Sacramento, Calif., (April 10, 2018) – Dignitaries from the Baja California department of agriculture were recognized along with representatives of the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 4-H program by the California State Senate on April 2 for an agreement the two organizations forged last year to bring 4-H to children across the border.
In presenting a resolution, Senator Ben Hueso, whose district includes the entire 156-mile border of California with Mexico, said the two countries share an agricultural legacy that has faced growing challenges in recent years, such as drought and climate change.
“This requires California and Mexico to share resources by providing access to outstanding educational opportunities what will prepare leaders, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and professionals with the knowledge and commitment to address these very important issues,” Sen. Hueso said to his colleagues in the State Senate.
The resolution was presented on the California State Senate floor April 2.
Sen. Hueso said education isn’t the only issue addressed by the 4-H-Mexico accord.
“This is also a food scarcity issue, addressing food scarcity in our communities and in the world,” he said. “Both Imperial County and Baja California are very big players on the world stage for feeding people.”
The first group of children in the Mexicali 4-H program learned where their food comes from. A second cohort will undertake a project related to science. The program is a model for establishment of similar 4-H experiences for youth in the rest of Baja California and Mexico.
California State Senator Ben Hueso (far right) presented a resolution to Mexican dignitaries and UC ANR 4-H leadership. Pictured, left to right front row, are State Senator Jim Beall (15th District), Hortencia Medellin, Lupita Fabregas, Manuel Valladolid Seamanduras and Carlos Orozco. Back row, left to right, are Mark Bell, Claudia Diaz Carrasco and Shannon Horrillo.
Sen. Hueso introduced the delegation from Mexico, led by Manuel Vallodolid Seamaduras, Secretary of Agriculture Development in the State of Baja California, Mexico (Secretaría de Desarrollo Agropecuario del Estado de México – SEDAGRO), and others in attendance to accept the resolution, including:
Hortencia Medellin Acosta, Director of Rural Entrepreneurship, Mexicali, Baja California
Carlos Orozco Riesgo, Member of the UC ANR 4-H Multicultural and Community Engagement Advisory Committee, former Undersecretary of SEDAGRO
Belem Avendaño Ruiz, Director of Inspection, health and safety SEDAGRO
Guillermo Gonzalez Rubio, Director, Livestock health department SEDAGRO
Agustin Manuel Velazquez Bustamante, Legal Advisor SEDAGRO
Mark Bell, Ph.D., Vice provost, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Shannon Horrillo, Ph.D., 4-H Youth Development statewide director
Lupita Fabregas, Ph.D., 4-H Youth Development assistant director for diversity and expansion
Claudia Diaz Carrasco, 4-H Youth Development advisor, Riverside and San Bernardino counties
“I hope that California, the nation’s leading agriculture producing state, will continue to foster cooperation with Mexico and train future leaders through the launch of the 4-H Club in Mexicali,” Sen. Hueso said. “Please join me in welcoming them to the California State Senate and thanking them for their work in advocacy in helping educate the future.”
Davis, Calif., (April 10, 2018) – Shoppers purchasing fruits and vegetables in stores located in low-income neighborhoods in California may pay more for those fruits and vegetables than shoppers in other neighborhoods, according to a study that examined prices in a large sample of stores throughout the state.
Published online in March 2018 in the journal Public Health Nutrition, the study, conducted by researchers at UC’s Nutrition Policy Institute, involved more than 200 large grocery stores, 600 small markets, and 600 convenience stores in 225 low-income neighborhoods (where at least half of the population was at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level) and compared observed prices to purchased price data from chain grocery stores in the same counties during the same months.
Shoppers purchasing fruits and vegetables in stores located in low-income neighborhoods in California may pay more for those fruits and vegetables than shoppers in other neighborhoods, according to a Nutrition Policy Institute study that examined prices in a large sample of stores throughout the state.
The study found that produce prices for the items examined (apples, bananas, oranges, carrots and tomatoes) were higher in stores in low-income neighborhoods than the average prices of those items sold in stores in the same counties during the same month. Fruits and vegetables for sale in convenience stores in low-income neighborhoods were significantly more expensive than those for sale in small markets or large grocery stores. Yet even in large grocery stores the study found prices in the low-income neighborhoods to be higher than average county grocery store prices during the same month.
