California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • Model Filter System Removes Antibiotics from Wastewater

    A model for an economical filter system that can remove antibiotics from wastewater has been designed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of California-Riverside (UCR) collaborators.

    Microbiologist Mark Ibekwe with the ARS Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit in Riverside, California, and UCR soil chemist Daniel Ashworth constructed the prototype system using four layers of natural materials: gravel, sand, soil, and biochar in a column 50-cm tall and 12-cm diameter.

    They used the laboratory-scale model to remove four antibiotics: amoxicillin, cefalexin, sulfadiazine, and tetracycline at various levels of efficiency. These four antibiotics were selected for testing in the scale model because they are among the most common in wastewater treatment plant effluent. Conventional wastewater treatment plant systems are relatively effective at removing nutrients and bacteria but can be somewhat ineffective at removing antibiotics.

    The effectiveness of the laboratory-scale system varied with the antibiotic being evaluated. It successfully removed 98 percent of the tetracycline, followed by 91 percent of cefalexin, 81 percent of amoxicillin and 51 percent of sulfadiazine. The antibiotics had initial concentrations of 10 ppb, comparable to levels that have been seen in municipal wastewater.

    Amoxicillin and cefalexin removal were largely controlled by chemical degradation in the gravel layer, while sulfadiazine was largely removed by a combination of chemical and microbial degradation in the soil mixed with a biochar layer. Tetracycline was primarily removed by chemical reactions with water (hydrolysis) in the gravel layer.

    “These results show the importance of using layers of different materials to target different antibiotics rather than expecting one layer and material will be able to do the job.” said Ibekwe.

    Increasing the time it takes for the water stream to pass through the column also improved removal efficiency, especially for amoxicillin and cefalexin. In this design, the simulated wastewater enters at the bottom of the column to saturate the bottom layer and then is pumped up through the column to flow out through the top.

    A “full-size” scale-upped version of the researchers’ filter system—one that might serve a small-town wastewater treatment plant—would be about 2 meters tall and 50 cm in diameter, according to Ashworth. Of course, you could use multiples of the columns to serve a larger need and the footprint would still be relatively small, which is one of the powerful features of this system, Ashworth added.

    There are some existing systems that can remove antibiotics from wastewater, but these tend to be very expensive or require much more space. This research was published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

  • Prop 15 Defeated By California Voters

    Proposition 15, the largest property tax increase in California history, was defeated today by a margin of more than 550,000 votes, ending a challenge by Service Employees International Union, California Teachers Association, California State Parent Teacher Association and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to dismantle major portions of Proposition 13, the greatest tax protection measure left in the highest taxed state in the country overwhelmingly passed by voters more than 40 years ago.

    “From day one, we knew that if voters understood the harm this deeply flawed tax hike would impose on California’s economy and its families, farmers and small businesses, voters would reject this ill-advised effort,” said Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable and co-chair of the No on Prop 15 campaign. “Today’s victory should send a clear message to the proponents and warn all politicians that voters will continue to reject attempts to dismantle Prop 13.”

    “California voters understood the very real threat Proposition 15 presented to small businesses, farmers and consumers,” said Allan Zaremberg, president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce. “Voters in California smartly recognized that enacting the largest tax hike in California history would have been devastating to jobs, our economy and California’s future competitiveness.”

    The robust opposition effort to defeat Prop 15 included a broad and diverse coalition which came together to educate voters about Prop 15’s many flaws and real-world impacts of an $11.5 billion per year tax increase. The main No on Prop 15 committee was led by the California Business Roundtable, the California Business Properties Association, the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Taxpayers Association.  The bipartisan coalition, one of the most diverse coalitions ever assembled, also included social justice and civil rights organizations including the California State Conference of the NAACP, California State National Action Network, Latino groups, veterans, local chambers of commerce, private-sector labor unions and hundreds of small businesses across California.

    “Across California, voters in the vast majority of counties cast their ballots in opposition to Prop 15,” added Rob Gutierrez, president of the California Taxpayers Association. “What’s clear from the data so far is Prop 15 lost in 43 of California’s 58 counties. Democrats, Republicans and independents understood the importance of protecting jobs and keeping consumer costs down, and joined together to reject this measure.”

