Like many other vineyards in the state, Lodi and the the Northern Interior of California were severely impacted by mildew pressure in 2023. This contributed to significant crop losses, lowering the overall wine grape crush. Watch this brief interview with Mike Needham from Turrentine Brokerage following his State of the Industry report at Malcolm Media’s Tree & Vine Expo.
Category: News
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Introducing American Pistachio Growers New VP of Global Marketing
American Pistachio Growers (APG) has a new Vice President of Global Marketing. Watch this brief interview introducing Scott Fryer to the pistachio industry, and come hear from him at their Pistachio Industry Conference, Feb. 26-28th to see what APG is doing to build demand for American grown pistachios.
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Producers to Benefit from USDA Awards Providing Organic Market Development, Promotion Support
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced $9.75 million awarded to 10 grant projects through the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG). The funded projects will support the development and expansion of new and existing organic markets to increase the consumption of domestic organic agricultural products. Together these projects will provide information and services to more than 20,000 producers and 20,000 buyers to increase market opportunities for organic farmers.
“USDA is excited to announce the first round of funding awarded through the Organic Market Development Grant program,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The recipients of this funding will be spearheading unprecedented efforts to expand and open new revenue streams for the nation’s organic industry, building more value-added agricultural opportunities for farmers across rural America.”
Under Secretary Moffitt was in Longmont, Colo., visiting Dry Land Distillery which partners with OMDG grant recipient The Colorado Grain Chain to source locally produced organic grain to craft their products. The Colorado Grain Chain is a non-profit organization that will use OMDG funding to expand on their work enhancing market opportunities for producers, processors, and value-added product makers of organic grain for human consumption.
In May 2023, USDA announced approximately $75 million available through OMDG to increase the availability and demand for domestically produced organic agricultural products and to address the critical need for additional market paths. This first round of OMDG awards for the Market Development and Promotion project type is funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
USDA is awarding this first set of awards in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. USDA will announce additional awards at a later date.
In addition to the Colorado Grain Chain, recipients of the Market Development and Promotion Project grants include:
- The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is awarded funds to strengthen demand for organic dairy products produced in the Northeast by expanding the farm-to-institution, increasing the number of retailers promoting organic dairy, and implementing targeted consumer marketing to boost demand for Northeast dairy products.
- The Oregon Organic Coalition will collaborate with partners to increase consumer demand for organic food produced in Oregon and Washington and expand valuable markets for the region’s organic producers by targeting the specialty/craft food and farm-to-school markets.
A full list of awarded projects is available on the OMDG webpage.
AMS gave priority consideration to projects addressing specific pinpointed market needs for organic grains and livestock feed, organic dairy, organic fibers, organic legumes and other rotational crops, and organic ingredients currently unavailable in organic form.
This grant program is part of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative, launched in fall 2022, which offers a suite of programs and resources to help existing organic farmers and those transitioning to organic production and processing. Other efforts under OTI include USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation assistance for transitioning producers, including a new organic management practice standard and plans to leverage partnerships to expand relationships within the organic community, and AMS’ Transition to Organic Partnership Program, which builds mentorship relationships between transitioning and existing organic farmers to provide technical assistance and wrap-around support. Additionally, USDA’s Risk Management Agency provided direct support for crop insurance in 2023. More information about these initiatives and more can be found at farmers.gov/organic-transition-initiative.
AMS supports U.S. food and agricultural product market opportunities, while increasing consumer access to fresh, healthy foods through applied research, technical services, and congressionally funded grants. These projects will support organic producers and further USDA’s goals to develop more and better markets, grow a diverse and equitable food system, and increase climate-smart agricultural practices.
To learn more about AMS’s investments in enhancing and strengthening agricultural systems, visit www.ams.usda.gov/grants.
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$207 Million Announced for Clean Energy and Domestic Fertilizer Projects to Strengthen American Farms and Businesses
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $207 million in renewable energy and domestic fertilizer projects to lower energy bills, generate new income, create jobs, and strengthen competition for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers. Many of the projects are being funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis.