“Americans eat too few fruits and vegetables to support optimal health, and we know that dietary disparities among socioeconomic groups are increasing,” said study author Wendi Gosliner. “This study suggests that one important issue may be fruit and vegetable prices — not just that calorie-per-calorie fruits and vegetables are more expensive than many unhealthy foods, but also that there are equity issues in terms of relative prices in neighborhoods where lower-income Californians live.”
Additionally, the study examined the quality and availability of fruits and vegetables in stores and found that while less than half of convenience stores (41 percent) sold fresh produce, even fewer (1 in 5) sold a wide variety of fruits or vegetables, and few of the items that were for sale were rated by trained observers to be high quality (25 percent for fruits and 14 percent for vegetables).
“This study suggests that convenience stores in low-income neighborhoods currently fail to provide access to high-quality, competitively priced fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Pat Crawford, nutrition expert and study author. “A healthy diet can prevent disease and reduce health care costs in the state. States need to explore new ways to help ensure that families, particularly those living in low-income neighborhoods where convenience stores are the only food retailers, have access to healthy, high-quality foods that are affordable,” Crawford added.
The study also found that convenience stores participating in federal food programs (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] and/or the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC]) were more likely to sell fresh produce and to offer higher quality and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables than stores not participating in either program.
The study was conducted under contract with the California Department of Public Health. Funding is from USDA SNAP. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Fresno, Calif., (April 9, 2018) – Fresno County Farm Bureau (FCFB) is over the “moooooon” to welcome Florida dairy farmer and agricultural comedian “Tim the Dairyman” at its inaugural “Bounty of Fresno County” event on Thursday, May 3, at Wolf Lakes Park in Sanger.
The social will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 6:15 p.m. Seating is extremely limited due to venue size. This event will SELL OUT, and we don’t want you to miss this opportunity to celebrate with us!
To purchase tickets or become a table sponsor, click here, or for more information, contact FCFB at 559-237-0263 or info@fcfb.org.
Oakland, Calif., (April 9, 2018) – If you’ve ever taken a drive through California’s picturesque vineyards and pastoral farms, you know it’s impossible to imagine the Golden State without them. But California wouldn’t have become a dream destination for foodies and oenophiles without research from the University of California.
Today, California rivals France, Italy and Spain as a global wine producer, contributing billions of dollars each year to the economy. California also produces a majority of the nation’s fruits, vegetables and nuts, and a large portion of its livestock and dairy, with yearly production valued at $45 billion.
That wasn’t always the case. In 1860, New York was America’s top dairy state, Ohio led the nation in winemaking and California trailed 27 states with its farm value of less than $50 million.
California’s rise in agriculture, including its reputation for producing world-class wine, has gone hand in hand with the work of researchers and scientists at the University of California.
In the late 1800s, UC soil scientists led the foundational research that showed farmers how to remove salts from the alkali soils in the Central Valley, transforming barren land into one of the the world’s most productive farming regions. UC researchers also helped establish California’s wine industry, then brought it back from the brink after prohibition nearly destroyed it.
Its partnership with farmers, vintners and ranchers is just as strong today, with cooperative extension offices in every county in the state.
A new industry takes root – UC launched its Department of Viticulture and Enology in 1880, after being directed by the state legislature to help California develop its nascent wine industry. UC agriculture professor Eugene Hilgard, director of the first State Agricultural Experiment Station, led the charge.
… California can hardly fail to become one of the foremost grape-growing countries of the world, since it possesses all the natural advantages.
EUGENE HILGARD, UC COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, SUPPLEMENT NO. 1 TO THE REPORT OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS, 1890.
He was convinced that the California climate made it ideal for winemaking, and thought that with the right techniques, the state could move beyond the “faulty wines” being currently produced to create something truly worth drinking.
While the Mediterranean weather in California was perfect for growing grapes, on the ground there was confusion about varietals, crude and insufficient fermentation processes and an infestation of the root louse, phylloxera.
Hilgard began studying California’s soils and developing phylloxera-resistant plants at the university’s farm at Davis. By 1919, California’s young wine industry was beginning to flourish when Prohibition brought things to a screeching halt.
