California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • NCGA Statement on E15 Proposed Rule

    National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp made the below statement following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of a proposed rule to allow for year-round sales of E15.

    “Today’s proposed rule is great progress to getting the rulemaking completed by the start of the summer driving season, June 1. NCGA appreciates EPA’s efforts to meet this deadline and we look forward to fully reviewing the content of the proposed rule. We will be providing comments to EPA and urging our membership to provide input during the comment process as well.

    “Allowing year-round sales of higher blends of ethanol not only grows a domestic market for farmers, but E15 gives consumers more choice at the pump, a lower price option and greater environmental benefits from a cleaner fuel. It’s time to remove the barrier to all of these benefits.”

    About the National Corn Growers Association
    Founded in 1957, the National Corn Growers Association represents nearly 40,000 dues-paying corn farmers nationwide and the interests of more than 300,000 growers who contribute through corn checkoff programs in their states. NCGA and its 50 affiliated state associations and checkoff organizations work together to create and increase opportunities for their members and their industry.

  • The Benefits of Environmental Monitoring

    Each year roughly 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from
    foodborne illnesses according to the CDC. As our food supply becomes progressively more
    globalized, the need to strengthen food safety systems in and between countries has become
    much more apparent.

    Legislation like the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) now enables the Food & Drug
    Administration (FDA) to better protect consumers by strengthening food safety systems for
    foodborne illnesses, which are mostly preventable and are a significant public health burden.
    With the creation of FSMA, the FDA has become more proactive towards food safety
    prevention. One solution to the ever-growing issue of foodborne illness is the inclusion of a
    robust Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP).

    Understanding Environmental Monitoring

    According to FDA rule Verification of Implementation and Effectiveness CFR 21 section 117.165
    and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Final Rule for Preventive Controls for Human
    Food:

    A facility who has identified a potential environmental pathogen or indicator organism
    as a hazard to ready-to-eat (RTE) foods are required to include an EMP in their food
    safety plan. A trained Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) needs to review
    EMP test results to ensure that the Food Safety Plan is being followed.

    It is necessary for a FSMA EMP compliant Food Safety Plan to include:

    •  Established, written and scientifically valid procedures
    •  Identified testing microorganisms, adequate locations, and number of collection sites
    •  Identified timing and frequencies for collecting and testing samples
    • Identified Corrective Action Procedures in compliance with CFR 21 section 117.150
    •  Testing performed by an accredited laboratory.

    The Benefits

    The purpose of an EMP is to identify problem areas where potentially harmful microorganisms
    may be harboring, becoming a source of contamination; as well as verifying the effectiveness
    of sanitation programs. Several benefits of an EMP include:

    • Validation and verification of cleaning and sanitation programs. i.e., procedures and
      frequency
    • Provides data of the overall effectiveness of your sanitary program, personnel
      practices, and operations procedures
    • Provides data about indicator organisms, spoilage organisms, and pathogens to
      prevent outbreaks
    • Determines if facility maintenance is required, i.e., filter changes
    • Acts as a baseline microbiological assessment of a facility’s environment
    • Helps users find and eliminate potential contamination sites before it has spread

    Areas of Concern

    There are many routes environmental pathogens and other harmful organisms can be
    introduced directly into your facility. Some of these routes are by raw materials, ingredients,
    supplies, equipment, and vehicles, as well as personnel, visitors and pests. Two harmful
    pathogens to keep track of are Salmonella and Listeria.

    Salmonella

    Salmonella is a widespread and resilient bacteria that is found in the environment. It can
    survive in “dry” manufacturing environments, as well as “wet” manufacturing environments.
    Essentially, it is a versatile bacteria that has the potential to causes harm when you
    aren’t proactive.

    According to the CDC, Salmonella causes around 1 million foodborne illnesses, 19,000
    hospitalizations and 380 deaths in the United States annually.

    Not only can Salmonella result in foodborne illnesses, but it can also result in a costly recall for
    your company. FDA currently considers Salmonella to be the top environmental pathogen of
    concern in low moisture foods. Outbreaks and recalls caused by Salmonella have been linked
    to raw chicken, ground beef, pre-cut melon, and breakfast cereals. There is also a history of
    recalls in tree nuts, nut butter, alfalfa sprouts, cantaloupes, and chicken.
    Our article “Salmonella- The Most Common Bacterial Foodborne Disease” goes into detail
    about Salmonella and effective ways for you to prevent it in your facility.

