California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • Diamond of California® Debuts Their First-Ever Snack Walnuts Line

    Diamond of California®, the century-old producer of “Made for Homemade” specialty nuts, announces today the launch of its newest innovation, ready-to-eat Snack Walnuts. Available now in-stores nationwide, Diamond of California® Snack Walnuts are a satisfying superfood snack that respects the goodness of walnuts. Each walnut is naturally processed to remove bitterness, roasted, simply seasoned, and packaged in a ready-to-eat resealable pouch, for a nutritious, delicious, and affordable (SRP $3.99/4oz bag) on-the-go snack. The eight “Made for Snacking” walnut flavors were inspired by modern kitchen pantry items and carefully crafted using only real and non-GMO ingredients that limit sugar and sodium and complement the natural flavor profile of walnuts. Available flavors: Hot Honey, Himalayan Pink Salt, Teriyaki & Wasabi, Salted Dark Chocolate, Hickory Smoked Bacon, Chile Lime, Cinnamon Churro, and Sweet Maple (unique to Walmart flavor).

    Diamond of California® has been a trusted provider of specialty nut products for at-home bakers and cooks for the last century, but over the years we have learned that our nuts are also being consumed as snacks on their own,” said Craig Tokusato, CMO of Diamond of California®. “This inspired and challenged us to open our own recipe books and provide better for you ready-to-eat snacks compared to many of today’s alternatives, which often take nutritious nuts but load them up with sodium, processed sugars, and unrecognizable ingredients.”

    In an effort to offer a wholesome snack, Diamond of California® decided to rethink snack nuts from the ground up. While leading brands mostly feature almonds, pistachios, and peanuts, Diamond of California® opted for their California-grown walnuts, rich in protein, fiber, antioxidants, and Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) Omega-3. Walnuts have been researched for their potential role in a variety of health outcomes, including cognitive function, heart health, cancer, diabetes, weight, gut health and reproductive health (California Walnut Commission, 2020). With a nutrient-dense base, Diamond of California® then focused on perfecting their production process and flavors. Walnuts are known for their rich and buttery taste but also for their bitter notes, so Diamond of California® pioneered a natural process that eliminates naturally-occurring surface oils and tannins that contribute to the bitterness. After the walnuts are processed, they are roasted or glazed with real kitchen pantry ingredients, using real spices, seasonings, and sugar alternatives like coconut palm sugar. This roasting and glazing step also helps to bring out the nutty flavor notes and enhances the naturally crisp texture of the walnuts. The walnuts are then cooled and packaged in a ready-to-eat resealable bag, to be enjoyed on their own as snacks on a road trip, at work, or for a day at the park, and as ingredients in homemade creations such as salads or charcuterie boards.

    Diamond of California® Snack Walnuts are now available nationwide at select locations of major retailers like Walmart, Save Mart, Lucky California, Cub, and Bartell Drug. Kroger, Lidl, Hannaford, Big Y, and HyVee as well as Amazon will begin rolling out in August. More retailers, including Shaw’s will be added going into the holiday season.

    To learn more about Snack Walnuts or for more information on Diamond of California® visit their website(https://www.diamondnuts.com) or follow along @DiamondNuts on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. 

    About Diamond of California®

    Diamond of California®, the century-old producer of specialty nuts, has worked with walnut growers since 1912, making the company one of the earliest pioneers of the farm-to-table movement. The company packages fresh walnuts, almonds, pecans and other culinary nuts in whole, sliced, diced, and chopped forms. Their most recent innovations, Ready-to-Use Nut Pie Crusts and Ready-to-Eat Snack Walnuts, available in 8 flavors, can be found in the baking and snack aisles respectively. Headquartered in Stockton, California, Diamond of California® is located in the state’s heartland, where most of its orchards lie. Diamond of California® believes that nuts make good food even better. That’s why they’ve offered fresh, high quality and great tasting nuts that are truly made for homemade, for over 100 years.

