California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • Organic Trade Association Wins 2023 Power of Associations Silver Award

    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is pleased to announce it has received a Power of Associations Silver Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for its successful and impactful Diversity and Entrepreneurship Program.

    The OTA Diversity and Entrepreneurship Program is an integral part of the trade association’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Initiative, established in 2021, with the mission to ensure that social inequalities are not unintentionally perpetuated as the association works to expand organic.

    “We are incredibly proud of our Diversity and Entrepreneurship Program, and we are honored to receive this recognition from the ASAE,” said Tom Chapman, CEO of the Organic Trade Association. “We have a responsibility to help shape a more inclusive agricultural future for the good of the organic market and our communities, and through the JEDI initiative and the Diversity & Entrepreneurship Program, we are striving to diversify the organic space by providing resources to historically underserved business owners, which will ultimately make organic products more accessible.”

    “Congratulations to the Organic Trade Association for exemplifying the impact associations have on the industries and professions they represent, and on society at large,” said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason. “It’s always so incredibly satisfying to see associations going above and beyond their everyday mission to change the world. We’re very proud to spotlight this award-winning initiative.”

    Promoting a diverse, inclusive organic industry 

    Recognizing there are many barriers to organic certification that have historically prevented minority-owned businesses from entering the organic industry, OTA’s JEDI Initiative promotes diversity and inclusivity across the supply chain and industry sectors. The Diversity and Entrepreneurship Program helps BIPOC and women-owned businesses overcome the barriers to entering the organic market, and thereby create a thriving and inclusive organic industry.

    Fifty-two companies selling almost $3 million worth of organic products are participating in the Diversity and Entrepreneurship Program. The program offers a 2-year membership to OTA, and helps the diverse businesses become certified organic, receive the premium on their product, and be successful in their business. It enables valuable connections to other organic stakeholders and experts and provides access to critical technical and market resources.

    Mojave Mallows is one of the companies in OTA’s program. Located in Joshua Tree, California, in the Mojave Desert, the business was founded by two sisters, Stephanie and Wendy Chan. The former Girl Scouts have long been huge fans of the infamous S’More, that tasty decadent concoction of marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers that is always delicious but best when made over a campfire.

    Also committed to healthy sustainable food, the Chan sisters set out in 2021 to create a clean organic marshmallow. They joined OTA’s Diversity and Entrepreneurship program a year ago and, supported by the technical assistance and resources made available through the program, became the first certified organic marshmallow brand in March 2023. Mojave Mallows products, all packaged in sustainable packaging, are now available online and through specialty stores.

    “As a new business, you have so many things competing for your time and investment. Organic certification is almost a luxury, not something we could have achieved as an early stage business without the guidance and support from the OTA,” said Stephanie Chan, CEO of Mojave Mallows. “No one had ever manufactured an organic marshmallow before, and I had so many questions about every step of the process. But the OTA was always there with an answer. OTA Vice President of Administration Stephanie Jerger’s kindness has made a real difference in our company, and in the greater community of minority-led CPG businesses.”

    About the ASAE award 

    The ASAE is the leading organization for association management, representing organizations and individual association professionals. It currently has more than 47,000 members, with more than 1,750 through organization memberships.

    ASAE’s Power of Associations Awards recognize the associations’ economic and societal contributions locally, nationally and globally. ASAE will celebrate The Power of Associations Award winners during its annual Summit Awards Dinner on September 28, 2023, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

    About the Organic Trade Association
    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 10,000 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect ORGANIC with a unifying voice that serves and engages its diverse members from farm to marketplace.

  • American Agri-Women Announces Road to Influence Inaugural Cohort

    Six dynamic women will make up the inaugural Cohort of the American Agri-Women (AAW) Road to influence. The Road to Influence (RTI) is a new program developed by AAW designed to be a bold and innovative personal development experience for members. The program is intended to identify and move beyond limiting beliefs and behaviors, ultimately resulting in stronger leaders for AAW and beyond. The initial cohort will kick off their journey on August 24 in conjunction with the AAW event, Leading, Empowering & Aspiring toward Progress (L.E.A.P.) in Reno, Nev. L.E.A.P. is open to all AAW members, registration is available at www.agr.fyi/leap.

