California Ag Network

Category: Citrus Industry

  • California Fresh Fruit Association Hires New Director of Member Services and Communications

    Fresno, California – The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) today announced the hiring of Courtney Razor as its new Director of Member Services and Communications. Mrs. Razor comes to the Association after serving as the Chief Operations Officer for the Fresno County Farm Bureau for the last six and a half years. In her role at the Fresno County Farm Bureau, Mrs. Razor managed their Future Advocates for Agriculture Concerned about Tomorrow (FAACT) program, supported the needs of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and oversaw special event planning.

    The Chairman of the Board for the Association, Randy Giumarra of Giumarra Vineyards Corp., stated, “We are very pleased that Courtney has agreed to become a part of the team at CFFA. Her personal background and education, as well as her extensive experience working for a peer agricultural association, should translate into real value for our membership.” Association President Ian LeMay added, “I have had the pleasure of working with Courtney for a number of years in her role with the Fresno County Farm Bureau, and I have always found her to be an articulate and vocal advocate for California agriculture. We believe she is a natural fit, along with our current staff, to continue to bring value to our members and to serve the California fresh fruit industry.”

    Mrs. Razor grew up in Sanger and is the daughter of third-generation fresh fruit farmer Craig Sorensen. She is a graduate of California State University, Fresno where she earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communications and journalism along with a certificate in marketing. Her first day at the Association will be Tuesday, September 3rd.

    The California Fresh Fruit Association is a voluntary public policy association that represents growers, packers, and shippers of California table grape, blueberry, kiwi, pomegranate and deciduous tree fruit communities. CFFA serves as a public policy representative for these growers, shippers and packers, on issues at both the state and federal levels. More information about the California Fresh Fruit Association can be found at www.cafreshfruit.org.

  • Tulare County Crop Report (Week Ending August 24, 2019)

    Small Grains, Other Field Crops:

    Cotton fields are in full bloom and bolls are filling. Alfalfa hay continues to be cut and baled. Corn for silage and related summer row crops are being harvested, and land is being fertilized in preparation for the next crop. Dried beans are being shipped to Southern California. Black-eyed beans are maturing and drying in fields.

    Deciduous Tree Fruits, Nuts, And Grapes:

    Mature stone fruit continues to be harvested. Stone fruit orchards continue to be summer pruned, topped, and dried prunings are being shredded. Old, harvested stone fruit orchards continue to be pushed out and burned to clear the field for replanting. Peaches, nectarines, plums, and pluots continue to be exported to Australia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Harvesting of Asian pears is accelerating, but exports are very slow. Pecan, pistachio, and walnut nuts continue to develop. Pistachio nuts are being exported to Turkey, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Israel, and Cyprus. Almonds are being harvested and are being exported to Germany, France, Brazil, New Zealand, and India. Table grapes continue to be harvested and exported to Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Some vineyards continue to have the leaves thinned to allow for better airflow, light, and to aid in harvesting. Some table grape vineyards, rows are being covered to protect grapes from rain. Kiwis continue to be thinned. Persimmons continue to develop some color in early varieties.

    Citrus, Avocados, And Olives:

    Valencia oranges are being harvested in very limited amounts, and being packed for domestic markets. They are being exported to Mexico, El Salvador, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, China, and Singapore. Gassing of Valencia oranges continues in order to counter re-greening. Some citrus groves are being pruned, hedge rowed, and skirted. Citrus groves continue irrigating during high temperatures. Grapefruit are being exported to Singapore. Star Ruby grapefruit are being harvested and packed for the domestic market. Immature olives continue to develop. Limes are being harvested, but have yet to be exported. Finger limes are picked from coastal locations to be exported to China and the Netherlands.

    Vegetables, Melons, Herbs, Berries:

    Certified producers are growing cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, bell peppers, melons, peppers, eggplant, and Jalapeño peppers to sell at local Farmer’s Markets. Summer vegetables continue to be sold at roadside stands. Strawberry growers are taking old plantings out and preparing the ground for fall planting.

    Livestock And Poultry:

    Rangeland feed and water remains fair. Local cattle ranchers are supplemental feeding their livestock. The fed cattle price is at $110 per cwt.

    Additional Comments:

    Retail nursery shipments continue to be received from southern counties in California.

