California Ag Network

Category: Nut Industry

  • American Farmland Trust Shares Tool Kit to Quantify Soil Health Benefits

    Today, American Farmland Trust, the organization that for 40 years has been saving the land that sustains us and advancing the principles of regenerative agriculture has launched online access to the methods, tools, and training resources it used in developing case studies featuring soil health successful farmers in its Quantifying the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Soil Health project funded by a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant.

    Becoming all the more evident this year, farmers face enormous challenges. Extreme weather, a trade war and pandemic-related market disruptions have made it difficult for many to make a living. In a normal season, farmers work just to maintain yield, keep costs under control and try to improve the profitability of their operations. And, now we are asking farmers to respond to society’s call to improve environmental outcomes like water quality and help to mitigate climate change.  Soil health practices like cover crops, no-till and nutrient management can help address these challenges.  However, despite farmers’ belief in the science underpinning the practices, they are often reluctant to change management techniques without knowing how much the practices will cost and what the financial benefits will be.

    “AFT encourages our fellow conservationists to use this suite of tools and training resources to produce their own case studies demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of soil health,” said Michelle Perez, AFT water director. “Our hope is that farmers, who have been considering adopting soil health practices, will find the economic evidence quantified for a farmer in their area, sufficiently compelling, to get them to “say yes” to trying the soil health practices.

    Specifically, partners will be able to use  AFT’s Retrospective Soil Health Economic Calculator (R-SHEC) Tool, an 11-tab Excel-spreadsheet tool, to evaluate the costs and benefits of soil health conservation practices including no-till or reduced tillage, cover cropping, nutrient management and conservation crop rotation on row crop farms that have adopted any combination of the practices, ideally for more than four years and within the last 10 years. The tool presents the net economic benefits in a partial budget analysis table and an estimate of the Return on Investment, or ROI, in the soil health practices. The R-SHEC Tool and the case studies that AFT published underwent a review by five NRCS Economists, five NRCS Soil Health Specialists, three university economists, among other experts.

    Materials explain how to use the R-SHEC and how to identify and interview a soil health successful farmer to obtain the data needed to run the tool.  Additional resources are provided to instruct conservationists how to estimate the water quality and climate benefits associated with the already adopted soil health practices using USDA’s Nutrient Tracking Tool and USDA’s COMET-Farm Tool, and then how to assemble all the findings and present them in a compelling two-page case study. A six-part series of training videos provides instructions on each aspect of the process. To access the methods, tools and videos, go to link.

    In spring and summer 2021, AFT will release several new tools:

    • An almond version of the R-SHEC tool that aids estimation of the economic effects of almond-specific soil health practices such as conservation cover, nutrient management, mulching, and compost application.
    • A Predictive Soil Health Economic Calculator (P-SHEC) Tool that will enable conservationists to partner with farmers who are “on the fence” about soil health practices to estimate the potential short-term and long-term economic effects of an investment in practices which will hopefully give the farmers the information they need to overcome their apprehension.
    • An online, user-friendly, web-based version of the R-SHEC Tool.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.

  • CDFA Walnut Handlers Annual Report

    California Department of Food & Agriculture — Walnuts produced by handlers in 2019 totaled 10,902 tons, down from the 11,992 tons reported in 2018. This figure does NOT include walnuts purchased from other handlers or producers.

    The total 2019 walnut crop purchased from producers, for whom pricing had been finalized, reached 624,890 tons at an average price of 95.0 cents per pound, up from the 67.3 cents per pound average in 2018. This price is rounded to the nearest tenth of a cent per pound and includes all bonuses and allowances.

    Purchases from producers, for whom pricing was NOT finalized, totaled 18,763 tons. The average “good faith” estimate of the final weighted average price for this tonnage was 83.8 cents per pound.

    The quantity of all walnuts purchased from producers was 643,653 tons for the 2019 crop. This figure does not include walnuts produced by the handler or purchased from other handlers. 

    The tonnage produced by the handler plus tonnage purchased from producers for the 2019 walnut crop was 654,555 in-shell tons.