    Through a combination of virtual and in-person sessions, participants will develop critical skills in areas such as communication, collaboration, driving vision and purpose, trust, managing conflict, and persuasion. In person sessions will be held in conjunction with AAW events through the 2024 AAW Convention in Wisconsin and the program will culminate in a capstone project designed to bring value to AAW, its state and industry affiliates, and members.

    “AAW has a vision to create a one-of-a-kind development program for members,” said AAW Leadership Development Team Lead Sara Reid Herman. “Road to Influence is the culmination of an 18-month effort of a team of established leaders within the organization to identify the core competencies we want to develop in our membership. We are confident this program will strengthen and refine those skills within the culture of our organization.”

    AAW is grateful for sponsorship from key industry alliances such as John Deere, Syngenta, Valent, and AAW Past President Mitzi Perdue to make this vision a reality. These partners will provide financial support, curriculum consultation, and additional resources to bring the program to fruition. In addition, AAW will partner with learning and development professional Sarah Hummell to provide key course content and program facilitation.

    Initial Cohort members:

    • Debbie Bacigalupi – Co Owner, BaciBeef and Ranch Hand, Cold Springs Ranch, Montague, Calif.
    • Vikkie Becker – Co Owner, Becker Farms, Alexander, Ill.
    • Jenny Hitner – Owner, Timber Town Real Estate & Century Forest Management, Monroe, Ore.
    • Ally Moreau – Business Analyst, American National Insurance Co., Feura Bush, N.Y.
    • Donnell Scott – Food Labeling Professional, AIB International, Manhattan, Kan.
    • Chrissy Wozniak – Founder, North American Ag, Cape Coral, Fla.About American Agri-Women

      American Agri-Women (AAW) is the national coalition of farm, ranch, and agribusiness women’s organizations and state and commodity affiliate organizations. AAW’s Vision for the 2023 Farm Bill can be found at www.americanagriwomen.org. AAW promotes the welfare of our national security through safe and reliable food, fiber and energy supply. Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers, advocate for agriculture, and offer networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW website for more information and to join www.americanagriwomen.org.

  • New Directors of Almond Board of CA Begin Terms

    The new Board of Directors of the Almond Board of California (ABC) took their seats on Thursday with five voting members elected in 2023 – four of them incumbents – beginning new terms to help guide ABC’s support of one of California’s largest crops.

    Board members, whose terms officially began Aug. 1, also re-elected Alexi Rodriguez as chair and elected Alicia Rockwell as the new vice chair.

    “Our industry continues to endure hard times,” said Rodriguez. “This board understands that intimately, and we have a strong group of individuals who are incredibly committed to doing our part to get beyond our current challenges successfully.”

    The 10-member ABC board has five grower members – three representing independent growers and two representing cooperative growers – and five handler members, also with three independent and two co-op representatives. Some members sit in three-year seats, others in one-year positions.

    The grower representatives elected or re-elected in the 2023 elections are:

    • Paul Ewing, an independent from RPAC, LLC in Los Banos. He was re-elected to a one-year term.
    • Kelli Evans, a co-op grower from Evans Farming in Live Oak, who previously served as an alternate. She was elected to a three-year term.

    The handler representatives were re-elected in all three positions this year. They are:

    • Alexi Rodriguez, an independent handler with Campos Brothers in Caruthers, who was re-elected to a three-year term.
    • Darren Rigg, an independent handler from Minturn Nut Co. Inc. in Le Grand. He was re-elected to a one-year term.
    • Alicia Rockwell, a co-op handler with Blue Diamond Growers from Sacramento, who was re-elected to a three-year term.

    Also, three grower and three handler alternates were elected or re-elected:

    • Katie Staack, an independent grower with Grizzly Nut, LLC from Hughson, was re-elected.
    • Brad Klump, an independent grower with BKI Exports, Inc. in Escalon, was elected for the remaining two years of a previously unfilled three-year term.
    • George Goshgarian Jr., a co-op grower with Goshgarian Farming Co. in Fowler, was elected to an alternate grower position after serving as a voting member and previous vice-chair.
    • Chad DeRose, an independent handler with Famoso Nut Co., LLC in McFarland, was re-elected.