    By Tom Tucker, Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner/ Sealer

  • Tulare County Crop Report ( Week Ending: August 17, 2019)

    Small Grains, Other Field Crops:

    Cotton fields are in full bloom and bolls are filling. Alfalfa continues to be cut and baled with some fields on their third cutting. Corn for silage is being cut. Processed horse feed is being exported to Japan.

    Deciduous Tree Fruits, Nuts, And Grapes:

    Mature stone fruit continues to be harvested. Peaches are being exported to Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, Taiwan, Canada, the Philippines, Thailand, New Zealand, and Costa Rica. Nectarines are being exported to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Taiwan, Australia, Costa Rica, and the Philippines. Apricots are being exported to Canada. Plums are being exported to China, El Salvador, Taiwan, Mexico, Australia, Canada, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Guatemala, and Honduras. Harvesting of Asian Pears is accelerating. Asian Pears continue to be exported to Canada, Panama, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Kiwi fruits are being thinned and continue being exported to Mexico. Shelled pecans are being exported to New Zealand. Some Stone Fruit orchards are being pruned after harvest and some are being pushed out. Pistachios are being exported to Vietnam, Turkey, Thailand, France, Mexico, India, China, Norway, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Israel, and Cyprus. The harvest season for Almond just started. Table grapes are continue to be harvested and exported to Australia, Guatemala, New Caledonia, Panama, New Zealand, Korea, and Vietnam. Some vineyards continue to have the leaves thinned to allow for better airflow and light. Pecan, Pistachio and Walnut nuts continue to develop.

    Citrus, Avocados, And Olives:

    Valencia Oranges are being harvested in very limited amounts and being packed mostly for domestic market but infrequent loads are being exported to Mexico, El Salvador, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, China, and Singapore. Gassing of Valencia oranges continues in order to counter the re-greening. Some citrus groves are being pruned, hedge rowed, and skirted. Citrus groves continue irrigating during high temperatures. Star Ruby Grapefruits are being harvested and packed for the domestic market. Immature olives continue to develop. Mature olive trees are being pushed up. Limes are being harvested.

    Vegetables, Melons, Herbs, Berries:

    Certified producers are growing Squash, Peppers, Eggplant, and Jalapeños to sell at local Farmers Markets. Summer vegetables continue to be sold at roadside stands. Blueberries are being exported to Vietnam.

    Livestock And Poultry:

    Rangeland feed and water remains fair. Local cattle ranchers are supplement feeding their livestock. The fed cattle price is at $111 per cwt.

    Additional Comments:

    Nursery stocks are being shipped to Washington, Oregon, North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.

    Prepared by: Tom Tucker, Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer

  • National Honey Bee Day: 5 Easy Things You Can do to Help Bees

    August 17 is National Honey Bee Day! It’s a day to celebrate bees and bring together beekeepers and bee enthusiasts of all backgrounds to highlight the important role that bees play in our daily lives.

    There are over 19,000 different species of bees globally, who are responsible for pollinating 30 percent of the world’s food crops and 90 percent of our wild plants. Bees are absolutely essential to sustain life on this earth as we know it.

    For the last 15 years, bee populations have been declining at an alarming rate largely due to climate change, habitat loss and pesticide use. Fewer bees mean fewer crops which not only impact food security, but also the economy and maintenance of a healthy ecosystem.

    “Sadly, more than one third of all bee species are facing declines in population and almost ten percent are facing complete extinction,” said Flow Hive co-inventor Cedar Anderson.

    “But the exciting thing is that there are so many tiny actions all of us can do to play a part in protecting bees. Protecting bees is not just the job of beekeepers – we all have a role, and it can start in our own backyards,” Anderson said.

    Let’s celebrate National Bee Day by creating thriving habitats for these essential little pollinators. Here are 5 easy things we can all do to help bees thrive.

    STEP 1: Put the sprays away!

    Pesticides are recognized as one of the leading threats to pollinators worldwide. Garden pesticides can be replaced with natural alternatives such as garlic, onion or salt spray, soap & orange citrus oil or even chili or pepper spray. Remember even natural sprays can harm pollinators so make sure to only use them outside of foraging hours.

    STEP 2: Plant bee-friendly flowers

    Even if you don’t keep bees, planting a bee friendly garden is something anyone can do.

    Find plants that bloom at different times of the year. Support a range of different pollinators throughout the different seasons. Trees and shrubs produce much higher quantities of pollen and nectar; however, smaller plants produce forage more regularly – it’s great to have a selection of both.

    STEP 3: Let your garden get a little messy! 

