California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • California Association of Winegrape Growers Promotes Mindy DeRohan

    The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) is pleased to announce Mindy DeRohan’s promotion to Manager of Membership and Communications.

    Previously serving as CAWG’s Communications Manager, DeRohan will now oversee member relations while continuing to lead communication strategies.

    Natalie Collins, CAWG President, expressed excitement, stating, “Mindy has been a valuable asset to CAWG, and we are thrilled to see her take on this expanded role. The integration of communications and membership management under her leadership will undoubtedly enhance our association.”

    Collins emphasized, “Mindy’s background equips her to fortify member relations, ensuring optimal support and engagement for our growers and business members.” With a decade of experience in agriculture and communications, DeRohan is well-prepared to contribute significantly to CAWG’s mission of delivering value to its members and stakeholders.

    Before joining CAWG, DeRohan held roles as the Program Manager for the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom and as the Manager of the CAPCA ED Continuing Education Program for the California Association of Pest Control Advisors.

    DeRohan, a Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo alumna, holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science and a Master of Science in Agricultural Business. She is also a 2016 graduate of the Leadership Farm Bureau program.

  • Friends of the Fair Sponsoring $25,000 in College Ag Scholarships

    It pays to major in agriculture. The Friends of the Dixon May Fair is sponsoring nine college scholarships, valued at a total of $25,000, in its annual Donnie and Tootie Huffman Scholarship Program that is open to Solano County high school graduates majoring in an agricultural field.

    In the past, the ag scholarship applicants had to “be attending a college or university within California.”  As of 2024, the rules have expanded to  “a college or university within the United States,” announced Carrie Hamel of Dixon, scholarship chair.

    The deadline to apply is March 1, 2024.

    In the four-year university or college category, scholarships available are:

    –The $5000 Donnie Huffman Presidential Memorial Scholarship

    –The $4000 JoAn Giannoni Scholarship

    –The $3500 Ester Armstrong Scholarship

    –The $3000 Joe Gates Memorial Scholarship

    –Three scholarships at $3000 each

    In the two-year, or community college category scholarships available are:

    –The 1500 Jack Hopkins Memorial Scholarship

    –$1000 scholarship

    Since 2000, the Friends have awarded a total of $248,750 in college scholarships, Hamel said.

    The scholarship program was named the Donnie and Tootie Huffman Scholarship Program in honor of the founding president Donnie Huffman (Feb. 29, 1940-2023), and his wife, Tootie, the founding treasurer. Donnie died June 17, 2023 after a long battle with cancer.  His wife Tootie, continues as a Friends of the Fair volunteer.

    Donnie also founded the Friends of the Solano County Fair (1993 amd served as its president until 2006. He and Tootie began a college scholarship program for both fairs. Since 2000, the Friends of the Dixon May Fair has awarded a total of $248,750 to Solano County residents majoring in agriculture. In tribute to their work, the program was renamed the Donnie and Tootie Huffman Scholarship Program in 2022. A $5,000 scholarship to the top applicant bears his name.

    In 2023, four applicants shared a total of $15,500.

    Sam Esperson, a 2022 graduate of Rio Vista High School and a student at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, won the newly created Donnie Huffman Scholarship of $5000.

    Bridget de Flores, a 2023 graduate of Rio Vista High School, a student at Cal Poly, received the $4000 JoAn Gianoni Scholarship. Giannoni, a longtime resident of Dixon, is a founding member of the Friends, and served as the inaugural secretary and scholarship chair.

    Natalie Victorine, a 2021 graduate of Dixon High School and a student at Cal Poly, won the $3500 Ester Armstrong Scholarship. The award memorializes fair industry veteran Ester Armstrong of Rockville, a former director of the California Division of Fairs and Expositions who served as interim CEO of the Dixon May Fair from 2006 to 2009. She died in May 2009 of cancer.

    Molly Feins, a 2021 graduate of Vacaville High School and a student at Cal Poly, won the newly established $3000 Joe Gates Memorial Scholarship. Gates, a Rio Vista resident and longtime auctioneer of the Dixon May Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction, died of COVID, died in February 2021.

    Capsule information:

    Sam Esperson
    Esperson, then a 2023 high school graduate, wrote that he planned to obtain a bachelor of science degree in agricultural systems management from Cal Poly. “With a college education in agricultural systems management, I can use a variety of levels of agricultural engineering, business credit and financing, agricultural personnel management and overall agricultural systems management theory to expand my opportunities in the agricultural industry,” he wrote in his essay. He is a member of numerous clubs, including the Agricultural Engineers Society.