    Rex Hime, president and CEO of the California Business Properties Association added, “Small businesses and property owners now have the opportunity to focus on making ends meet instead of formulating plans to close their doors. I am optimistic that Californians are getting wise to the game of being told that a tax does not impact them.  Every tax gets passed along or increases the cost of everyday goods and services.  And that was certainly the case with Prop. 15.”

    Additional opposition efforts were organized by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Family Farmers Against Prop 15, led by the California Farm Bureau Federation, Agricultural Council of California and Western Growers Association, as well as The Alliance of California’s Farmers and Ranchers, an association of commodity groups including dairies and the rice industry.

    “Farmers can breathe a little easier this evening knowing their hard work made the difference to turn back the largest property tax increase in California history which would have created havoc for family farmers and ranchers across our state,” added California Farm Bureau Federation president Jamie Johansson, which formed the Family Farmers Against Prop 15 coalition. “For months we’ve said Prop 15 would hurt farmers, ranchers and ultimately all families through higher prices. What’s clear from these results is that more than 8 million California voters recognized this reality and agreed with our efforts to stop this ill-advised initiative.”

    Prop 15 also suffered from significant flaws that could destabilize the entire property tax administration system, leading the California Assessors’ Association that represents the local elected officials charged with implementing many of Prop 15’s provisions to oppose the measure.

    “Prop 15 was a direct assault on Prop 13’s protections that have provided certainty and stability to property owners throughout California. Prop 15’s proponents, many of the same special interest groups that opposed Prop 13 in 1978, should think long and hard about targeting property owners in the future,” concluded Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which has spent decades promoting and protecting Prop 13.

  • Microbes Escape Wildland Fires on Smoke Particle ‘Life Rafts’

    Where there’s smoke, there’s fire — and also lots of microorganisms, according to a new study from the University of Florida.

    For the first time, researchers have measured the number of microbes in smoke from fires in wilderness areas, also known as wildland fires. The researchers also found that a surprisingly high percentage of microbes survive the blazes and are lofted into the air.

    Smoke analyzed for the study contained five times more microbes than smoke-free air, said Rachel Moore, a UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences graduate who led the study as part of her doctoral work.

    The researchers also found that the percentage of microbes still alive in the smoke was the same as that found in ambient air.

    “When you look at the smoke particles under a microscope, it’s as if the particles are life rafts for the microbes,” said Moore, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Tech University. “Just how many microbes there were and how many were viable was a big surprise.”

    Brent Christner, Moore’s dissertation advisor and one of the authors of the study, said he was also surprised, but for an additional reason.

    Prescribed fire at the UF/IFAS Ordway-Swisher Biological Station.

    “Common sense would tell you that fire would just kill and incinerate microbes when it burns through vegetation, but our findings show that’s not the case,” said Christner, an associate professor in the UF/IFAS department of microbiology and cell science.

    Rachel Moore collecting smoke samples at the UF/IFAS Ordway-Swisher Biological Station.

    While smoke poses a health risk to people, the microbes identified in the study aren’t harmful to humans on their own.

    “The microbes released in these fires are similar to the kinds that live on plants. The results of this study indicate that fires may be an important way for these organisms to distribute in the environment, which is of ecological interest,” Christner said.

    How microbes survive wildland fires is still unclear.

    “The processes that aerosolize microbes during combustion of vegetation are clearly not as destructive as they’ve been presumed to be,” Christner said.

    For the study, researchers analyzed smoke sampled during eight prescribed fires at the UF/IFAS Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, located about 20 miles east of the university’s main campus in Gainesville. With thousands of acres of wilderness, the station is a living outdoor laboratory where scientists can do experiments in the natural environment.

    During each fire, Moore set up instruments called volumetric samplers downwind from the blaze. These machines sucked air and smoke from the fire through special filters that trapped the particles.

    “Think of the filter on your vacuum cleaner that traps dust. These machines are essentially powerful vacuums with very fine filters that catch particles as small as 1 micrometer,” Christner said. For context, the width of a human hair is about 75 micrometers.

    Smoke particles captured on filters.

    After sampling, Moore took the filters back to the lab, where she used various lab techniques to remove the particles from the filters and calculate the total number of microbes in the sample. She also used a special staining technique that makes living microbes appear green under the microscope, allowing her to estimate the percentage of viable organisms.