    Information contained in this report was supplied by walnut handlers to fulfill reporting requirements of Sections 55601.7 and 55601.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code. The report includes all tonnages of walnuts that were either produced by the handler or purchased from producers. The final weighted average price, including bonuses and allowances, has been reported for all contracts which were finalized.

    All 2019 crop transactions completed through the close of business on August 31, 2020 are included in this report. A “good faith” estimate of final weighted average price was reported for those contracts which were not final on the same date. The data are shown by major varieties at the State level only.

    DEFINITIONS

    Producer: A person or operator who is responsible for the walnuts in the unprocessed state.

    Handler: Firm that processes and markets walnuts.

    Finalized Purchases: Tonnage purchased from producers, for which a pricing contract has been completed.

    Non-Finalized Purchases: Contracted tonnage, for which a final price has not yet been determined.

    Free Tonnage: Tonnage received by a handler, for which the only Federal marketing order regulation is a minimum quality or size standard. Reserve tonnage is the tonnage set aside as authorized by a Federal marketing order.

    Weighted Average Price: Weighted average price reflects prices or “good faith” estimates of prices as reported by handlers and include any bonuses or allowances. 

  • Don’t Miss Malcolm Media’s Virtual Tree & Vine Expo, Nov. 10-11

    Save the dates, Tuesday & Wednesday, November 10-11th for the annual Tree & Vine Expo held in an exciting new virtual format this year.  Historically held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, in Turlock, CA, heart of North Valley wine grape, tree nut and fruit country, it is the ultimate postharvest industry gathering place for regional grape, nut & tree fruit growers and crop advisors.  Nearly a thousand growers, PCAs and industry stakeholders attend this expo to enjoy State of the Almond, Walnut & Wine Grape Industry presentations, Continuing Education Credited IPM seminars, great food & company, and an industry trade show featuring over a hundred Ag businesses. For the past two decades, Malcolm Media Ag Publishing has held this event in cooperation with California Ag Network, Pacific Nut Producer, American Vineyard, and California Fresh Fruit Magazines.

    “2020 has been a year fraught with many challenges, and it has never been more critical for growers, PCAs and industry stakeholders to get together virtually to address the evolving needs of our essential agricultural industry,” shares Matthew Malcolm, Managing Editor at Malcolm Media Ag Publishing. “Our team, in collaboration with key industry partners, has put together an outstanding virtual program you won’t want to miss. Our special online format of the expo this year will include greater opportunities for our attendees to participate in more seminars, and obtain a greater number of FREE continuing education credits in a year where credited seminars have been more difficult to come by. The online format of our expos this year has been carefully designed to be user friendly and not require attendees to download any apps in order to participate. We are also pleased to announce a special 30-minute presentation featuring the USDA Farm Service Agency to assist growers that have faced financial difficulties this year due to COVID-19, wildfires, and other disaster-related issues.  Although we will miss meeting with all our industry friends in person this year, walking the bustling exhibition halls and enjoying the delicious breakfast burritos and tri-tip sandwiches, attendees will be pleased this year with special online features we’ve developed to help connect them with our generous sponsors and virtual exhibitors. We look forward to gathering virtually with you all in your homes, offices and farms this year.”

    This event is FREE to attend and wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of local industry associations, universities and our sponsors this year: The Almond Board of California, Firman Pollen, Yosemite Farm Credit, Semios, Wonderful Nurseries, Almond Alliance of California, Fresno State Viticulture & Enology, and Ceres Imaging.

    New to this year is an upgraded registration system (pre-register online HERE) that includes the ability to preregister for any CE credits attendees would like to receive.  5.5 hours of PCA/PA/QAL/QAC credits and 9 hours of CCA credits have been approved for this event (must attend both days of the event for maximum credit; however, partial credit may be obtain for each seminar attended).

    As the deadline approaches for growers to apply for CFAP2, farm loans and disaster assistance, the USDA Farm Service Agency will also be conducting a brief workshop to assist growers in signing up for eligible programs.  See the full program by clicking the link below for more details.