    Be garden lazy! Let your veggie and herb plants flower and let the dandelions bloom – the bees get to forage and you get some time off gardening duties – win-win!

    STEP 4: Help educate children on the importance of pollinators

    Educating children about bees and pollinators is a great way to get them involved with caring for the environment and provides an excellent excuse to get them outdoors and off the screens! If you have a vegetable garden, this can be a fun way to introduce the importance of pollinators – we need them to pollinate one-third of our food crops and 90% of our wild plants.

    STEP 5: Become a beekeeper!

    Discover the fascinating world and experience how caring for your own colony connects with your local environment. There’s never been a more important time to act.

    The Flow Hive

    Born out of a concern of the decline of the honey bee, second and third generation father and son beekeepers, Stuart and Cedar Anderson, invented a beehive that allows for easier honey extraction. Their ‘Flow Hive’ harvests honey in a simpler way, straight from the hive and into a jar, making it gentler on the bees and much easier for the beekeeper.

    “The Flow Hive speaks to the yearning in so many of us to be more in touch with the food we eat and more connected with the natural world. Our hive makes beekeeping easier and more accessible for thousands of people to enjoy this wonderful hobby which also benefits the planet,” Flow Hive co-inventor Stuart Anderson said.

    Flow Hive launched in 2015 through a record-breaking crowdfunding campaign which received support from tens of thousands of people around the world. In the four years since the launch, Flow Hive has reached over 65,000 beekeepers across 130 countries.

    “We hope to encourage a new era of beekeepers around the world who bring with them enthusiasm, wonder, passion and purpose. Beekeeping increases our overall engagement with nature and reinforces our appreciation of how these magical creatures work,” Anderson said.

    The Flow Hive is being used on the rooftops of The Intercontinental Hotel and the Barclay Hotel in New York, The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, North Carolina, at The Hague in Europe, Government House in the heart of Sydney, and at Parliament House in Canberra Australia.

    Cedar and Stuart Anderson have supported grassroots pollinator projects in the USA and Australia by producing upcycled Pollinator Houses with all profits donated in the form of micro-grants to projects supporting habitat regeneration, protection and advocacy for bees. Flow Hive is also a Certified B Corp, helping to lead a global movement of people using business for a force of good.

    For more information about how you can help bees watch this video.

    For more information about Flow Hive visit www.honeyflow.com.

     

  • California Crop Weather Report ( Week Ending: August 11, 2019)

    Weather

    Temperature highs ranged from the mid 60s to mid 90s in the mountains, high 60s to mid 100s along the coast, mid 70s to mid 100s in the valley, and low 90s to low 120s in the desert. Temperature lows ranged from the mid 30s to low 60s in the mountains, high 40s to mid 60s along the coast, mid 50s to mid 70s in the valley, and high 40s to low 90s in the desert.

    Field Crops

    In Tulare County, cotton fields were in full bloom and bolls were filling. Alfalfa continued to be cut and baled with some fields on their third cutting. Corn for silage was being cut. In Sacramento County, rice and safflower continued to grow and mature.

    Fruit Crops

    Stone fruit orchards were irrigated. Nectarine, peach, plum, and pluot harvests continued. Post-harvest pruning and mechanical topping was ongoing. Some older stone fruit orchards were pushed out after harvest. Olives and persimmons were maturing well. Asian pears, figs, and pears were harvested. Table grape harvest continued. Irrigation and mechanical vineyard maintenance was
    ongoing. Some Valencia oranges were harvested. Gassing of Valencia oranges continued to counter re-greening. Ruby red grapefruit were harvested. Citrus groves were pruned, hedged, and skirted. Some citrus were pushed out in preparation for new plantings.

    Nut Crops

    Orchards continued to be irrigated. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios were developing well. Almonds were treated for Navel orange worms and mites. Orchard floors were cleaned up in preparation of almond harvest. Almond harvest was underway in the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley.

    Vegetable Crops

    Tomato harvest increased in the valley. Corn crop matured at a slower rate due to mild weather conditions. In Tulare County, certified producers grew tomatoes, squash, peppers, and cucumbers for local Farmers’ markets. In Kern County, sweet potatoes were doing well in high heat.

    Livestock

    Rangeland grasses continued to dry. Foothill rangeland and non-irrigated pasture remained in fair to good condition, though water was hauled to livestock in some locations and supplemental feeding had commenced. Some cattle were moved to higher elevation range. Sheep grazed in fallow fields. Bees were active in sunflower fields.