Spraying vineyards
Hundreds of wineries went out of business. Farmers tore out their vineyards and planted fruit trees. UC’s enology program ended, too, but its work on grape growing and fruit production continued. By the time Prohibition ended in 1933, UC was an established authority on grape growing in California, and it stepped in to help the wine industry recover.
UC Davis launched its Department of Viticulture and Enology in 1935, and hired plant physiologist Maynard Amerine. Over the coming decades, Amerine and his colleagues developed detailed information about which wine-making grapes would grow best in which climates. Their 1944 study on grape zones gave detailed information about where to plant grapes for different types of wine, such as chardonnay or cabernet.
UC Davis wine cellar
That discovery recharged the wine business in California, and was the foundation of the appellation system that is still used to this day. Tailoring the varietals to California’s microclimates revolutionized grape growing in California, leading to better harvests, better fruit and ultimately, better wine.
UC researchers haven’t just helped produce wine — they’ll also help you drink it. At least that was the goal of UC Davis professor of viticulture and enology Ann Noble, who in 1984 grew tired of hearing people describe wine with abstract and highly subjective terms like “harmonious.”
Her wine wheel, which you can download here, is designed to help consumers pin down the aromas they like with increasingly specific language. Do you like your wine “woody”? If so, is it “burned” or “resinous”? Does it have hints of “tobacco” or “cedar”? Noble’s wheel spread like wildfire and has now been translated into eight languages for the connoisseur’s delight.
From barren land to the world’s breadbasket – UC research has helped to grow more than just grapes. Through the Cooperative Extension and in-depth research by its campuses, UC has worked with California farmers in almost every aspect of food production, from developing new crop varieties to fighting pests to determining the most efficient ways to irrigate and conserve water.
UC’s partnership with farmers and growers stretches all the way back to Eugene Hilgard, the legendary 1880s soil scientist. He led much of the foundational research that showed farmers how to remove salts from the alkali soils in the Central Valley, turning what was once barren land into one of the world’s most productive farming regions.
In the early 1900s, the university deepened its agricultural research by establishing the University Farm (which would become UC Davis) and the Citrus Experiment Station (which would become UC Riverside).
UC Riverside Citrus Experiment station
Over the years, these two campuses have become internationally renowned for their agricultural expertise. UC Davis developed nearly half of the world’s strawberry cultivars, for example, while Riverside and the division of Agriculture and Natural Resources is responsible for producing 40 new citrus varieties.
UC also branched out into the counties under the leadership of B.H. Crocheron, who joined UC in 1913 and directed the UC Agricultural Extension Service from 1919-48. Buoyed by the Smith-Lever Act that created Cooperative Extension, Crocheron developed a network of farm advisors, who worked to get important research-based knowledge from campuses to the community. As Crocheron said, the farm advisor’s work “is on the farms and among the people.”
UC research continues to evolve with the agricultural needs of the state. Today, UC researchers are focused on addressing the challenge of climate change by building sustainable local and regional food systems, a resilient water future and integrated pest management systems to ensure a prosperous future.
Sacramento, Calif., (April 6, 2018) – High pressure developed during the week leading to dry weather and above normal temperatures across California. As the high pressure slowly dissipated, mild conditions returned over the state.
Temperature highs for the week ranged in the 60s to 70s in the mountains, 80s in the valley, 60s to 80s along the coast, and 80s to 90s in the desert. Temperature lows for the week ranged from the 10s and 20s in the mountains, in the 30s to 40s in the valley, 30s to 50s along the coast, and 40s to 50s in the desert region.
Winter forage crops were maturing well. Some silage harvesting began. alfalfa swathing was reported in the San Joaquin Valley. Cotton field preparation was ongoing. Wheat development was benefiting from the precipitation in March.
Irrigation continued in vineyards and stone fruit orchards. Cherries were in full bloom. Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and prunes were leafing out. Fruit was forming on most stone fruit trees. Grapes were leafing out. Apples and pears were leafing out and beginning to bloom. Olives continued to be pruned. Blooms continued to emerge on citrus trees. Navel oranges and lemons continued to be harvested. Valencia orange harvest progressed.
The almond bloom was complete and trees were leafing out and nutlets were forming. Walnuts were pushing catkins and were treated for blight. The pistachio bloom was increasing.
