California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Citrus Research Board Secures Immense Support from Citrus Growers

    California citrus growers voted to continue their support of the Citrus Research Board (CRB) by a broad margin in a state-mandated referendum.

    The just-concluded referendum, which must be held every five years, was conducted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). A majority of eligible citrus producers cast their vote and their support was nearly unanimous – 97.80 percent, representing 99.51 percent of the state’s citrus volume, voted in favor of continuing the CRB.

    CDFA Marketing Branch Chief Joe Monson said, “Since the referendum results exceed the criteria required for continuation stated above, the Department has authorized the Program to continue operating for another five-year period, through September 30, 2027.”

    Over the past five years, the CRB has worked continuously to advance findings within our four research priorities: vectored diseases, pest management, production and post-harvest technology, and new varieties. Much of the research has focused on the deadly disease huanglongbing (HLB) and advancements have been made to keep the infections from spreading in California. The disease has devastated other citrus growing regions, including Florida, but the diligence of California’s growers has kept HLB from entering any of the state’s commercial groves.

    “We are pleased to once again receive the support of the industry,” said CRB President Marcy L. Martin, “and we look forward to continually improving upon the scientific pillars that allow the California citrus industry to thrive.”

    The CRB administers the California Citrus Research Program, the grower-funded and grower-directed program established in 1968 under the California Marketing Act as the mechanism enabling the State’s citrus producers to sponsor and support needed research. More information about the Citrus Research Board may be found at www.citrusresearch.org.

  • Almonds Prove Indispensable to New Product Innovation

    Almond Board of California — For the sixteenth consecutive year, almonds are the top nut in global new product development according to Global New Products data from Innova Market Insights, having been first recognized as the number one nut globally in 2006. With more forms than any other tree nut, almonds’ versatile taste, texture and health claim benefits align to consumers’ ever-changing tastes, lifestyles and preferences.

    This year’s Global New Products Report revealed that more than 12,000 new almond products were introduced in 2021, making up 40 percent of total nut introductions. Almonds are the number one nut in four of the top six global food introduction categories: bakery, bars, dairy and cereals. Of note, bakery’s growth at 15 percent is highest out of all introductions across global food, nut and almond introductions.

    The report also revealed introductions with almonds led to a higher likelihood of on-pack health claims with over 1 in 5 products with almonds featuring the top health label claim, “gluten-free,” specifically. The remaining four leading health label claims for products with almonds were “no additives/preservatives,” “high source of fiber,” “organic,” and “high source of protein.” Almonds remain the number one nut by a large margin for global introductions with label claims for “plant-based,” “vegan” and “vegetarian,” as plant-based food products continue to dominate consumer desires for health and lifestyle needs. 

    “We’re continually impressed to see manufacturers across the globe innovating with almonds to stay on top of consumer demands, trends and preferences coming out of the pandemic,” said Harbinder Maan, Associate Director, Trade Marketing and Stewardship at the Almond Board of California. “The versatility of almonds as an ingredient is truly unique, and we continue to see new innovations across product categories that really push the envelope.”

    The Global New Products Report also found that almonds are not only the number one nut in North America but also in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Europe is leading almond introductions for all top almond relevant categories except for cereals, where Asia-Pacific is the leading region. Globally, the top six almond relevant categories account for 82 percent of total almond introductions, while these categories account for only 43% of total food introductions.

    Confectionery is the leading category for almond product introductions in Europe and the Middle East & Africa, while bars is the leading category in North America, and bakery is the leading category in Asia-Pacific with a narrow margin over snacks. When it comes to regions where almond product introductions are growing fastest, the Middle East & Africa lead the charge at 15 percent, followed by Latin America at eight percent, and Asia-Pacific at three percent.