    Listeria

    Listeria bacteria is prevalent in the environment. It is found in soil, water, and
    decaying vegetation. There are six types of listeria, but only Listeria
    monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is considered harmful to humans.

    L. monocytogenes is persistent in and around equipment and the processing
    environments in harborage sites. It can survive and grow at refrigerated
    temperatures, tolerate high salt concentrations such as a brine tank, and
    survive frozen storage for extended periods. Due to these factors, L.
    monocytogenes presents a severe food safety concern.

    According to CDC, L. monocytogenes causes about 1,600 foodborne illnesses and 260
    people deaths in the United States annually. Outbreaks and recalls are regularly linked to
    ready-to-eat RTE sliced meats, frozen vegetables, packages salads, dairy products, and
    cantaloupes.

    How to be Proactive

    To systemically combat these pathogens, a robust Environmental Monitoring Program usually
    utilizes zoning concepts. Zones are a useful tool that can help you in site selection within your
    facility. The EMP zoning concept divides risks into four zones based on the level of risk to
    product contamination with Zone 1 being the highest.

    Zone 1 – Direct or indirect Food Contact Surfaces (FCS), i.e. product conveyors, product
    chutes, storage hoppers, slicers, worktables and employee hands.

    Recommended testing for zone 1 are:

    • Aerobic Plate Count (APC)
    • Enterobacteriaceae (TEB)
    • Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) rapid testing

    Pathogens need to be tested in special circumstances such as a response to Positive
    Salmonella product result.

    Zone 2 – Non-FCS that are adjacent to or close to zone 1, i.e., equipment supports, frames,
    control panels, weight scales, floor drains and air filters.

    Recommended organisms to be tested:

    • Salmonella spp
    • Listeria spp

    Both of these tests need to be performed weekly.

    Zone 3 – Non-FCS within process area but further
    removed from product contact surfaces in open
    product areas, i.e., forklifts, walls, floors, ceilings,
    wash stations and brooms.

    Recommended organisms to be tested:

    • Salmonella spp
    • Listeria spp

    Both of these tests need to be performed weekly.

    Zone 4 – Non-FCS outside of the processing areas,
    i.e., locker rooms, cafeteria, hallways, trash areas,
    wash stations outside of production areas and
    loading docks.

    Recommended organisms to be tested:

    •  Salmonella spp
    •  Listeria spp

    Both of these tests need to be performed weekly.

    If you find a positive environmental result in any of the zones, immediately quarantine the
    area and put affected product on hold. Next, thoroughly investigated the area both visually
    and with microbial testing.

    Understanding Vector Swabbing

    The best way to investigate a positive
    environmental result is with vector swabbing.
    Vector swabbing determines the extent of the
    contamination and to establish potential root
    causes of the contamination.

    Diagram is courtesy of the PEM Guidance on Environmental
    Monitoring, Almond Board of California

    Vector swabbing involves sampling of multiple environmental sample sites around the initial positive site in a radial patter. This approach gives you the best possible coverage of
    the environment.

    What to remember when swabbing:

    •  Vector swabbing needs to be sampled before cleaning the initial positive site.
    • Make sure the area is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, taking great care not to
      spread the contamination to surrounding areas.
    •  Take additional environmental after the cleaning process.
    • You need to obtain three consecutive days of negative results until you can return to
      your regular EMP.

    Sampling

    After you have established your zones and your
    proposed action plan in the event of a positive environmental sample, you now need to
    samples the intended sites. Various methods can be used for collecting environmental
    samples such as sterile swabs and sponges. When collecting these types of samples, the
    surface area sampled can vary depending on the target site. An acceptable sampling area for
    indicator organisms is 40-200 in 2 and for pathogens is 40-400 in 2 .

    If the sampling collection is post sanitizer application, make sure the sterile swab and
    sponge has a neutralizing buffer. The neutralizing buffer counteracts cleaners and sanitizers
    that have been used- we want to find any surviving bacteria if they are present. Environmental
    samples are to be promptly submitted to an accredited Laboratory for testing. Ideally,
    environmental samples should be transported <45 o F and processed within 48 hours.

    Next Steps

    The cost of environmental contamination can be high, so you must ask yourself what risk you
    are willing to take? To save yourself a lot of trouble ensure you have an effective and robust
    Environmental Monitoring Program!

    With one, you can guarantee that you find any potential contamination risk and eliminate it
    before any possible cross-contamination of your product occurs. It is important to remember
    that commitment is needed throughout the facility, from senior management and cascading
    down to the rest of the workforce. Sufficient resources, both in capital and personnel to do an
    adequate job are also needed, and while the thought of creating a new EMP may seem like a
    daunting task, the outcome is not only beneficial for your facility but also to the consumer.

