California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • 15th Western Regional Dairy Challenge® Recap; National Contest Cancelled

    66 students from eight Western U.S. universities and one Canadian college traveled to Modesto, California, for the 15th annual Western Dairy Challenge on February 20 – 22, 2020. The contest was hosted by Modesto Junior College.

    The Western Regional Dairy Challenge is a three-day educational competition designed to prepare students for dairy careers. Working in mixed-university teams of four or five students, participants assessed all aspects of a working dairy farm, including facilities, nutrition, financials, reproduction and animal health. Students collaborated on a 20-minute team presentation that detailed their observations and suggestions to a panel of judges. Teams were ranked based on how well their evaluations matched the judges’ evaluations of the dairy operation. 

    On Thursday students learned about the structure of function of Hilmar Cheese at the Hilmar Cheese Visitor Center.  Next, students participated in a team building event, where they met their teammates from other universities and competed in these teams to make cheese.  As part of the team building exercise, they competed to determine which team had the highest yielding cheese production. They also kicked off the competition portion of the and spent the evening diving into the host dairy’s records to assess the strengths and weaknesses that show up in the numbers. 

    On Friday morning, the teams headed out to the local host dairy that graciously opened their doors to the students.  They spent 3 1/2 hours walking the facility, observing the cows and the management aspects of the operation. Following the on-farm assessment, the students participated in a question and answer session with the owner of the dairy. Sponsors and volunteers attending the event networked with and mentored the students throughout the weekend.

    On Saturday morning, students presented their findings to a panel of judges made up of a nutritionist, a veterinarian, a financial analyst and a dairy producer who ranked them on their presentation and conclusions. Students also had the opportunity to hear the judging panel’s full critique of the dairy’s opportunities to round out this learning experience.

    1st Place Teams: 

     

    Team 6 – Strawberry 

    Rebecca Hedges (University of Alberta), Lars Schilderink (Cal Poly State University – SLO), Katelin Baker (Washington State University), Anthony Buzzetti (University of Idaho), Madison Zamaroni (University of California, Davis

     

    Team 7 – Olive 

    Alex Kelly (University of Idaho), Logan Real (California State University – Fresno), Kristofer Yelderman (Utah State University), Kolin Stock (Cal Poly State University – SLO), Karen Visscher (University of Alberta)

     Team 8 – Orange

    Summer Call (Cal Poly State University – SLO), Mariah Richards (Utah State University), Shai Searcy (Texas A&M University), Nathan Tollenaar (Cal Poly State University – SLO), Magnus Yoshimura (Washington State University) 

    2nd Place Teams: 

     Team 2 – Almond 

    Michael Campbell (Utah State University), Gerrit de Jong (Cal Poly State University), Courtnee Hainstock (University of Alberta), Regan Highsmith (Washington State University, Calissa Lubben (South Dakota State University), Mykaela Owens (University of Idaho)  

    Team 4 – Carrot

    Jordan Bairos (California State University – Fresno), Kailey Foster (Utah State University), Trevor Maciel (Cal Poly State University – SLO), Logan Papinchak (Texas A&M University), Joseph Terry (University of California, Davis)

     Team 12 – Lemon

    Natalie Koke (Texas A&M University), Kylee Elmore (University of Idaho), Nicolaus Machado (California State University – Fresno), Danica Valencia (Cal Poly State University – SLO), Jenna Van Wyk (South Dakota State University)

    A committee of dairy industry representatives organized the Dairy Challenge, led by local host volunteers. In addition, a long list of volunteers was important to the competition’s success, as is the case for every Dairy Challenge event. To volunteer or become a sponsor for the 2021 contest, contact Molly Kelley at mollyk@dairychallenge.org or go to dairychallenge.org for more information. All contributions are tax deductible and contributing sponsor listings are available on the website. 

     The Western Regional Dairy Challenge is under the guidance and support of the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge (NAIDC), which was established in April 2002 as a collegiate management contest to incorporate evaluation of all aspects of a specific dairy business. For more information, visit www.dairychallenge.org.