  • USDA Announces Details of Support Package for Farmers

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced further details of the $16 billion package aimed at supporting American agricultural producers while the Administration continues to work on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals.

    In May, President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a relief strategy in line with the estimated impacts of unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. The Market Facilitation Program (MFP), Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP), and Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) will assist agricultural producers while President Trump works to address long-standing market access barriers.

    “China and other nations have not played by the rules for a long time, and President Trump is the first President to stand up to them and send a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate unfair trade practices,” Secretary Perdue said. “The details we announced today ensure farmers will not stand alone in facing unjustified retaliatory tariffs while President Trump continues working to solidify better and stronger trade deals around the globe.

    “Our team at USDA reflected on what worked well and gathered feedback on last year’s program to make this one even stronger and more effective for farmers. Our farmers work hard, are the most productive in the world, and we aim to match their enthusiasm and patriotism as we support them,” Secretary Perdue added.

    Background:

    American farmers have dealt with unjustified retaliatory tariffs and decades of non-tariff trade disruptions, which have curtailed U.S. exports to China and other nations. Trade damages from such retaliation and market distortions have impacted a host of U.S. commodities. High tariffs disrupt normal marketing patterns, raising costs by forcing commodities to find new markets. Additionally, American goods shipped to China have been slowed from reaching market by unusually strict or cumbersome entry procedures, which affect the quality and marketability of perishable crops. These boost marketing costs and unfairly affect our producers. USDA is using a variety of programs to support American farmers, ranchers, and producers.

    Participating in the Trade Mitigation Call – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA Chief Economist Rob Johansson, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps.

    Details of USDA’s Market Facilitation Program (MFP)

    MFP signup at local FSA offices will run from Monday, July 29 through Friday, December 6, 2019.

    Payments will be made by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) under the authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act to producers of alfalfa hay, barley, canola, corn, crambe, dried beans, dry peas, extra-long staple cotton, flaxseed, lentils, long grain and medium grain rice, millet, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, rapeseed, rye, safflower, sesame seed, small and large chickpeas, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower seed, temperate japonica rice, triticale, upland cotton, and wheat. MFP assistance for those non-specialty crops is based on a single county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in aggregate in 2019. Those per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. A producer’s total payment-eligible plantings cannot exceed total 2018 plantings. County payment rates range from $15 to $150 per acre, depending on the impact of unjustified trade retaliation in that county.

    Dairy producers who were in business as of June 1, 2019, will receive a per hundredweight payment on production history, and hog producers will receive a payment based on the number of live hogs owned on a day selected by the producer between April 1 and May 15, 2019.

    MFP payments will also be made to producers of almonds, cranberries, cultivated ginseng, fresh grapes, fresh sweet cherries, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Each specialty crop will receive a payment based on 2019 acres of fruit or nut bearing plants, or in the case of ginseng, based on harvested acres in 2019.

    Acreage of non-specialty crops and cover crops must be planted by August 1, 2019 to be considered eligible for MFP payments.

    The MFP rule and a related Notice of Funding Availability will be published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2019, when signup begins at local FSA offices. Per-acre non-specialty crop county payment rates, specialty crop payment rates, and livestock payment rates are all currently available on farmers.gov.

    MFP payments will be made in up-to three tranches, with the second and third tranches evaluated as market conditions and trade opportunities dictate. If conditions warrant, the second and third tranches will be made in November and early January, respectively. The first tranche will be comprised of the higher of either 50 percent of a producer’s calculated payment or $15 per acre, which may reduce potential payments to be made in tranches two or three. USDA will begin making first tranche payments in mid-to-late August.

    MFP payments are limited to a combined $250,000 for non-specialty crops per person or legal entity. MFP payments are also limited to a combined $250,000 for dairy and hog producers and a combined $250,000 for specialty crop producers. However, no applicant can receive more than $500,000. Eligible applicants must also have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000 or, 75 percent of the person’s or legal entity’s average AGI for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 must have been derived from farming and ranching. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations.

    Many producers were affected by natural disasters this spring, such as flooding, that kept them out of the field for extended periods of time. Producers who filed a prevented planting claim and planted an FSA-certified cover crop, with the potential to be harvested qualify for a $15 per acre payment. Acres that were never planted in 2019 are not eligible for an MFP payment.