     

    • Ron Fisher, and independent handler with Fisher Nut Co. in Modesto, was re-elected.
      • Dean LaVallee, a co-op handler with Blue Diamond Growers in Sacramento, was also re-elected.

    In addition, Laura Gerhard, a co-op handler with Blue Diamond Growers in Sacramento, was selected by Blue Diamond to serve the final two years in the alternate seat formerly held by the retired Mark Jansen.

    This is the full board:

    VOTING MEMBERS                                                                                      TERM

    Grower #1:            Paul Ewing, RPAC, LLC                                                 1 year

    Grower #2:            Brandon Rebiero, Gold Leaf Farming                            3 years

    Grower #3:            Joe Gardiner, Treehouse California Almonds, LLC       3 years

    Handler #1:           Alexi Rodriguez, Campos Brothers                                3 years

    Handler #2:           Bob Silveira, Vann Family Orchards                              3 years

    Handler #3:           Darren Rigg, Minturn Nut Co. Inc.                                  1 year

    Co-op Grower #1: Kelli Evans, Evans Farming                                            3 years

    Co-op Grower #2: Christine Gemperle, Gemperle Orchards                      3 years

    Co-op Handler #1: Mel Machado, Blue Diamond Growers                          3 years

    Co-op Handler #2: Alicia Rockwell, Blue Diamond Growers                       3 years

    ALTERNATES

    Grower #1:             Katie Staack, Grizzly Nut, LLC

    Grower #2:             Brad Klump, BKI Exports, Inc.

    Grower #3:             Chris Bettencourt, Suvik Farms

    Handler #1:            Ron Fisher, Fisher Nut Company

    Handler #2:            Dexter Long, Hilltop Ranch, Inc.

    Handler #3:            Chad DeRose, Famoso Nut Company, LLC

    Co-op Grower #1:  George Goshgarian Jr., Goshgarian Farming Co.

    Co-op Grower #2:  Kent Stenderup, Stenderup Ag Partners

    Co-op Handler #1: Laura Gerhard, Blue Diamond Growers

    Co-op Handler #2: Dean LaVallee, Blue Diamond Growers

    The ABC board sets policy and approves budgets in major areas, including global market development, production research, public relations and advertising, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.

    ABC is a Federal Marketing Order dedicated to promoting California almonds to domestic and international audiences through marketing efforts and by funding and promoting studies about almonds’ health benefits, as well as ensuring sustainable agricultural practices and food safety.

    About California Almonds

    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. Established in 1950 and based in Modesto, California, ABC is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For more information on the Almond Board of California or almonds, visit Almonds.com or check out California Almonds on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and the California Almonds blog.

  • Bees Evolved from Ancient Supercontinent, Diversified Faster than Suspected

    The first bees evolved on an ancient supercontinent more than 120 million years ago, diversifying faster and spreading wider than previously suspected, a new study shows.

    Led by Washington State University researchers, the study provides a new best estimate for when and where bees first evolved. Newly published in the journal Current Biology, the project reconstructed the evolutionary history of bees, estimated their antiquity, and identified their likely geographical expansion around the world.

    The results indicate their point of origin was in western Gondwana, an ancient supercontinent that at that time included today’s continents of Africa and South America.

    “There’s been a longstanding puzzle about the spatial origin of bees,” said Silas Bossert, assistant professor with WSU’s Department of Entomology, who co-led the project with Eduardo Almeida, associate professor at the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

    Working with a global team, Bossert and Almeida’s team sequenced and compared genes from more than 200 bee species. They compared them with traits from 185 different bee fossils, as well as extinct species, developing an evolutionary history and genealogical models for historical bee distribution. In what may be the broadest genomic study of bees to date, they analyzed hundreds to thousands of genes at a time to make sure that the relationships they inferred were correct.

    From left, WSU scientists Elizabeth Murray, Silas Bossert, and Felipe Freitas examined DNA, fossils, and specimens to develop a new evolutionary history of bees, tracing their genealogy back more than 120 million years ago, earlier than most prior estimates.

    “This is the first time we have broad genome-scale data for all seven bee families,” said co-author Elizabeth Murray, a WSU assistant professor of entomology.