    Smoke particle “life raft” with microbes stained green. Credit Rachel Moore

    Moore and Christner also wanted to know if burning dead vegetation emitted more microbes than living vegetation. To find out, they teamed up with scientists at the Idaho Fire Initiative for Research and Education at the University of Idaho, who burned samples sent from Florida on a specially designed laboratory burn table. The researchers found that smoke from dead vegetation contained more microbes than smoke from living vegetation.

    The study’s authors note that the prescribed fire used in the experiment was far smaller and less intense than the massive wildfires that have burned millions of acres in the Western United States. over the last few months.

    “We think the huge fires out West are emitting even more microbes than what we found in our experiments,” Moore said.

    The study is published in “The International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal.” — By Samantha Murray, University of Florida Communications

  • Port of Oakland Update on Container Availability and Shipping Line Disruption

    The Almond Alliance hosted a zoom call with the Port of Oakland this morning to discuss issues with shipping lines and container availability at the Port of Oakland.  Through October 2020, Oakland sent out 18% fewer empty containers compared to the same time period in 2019.  Empty container exports dropped 30% between September 2020 and October 2020 (41,440 TEU vs 29,000 TEU respectively).  As you know most container shipping lines are foreign owned and are urging importers to return empty containers as quickly as possible, since it is having impacts throughout the supply chain. Ships are coming in late and berthing late and are cancelling many bookings. A significant number of chassis are being used to store full import containers, resulting in increased dwell times. The return of empty containers to free up chassis and improve operational velocity in terminals and storage yards is needed to help improve the situation.

    While efforts of many trade  associations (including Agriculture Transportation Coalition) are reaching out to the Administration and congressional representatives to request assistance, the goal of the Almond Alliance is to contact all of the carriers and get their message on what is happening with their containers and let them know the position and concerns of the almond industry.

    We requested that the Port of Oakland provide and recommendations to our membership to help them get through this situation. Below are some recommendations for consideration.  The Almond Alliance continues to work on this issue and will keep you updated.

    Recommendations to address this issue temporarily until the larger situation is handled:

    • Talk to your carriers and ask them if their book of business has changed.
    • Talk to your carriers and request that they take more export cargo. 
    • Based on your carriers’ book of business, you may need to spread the risk and consider working with other carriers. If your carrier does not have imports coming in, that is something you should consider in your decision in the next 3 months. 
    • Look at the terms of the conditions of your contract with your carrier. Certain contracts you can change your terms of conditions and temporarily give them up so carriers have incentive to work you.  We need to find ways to put pressure on carriers. 
    • Be flexible with equipment – better off shipping something than nothing and lose the sale. 

    Important note:

    Hapag Lloyd informed the Port of Oakland that in addition to the current delays of vessels employed in the AL5 service and the various recovery measures such as port omissions, speed-up, and rotation changes we unfortunately did not succeed to bring the service back on schedule since new delays have jeopardized those efforts.

    Ongoing adverse weather on the Atlantic is preventing us to do the necessary speed-up and even forces us to reduce the speed for safety reasons. In addition, port congestions caused by weather related port closures and labor shortages have caused additional delays.

    In order to recover the AL5 schedule and bring vessels back into the proforma long term schedule position, H/L has proactively decided to let all vessels slide by one week as per week 48 MV “NYK Rumina” 053W. All vessels sailing until then will remain in their delayed position with some slight schedule adjustments.

    For any questions, please email Elaine Trevino at etrevino@almondalliance.org.

  • Four Dairy Snack Startups Compete For $200,000 In Real California Milk Snackcelerator Competition Finals

    Two Savory, Two Sweet Competitors Preparation for Final Showdown to Make it to Market

    Tracy, Calif. – November 12, 2020 – Ice cream infused with vegetables, to-go premium cheese snacks, decadent chocolate mousse and flavored paneer make up the finalists announced today in the Real California Milk Snackcelerator product innovation competition created by the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and VentureFuel. This is the second event of its kind by the California dairy industry designed to inspire ideas integrating the values of fluid milk and dairy ingredients into snacks to meet growing consumer demand and providing resources to help bring them to market.