The announcement was made by Secretary Vilsack at the 105th annual American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. This funding advances President Biden’s Investing in America and Bidenomics agenda to grow the nation’s economy from the middle-out and bottom up, create jobs and spur economic growth in rural communities by increasing competition in agricultural markets, lowering costs and expanding clean energy.
“President Biden and USDA are ensuring farmers, ranchers and small businesses are not only a part of the clean energy economy, but directly benefitting from it,” Secretary Vilsack said. “The investments announced will expand access to renewable energy infrastructure and increase domestic fertilizer production, all while creating good-paying jobs and saving people money on their energy costs that they can then invest back into their businesses and communities.”
The Department is awarding $207 million in 42 states for projects through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP).
The REAP awards total $157 million for 675 projects in 42 states, including more than $94 million from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The REAP program delivers on the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. These investments will cut energy costs for farmers and ag producers that can instead be used to create jobs and new revenue streams for people in their communities. For example:
- In Colorado’s La Plata County, a grant for $187,000 will install a solar array that, through a power purchase agreement, will benefit a wastewater treatment facility. The facility is expected to save $58,000 per year, bringing down costs for residents. It will replace 652,923 kilowatt hours or 98 percent of the plant’s energy use per year, which is enough energy to power 60 homes.
- A soybean farm in Pennsylvania will install a 1,248 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system that will save $262,000 per year. These funds can be reinvested to grow the business or create more jobs for the local community. It will also save the farm 2,814,000 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough energy to power 259 homes.
- Sturgis Meats in Meade, South Dakota will install a refrigeration system that will save $32,000 in energy costs per year. It will also save the company 255,000 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough energy to power 23 homes.
Projects financed through FPEP will help U.S. farmers increase independent, domestic fertilizer production. Today’s investments include $50 million in seven projects in seven states. President Biden committed up to $900 million through the Commodity Credit Corporation for FPEP. Funding supports long-term investments that will strengthen supply chains, create new economic opportunities for American businesses, and support climate-smart innovation. For example:
- ARE Properties LLC in Nebraska will build a fully automated fertilizer facility designed to manufacture custom products based on the results of plant tissue and soil samples. All equipment in the facility runs on natural gas with the long-range strategy to retrofit the facility for alternative energy sources in the future.
- Biogas Corporation will purchase and install a new anaerobic digestion facility in Monroe County, North Carolina. This project is expected to create 19 additional positions. The new state-of-the-art facility will produce 50,000 tons of organic fertilizer and ammonium sulfate annually, all available to farming operations or resellers supporting local producers. Through the unique combustion process, the facility projects to generate 55,000 megawatts of clean energy per year to be purchased and distributed through Duke Energy Carolinas.
USDA is making the REAP and FPEP awards in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $166 million in 40 projects nationwide to boost domestic fertilizer production through FPEP. USDA has also taken steps to support producers in leveraging these tools through nutrient management assistance and climate-smart management practices. During that same time, USDA has invested more than $1.6 billion through REAP in 5,457 renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements that will help rural business owners lower energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen their resiliency of operations.
Background
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides grants and loans to help ag producers and rural small business owners expand their use of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses, address climate change and lower energy costs for American families.
USDA continues to accept REAP applications and will hold funding competitions quarterly through Sept. 30, 2024. The funding includes a dedicated portion for underutilized renewable energy technologies. For additional information on application deadlines and submission details, see page 19239 of the March 31 Federal Register.
The Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP) provides grants to independent business owners to help them modernize equipment, adopt new technologies, build production plants and more. Funding helps boost domestic fertilizer production, strengthen competition and lower costs for U.S. farmers.
The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA created FPEP to combat issues facing American farmers due to rising fertilizer prices, which more than doubled between 2021 and 2022 due to a variety of factors. Factors included the war in Ukraine, a lack of competition in the fertilizer industry, and more.
