California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • Edible Blue-Green Algae to Protect Honey Bees Against Viruses

    Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) developed an edible antiviral treatment that can be used to protect honey bees against Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) and other viruses, according to a recent study published in Sustainable Agriculture.

    Honey bees are important agricultural pollinators. However, viruses, including DWV, are linked to the deaths of millions of colonies worldwide. DWV, like other viruses, is most often spread by Varroa mites who carry the disease inside them and infect bee colonies. Infection typically causes deformity and death in bees, especially in the pupae and brood. These colony losses devastate beekeeping industries and pose a major risk to agriculture and the global food supply.

    While there are medicines for other bee diseases and parasites, there is currently no treatment available to help beekeepers reduce viruses in their colonies. Nearly all colonies have DWV and can often be infected with multiple viruses at any given time. Effective antiviral treatments could help to improve colony health and survival as well as crop pollination efficiency.

    “We found that engineered algae diets suppressed DWV infection and improved survival in honey bees,” said Vincent Ricigliano, research scientist at the ARS Honey Bee Laboratory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “When mixed into bee food, the engineered algae boost the bee’s immune system to fight off the targeted virus.”

    According to Ricigliano, blue-green algae is the “bee’s knees” of bee food additives. Ricigliano and other ARS researchers previously studied blue-green microscopic algae, also known as microalgae, as a potential food source for honey bees. The algae showed promise since it has a nutritional profile that resembles pollen and is scalable to the level of commercial beekeeping.

    “In addition to the nutritional benefits and immune-boosting effects, engineered algae strains have the potential to protect bees against a wide variety of pathogens,” said Ricigliano.

    Blue-green algae grow via photosynthesis and can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making it an ecologically friendly approach to improve the health of honey bees.

    “This technology represents a potential new class of treatments for honey bees that is highly sustainable and scalable,” said Ricigliano.

    “It can be added directly to supplemental feed without additional processing and easily integrated into beekeepers’ existing management practices. However, there are regulatory considerations that must be addressed before these applications can be fully realized.”

    The researchers filed a patent application for the technology and plan to use variations of it to target additional bee viruses and other pathogens in future studies.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

  • $15 Million Grant for Delta-Mendota Canal Floating Solar Project

    The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $15 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for its Delta-Mendota Canal Floating Solar Project. This grant, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will support the development, installation, and operation of a solar-over-canal pilot project and associated study to assess the viability of floating solar technologies on the Delta-Mendota Canal (DMC).

    The Delta-Mendota Canal Floating Solar Project aims to explore the potential of using floating solar panels to generate renewable energy while reducing evaporative losses and algal growth in the DMC and assessing the impacts on operations and maintenance of the DMC. SLDMWA, in collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the University of California, Merced, will assess various technologies and study the design, deployment, and co-benefits of floating solar over canals.

    Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, expressed his gratitude to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the grant, as well as the support received from the California Congressional delegation, particularly the late Senator Feinstein and California Representatives Jim Costa (D-Fresno) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), who were instrumental in securing the federal authorization in the Inflation Reduction Act.

    “We are honored to receive this grant and grateful for the support of the Bureau of Reclamation and our Congressional Representatives,’ said Barajas. “This funding will allow us to advance our shared objectives of exploring the potential of integrating renewable energy into water project operations, improving the quality of water delivered to our contractors, and maximizing the use of every drop of water in California by potentially reducing conveyance losses.”

    The Delta-Mendota Canal Floating Solar Project will span five years and involve multiple phases, including site selection, engineering, construction, operation and maintenance. The project will assess the viability of floating solar arrays, optimal tethering, and power connection options, the potential for reduced evaporation and algal growth, and potential recommendations for operation and maintenance requirements. It will also provide valuable insights for future solar canal installations across the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s canal system.

    SLDMWA will work with the University of California, Merced, to collect and analyze data on the performance of the floating solar modules in the canal system. This data will inform the project’s outcomes and contribute to a scale-up analysis that can assist in guiding future investments in solar over canals. The University of California, Merced, is already gathering information and collaborating with structural solar associated with Project Nexus, a project advanced by the Turlock Irrigation District using grant funding from the State of California.