     COVID-19 Update

    It is with great disappointment that we also share that North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge slated for March 26th to 28, 2020, in Green Bay, WI, has been cancelled. The safety of the students and volunteers planning to participate is of utmost importance to our organization, and this difficult decision was made in recognition of the declared global pandemic surrounding the COVID-19 viral disease and out of respect for the advisory surrounding large group gatherings by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. We want to thank the Green Bay dairy community for their hard work to prepare for this event and we hope to return in the future. During this difficult time, we appreciate the support of the sponsors, coaches, volunteers and friends of Dairy Challenge. Further updates on sponsorship, entry fees and other details will be provided on our website as they become available.

  • USDA California Crop Weather Report

    WEATHER

    Temperature highs ranged from the mid 40s to low 70s in the mountains, low 60s to low 80s along the coast, low 60s to mid 80s in the valley, and low 60s to high eighties in the desert.  Temperature lows ranged from the mid 10s to high 40s in the mountains, mid 30s to mid 50s along the coast, low 30s to mid 60s in the desert, and low 40s to mid 60s in the valley.

     

    FIELD CROPS

     In Tulare County, winter grain plants were in different stages of growth, with most wheat, oats and barley coming close to maturity.  Some wheat, oats, and barley fields were being treated for weed control.  With the added rain, alfalfa continued to thrive and was growing well.  Corn was being planted.  Safflower planting was finished with most emerged.  Due to cold weather, cotton planting was behind schedule.  Rice ground preparation was ahead of schedule with ground work done in the Sacramento Valley.

     

    FRUIT CROPS

     Stone fruit orchards continued to near the end of bloom and immature stone fruit was steadily developing. Nectarines, peaches, and plumscontinued to size as expected. Cherry and pear fruit were sizing also, but still in the immature stages of growth. Pomegranates, persimmons, and grapes continued to leaf out, with warm weather boosting grape vine budding. Lemon and grapefruit harvest continued. Navel oranges, tangelo, and mandarin harvest progressed well. Tangerine groves continued to be covered with netting to prevent pollination by bees during the bloom period.

     

    NUT CROPS

    Almond development was ongoing, with a few areas predicting a more than favorable crop. Walnuts continued to awaken from winter dormancy. Pistachio leaf out remained steady with no reported issues.

     

    VEGETABLE CROPS

    Summer vegetable fields were prepared for planting.  Processing and fresh tomatoes were showing good growth.  Artichokes were harvested in San Mateo County.  Onion, garlic and parsley fields were growing well in Fresno County. Tulare County reported summer vegetables developed well with warm temperatures and adequate rains.  Strawberries were produced and grew well. Garlic, onions and peas did well under mulch.

     

    LIVESTOCK

     Recent precipitation and the week’s warming temperatures promoted range development. Rangeland and non-irrigated pasture were reported to be in good condition. Movement of cattle to spring pasture began. Some bee hives were moved to citrus orchards and to the foothills.

  • Dairy Council of CA Encourages Healthy Eating During Unprecedented Times

    Message from CEO Tammy Anderson-Wise: We are living in an unprecedented and challenging time as COVID-19 continues to spread across the United States. California schools and non-essential businesses have closed their doors, and Californians are being asked to stay at home as a safety measure to stop the spread of this fast-moving pandemic.

    Dairy Council of California believes the health of children, families and communities is a top priority, and by putting the health of others first through social distancing and self-quarantining, everyone can take part in helping to contain COVID-19. We believe that by sharing strength, support and resources with one another during this difficult time, communities will emerge from this pandemic strong and intact. We also recognize that families and school communities will need more help than ever as shelter-in-place policies are forcing families to find alternative ways to educate and feed their children.

    This is why Dairy Council of California has prioritized and focused outreach efforts on ensuring children, families and all members of school communities are supported while schools are closed.