Fields were being prepared and planted but activities have been slow due to wet soils. Winter vegetables were getting ready for harvest. Harvest of broccoli, cauliflower, and some lettuces began in Salinas. Strawberry harvest had begun in Monterey.
Rangeland and non-irrigated pasture quality continued to improve with the recent precipitation and warming temperatures. Sheep grazed on idle crop land, stubble fields, and dormant alfalfa fields. Beehives continued to be moved from almond to stone fruit orchards. Bee activity picked up with the favorable weather.
Visalia, Calif., (April 6, 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 still being planted as weather and soil conditions allow. Winter wheat and oats are enjoying the latest rains, growth is excellent. Ground preparation is continuing for spring row crops. Black-eyed beans are being exported to Korea and Malaysia.
Vineyards are leafing-out. Stone fruit orchards are continuing to leaf-out as the bloom period comes to an end. New orchards are being planted. Bee apiaries remain in stone fruit orchards. Pomegranate and walnut orchards continue to be pruned. Pomegranates and persimmons are continuing to leaf-out. Pistachios are starting to bloom. Pistachio nuts are being exported to China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Spain, Thailand, and Turkey. Almonds are being shipped to India, Israel, Japan, Korea, South Africa and Sweden. Pecans are being exported to China and Israel. Kiwifruit from storage are being shipped to Mexico.
The harvest of late variety navel oranges continues, and fruit are showing some grading issues. Some hedge- rowing and skirting of orange groves continues to be performed. Navel oranges are being exported to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Thailand. Citrus packing houses are starting to pack Valencia oranges. Seedless tangerine groves remain netted for the bloom. Lemons continue to be harvested and exported to Japan, Korea, and New Zealand. Some citrus trees are being planted. Bee keepers are starting to move hives into citrus and olives groves.
Squash and cucumber seedlings continue to grow in the fields. Greenhouse vegetables continue to be harvested. Strawberry and plantings are progressing well and maturing. This week’s warm weather will be a benefit. Greenhouse blueberries were exported to Taiwan.
Rain is a boost for rangeland quality. The fed cattle market held relatively steady at $126.00 per hundredweight this week.
Retail nurseries are stocking up on both perennial and annual plants for the spring season. Shipments of bare- root roses continue to various U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Canada, France, Japan, and Korea. Some mature olive trees are being dug for landscape purposes.
Citrus Bloom was declared in District 1, beginning at 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning, March 31, 2018.
Davis, Calif., (April 5, 2018) – Californians who raise poultry outdoors are invited to get their eggs tested for contaminants.
People who raise poultry outdoors are encouraged to have their eggs tested for environmental contaminants.
To find out if harmful substances on the ground that are eaten by birds get passed along in the eggs they lay, Maurice Pitesky, UC Cooperative Extension poultry specialist at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is providing free egg testing.
“We’re trying to understand the connection between the environment that backyard poultry are raised in and the eggs they are producing,” Pitesky said.
Pitesky’s colleague veterinary toxicologist Birgit Puschner is testing eggs for different types of contaminants, depending on the county the eggs are from.
Eggs from counties recently affected by wildfires will be tested for chemicals, building materials and heavy metals that may have been carried in the smoke and ash. Pitesky and Puschner are also looking for lead and PCBs in eggs from certain regions of the state.
The UC Cooperative Extension poultry specialist will share individual egg results with each poultry owner. At the end of the study, all of the results will be summarized and made available to the general public.
Pitesky describes the project in a video produced by CropMobster for UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Watch the video at https://youtu.be/3ZlytlUIS3I.
For more information about the study and how to package and ship eggs, visit http://ucanr.edu/eggtest.
Residents in Sonoma County may drop off eggs at the UC Cooperative Extension office at 133 Aviation Blvd Suite 109 in Santa Rosa. The UCCE office in Sonoma County is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Sacramento, Calif., (April 5, 2018) – China has threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs on American exports following President Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Agricultural exports are in the crosshairs, reported Thaddeus Miller in the Merced Sun-Star.
China’s tariffs would first hit U.S. products such as avocados and nuts with 15 percent duties, the article says.
“It doesn’t really matter which one it is, whether it’s alfalfa, almonds or wherever it may go,” said David Doll, UC Cooperative Extension advisor in Merced County. “They’re as much political as they are anything else.”
