California Ag Network

Category: News

  • Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel (EFA SAP) CDFA

    Sacramento, Calif., (May 10, 2017) – You are invited to join a meeting/webinar on Thursday May 18, 2017.   The public meeting is scheduled from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, at the California Department of Food and Agriculture Main Auditorium. The agenda is as follows:

    MEETING AGENDA

    May 18, 2017

    Public Meeting
    9:30 AM to 4 PM
    California Department of Food and Agriculture Main Auditorium
    1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 916-654-0433

    REMOTE ACCESS

    Webinar information
    Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8146426068745583361
    Webinar ID: 908-183-867
    Please note the webinar is on listen-only mode. For verbal questions and comments, please attend the meeting in person. An opportunity to provide written comments following the meeting will be provided.

    Presentation materials will be posted at the following link prior to the meeting:

    https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/EnvironmentalStewardship/Meetings_Presentations.html

    • EFA SAP MEMBERSHIP – https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/efasap/
    • Don Cameron, Terranova Ranch, Member and Chair
    • David Bunn, PhD, Resources Agency, DOC, Member
    • Emily Wimberger, CalEPA, ARB, Member
    • Vicky Dawley, Tehama RCD, Member
    • Scott Couch, CalEPA, State Water Board, Member
    • Jocelyn Bridson, MSc, Rio Farms, Member and Co-Chair
      Jeff Dlott, PhD, SureHarvest, Member
      Judith Redmond, Full Belly Farm, Member
    • Julie Alvis, Resources Agency, Member
    1. Introductions ………………………………… Chair Cameron Chair Cameron
    2. Minutes from previous meeting ……………… Chair Cameron Chair Cameron
    3. Healthy Soils Program (HSP)
    • Summary of public comments to-date ………… Geetika Joshi, PhD (CDFA)
    • Detailed presentation of programmatic framework .. Geetika Joshi, PhD and Guihua Chen, PhD (CDFA)
    • ARB quantification methodologies for the CDFA HSP … ARB staff
    1. Public comment ………………………………… Chair Cameron
    2. EFA SAP Recommendations for the CDFA HSP … Chair Cameron
    3. Next meeting and location….……………………….. Chair Cameron

  • Fresno County Department of Agriculture Crop Report

    Fresno, Calif., (May 10, 2017) – Across the County, grain crops matured rapidly in April. Fields of oats, triticale, wheat and winter forage were green chopped for silage. While other fields of barley, oats, and wheat were cut, windrowed, and baled. Fields used for grain started dry down. Rice fields continued to be prepared for planting in the Firebaugh District.

    Alfalfa received a first cutting for the season and fields are growing well. Cotton planting continued around the County. Cotton fields planted early in the season had emerged and were growing well. Cotton planting acreage continued to climb as 100 % water allocation was received. The garbanzo bean crop showed some good growth.

    Grape vines started pushing new growth and vineyards continued to be disced, and had applications of copper, fungicides, and herbicides applied as needed. Raisins are being packed and shipped to Hong Kong, Chile, China, Dominican Republic, Israel, Malaysia, and Panama. Early varieties of stone fruit were nearing maturity but there were a few reports of minimal hail damage. Weather conditions resulted in a much lighter fruit set in apricots, nectarines, peaches, and plums; with the bright side being, reduced labor costs for thinning the fruit. Cherry growers reported isolated light hail damage and medium levels of cracking due to above average rainfall. Almonds were reported to have good fruit set and pistachios nuts were maturing. Walnuts were treated for Codling moth. Apricots, almonds, Asian pears, date palms, dry figs, nectarines, peaches, pecans, prunes, and walnuts were exported to Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. Nectarine, plum and peach bud wood was exported to Spain.

