California Ag Network

Category: News

  • Sonoma County Sisters Growing Together Through Agriculture

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (January 9, 2018) – Suzanne and Alina Amaral describe themselves as polar opposites. But the sisters from Sonoma have a lot in common: both are successful, driven young women who have recently returned to Sonoma County to start their professional careers.

    Alina and Suzanne Amaral grew up in Sonoma and were very involved in the agricultural community. After graduating with a doctorate degree and teaching credential, the sisters have moved back to Sonoma County to start their professional careers as a veterinarian and an ag teacher. Photo by Rachel LaFranchi.

    Alina, 27, started her career as a veterinarian at Arroyo Veterinary Hospital in her hometown of Sonoma in August. Alina has always been passionate about animals, joining 4-H when she was five and following that later with FFA. Growing up, she showed everything from beef, sheep and swine to chickens, rabbits and dairy cattle.

    Alina attended Sonoma Valley High School, and continued her education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she received a degree in Animal Science. She took a year off to work as a veterinary technician to get more experience with small animals. She went on to graduate from Western University as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in May.

    Alina describes a typical day at Arroyo Veterinary Hospital, a companion animal practice, as not being very typical at all. She said work ranges from wellness and preventative care for pets to surgeries and internal medicine cases. In addition to that, the hospital does a lot of x-rays, ultrasounds and dental care.

    Alina has a lot of plans for her future as a veterinarian, but said she feels it’s important for her just coming out of school to focus on the medicine.

    “Ideally, what I’d like to do is a mixed animal practice, but unfortunately you don’t see that much in Sonoma County,” said Alina. “I’d like to practice food animal medicine, mostly cattle, but I’m open to some small ruminants and equine. There are also a lot of the companion animal aspects that I like; I enjoy the medicine and surgeries. Ideally it’d be a practice that has both large and small animals. Maybe five years down the road you’ll see me at that practice. Maybe owning a practice too, that’s a goal.”

    Suzanne, 23, followed in much of her sister’s educational footsteps. After graduating from Sonoma Valley High, she went on to attend Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she received her degree in Ag Science with an Animal Science concentration. After graduating in 2016, Suzanne stayed another year in their graduate program and got her teaching credential in agriculture which she finished in June of this year.

    She student taught last year at St. Helena High School and said she had a great experience. This year, she took a full time teaching position at Elsie Allen High School in Santa Rosa and just finished her first semester teaching. This year the courses she’s teaching include agri-science, landscape design, veterinary science and intro to ag mechanics.

    “What I love about my job is that it’s just different every day and I’m not always in the classroom,” said Suzanne. “I could be out in the greenhouse or at the school farm or in the ag mechanics shop. Just getting the chance to help all these kids and show them the things I’m passionate about and leading them to those things they’re passionate about is always a really cool experience.”
    Like her sister, Suzanne joined 4-H when she was five and continued to be actively involved until she aged out of the program, and during her time in the program she showed almost every species of animal and entered still exhibits at the fairs. In 4-H, she served as a junior and teen leader for her club’s beef and poultry projects. In addition to 4-H, Suzanne ran for dairy princess and served as the District Three Dairy Princess for 2012-2013.

    Unlike Alina who was in FFA during her entire time in high school, Suzanne didn’t join the program until her junior year. She was on an AP and honors track and had no room in her school schedule. When a space finally freed up and she joined her junior year, she continued to focus on 4-H.

    It was during her senior year when she separated her shoulder and couldn’t play volleyball, that she has time to take a leadership role in FFA as a chapter officer. Once joining the officer team, she participated in every competition and activity she could and said she ended up doing very well in FFA.

    “At state conference that year, I ended up falling in love with the organization and that’s when I decided I wanted to be an ag teacher,” said Suzanne. “I was kicking myself in the butt for not joining FFA sooner.”

    Suzanne said her passion for Sonoma County agriculture originates from all the opportunities and experiences she was afforded growing up because of it.

    “When I think about every memory I have growing up, it has something to do with Sonoma County agriculture. Whether that was showing at the local fairs or being dairy princess and getting to present in the different classrooms or traveling back to Kentucky to get my American degree, my best memories are centered around agriculture that all stemmed from Sonoma County.”