    Dairy Council of California, in partnership with California Milk Processor Board and with the support of California State Senator Richard Pan, No Kid Hungry, California Department of Education and collaboratives throughout California, is leading the statewide effort to support food access by developing new resources and launching a public awareness campaign to promote free school meal programs throughout the state that continue to nourish children.

    On March 20:

    • We launched HealthyEating.org/SchoolMeals, a landing page that comprehensively aggregates all feeding sites in the state that provide children with free meals. Users can easily self-navigate to find the closest location to their home.
    • We also distributed a joint press release via the wire and began promoting the landing page on social media, inviting partners to do the same.
    • We shared an e-communication with partners, collaboratives, educators, health professionals, school communities and the dairy community.


    On March 23:

    • We launched HealthyEating.org/AlimentacionEscolar, the Spanish version of the landing page.
    • California Milk Processor Board launched a paid media campaign to drive awareness to the free school meal service programs and increase participation.


    Since the landing page launched on Friday, we have already received positive feedback from our education and public health partners with interest in sharing our landing page to their communities, and the page has garnered 3,000 unique site visits. We are committed to continuing to add new feeding locations to the existing site and working with our partners to ramp up their platforms, including No Kid Hungry’s text hotline. We will also provide ongoing support and expertise to statewide and regional communications, supporting collaborative efforts to nourish our most vulnerable children while schools are closed.

    As the situation continues to rapidly change, Dairy Council of California is well-positioned to evolve to meet growing needs. Beyond supporting food access, we are also equipping our education and health partners with free online nutrition resources they can provide to families and students for in-home education and enrichment. In just over a week, we have already sent several e-communications with packaged online resources and information via our social channels. Highlights include:

    • A roundup of our grade-specific nutrition curriculum, broken out by grade level.
    • Information on the landing page that shows school meal service sites.
    • The release of a new episode of Ask a Nutritionist, answering “Can I Freeze Milk?”
    • Resources to teach agricultural literacy at home, leveraging Mobile Dairy Classroom educational videos to bring the farm to students.


    These actions are just the beginning. As we adjust to a temporary new normal, Dairy Council of California intends to find innovative ways to continue to support our community partners in all sectors, including education, health and the dairy industry. We will continue to develop and share online resources, support food access and advocate for milk and dairy’s role in healthy eating patterns as well as supporting optimal growth and development in children. In the coming weeks, we will keep you abreast of the situation and our ongoing efforts.

    In addition to sharing with your partners and community the landing page developed to help children access free meal service, you may also be interested in supporting the USDA’s Milk Donation Reimbursement Program as a way to help with the critical need of food access. Under this program, eligible dairy organizations that account to a federal milk marketing order market wide pool and incur qualified expenses related to certain fluid milk product donations may apply for and receive limited reimbursements. This program reduces food waste and encourages dairy donations to food assistance programs that reach individuals in low-income groups. To participate, contact Emily DeBord, Marketing Specialist at USDA’s AMS Dairy Program, 202.720.5567 or mdrp@usda.gov.

    Healthy regards,

    Tammy Anderson-Wise, CEO

  • California Olive Oil Day 2020 Recap

    Roughly 150 olive oil industry members were present at third annual California Olive Oil Day held in early March.  The day started at 9 a.m. with a session focused on maximizing grower profits through grove management. Leandro Ravetti, Technical Director at Modern Olives spoke about irrigation management in olive orchards for oil production. His presentation included important information on the best times to irrigate, frequency of irrigation, and soil and plant monitoring.

    Ravetti also stressed the importance of careful site and variety selection as well as grove design prior to planting, noting that these practices can help growers increase profitability in the long term.

    William Krueger, Farm Advisor Emeritus of Glenn County, provided the group with information on canopy management in olive orchards for oil production. Krueger’s talking points included row orientation, best hedging practices to increase sunlight exposure for super high-density groves, how to prune modern high density, proper times to prune and mechanical options.