  • ASEV Awards 50 North American Students With $107,500 in Scholarships

    The American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) selected 50 scholarship recipients to receive $107,500 in financial support in their pursuit of scientific research and advancement in enology or viticulture.

    Jaclyn Fiola, one of 50 scholarship recipients

    Two of the scholarship recipients, Rachel Allison (Enology) from Cornell University, New York, and Jaclyn Fiola (Viticulture) from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, received the ASEV Presidents’ Award for Scholarship in Enology and Viticulture, ASEV’s top scholarship. Allison and Fiola were awarded with $12,500 each for exceeding expectations of the traditional ASEV scholarship program as well as demonstrating their leadership capacity.

    Forty-eight students throughout the United States and Canada were awarded with a traditional scholarship for a total of $82,500 to support their academic pursuit in enology or viticulture. The following is a list of the students who received a scholarship:

    • Robert Blundell, University of California, Davis
    • Tyler Chandross-Cohen, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
    • Christopher Chen, University of California, Davis
    • Cody Copp, Oregon State University, Corvallis
    • Angelica de Castro Iobbi, Oregon State University, Corvallis
    • Alana Edwards, University of Georgia, Athens
    • Ryan Fifield, Cornell University, New York
    • Suzanne Fleishman, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
    • Alex Fredrickson, University of Missouri, Columbia
    • Bernadette Gagnier, Washington State University, Pullman
    • Esteban Garcia, California State University, Fresno
    • Atzin Gonzalez Andrade, University of Missouri, Columbia
    • Andrew Harner, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
    • Robert Herrell, California State University, Fresno
    • Samuel Hoffman, Oregon State University, Corvallis
    • Cassandra Hutcheson, Texas A&M University, College Station
    • Adam Lauderdale, Oregon State University, Corvallis
    • Jerry Lin, University of California, Davis
    • Sarah Lyons,* The University of British Columbia, Canada
    • Gita Mallya, University of California, Davis
    • Lauren Marigliano, University of California, Davis
    • Kimberlee Marinelli, University of California, Davis
    • Margaret McCoy, Washington State University, Prosser
    • Alexa McDaniel, Washington State University, Pullman
    • Stephen McGuire, University of California, Davis
    • Arunabha Mitra, Washington State University, Prosser
    • Laise Moreira, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
    • Kori Munk, California State University, Fresno
    • Karlene Negus, Missouri State University, Springfield
    • Melanie Nichols, Oregon State University, Corvallis
    • Alexander Olenskyj,** University of California, Davis
    • Demetra Perry, Cornell University, New York
    • Meredith Persico, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
    • Quynh Phan, Oregon State University, Corvallis
    • Salvador Pineda, California State University, Fresno
    • Alejandra Ponce de Leon, University of California, Davis
    • Colden Proe, Cornell University, New York
    • Daniela Quiroz, University of California, Davis
    • Clarissa Reyes, University of California, Davis
    • Victoria Roberts, University of California, Davis
    • Abelardo Rodriguez Cetto, California State University, Fresno
    • Arran Rumbaugh,*** University of California, Davis
    • Lauren Saltiel, University of California, Davis
    • Khushwinder Singh, California State University, Fresno
    • Andrej Svyantek, North Dakota State University, Fargo
    • Saskia Tingey, University of California, Davis
    • Yu-Te Tseng, University of California, Davis
    • Maria Zumkeller, University of California, Davis
    *Recipient of the ASEV James Wolpert scholarship   
    **Recipient of the ASEV Michael Vail scholarship
    ***Recipient of the ASEV Dennis Martin scholarship

    The ASEV Scholarship Committee includes Chair Chandra Richter from Drinkworks in Vermont; Torey Arvik from Sonomaceuticals/WholeVine Products in California; Luciane Bertoletti Barros, a consultant from Texas; Ria D’Aversa from McEvoy Ranch in California; Patrick Gibneyfrom Cornell University, New York; David Lockwood from The University of Tennessee; Merilark Padgett-Johnson from Santa Rosa Junior College, California; Brent Sams from E&J Gallo Winery in California; and Gordon Walker from Flotek in California.