    Alina added that the mentors and people they had to look up to in the agriculture industry greatly contributed to their passion for local agriculture. From the older 4-H and FFA members who served as their role models to the supportive farmers and ranchers in their area, they said they’ve built so many connections that it’s nice to be able to come back and help the people who helped them.

    The sisters both agree that the same people who helped them growing up are still helping them as they start their professional careers. They said they can count on those people and it’s nice to have a sense of community that’s so strong in Sonoma County.

    Similarly, they said this support was one of the things that made them so successful. From the support of their parents to the role models and mentors they had growing up, it was the people in their lives that pushed their driven personalities to become successful.

    The sisters also talked about how community support in the form of scholarships helped them through school. Alina said eight years of school was a financial burden and scholarships through community organizations such as Farm Bureau helped support their education efforts. In addition to the obvious financial assistance, Alina said the scholarships provided them real life experience and it also put them in a position to volunteer with Farm Bureau and become more connected in the community.

    Both Alina and Suzanne agree that they’re driven and goal-oriented people, and they agree on two of the three things they would list as most important in their life: people and their careers. From friends and family to community support, they both know they wouldn’t be where they are without the people in their lives. And they also both agree they work too much and that their jobs are very important to who they are. The third item they come up with varies: Suzanne feels that setting and achieving goals is very important to her while Alina lists animals, something her career centers around.

    In addition to their full time jobs and involvement in the community, the Amarals also raise their own Angus cows. They have seven head, a few mother cows and babies and hope to sell a bull in next year’s Cal Poly Bull Test.

    When asked about their relationship as sisters, both girls just look at each other and laugh. Growing up, they said they fought all the time. It wasn’t until they were 12 and 16 years old that their relationship began to change. Suzanne credits the change to a car accident they were both in although Alina feels they may have reached an age where they just got along better.
    “Things just shifted and we’ve been really close ever since,” said Suzanne. “We totally bicker like typical sisters, but we get along really well now.”

  • John Azevedo Honored with Spirit of Sonoma Award

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (January 9, 2018) – Past Farm Bureau President John Azevedo received the Spirit of Sonoma Award on December 8th. The event, sponsored by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board was held at the Double Tree Hotel in Rohnert Park. Azevedo was recognized alongside 19 other recipients at the 17th annual awards ceremony.

    John Azevedo with Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore. Photo courtesy of the Economic Development Board.

    The Spirit of Sonoma Awards recognize the leadership and positive contributions that business and agriculture leaders, chambers, and trade groups give to our local economy and community.

    Azevedo is a Sonoma County native and fourth generation farmer. He grew up in Healdsburg on his family’s farm which has been operating since 1904 and was a member of Healdsburg FFA. He has a degree in viticulture and is currently the Vice President of Precision Farming at Jackson Family Wines.

    Azevedo has served on Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors for 16 years and completed his term as President at the end of 2016. Through his involvement with Farm Bureau, John has chaired the Natural Resources Committee, served on a stakeholder group for the Riparian Corridor Ordinance and has been involved with issues related to land use and farming.

    John Azevedo received a Spirit of Sonoma Award on December 8th. Azevedo with his wife Alicia, who he recognized for supporting him. Photo by Rachel LaFranchi.

    Azevedo is actively involved in the community, currently serving as the President of the Healdsburg FFA Ag Boosters. In the past, he has served on the boards of the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group, Sonoma County Winegrowers and Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair. He also participated in the California Ag Leadership Program.
    Azevedo is passionate about Sonoma County agriculture and works diligently to keep the industry viable and supporting the next generation of agriculturalists, embodying the Spirit of Sonoma County.

    Azevedo resides in Healdsburg with his wife Alicia, who he acknowledged at the awards ceremony for supporting him.

    Among other recipients were John and Teresa Balletto of Balletto Vineyards, nominated by the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce. The Ballettos are dedicated to family farming and giving back to their community having both served on many non-profit boards. The Ballettos are known throughout Sonoma County for their generosity and commitment to making the community a better place.