    Previous research established that the first bees likely evolved from wasps, transitioning from predators to collectors of nectar and pollen. This study shows they arose in arid regions of western Gondwana during the early Cretaceous period.

    “For the first time, we have statistical evidence that bees originated on Gondwana,” Bossert said. “We now know that bees are originally southern hemisphere insects.”

    The researchers found evidence that as the new continents formed, bees moved north, diversifying and spreading in a parallel partnership with angiosperms, the flowering plants. Later, they colonized India and Australia. All major families of bees appeared to split off prior to the dawn of the Tertiary period, 65 million years ago—the era when dinosaurs became extinct.

    Exaerete smaragdina, a neotropical orchid bee species that was analyzed as part of the study. This specimen was collected in Paraguay.

    The tropical regions of the western hemisphere have an exceptionally rich flora, and that diversity may be due to their longtime association with bees, authors noted. One quarter of all flowering plants belong to the large and diverse rose family, which make up a significant share of the tropical and temperate host plants for bees.

    Bossert’s team plans to continue their efforts, sequencing and studying the genetics and history of more species of bees. Their findings are a useful first step in revealing how bees and flowering plants evolved together. Understanding how bees spread and filled their modern ecological niches could also help keep pollinator populations healthy.

    “People are paying more attention to the conservation of bees and are trying to keep these species alive where they are,” Murray said. “This work opens the way for more studies on the historical and ecological stage.”

    A piece of ancient amber containing a tiny, fossilized bee. Bossert and colleagues from around the globe compared features of bees from fossils, including extinct species, in one of the broadest genomic studies of bees to date.

    Additional contributors included Felipe Freitas, Washington State University; Bryan Danforth, Cornell University; Charles Davis, Harvard University; Bonnie Blaimer, Tamara Spasojevic, and Seán Brady, Smithsonian Institution; Patrícia Ströher and Marcio Pie, Federal University of Paraná, Brazil; Michael Orr, State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart; Laurence Packer, York University; Michael Kuhlmann, University of Kiel; and Michael G. Branstetter, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    View the article in Current Biology. — By Seth Truscott, WSU College of Agricultural, Human & Natural Resource Sciences

  • FARMS Program Continues to Nurture Next Generation of California Farmers

    Thirty years ago, a Yolo County walnut farmer named Craig McNamara thought it would be a good idea to invite city kids to a farm and educate them about where their food comes from. To that end, the Winters farmer helped found the FARMS Leadership Program, which today is a key component of the programs offered by the Center for Land-Based Learning (CLBL).

    Leticia Hernandez, the alumni and internship manager for the program (which stands for Farming, Agriculture and Resource Management for Sustainability), said the program is designed to introduce, train and recruit about 200 high school students from major farming regions in the Central Valley, Northern California and the Central Coast each school year for college and career opportunities in agriculture and environmental sciences. The program’s motto is “inspire, educate, cultivate.”

    However, the program has evolved over the years.

    “Today, we focus on supporting the industry by teaching FARMS students professional development skills,” Hernandez said. “We provide hands-on opportunities for students to practice their leadership skills while in the program. Students practice speaking publicly and working with new people almost every field day. We hold mock interviews and encourage and teach them how to be better professionals while introducing them to career possibilities.”

    Career paths for participants include obvious ones such as harvesting and packing, but also human resources, marketing, research and development, gene editing and breeding. The key component of the basic program is the monthly field days, which give students hands-on experience on a farm.

    “Each session involves about five students per school along with their teacher. By bringing smaller groups, it allows students to participate in networking, working with all kinds of people, team building and leadership activities. But the most important part of the field day is to get them working with people on their jobs, learning about crops along the way,” she said.

    Promoting and preparing for the future of California agriculture is a top priority for Farm Credit associations operating throughout California, said Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO, Fresno Madera Farm Credit.

    “Nurturing the next generation of farmers and ranchers is vitally important to ensure California’s agricultural industry continues feeding the nation and the world, and CLBL does a tremendous job encouraging high school students to adults to consider careers in agriculture.

    “Farm Credit is proud to be a strategic partner for CLBL and we look forward to continuing to work with them for many years to come.” Hesterberg noted, adding that collectively, Farm Credit associations collaborate annually to prioritize giving to nonprofits active in California that encourage young people to consider careers in the field.