    A few rainstorms delayed some vegetable planting and fumigations around the County. Strawberries were harvested throughout April and were being offered at roadside stands. Blueberry harvest started and asparagus continued to be harvested. Tomatoes for processing and fresh market were still being planted; while earlier fields farther along were being cultivated, irrigated, and treated for pests or weeds if needed. Planting of peppers also continued. Garlic and onion fields were irrigated, treated for disease and weeds as needed; organic fields where hand weeded. Cantaloupe, honeydew, mixed melons, and watermelon fields had germinated, with more acreage still waiting to be planted. The price for head lettuce and cole crops set records due to supply and harvest continued throughout the month. Carrots where harvested and replanted for the next crop. Sweet corn showed good growth and cultivated for weeds. Peppers and lettuce seed was exported to Australia when asparagus was exported to Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, and New Zealand.

    By the end of the month all citrus districts had declared petal fall. Citrus harvesting continued and orchards that had been harvested were treated with post-emergent herbicides; foliar fungicides, nutrient applications and Gibberellin sprays started as well. Grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, Navel oranges, tangelos, and Valencia oranges were exported to Chile, El Salvador, French Polynesia, France, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Philippines, and Republic of Korea.

    The few storms in April kept the eastern rangeland green, with lots of feed for grazing cattle and sheep. The western costal mountain started to dry and brown. Cattle and sheep were also sent to retired farmland areas to graze. Citrus/ Bee Protection area restrictions were lifted in all districts after petal fall was declared. Bee hives continued to be removed from some orchards and shipped back to other states. Some hives were placed in cane berry and blueberry fields, along with pomegranate orchards to take advantage of the bloom.

  • Practical Grape Growing Seminar in Paso Robles, May 17

    MAY EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR

    May 17, 2017
    1:00 – 4:00

    “Practical Grape Growing” is a seminar series offered by IGGPRA in 2017 that provides attendees with practical tips and industry knowledge from local experts. All grape growers are invited and encouraged to attend. Registration is free for IGGPRA members and costs $20 per seminar for non-members.

    Held at the La Quinta Inn in Paso Robles from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., this seminar will cover the following topics:

    • Labor Contractor Liability

    Speaker: Philipda Modrakee, Wage and Hour Investigator, US Dept of Labor

    • Ag Order 3.0

    Speaker: Chris Rose, Director, Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program, Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB)

    • Bloom Time Tissue Analysis for Vineyard Fertility Management

    Speaker: Carter Pierce, General Manager, JM Lord, Inc

    • Issues and Options for Vertebrate Pest Control

    Speaker: Dale Everson, Farm Supply

    IGGPRA serves its members by providing farming resources, continued education, hands-on training seminars and networking opportunities.

    RSVP here or call (805) 591-4204

  • UCTV launches new portal to sustainability for California

    La Jolla, Calif., (May 9, 2017) – The University of California today launches Sustainable California, a new media-rich web portal to share its efforts to sustain the world’s sixth largest economy, a site of unequal natural resources and provider of more than half the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables. The portal is hosted by University of California Television (UCTV).

    Principal project partners are UC Water, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, the Sierra Nevada Research Institute and UC Merced School of Engineering, among others.

    “California has a tremendous diversity of plants, animals, ecosystems and people,” said Glenda Humiston, vice president of UC ANR. “The state also plays an important role in feeding the nation and the world. We are now facing climate change, increasing conversion of agricultural land to urban uses, introductions of invasive diseases and pests, and other threats. UC ANR will share its science-based solutions for California sustainability on this new outlet.”

    Sustainable California will broadcast stories of sustainability research and outreach conducted by University of California faculty, scientists and student.

    “This is what UCTV is about, connecting Californians to the real-world, inestimable values that the UC provides all of California,” said UCTV Director Lynn Burnstan. “We are very excited to be able to join these partners and give the public direct access to what they are doing for all our benefit.”

    As well as a video introduction to the portal, the launch features three fresh videos, spanning natural resources and agriculture. Water in the Balance, from UCWater, is a five-minute journey from Sierra Nevada snowpack through the state’s system of dams and reservoirs to groundwater storage. The first in a series of six episodes, Introduction to Conservation Agriculture Cropping Systems, from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, features California farmers and UC scientists working together to develop sustainable farming practices. Taking technology to the mountains, Sierra-Net highlights the development of innovative cyber-infrastructure to provide real-time monitoring of the state’s water resources and forest health. Produced by the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of natural resources management and innovation.