    The Delta-Mendota Canal Floating Solar Project has a total budget of $15 million, with the grant funding provided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project will be managed by SLDMWA, with support from its partners and the research expertise of the University of California, Merced.

    A study by the University of California, Merced gives a boost to the idea, estimating that 63 billion gallons of water could be saved by covering California’s 4,000 miles of canals with solar panels that could also generate 13 gigawatts of power. That’s enough for the entire city of Los Angeles from January through early October.

    About San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority: The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority is a joint powers authority that operates and maintains the Delta-Mendota Canal and associated transferred works for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. SLDMWA is committed to advancing sound natural resources policy and exploring innovative solutions that improve climate resilience in California.

    About U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency responsible for managing, developing, and protecting water resources in the Western United States. The Bureau of Reclamation supports projects that advance the integration of renewable energy and promote clean energy solutions.

    About University of California, Merced:  UC Merced is a research university located in Merced County, California. The university’s research expertise on the water-energy nexus will contribute to the study and analysis of the Delta-Mendota Canal Floating Solar Project, providing valuable insights for future solar canal installations.

  • USDA Foreign Ag Service Accepting Applications for 2025 Export Programs

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service is accepting applications from eligible organizations for fiscal year 2025 funding for five export market development programs. FAS recently published the FY 2025 Notices of Funding Opportunity for the Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program, Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, Quality Samples Program and Emerging Markets Program.

    The application deadline for the five programs is June 14, 2024.

    Background

    Under the Market Access Program, USDA provides competitive, cost-share assistance to U.S. exporters and agricultural, fish, and forest product trade organizations for international marketing and promotion of U.S. commodities and products. More information about the program and the FY 2025 funding opportunity is available at:  https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/market-access-program-map.

    Under the Foreign Market Development Program, USDA partners with nonprofit agricultural and forest product trade associations to build longer-term international demand for U.S. commodities. More information about the program and the FY 2025 funding opportunity is available at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/foreign-market-development-program-fmd.

    The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program funds projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops. More information about the program and the FY 2025 funding opportunity is available at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/technical-assistance-specialty-crops-tasc.

    The Quality Samples Program helps agricultural trade organizations provide small samples of their products to potential importers. More information about the program and the FY 2025 funding opportunity is available at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/quality-samples-program-qsp.

    The Emerging Markets Program supports technical assistance activities for the development of emerging markets for U.S. agricultural, fish, and forest products. More information about the program and the FY 2025 funding opportunity is available at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/emerging-markets-program-emp.

  • Real California Milk Kicks Off 6th Annual Search For Pizza Innovation

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has announced the launch of the 2024 Real California Pizza Contest, the sixth annual search for the best pizza recipes using Real California cheese and dairy. The contest, which is open to professional chefs and culinary students throughout the U.S., will award prize money totaling $28,500 for the most innovative uses of cow’s milk cheeses from California. The entry submission period runs from March 18, 2024, through May 17, 2024.

    This year’s contest simplifies submissions into two new categories: Protein and Produce. Protein pizza recipes will highlight meat toppings in combination with Real California Mozzarella and other Real California cheeses. Produce pizza recipes will emphasize the delicious flavors of vegetables and fruits paired with Real California Mozzarella and other Real California cheeses.

    “Each year we bring the best of the best in pizza together to showcase how California cheeses and dairy ingredients – paired with protein, produce or both – are essential tools for pizza flavor and innovation,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “We look forward to reviewing the submissions that celebrate California’s leading foodservice cheese, Mozzarella, and our many cheese varieties.”

    All entries will be evaluated with the top four recipes in each category selected as finalists. The eight finalists will receive an all-expense paid trip to compete head-to-head at a bake-off event on August 7, 2024, at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, Calif.

    During the bake-off event, following the main competition, the eight chefs will compete in a separate Three-Cheese pizza bake-off, where they will be randomly paired and charged with crafting a signature three-cheese pizza selected from the wide array of cheeses made with Real California Milk.

    The winners of the Protein and Produce categories will each receive $7,500, and the pair of winning chefs in the Three-Cheese pizza bake-off will split $7,500. All other finalists will receive $750 each.