    For more information about the ASEV scholarship programs, visit asev.org/scholarship-programs.

    Founded in 1950 by a group of researchers and winemakers, ASEV is dedicated to the interests of enologists, viticulturists and others in the fields of wine and grape research and production throughout the world.  For more information, visit www.asev.org.

  • Potassium Nutrition in SJV Vineyards

    With summer season upon us, an understanding of the seasonal uptake of potassium (K) is essential to time fertilizer applications. Potassium is required by grapevines in large amounts and is essential for vine and fruit growth. In the spring from budbreak to bloom there is a high demand for K as new growth develops at a high rate. The most critical need for K comes later in the year during berry development and ripening. It is during this time that berries become the strongest sink for available K especially between veraison and harvest. This may be due to the berry’s high demand for K during rapid cell expansion.

    Potassium plays a key role in cell expansion and has a major role in many plant metabolic processes. Movement of K into and out of guard cells regulates the opening and closing of stomata. As such inadequate K affects stomatal regulation and can lead to excess water loss from leaves. Potassium is a key factor in the plants ability to transport and translocate assimilates which helps to promote root growth and fruit size. Potassium also plays a role in the osmotic potential regulation, which is one of the important mechanisms in the control of plant water relations and turgor maintenance. Since K can affect both the roots ability to uptake water and the leaves ability to stop water loss, deficiencies can contribute to water stress and leaf desiccation. This may be apparent as a “scorch” of the tissue. The affected leaves acquire a scorched appearance, with leaf necrosis and reddening (on red varieties) developing from the leaf margins towards the center of the leaf.

    As an essential nutrient it is recommended to use a trifold approach to assessing potassium status in the vineyard. Looking at K concentrations with soil analysis, plant tissue analysis, and visual assessment of foliage for symptoms of deficiency. Soil analysis is done pre-plant, and then every 2 to 3 years thereafter. Plant tissue analysis should be done at least every other year to monitor vine nutrition, or as needed to diagnose potential nutrient deficiency symptoms. Visual assessment is ongoing. Soil testing, however, has limitations in accurately predicting the need for additional potassium fertilizer since there are so many factors that affect uptake and utilization including soil type, texture and depth, amount of soil compaction, root pest damage, varietal, rootstock, irrigation practice and crop size. In fact, the actual K available for plant uptake represents a very small fraction of the total K in soils. This is why soil K levels have generally not ben reliable criteria for indicating the actual K status of grapevines. Petiole analysis has been the main tool for assessing K status and the need for K applications to vines. Petioles are usually collected at bloom from leaves opposite clusters on the shoot. Vines are generally sufficient at 1.5% to 2.0%, and deficiency may occur at 1.0% or less. While petiole analysis is not completely reliable tool for making K management decisions, it is the most consistent guideline currently available.

    Deficiency symptoms can appear in early spring in cool wet years, but mild deficiencies may be seen just before harvest. Visual symptoms tend to show when the grapevines are heavily cropped and maintenance applications of K have not been made in the vineyard. Deficiency is often observed in areas with sandy soils with low native K fertility, or where topsoil was removed for leveling. Compacted soils, poorly drained soils, water stress and vines with weak root systems due to presence of soil pests may also contribute to K deficiency due to poor uptake. By mid- summer symptoms of K deficiency will exhibit chlorosis of the leaf margin and between the main veins and marginal burning and curling of the leaves will develop as symptoms progress (Image 1). When deficiency is severe shoot growth is significantly reduced and vines may defoliate prematurely, especially if the crop is large.

    Fertilization programs should focus on replacing potassium loses to harvest, as well as to correct for any deficiencies found through monitoring. Wine and table grape harvests remove approximately 5 pounds of K per ton of fresh fruit. For raisins grapes this will translate into approximately 17 pounds of K removed from the vineyard per ton of dried raisins.