    The channel’s content is appropriate for audiences of all ages and freely accessible to the public online at uctv.tv/sustainable-cal. The integrated video, article and curriculum format of the channel, in addition to its focus on biodiversity, natural resources and low-impact living, provides users both a look at and connection to practical solutions and approaches the UC is developing, making it a valuable resource for professional practitioners, educators, and media outlets.

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (May 9, 2017) – A broad ridging pattern over the western United States brought dry and hot weather to the State during the first two thirds of the week. Then a pattern shift over the weekend brought cooler temperatures and precipitation to parts of the State.

    A few isolated showers were limited to the Los Angeles basin and the far northern mountains near Mt. Shasta with low amounts of precipitation. Saturday saw more widespread rains in a band from the Los Angeles basin northward through the southern valley into the central and northern Sierras. The heaviest precipitation on Saturday exceeded one inch and fell in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe, with most other areas north and south along the band limited to a quarter inch of precipitation. On Sunday, light scattered precipitation fell on the central/southern Sierras, southern valley, and southward to the San Diego area. Warm temperatures resulted in substantial snowmelt in the mountains during the week, with only about six inches of snow cover remaining at the 6,500 foot elevation level in the southern Sierras. Upwards of four feet still exist over 6,500 feet in the central Sierras, with over eight feet in the northern mountains over 5,500 feet.

    Temperature highs were in the 60s to 80s in the mountains, 70s to 80s along the coast, 80s to 90s in the valley, and 80s to 100s in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 30s to 50s in the mountains, 50s to 60s in the valley and along the coast, and 50s to 70s in the desert.

    Winter wheat was chopped for silage. Alfalfa fields were making excellent progress; some were being cut and baled with the drier weather. Dryland oats were being windrowed and baled. Some irrigated oats were being cut and dried. Corn continued to be planted, and earlier planted fields were growing well. Warm and sunny weather allowed resumption of field work and planting throughout most of the state.

    The cherry harvest started. Some early apricots were harvested. The late navel orange harvest was nearly completed. The accelerated harvest of Valencia oranges continued. Grapefruit were harvested. Seedless tangerines were netted to prevent cross pollination by bees during the bloom. Olive trees were blooming.

    Walnut, almond, and pistachio orchards were irrigated and fertilized. Some orchard floors were sprayed with herbicides and fungicides were applied as needed. Some reports that the almond nut set was good.

    In San Joaquin County, asparagus was harvested and packed. Processing tomatoes and sweet corn were planted. Farmer’s Market vegetables were harvested and offered for sale. In Monterey County, the quick start to the overdue season has slowed with volumes and prices evening out. Production was in full swing with most commodities going to harvest and in replant for the next round. In Fresno County, processing tomatoes were at various stages from planting to having fruit. The fields which had established good stands were receiving irrigation and fertilizer. Peppers were planted. Herbicide and fertilizer were applied to onion for seed. In Tulare County, early planted summer vegetables continued to grow. New fields were prepared for planting of additional summer vegetables. Cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, and melons were planted. Early planted summer squash was harvested. In Imperial County, sweet corn, onions, melons, and watermelons were harvested.

    Foothill rangeland and valley dryland pasture forage quality was in fair to excellent condition. The amount of supplemental feeding of livestock continued to decline response to the favorable range conditions. Sheep grazed on retired pasture and dormant alfalfa. Bees continued to be moved out of state as and some were staged near unplanted melon and vegetable fields.

  • Volunteers Invited to help out with Ag Day on May 12

    Tulare, Calif., (May 9, 2017) – The 5th Annual AgVentures! Day is on Friday, May 12th and once again we will be hosting 4th grade students from Tulare and Visalia city schools. The students will have an opportunity to visit people in the ag profession and students providing demonstrations to them focused on agriculture from various ag industries. We have some new and exciting changes this year that we will discuss with you at the volunteer orientation meeting scheduled for Friday, May 12th at 8:00 a.m.