    Bridget de Flores

    De Flores, ranking in the top 10 of her Rio Vista High School graduating class, wrote that she hoped to double major in ag business or animal science at Cal Poly. She captained the varsity cheer team and was active in 4-H. “When I was little, I used to say that when I got bigger I wanted to own a ranch, so that I could own all the animals I wanted to. Now that I have grown, I have seen how I can make that into reality.” She aims for a career as a farm/ranch manager or a farmer/rancher.

    Natalie Victorine

    Victorine, majoring in agricultural communication at Cal Poly, seeks a career as a social media manager/digital media production for an agricultural business. “My inspiration to pursue a degree in agricultural communication was fueled by my involvement in youth agricultural leadership organizations such as 4-H and FFA, combined with my strong roots in agriculture growing up in a cattle ranching family,” she wrote.

    Molly Feins

    Molly Feins, who seeks a career “in the animal and agricultural field,” is majoring in animal science at Cal Poly. Her initial plans included pursuing a career in animal genetics, but she indicated she may change that to agricultural leadership. “This has been a year for reflection and growth mindset,” she wrote in her essay.

    The Friends, an all-volunteer, service-oriented organization, is the fundraising arm of the Dixon May Fair. Headed by president Gilbert “Gil” Molina of Vacaville, the organization raises funds through the sale of beverages at the four-day fair, and donate the proceeds for building and grounds improvements, college scholarships, and exhibitor awards.

    Applicants are scored on personal, civic and academic experience; academic standing; personal commitment and established goals; leadership potential; civic accomplishments; chosen field in the areas of agriculture, said Hamel.  Most applicants have experience in 4-H, FFA or Grange, criteria desired but not mandated.

    Continuing scholarship winners may apply up to four times, Hamel said. All scholarship checks can be used only for tuition, fees, books, materials and supplies, housing, and meals purchased on campus.

    Agricultural-related fields include majors and options such as, but not limited to, agricultural and resource economics, agricultural business, agronomy and range science, agricultural science, agricultural systems management, animal science, avian sciences, bio-resource and agricultural engineering, plant protection science, dairy science, entomology, earth sciences, environmental horticultural science, environmental design, environmental management and protection, landscape architecture, food science, environmental toxicology, forestry and natural resources, fruit science, soils and biogeochemistry, agricultural education and communication, home economics, environmental resource sciences, agribusiness, pomology, animal science, vegetable crops, nematology, earth and soil sciences, plant pathology, food science and nutrition, wildlife and fisheries biology, horticulture and crop science, pest management, natural resources management, child, family and consumer science, viticulture and enology, atmospheric science, and hydrologic science.

    The scholarship committee, chaired by Hamel, also includes Tootie Huffman, Kathy Keatley Garvey and Linda Molina, all of Vacaville, and Marty Scrivens and Alisa Ramirez, both of Dixon.

    More information on the scholarship application rules is available on the Friends of the Fair Facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/FriendsoftheDixonMayFair. Applications must be on the Friends of the Fair form and include a personal essay of not more than two pages; accumulative and current transcripts; and two letters of support, with one from a professional educator. The packet (one set of originals and a copy of each document) is to be mailed to the Friends of the Fair, P.O. Box 242, Dixon, Calif.

  • Grower-Shipper Association Appoints 2024 Board Members

    As recently ratified by its regular (i.e., grower, shipper, processor, landowner, harvester) membership, the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) elected four new members to its Board of Directors: Kiana Amaral, Chief Operating Officer, BlazerWilkinsonGee, Chris Drew, President & CEO, Ocean Mist Farms, Carmen Ponce, Vice President and General Counsel of Labor, Tanimura and Antle, and Matt Rogers, Co-Founder and General Manager of AgSocio.

    “We welcome Kiana, Chris, Carmen and Matt and look forward to their input and contributions to the dynamic Board discussions that help GSA define our strategic directions, programs and policies that support our members and our region,” says Christopher Valadez, GSA President.

    “We also thank our outgoing Board members for their years of service and leadership throughout the challenges we have faced, including the pandemic, wildfires, and floods, as well as labor and water issues and the INSV disease complex impacting our region,” Valadez says. Those outgoing members include Colby Pereira, Chief Operating Officer, Braga Fresh, Jason Smith, President, Smith Family Wines and John Wilkinson, Founder, BlazerWilkinsonGee.