    The success of almonds as a key ingredient across product categories can partially be attributed to their texture versatility. The creaminess and contrasting smoothness of almond butter is a natural fit for spreads, which grew globally at 12 percent, whereas sliced or chopped almonds add crunch to a growing desserts and ice cream category. Most notably, to satisfy an increased demand for gluten-free and healthy indulgence options, almond flour is often utilized as a key ingredient in the ready meals and side dish category, particularly in products like frozen pizzas.

    “Coming out of two unprecedented years of pandemic-related change, it’s encouraging to see consumer expectations shifting towards a demand for a healthier lifestyle both in what and how they choose to consume,” said Lu Ann Williams, Global Insights Director at Innova Market Insights. “It’s no surprise that almonds have maintained their spot as number one for 16 years and counting, with the dynamic and various texture, flavor and health label claims they satisfy.”

    Almonds are a nutrient-rich and heart-healthy ingredient. When compared ounce for ounce, almonds are the tree nut highest in vitamin E and riboflavin, and a one-ounce serving of almonds provides six grams of protein, four grams of fiber, 13g of unsaturated fat and only 1g of saturated fat. Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.

    Visit Almonds.com to view an infographic highlighting key data from the report.
     
    References:
    Innova Market Insights, Global New Products Introductions Report, 2021. May 2022.

  • Impacts of Water Restrictions on Agriculture Production Cannot Be Understated

    United Vegetable Growers Cooperative — Our most precious resource is in critical condition. Chances are if you have driven through the Central San Joaquin Valley over the past 20 years you have seen prominent signs and billboards scattered along the interstate highways as well as the backroads.

    Many can attest to driving by one of these signs countless times while checking their fall lettuce in Huron. The simple five-word message has been crystal clear and prophetic for many years: “Food Grows Where Water Flows.” The message seems so basic and elementary that the critical message became tone deaf.

    West Coast farmers for generations have navigated multi-year cyclical drought conditions and have always managed to survive these conditions. Several seasons of heavy Sierra Nevada and Colorado Rockies snowpacks, along with above-average rainfall, and a short-term emergency was averted.

    The current West Coast water conditions are not an overnight development, it has been gradually building for years. As a result of the ongoing drought, the western region of the country’s most strategic water storage reservoirs have been reduced to historic levels.

    To provide context, the following are current levels of a few of California’s critical reservoir as of June 26: Lake Shasta is currently at 39% of its capacity and 50% of its historical average. Trinity is currently at 29% of its capacity and 38% of its historical average. Oroville is currently at 50% capacity and 65% of historical average. San Luis is currently at 40% capacity and 71% of its historical average.

    As a result, multiple CSJ irrigation districts have been subject to extensive water allocations, which have gotten more severe over the past two years. These allocations cover all agriculture farming, be it row crops or orchards. And as the season moves toward its midway point, unless there is record precipitation along with snowpack, conditions will remain dire. Water allocations will only be deeper next season and farm acres will continue to be furrowed.

    The challenge of this drought is not exclusive to California farmers. The Colorado River Basin is at its lowest levels ever recorded. With Lake Powell currently at 27% of capacity and Lake Mead at 29% of capacity. Now in an effort to preserve the water levels of these two critical reservoirs, drastic conservation measures are now being implemented. Targeted conservation levels of between two- and four-million-acre-feet of water (one acre-foot of water = 325,000 gallons) have been implemented to protect Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs for the next four years.

    The primary effects of this conservation will be on the backs of the desert southwest agriculture, which ranges from the greater Yuma growing district to the Imperial Valley. The current outline of agriculture water conservation comes via usage restrictions, such as forcing farmers to determine which crops will be the most financially viable to farm. This is in addition to impacting the volume of crops that can be farmed, all while limiting the use of irrigation water. Keep in mind that during the winter months of November through March, over 85% of all leafy greens and vegetables consumed in North America is grown in the Greater Yuma and Imperial Valley growing districts.

    This is more than just a growing concern. The impact of agriculture production limitations based upon water restrictions cannot be understated. And long-term water storage solutions can no longer be ignored.