    In general foliar fertilization has been an economic and practical method to provide mineral nutrients, particularly micronutrients, however foliar nutrient programs of macronutrients have not been effective and economical on grapevines due to phytotoxicity tolerances, leaf barriers and limited mobility of certain elements. On the other hand, fertigation with drip irrigation both micro and macronutrients has been an effective way to manage grapevine nutrition.

    A variety of potassium products can be used in dry or liquid forms. In general, different forms of K fertilizer do not offer an advantage from each other, except to consider the use of potassium chloride, which can cause salt injury or potassium–magnesium sulfate in which magnesium can interfere with potassium uptake.

    Potassium fertilization should be applied during early spring (a few weeks after budbreak) up to veraison and is most effective when applied under drip irrigation. In the San Joaquin Valley, many soils have high K fixing capacity and can tie up to 50% or more of added K fertilizer. This K is not lost, but rather stored between layers of clay and slowly released in soil solution as exchangeable K. However, most will not be available fast enough during times of high demand, especially following veraison. Therefore, it is more practical to apply little amounts of K on weekly basis than a large amount all at once. An effective strategy for K maintenance in the San Joaquin Valley is weekly applications over the course of 10 to 15 weeks at a rate of 10 to 15 kg/ha up to veraison. Potassium fertigation is discontinued at veraison as the maturing fruit becomes a strong sink for K.

    The method of application and formulation of K will be determined by how fast the response is needed, how long it has been since any K was applied, and whether the aim is to fix a deficiency or for maintenance. Generally, there is no hard or fast rule on K application, amount, or timing. Keep in mind that the interaction of available nutrients, soil type, crop load, irrigation management, rootstock, varietal make difficult to establish a general rule that fulfills a wide range of potassium needs in the vineyard. – By Carmen Gispert, UCCE Riverside & San Diego Counties 

  • Raisin Bargaining Association Sliding Scale Price Offer for the 2020 Raisin Crop

    On July 27th, the Raisin Bargaining Association’s Board of Directors offered their Signatory Packers a sliding scale fixed price of $1500-$1900/ton (depending on crop size) for the 2020 Natural Seedless Raisin Crop.

    The Raisin Bargaining Board of Directors has also offered our Signatory Packers a fixed price of $2500/ton for the 2020 Zante Currant crop.

    The Board of Directors is asking all their RBA Signatory Packers to accept, counter, or reject this offer by 8/10/20 at 5:00 p.m. The RBA Board of Directors strongly believes it is in the best interest of not only our growers, but all raisin growers, to set a fixed price in this tumultuous year and hope that our processors also realize this and are willing to negotiate with the RBA to establish a 2020 crop price.

    Sincerely,

    Kalem Barserian
    RBA CEO

  • Ciatti Co Expects Average to Slightly Below Average CA Wine Crop

    Ciatti Global Market Report —Activity on California’s bulk market has slowed since the initial March and April uptick but is still moving forward at a better pace than this time last year, assisted by the continued increase in consumer demand for wine in the US off-trade. Nielsen data shows wine’s off-trade dollar sales growth – year-on-year – at 18-24% each week in June.

    Buyers supplying the off-premise thus need to source more wine. There is also activity from buyers capturing their normal volumes a little later than normal as the bulk market had been slow until the turn of this year, and others moving in to obtain older vintage wines as sellers seek to make take space ahead of the coming harvest. In addition, those suppliers of well-placed off-trade brands have taken bulk wine off the market to use internally.

    As a result, California’s bulk wine inventory is declining – with specific qualities of specific wines harder to find – but remains significant. Prices continue to be significantly lower than sellers would expect, and where there is activity on Coastal wines it is at California appellation prices.

    There is grape activity in the Central Valley, albeit limited and at prices significantly below seller expectations. As on bulk wine, grape buyers know there is the opportunity to move into the Coastal appellations to source grapes at pricing that, in the past, growers there would likely not have accepted. Exacerbating the slow grape market, some wineries that were buyers of grapes just months ago have – due to COVID-19 – subsequently revised down their sales estimates and are now putting the same grapes back on the market. It will be another tough year for growers: with such a large amount of uncontracted fruit now growing on the vine, many must consider whether or not to take the risk and crush it into wine themselves.