    About the new GSA Board members:

    Amaral began her produce career at Misionero Vegetables before switching industries when she moved to the HSBC Credit Card division where she worked in the Marketing Department for nearly ten years. While working at HSBC, Amaral got her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Amaral joined the family-owned berry business, BlazerWilkinsonGee, LLC, in 2000 where she worked in every office position imaginable on her way to becoming the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Amaral is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor’s of Science degree.

    Drew has been with Ocean Mist for over two decades. Prior to becoming President & CEO, Drew was the company’s Chief Operating Officer and collaborated with teams to streamline strategies and processes in addition to overseeing the operational departments and facilities across the organization. Drew earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Crop Science from Cal-Poly University, San Luis Obispo, followed by his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

    Ponce serves in a crucial role for Tanimura & Antle (T&A), a family and employee-owned company, which employs over 7,000 people annually. She is in her 25th year with T&A. Ponce graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with a dual degree – A Master’s of Science in Foreign Service and Juris Doctor.

    Prior to starting AgSocio, Rogers spent many years working on strategic purchasing initiatives and social, environmental, and food safety issues in the produce supply chain for Whole Foods Market. Rogers serves on the standards committee of the Equitable Food Initiative and on the board of directors of CIERTO. He is a member of the National Agricultural Worker Advisory Council of the National Center for Farmworker Health.

    The new Board members were elected to serve a three-year term. For more information, visit www.growershipper.com.

    2024 Board of Directors (effective January 2024)

    Victor Ramirez, Chair, NorCal Harvesting
    Tony Alameda, Past-Chair, Top Flavor Farms
    Greg Beach, Vice-Chair, Huntington Farms
    Steve Ish, Secretary, Taylor Farms
    Chad Amaral, D’Arrigo Bros. of California
    Kristina Nunes, The Nunes Company
    Carmen Ponce, Tanimura & Antle
    Melissa Duflock, Landowner
    Chris Drew, Ocean Mist Farms
    Jay Iverson, GreenGate Fresh
    Matt Rogers, AgSocio

    Kiana Amaral, Blazer Wilkinson Gee

  • New Trade Advisory Committee Members Needed to Represent Fruits and Vegetables

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are accepting applications for new members to serve on agricultural trade advisory committees.

    Members of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee provide advice to the administration on the implementation and enforcement of existing U.S. trade agreements, negotiation of new agreements, and other trade policy matters.

    Members of the six Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees, or ATACs, provide technical advice and recommendations on international trade issues that affect specific agricultural commodity sectors. The ATACs focus on trade in:

    • Animals and animal products
    • Fruits and vegetables
    • Grains, feed, oilseeds, and planting seeds
    • Processed foods
    • Sweeteners and sweetener products
    • Tobacco, cotton, peanuts and hemp

    Applicants must have expertise in U.S. agriculture and experience in international trade to be considered for committee membership. Committee members serve four-year terms and represent a cross-section of U.S. food and agricultural stakeholders. Committee members must be U.S. citizens, qualify for a security clearance, and be willing to serve without compensation for time, travel, or expenses. The committees hold frequent video or teleconference calls and generally meet in Washington, D.C., twice a year.

    Application instructions are available at https://www.fas.usda.gov/trade-advisory-committees-applying-membership. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. ET on January 31, 2024. Any applications received after the deadline will be considered for future appointments, as appropriate.

    In support of the Administration’s priority to improve equity and representation across the Federal Government, USDA and USTR intend for the advisory committees to be broadly representative of agricultural sectors and groups with expertise and experience in agricultural trade and policy issues. Applications are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial status, parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or gender identity. For more information, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-advisory-committees or e-mail ATACs@usda.gov.

  • Soil Health Improvement Incentives to Boost Crops

    America’s farmers rely on a host of practices such as cover cropping and crop rotation to maintain soil health, grow more productive crops and feed the U.S. and countries around the world. However, current research is too sparse to precisely demonstrate how these practices can actually affect the yields and bottom lines for farmers.

    Agricultural lenders and crop insurers do not currently offer incentives for farmers who incorporate these practices to improve soil health because they have no research-based economic rationale for doing so, according to Frederi Viens, a professor in the Department of Statistics at Rice University. Meanwhile, he said there is ample evidence that the federal crop insurance program indirectly provides strong incentives to continue practices that are damaging to soil health.

