreased slightly over the past year, according to a new report from Land IQ to the Almond Board of California (ABC). It is the first time since at least 1995 that the total of bearing acres has not grown.

    Land IQ’s 2024 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate issued recently looked at bearing acreage – orchards planted before 2022 and that have matured enough to produce a crop for the coming 2024 harvest. It estimated that bearing almond orchards at harvest will cover 1.373 million acres across California, a decrease of about 600 acres.

    In addition, Land IQ estimates that approximately 71,000 acres of orchards will be removed by the end of the crop year, adding to the 83,000 acres removed in the 2023-24 crop year, according to Land IQ’s estimate issued in November last year.

    While the bearing acreage drop may be small – far less than 1 percent – it marks the first time since at least 1995 that bearing acreage has not increased, according to numbers issued previously by the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS), and with the orchard removals continues a trend over recent years of decreasing almond acreage in California.

    “The decrease in bearing acreage and continued orchard removals, coupled with drops in overall acreage and non-bearing acreage the last two years, signal a probable trend toward lower overall California almond acreage,” said Clarice Turner, ABC president and CEO. “We continue to see strong shipments this year, so we know global demand for California almonds continues to grow. There is no doubt that almonds will continue to have a very significant role in California and global agriculture and food industries for the foreseeable future.”

    The Land IQ report is a snapshot of the coming 2024 harvest but does not offer an estimate on the actual almond yield this 2024-25 crop year. A fuller picture of crop size will come with USDA-NASS’ Objective Report in July.

    Land IQ’s estimate covers bearing acreage and removals from Sept. 1, 2023 to Aug. 31, 2024. Note that the almond crop year runs Aug. 1-July 31, so this estimate looks at the harvest for the 2024-25 crop year.

    Land IQ will issue a final acreage report on the 2024-25 crop year in November that will include total acreage along with bearing and non-bearing acres. Their report in November 2023 found that California’s total almond acreage had dropped two years in a row to 1.56 million acres.

    Land IQ’s Initial Estimate and its Final Acreage Estimate in November are commissioned by ABC to provide statistical transparency and a robust picture of California almonds to industry stakeholders around the world. In 2018, ABC first commissioned Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental scientific research and consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive, living map of California almonds, with the first report issues in 2019. The map is the result of more than a decade of research.

    About the Almond Board of California

    California almonds make life better by what we grow and how we grow. The Almond Board of California promotes natural, wholesome and quality almonds through leadership in strategic market development, innovative research, and accelerated adoption of industry best practices on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond farmers and processors in California, most of whom are multi-generational family operations. ABC is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the USDA. It was established in 1950 and is based in Modesto, CA. For more information on the Almond Board or California almonds, visit Almonds.com.

  • USDA to Protect Hundreds of Crops from Invasive Fruit Flies

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has released “Fruit Fly Exclusion and Detection Program Fiscal Years 2024-2028 Strategy.” APHIS worked with members of the National Plant Board to develop a unified roadmap for USDA and its partners to protect American agriculture from the threat of invasive fruit flies and measure our progress along the way.

    “The United States is experiencing an unusually high number of invasive fruit fly detections – the worst of its kind in 70 years,” said Mark Davidson, USDA APHIS Deputy Administrator for the Plant Protection and Quarantine program. “Invasive fruit flies are a nuisance that drive up costs of producing fresh fruits and vegetables, which can hurt both producers and consumers. Our five-year plan lays out how Federal and State partners can continue to limit the flies’ spread as we further scientific research that will help us develop better pest management tools and options.”

    The five-year strategy prioritizes strengthening the following goals for fruit flies of regulatory significance:

    • Domestic surveillance to support early detection.
    • Management and emergency response to ensure timely mitigation.
    • Targeted and effective sterile insect technique for preventive release and eradication programs (assuring rearing facilities are maintained for efficiency and safety).
    • International and import efforts to mitigate against the introduction and spread of invasive fruit flies in the United States.

    To address the unprecedented outbreaks of exotic fruit flies, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently released $103.5 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation to fund APHIS’ supplementary emergency response activities. These funds allow APHIS to reach beyond what the agency’s appropriated funding would be able to accomplish over the next few years.

    Currently, there are exotic fruit fly quarantines in eight counties in California and five counties in New York. The California Department of Food and Agriculture and APHIS have established parallel quarantines and are working with the State’s agricultural commissioners to eradicate and prevent the statewide spread of the Queensland fruit fly, Tau fruit fly, Mediterranean fruit fly, and Oriental fruit fly in California. APHIS is also working with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to manage the European cherry fruit fly in upstate New York.

    Invasive fruit flies feed on over 400 crops, including citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables, and berries. Fruit flies can damage fruits and vegetables when they lay their eggs under the skin of the produce. There, developing larvae make the fruits and vegetables unfit for human consumption. Infested produce may not look damaged from the outside but may take on a brown, mottled appearance as the larvae feed from the inside. Resources to combat invasive fruit fly threats are limited, so developing an efficient strategy to manage or eradicate invasive fruit flies is critical.