    The session on grove management was followed by Q&A with an industry panel who spoke to their own orchards and experiences. Panelists included Ravetti and Krueger as well as Lizandro Magana, Director of Farming at California Olive Ranch and Jeff Colombini, an olive grower in Lodi. The session was moderated by Adam Englehardt.

    The next session of the day dealt with disease management to prevent reduced yields and improve quality. First to present was Dr. Florent Trouillas, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis and Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Trouillas presented on the biology and control of Neofabraea in California and as well as his investigation into the occurrence and distribution of olive anthracnose in California.

    Through his research, Trouillas found that anthracnose was not present in commercial olive orchards in California. As for his research on Neofabraea, he discovered that the disease is emerging in California but remains limited to super high-density orchards at this time. This may be due to mechanical harvesting in SHD orchards, since the disease requires wounds on leaves and twigs to spread.

    Next Dr. James Adaskaveg from the Department of Plant Pathology at UC Riverside presented his research on epidemiology and management of olive knot and evaluation of new fungicides for the control of olive leaf spot/peacock spot. Adaskaveg recommended preventative care as the best means of managing these diseases. Since olive trees are most susceptible to olive knot and peacock spot at a point of injury, like that which occurs after mechanical harvesting and pruning, he recommended that trees be sprayed with a treatment the same day as the damage occurs.

    Dr. Askaskaveg also spoke about several new products that are in the process of being registered for use in California — an effort that has been made possible through research funded by the OOCC.

    During the Q&A portion of the session Adaskaveg, and Trouillas were joined by Paul Busalacchi, Director of Ag Operations at Corto and John Post, President, Agricultural Advisors to answer attendees’ questions.

    The final session featured Dan Flynn, Director of the UC Davis Olive Center who referred to California olives as “the crop of the future”. Flynn gave an update on the Olive Center as well as a recap of the year’s research. He also challenged growers to double yields by the year 2030, which some growers stated they thought was an achievable goal. His plan to help the industry achieve this included implementing a benchmark assessment of current production, conveying best practices in the New Olive Oil Production Manual and pushing higher yields through field research.

    All presentations from California Olive Oil Day can be found on the Research page of the OOCC website under the Research Presentations tab or downloaded below.

    Irrigation Management in Olive Orchards for Oil Production Canopy Management in Olive Orchards for Oil Production

    Biology and Control of Neofabraea in California and Investigating the Occurrence and Distribution of Olive Anthracnose in California

    Epidemiology and Management of Olive Knot and Evaluation of New Fungicides for Control of Olive Leaf Spot/Peacock Spot

    UC Davis Olive Center 

  • Updated Regs on Bulk Citrus Movement into HLB Quarantine Area

    Effective April 13, 2020, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will revoke Quarantine Commodity (QC) permit number 1486. QC 1486 originally authorized the intrastate movement of bulk citrus fruit from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zones 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7, into the Huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine area, without meeting the ACP-free performance standard.

    The motion to revoke QC 1486 was unanimously passed by the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (CPDPC) at a committee meeting on March 11, 2020. CDFA subsequently approved the motion and will begin its implementation this month.

    “While the committee understands this revocation represents a change for a limited number of our industry partners, we have made this science-based decision because we believe the overall benefit these actions will have in protecting the industry against the spread of ACP and HLB will outweigh the added mitigation steps required of our growers and packers,” said Jim Gorden, chairman of the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program.

    Upon the effective date, all shipments of bulk citrus fruit into the HLB quarantine area, Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zone 6, must meet the ACP-free performance standard, which includes field cleaning by machine or a preharvest treatment, and must be accompanied by the ACP-free declaration form. To download the ACP-free declaration form, please visit www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pdfs/acp/ACPFreeDeclarationForm.pdf.

    Prior to shipment, growers must also notify the appropriate county agricultural commissioner’s office to which they will be shipping bulk citrus, as stated in the grower’s compliance agreement.