    This event along with other Malcolm Media Ag Expos has generated nearly $150,000 in scholarship endowments for the agricultural programs at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, Fresno State, Santa Rosa Junior College and UC Davis.  Interested in exhibiting/sponsoring? Visit agexpo.biz/exhibit and give us a call at 559-298-6020 to see what options are still available.

    PREREGISTER

    AGENDA

  • Wildfire Impact on CA Almond Harvest & Crop Update

    Are California almond growers really going to reach their record 3 billion pound crop this year? How have the wildfires impacted the harvest season? What kind of pest pressure levels are growers experiencing this year? What should almond growers expect at the virtual Almond Board Conference this year?  Watch this brief interview with Richard Waycott from the Almond Board of California to find out and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • The Value of Honey Bees in Self-Pollinating Almonds

    A foraging honey bee approaches an almond blossom.

    Almond growers have a lot of inputs to consider to produce their crop. They must balance the cost of labor, pest management, water, and bees for pollination.  Those costs are not fixed year-after-year, especially renting the bees. The fact is the cost of colony rentals for pollination has steadily increased, and remained, at a premium. And almond acreage is projected to outpace the number of available colonies sometime in the next decade. Growers take these factors very seriously and it is not surprising that self-pollinating almond varieties have been a hot topic lately.

    “Bearing acres of almonds (trees old enough to produce fruit) are typically stocked with 2 colonies per acre of trees. If the trends of the last five years continue (a ~20% increase in acreage and a ~1% increase in honey bee colonies), pollination demand in almonds could exceed the supply of honey bees in the next five years.” Chart and caption are excerpted from The Bee Health Collective.

    Data shows that interest in self-pollinating varieties of almonds has translated into acres planted. ‘Independence’ almonds, in particular, are a proprietary varietal that now represents a noticeable chunk of new orchards over the last decade. Growers reported planting 3,155 acres of Independence almonds in 2019, which is about 15% of the total of new acres planted across all varieties. 

    This chart was created using data reported in the NASS 2019 Almond Acreage Report and shows the acres Independence almonds planted compared to the total new acres of all varieties planted (conventional and otherwise).

    Adapted from the Tuono variety Spain, self-pollinating trees have been modified for use in the U.S. where pollinator reliant almonds are most common. Pollinator reliant almonds are “self-incompatible” meaning that at least two varieties must be present to provide pollen for each other. Typically, the honey bee is brought in to transfer pollen from one row of trees to another, pollinating the trees and increasing nut set. 
     
    Even though Independence almonds do not require honey bees, research published in the journal Nature earlier this year demonstrated that honey bees are beneficial in those orchards, increasing fruit sets by 60% and kernel yield by 20%. This is an interesting finding as growers and beekeepers continue to work together towards a successful crop year after year. 
     
    All stakeholders are concerned that honey bee health challenges, and more recently declines in native pollinators,  will impact the availability of insects to pollinate almonds in the future. To continually meet this demand beekeepers have made adjustments to their yearly routines, adapting new technology to improve colony survival over the winter, and provide the high-quality colonies most useful for pollination in Almonds in February. One example of this is the increasing practice of indoor storage during the winter.
     
    Growers are stepping up to support pollinators as well. By planting forage in the form of cover crops, habitat plots, or hedgerows which provide food for bees, has been shown to increase colony size. A larger, healthier, colony will be able to supply more foragers to pollinate the trees more efficiently (foragers raised in a pollen abundant setting communicate better). Forage plantings can also improve soil quality and volume, prevent erosion, and break up compacted soil.  

    The Seeds for Bees® program mustard mix is growing between rows of almond trees. The mustard mix is planted in the fall and begins to bloom in plenty of time to feed the honey bees that are beginning to arrive in the area for the almond bloom. In addition to mustard varieties, this mix also contains canola (a honey bee favorite) and daikon radish which grows down and breaks tough soils.

    The takeaway is this: healthy and abundant pollinators, native or managed, can increase production for all types of almonds. Beekeepers and growers continue to work together to plan for the coming years. Increasing forage is an especially effective tool that can be put into place now. PAm has made forage an integral part of our organization, through acres planted and research, to support beekeepers and growers at the crucial interface of almond pollination. — By Grace Kunkel, Project Apis m.

