California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • Western Growers Board of Directors Votes Unanimously to Oppose Flawed Immigration Bill

    Irvine, Calif., (March 5, 2018) – Legislation that would worsen the worker shortage crisis for farmers throughout the country has received unanimous opposition from the board of directors of Western Growers, whose members supply more than half the fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, grown both conventionally and organically, in the United States.

    Western Growers members are based in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Member companies have farming and other operations in 28 states. The fresh produce industry employs the largest share of agriculture workers in the nation.

    The bill would force long-time existing workers in agriculture to return to their countries of origin in order to apply for a new H-2C visa or stay in the shadows. Western Growers directors believe few of their employees would leave spouses and children behind in the U.S., many subject to deportation, on the questionable assumption that the federal government will efficiently readmit them as temporary seasonal guest workers. Additionally, those who do raise their hands to return to a country they no longer know may face difficulty with reentry after so many years.

    The bill also imposes an unworkable cap on new visas – effectively 410,000 the first year and 820,000 the second year for fresh produce and other sectors – which would be insufficient for the estimated need. Studies indicate that there are currently two million undocumented farm workers in the U.S., with 400,000 to 500,000 in the west alone.

    Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement following the board of directors’ vote: “We will remain engaged with any and all legislators who seek workable solutions to our labor crisis, but given the harm that would come to our growers from provisions of H.R. 4760, we must oppose the bill.”

    About Western Growers:
    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. For generations we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

  • CDFA Now Accepting Applications For Healthy Soils Program Technical Assistance Grants

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 5, 2018) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is now accepting grant applications from non-profits, universities and California Resource Conservation Districts (RCD) offering technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who are interested in applying to the state’s Healthy Soils Program (HSP).

    “If we are to meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals and improve the health of California’s soil, we must do everything we can to help our farmers and ranchers apply to our programs,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Leveraging our partnerships with the academic community, non-profits and RCDs is key in getting more individuals to apply.”

    Applicants may apply for funding up to $5,000 and must meet several requirements, including: one-on-one application assistance, technical assistance and internet access for application submission.

    Detailed information on funding, eligibility and program requirements can be found at:www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/IncentivesProgram.html
    Applications must be submitted by email no later than March 9, 2018 5:00 p.m. PST. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

    The HSP is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap and Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution.  California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more.  At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.  For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website at: www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.

  • Bakersfield Dairy Farmers Embrace Climate Smart Technology

    Left – Ross Buckenham, CEO, CalBio and right – Felix Echeverria, Carlos Echeverria & Sons Dairy

    Bakersfield, Calif., (March 5, 2018) – For second generation dairy farmer Felix Echeverria, dairy farming is a family affair. His father, an immigrant from Spain’s Basque country, began milking cows in Southern California in the early 1950’s. Since then, Mr. Echeverria and his brother Johnny, have spent most of their mornings on dairy farms, waking early to milk the cows, put out the feed and check the water.

    Yet for the next generation of Echeverria dairy farmers, there will be a new addition to the sights and sounds of an early morning on the farm – the humming of a dairy digester producing electricity.

    Located outside Bakersfield, California, the Carlos Echeverria and Sons (CE&S) Dairy Biogas project will use anaerobic digester technology to produce energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, comply with environmental regulations and increase nutrient availability to crops. The project is funded through CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) and the California Energy Commission.

    The CE&S digester will work by using a high-density synthetic cover to capture methane from the dairy’s manure lagoon. The captured methane will be stored and then combusted in a high-efficiency generator, producing renewable electricity. By using this system, the CE&S Dairy Biogas is expected to cut its methane emissions by approximately 75 percent and reduce energy costs by 15-20 percent.

    Although initially cautious of digesters, Mr. Echeverria says he was ultimately convinced by his trust in neighboring farmers already embracing digesters and the partnership developed with California Bioenergy (Cal Bio), who will own, operate and maintain the digester system.

    “At first, we were very skeptical because this is something we knew very little about,” said Mr. Echeverria. “But having trust in my neighbors and seeing the changes that digesters bring led us to building our own.”

    Alongside reducing emissions, the CE&S Dairy Biogas project also advances California’s efforts to connect energy providers and fuel created by state supported incentive programs. In this case, the CE&S digester will deliver approximately 7.6 million kWh of renewable electricity annually to PG&E, enough energy to fully power 705 homes.

