California Ag Network

Category: Events

  • Fresno State Horticulture Nursery to host Iris Society sale Aug. 12

    Fresno, Calif., (August 2, 2017) – The Fresno Iris Society and Fresno State Horticulture Nursery will host its annual rhizome plant fundraiser from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 12, at the campus Horticulture Nursery (3150 E. Barstow Ave.). The Fresno Iris Society’s largest fundraiser of the year will feature hundreds of varieties of plants, including reblooming iris and other unique varieties. Rhizomes will be available for a donation of $3 each and grab bags with a collection of colors and sizes are $5. Iris Society members will host dividing, planting and growing workshops and answer plant and gardening questions. The sale benefits the non-profit organization’s efforts to promote area interest in irises. Attendees can also join the club that meets monthly for an annual cost of $10 for individuals, $15 for families and $5 for youth 15 and under. Fresno State horticulture staff and students will also sell an array of house and landscape plants and fruit trees. Also on display will be the John Weiler Memorial Garden that has a growing collection of drought-tolerant perennials and hybrid plants. The garden honors the memory of Weiler, a Fresno State botany and plant science professor from 1962 to 1989 and  founder of the Fresno Iris Society in 1967. He later became president of the Reblooming Iris Society. He began hybridizing reblooming iris in 1970 and developed more than 90 varieties of new colors and vigors before he died in 2011. INFO: Calliope Correia at 559.278.2952 or ccorreia@csufresno.edu, or visit www.fresnoirissociety.org.

     

  • Organic Grower Summit Coming to Monterey

    Monterey, Calif., (August 1, 2017) – General attendee registration is now open for the inaugural Organic Grower Summit (OGS), slated for December 13-14 in Monterey, CA. A joint production between California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Produce Network (OPN), OGS will bring together organic growers, producers and processors for two days of education, information and networking opportunities with organic production supply chain and service providers.

    Attendee registration is $399, with discounts available for CCOF members. The registration includes all activities and events associated with the event, including opening reception, breakfast, educational sessions, keynote presentation, lunch and trade show floor.

    Over 50 sponsors have confirmed their attendance to date at the event, with more than half of the 72 available trade show booths sold. Among participating exhibitors are leaders in the fields of seed, packaging, soil amendments, food safety and ag technology who will be connecting with organic field production staff, supply chain managers, pest management advisors and food safety experts.

    “The Organic Grower Summit offers an important opportunity for agricultural producers and leaders to network and stay on top of the latest trends in organic production,” said Cathy Calfo, CCOF Executive Director/CEO, “The overwhelming enthusiasm for this gathering speaks to its importance for California’s organic and agricultural community.”

    Educational session panels at OGS will range in topics including farm soil management, environmentally sustainable packaging, advances in agricultural technology, and a discussion with elected state and federal officials on key issues facing agriculture. Among confirmed speakers are Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; Miles McEvoy, deputy administrator at USDA-AMS; plus additional keynote presentations and speakers to be announced in the coming weeks.

    Additionally, OGS is finalizing an educational Outreach Program for PCA, PRC and qualified applicators to kick off the event. Attendees are eligible for two hours of approved continuing education credit and will learn about new requirements for pesticide use near schools and worker protection standards.

    “The response to the event has been resoundingly positive from the organic community. They see the benefit of an event connecting organic growers and farmers with those on the supply and service provider side of the business. As organics continues to grow, the need for expanded education and information throughout the organic production community will be vital to our continued success,” said Tonya Antle, co-founder of OPN. “Our relationship with CCOF in putting together the OGS indicates we are producing the right event at the right time in bringing our community together.”

    For further information about the first-ever Organic Grower Summit, visit www.organicgrowersummit.com

     

     

  • Nut Harvest Safety Seminar Co-Sponsored by Farm Bureau and UCCE

    Tulare, Calif., (July 28, 2017) – Tulare and Kings Counties have over 200,000 combined acres of nuts, valued near $1 billion, approaching harvest. To promote worker and community safety during the harvest season, UCCE Tulare County joined with the Kings County Farm Bureau and the Tulare County Farm Bureau to host a Nut Harvest Safety Seminar at the Kings County Fairgrounds on July 19, 2017. The event, conducted in both English and Spanish, attracted over 100 attendees. Due to positive feedback and consistent annual attendance, the program has been offered for three consecutive years.  Additional program sponsors include American Pistachio Growers and State Compensation Insurance Fund.

    Topics covered include equipment and road safety, as well as chemical safety and prevention of heat stress.  Course content was presented by Officers Chris Tuttle and Luis Guillen, California Highway Patrol, Martha Sanchez, Department of Pesticide Regulation, and Joe Zavala, Patrick Taylor, Paul Williams, and Annette Casares, State Compensation Insurance Fund.