    Finalists include:

    • Peekaboo Ice Cream: The first and only organic ice cream with the added nutritional benefits of vegetables.
    • Yummy Industries: Cheese Bits: A line of all-natural, fresh and wood-smoked scamorza and chechil cheeses, conveniently shaped and packaged for on-the-go snacking.
    • Petit Pot: An indulgent single-serve chocolate mousse dessert, perfect for family snacking, made with the best organic, local ingredients from the first brand to bring traditional French desserts to American grocery stores.
    • Sāch Foods Flavored Paneer: The world’s first flavored and artisanal paneer in a snackable form. Rooted in Indian cuisine paneer is a time-tested, nutrient-rich food and a high-protein favorite for millions around the world.

    These four innovators were selected from a field of 16 sweet and savory semi-finalist competitors during a two-day virtual pitch event judged by a group of snack experts from Conagra, SnackRiot, Hershey’s, Bristol Farms, General Mills, Unilever, Mondelez, Rosa Brothers, RangeMe, Acreage Holdings, Better Food Ventures and Trail Mix Ventures. A virtual fan vote, through Perksy, which provides market research for the mobile generation, also was factored into the final decision.

    Peekaboo, Yummy Industries, Petit Pot and Sāch Foods will move on to the final, live event November 19th hosted by OS Studios at https://snackcelerator.splashthat.com where they will compete for $200,000 in support to bring their visions to market with a runner up receiving $100,000 towards the same goal. Each founder will be presenting to a field of judges from the CPG, retail, venture capital and food science world representing such companies as Clorox, Mondelez, Whole Foods, CircleUp and more.

    “This field of finalists represent the innovation we’re seeing in better-for-you snacking today – highly flavorful, portable options with added benefits. And consumers agree. Through the Persky platform, 2000 consumers were introduced to these products during the semi-finals and voted on which they would be most interested in buying. Those scores were factored into the final judging and will be included on the 19th,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “Any of these four products will make a perfect partner for our real milk and dairy ingredients, which offer incredible functionality plus flavor and a host of naturally occurring nutrients. And, as the leading dairy state, our family dairy farms can provide a consistent, sustainable source of milk to fuel production of whichever product ultimately wins.”

    The sixteen semi-finalists received $10,000 worth of support each, to develop an edible prototype, while receiving a suite of resources including graphic design, lab or kitchen time and elite mentorship from global marketing, packaging, and distribution experts from companies including Diageo, Nestle, Mondelez, My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream, Bristol Farms, Rosa Brothers, Food Network/Hearst Magazines, Pod Foods, Latitude Ventures, The Marketing Greenhouse, The Creative Pack, Whole Brain Consulting and Power Brands. The total value of competition prizing is over $800,000.

    “It’s impossible not to be inspired by the creative new thinking that the semi-finalists brought to dairy snacking,” said Fred Schonenberg, CEO and Founder of VentureFuel. “The overall excitement created by the competition with consumers, retailers, investors and dairy farmers has a tremendous halo effect for the industry, not to mention the potential scalability of these fantastic four finalists and what they can do for dairy demand.”

    “Being selected as a finalist by industry experts is incredibly validating. As consumers seek both health and indulgence, Peekaboo fills a white space and I am humbled that the judges recognized Peekaboo’s potential to disrupt the ice cream category,” said Jessica Weiss Levison, Peekaboo Founder and CEO. “And…they loved the flavors. As one of the judges noted, ‘Taste is King!’ and we agree!”

    Yummy Industries Co-Founder, Stefan Choy agrees, “We are confident in our product but being recognized by leading experts in the field further confirms that we are on the right track,” he said. “While we look forward to the final competition, we already consider ourselves and the other finalists to be winners because we have established great relationships in the industry and received a lot of support from mentors, sponsors and organizers, which is invaluable for a startup.”

    “Petit Pot is so grateful for the RCM Snackcelerator,” said company founder Maxime Pouvrea. “The semi-finalist process really helped improve our offering and finalize the formula to take this item closer to commercialization. We couldn’t be more excited to move to the finals.”

    “This is an incredible initiative by CMAB, it gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to take their innovative products/companies to another level,” said Tarush Agarwal, Co-Founder of Sāch Foods. “As a California-based artisanal Paneer cheese company, we’re grateful for the entrepreneurial spirit that prevails with our community. We look forward to the next stage of the competition and showing our creativity to the world.”

