California Ag Network

Category: Nut Industry

  • Ag Council of California Recognizes Clinton Shick with Cultivator Award

    The prestigious 2017 California Cultivator Award was presented to Clinton Shick, past chairman of Blue Diamond Growers, on March 9th during Ag Council’s 98th Annual Meeting in Carlsbad, California.

    “During Clinton’s tenure as vice chair and chair, Blue Diamond’s growth catapulted,” said Emily Rooney, president of Ag Council. “Clinton helped lead the cooperative into an era where they handled more almonds than ever before. That growth was fueled by the development of several innovative marketing initiatives, including the development of a new plant in Turlock, and the expansion of the Almond Innovation Center in Sacramento.”

    Shick is a third generation farmer from Kern County, growing several hundred acres of almonds and also operating a farm management business devoted to almonds, walnuts and cherries. A past president of the Kern County Farm Bureau and current member of the Central Valley Almond Association, a cooperative huller/sheller, Clinton began his professional career after graduating from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with a degree in Farm Management, and a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics at University of California, Davis.

    “His impeccable character represented Blue Diamond well to our industry, employees, customers and grower-owners,” said Dan Cummings, current Blue Diamond Chairman of the Board. “Clinton had a thoughtful way of drawing out others’ input on the Board while also sharing his sage insights. He was instrumental in the recruitment of our current CEO and this may very well be his most lasting legacy to Blue Diamond Growers.”

    Shick was first elected to the Blue Diamond Growers Board of Directors in 1983, served as vice chair for 16 years and as chairman of the board from 2006 to 2014. He was formally honored by his peers during lunch on March 9th at Ag Council’s annual meeting.

    As background, the purpose of the California Cultivator Award is to publicly recognize and honor one who clearly has made significant contributions to agriculture or has demonstrated leadership and personal commitment beyond the normal expectations of a person serving the farmer-owned business sector.

  • Enjoy Your Tree Nuts: UC Scientists Help with Regulatory Compliance

    Davis, Calif., (March 28, 2017) – California tree nut growers will soon have to comply with new agriculture water testing requirements under the Produce Safety Rule in the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). University of California researchers and advisors are holding seminars to share information about the agricultural water requirements and proper water sampling methods in order to be in compliance with the regulations.

    Almond kernel emerging from dried hull. (Photo: Melissa L. Partyka)

    While irrigation or spray water is generally not the source of contamination, it is a vehicle for pathogens that are harmful to humans, especially on produce that is consumed raw; therefore, agricultural water was included as a part of the new regulation.

     

    The UC Cooperative Extension office in Yolo County was the site of the first information sessions for nut tree growers/producers. It was an ideal location, as the fertile soils of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys are home to the largest tree nut production industries in the U.S. Some nuts are also grown in the coastal valley regions and Sierra foothills.

    Good news for nut consumers

    Almond harvesting in California’s Central Valley. (Photo: Melissa L. Partyka)

    The new regulations and the focus on food safety practices, particularly within the nut tree industry, is of great interest because of the popularity of nutritious and delicious tree nuts. I for one am a big consumer. My day starts with almond butter on toast. That’s followed by snacks of raw walnuts and dates. And there’s always the handful of roasted pistachios to be grabbed for a salty treat.

     

    It is lucky for someone who is nuts about nuts to live in California. The state is the nation’s No. 1 walnut, almond and pistachio producer. California produces 80 percent of the world’s almonds. We produce one million tons of almonds each year, followed by walnuts at nearly half a million tons, and pistachios at over a quarter million tons.

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture reports the state’s leading agricultural export products by value in 2015 were almonds ($5.14 billion), dairy products ($1.63 billion), walnuts ($1.49 billion), wine ($1.48 billion), and pistachios ($848 million).

    Melissa L. Partyka, an ecologist at the UC Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, (WIFSS) and Ronald F. Bond, a water quality researcher and field coordinator with WIFSS, are engaging local growers on issues of food safety and helping to educate them on not only the regulations but on ways to improve their water quality.

    Partyka and Bond are staff in the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Vet Med Extension and Atwill Water and Foodborne Zoonotic Disease Laboratory, headed by UC Cooperative Extension specialist Rob Atwill, director of WIFSS.

    They are affiliated with the Western Center for Food Safety, a Food and Drug Administration Center of Excellence, and are helping break down the regulations for the growers, regulations which can be a little overwhelming to the untrained.