FPEP is part of a broader effort to help producers boost production and address global food insecurity. It is also one of many ways the Administration is promoting fair competition, innovation and resiliency across food and agriculture while combating the climate crisis.
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Applications Available for California Ag Leadership Program Class 54
Applications are now being accepted for Class 54 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP). Applicants should be mid-career growers, farmers, ranchers, horticulturalists, foresters and/or individuals working in other areas of California’s diverse agriculture industry.
The Ag Leadership Program, operated by the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF), is considered to be one of the premier leadership development experiences in the United States. Through the program, fellows learn leadership skills that help them expand their impact. More than 1,400 individuals have participated in the program and are influential leaders and active volunteers in agriculture, communities, government, business and other areas.
Over the course of the intensive 17-month program, fellows are immersed in numerous topics, including leadership theory, effective communication, motivation, critical thinking, change management, emotional intelligence and other skills and tools that contribute to improved performance. Along with individualized leadership development coaching, fellows engage in situations and discussions focused on complex social and cultural issues. They are provided with opportunities to build enhanced critical thinking skills that, combined with a broader perspective, help graduates guide creative solutions throughout their lives.
“As we open the application process for Class 54, our selection committees are focused on choosing a group of fellows who have the capacity to grow and lead as well as share a commitment to California agriculture,” said CALF President and CEO Dwight Ferguson. “Our experienced-based curriculum, personalized coaching and emphasis on lifelong learning enables the development of leaders who make a difference in their families, communities, companies and ultimately our great industry as a whole.”
The program includes approximately 55 days of formal program activities. Four partner universities — Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Fresno State and UC Davis — deliver integrated, comprehensive and diverse curriculum at the seminars. Fellows learn from first-rate educators and subject authorities from many professions and backgrounds. As a valuable extension to the monthly seminars, fellows participate in national and international travel seminars that provide further opportunities to understand interconnected systems and governments, dialogue with policy leaders and compare and contrast cultural dynamics.
CALF invests more than $50,000 per fellow to participate in the Ag Leadership Program, thanks in large part to donations made by individuals and industry organizations and companies. Candidates are strongly encouraged to talk with Ag Leadership alumni about the program and to attend an informational event.
More information and the application are available at www.agleaders.org/class54apply/. Phase one of the three-phrase application process is due no later than April 17, 2024. Individuals are encouraged to complete the application as soon as possible.
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UC Strawberry Production Research Meeting, Feb. 14
Join UC Farm Advisor Mark Bolda and other University and field experts in this virtual meeting to learn about the latest research and advances in strawberry production. Anyone directly involved with the production of strawberries is invited to attend. Live Spanish translation will be available. We will discuss issues pertaining to production of strawberry and provide updates on current research addressing those issues. Continuing Education Credits from CA DPR are pending approval. Register to attend HERE.
Contacts for More Information
Logistics: UC ANR Program Support, 530-750-1361 (messages only)Program: Mark Bolda, UCCE Farm Advisor
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2023 Cost of Production for Fresh Market Raspberries Report
The UC Cooperative Extension has released its 2023 Cost of Production for Fresh Market Raspberries report. The sample costs to establish, produce, and harvest raspberries in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties are presented in the following study. The study is intended as a guide only, and can be used to make production decisions, determine potential returns, prepare budgets, and evaluate production loans. The practices described are based on production and harvest procedures considered typical for this crop and area and may not apply to every farm. Sample costs for labor, materials, equipment, and custom services are based on current figures.
The hypothetical farm operation, production practices, overhead, and calculations are described under assumptions. For additional information or explanation of calculations used in the study, contact Mark Bolda, mpbolda@ucanr.edu, or Jeremy Murdock, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, (530) 752-4651. Sample Cost of Production studies for many commodities are available and can be downloaded from the website https://coststudies.ucdavis.edu. Archived studies are also available on the website.