    Safe Food Alliance offers an online course for Environmental Monitoring to help you
    understand what Environmental Monitoring is, what the requirements for FSMA are, and other
    information to help with creating and understanding your Environmental Monitoring
    program.

  • Salmonella – The Most Common Bacterial Foodborne Disease

    Salmonella – we all know it’s bad for us but why? What is it? Where does it come from? Why
    should we care? Does my company have a plan in place if something tests positive?
    With all the news lately about one recall after another, it is easy to be tormented with endless
    questions. I am here to tell you that with a food safety plan and proper testing, Salmonella is a threat that
    you can handle.

    Background of Salmonella

    Salmonella is one of the most difficult foodborne pathogens to eliminate. Not correctly
    dealing with the pathogen is harmful to your company’s reputation and pocketbook.
    According to an annual study done by Food Safety News, foodborne illness in the United
    States has an annual estimated cost of $77.7 to $152 billion, not including reduced customer
    confidence, recall losses, litigation or the cost from public health agencies who respond to the
    outbreak (8).

    Salmonella itself is a motile, facultative anaerobe bacterium which causes salmonellosis. That
    means that Salmonella is a fast-moving bacterium, that can survive with or without oxygen,
    and causes Salmonellosis (Salmonella infection). Salmonellosis is the way to describe being
    symptomatically infected by Salmonella.

    Salmonella was first isolated in 1885 by an assistant to American scientist, Dr. Daniel Salmon.
    Since then, scientists have discovered many different variations (~2,500 serotypes) of
    Salmonella which can cause infection. The bacteria cause illness for 4 to 7 days. In some cases,
    Salmonella can escape from the intestines and enter the bloodstream. Once in the
    bloodstream, it infects other body sites causing severe infections. Children under the age of
    five, elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are most likely to have severe
    infections. Research has shown that Salmonella infections are more likely to occur during the
    summer months. Therefore extra care must be taken from May thru August to prevent
    outbreaks in your facility.

    Illustration from Food Safety News

    By the Numbers
    In 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated:

    • 1,027,567 cases of Salmonella
    • 19,336 resulted in hospitalizations
    • 378 of cases resulted in death
    • Roughly 13% of all foodborne deaths come from Salmonella

    How Do You Become Infected?

    Salmonella is in raw and undercooked eggs, poultry, meat, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts,
    water, and unpasteurized dairy products. To grow, Salmonella colonizes in the intestines of
    animals and spreads through feces. Humans can also spread the pathogen. Not washing
    hands after a bowel movement followed by direct contact with another person, touching a
    surface, or preparing food leads to transmission. If you think not washing your hands is the
    only cause, you thought wrong. Water infected with the bacteria can provide an optimum
    environment for growth. When contaminated water spreads onto irrigate crops, the final
    product delivers the bacteria into the consumers home.

    Why Test for Salmonella?

    • Public health impact (deaths, hospitalizations)
    • Contamination in water (Adulteration of the food supply chain)
    • Company Reputation (Loss of consumer confidence)
    • Recalls, FDA Investigations (Time and lost money, black mark on company name)
    • Economic loss (Bankruptcy, cost of finding recalled product)
    • Lawsuits, prison sentences (Selling food known/unknown to be positive

    As you can see, Salmonella has a genuine impact on the longevity of a business.

    2018 Salmonella Outbreaks and Cost:

    Map

    How to Prevent Salmonella:

    The easiest way to prevent Salmonella in products is by having good manufacturing
    practices, washing hands, and testing.

    Washing your hands is the easiest way to help prevent the spread of Salmonella. Besides
    washing your hands, testing your product for Salmonella is standard practice for most
    companies. Both Safe Food Alliance Lab locations have years of experience helping
    companies test for Salmonella. With Safe Food Alliance, results are readily available 48 to 72
    hours after receipt. If you would like to send in a sample of your commodity for analysis, click
    here.

    Safe Food Alliance utilizes methods validated by the Association of Official Agricultural
    Chemists (AOAC), a group closely linked to the FDA and the USDA. If you receive a positive
    result, confirmation steps are taken to provide you with even more confidence that the
    samples are accurate. All testing is done according to industry standards.