    Both competitions will be judged by an esteemed panel of award-winning pizza chefs, including 13-time world pizza champion Tony Gemignani, renowned Italian and pizza chef Glen Cybulski, and 2023 Real California Pizza Contest grand prize winner Bill Crawford of Righteous Slice in Idaho.

    Professional chefs and culinary students can review the contest details, official rules, and submit entries at pizzacontest.realcaliforniamilk.com. This year’s entry form includes pizza name, photograph, and a brief description detailing the recipe concept and use of Real California dairy.

    Chefs can choose from more than 250 varieties and styles of cheeses that feature the Real California Milk seal, which means they are made with sustainably sourced milk from California’s more than 1,100 family dairy farms.

    About Real California Milk/the California Milk Advisory Board
    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs.

    The Foodservice Division of the CMAB supports foodservice operators and distributors that use Real California dairy products. The CMAB offers marketing and promotional support for foodservice operators that purchase dairy products with the Real California Milk seal, which means they are made with 100 percent milk from California’s more than 1,100 family dairy farms, using some of the most sustainable dairy practices in the nation.

  • How AI and Global Economic Trends will Impact California Agriculture

    World-renowned economist and and financial expert Marci Rossell addressed American Pistachio Growers again this year at their annual conference, this time sharing some key insights on how the boom in AI (artificial intelligence) and inflation/interest-rate trends will impact specialty crop growers in the immediate and near future. Watch her brief interview with Malcolm Media Editor Matthew Malcolm for the inside scoop.

    Special Thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.

  • Pistachio Industry Continues Investment in Promising Export Market Opportunities

    The U.S. pistachio industry continues to set high shipment records in key export markets. Much of this made possible by the unified efforts of American Pistachio Growers (APG) and their marketing campaigns overseas. Pacific Nut Producer Editor Matthew Malcolm met with APG’s VP of Global Marketing Scott Fryer to discuss pistachio export market trends and where they plan to market the record crop that is expected this year. Watch this brief interview and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Special thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.

  • National Sorghum Producers 2024 Yield Contest Open for Entry

    National Sorghum Producers will now accept entries for the 2024 National Sorghum Yield Contest. State and national winners are selected from contestants split into East and West regions for the Irrigated, Dryland No-Till and Dryland Tillage divisions, and one overall winner is selected for Food Grade.

    The entry deadline for the 2024 National Sorghum Yield Contest is November 26, 2024. A complete field of 10 or more continuous acres, planted in the sorghum seed variety named on the entry form, will be designated as the contest field. NSP reminds growers, contestants are no longer required to wait 10 days after entering the contest to harvest. Contestants must harvest and report at least 1.5 continuous acres. Harvest reports will be made available to entered contestants beginning May 1, 2024, and all completed forms must be received at the NSP office no later than December 3, 2024.

    “With improvements to the contest and the continuous evolution of sorghum seed genetics, I’m confident we’re setting the stage for unprecedented achievements in sorghum production,” NSP CEO Tim Lust said. “I encourage growers to join us in this journey toward sustainable excellence and look forward to celebrating the yield accomplishments in the forthcoming growing season.”

    The goal of the National Sorghum Yield Contest is to increase grower yields, transfer knowledge between growers to enhance management and identify sorghum producers who excel in each state and throughout the country. In order to enter, contestants must pay or be an existing member of NSP. More than one member of a family may enroll, but each member must have a separate membership. All entries will be reviewed and divisions will be placed off of yield only. National and state winners will be recognized at the 2025 Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado.

    To find the entry form, 2024 yield contest rules and more information, interested growers can visit SorghumGrowers.com/yieldcontest or contact NSP directly at 806-749-3478 or yieldcontest@sorghumgrowers.com.

    NSP represents U.S. sorghum producers and serves as the voice of the sorghum industry coast to coast through legislative representation, regulatory representation and education. To learn more about NSP, visit www.sorghumgrowers.com.

  • Trade and Exports Continue to Strengthen American Agriculture

    American agriculture remains strong. Total U.S. agricultural exports reached $174.9 billion in 2023. American farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness owners continue to have success abroad as USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service works for U.S. agriculture.