    In June, H.R. 2157, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 was signed into law by President Trump, requiring a change to the first round of MFP assistance provided in 2018. Producers previously deemed ineligible for MFP in 2018 because they had an average AGI level higher than $900,000 may now be eligible for 2018 MFP benefits. Those producers must be able to verify 75 percent or more of their average AGI was derived from farming and ranching to qualify. This supplemental MFP signup period will run parallel to the 2019 MFP signup, from July 29 through December 6, 2019.

    For more information on the MFP, visit www.farmers.gov/mfp or contact your local FSA office, which can be found at www.farmers.gov.

    Details of USDA’s Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP)

    Additionally, CCC Charter Act authority will be used to implement an up to $1.4 billion FPDP through the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to purchase surplus commodities affected by trade retaliation such as fruits, vegetables, some processed foods, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and milk for distribution by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals.

     

    Purchasing:

    AMS will buy affected products in four phases, starting after October 1, 2019 with deliveries beginning in January 2020. The products purchased can be adjusted between phases to accommodate changes due to: growing conditions; product availability; market conditions; trade negotiation status; and program capacity. AMS will purchase known commodities first. By purchasing in phases, procurements for commodities that have been sourced in the past can be purchased more quickly and included in the first phase.

    Vendor Outreach:

    To expand the AMS vendor pool and the ability to purchase new and existing products, AMS will ramp up its vendor outreach and registration efforts. AMS has also developed flyers on how the process works and how to become a vendor for distribution to industry groups and interested parties. Additionally, AMS will continue to host a series of free webinars describing the steps required to become a vendor. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered during the webinar. Recorded webinars are available to review by potential vendors, and staff will host periodic Question and Answer teleconferences to better explain the process.

    Product Specifications:

    AMS maintains purchase specifications for a variety of commodities, which ensure recipients receive the high-quality product they expect. AMS in collaboration with FNS regularly develops and revises specifications for new and enhanced products based on program requirements and requests. AMS will be prioritizing the development of those products impacted by unjustified retaliation. AMS will also work with industry groups to identify varieties and grades sold to China and other markets imposing retaliatory tariffs, such as premium apples, oranges, pears, and other products. AMS will develop or revise specifications to facilitate the purchase of these premium varieties in forms that meet the needs of FNS nutrition assistance programs.

    Outlets:

    The products discussed in this plan will be distributed to States for use in the network of food banks and food pantries that participate in The Emergency Feeding Assistance Program (TEFAP), elderly feeding programs such as the Commodity Supplemental Foods Program (CSFP), and tribes that operate the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).

    These outlets are in addition to child nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch Program, which may also benefit from these purchases.

    Additionally, the rule provides flexibility for FNS to explore new channels of non-profit distribution of product, should the availability of distribution through traditional channels prove to be insufficient. FNS will offer products through traditional channels prior to consideration of new outlets.

    Distribution:

    AMS has coordinated with FNS, industry representatives, and other agency partners to determine necessary logistics for the purchase and distribution of each commodity, including trucking, inspection and audit requirements, and agency staffing.

    Details of USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP)

    USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will administer the ATP under authorities of the CCC. The ATP will provide cost-share assistance to eligible U.S. organizations for activities such as consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and exhibits, market research, and technical assistance. Last week, USDA awarded $100 million to 48 organizations through the ATP to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets.

    The 48 recipients are among the cooperator organizations that applied for $200 million in ATP funds in 2018 that were awarded earlier this year. As part of a new round of support for farmers impacted by unjustified retaliation and trade disruption, those groups had the opportunity to be considered for additional support for their work to boost exports for U.S. agriculture, food, fish, and forestry products.

    Already, since the $200 million in assistance was announced in January, U.S. exporters have had significant success, including a trade mission to Pakistan that generated $10 million in projected 2019 sales of pulse crops, a new marketing program for Alaska seafood that led to more than $4 million in sales of salmon to Vietnam and Thailand, and a comprehensive marketing effort by the U.S. soybean industry that has increased exposure in more than 50 international markets. These funds will continue to generate sales and business for U.S. producers and exporters many times over as promotional activity continues for the next couple of years.

  • California Crop Weather Report ( For Week Ending: July 28, 2019)

    WEATHER

     Temperature highs ranged from the high 60s to high 90s in the mountains, low 60s to high 100s along the coast, mid 90s to high 100s in the valley, and low 90s to high 100s in the desert.  Temperature lows ranged from low 40s to high 60s in the mountains, mid 50s to high 70s along the coast, high 50s to mid 90s in the desert, and high 50s to low 80s in the valley.