  • American Pistachio Growers’ 2021 Conference Cancelled

    American Pistachio Growers — After thoughtful deliberations, the American Pistachio Growers (APG) Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2021 Annual Conference that was set to take place March 1 – 3, 2021 in Monterey, California. While we will miss seeing everyone in 2021, the health and safety of our members, attendees, speakers, staff and partners are our top priorities. The Board of Directors wants our members to have an annual conference that will match the same level of excitement, education and community that we’ve enjoyed in years past.

    The APG staff and Membership Services Committee are currently planning for an outstanding conference in March 2022 at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California. From the attendees to the presenters, exhibitors and sponsors who share their time, expertise, collaboration and leadership, we deeply appreciate your contributions to the pistachio industry.

  • Orchard Sanitation is key to a Quality Almond Crop

    Navel orangeworm (NOW) is the key pest of almonds, causing more income loss due to reject nuts than any other pest. Pesticide sprays, alone, cannot control this pest. A combination of several specific practices has been proven to reduce NOW damage and limit loss of grower income. These practices are winter sanitation, timely harvest and pesticide sprays (where needed). Mating disruption is an additional option that is seeing increasing adoption. The first of these practices on the orchard calendar is sanitation.

    Navel orangeworm find food and shelter in unharvested (“mummy”) nuts through the winter and spring, making those mummies a bridge of trouble from one year to the next in your orchard. Multiple research studies show that NOW damage increases with increasing mummy counts the previous winter. Destroying mummy nuts is the first step towards a cleaner crop and improved grower returns through quality incentives from processors. The goal of orchard sanitation is to turn that “NOW bridge” from a four-lane highway (no sanitation at all) into a narrow footbridge.

    Orchard sanitation is practiced by removing mummy nuts from the trees by February 1 and destroying (flail mow or disc) all nuts on the orchard floor no later than March 1st. In light of the expected reduced nut price for the 2020 crop, some growers may consider eliminating this key step in NOW management to “save money”. This is a risky move. The Sacramento Valley 2021 crop has a good chance to be lighter than the record 2020 crop resulting in 1) fewer nuts/tree and so higher % damage even if NOW populations stay the same and 2) larger nuts, on average, with the potential for poor shell seal and greater risk of NOW damage. Don’t play Navel Orangeworm Russian Roulette with your next crop. Sanitize.

    The following steps are needed for effective orchard sanitation:

      Before January 15, scout an orchard and count mummy nuts in 20 trees per acre. Include all varieties in this count.

      If average number of mummy nuts/tree exceeds 2, sanitation is recommended. The <2 mummies per tree target was developed in the early 1980’s, when industry average NOW damage was around 3.5%, much higher than today’s range of 1.3%. In the high pressure area of the southern San Joaquin Valley, the recommendation is to limit mummies to 1 per 5 trees (0.2 nuts/tree) and 8 or fewer mummies on the ground per Nonpareil tree, based on research from in 2003-2006 in Kern County. However, in 2019, northern California had higher % rejects level than the “high pressure” south San Joaquin Valley. Simply put, the fewer mummy nuts in an orchard, the lower NOW pressure at the start of the season.

      To sanitize, shake trees to remove nuts by January 31. Shaking can remove flower buds as they begin to swell and gain weight in late January/early February. Unless it is an early bloom season and buds begin to swell ahead of normal timing, shaking can be done into early February without reducing yield. Some buds are removed by shaking in early February, but since only 25% flower set = good commercial crop, some bud loss does not mean less crop at harvest. Some growers hand poll after shaking if too many nuts remain.

      Sweep downed nuts into windrows and mow or disc by March 1. Mow slowly (2 MPH) and check for intact nuts after mowing. If some nuts remain intact, mow again. NOW can survive if the nut is intact.