    Because, as the signs proclaim, only “Food Grows Where Water Flows.”

  • Students Learn About Commodities Grown Almost Exclusively in the Golden State

    California’s farmers grow more than 400 commodities each year, making the state the nation’s breadbasket. And for 36 years, the nonprofit California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom has been educating students around the state that the nutritious and tasty fruits and vegetables they eat don’t just come from the supermarket.

    During the past school year, Executive Director Judy Culbertson said the focus of the educational program was highlighting the “99% club” – 16 commodities grown almost exclusively in the Golden State.

    “On April 1 we held our second annual California Farm Day virtually, with presenters talking about a different one of the commodities for 10 minutes, providing information, activities, recipes and ‘did you know’ segments,” Culbertson said.

    “Nearly 500 teachers registered, and we sent out a box of goodies for each class, with snacks, resources for students and teachers and the What’s Growin’ On? newspaper. We put the video package on YouTube, and 16,000 kids registered!” She added that 45 counties had at least one school participating this year.

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of Farm Credit West, said Farm Credit organizations have given the foundation over $250,000 since 2002 to help educate students in urban and rural areas alike about the importance of agriculture to California.

    “California’s climate makes it ideal for growing a large variety of crops, many of which can’t be grown anywhere else in the U.S.,” Littlefield said. “It’s important to educate Californians about how much of their food is grown here and why agriculture is so vital to the state’s economy. Farm Credit is proud to be a longtime sponsor of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, which has done a great job over the years providing that education.”

    Farm Credit West, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit all provide funding. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Besides talking about the 99% club commodities during the two-hour virtual event, there was also a half-page devoted to each commodity in the newspaper – which celebrated its 20th anniversary this school year – that provided information about their history, nutrition, and little-known facts.

    The commodities are almonds, artichokes, celery, clover, figs, garlic, honeydew melons, nectarines, olives, peaches, pistachios, raisins, medium- and short-grain rice and walnuts. Among the fun facts included in the publication are:

    • Celery has many health benefits and that bunches of celery were presented to ancient Greek athletes, much as a bouquet of roses would be today.
    • Almonds, roses, and peaches are distant cousins, members of the rose family.
    • Garlic was used as a first aid compound in World War II to kill bacteria and germs on the battlefield.

    Among the Farm Day video presenters was Ag in the Classroom Foundation President Jamie Johansson, an Oroville olive grower who also is president of the California Farm Bureau.

    “It’s a fruit, right, like a cherry or a peach, but it’s one of the few fruits you can’t pick off the tree and just eat,” he told the students. “The first time I tasted an olive off the tree it was so bitter I wondered what I was doing and how I failed.” He later explained that you have to cure the olives by soaking them in lye or brine to remove the bitter compounds. You can view the entire Farm Day presentation here.

    Culbertson said the response from teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive.

    “One teacher wrote back to say, ‘It really gave our students a better understanding of the impact that California’s agriculture has on our state, country, and the world.’ Another wrote, ‘They learned so much about their home state and came back from the weekend telling me what they taught their parents about California agriculture. Thank you so much,’” Culbertson said.

    This year, Ag in the Classroom began working with the Fresno Unified School District to promote the commodities grown in the heart of California’s farm belt. The district received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture to provide locally grown fruits and vegetables to the school lunch program and to provide education about the importance of agriculture.

    “We are providing the education side of the nutrition grant,” Culbertson said. “We produced classroom materials including a monthly Fresno Farms to You newsletter, along with posters for each school’s cafeteria. Both feature information about what’s in season in the Fresno area that month.

    “There are 70,000 kids in Fresno Unified, and everybody goes through the cafeteria and learns about the commodities. We’re going through evaluation now, but it’s a two-year grant, and we’re planning to do it again next year.”

    The poster for October, for example, featured table grapes, informing students that eating them benefits the heart, brain, and skin. And each month’s poster includes a joke about that month’s commodity, which she said she hopes helps capture their attention. For October, it was, “What happened when the grape was promoted? It got a raisin pay.”