    The CE&S project is also part of the Kern County Dairy Biogas cluster, a group of sixteen dairies with approximately 100,000 cows, that would collectively produce 2.5- 3 million cubic feet of biogas per day and 1.5- 2.5 million diesel gallon equivalents per year. The renewable energy created through the cluster would support the state’s sustainable transportation efforts and generate enough fuel to power 100,000 cars across the country every year.

    Mr. Echeverria applauds the state’s desire to work collaboratively with industry in developing digester projects. To date, the DDRDP has helped fund 24 projects across California, capturing an estimated 5.7 million metrics tons of CO2e over ten years.

    “I am truly delighted about the partnership between industry and government.” said Mr. Echeverria. “It’s a huge step in the right direction.”

    Click here to learn more about the DDRDP.

  • New California Waterfowl Tracker Website Launched to Help Poultry Producers Assess Bird Flu Risk

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 2, 2018) – Circles on the California Waterfowl Tracker map shows where waterfowl are feeding and roosting. Red indicates a high density of birds, orange is medium density and yellow is low density.

    To reduce potential exposure to avian influenza, a new interactive website is now available to help California poultry producers, backyard poultry enthusiasts, regulators and risk managers assess the locations of waterfowl relative to poultry farms in the Central Valley.

    While not all waterfowl carry avian influenza, the migratory birds are the primary reservoir of the virus that kills chickens, turkeys and other birds and can take an economic toll on the poultry industry. During an outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza in 2014-15, nearly 50 million birds had to be killed to contain the disease in the United States.

    “Avian influenza is such a devastating disease, in an abundance of caution, we want to limit any interaction between waterfowl and domestic poultry,” said Maurice Pitesky, UC Cooperative Extension poultry specialist.

    The California Waterfowl Tracker has been developed by Pitesky at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, the University of Delaware, U.S. Geological Survey and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources to show where waterfowl are.

    From September through March, geese, ducks and other waterfowl migrate by the millions via the Pacific Flyway and winter in California wetlands, rice and corn fields. At the height of migration, the Central Valley is home to 3 million waterfowl.

    Migrating waterfowl stop at Yolo Bypass. UC Davis research has shown that 5 percent to 20 percent of waterfowl carry avian influenza.

    The Central Valley is also home to the majority of the state’s commercial egg-laying hens, broiler chickens and turkey flocks.

    Using the web app to understand when and where waterfowl are feeding and roosting, poultry farm managers and other stakeholders will be able to consider waterfowl in their decision making. They may decide to place pasture-raised poultry in a region of the state that has less wetlands, such as Fresno. If a large number of Canada geese take up residence nearby, poultry owners may decide to move their domestic birds indoors to reduce their exposure until the migrating waterfowl move on.

    Using a machine-learning approach developed by Jeff Buler, University of Delaware wildlife ecology professor, the web app produces a waterfowl density map of California’s Central Valley that is automatically updated daily with both satellite and weather station information.

    “The model doesn’t tell us whether waterfowl are carrying avian influenza, but it helps poultry producers and regulators understand where those interfaces could happen,” Pitesky said.

    By law, organic and cage-free production must give birds access to the outdoors. While they are outdoors, poultry are at a higher risk of exposure to diseases carried by wild birds.

    Additional waterfowl habitat and next-generation radar analysis of waterfowl are integrated into the web app. Users can search one or more addresses to anticipate their farms’ interaction with waterfowl. Based on the proximity of waterfowl and wild bird monitoring information from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, poultry owners can make biosecurity decisions.

    “While the current version of the website is designed for California, the long-term goal is to develop and expand this system for the continental U.S. to promote health and safety of poultry flocks nationally,” Pitesky said.

    To use the California Waterfowl Tracker, visit the UC Cooperative Extension Poultry website http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry. A video of Pitesky demonstrating how to use the web app can be viewed at https://youtu.be/EOO0Q_ggZ9I.

    Poultry producers who would like to be notified by UC Cooperative Extension if there is an avian influenza outbreak in their area can sign up on the California Poultry Census page at http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/California_Poultry_Census.

  • Tulare County Reports on Current Crop Status

    Visalia, Calif., (March 2, 2018) – Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner released the current status today of Major crops in the most valued county in the California Ag portfolio. They report that Corn is being planted as weather allows. Winter wheat and oats are growing slowly due to insufficient rainfall, but rain this week and next will be helpful. Ground preparation is continuing for spring row crops. Alfalfa fields need more time to fully develop before harvest begins.