    Needless to say, there are opportunities for international buyers seeking high-quality Coastal appellation wines or grapes, and there continues to be opportunities in the Central Valley, although the activity outlined above has perhaps firmed-up the bottom prices on specific bulk wines a little.

    Looking ahead, weather conditions have been normal and vineyards look in good shape. Some spotty rains and frost during bloom may have inhibited things a little but – overall – estimates are for a 2020 harvest average in size or slightly below average.

    The increase in wine sales at US retailers has assisted Italian wines, which are currently exempt from the import tariffs the US has levied on wine imports from many European countries – including France – since October. The US government is currently consulting on expanding these tariffs as negotiations with the EU over aircraft subsidies have not produced an agreement.

    Key Takeaways

    California can offer international buyers very good quality wines on multi-year deals at pricing lower than it has been for many years – including wine from some premium Coastal appellations. The same applies on grapes. With the 2020 harvest imminent and bulk inventory still high, there are currently some good opportunities on bulk wine in the Coast and in the Valley, especially older vintage. And with the 2020 crop looking average- sized, or only slightly below, and a large amount of fruit still uncontracted across the state, there are opportunities to capture some very good quality vineyards on long-term grape contracts. 

    Read Ciatti Company’s full July Global Market Report HERE.

  • CDFA Qualifies Dairy Families’ QIP Sunset Plan Petition

    United Dairy Families of California —Today, the industry-generated petition to implement a sunset plan to the QIP was qualified by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The petition qualified with 28% of the number of Market Milk producers operating in California in May 2020.

    CDFA anticipates holding a Producer Review Board meeting in August followed by a public hearing to consider the petition.

    Dairy Families is grateful to the dairy producers that signed the petition and have supported the process thus far. We have taken a huge step together toward uniting the dairy industry!

    Dairy Families submitted a petition to reform California’s historic quota program to CDFA in June. The petition outlines a five-year sunset proposal, which was the result of a process that included input from hundreds of California dairy producers over several months of regional meetings. The Dairy Families’ petition calls for CDFA to bring the producer-generated idea to a referendum.

    You can find the announcement from CDFA below:

  • New Fresno State Wine Club Features Alumni-Produced Brands

    Although they graduated more than a decade apart, Fresno State alumni Nathan Cardella and Joseph Maldonado fondly shared the same memories as many current enology students.

    “The smell that would radiate during crush, bottling or racking,” Cardella said. “The best part was being able to still smell it during classes. It brought back memories of working in our family vineyards while I was growing up.”

    That experience also prepared Cardella to start the Cardella Winery with his father, Rod, on their property in Mendota after he graduated in 2004. It’s also the same Italian-style boutique winery that employs Maldonado as its winemaker.

    The Fresno State Winery has long dubbed itself as the “Home of Tomorrow’s Winemakers,” and it has now created a new wine club to reunite its supporters and alumni like Cardella and Maldonado.

    The Alumni Vintners Wine Club’s first installment in May quickly sold out and featured Cardella’s 2014 Barbera and 2018 Pinot Grigio editions, along with four of the campus winery’s student-made varietals. The shipment also included a coupon for a two-person tasting at the scenic, Panoche Circle-area winery that is situated in the Central Coast foothills.

    Cardella’s Barbera vintage received an impressive 90 point score from Wine Enthusiast magazine. The Pinot Grigio’s profile was equally complex and a nod to the family’s roots in Tuscany, where Nathan Cardella worked and studied for a year after graduation.

    “Fresno State armed me with the knowledge to make flawless wines,” Cardella said. “The industry knows that Fresno State is a premier school that teaches not only the science of winemaking but also how to use winery equipment and run a wine business.”