    Keith Hesterberg, president and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said he was especially pleased that California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom was able to help promote agriculture in his community.

    “The Fresno area has grown tremendously in recent years, and many people moving here from other parts of the state don’t have the same understanding about the importance of agriculture as people who grew up here. This program is a great way of giving students information as well as a taste of how delicious locally grown fruits and vegetables are,” he said.

    About Farm Credit:
    American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa Glenn Farm Credit, Farm Credit West, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, and Yosemite 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 Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom:
    The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youth throughout California about the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. We do this through:

    • Developing materials that are accurate, teacher-tested and scientifically sound to enhance the educational experience of K-12 students.
    • Providing programs, inspiration and training opportunities for educators.
    • Partnering with like-minded organizations to create awareness about the significance of agriculture in our everyday lives.
    • Recognizing teachers and students for their achievements in agricultural literacy.
    • Supporting the pursuit of agricultural careers and continuing education.

    Our mission is to increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California’s educators and students. Our vision is an appreciation of agriculture by all. Learn more at https://learnaboutag.org.

  • Fun Facts About Bees & Almonds

    Almond Board of California — Honey bees and almonds form a partnership designed by nature. They both evolved in the same Mediterranean region and help each other prosper.

    Pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we consume, beyond just almonds.

    Just like almonds are a nutritious snack for us, almond pollen is very nutritious for honey bees, providing all 10 of the essential amino acids their diets require.

    When almond trees bloom, bees get their first nutritious food source of the year as they pollinate almond orchards. Bee hives regularly grow in strength and size during almond bloom and consistently leave stronger than when they arrived.

    Research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture released in June 2021 found that amygdalin – a naturally occurring compound in the nectar and pollen of almond trees – can reduce honey bee viruses and gut parasites, which are some of the leading threats to bee health and colonies.

    Every almond you eat comes from a flower once pollinated by a bee.

    California’s almond bloom is the largest pollination event annually in the world, with beekeepers from most US states supplying nearly a million beehives (close to half the beehives in America) for this event.

    Each almond flower is receptive to pollen for one to three days.

    Almond trees produce roughly 20,000 blossoms, depending on size and variety.

    Bees have furry little bodies and legs – honey bees have almost 3 million tiny hairs on their bodies – so pollen sticks to them like lint on a black sweater. They carry the pollen back to their hive, but some drops off onto other flowers or blows to almond blossoms in the breeze.

    Bees can often strip an almond orchard of pollen by midafternoon on many days, collecting all the pollen available then moving to neighboring flowers and landscape before returning to the hive before night. Then, orchards produce a new pollen crop every day, so the cycle continues until the orchard finishes flowering.

    Some orchards have more than 6 million flowers per acre during bloom. Thanks to ideal Central Valley weather, supportive bee work and good orchard management, often 25%-30% of those flowers become the almonds that you eat.

    Bloom lasts about 2-3 weeks per variety, and because most orchards have more than one variety, an average bloom lasts about six weeks through a whole orchard.

    Honey bees are major pollinators on which we depend, but native pollinators, including butterflies and other bee species and insects are also essential.

    The California almond community has funded over 100 research projects supporting honey bees, more than any other crop group.

    The California almond community works hard in the orchard to support honey bee health during bloom and beyond.

    The almond community’s five-point Pollinator Protection Plan outlines steps farmers are taking in their orchards to keep bees safe during bloom as well as how they’re supporting honey bee health all year round.

    The Almond Board of California established Honey Bee Best Management Practices (BMPs) for California almond growers using research insights and in partnership with universities, government agencies, nonprofits and other institutions. The Bee BMPs provide key recommendations to help keep orchards orchard a safe place for honey bees, protect the developing crop, and give hives the opportunity to grow.