    FIELD CROPS

    In Tulare County, corn for silage continued to mature. Black-eyed beans are sizing up, and pods are beginning to dry. Cotton continued to be irrigated and cultivated. Alfalfa hay was cut and baled. In San  Mateo County, hay continued to be cut and baled.  Fresno County corn was to be harvested for silage. Alfalfa yields are good, with lower quality decreasing prices.

     FRUIT CROPS

    Stone fruit orchards were irrigated. Apricot, peach, plum, pluot, and nectarine harvest continued. Post-harvest pruning and mechanical topping was ongoing. Some older stone fruit orchards were pushed out after harvest. Persimmons and olives continued to mature. Grapes were growing well as harvest began. Some vineyards continue to have leaves thinned to allow better airflow and light. Irrigation and mechanical vineyard maintenance continued. Valencia and Navel oranges were harvested. Valencia were gassed to improve color. Citrus groves were pruned and hedge rowed. Some citrus were pushed out in preparation for new plantings.

    NUT CROPS

    Orchards continued to be irrigated. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios were developing well. Almonds were treated for Navel Orangeworm and mites.

    VEGETABLE CROPS

    Monterey County reported good weather conditions for lettuce. In San Mateo County, fall squash plants were in flower. In Colusa, Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo counties tomato harvest is set to begin in early planted fields. In Tulare County, summer vegetables continued to be sold at roadside stands and farmers’ markets. Producers are picking tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and squash. In Fresno county organic processing tomato and garlic harvests were completed with below average yields.

    LIVESTOCK

    Pastureland continued to dry. Only about a fifth of the five year average acres have burned so far this fire year. Late spring rains and moderate temperatures in the early summer months have contributed to this slow start to the fire season. Foothill rangeland and non-irrigated pasture remained in fair to good condition, though water was hauled to livestock in some locations. Sheep grazed in fallow fields. Bees were active in sunflower fields. 

  • Tulare County Crop Report (For the week ending July 27, 2019)

    Small Grains, Other Field Crops:

    Corn for silage continues to mature. Black-eyed beans are sizing up, and the pods are beginning to dry. Cotton continues to be irrigated and cultivated. Alfalfa continues to be cut and baled.

    Deciduous Tree Fruits, Nuts, And Grapes:

    The stone fruit season continues on. Peaches are being exported to Brazil, Taiwan, Canada,Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, and Australia. Nectarines are being exported to Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Brazil, Honduras, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. Plums are being exported to China, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. Hand-pruning and mechanical toppingcontinues to take place in some stone fruit orchards, after harvest. Immature stone fruit continuesto develop. Some older stone fruit groves are being removed after harvest. Grapes continue to mature and harvest has begun slowly, but will pick up next week. Grapes are being exported to Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand. Some vineyards continue to have leaves thinned to allow for better airflow and light. This year’s almond, pecan, walnut, and pistachio nuts continue to develop. Pistachios are being exported to Vietnam, India, Spain, and Hong Kong. Almonds are being exported Vietnam, Germany, Finland, Jordan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia, and Argentina. Persimmons continue to develop. Irrigation continues for orchards and vineyards.

     

    Citrus, Avocados, And Olives:

    Valencia and navel oranges continue to be harvested. Late navel harvest is nearing the end, with oranges mainly being sent to juice from the field. Gassing of Valencia oranges to improve color continues. Valencia oranges are mainly being sent to domestic markets but they continue to be exported in small amounts to Mexico and Hong Kong. Ruby grapefruit and Finger limes are being exported to Mexico. Some citrus groves are being pruned and hedge rowed. Immature olives continue to develop.

     

    Vegetables, Melons, Herbs, Berries:

    Certified producers are picking tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumber, watermelon, and squash. Summer vegetables continue to be sold at roadside stands and Farmer’s Markets. Blueberries are being picked and sold by local growers.

     

    Livestock And Poultry:

    Rangeland forage is of fair-good quality. The fed cattle price is at $112 per cwt.

    Additional Comments:

    Local wholesale nurseries are still shipping small orders of nursery stock to local and out-of-state retail nursery outlets. Nurseries continue to receive various flowers and plants daily. Bare-rootrose shipments continue to be sent to Florida.

     

  • Kevin Ball Joins Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee

    The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee (CPDPC) announces the addition of Kevin Ball as the new grower representative for the coastal district position. Kevin Ball will advise the committee on the latest citrus grower activities occurring in the coastal area.