    Exports are critical to the health of America’s farm sector and the nation’s economy. USDA and the Biden Administration are committed to ensuring that U.S. agriculture has full and fair access to markets and opportunities across the globe.

    In the trade policy arena, USDA successfully opened a new grapefruit market in Vietnam, increased ethanol exports to Japan, and secured the removal of retaliatory tariffs on chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, and apples in India. These and other trade wins in 2023 helped U.S. agricultural producers and exporters gain access to potential markets worth nearly $6.4 billion.

    USDA advocated for the interests of U.S. producers in international fora. The U.S. Codex Office’s efforts at the Codex Alimentarius Commission resulted in hundreds of new maximum residue limits for pesticides, ensuring that U.S. growers continue to have access to safe and effective pest control tools. Throughout 2023, our actions set the table for the market development and export promotion activities that directly benefit American farmers and their communities.

    FAS hosted five trade missions in 2023 connected U.S. producers and exporters with buyers in Central and South America, Europe, and East and Southeast Asia. The missions facilitated more than 1,600 business-to-business meetings that resulted in nearly $70 million in 12-month projected sales. FAS organized U.S. food pavilions and exhibits at 25 international trade shows in 15 countries, enabling 820 U.S. companies and organizations to showcase their products to global buyers, resulting in $1.5 billion in projected 12-month sales.

    In October 2023, USDA launched the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP), a new market development effort which emphasizes underinvested markets. The $1.2 billion initiative enables exporters to diversify into new markets and increase market share in growth markets. RAPP targets opportunities in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia where there is a growing middle class and demand for greater variety of high-quality food products.

    FAS continued to address global food insecurity in 2023. Through its Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition feeding programs, FAS invested a combined $442 million to combat food insecurity in 47 countries.

    While 2023 was another fantastic year for U.S. food and agricultural trade, we are not resting on our laurels. We’re setting our goals even higher as we look to diversify our markets and bring more U.S. products to all parts of the world in 2024. — By Alexis M. Taylor, U.S. Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs

  • SEEAG Seeks Sponsors and Participants for 2024 Farm Day Events

    Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), the nonprofit that organizes Santa Barbara County Farm Day and Ventura County Farm Day, is looking for farmers, agricultural-related businesses, and others to become event sponsors and participants. The 2024 Santa Barbara County Farm Day will be on August 24, while Ventura County Farm Day will be on November 2.

    “Farm Day has grown to become the largest community agricultural education and outreach program in California,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG’s founder and CEO. “Over 15,000 people visit our agricultural venues during our two Farm Days.”

    Each year on Farm Day, sponsoring farms and ag-related businesses open their doors to the public. They offer tours, tastings, and produce and product giveaways. Other sponsors have booths at the Farm Day Hub and are included in Farm Day marketing campaigns.

    “Farm Day visitors come away from the tours with a deeper appreciation and understanding of agriculture’s importance as they learn about what goes into planting, growing, and harvesting our food. By sponsoring and participating in Farm Day, you’re demonstrating your commitment to connecting the public with the agricultural community,” says Maranville.

    Current Farm Day sponsors include Driscoll’s, Gene Haas Foundation, County of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Foundation, Edwin and Jeanne Woods Family Foundation, AgWest Farm Credit, California Giant Berry Farms, Church Brothers Farms, Mission Produce, The Land Trust of Santa Barbara, Al Lowe Construction, Duda Farms, Engle & Gray, Innovative Produce, Santa Maria Berry Farms and Scott Family Foundation.

    For Farm Day participation and sponsorship details, visit www.SantaBarbaraCountyFarmDay.com and www.VenturaCountyFarmDay.com or contact Liz Shura at 805-892-8155, liz@seeag.org.

    About SEEAG

    Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to help young students understand the origins of their food by bridging

    the gap between agriculture and consumption through its agricultural education programming. SEEAG’s “The Farm Lab” program teaches schoolchildren about the origins of their food and

    the importance of local farmland by providing schools with classroom agricultural education and free field trips to farms. Through this and other SEEAG programs, over 100,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. Each year, it hosts Santa Barbara Farm Day and Ventura County Farm Day where the public can visit local farms and other agriculture-related entities. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Mary Maranville at mary@seeag.org.