  • NASS Updates Almond Forecast, Smaller 2022 Crop

    The 2022 California Almond Objective Measurement Report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimates that the crop harvested in 2022 will come in at 2.6 billion meat pounds, 11 percent below last year’s 2.9 billion pounds.

    The estimate is down 7 percent from NASS’s subjective forecast in May and comes in a complicated year. Some growers were impacted by frost in spring while the entire almond industry, and all California farmers, have been navigating a difficult water year and continued logistical issues impacting the ability to ship almonds to meet consumer demand around the world.

    “Growers have been working hard in the face of challenging circumstances and it demonstrates their dedication to improving stewardship practices and meeting the demands of consumers,” said Brian Wahlbrink, chair of the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors.

    The forecast for the average nut set per tree is 4,082, 12 percent down from 2021. The Nonpareil average nut set of 3,966 is also 12 percent lower than last year. The average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.47 grams, up less than 1 percent from the 2021 average weight. The Nonpareil average kernel weight was 1.55 grams, up slightly from last year.

    “Despite the shipping and logistical logjams, recent shipment numbers have set monthly records, which demonstrates the demand for California almonds continues to increase in the U.S. and around the world,” said Almond Board President and CEO Richard Waycott. “Almond growers are putting what resources they can afford this year into producing their crop, and their efforts show. Although there was a drop from last year, the forecast reflects the efforts of growers to meet global demand and ensure a steady supply of high quality California almonds.”

    ABC’s April and May 2022 Position Reports showed that almond exports set records for both months, even while facing shipping and logistical obstacles, and total almond shipments in May also set a record.
     
    NASS conducts the annual Subjective Forecast, Objective Report and Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions. Of the crop estimates, the 2022 California Almond Objective Report is considered the more accurate and is based on actual almond counts using a statistically rigorous methodology. — by the Almond Board of California

  • How Stressed-out Plants Produce Their Own Aspirin

    Plants protect themselves from environmental hazards like insects, drought and heat by producing salicylic acid, also known as aspirin. A new understanding of this process may help plants survive increasing stress caused by climate change.

    UC Riverside scientists recently published a seminal paper in the journal Science Advances reporting how plants regulate the production of salicylic acid.

    Plants in a UCR laboratory changing color in response to high light stress. (Jin-Zheng Wang/UCR)

    The researchers studied a model plant called Arabidopsis, but they hope to apply their understanding of stress responses in the cells of this plant to many other kinds of plants, including those grown for food.

    Human skin produces reactive oxygen species in response to sun, which causes freckles. (Maria Casinos/iStock/Getty)

    “We’d like to be able to use the gained knowledge to improve crop resistance,” said Jin-Zheng Wang, UCR plant geneticist and co-first author on the new study. “That will be crucial for the food supply in our increasingly hot, bright world.”

    Environmental stresses result in the formation of reactive oxygen species or ROS in all living organisms. Without sunscreen on a sunny day, human skin produces ROS, which causes freckles and burns. High levels of ROS in plants are lethal.

    As with many substances, the poison is in the amount. At low levels, ROS have an important function in plant cells.

    “At non-lethal levels, ROS are like an emergency call to action, enabling the production of protective hormones such as salicylic acid,” Wang said. “ROS are a double-edged sword.”

    The research team discovered that heat, unabated sunshine, or drought cause the sugar-making apparatus in plant cells to generate an initial alarm molecule known as MEcPP.

    UCR scientists Wilhelmina van de Ven, Katayoon Dehesh, Jin-Zheng Wang, who led the plant stress research. (UCR/Stan Lim)

    Going forward, the researchers want to learn more about MEcPP, which is also produced in organisms such as bacteria and malaria parasites. Accumulation of MEcPP in plants triggers the production of salicylic acid, which in turn begins a chain of protective actions in the cells.

    “It’s like plants use a painkiller for aches and pains, just like we do,” said Wilhelmina van de Ven, UCR plant biologist and co-first study author.

    The acid protects plants’ chloroplasts, which are the site of photosynthesis, a process of using light to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars for energy.