    Terri Balletto received the Spirit of Sonoma Award presented by Supervisors James Gore and Lynda Hopkins. Photo courtesy of the Economic Development Board.

    Brad Peterson, a vineyard manager for Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars, was nominated by the Sonoma County Winegrowers and comes from a multigenerational farming family in Sonoma County. Brad serves on the board of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, SAVE and is a past president of the Geyserville Kiwanis.

    Brad Peterson was presented a spirit of Sonoma Award by Supervisor James Gore. Photo courtesy of the Economic Development Board.

    Sonoma County Farm Bureau congratulates all 20 recipients!

     

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 9, 2018) – At the beginning of last week, most of the State experienced mild temperatures and mostly dry conditions. At midweek a frontal system brought periodic rainfall and thunderstorms to the northern and central regions of the state, higher elevations received some snow. As the frontal system steadily pushed inland, precipitation slowly tapered off and slightly cooler, drier conditions arrived. Southern California experienced dry conditions last week with above normal temperatures.

    Temperature highs ranged in the 50s to 60s in the mountains, 60s to 70s in the valley, and 60s to 80s along the coast and in the desert. Temperature lows were between 10s and 40s in the mountains, and 20s to 40s in the desert, and 30s to 40s in the valley and along the coast.

    Fields that were planted earlier in the season had signs of good growth but most fields were irrigated due to the lack of rain to maintain growth. Winter forage crops, such as wheat, barley, other cereal grains and forage mixes continued to be planted and seed shipments received. Irrigation was still necessary to maintain growth of those plantings that have germinated. Alfalfa went dormant, and fields were treated with herbicides or grazed by sheep.

    Pruning dormant stone fruit started to reach completion. Persimmons continued to be harvested. Some older, poorly producing orchards and vineyards were removed and prepared for replanting.  Wine grapes were pruned and tied, along with having herbicides applied. Some growers prepared to apply winter dormant sprays.  The Navel orange harvest continued.  Pomelos were harvested.  Olive growers continued to prune groves.  Strawberry fields continued to thrive.

    Winter shake for almonds finished. Pruning continued in nut orchards.  Pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and pecans continued to be packed and shipped primarily to foreign markets.  Some older orchards were pushed out and the ground was prepped for planting.

    Winter vegetables were being harvested. Some fields were being prepared and planted with addition winter vegetable crops.  Lettuce continued to grow.  Garlic and onion planting continued.  Harvested for winter greens such as cabbage, chard, collard greens, kale, parsley, and daikon continued.  Head and leaf lettuce has been planted for the spring 2018 crop.  Broccoli, celery, and spinach continued to grow nicely.  Asparagus fields were shredded in preparation for spring growth.  Lettuce and arugula seed were exported to foreign marketplaces. Tomato beds were prepared. The carrot planting was ongoing, while the fall carrots have not been harvested yet.

    In San Joaquin County, sheep continued to graze on idle crop land, stubble fields, and dormant alfalfa fields.  Supplemental feeding of livestock continued as grasslands and rangeland lacked moisture.  In Fresno County, the lack of rainfall has left rangeland forage conditions poor.  Supplemental feeding continued.  Bare-root roses were being received and processed for reshipment out-of-state, mostly to Texas.  Bare-root berries were being received at wholesale nurseries.  Nursery shipments have slowed due to the winter weather and time of year.  Beehives were reported overwintering around Fresno County and were being given supplemental feedings.  Most feedlots were reported at full capacity.

  • Microbial Community in Citrus is key to HLB Early Detection Technology

    The bacterial causing agent of Huanglongbing (HLB), the deadly citrus greening disease threatening CA citrus production, is known as Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). Researchers looking into the change in the microbial community of a citrus tree when CLas takes over can help the industry develop effective early detection technology for HLB when it hits the orchard, according to plant pathologist Johan Leveau. Watch Leveau’s brief interview and read California Fresh Fruit Magazine to learn more.

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  • Fresno County Department of Agriculture Crop Report

    Fresno, Calif., (January 8, 2018) – Barley, triticale, and dry land wheat emergence has been slow due to lack of rain. Forcing some growers to irrigate fields. Early planted fields continued to mature and were treated with herbicides.