    Annette Casares led discussion on equipment safety.
    Officer Chris Tuttle educated attendees on the influence of alcohol consumption on physical performance.
    UCCE Farm Advisors Elizabeth Fichtner and Mohammad Yaghmour assisted with advertisement and registration.

    Photo Credit:  Barbara Martin, Kings County Farm Bureau Community Relations Coordinator

  • Pumpkin Festival, October 7 and 8 • 8am-5pm

    Pomona, Calif., (July 24, 2017) – Cal Poly Pomona’s Pumpkin Festival is one of the largest in the state with more than 60,000 locally grown pumpkins. The two day festival is the kick-off event for PumpkinFest, “A MONTH of ORANGE FUN” which goes through October 31. Cal Poly Pomona’s AGRIscapes Center will once again host the month of events including Pumpkin Field Trips, the Huge Pumpkin Patch and Farm Store. Last year more than 100,000 people visited AGRIscapes during the month of October.

Event Highlights
Please join us to celebrate the Festival’s 25th Year with some fun surprises. There will be family fun activities where visitors can select farm-fresh pumpkins, enjoy our amazing and fun Corn Maze, visit the animals in our Petting Farm and new this year a Tractor-Pulled Hay Wagon. There will be live music, games sponsored by student clubs and delicious festival food!

    A popular returning attraction is Ag Discovery Lane, featuring an even larger variety of exhibits and demonstrations. The Children’s area will feature more fun games, squash tunnels and interactive activities along with our very popular Kid’s Patch. This is an excellent opportunity to promote your organization to visitors throughout the region. 

*Proceeds from the event support Huntley College of Agriculture student clubs and outreach activities.

     

  • Upcoming IPM Breakfast Meet

    Sacramento, Calif., (June 22, 2017) – Join Area IPM and Farm Advisors to discuss current pest management and production issues. We will largely forcus on orchard crops (but everything is on the table for discussion!). These meetings are open to all interested growers, consultants, PCSs, CCAs, and related industry.

    Meetings will be held the second Tuesday of each month from February through November and will cover a wide range of timely pest and orchard management topics. Meeting locations will be rotated throughout the Sacramento Valley each month. Please contact Emily Symmes to request topics or bring you questions to the meeting!

    Upcoming Meetings:

    • Colusa: July 11th ( location TBA)
    • Yuba-Sutter: August 8th (Perko Restauant)
    • Tehama: September 12th (Rockin R Restaurant)
    • Glenn: October 10th (Berry Patch Restaurant)
    • Butte: November 14th (Location TBA)

    Additional information for each meeting will be available on the events page at sacvalleyorchards.com or by contacting UC IPM Advisor Emily Symmes at 530-538-7201 or ejsymmes@ucanr.edu.

    DPR and CCA Continuing Education hours requested

  • Nut Harvest Safety Seminar in Hanford, July 19

    Hanford, Calif. — As local farmers continue to diversify and plant an increasing number of nut crops, the Kings and Tulare County Farm Bureaus, along with State Fund, American Pistachio Growers and UCCE, are hosting the third annual nut harvest safety seminar.

    Scheduled for Wednesday, July 19 at the Kings Fairgrounds in Hanford, this free training is directed toward nut commodity harvest equipment operators, crews and farm employees, in conjunction with farm managers/supervisors and growers. Harvest equipment for walnuts, almonds and pistachios will be included and safety materials will be provided.

    Presentations will be made in both English and Spanish, with participants rotating between various sessions on nut harvest safety. Sessions will include presentations by the CHP on rules of the road to observe when pulling trailers and equipment, Cal-OSHA on avoiding heat stress, and State Compensation Insurance Fund will discuss the safe operation of nut harvest farm equipment.

    John Ellis, Kings County Farm Bureau board member and seminar chairman, said that the event will provide valuable information to the growing number of area nut farmers.

    “We recognize that our members are producing an ever-increasing acreage of nut crops, so we’re dedicating staff and our board of directors’ time to organize this program to be helpful and informative to our membership,” Ellis said. “The seminar has been so well received during the past two summers that we want to continue offering it.”

    Those interested in registering for this free seminar should call the Tulare County Farm Bureau at (559) 732-8301 by Friday, July 14. Day-of registration will be held at 7:30 a.m. During that time, staff from the United Way and Family Healthcare Network will be on hand to provide free health screening for participants. The training begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided, and participants will receive a certification of completion at the seminar’s conclusion.

    For more information, please call the Kings County Farm Bureau office at (559) 584-3557.

    About Kings County Farm Bureau
    Kings County Farm Bureau is a non-profit advocacy organization that represents approximately 800 members of the agricultural community. More information is available at www.kcfb.org.