    Another method for detection of Salmonella is testing via swabbing at the facility. Swabbing
    ensures that proper sanitation processes are being met and helps avoid cross-contamination.
    Environmental swabs also detect the pathogen on the surfaces of machinery, walls, floors, or
    anywhere else in your facility. This type of testing needs to be done regularly and at various
    locations. So don’t let it slip by! To learn more about getting swabs for testing, please contact
    Kyla Ihde at kylai@safefoodalliance.com.

    Safe Food Alliance is currently offering an Environmental Monitoring online class which
    outlines the swabbing process and guidelines. For more information about the online course,
    please visit https://academy.safefoodalliance.com/.

  • California Farmland Trust Welcomes New Team Member: Chelsea Molina

    As the California Farmland Trust (CFT) works with more farmers and protects more farmland, the team is growing to meet the demand. The Elk Grove-based agricultural non-profit is pleased to announce Chelsea Molina as their new Conservation Project Coordinator.

    Chelsea has a dynamic style and the experience needed to deeply connect farmers and CFT. A deep connection is paramount to building the trust and rapport required through the lengthy process of protecting farmland among agency funders, farmers and their family members, and CFT.

    “Chelsea has in-depth knowledge of agriculture and the diversity of the participants involved in conservation work. This knowledge will contribute greatly to the overall success of the California Farmland Trust,” said Charlotte Mitchell, CFT executive director. Chelsea will be in charge of conservation easement coordination and helping the CFT project team and landowners with a clear, concise, and orderly transaction process.

    Chelsea comes to CFT from the California Waterfowl Association as director of development and prior to that managed the Political Affairs Department of the California Farm Bureau Federation. Thanks to an internship in Washington DC where she worked on the Farm Bill and agricultural policy, Chelsea has a keen awareness that it takes many contributing parties to succeed in conservation. “For long-term and widespread farmland conservation across a diverse state like California, the future will require support and consideration of many stakeholders, such as environmentalists, agriculturalists, agencies, and the public,” said Chelsea.

    “Here, we are all part of this mission and want to move it forward as a team – to protect ag land in CA,” continues Chelsea. “I am very detail oriented, enjoy working with people (especially farmers), and towards a common goal. Agricultural easement transactions take all three. I look forward to moving us forward to protect more of the best farmland in the world.”

    Chelsea is a native of Elk Grove and a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she majored in Agricultural Communications with a minor in Ag Business.

    The California Farmland Trust is a California Non-Profit 501(c)(3). Our mission is to help farmers protect the best farmland in the world. To date we have protected 15,826 acres of farmland on 65 family farms. Visit us: www.cafarmtrust.org

  • When Life Gives you Sour Lemons, Use Genetics to Find Out Why

    A team of researchers, including two from the University of California, Riverside, has identified the genes responsible for the hallmark sour taste of many citrus fruits. Published Tuesday, Feb. 25 in Nature Communications, the research could help plant breeders develop new, sweeter varieties.

    Modern citrus varieties have been bred over thousands of years to generate a broad palette of sour and sweet-tasting fruits. Analyses of their pulp reveals that a single chemical element—hydrogen—is largely responsible for the difference between sour and sweet-tasting varieties, which usually have similar sugar content. The pulp from sour fruits contains more hydrogen ions, giving it a lower pH and a tangy taste that is recognized by acid-sensitive cells in our taste buds. Conversely, pulp from sweeter varieties contains fewer hydrogen ions and tastes less acidic.

    Ronald Koes and colleagues at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands set out to untangle how some citrus varieties wind up with more acidic juice than others, a process that until now has remained a mystery. Their interest stemmed from a previous study showing that higher acidity in purple petunia flowers resulted in more petal pigmentation.

    Intrigued by the Faris variety of lemon tree, which produces branches bearing both sweet and sour fruits, and white and purple-tinged flowers, Koes’ team turned to UCR plant scientists Mikeal Roose and Claire Federici. Using the university’s vast Citrus Variety Collection, which preserves over 1,000 living citrus and related fruit varieties, Roose and Federici selected the Faris lemon and 20 other citrus fruits ranging from wincingly sour to sugary sweet for Koes’ team to analyze.

    By studying the expression of genes related to those controlling acidity in petunias, Koes’ team identified two citrus genes, CitPH1 and CitPH5, that are highly expressed in sour varieties and weakly expressed in sweet-tasting varieties. The CitPH1 and CitPH5 genes encode transporter proteins that pump hydrogen ions into the vacuole, a large storage compartment inside juice cells, thus increasing their overall acidity.