The potential tariff would have a significant impact on Merced County, where almonds are the second largest commodity valued at $578.5 million in 2016.
The back and forth trade disputes happening between the U.S. and China make trade less predictable and could lead to disruptions that impact California food and wine producers, even before potential Chinese tariffs go into effect, said Dan Sumner, director of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Agricultural Issues Center in an interview with Julia Mitric of Capital Public Radio.
If China hits the U.S. with a 15 percent tariff on wine, that’s a problem, Sumner said.
“We may think California wine is special, but not everybody does,” Sumner said. “And if it’s 15 percent more expensive than it used to be because of the tariff, there’ll be a substantial reduction in how much gets sold in China.”
Sumner said the proposed tariffs would likely hurt California’s tree nut growers more than its wine producers because a larger proportion of almonds and pistachios are exported.
In 2016, the value of pistachios sold to China was $530 million, more than three times the value of wine exports to that country, Mitric reported.
Elk Grove, Calif., (April 5, 2018) – The Central Valley Farmland Trust (CVFT) and the Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust (BALT) have merged to form one outstanding organization dedicated to serving more California farmers.
BALT was formed in 2002 and CVFT in 2004, both land trusts’ missions focused on farmland protection and they each led flourishing programs within their respective regions of Contra Costa County in the East Bay and the Central Valley. When BALT’s Executive Director Kathryn Lyddan accepted a new position with the Department of Conservation, the board decided it was time to join forces with another agricultural land trust.
With its focus on agricultural conservation, the neighboring Central Valley Farmland Trust was a natural fit for a merger. After several months of discussions, the two boards consummated the merger in the final months of 2017.
The newly enhanced board of directors, composed of CVFT and BALT board members, has a wide range of perspectives including farmers, agricultural advisors, property rights advocates, city and regional planners, other farming professionals, and land stewardship experts.
“This board is reflective of a California that is growing, that must meet the needs of diverse populations who deserve local food, economic vitality, and the many extended benefits of farmland nearby,” said Charlotte Mitchell, Executive Director of California Farmland Trust (CFT), formerly executive director of CVFT.
Together, as the California Farmland Trust, the board and staff are looking forward to a future full of productive farmland. The new mission of CFT is to “help farmers protect the best farmland in the world” – because so much of it is right here at home in California. California is one of five regions in the world with a unique combination of climate, soils, and water ideally suited to produce over 400 crops and provide the majority of America’s fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
Charlotte Mitchell also stated, “We are thrilled at our new partnership with the Brentwood agricultural community, and look forward to protecting more of the farms that feed our families.”
For more information, please contact:
Melanee Cottrill, mcottrill@cafarmtrust.org or (916) 687-3178
Modesto, Calif., (April 4, 2018) – USDA released the long awaited final decision for a California Federal Milk Marketing Order today. The potential differences between the final decision and USDA’s draft recommended decision from February 2017 had been a source of speculation in the industry for many months. Exactly how different was the final decision from the previous version? The answer is: it was exactly the same! Ta-da! Those who attended WUD’s convention got to hear about the basics of USDA’s draft recommendation, which also apply to the final decision. Now that we know this is what we will be looking at for a vote, more analysis will be conducted to determine the potential impact for producers around the state. Specifically, WUD will host three informational sessions on April 16 (Petaluma), April 17 (Modesto) and April 18 (Tulare; details below). The analysis presented will be performed by two independent experts who do not come with any agenda about persuading attendees one way or another. The emphasis will be on education and answering questions. USDA will also host a session in Clovis on April 10 to highlight the mechanics of the program.
USDA will conduct a referendum among dairy producers to determine whether they support the proposed FMMO; this referendum will be held from April 2, 2018 through May 5, 2018. The FMMO will become effective if approved by two-thirds of the voting producers, or by producers of two-thirds of the milk represented in the voting process.
Dates and locations for WUD’s meetings to discuss the economic impact of the CA FMMO:
Monday April 16th 10am Sonoma County Farm Bureau (3589 Westwind Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403)
Tuesday April 17th 9am Stanislaus County Harvest Hall (3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, CA 95358, Training Room Center DE)
Wednesday April 18th 10am Tulare Agri-Center, (4500 South Laspina Street, Tulare, CA 93274, Social Hall)