    Beyond showcasing product innovation, VentureFuel and CMAB tapped into future technologies and emerging startups like OS Studios, Perksy and more to transform what was an in-person sampling experience into a state-of-the-art virtual event. As part of the mentorship program VentureFuel introduced several tech startups to the process. “We help some of the largest companies in the world partner with startups and new technologies to drive growth and competitive advantage,” said VentureFuel Founder Fred Schonenberg. “While our primary focus with the Snackcelerator was to find the best dairy snack product innovations, once that was accomplished, it made tremendous sense to leverage these other tech startups we are excited about to help everyone communicate better and deliver the best virtual experience possible.”

    California, known for innovation, has a reputation for quality dairy products. As the number one producer of fluid milk in the nation, California also leads the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. More than 1,200 family dairy farms produce the California milk found in fluid milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream and other dairy products identified by the Real California Milk seal.

  • Farmer’s Inspiration Leads to Squash Donation to Central CA Food Bank

    West Side farmer John Diener had flash of inspiration. Why not plant butternut squash?

    Diener is a long-time research cooperator with UC Cooperative Extension specialist Jeff Mitchell, who has studied innovative, sustainable farming practices for 21 years at the UC West Side Research and Extension Center under four different treatments: no-till plus cover crops, no-till with no cover crops, conventionally tilled with cover crops and conventionally tilled without cover crops.

    Since it was established, the research plots have been managed in an annual rotation of cotton, processing tomatoes and, more recently, sorghum, garbanzo beans and melons. When trying to decide what crop to bring into the rotation for 2020, Diener thought of butternut squash, a relatively large, thick-skinned squash that has little pest and disease problems and a long-shelf life. He suggested the squash could be donated to the Central California Food Bank and made available to local families in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    CCFB provides food to more than 220 agencies in Fresno, Madera, Kings, Kern and Tulare counties, serving more than 280,000 people each month. Last year, CCFB supplied over 40 million pounds of food in all.

    Diener arranged for butternut squash seed to be donated by David Bodine of AgSeeds. He generously paid for several days of labor to harvest the crop. Diener contacted family friend Joan Minasian, who serves on the Food Bank board, to make arrangements for delivering 101 bins of squash – more than 70,000 pounds – to the food bank’s Fresno distribution center.

    The front entrance to the Central California Food Bank in Fresno

    “The Central Valley Food Bank is working on diversifying the food we offer in meal boxes and distributions,” Minasian said. “I’m really proud of the food bank’s efforts to increase healthy foods. We’re always looking for farmers to partner with.”

    Butternut squash, a winter squash, has a 90-day shelf life without refrigeration. It is grown in the summer; the name is derived from the fact that the mature vegetable can be stored for winter eating.

    In addition to supporting farmers with research and advice, UC Cooperative Extension offers nutrition education programs to low-income Californians. Deepa Srivastava – UCCE nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor for Kings and Tulare counties – manages two programs that extend information to families on healthy eating, food safety, food resource management, gardening, physical activity and youth engagement.

    Srivastava said butternut squash is a nutritious addition to family diets. The vegetable is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C, and also supplies vitamin B-6, protein, fiber, magnesium, potassium and iron.

    The squash’s buff exterior protects golden flesh that is nutty and sweet. It can be baked, boiled or grilled whole or chopped. Cooked squash can be pureed for soup or baby food, added to casseroles, pies, salads and stuffing. The cooked flesh adds beautiful fall color to everyday meals or holiday spreads.

    Roasted butternut squash

    One easy way to prepare butternut squash is roasting in the oven. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Carefully cut the squash in half and scrape out seeds and strings with a spoon. Place cut side up in an oven-safe pan, then brush the flesh lightly with olive oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, fresh or dried herbs and spices. Bake for one hour, or until it can be easily pierced with a fork. — By Jeannette Warnert, UCANR Communications Specialist

  • Honoring Veterans Every Day at Farmer Veteran Coalition

    Many veterans return home feeling lost, without purpose. They seek that “new mission” they grew so accustomed to during their time in the military. An agricultural non-profit is helping with just that.

    When Michael O’Gorman founded Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) in the back of his pick-up truck in 2008, he thought he could help our soldiers have meaningful careers and find healing on our nation’s farms.