    Next, the team turned its attention to genes that control the levels of CitPH1 and CitPH5 in juice cells. While down-regulation of CitPH1 and CitPH5 in sweeter tasting varieties arose multiple times independently in different varieties, the researchers found that mutations in genes for a handful of transcription factors (proteins that help turn specific genes on and off) were responsible for reduced expression of CitPH1 and CitPH5, and therefore a sweeter taste.

    Roose, a professor of genetics in UCR’s College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, said the findings could help breeders develop better-tasting citrus fruits. However, he said breeding varieties with severe mutations in the transcription factors such as those studied in the “acidless” citrus would be “overkill,” producing sugary citrus fruits with none of their popular acidic kick. Instead, plant scientists should look to target mutations that have a less dramatic effect on the production and activity of transporter proteins.

    “By understanding the mechanism acidification of fruit cells, we can now look for related genes that might reduce the expression of CitPH1 and CitPH5 just enough to engineer or select for new, sweeter varieties,” Roose said.

    The title of the paper is “Hyperacidification of Citrus fruits by a vacuolar proton-pumping P-ATPase complex.” In addition to Koes, authors at the University of Amsterdam are Pamela Strazzer, Cornelis Spelt, Shuangjiang Li, Mattijs Bliek, and Francesca Quattrocchio. Roose and Federici’s work was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

    About UC Riverside: The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California’s diverse culture, UCR’s enrollment is now nearly 23,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.

  • Enrollment Expected to Begin this Summer

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced last week that the January 2019 income over feed cost margin was $7.99 per hundredweight, triggering the first payment for eligible dairy producers who purchase the appropriate level of coverage under the new but yet-to-be established Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program.

    DMC, which replaces the Margin Protection Program for Dairy, is a voluntary risk management program for dairy producers that was authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill. DMC offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.

    Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced last week that sign up for DMC will open by mid-June of this year.  At the time of sign up, producers who elect a DMC coverage level between $8.00 and $9.50 would be eligible for a payment for January 2019.

    For example, a dairy operation with an established production history of 3 million pounds (30,000 cwt.) that elects the $9.50 coverage level for 50 percent of its production could potentially be eligible to receive $1,887.50 for January.

    Sample calculation:

    $9.50 – $7.99 margin = $1.51 difference

    $1.51 times 50 percent of production times 2,500 cwt. (30,000 cwt./12) = $1,887.50

    The calculated annual premium for coverage at $9.50 on 50 percent of a 3-million-pound production history for this example would be $2,250.

    Sample calculation:

    3,000,000 times 50 percent = 1,500,000/100 = 15,000 cwt. times 0.150 premium fee = $2,250

    Operations making a one-time election to participate in DMC through 2023 are eligible to receive a 25 percent discount on their premium for the existing margin coverage rates.

    “Congress created the Dairy Margin Coverage program to provide an important financial safety net for dairy producers, helping them weather shifting milk and feed prices,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “This program builds on the previous Margin Protection Program for Dairy, carrying forward many of the program upgrades made last year based on feedback from producers. We’re working diligently to implement the DMC program and other FSA programs authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill.”

    Additional details about DMC and other FSA farm bill program changes can be found at farmers.gov/farmbill.

  • California Fresh Fruit Association Hosts 83rd Annual Meeting

    (Santa Barbara, CA) – The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) kicked off their new fiscal year
    yesterday during the Annual Membership Meeting at their 83rd Annual Meeting in Santa Barbara,
    California. The event featured the election of the Board of Directors and Chairman, as well as industry and
    committee updates.

    Santa Barbara Meeting

    The Board of Directors is made up of 44 men and women from operations located from as far south as Coachella Valley to as far north as Lake County. Randy Giumarra (Giumarra Vineyards) was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the 2019/20 fiscal year. The organization’s officers are nominated to serve for a one-year period and are selected by a committee of past Board Chairs. The full slate of officers includes:

    CHAIR: Randy Giumarra (Giumarra Vineyards) – Bakersfield-based fresh grape and tree fruit shipper

    FIRST VICE CHAIR: Kevin Herman (The Specialty Crop Company) – Madera-based fresh fig,
    pomegranate, and persimmon shipper

    SECOND VICE CHAIR: Wayde Kirschenman (Kirschenman Enterprises) – Kern County-based diversified
    farming operation