    Stone fruit, pecan, walnut, and pistachio orchards, along with grape vineyards, are completing pruning and debris shredding. More stone fruit orchards are starting to bloom, with the earliest varieties in full bloom. Some almond trees have started blooming. Bee colonies continue being moved into almond and stone fruit orchards in anticipation of the bloom. Orchards are being monitored for possible damage from the recent freeze to the bloom, but the extent (if any) is as yet unknown.

    Navel and Cara Cara oranges, Minneola tangelos, and lemons continue to be harvested. The harvest of late variety navel oranges is accelerating. Some pruning and skirting of orange groves is occurring. Navel oranges are being exported to Australia, China, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan. Packing houses are grading fruit to maintain good quality going to market. Minneola tangelos continue to be shipped to Japan and the Netherlands. Growers are carefully monitoring last week’s freezing temperatures for damage. Weed control activities are happening in some groves. Some olive groves are still being pruned.

    Winter vegetables continue to grow. Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower are being harvested and sold at the local Farmer’s Markets. Vegetable fields are continuing to be prepared for early plantings of squash seedlings. Squash is being planted under hot-caps and hot-tunnels. Greenhouse vegetables continue to be harvested. Strawberry and blueberry plantings are progressing well and some are starting to bloom.

    The lack of rain has left the rangeland forage in poor condition, but this week’s and next week’s hoped for rains should help with germination and growth of rangeland forage. The fed cattle market remained rose to $130.00 per hundred weight this week.

    Retail nurseries are stocked up on both perennial and annual plants for the spring season. Bare-root roses are being received and processed for reshipment out-of-state.

  • USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue Could Have Unusual Power In The Cabinet

    USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue followed his town hall at the World Ag Expo last week with visits with farmers and tours of farmland in the San Joaquin Valley. “I need all the education I can get,” Perdue said at Harris Woolf California Almonds facility in Coalinga, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times by Geoffrey Mohan.

    USDA secretary Sonny Purdue visited California in February. (Photo: USDA)

    Mohan spoke to the director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, Dan Sumner, to understand Perdue’s role in President Trump’s administration.

    “When he say things to Trump, Trump can hear him saying, ‘Be careful about your constituency. Unless you want to see Nancy Pelosi in power, you better see to the reelections in the Central valley,” Sumner said.

    One of the reelections is for Rep. Devin Nunez (R-Tulare), a strong Trump supporter who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election

    Trump has to ponder whether he wants the Nunez or some Democrat leading the committee’s Russia investigation, Sumner said.

    Read the article: Trump ‘gets what you’re saying’: Agriculture secretary talks immigration, water and food stamps on California tour

  • CFBF and Canadian Produce Marketing Association Highlight Importance Of NAFTA

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 1, 2018) – The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has created a vital trading relationship for both Canadian and Californian agricultural and food businesses. Today, at a trade panel discussion hosted by the Canadian consulate, both the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF) and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) reiterated their support for NAFTA and emphasized the importance of integrated supply chains across the continent.

    “The fresh produce industry is committed to achieving a win-win-win agreement for all three NAFTA countries,” said Jane Proctor, CPMA Vice President of Policy and Issue Management. “NAFTA has enabled the free flow of goods across our borders with over $2.5 billion USD worth of fresh produce exported from California to Canada in 2016 and ensures that Canadians have a year-round supply of fresh and affordable produce. We appreciate the strong support shown by Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Canadian negotiators for our industry and all of Canadian agriculture during these negotiations.”

    “California agricultural exports support 1 million jobs on farms and in cities, and that number will only increase with higher demand for California-grown products,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said. “Trade with Canada and Mexico under NAFTA has generally been positive for California farms, ranches and agricultural businesses. We support ongoing efforts to modernize the agreement for the benefit of farmers, food businesses and consumers in all three nations.”

    The trading relationship between California and Canada remains strong with $6.3 billion USD in agricultural trade in 2016, including $4.1 billion worth of California agricultural exports to Canada.

    The CFBF and CPMA will continue to work with negotiators and legislators on both sides of the border to ensure a successful and reciprocal agreement for industry.

     

  • Cold Snap Under Way for the Central Coast – What to do on the Berry Side

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 1, 2018) – We have a stretch of unusually cold weather, including freezing temperatures at night, underway currently on the Central Coast, and it has attracted a lot of attention.