    At that time no one was connecting veterans with the farming community. Today there are more than 250 organizations supporting this military-to-agriculture movement.

    Simply put, FVC helps veterans pursue careers in agriculture. For these men and women, farming has become their new mission. FVC recognizes that agriculture additionally offers purpose, opportunity, and physical and psychological benefits.

    This is the difference maker for many veterans in their civilian re-integration.

    With Veterans Day upon us, the team of Farmer Veteran Coalition is reflecting on the thousands of farmer veterans they have supported in pursuit of new agricultural endeavors, including those highlighted here.

    This year, after a decade of leading the charge, O’Gorman passed the pitchfork to newly appointed executive director Jeanette Lombardo. Raised by an Air Force veteran father, Lombardo grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, on a family dairy farm. She spent decades in agricultural banking and now is eager to carry forward the single best way that FVC assists veterans – through their Fellowship Fund.

    A small grant program, the Fellowship Fund purchases farm equipment the member has identified as crucial to their operation. The program has funded $3 million in equipment to over 600 veterans.

    Alex Jauregui – Fury Bees (Photo by Susanna Frohman)

    Veterans like Alex Jauregui. A double-amputee, Alex lost both legs when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan during his fourth deployment. Now he finds new purpose in his Fury Bees operation in Northern California. “Farming makes me feel enabled,” shares the former Staff Sergeant. “I never would have imagined beekeeping but it’s been very therapeutic.” FVC teamed up with Work Vessels for Veterans and Semper Fi Fund to purchase a Hummerbee forklift, which significantly reduces the physical impact on Alex’s body.

    Twin Sister Veterans Ladonna Avakian & Heather Paterson, now Oregon cherry and hazelnut growers

    Veterans like Ladonna Avakian & Heather Paterson. Twin sisters, both women served in the Air Force. Both returned home to Oregon with service-related disabilities. They were awarded a grant to fund an air sprayer for their Hollyaire orchard where they primarily farm sour cherries, hazelnuts, and holly under the Homegrown By Heroes label. “It’s small grants like this one that make us feel valued and supported,” Heather reflects. “Farming is all about community, and FVC really is its own community. To be physically active, outside, working with my twin, and having our family out there – it’s really an American dream.”

    Ben Misko, a Marine who suffered a brain injury during combat, has found healing in his Restless Roots farm. He grows vegetables and cut flowers in Central Pennsylvania. “Having a brain injury can be very frustrating at times, but animals provide a reprieve for me. Farming keeps me sound in my mind, and the animal and plant care keeps me on schedule,” shares the former Motor Vehicle Operator. “I asked for this equipment so I can provide for more animals without additional financial burden.”

    Michael Trost, who served a decades-long Army career, suffered gunshot wounds that resulted in the amputation of his right leg and the reconstruction of his hand using his toes. After 30 surgeries and two years of hospitalization, he turned to hop growing in Tennessee. “Starting this farm has given me a new mission, purpose and direction in my life. I feel more alive than I have been,” expressed Michael, explaining that the farm is a major part of his post-service recovery. “FVC believed in me and awarded me funds to install fencing around my hopyard. Now we are using the farm to help other wounded veterans. We were made to become farmers. We love to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.”

    Lovay Wallace-Singleton, the president of FVC’s North Carolina chapter, served 20 years in the Navy before founding Veterans Employment Base Camp and Organic Garden. VEBCOG provides temporary employment for post-war veterans transitioning back to civilian life, teaching urban farming skills. A Fellowship Fund grant helped Lovay repair her farm’s hoophouse after hurricane Florence struck and flooded her property.

    And     James Webb, whose career as an Army Ranger ended when he was hit by a drunk driver while riding his motorcycle near Fort Benning. “After my accident and getting medically retired, I lost the career I wanted and worked hard for, and lost the brotherhood unlike anything I had ever known,” lamented the veteran who comes from a long line of military service. “Once I realized I could use horses to work cattle – my whole world changed.” He now operates Conway Cattle Company in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and last year spoke at FVC’s national conference in Austin on the panel ‘Rangers on the Range’, featuring five former Army rangers all now ranching cattle.