    SECRETARY/TREASURER: Louis Pandol (Pandol Bros., Inc.) – Delano-based fresh grape shipper
    The Association honored Kent Stephens, CFO of Marko Zaninovich, Inc., with the prestigious Mentor’s
    Award, which is bestowed to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to the fresh grape,
    berry and tree fruit communities through their leadership in the industry. Stephens, through his work in both
    the table grape industry and water advocacy, has made an immensely positive impact on California
    agriculture over his forty year career. The Mentor’s Award was first awarded in 1966 to Mr. Martin
    Zaninovich of Jasmine Vineyards, Inc. An awardee is selected by the Association’s Mentors’ Committee
    and a recipient is selected based on the following criteria: a trusted counselor or guide; a wise, loyal advisor;
    a tutor, coach, teacher; and a person who, through effort, discovery, innovation, dedication, and/or perseverance, has influenced the industry in a positive way.Santa Barbara Meeting

    Prior to the Annual Membership Meeting, the Annual Industry Workshop featured key note speakers Mr.
    Ruben Navarrette and Mr. John Manzella. Both speakers delivered passionate messages about the issues
    of immigration and trade wars, as well as many other issues that are impacting the future of California agriculture and what our industry must do to be prepared.

  • California Dairy Districts Seek Ambassadors to Serve in 2019

    Each year, a special group of young women are selected to
    represent the state’s more than 1,300 dairy farm families who contribute to making California
    number one for milk production in the U.S. These Dairy Princess ambassadors and alternates are
    selected during events at Districts throughout the state, where they showcase speaking skills,
    knowledge of dairy and plans to represent the industry during the one-year term. The 2019
    contests kick off April and will run through June.

    California Dairy Princesses serve as industry advocates in their home district and throughout
    California, supporting the reputation of milk and dairy products through appearances at industry
    and agricultural functions, with school groups and in media interviews. Dairy Princesses and
    alternates participate in a mandatory orientation/training where they receive professional
    development coaching.

    The California Dairy Princess Program has been in effect since 1958. Currently eight districts
    hold local contests, covering 48 counties in the state of California. The California Dairy Princess
    contest is supported by California dairy producers through the California Milk Advisory Board
    (CMAB). Information and application forms can be accessed here. Additional questions can be
    directed to the CMAB office at cmacedo@cmab.net or 209.690.8240.

    2019 Search for California Dairy Princesses…Page 2 of 2

    Dairy Princess Program – 2019 Application Deadlines and Contest Dates
    District Application Deadline Contest Date Location
    District 1 Thursday, March 21 Friday, May 10 Fortuna
    District 3 Tuesday, February 26 Saturday, April 6 Petaluma
    District 4 No contest will be held in 2019. Coronation date TBD.
    District 5 Thursday, April 19 Wednesday, June 5 Manteca
    District 6 Friday, May 10 Thursday, June 13 Turlock
    District 7 Friday, April 19 Friday, June 28 Hanford
    District 8 Thursday, March 7 Thursday, May 2 Fresno
    District 9 Thursday, April 18 Friday, June 14 Tulare

     

    California Dairy Princesses

    California is the nation’s leading milk producer. It also produces more butter, ice cream and
    nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese and
    yogurt. Dairy products made with Real California Milk can be identified by the Real California
    Milk seal, which certifies that the products are made with milk produced on California dairy
    farms by California dairy farm families.

    About Real California Milk/the California Milk Advisory Board
    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department
    of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s more than 1,300 dairy families and is one of the
    largest agricultural marketing boards in the United States. With a mission to increase demand for
    products made with Real California Milk, the CMAB is celebrating 50 years in 2019 promoting
    California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through
    advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For
    more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook,
    YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

  • Tulare County Crop Status

    (Week Ending on March 9)

    SMALL GRAINS AND OTHER FIELD CROPS:

    Recent rains have benefited wheat and alfalfa crops. Dairy forage crops are still flourishing from
    the additional rain. Some fields are beginning to be planted for spring silage as weather permits.

    DECIDUOUS TREE FRUITS, NUTS, AND GRAPES:

    Bee hives are still being placed in almond orchards. Petal-fall on almonds is occurring. Stored
    almonds are going to India, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Finland, South Africa,
    Russian Federation, Chile, Germany, Israel, Kuwait, Japan, Jordan, and Belgium. Pistachios are
    being exported to Mexico, Hong Kong, Spain, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United
    Kingdom, Israel, Vietnam, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union.
    Some stone fruit orchards are still being pruned, and are in bloom. Due to the rain pesticides are
    being applied to protect the bloom from fungal diseases. Kiwis are still being pruned and tied.
    Kiwifruit are being packed for the domestic market and exported to Japan and Mexico.