    The Cardella Winery and vineyard are rooted in the family tradition that goes back to Marlia, Italy before Carlo Cardella emigrated to Firebaugh in 1902. The winery still specializes in Italian varieties that are all grown on the estate, and currently includes Chardonnay, Merlot, Moscato, Prosecco, Ruby Cabernet, Syrah and Vin Santo vintages.

    “I fondly remember classes with Dr. (Sanliang) Gu and experimenting in the campus vineyard to make wines from crop-forced vines,” Cardella said. “That was a tremendous experience learning that you could shift the ripening period of vineyards from summer to fall and produce grapes with more color, tannin and acid. We share those same general ideals at Cardella. We want to share incredible San Joaquin Valley wines with the people that live here.”

    He reconnected with the Fresno State Viticulture and Enology Department by hiring Maldonado soon after he graduated in May 2016. Cardella now focuses more on the family’s commercial vineyard and ranch operations while serving as a winemaking consultant.

    Maldonado may not have had the same family connection where he grew up in Dos Palos, but quickly found a similar passion once he arrived at Fresno State.

    “Helping out at the campus winery and working in the cellar at Toca Madera Winery were instrumental experiences,” Maldonado said. “Also being able to assist faculty like Dr. Thornton and Dr. Rodriguez in research while being involved with the fall crush helped prepare me tremendously for the industry.”

    Looking ahead, future campus Alumni Vintners Wine Club deliveries will occur three times a year in the same delivery time frame as normal wine club shipments. The next shipment, featuring Chateau Montelena wines from Napa Valley, will take orders through mid-September and will then be shipped in October. Chateau Montelena and its CEO and president Bo Barrett, a Fresno State alumnus, were featured in the 2008 film “Bottle Shock” — a Napa Valley love story highlighting the rise of California wines.

    New members should sign up by mid-September for the October shipment at: https://store.fresnostatewinery.com/Wine-Club.

    The campus winery also welcomes new wine club members outside of California by registering at: https://store.fresnostatewinery.com/Wine-Club/Out-of-State-Clubs.

  • Recurrent Selection with Glufosinate at Low Rates Reduces Italian Ryegrass Resistance

    Italian ryegrass is a major weed in orchards, vineyards, field crops, and fallow fields of California (Figure 1). Several different herbicides are used to control ryegrass and had been effective in reducing infestations until resistance evolved in many populations following repeated use of the herbicides. To date, resistance to glyphosate, paraquat, and some ACCase and ALS inhibitors has been confirmed in ryegrass infestations across the agricultural landscape of California. To make matters worse, resistance to multiple postemergence herbicides with different modes of action has been confirmed within the same orchard, vineyard, or field in some areas. Consequently, management of Italian ryegrass in California annual and perennial cropping systems has become a major challenge.

    Figure 1. High infestation of Italian ryegrass in a peach orchard (photo credit: Maor Matzrafi).

    Glufosinate is an alternative non-selective postemergence herbicide that can still be used to control herbicide-susceptible and most herbicide-resistant Italian ryegrass in California as only two populations with resistance to glufosinate have been documented to date. However, the higher cost of glufosinate relative to other herbicides may drive farmers to apply glufosinate at reduced rates as has occurred in other cropping systems, such as the Australian wheat belt, with other herbicides. The lower rates and other drivers such as herbicide applications at non-optimal weed size, inappropriate weather conditions, and insufficient spray coverage may result in sublethal rate selection of ryegrass by glufosinate.

    To evaluate the potential for low glufosinate rates to select for reduced susceptibility to the herbicide, and to determine if selected populations are cross-resistant to herbicides with other modes of action as has been observed in a few studies, we conducted a greenhouse study using a herbicide-susceptible parent population originally collected from a vineyard in Sonoma County. Plants were grown in the greenhouse to the 3-4 leaf stage and treated with low glufosinate rates for three generations. For the first round of selection, plants were treated with glufosinate at 1/8X, 1/4X, and 1/2X of the labelled field rate (984 g ai ha-1). Surviving plants were grown to reproductive maturity and allowed to cross-pollinate. Seeds were harvested from all plants, pooled, germinated, and plants grown in the greenhouse for the next round of selection at slightly higher rates (1/2X, 3/4X, and 1X). For the third round of selection, plants were treated at 3/4X, 1X, and 1.25X of the labelled field rate.