    “Because salicylic acid helps plants withstand stresses becoming more prevalent with climate change, being able to increase plants’ ability to produce it represents a step forward in challenging the impacts of climate change on everyday life,” said Katayoon Dehesh, senior paper author and UCR distinguished professor of molecular biochemistry.

    “Those impacts go beyond our food. Plants clean our air by sequestering carbon dioxide, offer us shade, and provide habitat for numerous animals. The benefits of boosting their survival are exponential,” she said. — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

  • Infrastructure Law to Help Safeguard Water Supplies in Wake of Western Drought

    The Department of the Interior announced a $36.1 million investment, including $26.7 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, to safeguard local water supplies in the wake of record drought across the West.

    Twenty-seven projects in 12 states and the first-ever in Puerto Rico will be awarded funding to advance quantifiable and sustained water savings by protecting watersheds impacted by wildland fire, restoring aquatic habitats and stream beds, and advancing other environmental restoration projects to mitigate drought-related impacts. These investments will be leveraged through partnerships with local communities to address regional water challenges, including projects to address damage left by the Caldor Fire in California and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. These funds follow a $25.5 million investment announced last month allocated for 14 water efficiency projects across eight western states.

    “President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is advancing locally-led initiatives to address severe and historic western drought,” said Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo. ”Through the Water Smart program funded under this law, we are addressing a variety of regional challenges to increase water reliability and accessibility for families, farmers and Tribes. Today’s investment will conserve water, restore riparian habitat and stream function, and improve watershed health to benefit local supplies and the surrounding environment.”

    “Adequate and safe water supplies are fundamental to the health, economy and security of the country. By restoring ecosystems and improving the health of rivers and watersheds, we can provide more local communities reliable access to water,” said Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “These grants invest in water management projects that will directly benefit plant and animal species, fish and wildlife habitat and ecosystems.”

    Overall, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $8.3 billion to address water and drought challenges for the nation’s western water and power infrastructure by repairing aging water delivery systems, securing dams, completing rural water projects, protecting aquatic ecosystems and fulfilling Indian Water Rights Settlements.

    The funding announced today is part of the $160 million in WaterSMART grants provided by the Law in 2022. Local governments in states set to receive funding must complete their project within three years. Through a 25 percent cost-share, a total of $56.2 million in federal and non-federal investments will be leveraged to support selected projects.

    For more than 100 years, Reclamation and its partners have developed sustainable water and power solutions for the West. This Department’s WaterSMART Program focuses on collaborative efforts to plan and implement actions to increase water supply sustainability, including investments to modernize infrastructure.

    More information about the Environmental Water Restoration Projects is available on Reclamation’s website.

    Selected projects:

    Recipient 

    State

    Title 

    Federal Funding 

    Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District 

    AZ 

    Roosevelt Watershed Protection and Forest Thinning Project 

    $560,250 

    Marin Municipal Water District 

    CA 

    Lagunitas Creek Stream Channel Restoration Project 

    $1,400,000

    San Bernadino Valley Municipal Water District 

    CA 

    Anza Creek Aquatic and Riparian Habitat Restoration Project 

    $2,000,000

    Resource Conservation District of Monterey County 

    CA 

    Salinas River Arundo Eradication Project Phase V 

    $1,479,262

    El Dorado County Water Agency 

    CA 

    Post Caldor Fire Watershed Restoration for Securing Water Supply for the Grizzly Flats Community 

    $1,875,000

    The Nature Conservancy 

    CO 

    Modernization of the Maybell Irrigation District’s Diversion from the Yampa River in Colorado 

    $1,920,900

    Trout Unlimited 

    CO 

    Pagosa Gateway Project 

    $375,000 

    State of Hawai’i DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife 

    HI 

    Protecting Forests for Water Supply Sustainability in Kohala Hawaii Phase 1 

    $996,487 

    State of Hawai’i DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife 

    HI 

    Protecting Forests for Water Supply Sustainability in Kohala Hawaii Phase 2 

    $931,783 

    Friends of the Teton River, Inc. 