    Viens said this misalignment of incentives is a missed opportunity for all parties involved, and it’s one of the reasons he has taken the role of lead statistician on a multi-year, multi-institution research project supported by grants from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture and from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research in partnership with the public advocacy nonprofit organization Land Core.

    The project’s goal is to provide evidence that more sustainable practices reduce production risk while not significantly reducing overall yields — or better yet, improving them. Viens argues that with such evidence, a shift to more sustainable farming practices could be viewed as realistic by all parties.

    “For the first time we are conducting a research project to demonstrate at scale how engaging in these farming ‘best practices’ can benefit farmers, insurance providers and the federal government, which provides ample farm subsidies,” Viens said, adding that the way the U.S. farming system is set up now is not sustainable for the long term.

    “The problem is that if we continue with business as usual, soil health is going to continue to deteriorate, and climate change will make things even worse,” he said. “And we may get to a point where there is nothing left in the ground to grow anything. This is obviously super concerning.”

    Using sophisticated statistical techniques, Viens and his fellow researchers will determine the risk-mitigation benefits and related cost savings associated with practices that improve soil health. By highlighting the economic upside of these practices, Viens said the federal crop insurance program will be able to offer better prices and pay out less in claims. Meanwhile, farm lenders can lower loan rates and/or offer improved terms to farmers adopting good soil-health practices. Viens says he expects that farmland valuation will start to systematically reflect the net positives of these practices.

    “It’s a total win-win, or in this case, a win-win-win,” Viens said. “Farmers will save money on their premiums and produce more abundant crops. Lenders will reduce their risk and hence increase their profit margins. The federal government won’t be spending as much taxpayer money on subsidies and crop insurance claims, all because soils will be healthier and cropping will become more diverse; thus, low yields will occur less frequently, stabilizing each farm operation’s finances, lowering the risk exposure for their lenders and for the federal government.

    “And finally — and most importantly — incentivization and implementation of these farming practices will improve long-term sustainability of the U.S. farming system by making it more resilient to extreme weather events,” Viens continued. “This is even more important when one knows that these threats will increase in frequency and in severity because of climate change.”

    Viens is part of two closely allied groups of researchers working on the project. One group led by Harry Schomberg, a research ecologist and agronomist at the USDA’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, is currently using data from about 20 experimental farms in the Midwest, California, Canada, Maryland, Mexico and Tennessee, which covers a vast diversity of different types of crops, cropping systems and agro-ecological zones. Preliminary results show strong evidence of a simultaneous increase in climate resilience and yield under increased rotational complexity.

    The agronomy lead on these projects is Timothy Bowles, an associate professor of agroecology and sustainable agricultural systems and director of University of California, Berkeley’s Agroecology Lab. The economic analysis at the level of full farm operations is being performed with the collaboration of Ph.D. students at Rice, Michigan State University, and led by Lawson Connor, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas who specializes in crop production economics.

    Viens and his team of Ph.D. students will support all teams involved with their statistical expertise in modeling and analysis in addition to Viens’ research background in quantitative finance and insurance mathematics and his hands-on knowledge of farming practices.

    More information on the grants is online at https://landcore.org/news-post/2023/6/22/land-core-awarded-ffar-grant-to-expand-soil-health-risk-model and https://food.berkeley.edu/from-the-field/quantifying-the-risk-reduction-value-of-soil-health/.

  • Research Identifies Traits That Could Advance Grape Breeding, Sustainability

    Wild North American grapes are now less of a mystery after an international team of researchers led by the University of California, Davis, decoded and catalogued the genetic diversity of nine species of this valuable wine crop.

    The research, published in the journal Genome Biology, uncovers critical traits that could accelerate grape breeding efforts, particularly in tackling challenges like climate change, saline environments and drought.

    “This research marks a significant step in understanding the genetics of grapevines,” said Dario Cantù, the senior author on the journal article and a professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology. “It lays the groundwork for future advancements in grape breeding by identifying key genes responsible for important traits.”

    The research team developed and used state-of-the-art technology to construct a comprehensive pangenome, which is a complete genetic blueprint, of wild grape species.

    This so-called super-pangenome of nine species allowed the team to map genetic diversity, identify similarities or differences among them, and pinpoint specific traits that breeders may want to incorporate. First author Noé Cochetel, a postdoctoral researcher in Cantù’s lab, did the analyses and played a pivotal role in the project.

    It is the first North American wild grape pangenome to be mapped and catalogued, Cantù said.