    Farm Credit also strongly supports programs to increase diversity in the industry, said Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit.

    “Farm Credit is committed to encouraging diversity and inclusion in the industry, and it’s encouraging that 78% of the students in the FARMS Leadership Program are black, indigenous and people of color,” Ralph said. “Encouraging young people from all backgrounds to consider the full range of career opportunities bodes well for the future of farming here in the Golden State.”

    Farm Credit associations AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are proud supporters of the FARMS program and the Center for Land-Based Learning. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    In 2015, the program added a second-year option, FARMS Advanced, which provides no more than 40 first-year students with the opportunity to sharpen and develop their workforce skills through an additional six field days. The students work directly with their regional program coordinators in one-on-one mentorships and on small-group field days in smaller spaces like research labs and at companies that don’t have facilities for larger groups. There, they talk with individual employees about their careers and participate in mock interviews with company HR staff that prepares them for possible internships and the workforce.

    Beginning in 2017, the FARMS Program added a new top-level tier to the program. By providing internships in the agricultural or conservation workplace, the program provides a practical application of their educational studies. This opportunity is open to everyone who had completed the FARMS Advanced program who are interested in pursuing a career in agriculture or environmental sciences.  Hernandez was brought on board last year to focus on placing these “alumni” into internships and jobs.

    “Last year we started with five or so and we had five more this year. My job is to find placements and do matchmaking,” she said. As an example, she pointed to a student who graduated from Cal Poly this year who was placed in an internship last summer, and this summer is starting a job as a junior ranch manager.

    Besides providing career opportunities, she said the program encourages participants to give back to their communities with a community action project. Some work on environmental or agricultural projects, but others perform such activities as working in a soup kitchen, park cleanups and training elementary school students about how to care for animals.

    “It’s become a beautiful program that is inspiring for students and everyone watching them grow,” she said.

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Center for Land-Based Learning:

    For the past 30 years, the FARMS Program has served diverse communities throughout California, from Red Bluff to Bakersfield, Vacaville to Monterey. Tens of thousands of high school youth, most with no previous access to these opportunities, have been introduced to careers in agriculture and environmental sciences. FARMS participants are provided with a multi-year, progressive approach to entering these industries. The experience begins with Tier 1, the FARMS Leadership Program, in which students engage in career exploration. In Tier 2, FARMS Advanced, students focus on workforce development and hands-on skills training in the field, and in Tier 3, students engage in job shadows and paid internships with partner organizations and companies throughout California.

  • Join Ag Advocates Nov. 1-5 for the American Agri-Women Annual Meeting

    American Agri-Women (AAW) will hold their 48th Annual Meeting in the heart of downtown Sacramento, California, Nov. 1-5, 2023. The host group, California Women for Agriculture (CWA), has planned colorful tours and informative speakers for convention attendees.

    The event will be held in Old Town Sacramento at the Embassy Suites. Tours for attendees and guests will explore the diverse agriculture of northern California.The line-up of guest speakers, business sessions and informative workshops is designed to provide leadership and advocacy awareness training for the membership and guests. AAW is the nation’s largest coalition of women in agriculture with members in 42 states. Additional information about AAW and registration details can be found at www.americanagriwomen.org.

    Photo Caption: Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash
    American Agri-Women’s Annual Meeting host hotel, Embassy Suites Riverfront Promenade, in the shadow of Sacramento’s iconic Tower Bridge

    This marks the fourth time that California Women for Agriculture has hosted an AAW Annual Meeting and the second time the event has been held in Sacramento.

    “We are excited to host our affiliates and the AAW leadership team in our state’s capitol,” said current CWA President, Sharron Zoller. It provides CWA with a wonderful opportunity to showcase our State’s Capital and the historical backdrop of Sacramento’s Old Town District sets a wonderful setting for the events and learning.” California Women for Agriculture  hosted the event in San Diego (79′), Sacramento (90′), Monterey (05′).