    Results showed that susceptibility to glufosinate was reduced in offspring in comparison with the susceptible parent population following only three generations of selection (Figure 2). Comparing the susceptible parent population with the offspring from the second and third selection cycle, the percentage of surviving plants increased to values of LD50 (1.31 and 1.16, respectively) and LD90 (1.36 and 1.26, respectively).

    Figure 2. Dose-response of the Italian ryegrass susceptible parent population (P0) and three successive generations (P1, P2, P3) of offspring following selection with low glufosinate rates in the greenhouse. Lines are the predicted values for percent survival. Red arrow indicates the labelled field rate (984 g ai h-1). Adapted from Matzrafi et al., 2020 (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.04.182733v1).

    When treated with alternative postemergence herbicides (glyphosate, paraquat, or sethoxydim), no plants of either the parental or successive offspring populations survived treatment with 0.75X or higher rates of these herbicides (see Matzrafi et al., 2020 (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.04.182733v1).

    The magnitude of increases in resistance levels over three generations of recurrent low-rate glufosinate selection observed is relatively low compared with higher levels of resistance observed in response to low-rate selection with other herbicides (three-fold and greater). However, under field conditions, even low levels of resistance within weed populations may reduce control. This study shows that repeated selection with glufosinate at low rates can reduce the susceptibility of Italian ryegrass populations to glufosinate, and points to the importance of incorporating a diversity of approaches, both chemical and non-chemical, in the management of ryegrass in annual and perennial cropping systems of California. – By Marie Jasieniuk & Maor Matzrafi, UC Weed Science

     

     

  • Celebrate National White Wine Day with Refreshing CA White Wine Cocktails

    Wine lovers looking for creative ways to celebrate National White Wine Day on August 3 can steal ideas from a new–and free–California Wine Cocktails eBook. The digital book, which includes several California white wine based cocktails, can be downloaded here for instant gratification!

    Luscious recipes featured in the eBook include Cucumber Herb Spritzer, Fresh Berry Moscato Mule and Strawberry Lemon Smash. While the white wines featured–from California California Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Moscato to sparkling wine–are delicious on their own, they are also wonderful in wine-based cocktails. Light and fresh but big on flavor, wine cocktails are easy to make at home for sipping on the patio or toasting friends during virtual happy hours.
     
    To provide more inspiration for signature wine-based cocktails for summer, California Wines has released a new free e-book, “Fresh + Delicious California Wine Cocktails.” Available to download here, it features recipes for fabulous seasonal drinks that celebrate the state’s bounty of sustainably grown wines, produce and fresh herbs.
     
    Recipes include:

    • Fresh Berry Moscato Mule: A bubbly blend of muddled berries, ginger beer and California Moscato wine
    • Cucumber Herb Spritzer: California white wine, cucumber and lime meet mint and basil for a fresh herbal twist
    • Strawberry Lemon Smash: Fresh strawberries, California sparkling wine and lemon create a summertime sensation

    To download a free copy of “Fresh + Delicious California Wine Cocktails” and sign up for the Discover California Wines monthly newsletter, visit here.
     
    Need More Summer Recipes to Try at Home?
     
    For seasonal dishes to prepare and enjoy with California wines and wine-based cocktails, pick up a copy of “Wine Country Table,” featuring recipes inspired by the Golden State’s sustainable winegrowers and farmers. The book is available at major bookstores and through Amazon. You can also find great seasonal recipes at Discover California Wines.
     
    Wine Institute is the public policy association of California wineries producing 80 percent of U.S. wine. California is the nation’s number one state for wine and food tourism with 3,900 wineries.

  • UCCE Advisor Glenn McGourty Retires, Leaves Legacy

    When Glenn McGourty arrived in Lake County in the 1970s, he was immediately smitten. “I was blown away at how special it is,” he recalled recently. “It’s just a beautiful place—unusual geology and native plants in this striking mountainous landscape.”