See the cost study report HERE.
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CA Dry Bean Advisory Board Accepting Research Proposals for 2024
The California Dry Bean Advisory Board (CDBAB) is requesting applied research proposals for 2024. This commodity-based research request is sponsored by the California Dry Bean Marketing Order, under the guidance of CDFA (CA Dept Food & Ag). The Board has supported applied research by university programs for many years.
Please find the grant application as well as a list of the 2024 applied research priorities developed by the CDBAB. The Board is particularly interested in pest management projects to address weeds and insects. Funding is for one year. Proposals for projects extending beyond one year must be re-submitted each year.
Due to limited research funding, proposals that demonstrate cost sharing are encouraged. Although, there is some flexibility in the budget below, the total amount of funding available for 2024 is as follows:
Board: $55,000
Baby lima council: $7,500
Blackeye council: $10,480
Garbanzo council: $7,500
Large lima council: $0
Common bean council: $0
Total: $80,480
For current information on dry bean production in California as well as past reports funded by the board, see the Dry Bean webpage on the Agronomy Research and Information Center. You can search and view previously funded research reports from the online database.
Please share this call for proposals with colleagues and others who might be interested in dry bean research. Proposals are due by Friday, February 10, 2023. Progress reports for projects funded by the CDBAB in 2022 will also be due Friday, February 10, 2023. See an example progress report.
Those who submit proposals should be prepared to give a brief presentation to the Board at their first meeting of the year, which usually occurs in early March. Funding decisions are communicated shortly thereafter by Board Manager, Nathan Sano.
To submit 2024 proposals and 2023 final reports electronically, please email Nick Clark (neclark@ucanr.edu). With questions about this funding opportunity, email either Nick Clark or Michelle Leinfelder-Miles (mmleinfeldermiles@ucanr.edu). Nick and Michelle are UC ANR co-liaisons to the CDBAB.
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Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) Program Now Accepting Cycle 2 Grower Applications
California’s Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) program is now accepting Cycle 2 applications from commercial growers. This initiative aims to showcase the efficacy of additional control measures against the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the carrier of the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) bacterium causing Huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus.
Commercial citrus producers in California are invited to apply for the program, and eligibility is open to all.
For Cycle 2, applications will be accepted until program capacity is reached with priority given to those applications received by March 15, 2024. Applications can be found at https://citrusresearch.org/growers-application
CRB’s CA-CRaFT initiative seeks participation from commercially managed citrus groves in California, subject to the implementation of specified mitigations and adherence to the overall experimental design. We encourage both organic and conventional citrus growers to submit applications.
Grove selection criteria will consider existing management practices, with a preference for those actively utilizing ACP management in accordance with the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM) guidelines. Priority consideration will be accorded to California citrus groves facing sustained psyllid pressures or located in close proximity to significant psyllid risk factors, such as transportation corridors and residential areas. Citrus producers can apply without any limitations on the total acreage, and we welcome applications for multiple blocks or groves.
Project support is currently being offered for the following mitigations:
Preventative Mitigations
- Implementing barrier mesh fencing along grove borders to hinder ACP entry.
- Creating natural windbreaks using living vegetation along grove borders to mitigate psyllid movement.
- Cultivating trap crops like the curry leaf tree, to attract and control psyllidpopulations.
Threshold-based Mitigations
- Introducing specific biological control agents as a whole grove treatment to suppress ACP populations, regularly assessing their impact and effectiveness, and encouraging conservation and the release of generalist predators like syrphid flies, lacewings, and lady beetles.
- Implementing targeted insecticide treatments, such as border sprays for ACP control or whole grove treatments with insecticide-based ant baits for ant control, or utilizing border treatments with psyllid repellents like kaolin clay or diatomaceous earth to make the crop unappealing to psyllids.
Compensation is exclusively provided to growers implementing endorsed additional preventative or threshold-based mitigations, such as barrier mesh fencing, living windbreaks, trap crops, biological control releases, border sprays, psyllid repellents, or ant control, as outlined above.