    Final thought. NOW overwinter in almond, walnut and pistachio mummies. NOW are also strong flyers, traveling at least a quarter of a mile to lay eggs. If you sanitize, but your neighbor(s) don’t, your orchard is at risk from NOW damage due to mated female moths, ready to lay eggs, flying over from the neighbors. Talk with your neighbors about sanitizing all orchards in the area and removing seedling “wild” almonds along fence lines as these can harbor NOW, too. — By Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa & Sutter/Yuba Counties

  • After a Hard-Working Harvest, Trees Need Water to Remain Healthy

    Almond Board of California — Growers have a lot to think about leading up to and during harvest – prepping the orchard floor, timing the first shake in relation to hull split and achieving optimum moisture content during drying are just a few of the many important factors growers will consider from July to October.

    Even as this season’s bounty is being harvested, the foundation for next year’s crop is already being developed through fruiting-bud differentiation. The period from July to October, in normal years, is when floral buds develop and the next year’s crop yield potential is set. The principle is simple: more buds = likely more flowers = likely more almonds. 

    Many factors can affect crop yield, such as pollination, weather, and nutrient management decisions. But this year, especially, with a record projected crop on the way, one key practice growers should implement to maximize yield potential is optimized post-harvest irrigation. Because growers typically stop irrigating in the weeks leading up to harvest, their trees can be rather dried out come late September and early October.

    “The sooner you can get water back on your trees, the more you’ll be able to support tree health,” said Sebastian Saa, Ph.D., associate director for Agricultural Research at the Almond Board of California (ABC). “We know next year’s buds already are on the tree – water reduces the stress on the tree and therefore allows those buds to further develop.”

    One way for growers to think of post-harvest and late-season irrigation is that they are “paying it forward” for next year’s crop. During this critical time, trees’ water needs are significant and severe water stress can drastically affect bloom, fruit set and yield.

    Saa said growers who have self-compatible varieties may have more flexibility when it comes to post-harvest irrigation. Because there will only be one harvest per block in self-compatible orchard configurations, growers will not necessarily need to wait for the harvest of the pollinizer to irrigate again. Similarly, Saa also said that off-ground harvest (catching the nuts and drying them outside of the orchard) or semi-off ground harvest (catching them and re-allocating them to the middle of the row) also may provide flexibility when it comes to post-harvest irrigation.

    One key resource available to help growers better understand irrigation management – both post-harvest and year-round – is ABC’s     Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum. This resource, developed by the Almond Board in partnership with many trusted and respected technical experts, provides a wide-ranging look at a grower’s site-specific irrigation system with the goal of improved efficiency and effectiveness. In the Continuum, growers and irrigation experts will find a step-by-step explanation of irrigation management and scheduling practices related to the following concepts:

    • measuring irrigation system performance and efficiency,
    • estimating orchard water requirements based on evapotranspiration,
    • determining applied water,
    • evaluating soil moisture, and
    • evaluating plant water status.

    Tom Devol, ABC’s senior manager of Field Outreach and Education, is available to help almond growers reach their goals of increased water efficiency. Devol and his team can meet growers in-person for in-orchard consultations to discuss irrigation systems, address challenges, and share ABC’s print and online irrigation tools. To schedule your own irrigation consultation, email Devol at tdevol@almondboard.com or call (530) 570-5558.

    More post-harvest irrigation information
    More information about the impacts of water stress on fruit bud development in relation to growing regions and varieties is available in the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources publication 8515, “Drought Tips: Drought Management for California Almonds,” found at Almonds.com.

  • Soil Compacted Post-Harvest? Look to Cover Crops

    Almond Board of California — For the third year in a row, Chris Rishwain is preparing to plant cover crops in the windrows of his 150-acre almond orchard near Manteca. Although his original intent was to provide forage for honey bees during pollination, Rishwain has discovered multiple additional benefits to cover crops, one of the most impactful being the positive effect they have on compacted soil.

    “Soil compaction has been a problem for us,” Rishwain explained. “My goal to reduce soil compaction is aimed at helping improve the orchard’s water retention, allowing the roots of our trees to penetrate deeper in the soil to obtain water and minerals, and also to allow for better soil aeration, which supports the microbes in the soil.”

