California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • PD/GWSS Board Lowers Winegrape Assessment Rate

    The PD/GWSS Board voted during its June 17 meeting to reduce the winegrape assessment from $1.50 to $1.00 per $1,000 of value for the 2019 harvest. The Board’s recommendation was approved by CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.

    The annual rate has averaged $1.42 per $1,000 of value since it was established in 2001. Assessment funds are used for research and outreach on Pierce’s disease, glassy-winged sharpshooter, and other designated pests and diseases, including European grapevine moth, mealybugs, brown marmorated stink bug, red blotch virus, fanleaf virus, and leafroll virus.

  • India Imposed Retaliatory Tariffs to Include Walnuts

    California Walnut Board: We recently received final clarification that the Indian government announcement regarding implementation of the 20% retaliatory tariff that went into effect Sunday, June 16, does, in fact, include walnuts. Please let us know whether or not you have shipments currently in transit as the US Embassy in India wants to be aware of the magnitude of the tariff change on goods that left the United States under the belief of a lower tariff rate. Imposed Retaliatory Tariffs

    Effective Sunday June 16, 2019, tariff rates increased to 120% for in shell and 30.9% for shelled walnuts from the U.S. only.

    We have been in direct contact with the Agricultural Affairs Office of the USDA in the US Embassy in India as well as the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on this matter. Tariff issues remain a top priority for the California Walnut Commission (CWC). The CWC remains engaged with United States Trade Representative (USTR), USDA (FAS and AMS), APHIS, Congressional Representatives and our consultants/agencies to ensure our concerns are heard by the Administration officials in advocating on the industry’s behalf regarding the many tariff issue as well as non-tariff barriers facing the industry.

  • American Agri-Women Raise Key Issues with Washington, D.C., Lawmakers & Regulators at 26th Annual Fly-In

    Women involved in agriculture from throughout the U.S. met in Washington, D.C., recently for the 26th annual American Agri-Women (AAW) Fly-In & Symposium. The group met with elected officials and policymakers to discuss key issues, including agricultural labor; rural infrastructure; rural broadband and telecommunications; trade and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement; Electronic Logging Device regulations; and agricultural technology innovations.

    This year’s Symposium, “Federal Land Policies: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly,” featured land use specialists Myron Ebell, Brenda Burman, Harriet Hagema, and Andrea Travnicek.

    Recognizing Champions of Agriculture

    Each year, AAW also recognizes its Champion of Agriculture, those who have displayed exemplary courage in presenting and supporting legislation that promotes American agriculture, rural American lifestyles and the U.S. Constitution. The 2019 recipients were North Carolina Congressman David Rouzer and Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.

    President Donald J. Trump was presented with the Chief Champion of Agriculture Award.

    Advocating for     Agriculture

    The AAW Fly-In is an opportunity for the AAW membership to engage with leaders from agencies that interact and regulate farming and ranching. Members also meet with their own legislators, explaining how laws and regulations affect their agricultural operations and businesses.

    The group was hosted at the Embassy of Israel, where Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Ph.D., of the USDA Agriculture Research Service, shared an enlightening and passionate message to the group about the important role of women, U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD). and the U.S.- Israel joint research and collaboration.

    A highlight of the 2019 AAW Fly-In was the White House round-table discussion headed up by Anne Hazlett, senior advisor to the President on Rural Affairs and the office of National Drug Control Policy.

    American Agri-Women
    American Agri-Women (AAW) promotes the welfare of our national security through a safe and reliable food, fiber and energy supply. Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers; advocate for agriculture; and offer networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW website for more information to join, www.americanagriwomen.org. Find AAW on social media on Facebook (facebook.com/AgriWomen), Twitter (@Women4Ag) and Instagram (@americanagriwomen).

  • American Farmland Trust Hires Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally as Women for Land Initiative Director

    American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, has hired Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally as the Director of its Women for the Land initiative. Dr. Roesch-McNally will provide overall leadership for Women for the Land and collaborate with regional offices to ensure that AFT’s programming is strategic, synergistic across regions, well-received and impactful. The goal of AFT’s Women for the Land initiative is to engage women who own and manage farmland and ranchland in our mission to protect farmland, promote sound farming practices and keep farmers on the land.

    “AFT believes that protecting the most productive, versatile and resilient farmland and improving its soil will benefit farmers, consumers and the environment. We simply cannot meet the challenges facing agriculture today if we are not engaging women farmers and landowners, who own 87 million acres of U.S. farmland and ranchland. Women are underserved; yet when engaged, they often act,” says Dr. Beth Sauerhaft, AFT vice president of programs.