    “The committee based it’s response on the risk-based model, which indicated that movement of unmitigated fruit into the HLB quarantine presents a higher risk than we initially thought,” said Keith Watkins, chairman of the operations subcommittee of the CPDPP. “By potentially shipping psyllids into an area known to have HLB, we’re essentially throwing gasoline on the fire. These changes will not only create more uniform mitigation requirements, but allow us to future proof these regulations for any future HLB detections in new areas of the state.”

    Steps like this are critical in the fight to save California’s citrus industry from ACP and HLB, which has been found in residential areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties at an increasing rate. Now more than ever, it is important for the citrus industry to work together in preventing the spread of this harmful pest and disease.

    To review the full document for citrus growers and grove managers in an ACP bulk citrus regional quarantine zone or HLB quarantine area, please click here.

    For questions regarding this regulatory advisory, please contact Keith Okasaki at Keith.Okasaki@CDFA.ca.gov

  • Almond Orchard Recycling a Climate-Smart Strategy

    Recycling trees onsite can sequester carbon, save water and increase crop yields, making it a climate-smart practice for California’s irrigated almond orchards, finds a study from the University of California, Davis.

    Whole orchard recycling is when old orchard trees are ground, chipped and turned back into the soil before new almond trees are planted.

    The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, suggests that whole orchard recycling can help almond orchards be more sustainable and resilient to drought while also increasing carbon storage in the soil.

    “To me what was really impressive was the water piece,” said corresponding author Amélie Gaudin, an associate professor of agroecology in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. “Water is central to how we think about agriculture in California. This is a clear example of capitalizing on soil health. Here we see some real benefits for water conservation and for growers.”

    Burn vs. turn

    Drought and high almond prices have encouraged higher rates of orchard turnover in recent years. The previous practice of burning trees that are no longer productive is now restricted under air quality regulations, so whole orchard recycling presents an alternative. But how sustainable and effective is it for the environment and for farmers?

    For the study, scientists measured soil health and tree productivity of an almond orchard that turned previous Prunus woody biomass back into the soil through whole orchard recycling and compared it with an orchard that burned its old trees nine years prior. 

    They also experimentally reduced an orchard’s irrigation by 20 percent to quantify its water resilience.

    Their results found that, compared with burn treatments, whole orchard recycling can:

    • Sequester 5 tons of carbon per hectare
    • Increase water-use efficiency by 20 percent 
    • Increase crop yields by 19 percent


    “This seems to be a practice that can mitigate climate change by building the soil’s potential to be a carbon sink, while also building nutrients and water retention,” said Gaudin. “That can be especially important as water becomes more limited.”

    Study co-authors included Emad Jahanzad and Kelsey Brewer of UC Davis; Brent Holtz, Sean Hogan and Cameron Zuber of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Cooperative Extension; and David Doll, who was formerly with UC Cooperative Extension.

    The study was funded by a Specialty Crop Block Grant Program of the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Almond Board of California. — By Kat Kerlin, News and Media Relations, 530-752-7704, kekerlin@ucdavis.edu

  • California Raisins Featured on Business Insider Podcast

    California raisin growers are always asking, “When will the Dancing Raisins come back, or will they ever?” Although not currently part of the raisin market promotions, the Dancing Raisins have returned to the spotlight of mainstream media in a recent Business Insider podcast.  The 45-minute podcast known as Brought to You Byhighlights powerful brands and marketing strategies through the years and how they came to be.  East Coast Showrunner Sarah Wyman recently visited California and several raisin industry members to learn and share the following story of the Dancing Raisins and the raisin industry that created them.

    Wyman shares, “The 1980’s TV commercials for California raisins have been called some of the best ads ever made. The claymation raisins singing and dancing to Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” became a kids TV show, recorded an album that went platinum, launched a range of toys and costumes, and starred in an Emmy-winning Christmas special. But were they a success for the raisin industry? Or did the dancing California raisins cause more trouble than they were worth?” Listen to the podcast HERE.