    ID 

    Reconnecting Canyon Creek 

    $2,000,000

    Board of Control for Triangle Irrigation and Wood River 

    ID 

    Board of Control Diversion 45 Stabilization and Fish Passage Remediation 

    $629,000 

    The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation 

    ID 

    Battle Creek Ecological Restoration at Sowo Gahni 

    $1,999,711

    Sun River Watershed 

    MT 

    Muddy Creek Restoration and Resilience Project Phase I 

    $1,769,323

    Southern Nevada Water Authority 

    NV 

    Las Vegas Wash Riparian Restoration Project 

    $900,500 

    Rogue Valley Council of Governments 

    OR 

    Bear Creek Fish Passage Barriers Removal 

    $784,151 

    East Fork Irrigation District 

    OR 

    Oanna & Yasui Sublateral Efficiency Project 

    $2,000,000

    Curry Watersheds Nonprofit 

    OR 

    Sixes Riverbank Restoration and Estuary Enhancement 

    $268,789 

    Protectores de Cuencas Inc 

    PR 

    Accelerating Recovery and Increasing Resiliency of Coastal Wetlands in Punta Tuna Natural Reserve in Maunabo Puerto Rico 

    $509,694 

    Cameron County Water Improvement District No. 10 

    TX 

    Pipeline Improvements and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Water Management Improvements 

    $1,500,000

    Cache Water District 

    UT 

    Lower Logan River Trapper Park River Restoration Project 

    $2,000,000

    Trout Unlimited 

    UT 

    Weber River Ecological Resiliency Project 

    $1,864,032

    Trout Unlimited 

    UT 

    Paris Creek Hydropower Decommissioning and Instream Flow Restoration 

    $900,798 

    Kittitas Reclamation District 

    WA 

    South Branch Piping 

    $2,000,000

    Clallam Conservation District 

    WA 

    Irrigation Efficiency and Improvement Project 

    $1,535,937

    Clallam County 

    WA 

    Dungeness Reservoir Irrigation Conveyance Improvement Project 

    $1,813,275

    Wyoming Game and Fish Department 

    WY 

    New Fork River Gas Wells River Restoration and Fish Habitat Improvement 

    $100,000 

    Deaver Irrigation District 

    WY 

    D52 Lateral Piping and Shoshone River Sediment Reduction Project 

    $2,000,000

    More information, including details about other current opportunities to apply for funding available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is available on Reclamation’s WaterSMART program webpage.

  • PD/GWSS Board Ups Assessment Rate for 2022 California Grape Harvest

    The Pierce’s Disease/Glassy Winged Sharpshooter Board (PD/GWSS Board) recently voted to set the grower assessment rate in support of the Pierce’s Disease Control Program (Program) at $1.25 per $1,000 of crop value for the 2022 harvest. This assessment provides vital funding for research on GWSS and other designated vineyard pests and for research on developing crop resistance to PD.

    “CAWG fully supports this important program and we thank growers for their funding of the program,” said Tom Slater, Chair of the California Association of Winegrape Growers. “Inflation has increased costs of every aspect of our industry which includes research and costs of the Pierce’s Disease Control Program. CAWG appreciates the volunteer work of the PD/GWSS Board members, who represent the industry. Their due diligence, including choosing to invest in a science audit, helps contain costs and assure our assessment dollars are spent wisely.”

    “Wine Institute commends the Pierce’s Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board and staff for their decades of work to protect California’s vineyards from invasive pests and diseases,” said Robert P. Koch, President & CEO of Wine Institute. “This commitment to research will continue to provide significant benefits to our wine communities.”