Control plots must refrain from receiving any additional mitigations, be they preventative or threshold-based, recommended by the program, as outlined above.
Participants will receive annual assistance on a per-acre basis to cover expenses related to data collection and field access for scouts. This applies to both control plots and all plots receiving additional CRaFT-endorsed mitigations as part of the program.
Growers are allowed to conduct regular scheduled plot maintenance and apply various treatments for pests, including ACP, in all plots, including control plots. However, they will not receive compensation for these routine treatments that fall outside of program priorities endorsed by CA-CRaFT.
The CRB will be hosting webinars on the CA-CRaFT program and its application process on:
For details about the California-focused CRaFT Project, program requirements, and webinar schedule, visit the CRB website at www.citrusresearch.org or contact Ariana Gehrig at craft@citrusresearch.org.
The CRB administers the California Citrus Research Program, the grower-funded and grower directed program established in 1968 under the California Marketing Act as the mechanism enabling the State’s citrus producers to sponsor and support needed research. More information about the Citrus Research Board may be found at www.citrusresearch.org.
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Real California Milk Debuts Great Mozzarella Showdown Foodservice Recipe Contest
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced the launch of the 2024 Great Mozzarella Showdown, an inaugural foodservice recipe contest challenging professional chefs and culinary students to develop creative, non-pizza dishes using California’s number one cheese product: Mozzarella.
The CMAB is hosting this online recipe contest to build on the ongoing popularity of Mozzarella at foodservice and how it can be used in endless menu innovation. The goal is to showcase ideas using two styles of this versatile cheese in a variety of dishes for different dayparts, including appetizers and handheld items.
The Great Mozzarella Showdown is open to professional chefs and culinary students in the U.S. and offers participants the opportunity to submit creative recipes in two categories: California Mozzarella and California Fresh Mozzarella.
Influential foodservice judges will select eight winning recipes from the online submissions based on criteria including innovation, use of cheese as a primary ingredient, and flavor expectations. Professional chefs will conduct a cook off of the eight winning recipes and grand prize champions will be named for each category. Each chef finalist will receive $2,000, with the two winning dishes receiving an additional $2,000 for a total of $4,000 to each category champion. In total, the CMAB will award $20,000 in prize money.
“This recipe contest is part of our continued efforts to partner with chefs and next generation culinary professionals to showcase the versatility and performance of California Mozzarella as a key foodservice ingredient,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “While we’ve done a lot to focus on the use of California Mozzarella in the pizza and entrée space, as the reigning cheese in our foodservice portfolio, the Great Mozzarella Showdown will serve to inspire awareness of the endless opportunities for use in appetizers, handhelds, flatbreads, salads and more.”
The entry period for submitting recipes is January 8-February 16, 2024. The eight winning recipes/chefs will be announced on February 29, 2024, with the two grand champions named in mid-April. For more information, including entry details, visit greatmozzarellashowdown.realcaliforniamilk.com/.
California is a reliable, consistent source of sustainable dairy products used by chefs and culinary professionals throughout the world. As the nation’s largest dairy state, California boasts an impressive lineup of award-winning cheesemakers and dairy processors that are helping to drive dining innovation.
California is the leading producer of fluid milk, butter, and ice cream as well as Mozzarella and Monterey Jack. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which means they are made with sustainably sourced milk from the state’s 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 dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs.
The Foodservice Division of the CMAB supports foodservice operators and distributors that use Real California dairy products. The CMAB offers marketing and promotional support for foodservice operators that purchase dairy products with the Real California Milk seal, which means they are made with 100 percent milk from California’s more than 1,100 family dairy farms, using some of the most sustainable dairy practices in the nation.
For more information on sourcing cheese from California, contact the foodservice team at 209.883.6455 (MILK), businessdevelopment@cmab.net or RealCaliforniaMilk.com/Foodservice, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.