    “This offers tremendous potential for advancing sustainable grape cultivation, especially in regions facing water scarcity challenges,” said Cantù, a plant biologist who also holds the Louis P. Martini Endowed chair. “This pangenome will enable further genetic exploration of other vital adaptive traits, essential for industry resilience, like drought tolerance, heat resistance and defense against Pierce’s disease.”

    Caused by a strain of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, Pierce’s disease kills grapevines by clogging their water-conducting vessels.

    Wild grape pros and cons

    North American grapes are known for their resistance to disease and adaptability, but they are not favored for taste and wine quality. European grapevines like chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon are less resistant to diseases but are renowned for producing high-quality wines.

    North American species have a wide geographic range. As a consequence, they have evolved to withstand diverse climatic, soil and pathogen conditions, encompassing a broad spectrum of genetic diversity.

    That is why nearly all wine grapes produced worldwide are from European vines grafted onto North American rootstocks.

    Ability to select traits

    The detailed pangenome will empower breeders to selectively incorporate desired traits from wild grapes, such as salt tolerance, while avoiding less desirable characteristics.

    “Salt tolerance is a crucial trait for rootstocks,” Cantù noted. “Identifying these traits at a genetic level is a major advancement for grape breeding.”

    Andrea Minio, Jadran F. Garcia, Rosa Figueroa-Balderas and Mélanie Massonnet from UC Davis contributed to the research, as did experts from Cornell University, UC Irvine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and Human Technopole in Italy.

    Funding from the National Science Foundation, the E&J Gallo Winery and Louis P. Martini Endowment in Viticulture supported the research. The UC Davis Genome Center, of which Cantù is a member, performed sequencing. — By Emily C. Dooley, UC Davis

  • January USDA Lending Rates for Ag Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for January 2024, which are effective Jan. 2, 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.

    “I encourage our lenders and borrowers alike to work with our local offices and our cooperators to capitalize fully on the existing flexibilities in these important programs,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

    Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans
    FSA offers farm ownership, operating and emergency loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time, or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for underserved producers, including, beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.

    Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for January 2024 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.

    To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov. Once producers have a better idea of the type of loan they need for their farm operation, producers can apply for a direct farm loan online through the FSA Online Loan Application, a secure portal where producers can complete their applications and submit it for processing. Use the Online Loan Application by accessing the Loan Assistance Tool.

    Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
    Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.

    Disaster Support
    FSA also reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the past year’s winter storms, drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters that USDA has programs that provide assistance. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are prepared to deliver a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to agricultural producers and impacted communities. Many programs are available without an official disaster designation, including several risk management and disaster recovery options.

    More Information
    USDA continues to accept applications for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. All requests for assistance must be received by Jan. 13, 2024. For information on how to request assistance, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/loans.

    Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging in their farmers.gov account. Producers without an account can sign up today.

  • Citrus Industry Guide to Fruit Fly Quarantines

    Over the last several months, a variety of invasive fruit fly detections have triggered quarantines across numerous counties in California. These fruit fly species – including Mediterranean fruit fly, Mexican fruit fly, Oriental fruit fly, Tau fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly – are considered not established in California. Quarantines and their associated regulatory actions are implemented to stop the artificial spread of these pests and thus avoid additional negative impacts to growers and the state’s agriculture and natural resources.

    The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division is working to provide boots-on-the-ground assistance to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division as they lead efforts in eradicating the fruit flies by conducting larval surveys, host fruit removal, delimitation trapping, treatment activities and regulatory actions across the state.

    Fruit fly quarantines are established after a certain number of adult flies are captured within three miles of one another and within one life cycle. Fruit fly quarantines are also established when detections of reproductive populations such as larva, pupae or mated flies are found in an area. These thresholds have already been met in certain areas of the state, including the following areas:

    Counties Currently Impacted by Fruit Fly Quarantines:

    • Oriental fruit fly: Contra Costa, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino and Santa Clara Counties
    • Mediterranean fruit fly: Los Angeles County
    • Tau fruit fly: Los Angeles County
    • Queensland fruit fly: Los Angeles and Ventura Counties

    To review the quarantine maps, regulatory information, pest profile information for various fruit flies and additional resources, please visit https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/PDEP/treatment/index.html

    FAQ: Bulk Citrus Movement Requirements in Fruit Fly Quarantine Zones

    Treatment information & maps can be found here:https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/PDEP/treatment/treatment_maps.html

    Quarantine information on fruit fly species and other invasive pests can be found here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pe/InteriorExclusion/quarantine.html

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    How is a fruit fly quarantine triggered?
    A quarantine is triggered by the number of adult flies captured within three miles of each other and in one life cycle:

    • Mediterranean, Melon, Caribbean Fruit Fly – 2
    • Mexican Fruit Fly – 5
    • Oriental, Guava, Peach Fruit Fly – 6 Rural or 8 Urban
    • All other adult invasive fruit flies (e.g., Queensland Fruit Fly) – 2

    OR

    • SINGLE detection of larva, mated female, or pupae indicating a breeding population.