    Agricultural water, according to FSMA, is that water used to irrigate, treat, harvest, wash commodity or equipment on farm.

    Growers are required to test water if it:

    • Comes in contact with the harvestable portion of the commodity
    • Is used to clean harvest equipment
    • Is used to mix pesticides/fungicides applied to commodity
    • Is used by harvest crews to wash hands

    As of January 2016 growers will have 2 to 4 years (depending on farm size) to comply with most aspects of the Produce Safety Rule. Basically, the larger the production, the higher potential for risk to the consumer. How often a grower samples water depends on the water source. Well water requires an initial four samples, followed by one sample per year. Surface water, requires an initial 20 samples, followed by five samples per year. Water samples should be collected as close to harvest as is practical. During a long harvest season, samples can be spread out; in short harvest seasons, samples should be collected closer together; and in multiple harvest seasons, samples should be taken near each harvest if water is coming from the same source.

    A full day workshop to be hosted by UC Cooperative Extension is planned for late June. Look for announcement of date, time, and location on the following websites: www.wcfs.ucdavis.edu, http://ucanr.edu, www.wifss.ucdavis.edu.

     

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 28, 2017) – The week oscillated between warm and wet to dry and cool two separate times last week, as early springtime Pacific systems moved through the State.

    Rain totals were up to a quarter of an inch along the southern coast, increasing gradually to nearly two inches near San Francisco. The southern valley saw one-and-a-half inches, increasing northward to four inches near Napa. An inch was the norm along the southern Sierra foothills, increasing northward to three inches in northern foothills. The Sierras saw two to three inches of liquid-equivalent precipitation, with snow falling above 7,000 feet. A combination of warm temperatures and rain led to a substantial decrease in the snowpack except at the highest elevations in the northern Sierras. Lodgepole, at 6,700 feet in the southern Sierras, remains the thickest snowpack with a report of nearly six feet of snowdepth.

    Temperature highs were in the 40s to 60s in the mountains, 60s to 70s in the valley and along the coast, and 70s to 90s in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 20s to 30s in the mountains, 30s to 50s in the valley, 40s to 50s along the coast, and 40s to the 60s in the desert.

    Winter forage crops were maturing well. Some growers were starting to harvest silage. Spotty lodging was noted due to the heavy rain and wind. Corn seed was being received in advance of planting. Cotton preparation work was almost done for planting.

    Field work in vineyards continued with pruning, tying, berm sanitation, and brush shredding.  Bud break was progressing in vineyards. Cherries and late varieties of stone fruit continued to bloom. Reports of heavy rain and hail may have knocked off petals and affected the bloom. Kiwifruit were being shipped to foreign and domestic marketplaces. The citrus harvest was slowed due to the rain. Late navel orange harvest was underway in some areas.  Navel oranges, Mandarins, lemons, Star Ruby grapefruit, and late harvest Finger limes were being packed and exported for foreign and domestic marketplaces. Valencia orange harvest started. Orange groves were being hedge-rowed and skirted. Seedless tangerine groves continued to be netted to prevent cross pollination by bees during the coming bloom. Blueberries were blooming.  Strawberry fields continued to thrive.  Previously planted onions continued to progress well.

    Almond bloom continued to slow down. Almonds and pistachios continued to be packed and exported mainly to foreign marketplaces. Some walnut trees were blooming.  Bee colonies continued to be moved into nut and stone fruit orchards for pollination.

    In Fresno County, garlic and onions have solid growth, due to excess moisture. In Madera County, tomato bed preparation was ongoing and over half of the tomatoes have been planted.  In Tulare County, new fields were being prepared for spring planting as weather permitted.  Cucumbers were being planted under hot caps.

    Rangeland and dryland pasture quality continued to improve with all the recent rainfall and intervening warm weather. Some cattle ranchers have increased their herd size to take advantage of the improved forage conditions.