    More than three decades later, Glenn’s love for Lake County is as strong as ever. The region is part of him, and he is an important part of it – both its past and its future.

    Glenn is retiring as the Winegrowing and Plant Science Farm Advisor for Lake and Mendocino Counties for the University of California Cooperative Extension. He has held the position since September 1987.

    “I’ve really enjoyed working with people in Lake County,” Glenn says. “You know exactly what they’re thinking. They’re upfront and honest. They are farmers at heart.”

    A Long, Distinguished Career in Agricultural Science

    Glenn has been involved in science and agriculture his entire life. His family owned a walnut farm in Paso Robles. And when Glenn left for college, he focused on plant science, earning a bachelor’s degree in botany at Humboldt State and a master’s degree in plant, soil, and water science at the University of Nevada Reno.

    Out of college, he worked as an urban horticulturist in Las Vegas, applying the principles of science to help city dwellers with urban landscapes and gardens. It’s a theme that continued throughout his life. Today, he describes his career as being a “go-between,” linking farmers with science to help them become better agriculturalists and stewards of their land.

    Glenn credits the University of California for its vision in this area. Since its founding in 1868, UC has generated valuable agricultural research and used that knowledge to revolutionize the state of California as an agricultural leader in the world.

    Nevertheless, over a century ago, a gap remained between the research and those most in need of its benefits: farmers.

    “Someone came up with a brilliant scheme, which is that we needed a connection,” Glenn says. “We should have UC people that are really familiar with research-based scientific information, and they should work directly with farmers and the community. They should move into the community, become part of it, and work with the farmers to help them become better agriculturalists. And that’s how Cooperative Extension was formed.”

    Glenn is part of a third generation of farm advisors who started their careers in UC Cooperative Extension in the 1970s and 1980s. Now, he is readying to make way for a fourth.

    “I’ve been at it for 32 years,” Glenn said, “My job has been to bring information to the local community from other places where research has been done and to advise the growers with appropriate research-based information.”

    Focus on Sustainability and Organic Farming

    “What makes a UC farm advisor so special,” Glenn explains, “is that our work is based on scientific knowledge, not conjecture or opinions. We are also very focused on local conditions and farming challenges.”

    That approach has earned him a welcome place in the Lake County farming community. His combination of knowledge, geniality, and empathy with farmers – he is a grower himself – has made him an asset whose contributions are appreciated and will be missed.

    Glenn’s accomplishments are wide-ranging, including groundbreaking research on the effects of smoke on grapes, work on an erosion prevention education committee, spearheading an annual seminar on the latest integrated pest management research, speaking on topics such as irrigation, powdery mildew, vine hardening, and countless other efforts that have aided winegrape growers and helped protect the land.

    He is known for his support of organic and sustainable farming, particularly in winegrowing. In fact, he applies those principles to his own 10-acre winegrape and walnut farm on the Russian River. There he farms with the sustainable practices he has taught growers in Lake County and Mendocino for many years.

    He also is a champion of Lake County wines, especially Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, for which Lake County is developing worldwide acclaim. He also loves Mediterranean cultivars such as Sangiovese, Grenache, and Tempranillo, which grow very well in the high-elevation vineyards of Lake County.

    Parting Advice

    Through his career, the core of Glenn’s mission – bringing the principles of science to the practice of agriculture – has never wavered. Nor has his commitment to the farmers, especially the winegrape growers in Lake County, as evidenced by his parting advice for them.

    “Believe in yourselves,” Glenn says. “It’s awesome what Lake County has created. It hasn’t always been easy. The work takes time, and you have to prove you can be successful and consistent, year after year, particularly in the wine world. But the growers in Lake County are doing that.”

    The Lake County Winegrape Commission thanks Glenn for the many years of service and dedication he has provided to the growers of Lake County. We wish him the very best in his retirement and the adventures that await. — By the Lake County Winegrape Commission