    When FVC was first established, the plan was simple: find a way to help these veterans, and then tell their story. For Michael O’Gorman, getting to work with the men and women of FVC on their own individual journeys to becoming farmers has made it the most rewarding thing he has done. “I’m really proud of the organization that I started and watched grow,” shared the founder. “But we’re still a fairly young organization and are dedicated to helping the farmer veterans out there.”

    For as many veterans as FVC has helped, there are still more in need of support.

    And the stakes are high, as Marvin Frink – who started Briarwood Cattle Farm in North Carolina to cope with post-service PTSD – shows us. “I am just so thankful for [Michael O’Gorman] and the hard work he’s done for us. I can openly say it – [Michael] saved my life and I’m very thankful for him. He came to me when I was in a very bad, very dark place, and he pulled me out of it.”

    More About Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC)

    Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization assisting veterans and active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces to embark on careers in agriculture. With the mission of mobilizing veterans to feed America, it provides education, resources and small grants to help veterans launch their own farming operation or find employment in related agricultural professions. Established in 2008, Farmer Veteran Coalition serves more than 20,000 veteran members from all 50 states and U.S. territories while developing a new generation of farmers and food leaders.  Its in-house programs include the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund small grant program, the nationally recognized Homegrown By Heroes label for veteran-grown products, and the national Stakeholders Conference. It leverages its network of nearly 15 state chapters to facilitate peer collaboration and mentorship. FVC has been successful in getting millions of dollars of USDA funds appropriated for farmer veteran and the groups that support them.  They have built an extended community of organizations that look to them for leadership and guidance as the pioneer in this military-to-agriculture movement.

    Learn more at:     www.farmvetco.org or follow along on Facebook at @FarmerVeteranCoalition, on Instagram at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and on Twitter at @FarmVetCo.  For more details on the Nov. 18-19 virtual conference or to register visit: http://conference.farmvetco.org

  • Quarantined Housing Program for Farm Workers in Imperial/Yuma Growing Regions

    In April, the Grower Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) established a first-of-its-kind housing program for farm workers in the Salinas Valley who were exposed to COVID-19, tested positive for the virus or were symptomatic.  To assist its members in protecting farm workers as the growing season transitions to the Yuma and Imperial areas, GSA has established a similar quarantined housing program in that region.

    Quarantined housing in Yuma and Imperial was accessible as of November 1.  It will offer the same services to farm workers as the Central Coast program, including safe and comfortable rooms, daily deliveries of meals and other necessities as well as daily health checks with a team of nursing professionals.

    “We learned a great deal over the last several months and we were happy to lend our expertise to setting up and managing this program to ensure farm workers in the Yuma and Imperial areas have access to quarantined housing whenever needed,” says Christopher Valadez, President of GSA.

    GSA’s program earned praise from Governor Gavin Newsom who modeled the state’s “Housing for the Harvest” program on the organization’s efforts. In Newsom’s housing program announcement in July, the governor thanked the Monterey County farming community for the work they have done in their region to protect workers describing these efforts as “an incredible job in this state supporting ag workers and farm workers.”    

    The quarantined housing program not only provides farm workers with a comfortable environment where they can rest and recover, but it protects their families and housemates by limiting their exposure to the virus.

    In addition to the quarantined housing program, GSA was also part of a collaborative group that created among the first workplace protection standards to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in agricultural operations, accessed and distributed over a million face masks; developed a program with local hospitals to provide on-site prevention training for farm workers by health professionals and partnered with Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas to provide expedited COVID-19 testing which allowed more timely results and more convenient locations for workers.

    Farmers and farming companies in the Yuma and Imperial areas who want more information on the quarantined housing program should contact Christopher Valadez.

  • Thank a California Cantaloupe Farmworker

    Once again, a successful California Cantaloupe season has just about come to an end. While we’ll miss having our favorite sunny, sweet and safe melon this Winter and Spring, it’s nice to know we can count on seeing them in stores once again come April.

    Another thing we’ve learned we can count on is the return of our hardworking farmworkers each season. Cantaloupes are 100% harvested by hand. That means that without the hard work of farmworkers these melons would not make it out of the field and into your homes.

    “Farmworkers are critical to what we do”, says Garrett Patricio, President of Westside Produce.  “When you look at the food you eat, whether it’s melons, leafy greens or other vegetables, most of them are still hand harvested. So if you enjoy fresh produce I think you should go out and thank a farmworker.”