    CITRUS, AVOCADOS, AND OLIVES:

    Citrus packing houses are behind in their packing schedules due to the wet weather. Navel
    oranges are continuing to experience quality issues as the season and rain continues. Navel
    oranges are being exported to New Zealand, Australia, Korea, Japan, China, Chile, Peru, Tonga,
    Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, and
    Mexico. Golden Nugget Mandarins are being packed for the domestic market. Lemons are still
    being exported to Japan. Pummelos are being sent to New Zealand, Mexico, and Japan.
    Minneola tangelos are being exported to Japan and the Netherlands. Seedless tangerines are
    being tented to prevent cross pollination. Olive trees are being pruned.

    VEGETABLES, MELONS, AND BERRIES:

    Small amounts of winter vegetables continue to be grown and harvested. Radishes are being
    harvested. Strawberry transplants continue to be planted. Blueberries are blooming in
    greenhouses and Bumble bees have been imported for pollination.

    LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY:

    Rangeland forage is in good condition, and continued rains promoted excellent growth. The fed
    cattle market is consistent at $124 per hundredweight.

    ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

    Wholesale nurseries are starting to pick up on shipments to out-of-state locations for the spring
    planting season. Ornamental nursery stock continues to be imported. Bare root rose nursery stock
    shipments continue to be received, as well as go out to eastern and western states. Mature olive
    trees continue to be dug and shipped to Florida.

  • Major Programs Underway with GRO Organic

    Much can happen in a year, as a major collective effort underway by the organic community is proving. Scores of organic companies and stakeholders have enthusiastically stepped up to invest almost $1.5 million in programs to advance organic food and farming — initiatives to promote organic, educate consumers about organic’s benefits, assist organic farmers and foster critical organic research. And this is just the beginning.

    Less than a year ago, the Organic Trade Association made the pivotal decision to create an innovative check-off-like voluntary program to support the U.S. organic sector. The effort was aptly named GRO Organic (Generate Results and Opportunity for Organic) and since then specific action plans have been put in place to reduce the confusion about organic, to help farmers go organic and stay organic, and to spur research on ways that organic practices can fight climate change.

    “Organic has lots of challenges right now, and I am thrilled and heartened with how the sector has turned these challenges into new opportunities for strategic thinking and real action,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association. “Organic innovators and industry leaders are investing into their future, and taking proactive steps to ensure that organic continues to flourish.”

    “When we reimagined GRO Organic last year, we got to work immediately to develop diverse and forward-looking programs to not only benefit organic farmers and organic businesses, but to help consumers make the best choices and to encourage more organic research,” said Batcha. “We set measurable and tangible goals for the first two years of GRO Organic, and we’re poised to surpass those goals in the first year.”

    The Organic Trade Association has partnered with Organic Voices, The Organic Center, and 69 (and counting) organic brands, businesses and leaders across the industry to implement programs as prototype working examples that can be expanded into even more ambitious future initiatives.

    The wide-ranging programs focus on four key action plans:

    • Launching a national campaign to reduce consumer confusion about organic
    • Learning what customers are hearing and how it affects their behavior
    • Connecting technical specialists with transitioning and existing organic farmers in every state
    • Researching how organic is part of the solution to soil health and climate change

    An engaging “fishbowl discussion” is being planned for organic stakeholders at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim on Friday, March 8, to provide an update on program specifics from GRO Organic Core Committee members, and to hear from stakeholders spanning the entire organic supply chain about the latest consumer insights, messaging plans and ideas, potential Governance structures and more.

    A national campaign to promote organic

    Organic Voices, led by Stonyfield Co-founder Gary Hirshberg, and the Organic Trade Association have collaborated to fund a two-year nationwide campaign to promote organic. To support the cutting-edge campaign, $1 million has already been raised in the first year (and another $1 million is on target for year two of the campaign with the goal to raise more).

    Organic Voices has been working for over a year to craft a new organic messaging and education campaign to eliminate consumer confusion about organic. Following a two-day retreat in which 20 leading organic firms compared and debated consumer insights, a core group of organic company chief marketing officers have led a rigorous 12-month effort to devise a campaign that hammers home the enormous numbers of chemicals used in conventional food, personal care and textile production, and the fact that all of these are prohibited under the USDA Organic seal. The key consumer message is: “Skip all the chemicals and just go with organic.”