    Like many other almond growers, Rishwain just completed harvest, a time when shakers, sweepers, tractors and other heavy equipment can contribute to pre-existing issues of soil compaction in orchards up and down the Central Valley. Compaction also can be a greater problem in soils that have more silt.

    Soil compaction – coupled with other contributing factors – can negatively affect tree development and subsequent tree productivity. While there is work that can be done to prevent or decrease the severity of soil compaction before trees are planted in an orchard, once an orchard is established those options become more limited. That’s where cover crops can help.

    The Almond Board of California (ABC) continues to fund research into the impacts of cover crops. Much of that scientific work has been conducted by a team led by Amélie Gaudin, Ph.D., an associate professor of agroecology in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, as well as researchers from UC Riverside.

    Seed money available to growers

    One of the most enthusiastic promoters of cover crops in California is Project Apis m., which has managed the popular Seeds for Bees program for many years. Seeds for Bees encourages the use of cover crops to increase the density, diversity and duration of pollinator forage in California agriculture, while also improving soil health.

    “The seed mixes available through Seeds for Bees are designed to bloom at critical times of the year when natural forage is scarce but managed and native bees are active,” said Billy Synk, the organization’s director of pollination programs.

    Through the Almond Board’s Bee+ Scholarship Program, 100 almond growers can receive up to $2,000 each in FREE cover crop seed through the Seeds for Bees program. Funding provided by ABC’s Bee+ Scholarship will allow growers to plant an estimated 3,500 acres of quality pollinator forage statewide – that’s in addition to the cover crop seed Project Apis m. typically distributes directly to almond growers through their Seeds for Bees program each year. Applications are being accepted now, so growers are encouraged to visit Almonds.com/Pollinationto learn more.

    Rishwain started participating in the Seeds for Bees program two years ago. He planted Project Apis m.’s Soil Builder mix, which includes brassicas, legumes and grains. In addition to the cover crops’ positive impact on honey bees, he also likes this mix because of its combination of shallow hair-like roots that help prevent erosion in addition to strong tap roots that grow deep into the soil, breaking up compacted areas.

    “I will use this mix again this coming year. I liked how it has a diversity of species that can improve soil health in our orchard in many different ways,” said Rishwain, adding that the experts from Seeds for Bees make choosing the right seed mix easy for any orchard situation.

    Synk said the most popular Seeds for Bees seeds mix that growers typically use to deal with compacted soils is the Mustard mix, which includes canola, white mustard, two kinds of yellow mustard and Diakon radish.  He also said 75% of Seeds for Bees participants list breaking up compacted soils as one of their primary reasons to plant cover crops.

    Similarly, Gaudin’s research shows that a mixture higher in legumes (such as clover and vetch) can boost nitrogen levels in the soil; conversely, grasses can help reduce nitrogen losses, decrease compaction and improve water infiltration.

    Typically, cover crops are planted in the fall – after harvest – and sprout naturally following the first rain of the new crop year. Their flowers provide additional forage for honey bees when almond trees are in bloom and their roots add organic material to the soil. The cover crops are then typically mowed down in late spring so orchard floors can be readied for harvest later in the year. Rishwain also uses a conditioner before harvest to filter out organic debris.

    Josette Lewis, Ph.D. , the Chief Scientific Officer for the Almond Board, said the organization expects to publish a practical guide on best management practices for cover crops at the start of 2021. In the meantime, growers are encouraged to participate in the Almond Board’s Bee+ Scholarship and visit the Seeds for Bees website to learn more about the benefits of planting cover crops in or near their orchards.

  • Four Things All Pistachio Growers Should Know This Harvest

    Are American Pistachio Growers really going to reach their record billion pound crop this year? How have the wildfires impacted the crop/harvest season? What kind of pest pressure levels are growers experiencing this year? What should pistachio growers know about Round II of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.  Watch this brief interview with Richard Matoian from American Pistachio Growers to find out and don’t miss his annual State of the Pistachio industry address at the virtual Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo on November 12th.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.