    California farmworkers are truly essential to us all. With over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts grown in California, our farmworkers play a critical role in feeding the nation.

    And our California cantaloupe farmworkers do so in a way that ensures only the safest melons end up on your table. California cantaloupe farmworkers follow strict food safety guidelines and all California cantaloupe growers, packing operations, and cooling facilities in the state undergo mandatory government food safety audits.

    “Our farmworkers follow all food safety policies and general safety policies to ensure you’re getting the safest melons harvested that day”, says Salvador Alaniz, Director of Harvest and Quality Control at Westside Produce.

    Getting cantaloupes to consumers isn’t an easy task. There’s no denying the fact that it’s hard work harvesting melons and it takes a whole team to successfully complete the job each season.

    Rosa Meza, Director of Food Safety says that the key to success is mutual respect. She explains that she has earned the respect of the farmworkers by making frequent, in person visits to the fields to talk with workers and lead by example.

    “The one thing that everyone needs to take away from this is that we can’t do this alone”, says Meza. “I’m a part of this group. I’m a part of the farmworkers, I’m a part of the facility workers. It takes everyone to come together, be the example, follow the rules and do it as a team.”

    Watch and share the following video tribute to farmworkers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWHTB6hBuYY&feature=emb_logo

  • UC Cooperative Extension Investigates the Reality of Steam-Weeding Lettuce Fields

    Despite the tremendous need, there are currently no preemergence herbicides that are organic-compliant. Steam injected into the soil such that the soil temperatures reach >140°F for 15-20 minutes will kill weed seed in the soil. The effect of this reduction in the seedbank viability results weed control in the treated area that persists for several weeks or months, similar to the effects of a preemergence herbicide.

    Two studies were conducted at the USDA Hartnell Farm at Salinas, CA during July to September 2020. Steam was applied to raised beds using a custom-built steam injector. Prior to seeding lettuce, steam was applied in a 4-inch wide band to a depth of 3 inches deep. The steam was supplied by a SF-20 Sioux steam generator at approximately 6 to 9 PSI. Soil temperatures in the treated zone were monitored overnight with Hobo temperature monitors. Treatments tested were steam, steam plus 1% w/w peroxide, and nontreated. Treatments were replicated 4 times and arranged in a randomized complete block design. Peroxide was included as it releases heat when injected into soil, i.e., an exothermic reaction, based on the premise that it supplements the heat released by steam. Data collected were soil temperatures following steaming, weed control, hand weeding times, diseased plant counts, and lettuce yields. Trial 1 was initiated July 1 and harvested August 31, 2020. Trial 2 was initiated July 21 and harvested September 25, 2020. Soil temperature intervals >140°F in the top 4 inches of soil for steam were 88 and 67 minutes for trials 1 and 2, respectively. Similarly, soil temperatures >140°F in the steam + peroxide treatment were 76 and 80 minutes for trials 1 and 2, respectively. In trial 1 steam and steam + peroxide resulted in 90% and 92% weed control relative to the nontreated. In trial 2 steam and steam + peroxide resulted in 66% and 84% weed control, respectively. Steam alone reduced hand weeding times 22% to 35% compared to the nontreated, and steam + peroxide reduced hand weeding times 36% to 40% compared to the nontreated. There were no differences in numbers of plants with lettuce drop (Sclerotinia minor) in trial 1. Compared to the nontreated, lettuce drop incidence in trial 2 was 66% and 59% lower in steam and steam + peroxide treatments, respectively. Lettuce plant diameters in trial 1 found that lettuce grown on steamed soil was 16% larger, but there were no differences in trial 2. Lettuce plants grown on steam + peroxide treated soil were 12% and 23% larger in trials 1 and 2, respectively. There were no treatment effects on yields in either trial 1 or 2.

    We are not aware of any commercial scale applicators for lettuce that apply steam in a band to the lettuce bed. However, we are working with Dr. Mark Siemens, an agricultural engineer with the University of Arizona to design a commercial scale applicator. Mark has a prototype applicator built and will be demonstrating it during the winter season in the Yuma Valley. It appears that the design for a steam applicator is not complicated and is well within the capabilities of machine shops in California to build. — By Nelly Guerra & Steven Fennimore, UC Cooperative Extension