    About American Agri-Women

    American Agri-Women (AAW) is the national coalition of farm, ranch, and agribusiness women’s organizations and state and commodity affiliate organizations. AAW’s Vision for the 2023 Farm Bill can be found at www.americanagriwomen.org. AAW promotes the welfare of our national security through safe and reliable food, fiber and energy supply. Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers, advocate for agriculture, and offer networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW website for more information and to join www.americanagriwomen.org. Find AAW on social media at: Facebook.com/AgriWomen/, Twitter.com/Women4Ag/ (@Women4Ag) and Instagram.com/americanagriwomen/ (@americanagriwomen). #standupspeakout4ag

  • Managing Toxic Plants in Grazing Fields

    Some plants thrive even in dry years, while others need wet years to really blossom. It’s no surprise, then, that this year the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Fresno office has received several inquiries about potentially toxic plants and how to deal with them. Even if these species have always been present in the seed bank or on neighboring land, this year was a good year for toxic plants to grow large where previously they grew very small – or didn’t grow at all.

    Common plants that can cause livestock poisoning include annuals such as cockleburs, hairy fleabane, and yellow starthistle, and perennials like curly dock, larkspurs, and milkweeds. Annuals especially tend to respond vigorously to available soil moisture as they need to germinate a new generation each year from seed. Depending on how rapidly these plants develop roots, they may be able to produce a second generation (or more) even in the summer season. Populations of toxic plants may expand this year due to the good growing conditions.

    Prevention

    Maintaining healthy, diverse stands of forage to compete with toxic plants and to provide ample non-toxic options is the best prevention of plant poisonings in livestock. Grazing moderately is an important practice to maintain a healthy, diverse community of forage plants. Grazing too heavily can reduce desired species and allow toxic plants to become more common. Many toxic plants are not palatable, so they are avoided when other, desirable forage is available. However, animals may not be able to avoid harmful plants if a pasture is dominated by them. In those cases, it may be best to remove animals from that pasture and/or provide them with an alternate feed source until the toxic plant is reduced.

    When managing fields for hay production, minimizing the population of toxic plants is critical. Animals can’t be selective around different plant parts in hay bales or flakes, and many toxic plants are harmful even in very small quantities.

    Risk and monitoring

    At this time in the summer, many common toxic plants in California are highly visible in contrast to dry, golden annual grasses. Monitoring could be as simple as driving or walking along fencelines and especially checking high-impact areas such as corrals, holding pens, water troughs, and mineral licks. Riparian areas are also important monitoring areas, such as the banks of creeks and streams. These can be key host sites for toxic plants, and animals like to spend time in those cooler areas during the summer. Animal exposure to toxic plants may be higher when the annual forages have dried up and lush green plants may be enticing.

    When monitoring key areas on your property, take photos and/or samples of unfamiliar plants. You can send pictures or bring samples to your local UCCE office (find yours here) for assistance in identifying the plants and any necessary management strategies. If you bring a sample, please be sure to bag the whole plant, including the roots if possible. If you take pictures, try to have a photo that shows the full plant, as well close-ups of the leaf shape, flowers or fruits/seeds, and any other unique features such as spines or hairs.

    Figure 2. Some examples of the photos that are helpful to successfully ID a plant: a picture of the whole plant, and close-ups of the leaves and flowers. This example is Asclepias cordifolia, heart-leaf or purple milkweed, photographed in eastern Fresno County.

    You can also use the online weed ID tool at the Weed RIC website to narrow down possible plants yourself. Be sure to change the Search Location to California!

    Management resources

    To learn more about plants that are toxic to livestock, you can download the UC ANR publication, Livestock-poisoning Plants of California, for free by clicking HERE. This resource includes useful photos of common harmful plants as well as detailed information about the health impacts of different plants on cattle, sheep, goats, and horses.

    Once you have a confirmed plant ID, you can find out what management practices can control the species you have. Weed reports from the UC ANR publication Weed Control in Natural Areas in the Western United States are one of the best resources that describe all possible control methods, and how well they can work. You can download specific weed reports here or purchase the full book from your local UCCE office, or online here.