  • Understanding Cattle Grazing Personalities May Foster Sustainable Rangelands

    Not all cattle are the same when it comes to grazing. Some like to wander while others prefer to stay close to water and rest areas.

    Recognizing those personality differences could help ranchers select herds that best meet grazing needs on rangelands, leading to better animal health and environmental conditions, according to a new paper from the University of California, Davis, published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

    “Cattle can actually be beneficial for the rangelands,” said lead author Maggie Creamer, who recently earned her Ph.D. in animal behavior at UC Davis. “Vegetation in rangelands actually need these kinds of disturbances like grazing.”

    Ranchers can add elements to the rangeland such as water, mineral supplements and fencing to influence where cattle graze, but little research has been done on how those efforts affect individual cows. Considering personalities could save money.

    “If you’re spending all this money to add a management tool in order to change the distribution of your animals, that’s a huge cost to ranchers,” said Creamer. “Thinking about other tools, or selecting certain animals with these grazing traits, might be a better way to optimize the distribution on rangeland rather than spending a bunch of money for something that may ultimately not pan out for all your animals.”

    Effects of grazing

    Livestock graze on an estimated 56 million acres in California, and healthy rangelands host native vegetation and animals, foster nutrient cycling and support carbon sequestration.

    Uneven grazing can degrade water quality, soil health and habitats. Optimizing grazing — including the even spread of cow pies — can improve the ecosystem while also reducing fuel loads for wildfires.

    To better understand individual grazing patterns, researchers went to the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center in Browns Valley and tracked 50 pregnant Angus and Hereford beef cows fitted with GPS collars.

    The research

    The cattle, which were tracked from June to August over two years, had access to 625 acres of grasslands and treed areas ranging in elevation from 600 to 2,028 feet. In the second year, a new watering site was added at a higher elevation.

    Across the two years, the cows showed consistent and distinct grazing patterns even when water sources changed. Age and stage of pregnancy did not affect patterns, though cattle tended to clump near water and rest sites on hotter days.

    The cows that ventured into higher elevations and farther from watering sites had more variability in their grazing patterns than those that stayed at lower elevations near water. That suggests it may be harder for non-wanderers to adjust to some landscapes.

    “Thinking about the topography of your rangeland and your herd of cows can benefit both the animals and the sustainability of the land,” said Creamer, who next month begins work as a postdoctoral scholar in North Carolina.

    Gauging personalities

    Keying in on personality type may sound difficult, but the researchers also found some clues as to how to pinpoint the wanderers and homebodies. Unlike cattle at feedlots, the breeding cow population, especially on rangelands in California and other western states, live largely “wild” lives and are rarely handled, save for vaccinations and weaning.

    Research due to be published later this year found that paying attention to individual cow reactions during those events can help determine personalities. The cows that appeared more passive during those handling interactions tended to be nomadic.

    “We found that you can maybe predict those hill climbers if you kind of look at how they act when the veterinarian or rancher handle them,” said senior author Kristina Horback, an associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis.

    Informing practices

    For ranchers, the findings could be invaluable, said Dan Macon, a livestock and natural resources Cooperative Extension advisor in Placer and Nevada counties for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    “Any time we can improve our understanding of cattle behavior, particularly at the individual level, it can improve how we handle livestock and manage the landscape,” he said.

    Macon said that during the recent drought, it was hard to get cattle into higher country, but if ranchers could have selected the nomads, it may have saved money in terms of ranch labor and other efforts.

    “If you ask a rancher who has been attentive to their cattle over many years, they know the personalities,” Macon said.

    For Creamer and Horback, the research opens new doors into understanding herd behavior and dynamics, one that could be a cheaper alternative to high-tech solutions.

    “Animal science tends to look overlook the mind of the animal when searching for solutions to challenges,” Horback said. “It’s always been a direct line to genetics for immunity or nutrition, but nothing about the mind of the animal. And that’s such a loss. There’s so much we can learn from behavior in the end.”

    The Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment supported the research. — By Emily C. Dooley, UC Davis 

    Read the paper