  • Ag Innovations Conference in San Diego, August 13

    This one-day conference is organized in conjunction with the 50th Annual Meetings of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology (SIP) at UC San Diego, La Jolla. The objective of the 2nd Ag Innovations Conference: Microbial Control is to bring applied microbial control research concepts from around the world to growers, PCAs, and agriculture and ornamental industry partners in Southern California. This extension-focused event will also allow growers to learn more about the potential of microbial control and new products or techniques that can help address local issues. This event will also give researchers an opportunity to understand growers’ needs and develop their future projects based on these needs.
    Since seating is limited at this venue, early registration is highly encouraged. Please register at http://ucanr.edu/AIC2017. Registration fee: $25.00 until June 15 and $50 from June 16 to August 6. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

    A mini agricultural exposition will also be organized at this event where different industry partners will showcase their biopesticides products and microbial control technologies. Contact Surendra Dara at skdara@ucanr.edu or 805-720-1700 for additional information.

    Click Here to view Schedule

  • CropManage Field Day

    Bringing CropManage to the Field

      • Review summary of nitrogen fertilization and irrigation of CropManage treatment
      • Observe differences between treatments on replicated plots
      • Discuss strawberry irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer management with UC Cooperative Extension, grower and farm manager
      • Breakfast burrito and Spanish translation will be available (courtesy of the California Strawberry Commission)

    2 CCA CEUs applied (1h Nutrient Mgt and 1h Soil & Water Mgt) VCAILG hours applied

    CropManage is a free online decision support tool for water and nutrient management of coastal crops. Even with the wet winter, water conservation will continue to be of concern in Ventura County, and water regulations will continue to be tied to efficient nutrient management. CropManage can play an important role in providing quick decision support on water and nutrient management on a field-by-field basis.

    Who should participate: strawberry growers, ranch managers, farm staff and technical service providers are welcome.

    Date: Thursday, Jun 15, 2017 9:00am – 11:00am

    Location: Rosamond Ranch
    2705 E Pleasant Valley Rd, Oxnard, CA 93033

    AGENDA (subject to change)

    9:00 – 9:15  Project description and context of irrigation and nitrogen management for strawberries in Oxnard

    9:15 – 9:30  CropManage’s performance: yield, water and fertilizer use data Observation of research plots and data discussion

    9:30 – 10:00  Observation of research plots and data discussion

    10:00 – 10:30  Questions and answers

     

     

  • FSMA Training, June 21

    Tulare, Calif., (June 2, 2017) – Farm Employers Labor Service, California Farm Bureau, and the Safe Food Alliance have partnered to sponsor a produce safety training at Spike n’ Rail in Selma, June 21, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Produce growers, buyers, and others interested in learning about the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and co management of natural resources and food safety are invited to attend the training.

    During the training, attendees can expect to receive approximately seven hours of instruction covering: introduction to produce safety; worker health, hygiene, and training; soil amendments; wildlife, domesticated animals, and land use; agricultural water; post harvest handling and sanitation; and how to develop a farm food safety plan.

    The U.S. FDA’s Produce Safety rule requires in § 112.22(c) that for each farm, “At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.” The PSA Grower Training Course is the only course currently recognized by FDA.

    After attending the course, participants will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. Participants must be present for the entire training in addition to submitting the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course to receive a certificate.

    For questions about the training, email foodsafety@safefoodalliance.com or call (916) 561-5672.

To register: www.foodsafetytrainingpartnership.com

  • Oak Woodland Conservation Workshop

    Hopland, Calif., (May 30, 2017) – A variety of factors have contributed to the loss of oak habitats. The loss of deciduous oak woodlands to native conifer encroachment is a major concern in northwestern California, resulting in loses of wildlife habitat, cultural uses, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services. This workshop will provide landowners and resource professionals with the latest information about treatment techniques, including the use of prescribed fire and manual removal of conifers.

    On Friday June 23rd, 2017 come join the Hopland Research and Extension Center at the Oak Woodland Conservation Work shop. This work shop will be at the Rod Shippey Hall at the UC ANR Hopeland Research and Extension Center, from 9:00am to 2:00pm. You must register for this event. Register on line at: http://bit.ly/OakEcology or call HREC at (707) 744-1424 x105, $35 registration fee includes lunch. After lunch, we will carpool to a site at the REC Center to view and discuss conifer encroachment.

    Topics include:

    • Oak Woodland Ecology
    • Conifer Encroachment
    • Forest Practice Rule Exemptions
    • Prescribed Fire
    • Resources for Landowner
    • Field Tour

    For more information call the Hopland Research and Extension Center: 707-744-1424 x105 or email hpird@usanr.edu.