    Alfalfa went dormant, fields were treated with herbicides or grazed by sheep. Every District reported that, all cotton was disced and in compliance with plow down regulations. Due to lack of rain, ground prep and field fumigations continued for 2018 rotational crops. Alfalfa was exported to Argentina, Germany, Italy, and Qatar.

    Pruning in dormant stone fruit and nut orchards started to wrap up. Orchards were irrigated, disced, treated for weeds and had dormant sprays applied. Mummy shaking continued in lmond orchards. Older almond orchards were pushed out, for replanting later. Grapes were pruned and tied, along with having herbicides applied. Vineyards continued to be removed for planting of nut trees. Almonds, Asian pear, grape, kiwi, pecan, persimmon, pistachio, pomegranate, raisins, and walnut were exported to, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chili, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Viet Nam.

    Garlic and onion planting continued. Earlier planting had emerged and showed good growth. Fields were treated for weeds. Harvesting for winter greens such as, bok choy, cabbage, chard, collard greens, kale, parsley and daikon continued. In Firebaugh District, the broccoli harvest ended as temperatures dropped, fields were staring to be prepared for a spring crop. Head and leaf lettuce has been planted for the spring 2018 crop. Organic broccoli, celery and spinach are growing nicely in the Huron District. As well as next season’s tomato and garbanzo bean fields being worked prior to planting. In Sanger District, eggplant and strawberry fields were fumigated with Chloropicrin in preparation of planting. Asparagus fields were shredded in preparation for the spring growth. With the lack of rain, fields underwent discing, forming rows and irrigation line replacement in much of the County. Lettuce and arugula seed was exported to Brazil, Netherlands, Philippines, and South Korea.

    Grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, navel orange, and pomelo harvesting continued throughout December. Mandarin and navel harvests are approximately 1/3 completed in the Sanger District. Citrus is showing good color. The County experienced some low temperatures towards the end of the month but no freeze damage reported. Growers used fans, running water, and small fires to keep temperature up. Citrus is being exported to Australia, Dominican Republic, French Polynesia, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, in addition to the Philippines. Olive groves underwent discing and herbicide applications.

    Lack of rain in December kept rangeland very dry. Sheep with their new lambs continued to be grazed in alfalfa and fallow fields. Beehives are overwintering around the County and being given supplemental feedings.

  • Employees Must Receive EITC Notice

    Fresno, Calif., (January 8, 2018) – Employers in California must notify employees every year about the Earned Income Tax Credit. Further, an employer must process, upon an employee’s request and as per federal law, Internal Revenue Service Form W-5 for advance payments of the EITC.

    The EITC Information Act, codified in Revenue and Taxation Code sections 19850 to 19854, covers every employer required to provide unemployment insurance (UI) to its employees. A covered employer must give the notice to all of its employees who are covered by UI; even employees whose earnings are far above the EITC eligibility limit must get the notice. An employer must notify an employee that the employee may be eligible for the EITC within one week before or after, or at the same time, that the employer gives the employee an annual wage summary, such as an IRS Form W-2 or Form 1099.

    The employer must either hand the notice to the employee or mail it to the employee’s last-known address. Posting a notice on an employee bulletin board or sending it through office mail does not suffice.

    The employer may choose between two notices. The first is a rather lengthy notice and is specified in the statute:

    Based on your annual earnings, you may be eligible to receive the earned income tax credit from the federal government. The earned income tax credit is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. The earned income tax credit has no effect on certain welfare benefits. In most cases, earned income tax credit payments will not be used to determine eligibility for Medicaid, supplemental security income, food stamps, low-income housing or most temporary assistance for needy families payments. Even if you do not owe federal taxes, you must file a tax return to receive the earned income tax credit. Be sure to fill out the earned income tax credit form in the federal income tax return booklet. For information regarding your eligibility to receive the earned income tax credit, including information on how to obtain the IRS Notice 797 or Form W-5, or any other necessary forms and instructions, contact the Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-829-3676 or through its Web site at www.irs.gov.