    If you have livestock with signs of plant toxicity, contact your veterinarian for support. If livestock have died, you can contact the CAHFS lab nearest you to get an estimate for a necropsy or other toxicology tests. — By Rebecca Ozeran, UCCE Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor

  • USDA Invests Nearly $30 Million to Boost School Nutrition in 264 Small & Rural Communities

    As part of a cooperative agreement to develop and implement the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, Action for Healthy Kids today announced that it is awarding nearly $30 million in subgrants to 264 school districts across 44 states and the District of Columbia, reaching students in some of our nation’s highest need schools. These funds are being provided by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.

    “Students in every community deserve access to healthy and nutritious meals,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to creating healthier, brighter futures for our children. With these funds, small and rural school districts will be able to modernize their operations and provide more nutritious meals, helping students succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

    Each small and/or rural school district will receive up to $150,000 to support them in improving the nutritional quality of their meals and modernizing their operations, through efforts which could include:

    • Innovative staff training programs;
    • Kitchen updates and renovations;
    • Redesigning food preparation and service spaces;
    • Other school-district led efforts to support school meals and school nutrition professionals.

    “When we strengthen school meal quality, we strengthen child health,” said USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Stacy Dean. “These grants are the largest targeted investment USDA has ever made for school meal programs in small and rural communities. We want to ensure every child in America has the opportunity to attend a school with high quality, nutritious meals, and this support is a step in that direction.”

    An online map features the selected school districts and their grant amounts. The map will be updated on a rolling basis as schools formalize their grant agreements.

    “Offering healthier school meals is key to helping our nation’s kids get the nutrients they need today and for their long-term development,” said Action for Healthy Kids CEO Rob Bisceglie. “Through this historic investment in school nutrition, we will help school districts across the country overcome challenges and develop solutions to provide nutritious foods for the children they serve.”

    USDA and Action for Healthy Kids also recently opened applications for the Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards, which celebrate school districts that have made significant improvements to the nutritional quality of their school meals. All school districts in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands are invited to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through June 30, 2025.

    School districts that meet Recognition Award criteria will receive benefits such as national and local recognition; travel stipends to attend a national Healthy Meals Summit; access to diverse best practices, training activities; and more.

    Action for Healthy Kids will manage the grants to school districts, Recognition Awards, and Healthy Meals Summits with the support of The Chef Ann Foundation and Rocky Mountain Center for Health Promotion and Education.

    USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative also includes the School Food System Transformation Challenge Grants, which aim to support innovation in the school meals market by increasing collaboration between schools, food producers and suppliers, and other partners. Applications for the Challenge Grants are expected to open in late 2023 or early 2024.

    To learn more about other resources USDA provides to strengthen school meal programs, visit the USDA Support for School Meals webpage.

    FNS works to end hunger and improve food and nutrition security through a suite of 16 nutrition assistance programs, such as the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs, the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Together, these programs serve 1 in 4 Americans over the course of a year, promoting consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, and affordable food essential to optimal health and well-being. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. FNS’s report, “Leveraging the White House Conference to Promote and Elevate Nutrition Security: The Role of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service,” released in conjunction with the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022, highlights ways the agency will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy. To learn more about FNS, visit www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.

    Action for Healthy Kids is dedicated to improving children’s health and well-being by bringing together and mobilizing educators, families, and other key stakeholders to help children lead healthy lives. Through its core programming and family-school partnerships, AFHK has impacted more than 20 million children in 55,000 schools nationwide to address systemic challenges in underserved communities. To learn more about its growing network of volunteers and champions, visit www.actionforhealthykids.org.

  • $1.9 Million in Grants to Support Transition to Safer, Sustainable Pest Management in California

    The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has opened $1.9 million in available funding to support integrated pest management (IPM) projects that expand available tools, resources and practices that increase the adoption of IPM and support a statewide transition to sustainable pest management.

    Sustainable pest management builds on the existing practices of IPM to incorporate broadened considerations of human health and social equity, environmental protections and economic viability in the way pests are managed in agricultural, urban and wildland settings.

    The funding announced today is available through the 2024 Alliance and Research Grants programs. In the past 20 years, these programs have awarded more than $26 million for more than 100 projects that advance the use of IPM and ultimately increase the adoption of more sustainable methods for managing pests that are safer for people and the environment.

    “To accelerate the systemwide adoption of sustainable pest management across the state, we need to both build a suite of effective alternatives to higher risk pesticides and expand the knowledge, technical assistance and practical resources for growers and urban pest managers to manage pests in the safest, effective way for people and the environment,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson.