    To reduce the spread, APHIS and affected states will work together to reduce, and to the extent possible, prevent human-assisted movement. Together, we will also promote public reporting to encourage early detection, and we will leverage the latest research and management tools available. The 5-Year Strategy drives Federal and State responders to explore new population suppression technologies, such as male annihilation technique, mass trapping, and the development of new and/or improved sterile fruit fly strains. Integrating these new technologies into the inter-agency response to invasive fruit flies will help improve the program’s efficiency.

    The new strategy also builds the capacity to combat invasive fruit flies in areas at high risk of introduction and will leverage the public’s assistance to prevent further spread of these damaging agricultural pests.

    Federal and State partners will also unite their research resources and share knowledge about fruit flies to limit their movement and distribution. While leveraging best practices in the field, State and Federal partners will prioritize more research on climate and host-plant suitability, as well as other effective management tools.

    Federal and state fruit fly quarantines do not extend into Tribal lands, but the invasive fruit flies could impact Tribal communities near the quarantine areas. APHIS consulted with Tribes on the five-year strategy in August 2023 and will continue to engage Tribes and solicit feedback on the fruit fly management and outreach strategy.

  • USDA Accepting Applications for August Trade Mission to Colombia

    U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor will lead an agribusiness trade mission to Bogotá, Colombia, Aug. 13-15, 2024. USDA is now accepting applications from current and potential U.S. exporters who have interest in joining the delegation.

    “Colombia represents a top-tier food and agricultural export destination for American farmers, ranchers and processors,” said Taylor. “As the second-most-populous country in South America, Colombia enjoys highly favorable demographics, coupled with 20 years of continuous economic growth, which saw a 36-percent increase in the median household income. USDA is committed to supporting and facilitating agricultural trade between suppliers and buyers throughout the Western Hemisphere, including Colombia.”

    Colombia is the largest South American market for U.S. agricultural products and the seventh-largest market for U.S. food and beverage exports globally. Since the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement was implemented in 2012, U.S. agricultural exports to Colombia have grown 237 percent, reaching a record $3.7 billion in 2023.

    Changes in Colombians’ lifestyles – including increasingly common dual-income households, interest in healthier foods, and demand for packaged and prepared food products – bode well for U.S. exports. Furthermore, formal retail establishments, including supermarkets and mid-sized grocery stores, now account for 60 percent of food distribution nationwide.

    While in Bogotá, U.S. agribusiness representatives will meet with potential importers from across Colombia, and FAS staff and local/regional industry trade experts will provide detailed market briefings. The mission will also include engagements with USDA leadership, site visits in Bogotá and the surrounding area, and multiple networking opportunities.

    Colombia’s modern retail sector presents newfound opportunities for a diverse range of U.S. exports, including:

    • healthy foods (low-sodium, low-sugar, low-fat)
    • fresh fruit
    • dog and cat food
    • distilled spirits and wine
    • meat and meat products (beef, pork, and poultry)
    • processed vegetables
    • beans
    • seafood
    • dairy products
    • food preparations
    • snack foods
    • cereals
    • tree nuts
    • condiments and sauces
    • food and baking ingredients
    • feed ingredients

    For consideration to participate in the trade mission, please complete the online application here by May 3. More information about USDA trade missions can be found on the FAS website.

  • UCCE Pear & Grape Field Day, May 28

    UC Cooperative Extension is hosting a Pear and Grape Day on May 28, 2024. This is the first event of its kind and we hope to provide programming like this each year for growers in California’s north coast region. The event will focus on the intersection between pear and wine grape production in the north coast. Presentations will be given by experts from University of California and other trusted organizations. Topics will include: Site Monitoring, Cover Crops, Fungal Pathogens, Common Pathogens, Soil Health, Water Use Efficiency in Perennial Crops, Insect Pests & Vectors and more. Registration is $35 and includes lunch. Space is limited, so please register soon if you wish to attend.

    Registration link:

    https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=42533

    Where and When:

    May 28, 2024

    8am – 11am: Rosetti Orchards, 14200 Old River Rd., Hopland, CA

    11am – 3pm: Campovida Winery, 13601 Old River Rd., Hopland, CA

    Speakers:

    • Monica Cooper – UC Cooperative Extension Viticulture Advisor (Napa)
    • Linda McElwee – Mendocino Resource Conservation District
    • Eskalen Lab – UC Davis Department of Plant Pathology
    • Cindy Kron – UC Cooperative Extension IPM Advisor
    • Chris Chen – UC Cooperative Extension Viticulture Advisor
    • Laura Garza-Diaz – UC Cooperative Extension Water and Climate Change Advisor and more…