    The CPDPC advises the Secretary and the agricultural industry about efforts to combat serious pests and diseases, like the Asian citrus psyllid and Huanglongbing, that threaten the state’s citrus crop.

    Ball brings decades of experience in the agricultural industry, most recently as vice president of orchard operations at Agland Services for the past 15 years. At the company he supervises the daily operations of 20 ranches in the Camarillo, Somis, Moorpark and Ventura areas while consulting on ranches throughout Ventura and Southern Santa Barbara counties.

    As a former executive committee board member at the California Avocado Society, Ball is also well versed in organizing, planning and implementing grower outreach programs and managing budgets for seminars, research and grower outreach. Beginning his career as a grower, Ball is experienced in the field, running irrigations, spraying weeds, maintaining equipment and more.

    Coastal area citrus growers may contact Kevin Ball with concerns/inquiries:

    Kevin Ball
    Vice President of Orchard Operations, Partner, Agland Services
    kevin.ball@aglandca.com

     

  • When Life Gives you Sour Lemons, Use Genetics to Find Out Why

    A team of researchers, including two from the University of California, Riverside, has identified the genes responsible for the hallmark sour taste of many citrus fruits. Published Tuesday, Feb. 25 in Nature Communications, the research could help plant breeders develop new, sweeter varieties.

    Modern citrus varieties have been bred over thousands of years to generate a broad palette of sour and sweet-tasting fruits. Analyses of their pulp reveals that a single chemical element—hydrogen—is largely responsible for the difference between sour and sweet-tasting varieties, which usually have similar sugar content. The pulp from sour fruits contains more hydrogen ions, giving it a lower pH and a tangy taste that is recognized by acid-sensitive cells in our taste buds. Conversely, pulp from sweeter varieties contains fewer hydrogen ions and tastes less acidic.

    Ronald Koes and colleagues at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands set out to untangle how some citrus varieties wind up with more acidic juice than others, a process that until now has remained a mystery. Their interest stemmed from a previous study showing that higher acidity in purple petunia flowers resulted in more petal pigmentation.

    Intrigued by the Faris variety of lemon tree, which produces branches bearing both sweet and sour fruits, and white and purple-tinged flowers, Koes’ team turned to UCR plant scientists Mikeal Roose and Claire Federici. Using the university’s vast Citrus Variety Collection, which preserves over 1,000 living citrus and related fruit varieties, Roose and Federici selected the Faris lemon and 20 other citrus fruits ranging from wincingly sour to sugary sweet for Koes’ team to analyze.

    By studying the expression of genes related to those controlling acidity in petunias, Koes’ team identified two citrus genes, CitPH1 and CitPH5, that are highly expressed in sour varieties and weakly expressed in sweet-tasting varieties. The CitPH1 and CitPH5 genes encode transporter proteins that pump hydrogen ions into the vacuole, a large storage compartment inside juice cells, thus increasing their overall acidity.

    Next, the team turned its attention to genes that control the levels of CitPH1 and CitPH5 in juice cells. While down-regulation of CitPH1 and CitPH5 in sweeter tasting varieties arose multiple times independently in different varieties, the researchers found that mutations in genes for a handful of transcription factors (proteins that help turn specific genes on and off) were responsible for reduced expression of CitPH1 and CitPH5, and therefore a sweeter taste.

    Roose, a professor of genetics in UCR’s College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, said the findings could help breeders develop better-tasting citrus fruits. However, he said breeding varieties with severe mutations in the transcription factors such as those studied in the “acidless” citrus would be “overkill,” producing sugary citrus fruits with none of their popular acidic kick. Instead, plant scientists should look to target mutations that have a less dramatic effect on the production and activity of transporter proteins.

    “By understanding the mechanism acidification of fruit cells, we can now look for related genes that might reduce the expression of CitPH1 and CitPH5 just enough to engineer or select for new, sweeter varieties,” Roose said.

    The title of the paper is “Hyperacidification of Citrus fruits by a vacuolar proton-pumping P-ATPase complex.” In addition to Koes, authors at the University of Amsterdam are Pamela Strazzer, Cornelis Spelt, Shuangjiang Li, Mattijs Bliek, and Francesca Quattrocchio. Roose and Federici’s work was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

    About UC Riverside: The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California’s diverse culture, UCR’s enrollment is now nearly 23,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.