    The campaign will extend to multiple mediums but with a heavy emphasis on social media. Attendees of Expo West will be briefed on the Organic Voices 2019 campaign in partnership with GRO Organic on Thursday, March 7.

    “The Organic Voices messaging effort will help to erase consumer confusion and make clear exactly why organic is one of the very best and most practical steps one can take to promote preventive health,” said Hirshberg. “This campaign comes at a critical time for organic, and all of us in the organic community need to step up and pool our resources to promote organic.”

    Learning what motivates today’s organic customer

    The American organic sector is now a $50 billion industry, and its growth isn’t showing any signs of stopping. Consumers of all ages, all income levels, and of all demographics are buying organic. And they’re hearing and learning about organic from a wide variety of sources.

    The Organic Trade Association is collaborating in a six-phase research project to better understand what drives a consumer to choose organic, what messages penetrate deeper than others, and what attributes of organic are the most valued by today’s diverse organic customers.

    After interviewing dozens of consumers, industry professionals, and thought leaders, the research project is now entering phase three. Up next is a review and distillation of the information gleaned from the consumer and professional interviews, and the building and shaping of a communications “toolkit” for organic businesses (and available to all) based on findings from the research. Projected date for conclusion of the project: summer 2019.

    Helping farmers go organic and stay organic

    The hard reality for organic farmers – and farmers who want to go organic – is that the network of agronomists and technical service providers is often just not there to support growers through transition to organic and beyond. The ultimate goal of GRO Organic is to connect technical specialists with existing and transitioning organic farmers in every state, and year one of GRO has made an important first step towards that goal.

    With the support of GRO and the generosity of a cornerstone donation from Clif Bar, a “train the trainer” program will be launched this spring in the Midwest. The pilot initiative will train agricultural professionals working with organic or transitioning farmers. Called the Organic Agronomy Training Series (OATS), three OATS regions have been established in nine states: Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. During spring/summer 2019, each region will deliver a training suited to their growers, their environment, and their crop calendar. The pilot program was designed to be relatively narrow in focus the first year to successfully test a concept that can be expanded across a variety of organic crop systems throughout the country.

    “The goal of OATS is to create a knowledgeable support network for organic farmers and those transitioning to organic, lowering many of the barriers to organic transition and promoting organic as an opportunity worth exploring,” said Anders Gurda, Senior Manager-Agronomy Solutions for Pipeline Foods, which is spearheading a broad coalition to implement the pilot training sessions.

    Also getting underway through GRO is a special assessment of the organic technical assistance field. This will enable GRO to design an informed investment strategy for its technical assistance projects, and to identify programs that can be scaled up to include different regions and crops.

    Researching how organic can help fight climate change

    The food system is in a dangerous predicament – it’s a significant contributor to one of its own biggest threats – climate change. That’s where organic comes in. Organic farming can be part of the climate change solution because it does not rely on fossil-fuel intensive synthetic inputs, and it uses farming techniques that sequester carbon in the soil.

    Supported by GRO Organic, The Organic Center has put together a package of immediate-action research projects for 2019. A research project with the University of Maryland is already underway to review the science that evaluates organic methods for building soil health and to provide farmers with actionable recommendations for best management practices. Another project with the University of Maryland will investigate the impact of organic farming on carbon sequestration. A research study with the University of California, Berkeley, will quantify how environmentally friendly practices can impact a farmer’s economic bottom line.

    “Our package of projects combines soil and climate issues with farmer benefits to move the needle toward a more sustainable climate,” said Dr. Jessica Shade, Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center. “We need to act now to fight against climate change, and organic should have a major role in that battle.”

    GRO Organic expected to keep GROing

    In kicking off GRO Organic, the Organic Trade Association launched a companion effort to develop a voluntary governance approach for long-term sustainability of the GRO effort.

    Last November, the Organic Trade Association opened a six-month period for interested parties to weigh in and answer key questions on how GRO Organic should be shaped. The call for Big Ideas is open through April 30.

    “We want everyone to know that GRO Organic is live, and it’s investing in programs,” said Organic Trade Association’s Batcha. “These aren’t pie-in-the-sky ideas. Thanks to the support of our organic innovators and leaders, these are now real on-the-ground projects that will make a difference for organic. Through GRO Organic, organic stakeholders can invest in their future and keep organic thriving and moving forward.”

    “We thank all of the GRO Organic investors for stepping up and making a real difference. We know the numbers will continue to GRO!” said Batcha.

    For more information on how to invest in GRO Organic, contact Cassandra Christine at the Organic Trade Association.