  • Wine Growers Honored with Sixth Annual California Green Medal

    The California Green Medal winners have been announced for the Sixth annual Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards. The California Green Medal recognizes the leadership of wineries and vineyards committed to sustainability and is presented by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, California Association of Winegrape Growers, Wine Institute, Lodi Winegrape Commission, Napa Valley Vintners, Sonoma County Winegrowers and Vineyard Team. Four Green Medals are presented in the following categories: Leader, Environment, Community and Business. The recipients of the Green Medal Awards will be honored at a ceremony at the California State Capitol in Sacramento in the coming months.

    Winners of the 2020 Green Medals are:

    LEADER AWARD, given to the vineyard or winery that excels in the three “E’s” of sustainability—Environmentally sound, socially Equitable and Economically viable practices.

    Winner: J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

    With wineries in Paso Robles, San Jose and Greenfield, family-owned and operated J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines embodies leadership in all three aspects of sustainability – environment, community and business; all of its vineyards and wineries are Certified California Sustainable. The winery has been instrumental in several groundbreaking water efficiency initiatives, using innovative technologies to increase irrigation efficiency and recycle process water. In J. Lohr’s Paso Robles winery, they reduced the amount of water needed to make one gallon of wine from 3.5 to 1.3 gallons. The winery has also invested heavily in energy-efficient technologies, with a 756 KW solar (photovoltaic) tracking system that supplies 65% of electrical needs in Paso Robles and a 920.7 KW flat mount system that covers nearly 100% of energy needs at its new winery in Greenfield. Owl boxes, located every 30 to 40 acres in all of its vineyards, provide gopher control; while songbird boxes are installed to attract native species for biodiversity. J. Lohr has carried out extensive habitat and riverbank restoration along 3,900 feet of the Napa River that borders its Carol’s Vineyard in St. Helena.

    On the social aspect of sustainability, J. Lohr was one of the first vineyard companies to provide long-term employment and year-round health benefits to vineyard workers and their families. It also provides ongoing career education for all associates and an employee garden. A 16-member J. Lohr Sustainability Committee guides company-wide efforts and best practices, and employee newsletters and online Town Hall meetings keep associates informed and engaged in sustainability efforts. With a philosophy of “raising all boats,” J. Lohr shares knowledge and experience, invests money and time in research and educational infrastructure, participates and serves in leadership roles in policy, industry and trade organizations, and supports local and national charities and non-profits devoted, in part, to family health and well-being. Since its founding in 1974, J. Lohr has been a conscientious partner and leader in every aspect of the wine business – in the true spirit of cooperation and the desire to build a better, forward-looking sustainable wine industry.

    ENVIRONMENT AWARD, given to the vineyard or winery that best demonstrates Environmental Stewardship through maximized environmental benefits from implementing sustainable practices

    Winner: Bonterra Organic Vineyards

    With a deep respect for the environment, Bonterra Organic Vineyards in Mendocino County has been farming organically for more than 30 years. Bonterra’s green roots run deep and are exemplified in the winery’s approach to defining, measuring and growing its sustainability impact, as well as examining ways to continue to innovate and lead sustainability efforts in the wine industry. What initially began as an exploration of how organic farming could bring enhanced vitality to vineyards and wine has in recent years evolved into a deeper project at Bonterra, with the aim of understanding how wine growing can produce resilient, biodiverse landscapes and positive climate impacts.

    Bonterra’s focus today is regenerative agriculture, a practice that helps restore ecosystems through farming – comprising methods such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, compost application, animal grazing, integrated pest management, wildlife integration and wildland conservation – ultimately increasing soil fertility and enhancing the resilience of Bonterra’s vineyards. Made in a Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing winery, Bonterra operates entirely on green energy, its facility is certified Zero Waste and CarbonNeutral®, and it logged significant reductions in water, energy use and emissions in the winery’s most recent sustainability reporting period. Bonterra’s glass is made from 35% recycled material and it is actively expanding alternative packaging offerings including cans, bag-in-box and kegged offerings. The winery—whose parent company is the world’s largest wine company certified as a B Corporation—also looks beyond its own practices to its supply chain, working with grower partners to convert to organic farming practices.