    She continues, “Gabrielle brings her expertise in social science theory with a grounding in both economics and sociology to the Women for the Land initiative. She has worked on large interdisciplinary teams and has a particular interest in participatory research methods and co-production, and how these approaches can support collaborative community engagement with climate adaptation. These skills will serve the initiative well as we expand the program to meet the needs of the growing number of women farming or taking on a management role on land over the next two decades.”

    Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally has a Master of Science from the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forestry Science, where she focused on environmental economics. Her doctorate degree, from Iowa State University, is in sociology and sustainable agriculture. As part of her dissertation research, she worked as one of the lead social scientists on a large-scale interdisciplinary USDA-NIFA project. She has conducted social science research to better understand producer decision-making in sustainable agri-food systems, particularly in the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation. Most recently, Gabrielle has worked as a fellow with the USDA Northwest Climate Hub.

    “I am excited to pivot from my work with the USDA Climate Hub to AFT’s Women for the Land initiative, where I look to further build and scale the work started by Jen Filipiak, AFT’s Midwest director. I am passionate about ensuring women landowners have access to resources, technical advice and policy facilitators to ensure they lead in conservation and building resilient agri-food systems.”

    Gabrielle will be based out of AFT’s Seattle office but will work from her home in Albany, Oregon, in the heart of the Willamette Valley where she lives with her horticulturalist husband, their dog, cat, 15 chickens. Gabrielle loves to hike, backpack, kayak, camp, bicycle and all manner of outdoor adventures. She also loves to garden, cook, bake and can jams, chutneys, pickles and other preserved goodies.

    American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.

  • USDA Announces Feral Swine Eradication & Control Pilot Program

    USDA announced it is offering $75 million in funding for the eradication and control of feral swine through the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) in a joint effort with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The 2018 Farm Bill included this new pilot program to help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health.

    NRCS will direct up to $33.75 million of the allocated FSCP funds toward partnership efforts to work with landowners in identified pilot projects in targeted areas. Applications are being accepted through Aug. 19, 2019, for partners to carry out activities as part of these pilot projects in select areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. APHIS has determined that these states have among the highest feral swine population densities and associated damages in the country.

    “NRCS​ state conservationists and APHIS state directors, in coordination with state technical committees, have identified pilot projects that can be carried out within these target states,” NRCS​ Chief Matthew Lohr said. “Our agencies stand ready to work with partners at the state and local levels to respond to the threat of feral swine.”

    Pilot projects will consist broadly of three coordinated components: 1) feral swine removal by APHIS; 2) restoration efforts supported by NRCS; and 3) assistance to producers for feral swine control provided through partnership agreements with non-federal partners. Projects can be one to three years in duration.

    “The projects selected for funding will allow APHIS and NRCS to collectively reduce the damage and disease caused by one of the most destructive and formidable invasive species in the United States,” said APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea. “Overall, this pilot program builds upon and expands work already underway by APHIS’ National Feral Swine Damage Management Program to both manage feral swine and eliminate populations in partnership with local government, the private sector, industry and academia.”

    NRCS is now accepting proposals from non-federal partners to provide landowner assistance for on-farm trapping and related services as part of the pilot projects described above.  NRCS will provide funding for these services through partnership agreements. The funding limit for a single award is $1.5 million. Awardees will be required to provide at least 25 percent of the partnership agreement budget as a match to NRCS funding.

  • USDA Offers Producers Options to Re-enroll or Extend Expiring CRP Contracts

    Farmers and ranchers with expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts may now re-enroll in certain CRP continuous signup practices or, if eligible, select a one-year contract extension. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) also is accepting offers from those who want to enroll for the first time in one of the country’s largest conservation programs. FSA’s 52nd signup for CRP runs from June 3 to August 23.

    “Agricultural producers with expiring CRP contracts have set aside land to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, provide habitat for wildlife and boost soil health for at least a decade,” said U.S. Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. “We want to make sure they – and their neighbors who may not have a CRP contract – know they have opportunities within CRP to continue their valuable contribution to our country’s conservation successes.”

    FSA stopped accepting offers last fall for the CRP continuous signup when 2014 Farm Bill authority expired. The 2018 Farm Bill reauthorized the program this past December, and FSA has carefully analyzed the bill’s language and determined that a limited signup prioritizing water-quality practices furthers conservation goals and makes sense for producers as FSA works to fully implement the program.

    This year’s CRP continuous signup includes such practices as grass waterways, filter strips, riparian buffers, wetland restoration and others. View a full list of practices approved for this signup.  Continuous signup enrollment contracts last for 10 to 15 years. Soil rental rates are set at 90 percent of 2018 rates. Incentive payments are not offered for these practices.