    How large is the fruit fly quarantine zone(s)?

    There are three main areas to consider within the fruit fly quarantine zone, and each has different requirements for harvest/bulk citrus movement:

    1. The property where the detection occurred
    2. Core Area: A one-half mile radius around the detection
    3. Quarantine Area: A 4.5-mile radius around the detection.

    What steps must growers in these three areas of the quarantine zone follow in order to harvest/move their bulk citrus?
    For properties where the detection occurred and properties within the core area (0.5-mile radius around the detection site), this citrus is not eligible for packing, but may be stored, processed and consumed on the growing site. If properties within the core areas have no fruit fly or life stages detected on the growing grounds, fruit can only be moved for juicing, processing, freezing, etc. under compliance and safeguarding with approval of the receiving county ag commissioner.

    Growers in the quarantine zone, but outside of the core area, may receive regular pre-harvest treatments with approved insecticides, applied at recommended intervals, starting a sufficient time before harvest (but not less than 30 days before harvest and a minimum of 4 treatments) to allow for development of fruit fly egg and larvae. Determination of the pre-harvest treatment window is based on the degree day model for the specific fruit fly. Once treatment has begun, it must continue through the harvest period.

    Have additional questions? Please reach out to your local County Agricultural Commissioner. — California Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program

  • Animal Agriculture Alliance Releases Reports from 2023 Animal Rights Conferences

    The Animal Agriculture Alliance has concluded the release of reports from four prominent animal rights extremist conferences held throughout 2023. The conferences included: Direct Action Everywhere’s Animal Liberation Conference (ALC) (held June 9-14), The Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit (held July 27-30), Humane Society of the United States’ Taking Action for Animals (TAFA) Conference (held August 5-6), and Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Law Conference (held October 20-22). The Alliance also released a report from The Reducetarian Summit (held October 27-29).

    Key discussions among speakers at these conferences included: a need for increased “investigations” and “open rescues” conducted at farms and processing facilities; calls for animal rights extremists to become more engaged politically and in the legislative process; strategies to pressure restaurant, retail, and foodservice brands to reduce their sourcing of meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood; and ways the animal rights movement can tap into other key issues to gain attention such as public health and climate change.

    “Monitoring the strategies and tactics of the animal rights movement, including through our release of conference reports, allows Alliance members and the broader agriculture community – from farm to fork – to be aware of how these organizations are becoming increasingly aggressive in their efforts to take meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, and seafood off of consumers’ plates,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Alliance president and CEO. “I hope that everyone involved in raising, processing, and retailing animal protein will take the opportunity to review the main themes of these reports and implement measures to safeguard their livelihoods.”

    Direct Action Everywhere’s (DXE) Animal Liberation Conference primarily focused on its “right to rescue” campaign, as DXE has been advocating for the legal right to conduct “open rescues,” which entail entering farms and plants without permission and taking livestock and poultry. DXE extremist Alicia Santurio, who faced trial this year in charges stemming from one such incident, says DXE’s version of “open rescue” is, “[W]e do go into these places of violence and if we see a sick or injured animal that really needs us, those are the ones we rescue, but I don’t think that’s the only reason you have to rescue an animal.” Speakers at the event made their viewpoints of animal agriculture clear as Erin Wing, Animal Outlook’s director of “investigations” claimed, “Animal agriculture is a complex machine refined over centuries and designed to torture and destroy all of the living beings within it.”

    The decision for the Supreme Court to uphold California’s Proposition 12 was a key focus at several conferences, including the Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit and the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) TAFA Conference. Both conferences emphasized the recent “victory” and its implications for the animal rights movement. Kate Brindle, HSUS, said, “The court’s decision… not only upheld Proposition 12 and laws like it… it essentially gave a judicial green light so that we can keep working in the legislatures to free animals from suffering and extreme confinement.” The Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act was also denounced as “the biggest threat…ever seen to animal protection.” We expect to see more pressure on this proposed legislation in 2024 as several animal rights supporters, including speakers at the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Law Conference have called it a “disaster for farmed animals.”