    COMMUNITY AWARD, given to the vineyard or winery that is a Good Neighbor & Employer using the most innovative practices that enhance relations with employees, neighbors and/or communities.

    Winner: Clif Family Winery

    Clif Family Vineyard Winemaker Laura Barrett

    Clif Family Winery’s approach to sustainability is to build a company that sustains and regenerates its people, the planet and its community, while creating engaging food and wine brands that sell, and building a successful profitable business. Every decision made is aimed at achieving its Five Aspirations, dedicated to business, brands, people, community and planet. Certified to Napa Green, Clif Family’s achievements include practices to support the local community through philanthropy, community service and many other activities. In 2019, the winery supported 344 charities through product and time donations and donated 20% of proceeds to local non-profits through its Sip and Support program. They close the business one day/year for community service, and the staff has served 950 volunteer hours. In addition, Clif Family Winery offers employees generous benefits (medical/dental/vision, an Employee Assistance Program, life insurance, continuing education) in addition to more unusual opportunities such as a $75 wellness stipend per month, $100 reimbursement for National Parks Passes and annual performance bonuses measured against its Five Aspirations. Equally important is the winery’s approach to the stewardship of natural resources, including conservation of water, biodiversity, energy and soil, as well as the investment in renewable energy.

    BUSINESS AWARD, given to the vineyard or winery that best demonstrates Smart Business through efficiencies, cost savings and innovation from implementing sustainable practices.

    Winner: Pisoni Family Vineyards

    Now in the hands of the third generation, Pisoni Family’s holistic and inclusive approach to practicing sustainability in their vineyards and winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands began with their grandparents, Eddie & Jane Pisoni, who started the family farming legacy in 1952. Their ethos is that the best approach to having a successful sustainability program is to be inclusive, transparent and open to new ideas. “Leaders don’t dictate—they inspire.” Examples of their focus on efficiency include monitoring every drop of water applied to their vineyards, and recording annual water usage, winter rain fall, shoot tip growth, leaf angle and vine color. To conserve water, a pressure bomb tracks leaf water potential, soil moisture probes are placed at different soil depths, the Tule System measures evapotranspiration and distribution uniformity tests are regularly conducted.

    In 2018, they installed a solar system which meets 80% of their electricity needs and offsets 240,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year. In addition, they upgraded winery lighting to LED and use variable frequency drive pumps in the vineyard to improve efficiency. The Pisoni Family welcomes local students and visitors from around the globe to visit their 1.5-acre insectary garden to learn about sustainable practices. When it comes to environmental stewardship and sustainability, Pisoni Family leads by doing and by being inclusive. A SIP-Certified vineyard, Pisoni Family loves their land as much as they love their community in Monterey County. It is through sustainability that they hope to give back for many generations to come.

    “The Green Medal recognizes the commitment and dedication to sustainability by California growers and vintners and shines a spotlight on industry leaders,” said Allison Jordan, CSWA Executive Director. “Once again, the judging panel was impressed by the breadth and depth of sustainable practices being used by growers and vintners across the state to conserve water and energy, maintain healthy soil, protect air and water quality, preserve wildlife habitat and enhance relations with employees and communities, all while improving the economic vitality of vineyards and wineries and growing and making high quality wine.”

    Congratulations to these outstanding growers, examples and friends to the industry!

  • Meals for Children from Low-Income Families Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a request from California to allow meal service during school closures to minimize potential exposure to the coronavirus. These meals are available at no cost to low-income children – and are not required to be served in a group setting – to ensure kids receive nutritious meals while schools are temporarily closed.

    “USDA stands with the people of California as a part of a federal-wide coordinated response,” said Brandon Lipps, Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. “The flexibility provided by the waiver approved today will help ensure that our children get wholesome meals, safeguarding their health during times of need.”