  • Tips on Controlling Botryosphaeria & Phomopsis in Walnut Orchards

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    With all the rain we received this winter, UC Plant Pathologist Themis Michailides warns growers that the sleeping giant of botryosphaeria and phomopsis will be awakening again. With the potential to cause severe damage in walnut orchards, Themis shared some cultural and chemical tools growers can utilize to keep it under control. Watch Themis’ brief interview with California Ag Network and read more in the March issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Less Common Frosted Scale Populations Spike in Walnut Orchards

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    At the Tri-County Walnut Day in Visalia, UC IPM Advisor Emily Symmes addressed growers on the peculiar spike in frosted scale populations in orchards that have been sprayed for walnut scale. Watch her brief interview and read more in the March issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Managing Walnut Scale to Lower Botryosphaeria Impact

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    Now is the time to be monitoring for walnut scale. This is a pest that cannot be ignored in walnut orchards with Botryosphaeria issues. Watch Emily Symmes’ video interview with California Ag Network as she explains how to monitor and control this pest to lower the impact of Botryosphaeria. Read more in the March issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif. (March 21, 2017) – It was a warm week across the State, as most of the area was well entrenched into a dry pattern. Fog developed across the northern central valley early in the week which helped supply a bit of moisture. Rainfall was limited to the northern third of the State late week. Rainfall amounts were very light along Interstate 80, gradually increasing to the north. The heaviest rains fell in the northern mountains, which received around a quarter inch of rain each day. Warm temperatures last week resulted in the first week of significant snowmelt in the mountains. Despite that, mountain snow packs continued to be heavy with Lodge pole still reporting over seven feet of snow depth.

    Temperature highs were in the 30s to 70s in the mountains, 60s to 80s in the valley and along the coast, and 70s to 100 in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 10s to 40s in the mountains, 40s to 50s in the valley and along the coast, and 40s to the 60s in the desert.

    Winter forage crops were maturing well. Some growers were starting to harvest silage. Alfalfa was making good growth as a result of the warmer weather. Drier and warmer weather were ideal for the grains.

    Field work in vineyards continued with pruning, tying, berm sanitation, and brush shredding.  Some bud break has been observed in vineyards.  Cherries and late varieties of stone fruit continued to bloom.  Kiwifruit were being packed and shipped to domestic and foreign markets.  Some persimmons and pomegranates were leafing out.  New orchards were being planted.  The citrus harvest picked up with the improved weather.  Late Navel orange harvest started in some areas.  Navel oranges, Mandarins, Minneola tangelos, lemons, and late harvest Finger limes were being exported mostly to foreign markets.  Star Ruby grapefruit harvest began, with most of the fruit being packed for the domestic market.  Orange groves were being hedge-rowed and skirted.  Growers were starting to net the seedless tangerines to prevent cross pollination by bees during the coming bloom.  Pruning of olives continued.

    Almond bloom was slowing down.  Bee colonies continued to be moved into nut orchards for pollination.  Almonds and pistachios were being exported.  Some walnut orchards were blooming.

    In Tulare County, squash was being planted in hot tunnels.  New fields were being prepared for spring planting.  Cucumbers were being planted under hot caps.  Blueberries were blooming.  Strawberry fields continued to thrive.  Previously planted onions continued to progress well.  In Monterey County, strawberry production was picking up and harvest crews were working.  A few brassica fields were being harvested as well. Flood waters were receding.

    Rangeland and dryland pasture quality continued to improve with all the recent rainfall.  Condition was excellent due to continued rainfall and warmer weather.  Some cattle ranchers have increased their herd size in order to take advantage of the improved forage conditions.  Bees were active in almond and early stone fruit orchards.

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 14, 2017) – Temperatures warmed up last week between 10 and 20 degrees, with a drier pattern taking hold over much of the State. Rainfall was largely confined to the northern one third of the State, with generally light rains falling along the central/northern valley, central/northern coast, and snow into the central/northern Sierras on Monday through Wednesday.

    Mountain snowpack decreased for the first time since last fall. Although snow showers fell on the central/northern Sierras early in the week with up to three inches of new snow accumulation, warm temperatures helped produce an overall decrease in snowpack by about one to two feet. Very heavy snowpacks continued in the mountains, with Lodgepole in the southern Sierras still reported over four feet of snow on the ground. Deeper snowcover was seen in the central and northern Sierras.

    Temperature highs were in the 40s to 60s in the mountains, 60s to 70s in the valley and along the coast, and 70s to 90s in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 20s to 40s in the mountains, 30s to 50s in the valley, 30s to 60s in the desert, and 40s to 50s along the coast.

    Alfalfa broke dormancy but growth was slow. Alfalfa fields continued to be sprayed for weeds. Growers started preparing ground for the upcoming cotton season by tilling, making furrows, and applying herbicides.