    Producers with Expiring CRP Contracts

    Letters are in the mail to all producers with expiring CRP contracts, describing possible options.

    A one-year extension is being offered to existing CRP participants with expiring CRP contracts of 14 years or less that have practices not eligible for re-enrollment under this CRP signup.

    Alternatively, producers with expiring contracts may have the option to enroll in the Transition Incentives Program, which provides two additional annual rental payments on the condition the land is sold or rented to a beginning farmer or rancher or a member of a socially disadvantaged group.

    CRP Continuous CREP Signup

    This signup also enables producers to sign up under existing Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) agreements. CREP is part of CRP and targets high-priority conservation concerns identified by a state, and federal funds are supplemented with non-federal funds to address those concerns. Download this fact sheet to learn more.

    Other Future CRP Signup Options

    FSA is still planning a CRP general signup in December 2019, with a CRP Grasslands signup to follow. Those that extend their contracts may be eligible for one of these signup types or another continuous signup in the future.

    More Information

    On December 20, 2018, President Trump signed into law the 2018 Farm Bill, which provides support, certainty and stability to our nation’s farmers, ranchers and land stewards by enhancing farm support programs, improving crop insurance, maintaining disaster programs and promoting and supporting voluntary conservation. FSA is committed to implementing these changes as quickly and effectively as possible, and today’s updates are part of meeting that goal.

    Producers interested in applying for CRP continuous practices, including those under existing CREP agreements, or who want to extend their contract, should contact their USDA service center by August 23. To locate your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov. More information on CRP can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/crp.

  • California Crop Weather Report ( Week Ending: June 23, 2019)

    WEATHER

    Temperature highs ranged from the mid 60s to high 80s in the mountains, mid 60s to low 100s along the coast, high 70s to high 100s in the desert, and low 80s to high 100s in the valley. Temperature lows ranged from the low 30s to high 50s in the mountains, mid 40s to high 50s along the coast, mid 40s to low 80s in the desert, and mid 50s to mid 80s in the valley.

    FIELD CROPS

    In the Sacramento Valley, winter wheat harvest began and rice continued to progress well. Safflower progressed well and sorghum was planted in Kings County. Cutting of alfalfa continued. In Tulare County, corn, cotton, and safflower progressed well. Wheat and oats continued to be harvested. Silage crops were being cut. In Fresno County, barley was harvested. Cotton progressed well.

    FRUIT CROPS

    Nutrient sprays and pesticides, herbicides and fungicides were applied to orchards and vineyards. Stone fruit orchards were irrigated. Apricots, peaches, plums, pluots, and nectarines were harvested. Late season stone fruit were hand thinned. Reflective sheets were laid between rows to promote color development. Olives were maturing. Grapes were growing well as fruit thinning activities continued. Mechanical vineyard maintenance continued. Mandarins, lemons, grapefruit and Valencia and Navel oranges were packed for export and domestic markets. Citrus groves were treated with post-emergent herbicides, foliar fungicides, and nutrient applications. Citrus groves were thinned, topped, and skirted. Some citrus were pushed out in preparation for new plantings.

    NUT CROPS

    Orchards continued to be irrigated. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios were developing well. Young nut orchard floors were moved.

    VEGETABLE CROPS

    Blackeye peas progressed well in Kings County. In Tulare County, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes continued to be harvested and eggplant progressed well. Tomato, cucumber, and zucchini harvests continued in the Sacramento Valley. Cherry
    tomatoes progressed well and will be harvested soon.

    LIVESTOCK

    Foothill rangeland and non-irrigated pasture remained in good condition. Some rangeland was burned as grasses began to dry. Sheep grazed in fallow fields. Some bees were moved to melon and sunflower fields for pollination.

     

  • Disrupting One Gene Could Be First Step Toward Treating Honey Bee Parasite Nosema Ceranae

    BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND, June 20, 2019—Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have taken the first step towards a weapon against the major honey bee parasite Nosema ceranae.

    There is currently no treatment for this parasite.

    The scientists found that feeding honey bees a small amount of an interfering RNA compound (RNAi) could disrupt the reproduction of N. cerana by as much as 90 percent in the laboratory study, according to a study recently published in Insect Molecular Biology.

    This RNAi compound targets a single N. ceranae gene called Dicer, explained Jay Evans, research leader of the ARS Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, who headed the study.