    The waiver is effective immediately and will continue through June 30, 2020. USDA stands ready to provide additional assistance to the people of California and other areas impacted by the coronavirus as allowed by law and in coordination with the much larger government-wide response.

    All Food and Nutrition Service programs – including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs – have flexibilities and contingencies built-in to allow them to respond to on-the-ground realities in the event of a disaster or emergency situation. For more information about the coronavirus response across USDA, please visit: https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus.

    USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service administers 15  nutrition assistance programs that leverage American’s agricultural abundance to ensure children and low-income individuals and families have nutritious food to eat. FNS also co-develops the  Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provide science-based nutrition recommendations and serve as the cornerstone of federal nutrition policy.

  • Lucrative Market of Ox Gallstones for Chinese Herbal Medicine

    Gallstones harvested from cattle are a precious Chinese herbal medicine. They can be found in gallbladders after the bile is filtered without special processing. The gallstones are then ready for sale to buyers simply after being dried to remove all moisture. Gallstones are sold at the retail level either in their natural form without being processed, or as a propriety Chinese medicine mixed with other ingredients.

    Natural gallstones are in high demand for use in Chinese medicine. Reportedly, the Chinese pharmaceutical industry requires about 100 metric tons (MT) of gallstones for a variety of propriety Chinese medicines each year, but domestic supply is barely one MT. The inadequate supply has triggered the emergence of synthetic/ artificial gallstones. Currently there are two types of artificial gallstones: one is manufactured based on chemical ingredients and another is artificially cultured. These artificial gallstones are meant to fill the demand for natural gallstones and have become an ingredient for a variety of proprietary Chinese medicines. However, the medicinal value of artificial gallstones is not considered to be comparable to natural ones. Therefore, the short supply and medicinal value of gallstones have resulted in the high value of natural gallstones.

    The current retail price of unprocessed natural gallstones in its natural form sells at HK$19,000 per tael, i.e. translated to US$65 per gram.

    The United States has an expansive cattle industry, slaughtering about 39 million head each year. U.S. beef processing plants are strongly encouraged to explore the possibility of incorporating a simple procedure to collect gallstones during the production process. Presently, a Hong Kong importer, who specializes in Chinese herbs and medicines, is very keen to bring in natural gallstones from the United States. U.S. exporters who want to explore the potential of exporting ox gallstones should contact the Agricultural Trade Office in Hong Kong at atohongkong@usda.gov.

    Hong Kong’s Import Regulation for Ox Gallstones

    Ox gallstones are not regarded as food, therefore, they are not subject to Hong Kong’s food regulations. Given that they are a well-documented Chinese medicine, it is regulated by the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap.549) with the scientific name Calculus Bovis.

    According to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, Chinese herbal medicines (Chm) refer to substances specified in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of the Ordinance, which are Chm commonly used in Hong Kong. Ox gallstone or Calculus Bovis is listed on Schedule 2 of the Ordinance. 

    The Ordinance requires that traders who wish to engage in the business of retail and wholesale (including import) of all listed Chm must first apply for the relevant license from the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong. Moreover, all 31 listed substances on Schedule 1 and five of the substances listed under Schedule 2 are subject to licensing control. (These five substances refer to Flos Campsis, processed Radix Aconiti, processed Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii, Radix Cletatidis and Radix Gentianae. Ox gallstone is not one of these five substances.) The importation and exportation of these substances requires a license issued by the Department of Health. (Food licenses and permits are issued by the Center for Food Safety.)

    U.S. exports of ox gallstones are not required to provide any health certificates or an import license for shipments. The only requirement is that Hong Kong importers for this product must be license holders.

    Details of Hong Kong’s regulation of Chm can be found at this link: www.cmro.gov.hk/html/eng/aboutus/service/ieccm.html.

    Collection of Ox Gallstones

    Given below is a description of the simple manual gallstone collection procedure which requires no sophisticated equipment.