    Several conferences also touched on their strategies to continue pressuring restaurant, retail, and foodservice brands to reduce their sourcing of meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood. Josh Bisig with ProVeg, an organization focused on “food system change,” said, “Our mission is to replace 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040.”It was also stated that creating change at the food brand level was an effective way to force change at the farm level. Danielle Melgar, U.S. PIRG, shared an example: “We saw an opportunity to instead turn to a corporate campaign approach, so that we could get major restaurant chains to make commitments to purchasing meat that was raised without the routine use of antibiotics. This would then change what their suppliers are doing.”

    Animal rights groups have been using the coattails of issues of significant public interest such as climate change, public health, and social justice to reach wider audiences. David Meyer, Food Systems Innovations, put it this way: “What is it about this climate crisis that is actually a huge opportunity for the animals? Well, it’s a new reason to not eat animals, but this one can’t be ignored.” Brian Kateman, Reducetarian Foundation, said, “We are in a room where everybody agrees that we must end factory farming and we have to reduce the size of consumption of animal products. We don’t have to agree on everything in order to make progress on that one thing.”

    All 2023 animal rights conference reports, which include accounts of speaker presentations and general observations, are available to Alliance members in the Resource Center on the Alliance website. The Alliance website also includes reports from previous years’ animal rights conferences. Media wishing to obtain copies of the full report, or for all other inquiries, please contact Emily Ellis, manager, communications and content, at eellis@animalagalliance.org.

    About the Alliance:

    The Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation.

  • 2024 World Ag Expo® Top-10 New Product Winners

    Results are in for World Ag Expo’s® 2024 Top-10 New Products Competition. The winners will be showcased February 13-15, 2024 during the World Ag Expo® in Tulare, California.

    The impressive field of new products were submitted for the contest by exhibitors of the largest annual agricultural show of its kind. Products ranged from simple solutions to autonomous robots. The contest judges consisted of farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals.

    Winners will be noted on show maps, marked with “Top-10 Winner” flags at the show, and recognized at an awards session at World Ag Expo® Opening Ceremonies on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.

    The competition is conducted annually by the International Agri-Center® in conjunction with World Ag Expo®, which draws more than 1,200 exhibitors and an estimated annual average of 100,000 individuals from 60 countries. Exhibitors must nominate their products for judging by the October 31 deadline to be eligible.

    For more information on the contest and winners, including contacts, please email media@farmshow.org.

    Amiga V7 by Farm-ng, Watsonville, CA

    Amiga V7 by Farm-ng is an electric, configurable, 1.3HP platform that allows farmers, developers, and researchers to haul, tow, spray, apply composts and assist in other essential roles. The platform is the erector set of farm tools where the same machine can be configured over the row, wide, narrow, with intelligence and tools that lift or rotate. The intelligence platform has an open API allowing students, developers and even elementary school students to code and configure the machine to collect data, integrate with other tools, and perform repeated robotic tasks. With the GPS guidance system, it can perform precision steering and weed the same plots it seeded earlier in the year with minimal or no operator intervention.

    Space: U35, U37, U39, U41, T38, T40, T42 │ farm-ng.com

    Blue Spray by Bluewhite, Fresno, CA

    BlueSpray brings autonomous precision spraying capabilities to growers in orchards and vineyards. BlueSpray leverages Bluewhite’s autonomous tractor sensing capabilities to provide plant-based spraying in high resolution that can integrate into any existing sprayers, adjusting spray volume and pressure in real-time based on plant size and density, reducing the amount of chemicals used and reducing spray drift without compromising on coverage. The BlueSpray data feeds into the Bluewhite data platform and is immediately available to the grower and to an agribusiness ecosystem for data insights, compliance, and business optimization.

    Space: R37, R39 │ bluewhite.co

    Burro Grande, plus Atlas Online Route Creation by Burro, Philadelphia, PA

    As a fully autonomous robot powered by AI and outfitted with computer vision plus LiDAR, Burro Grande is the ‘Big Brother’ to the existing Burro platform and boasts a 5,000 lb towing capacity and 1,500 lb pallet scale carry capacity. When paired with Atlas, Burro’s online route creation platform, users can construct, manage, and share routes across their fleet. Whether towing, carrying, or following, Burro Grande allows your existing equipment operators to step away from the seat of a Tractor/UTV, saving valuable labor.