    Pruning, discing, weed control, and pre-bloom spraying continued. Olive groves were pruned. Herbicides were applied to some vineyards to combat the increase in weeds after an exceptionally wet winter. Early varieties of stone fruit, including cherries, apricots, and plums, were blooming in the San Joaquin Valley. Harvest of Cara Cara and Navel oranges, lemons, and mandarins continued. Fungicide applications were made to some citrus orchards. Recent rains impacted the overall quality of the citrus. Orange groves were hedge-rowed and skirted.  A few seedless tangerine groves were netted to prevent cross pollination during the pending bloom.

    As field conditions permitted, walnut and pistachio orchard pruning resumed. Almond bloom was progressing up the state with some areas nearing completion. Fungicides were applied in some almond orchards.

    In Colusa County, harvest began on asparagus.  In San Joaquin County, sunshine and warm weather allowed farmers and growers back into the fields.  In Fresno County, spring carrots were harvested and beds were prepared for summer carrots.  Winter crops of broccoli, cabbages, and cauliflower were harvested and sold in local markets.  Garlic and onions around the county were growing well and had herbicides applied.  Growers planted tomatoes and prepared fields for eggplant.  In Tulare County, squash was planted in hot tunnels.  New fields were prepared for spring planting.  Previously planted onions continued to progress well.

    Warming spring conditions and plentiful precipitation promoted lush forb and grass development. Non-irrigated pasture and rangeland continued to improve with much of the state’s range reported to be in excellent to fair condition. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued to diminish as range conditions improved. Calving was ongoing in Shasta County. Bees were active in almond and early stone fruit orchards. Lambing season in Fresno County was underway. Sheep grazed stubble fields, idle cropland and dormant alfalfa.

  • UC Davis Tops World Rankings in Veterinary Science – Ranks No. 2 in Agriculture and Forestry

    Davis, Calif., (March 13, 2017) – The University of California, Davis, held onto its top spot in veterinary science in the latest QS World University Rankings released today (March 7).

    And for the fifth consecutive year, the campus is among the top-ranked universities in agriculture and forestry, taking second place in the ranking this year.

    First in veterinary science since the field was added to the rankings in 2015, UC Davis is renowned for applying a “One Health” approach to addressing critical health concerns on a local and global scale.

    “The energy, passion, knowledge and skills that the UC Davis veterinary medicine community brings to their jobs every day is the secret to our success,” said Michael Lairmore, the school’s dean since 2011. “Our future, supported in part by generous philanthropic partners, will be shaped by our combined efforts as we push the boundaries of research discoveries, provide innovative educational opportunities for our students, bring advanced clinical services to our animal patients, and serve our communities by advancing the health of animals, people and the environment.”

    Ranked No. 2 in agriculture and forestry, UC Davis is the most published and cited U.S. research university in agricultural sciences, environment and ecology, and food science and nutrition. The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has helped shape California and the world, and remains dedicated to solving critical issues with food, water, energy, climate change and human health to improve the quality of life throughout the world.

    Home of the internationally acclaimed viticulture and enology program, the college offers 29 majors and 43 minors, plus an exploratory/undeclared option, in the fields of agriculture, environment, human needs and social sciences.

    In other recent rankings, UC Davis was named the greenest university in the world by the seventh annual GreenMetric ranking from the University of Indonesia in December 2016 and No. 20 among large schools on the Peace Corps’ Top Volunteer–Producing Colleges and Universities list in February.

    In October 2016, U.S News and World Report’s “Best Global Universities” ranked UC Davis first in programs for plant and animal sciences, second in agricultural sciences, and fourth in environment and ecology.

    Other top showings in the QS rankings

    In this year’s QS rankings, UC Davis is among the world’s elite institutions in 35 of the 46 subjects and all five of the subject areas featured. Among UC Davis’ `highest rankings:

    • environmental sciences remains at 13th
    • biological sciences moves up four spots to 27th
    • anatomy and physiology is 28th in this newly ranked subject
    • earth and marine sciences climbs five spots to 29th
    • development studies, once below 50th, now shows among ranked schools at 47th

    QS rankings are based on reputational surveys and research citations. This year, QS evaluated 4,438 universities, then qualified 3,098 and ranked 1,117 institutions.