    Unfortunately, that notice might confuse and/or make many employees who do not qualify for the EITC question their employer’s competency because it begins:

    Based on your annual earnings, you may be eligible to receive the earned income tax credit.

    This sentence makes it sound as though the employer evaluated the employee’s earnings and determined there is a reasonable prospect that the employee qualifies for the EITC, when in fact no evaluation was made and the employee might be nowhere close to being eligible for the EITC

    Given that undesirable outcome and because of its length, an employer might prefer not to give that notice but to give an alternative notice, such as:

    You might be eligible for the earned income tax credit, a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. For information on your eligibility to receive the earned income tax credit, including information on how to obtain Internal Revenue Service Notice 797, IRS Form W-5, or any other pertinent form or instructions, contact the IRS by calling 1-800-829-3676 or through its Web site at www.irs.gov.

    In Spanish:

    Usted puede ser elegible para el crédito de impuestos de ingresos ganados, un crédito de impuestos de ingresos federales reembol-sables para trabaja-dores y familias de bajos ingresos. Para información sobre su elegibilidad para recibir el crédito de impuestos de ganancias ganadas, incluyendo información sobre cómo obtener el Aviso 797, Formulario W-5, del Servicio de Impuestos Interno (IRS por sus siglas en inglés), o cualquier otro formulario pertinente o instrucciones, comuníquese con el IRS, llamando al 1-800-829-3676 o a través de su sitio de la Web al www.irs.gov.

    You can find a link to frequently asked questions about the EITC at fels.net/find.

    Source: Farm Employers Labor Service, Monthly Newsletter, Vol. 47, No. 11/12, November/December 2017

  • Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine In Portion Of San Diego County

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 8, 2018) – A portion of San Diego County has been placed under quarantine for the Mexican fruit fly following the detection of seven flies within the City of Encinitas.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) are working collaboratively on this project.

    The quarantine area in San Diego County measures 65 square miles, bordered on the north by McClellan Palomar Airport; on the south by San Dieguito Road; on the west by the Pacific Ocean; and on the east by the San Dieguito River.  A link to the quarantine map may be found here:www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/mexfly/regulation.html.

    Sterile male Mexican fruit flies will be released in the area as part of the eradication effort.  The release rate will be 325,000 males per square mile per week in an area up to 50 square miles around the infestation.  Sterile male flies mate with fertile female flies in the natural environment but produce no offspring.  The Mexican fruit fly population decreases as the wild flies reach the end of their natural life span with no offspring to replace them, ultimately resulting in the eradication of the pest.  In addition, properties within 200 meters of detections are being treated with an organic formulation of Spinosad, which originates from naturally-occurring bacteria, in order to remove any mated female fruit flies and reduce the density of the population.

    The quarantine will affect anyone who grows, sells, or gives fruit or plants away to others. This includes growers, wholesalers, and retailers of susceptible fruit in the area as well as nurseries that grow and sell Mexican fruit fly host plants. All host fruit grown within the quarantine area must be treated or processed before being sold. All nursey plants with host fruit must be treated or placed off sale. The quarantine will also affect local residents – home gardeners are urged to consume homegrown produce on site and not move it from their property.  These actions protect against the spread of the infestation to nearby regions where it could affect California’s food supply and our backyard gardens and landscapes.

    The Mexican fruit fly can lay their eggs in and infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables, causing severe impacts on California agricultural exports and backyard gardens alike.  For more information on the pest, please see the pest profile at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/go/MexFly.  Residents who believe their fruits and vegetables are infested with fruit fly larvae are encouraged to call the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.

    The eradication approach used in the Encinitas area of San Diego County is the standard program used by CDFA and it’s the safest, most effective and efficient response program available.

    While fruit flies and other invasive species that threaten California’s crops and natural environment are sometimes detected in agricultural areas, the vast majority are found in urban and suburban communities.  The most common pathway for these invasive species to enter our state is by “hitchhiking” in fruits and vegetables brought back illegally by travelers as they return from infested regions of the world.  To help protect California’s agriculture and natural resources, CDFA urges travelers to follow the Don’t Pack a Pest program guidelines (www.dontpackapest.com).