    The 2024 Research and Alliance Grants programs are seeking projects that address one or more of the following examples of priority topic areas:

    • IPM resources for underserved or disadvantaged communities or for small growing operations
    • Decreasing the use of high-risk, high-volume pesticides (for example: fumigants)
    • Tools, strategies and resources for IPM and sustainable pest management use in agricultural areas near school sites and urban settings
    • Incorporating the sustainability pillars of broadened considerations of human health and social equity, environmental protections and economic vitality as outlined in the Sustainable Pest Management RoadmapPreviously funded Research and Alliance Grant projects include:
      • Researching the use of RNA interference, antimicrobial peptides, and sterile insect techniques to effectively manage pests.
      • Providing culturally relevant and accessible education programs promoting IPM practices to residents in low-income communities of color.
      • Promoting the adoption of short wavelength ultraviolet lights (UV-C) to manage pests in California strawberries.

      The 2024 Research Grants Program has up to $800,000 to award for projects of up to three years in length. Projects should develop pest management tools and practices to reduce the use of high-risk pesticides or decrease the impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $500,000. Research Grant applications will be accepted through Sept. 14.

      The 2024 Alliance Grants Program has up to $1.1 million to award for projects of up to three years in length. Projects should promote or increase sustainable pest management though the implementation, expansion, or adoption of effective, proven and affordable IPM systems or practices. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $800,000. Alliance Grant applications will be accepted through Jan. 18, 2024.

      For more information on the Alliance Grants and Research Grants programs, including how to apply, please visit the Department of Pesticide Regulation Grants website.

      ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION

      The California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to monitor and manage the sale and use of pesticides across the state. DPR’s work includes registering all pesticides sold or used in California, conducting scientific evaluation of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health or the environment, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide regulations in coordination with 55 County Agriculture Commissioners and their 500 field inspectors. DPR also conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to safety information. DPR invests in innovative research to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices. More information about DPR can be found at www.cdpr.ca.gov.

  • The VINE Announces Call for Agri-Tech Startups to Apply for Field-Trial Support

    The VINE, an initiative by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, is now accepting applications for its VINE Validation of Innovation Program. The program aims to support innovation in the agri-tech sector, particularly in climate-resilient solutions for California food systems.

    Made possible with support from a UC Climate Action grant, the program is inviting startups to apply, with a focus on providing comprehensive support for field trials – a critical stage for any agri-tech venture.

    “Field trials are vital for validating new innovations in the agri-tech sector,” said Gabe Youtsey, chief innovation officer with UC ANR and founder of The VINE. “The VINE VIP aims to provide a supportive environment for carrying out these essential tests, bridging the gap between innovative concepts and real-world application.”

    Elif Ceylan, co-founder of OpenGate Partners and head of the VINE VIP, also stressed the importance of field trials.

    “Field trials serve as a crucial phase where promising ideas either succeed or require adjustment,” Ceylan said. “We are committed to prioritizing this stage to ensure the effectiveness and relevance of emerging agri-tech solutions.”

    The VINE VIP offers more than field trials. It provides a supportive ecosystem for startups, including industry connections, access to a broad network of farmers and experts, comprehensive validation results and market entry support. The program is a unique accelerator that pairs startups with project partners in the agri-tech industry, facilitating Proof of Concept projects and commercialization trials for industry-defined challenges in California agriculture.

    By connecting startups with farmers, academics and industry experts, the program aims to validate, advance, adopt and amplify innovative technologies, reducing technological risks and accelerating sales through its extensive industry network.

    Startups interested in joining the VINE VIP can apply until Sept. 16, 2023. Detailed information about the program and the application process is available on The VINE’s website at thevine.io/vip.

    About The VINE:
    The VINE is an initiative of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, dedicated to fostering agriculture, food, and biotech innovation in California. Our mission is to support industries and entrepreneurs while promoting technology innovation and commercialization for sustainable and equitable food systems. We connect entrepreneurs with public and private sector resources, encourage collaborations to address industry challenges, and promote regional capacity for global innovation as an economic opportunity.

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings the power of UC to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.