    “Dicer is a critical part of Nosema ceranae’s machinery for defeating honey bees’ immune responses to infestation by these parasites. It also encodes an essential protein in N. ceranae’s reproduction. So, it could be a double-barreled, practical route for attacking N. ceranae. Even better, RNAi against Dicer is specific to the parasite and will not interfere with the health of the honey bees,” Evans said.

    In earlier studies, the lab had looked at attacking N. ceranea genes that encodes for proteins that make N. ceranae a better parasite such as a polar tube protein that is important in the invasion of bee cells by the parasite.

    “But by striking at a single gene that affects N. ceranae reproduction and the ability of this parasite to counter honey bee immunity, I think we may have found an even better—an excellent avenue of attack,” Evans added.

    But this is just the first step toward a possible treatment. The researchers need to prove the concept in the field and beekeepers’ apiaries.

    Nosema ceranae is widespread problem of honey bees, although the impacts on colony health remain unclear. The best measure of the damage of Nosema comes from Europe where this parasite has been linked to long-term colony declines in Spain.

    A chemical treatment had been available, but it was taken off the market due to production challenges.

    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.

    By Kim Kaplan

  • Hank Wetzel of Alexander Valley Vineyards Elected Wine Institute Chairman 2019-2020

    Hank Wetzel, Founder and Family Partner of Alexander Valley Vineyards in Healdsburg, has been elected Wine Institute Board Chairman for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The election was held at Wine Institute’s 85th Annual Meeting of Members in Calistoga. Other board officers elected are John Sutton of The Wine Group in Livermore, first vice chairman; Suzanne Groth of Groth Vineyards & Winery in Oakville, second vice chairman; Rick Tigner of Jackson Family Wines in Santa Rosa, treasurer; and Randall Lange of LangeTwins Vineyards and Winery in Acampo, secretary. Bobby Koch is President and CEO of Wine Institute.

    “I am honored to support Wine Institute’s work in public policy and advocacy for California wineries. We hope to extend or make permanent the federal excise tax reduction and continue to advance direct-to-consumer shipping initiatives to expand consumer access to California wines. Despite challenging tariffs, I also encourage wineries to take a long-term view on building export markets to keep California wines visible on a global basis,” said Wetzel. “All of these activities benefit both large and small wineries.”

    Wetzel and multiple generations of the Wetzel family call their property at Alexander Valley Vineyards home. He worked in the vineyards at an early age and graduated from the University of California at Davis with a degree in Fermentation Science, developing a plan in his senior year for a small winery which became the blueprint for Alexander Valley Vineyards. He has held almost every position at the winery, and increased wine production over 42 years from 7,000 cases to more than 180,000 cases. The wines are now sold in every state as well as exported. From the start, Wetzel was committed to using many “green” sustainable practices, and the winery and vineyards are CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE through the CSWA third-party audit program and a participant in the Bay Area Green Business Program.

    Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy association of nearly 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses, which works at the state, national and international levels to support California wineries. Based in San Francisco, with offices in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., six regions across the U.S. and 13 foreign countries, Wine Institute is guided by 80 vintners who are members and alternates on an active board of directors. The board elects the chairman and officers on an annual basis.

    Wine Institute’s membership also elected new district and at-large directors and alternates. District directors and their alternates were elected on a one-member-one-vote basis in each district, following nominations by regional winery associations. They are:

     

  • Joel Nelsen Reappointed to Senior Trade Policy GRP

    CCM’s Joel Nelsen was reappointed to the Administration’s Fruit & Vegetable Trade Advisory Committee this week as announced by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer. These positions are highly coveted as they have direct engagement with Administration officials on trade policy. Nelsen has served since the George W. Bush Administration, and for the past fours, his colleagues have asked him to chair the Fruit & Vegetable Committee. There are several trade advisory committees all serving varied business sectors in the United States. Agriculture, because of its diversity, has over six committees representing the varied Ag commodity sectors.

    “To be able to continue serving in this role is both gratifying and humbling,” Nelsen states. “I had the support of Valley Congressmen McCarthy, Nunes, and Costa along with Congressional members Ken Calvert and Julia Brownly. Additionally, Senator Feinstein sent a letter on my behalf, all of which were gratefully appreciated.”

    There are upwards of two dozen seats available on each committee half of which expire every two years. The role is to initiate and/or advise the Administration on a myriad of policy and technical issues that can and do affect the produce industry. “The give and take are real, as is the opportunity for accountability,” Nelsen continues. “Certainly these past two years have been challenging, and most likely, these disputes will carry on as the Administration seeks to balance trade and initiate policies that correct deficiencies in existing agreements. I truly do appreciate the fact that our California Congressional members and the Administration continue to believe I bring value to the process. It is very rewarding.”