  • Introducing the New CEO of Sun-Maid, Harry Overly

    At the 105th annual meeting of Sun-Maid Growers in Fresno, Harry Overly was introduced as the new President & CEO of Sun-Maid.  He gave a great presentation to the growers, talking about his background and big plans for Sun-Maid moving forward.  Watch his brief interview and read more about him in American Vineyard Magazine.

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  • Cattle-drive image earns top prize in Farm Bureau photo contest

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 5, 2018) – Capturing the drama of an early-morning cattle roundup near Yosemite, an amateur photographer from San Joaquin County took home the top prize in the 36th annual California Farm Bureau Federation Photo Contest. Emela Brown McLaren of Manteca earned the $1,000 Grand Prize, and said it’s “a real honor” to live in proximity to so many farms and ranches.

    The 2017 CFBF Photo Contest attracted hundreds of images from amateur photographers who are members of county Farm Bureaus or supporters of the California Bountiful Foundation.

    Andrew Lincoln of Napa garnered First Place and $500 for his photo of employees at a hillside vineyard, while Second Place and $250 went to Solvang resident Henry Schulte, who submitted a photo of a Madera County barn painted with the American flag. Kellie Neufeld of Exeter won Third Place and $100 for capturing a humorous moment between her 9-year-old son and his muddy 4-H hog.

    First Place: Andrew Lincoln – Napa County
    Andrew Lincoln said he was out one day in the Carneros area, camera at the ready, when this vineyard and the people working on the vines caught his eye. “The undulation of the hillside, in combination with the workers there—it just grabbed my interest. So I pulled off the side of the road, got my telephoto lens out and photographed it.”

    Six photos earned Honorable Mentions and $50 each, submitted by Amy Blagg of Lodi, Holly Schaad of Dunnigan, Andrea Traphagan of Ravendale and Thomas Gannon of Atwater, plus an additional image each from Lincoln and Neufeld.

    In the Budding Artists category for photographers aged 13 and younger, Nathan Blagg of Lodi, the 8-year-old son of Honorable Mention winner Amy Blagg, claimed First Place and $250 for his portrait of a pig peeking over a fence. A view of a calf peering from underneath its mother earned the Second Place prize of $100 for 11-year-old Holyn Sylvester of San Luis Obispo. Both prizes were presented by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.

    All 12 prize-winning photos were published this week in the weekly California Farm Bureau newspaper, Ag Alert®, as well as the organization’s bimonthly magazine, California Bountiful®, and will appear on the organization’s websites—www.cfbf.com, www.agalert.com and www.californiabountiful.com—and social media pages.

  • Tulare County Reports on Current Crop Status

    Visalia, Calif., (January 5, 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 Winter forage crops, such as wheat, barley, other cereal grains and forage mixes, continue to be planted and seed shipments received. Irrigation is still necessary to maintain growth of those plantings that have germinated. Rain is still desperately needed.

    Stored table grapes continue to be exported to China, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam. Persimmons harvest continues steady, with export demand primarily to Mexico. Kiwifruit exports are slow but steady, with some going to Mexico and Taiwan. Pistachio nuts are being exported to Austria, Hong Kong, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, and Vietnam. Almonds are being shipped to Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Pruning continues in vineyards, stone fruit and nut orchards.

    Navel oranges continue to be exported to Australia, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand. Pomelos are being harvested and sold domestically, as well as exported to China and Japan. Melogold hybrid grapefruit continue being exported to Japan. Lemons are primarily going to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, and New Zealand. The demand for Finger limes is steady, with exports going to France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Olive growers continue to prune groves.

    Fields are being prepared and planted with winter vegetable crops. Lettuce continues to grow. Strawberries are growing at roadside stands.

    The lack of rainfall has left rangeland forage conditions poor. More rain is needed to help with germination and growth of rangeland forage. Supplemental feeding has been required. The fed cattle market price is holding at $120.00 per hundred weight this week.

    Bare-root roses are being received and processed for reshipment out-of-state, mostly to Texas. Bare-root berries are being received at wholesale nurseries Nursery shipments have slowed due to the winter weather and time of year.