    Space: P34, P36 │ burro.ai

    Electric GUSS by GUSS Automation, Kingsburg, CA

    Electric GUSS is an autonomous electric herbicide orchard sprayer manufactured by GUSS Automation in Kingsburg, California. Electric GUSS is the first electric autonomous herbicide orchard sprayer in the world and allows a single employee to operate and monitor a combination of up to eight GUSS machines from the safety of his or her vehicle using a laptop computer. This driverless electric herbicide sprayer uses a combination of LiDAR, GPS, cameras, and more to safely and autonomously drive through the orchard, day or night, row after row reducing emissions and saving spray material.

    Space: RD5 │ gussag.com

    EZ Cut Seal Remover by Country Enterprises, Lucan, MN

    EZ Cut Seal Remover quickly and safely removes seals from most chemical containers without getting debris in the spray or sprayer. This item holds up to 25 seals and comes with an ejection tool to dispose of the seals without ever touching the chemical. Customizable decals are available for a great promotional item. This product was made by a farmer, for the farmer. A twist is all it takes!

    Space: Corteva Agriscience Center 3827 │stores.countryent.net

    Model B Smart Sprayer by Verdant Robotics, Hayward, CA

    The Verdant Robotics Model B Smart Sprayer is the ultimate solution to eradicate weeds in specialty crops. The Model B works in any field, whether organic or conventional, no-till or cultivated. What sets it apart is Verdant Robotics’ proprietary Bullseye Technology, delivering unmatched millimeter-level targeting of weeds in both high-density and low-density crops, over an extended operational window. This remarkable Smart Sprayer operates day or night, regardless of weather conditions. With its lightweight design, it swiftly accesses the field, and its formidable power takes on even the largest weeds.

    Space: U35│ verdantrobotics.com

    Oliver Colibri by Sutton Ag Enterprises, Salinas, CA

    The Oliver Colibri is the only mechanical weeder available for high density weeding applications. Utilizing automated camera technology, the Colibri identifies the exact position of the crop and precisely places sawtooth blades between the seed lines. The Colibri’s steel weeding discs are mounted on hydraulic parallelograms with an independent hydraulic system to ensure uniform and consistent cultivation performance. The Colibri can be used on row spacings as tight as 1.75” making mechanical cultivation possible for the first time in high density crops such as spinach and carrot.

    Space: T31 │ suttonag.com

    Shark Wheel SWIFT Irrigation Wheel by Shark Wheel Agriculture, Mission Viejo, CA

    The Shark Wheel was invented to solve all wheel issues in center pivot irrigation. The Shark Wheel SWIFT eliminates flat tires, solves rutting, has 60 second repairs if needed, increases crop yield, and reduces soil compaction. The center pivot/lateral move irrigation wheel leaves a DNA helix footprint in the soil. The front wheel pushes the soil right-left-right, and the rear wheel pushes the soil left-right-left right back where it started!

    Space: Pavilion B 2524  │ sharkwheelag.com

    Shockwave X by OMC Orchard Machinery Corp., Yuba City, CA

    Shockwave X is the World’s First Autonomous Tree Shaker. Orchard Machinery Corp along with Bonsia have created the first Driverless Tree Shaker with no Lidar or GPS. The machine will also be outfitted with a deck for shaking pistachios. Built on a Proven OMC chassis that allows continuous movement and efficiency, including 100 Vision based Autonomy that allows the machine to work in heavy dust and Zero cell service conditions.

    Space: M19, M21, M25│ shakermaker.com

    Standard PTO Kit by Tractor Protection Products, Blue Ridge, TX

    The Standard PTO Kit was designed to offer protection for both the PTO driven implement and the tractor PTO shaft. The Standard PTO Kit eliminates the difficulty found when hooking up a PTO driven implement to the tractor PTO shaft. The most important feature of the Standard PTO Kit is that ALL farmers who have a tractor(s) and implement(s) will benefit, regardless of size of operation, crops grown, or location of the farm. If you have a tractor with a PTO driven implement, the Standard PTO Kit can help.

    Space: Pavilion A 1014 │ tractorprotection.com

    The International Agri-Center® is home to World Ag Expo®, February 13-15, 2024 in Tulare, California. An estimated annual average of 102,000 individuals from 65 countries attend World Ag Expo® each year. The largest annual agricultural show of its kind, World Ag Expo® hosts more than 1,200 exhibitors displaying cutting-edge agricultural technology and equipment on 2.6 million square feet of show space. Learn more at www.worldagexpo.com.