    Robust veterinary research and clinical programs

    The veterinary school, also ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report, is home to a robust research program, which last year totaled nearly $76 million in research funds. The school provides clinical services to more than 50,000 animal patients in 34 specialties annually. UC Davis serves as a strong leader in veterinary medical education, providing nearly 550 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students annually with a curriculum built on sound educational theory designed and delivered by prominent faculty members.

    Making a difference around the world

    The school is involved in improving the lives of people and animals, and the environment in more than 30 countries worldwide through efforts such as:

    • PREDICT, a $175 million multi-institutional program, led by the school’s One Health Institute and funded by USAID to rapidly detect and respond to emerging viruses such as Ebola
    • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, which protects public and animal health in partnership with the state’s Department of Food and Agriculture
    • Comparative Cancer Center, where veterinary researchers collaborate with physicians and researchers from the UC Davis School of Medicine to develop therapies for human and animal cancer
    • The 100K Genome Project, which aims to speed the diagnosis of foodborne illnesses by creating a databank of pathogen genome sequences
    • Collaboration among veterinary dental surgeons and biomedical engineers to regrow jawbone in dogs and provide valuable knowledge for human treatment
    • Advanced Imaging Facility (with cutting-edge confocal microscopes), providing researchers with a whole new view of biological specimens to answer questions about health and disease

    The rankings are prepared by Quacquarelli Symonds, a British firm widely considered to be one of the most influential international university rankings providers.

     

    A dog receives treatment in the dentistry lab of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. (Don Preisler/UC Davis photo)

  • Fresno County Department of Agriculture Crop Report for February 2017

    Fresno, Calif., (March 9, 2017) – Across the County, plantings of barley, oats, triticale, wheat, and winter forage are all growing well due to an abundance of rain. Some fields have already started to develop seed heads. Herbicides and fertilizers were applied to fields between storms. Ground preparation was underway for rice fields in Firebaugh.

    Alfalfa broke dormancy but growth is slow. Alfalfa fields continued to be sprayed for weeds, with some having to be by areal application due to wet ground.

    Growers started preparing ground for the upcoming cotton season by tilling, making furrows, and applying herbicides. Alfalfa seed was exported to China, France, Italy, Qatar and United Kingdom.

    Almond bloom started mid-month, accompanied with applications of fungicides to control disease. Some apricot, nectarine, peach, and plum orchards, started to bloom as well. Fungicide treatments began in these orchards as well as being sprayed for weeds. Buds started to swell in cherries. Growers participating in the Mexico Stone Fruit Program hung pheromone traps for the Oriental Fruit Moth as of February 15. Vineyard operators applied herbicides to combat the increase in weeds after all the rain. Stakes and trellis wire were repaired. In some warmer areas, grape buds started to swell. Many vineyards around the County continued to be removed for planting of almond, pistachio, and walnut orchards. In pistachio and walnut orchards application of herbicides took place. Almonds, Asian pears, prunes, and raisins were exported to Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Viet Nam. Pistachios were exported to Hong Kong. While kiwi was exported to Japan and Taiwan.

    Strawberry plantings were delayed in some districts due to wet conditions, but where previously planted they showed signs of slow growth. Carrots were harvested and beds where prepared for the next rotation. Garlic and onions around the County were growing well and had herbicides applied. In Kerman district, cilantro, kale, leaf lettuce, and mustard for seed production was growing well. Lettuce and pepper seed was exported to Australia. Growers continued to prepare for tomatoes and eggplant by applying herbicides, cultivating and fumigating to control soil borne pests. Winter crops of broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chard, collards, gai lan, and kale were harvested to be sold in local markets. Spring lettuce is growing slowly due to cooler conditions. Blueberries started to bloom around the County and fungicides were applied.

    Cara Cara, lemons, Navel oranges and mandarins continued to be harvested between storms. Nets were placed around mandarins to exclude bees from pollinating. Fungicide applications were made in a few citrus orchards. Grapefruit, lemons, mandarin, Navel, pomelo, tangelo, and tangerines were exported to Belgium, Chile, China, El Salvador, France, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore.

    Cattle and sheep continued to graze on the lush rangeland. Frequent rains have kept the rangeland grasses growing, providing excellent feed. Lambing season started with lots of babies produced in Huron district. Egg production ramped up again after the winter lull. Beehives were placed in lots of orchards and bees were busy pollinating.