    In considering the 2022 rate adjustment, the PD/GWSS Board sought sufficient funds to support testing of clean plant material at UC Davis and an audit by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). NAS will create an interdisciplinary committee to assess the current struggles facing the California wine grape industry in controlling grapevine viruses, with a specific focus on Grapevine red blotch virus and Grapevine leafroll associated virus type 3.

    “As the PD/GWSS Board discussed the assessment rate, we were mindful of the cost pressures our industry is facing and carefully constructed the upcoming budget to best balance our assessment dollars for maximum impact,” said Will Drayton, PD/GWSS Board chair. “We also know California winegrape growers continue to face pressure from grapevine viruses. As we set the Board’s budget for the coming year, we want to ensure growers have clean plant material and that the Board continues to wisely invest grower dollars in the best research for solutions to pests and diseases.”

    The committee will review the current and recent research activities of the PD/GWSS Board, and help direct a future funding approach to address the knowledge and management gaps required to minimize the spread of, and economic losses due to these viruses. The committee will also identify ways in which the PD/GWSS Board can draw from a wider breadth of researchers and utilize cutting edge genetic tools and platforms to combat these virus problems.

    Over the 21-year history of the program, the assessment has ranged from a high of $3.00 in 2001 to a low of $0.75 in 2015. The average annual harvest assessment is $1.40. The assessment was $1.00 for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 harvests. The 2022 harvest assessment will provide an estimated $3.5 million in funding.

    Since 2019, the PD/GWSS Board has committed more than $11 million to research that benefits vineyard health. Below are a few examples of the outcomes of that research:

    • Discovery of potential biological control of PD using Paraburkholderia phytofirmans by Steven Lindow at UC Berkeley. The Board funded a new project this year at UC Davis to assess efficacy and compare with other biological control PD control tools, with the goal to produce data that would help directly lead to commercialization.

    • The recent successful laboratory use and publication of CRISPR/Cas9 genetic technology in GWSS through work at UC Riverside, which has the potential to revolutionize PD vector control by making GWSS unable to vector PD.

    • Improved understanding of the effects of grapevine red blotch on vine physiology and wine composition through recent work at UC Davis.

    • Improved understanding and communication of research-based control measures for Pierce’s disease as well as Board-designated viral diseases (red blotch, leafroll and fan leaf) through work at UC Cooperative Extension, Cornell University, and UC Berkeley.

      The Program has also had great success in treatment of GWSS in rural, suburban and urban settings. This includes nursey treatments, area wide management and the ongoing treatment for GWSS in residential Vacaville.

      A recent study led at UC Cooperative Extension, Kern County, found that Program-led efforts in area wide management of GWSS in the southern San Joaquin Valley have been a success and a good model for disease control. 

  • California Goodness Campaign Highlights Pride in Growing Table Grapes

    With the harvest underway in both the Coachella and San Joaquin Valleys, California grapes are available around the country and shoppers and retailers can celebrate the California Goodness that comes with every bunch of California table grapes.

    As the season kicked off, so did The California Table Grape Commission (commission) California Goodness campaign, to remind shoppers and retailers alike that when they purchase California grapes, they are supporting an industry of table grape growers and farmworkers dedicated to producing a high-quality, safe, and healthy product to shoppers around the world.

    The campaign features a series of videos shot in the table grape growing regions of California with growers and farmworkers sharing their pride in producing table grapes for the world to enjoy. The first set of videos features a grower and several farmworkers in the Coachella Valley. Their stories are being shared on GrapesfromCalifornia.com and on commission social media platforms. Similar stories from the San Joaquin Valley will be gathered and shared later this season. Another video that shows shoppers how to find California grapes on packaging is also airing on social media.

    In addition to the videos, California Goodness radio spots are available for retailers.

    “Shoppers should know that when they purchase California table grapes, they are not only choosing the best-tasting, highest-quality grapes in the world, they are also supporting growers, farmworkers, their families, and the communities in which they work and live,” said Kathleen Nave, commission president.

    Videos featuring a grower and farmworkers in Coachella Valley can be viewed HERE.