    Being originally from Wisconsin, it always slays me what people here think of as cold.  I was up in Cupertino this morning, and overheard a women exclaiming into her phone that it was so cold that she was wearing two jackets!! Ever hear of a snowmobile suit, longjohns or a ski mask?  I used to go running in -10 degree weather, and fished through the ice all day long in temperatures even colder. Naah, 25 degrees above zero isn’t cold my friends.

    Regardless, I should provide some insight to you here concerning these upcoming freezing temperatures and what they could do, particularly in the case of strawberries, which in most places around the Bay have started to really grow and in some case produce a lot of fruit already.

    Strawberries come from temperate regions of the world and can handle freezing temperatures in due course. However, once the plants are actively growing like they are here now, that does present some difficulties which growers and managers can take some steps to address.

    Once the strawberry plant has broken dormancy, cold temperatures no longer offer any enhancement in the way of cold conditioning (what many of us refer to as chill), and therefore we shouldn’t be seeing any extra plant vigor or fruiting from these freezes.

    To the contrary, while these early spring freezes will normally not kill strawberry plants here on the Central Coast they nevertheless present a setback to fruiting because of the danger they present to sensitive plant parts. The core of the strawberry plant, which is the crown and is a thick, fleshy organ full of water and if correctly planted is mostly submerged below the surface of the soil, is well protected.   Not so with flowers and on occasion younger leaves, which are fully exposed to the cold and can die back in a hard freeze.  Even if a flower is not killed outright by below freezing temperatures, pollination has a good probability of being affected and subsequent fruit will be misshapen.

    Growers can take measures to mitigate the damage of freezes to strawberries. If one is concerned about an upcoming freeze, taking the step to saturate the bed full of water via the drip irrigation before the frost is expected can do a lot. Having the bed full of water accomplishes two things; the first is that the irrigation water being well above freezing will insulate the bed, and second the cells of plant in a well watered condition will become turgid with liquid and this to some measure protects them as well against freezing.

  • CA Compliance Bucket Inventory Checklist for Growers

    With ongoing changes in California pesticide laws and regulations, growers should be prepared with the right tools and resources, especially if County Ag inspector pays you a surprise farm visit.  That is why Amanda Zito and Alya Wakeman-Hill from the Fresno County Department of Agriculture provided growers with a bucket inventory checklist regarding pesticide applications at a Sun-Maid Growers meeting in Selma this morning.

    Here is what is required:

    -Emergency Medical Care Posting (Outside)

    -Soap

    -3+ Gallons of Water

    -Single-use Towels

    -Clean Coveralls

    -Chemical Resistant Gloves

    -Eye Protection

    -Labels for Chemicals being Applied

    Highly Recommended:

    -Eyewash

    -Extra N95 Respirators

    -Chemical Resistant Apron

    Remember, it is always better to be safe than sorry!

  • California Farm Bureau Seeks Alternative Immigration Solution

    Sacramento, Calif., (February 28, 2018) – As the U.S. House of Representatives continues discussion on proposed immigration legislation, the California Farm Bureau Federation says it cannot support a part of the bill that addresses agricultural employees.

    Now before Congress, H.R. 4760, the Securing America’s Future Act, would fund a border wall and address internal immigration enforcement and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It also includes an Agricultural Guestworker Act, or AG Act, which would create a new agricultural visa program.

    CFBF President Jamie Johansson said the AG Act, in its current form, contains a number of features that would harm the current immigrant employees on whom California farms and ranches depend. In addition, it would mandate use of the E-Verify electronic workplace-eligibility system, which could affect a large proportion of current agricultural employees.

    “As now written, the AG Act just wouldn’t work for California farms and ranches,” Johansson said. “There’s a longstanding need to create a workable temporary-visa program for agriculture that provides greater stability and opportunities for agricultural employees and their families. The AG Act would cause too much disruption for our employees and our communities.”

    Johansson said CFBF and other organizations have offered a number of recommendations for creating a more practical and flexible program to allow people from other countries to enter the U.S. to work on farms and ranches.

    “We know the American Farm Bureau and other national agricultural organizations have decided to support the AG Act, and they have every right to do so,” Johansson said. “But as the largest agricultural organization in the largest agricultural state, we must advocate for a solution that works for our members and their employees. For California farmers and ranchers, the combination of the AG Act and E-Verify would actually worsen chronic agricultural employee shortages. We will press for a better solution.”