    Volunteer Orientation: We will be hosting a brief volunteer orientation at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 12th inside the Hilver’s Building. We will have volunteer code of conduct forms to complete as well as your t-shirts will be available for you to pick up unless you make arrangements to pick your t-shirt up from me on Thursday after 2:00 p.m. I will send an email to all volunteers next week with the code of conduct and volunteer orientation information if you would like to print it out and bring it with you for your convenience.

    We will provide breakfast snacks and lunch for volunteers and presenters inside Hilver’s Building for you the during AgVentures! Day.

    Set- Up: If you need to set up an area you may set-up on Thursday, May 11th  from 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. I will be available on the grounds at the International Agri-Center throughout the day if you need to contact me please call my cell phone at 358-0170 for immediate assistance on Thursday or Friday during AgVentures! Day.

    T-Shirts: We will be providing t-shirts for all AgVentures! Day volunteers.

    Volunteers: If you know anyone that would like to volunteer please have them contact me to invite them to AgVentures! Day as we can always use additional help during this wonderful, ag education event.

    If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

    Thank you!

    Kerissa Chapman

    Ag Education Manager

    559-688-1030

    International Agri-Center

    4500 South Laspina Street

    Tulare, CA 93274

  • Update on GMO survey of organic products – several detections in animal feed

    Sacramento, Calif., (May 8, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture works to maintain organic integrity in California by enforcing regulations of the The National Organic Program (NOP). Last year, at the request of the organic industry, CDFA embarked on a pilot project to determine if genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were present in organic products. So far, the pilot project has involved 23 blind laboratory tests of various seeded commodities for the presence of GMO material. Testing will continue into next year.

    At a meeting today of the California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC), CDFA staff provided a progress report on the pilot project. Seven of the 23 samples sent to laboratories contained some level of GMOs in animal feed products – alfalfa, soy, corn and cottonseed. Two animal feed samples were 100 percent GMO.

    NOP regulations prohibit the use of GMOs in organic production and handling. However, NOP regulations also state, “If all aspects of the organic production or handling process were followed correctly, then the presence of a detectable residue from a genetically modified organism alone does not constitute a violation of this regulation.”

    Going forward, CDFA will utilize a sampling process that is no longer blind. In a motion at today’s meeting, COPAC voted in favor of this step and reaffirmed its commitment to identifying and removing GMOs from the organic system. Any further positive GMO test results of certified organic products will result in notification to certifying agents for further investigation and appropriate action. Organic certifiers will be responsible for working with organic producers to identify the source of the GMOs and to implement improvements to avoid contact with GMOs in the future. CDFA will work in collaboration with certifiers and COPAC on identifying steps for future surveillance and enforcement actions to preserve the integrity of organic products.

    CDFA has sent a letter to the organic industry to bring it up to date on the project.

  • California and Israel to Co-Host Forum on Water and Agriculture Policy – May 25th in Sacramento

    Sacramento, Calif., (May 8, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will co-host a joint forum on shared issues related to water and agriculture. The forum will bring together Israeli and Californian government officials and researchers to address water/agriculture related issues while also exploring opportunities for future innovation.

    The forum will be held on May 25, 2017 in Sacramento, registration and agenda are available here.

    “Many of the water and agricultural challenges faced by Israel are similar to those of California.” said Secretary Ross. “Israel’s embrace of technological innovation and climate smart technology has helped them go from a country facing severe water shortages to now having a water surplus. This panel of experts creates a space for us to share best practices and further collaborate on creating effective and sustainable water policy that will be beneficial for California.”

    Notable speakers include: The Honorable Uri Ariel, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Israel; CDFA Secretary Karen Ross; Ms. Felicia Marcus, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, Ms. Tami Shor, The Israel Water Authority; Karla Nemeth, California Natural Resources Agency; Dr. Jay Lund, University of California’s Center for Watershed Sciences; Mr. Itzik Ben-David, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; and Consul Gili Ovadia, Israeli Economic Trade Mission to the West Coast.

    This forum comes nearly one year after CDFA Secretary Karen Ross led a California delegation to Israel on a California Climate-Smart Agriculture Policy Mission. The goal of the visit was to learn more about Israeli’s successful implementation of climate start strategies related to specialty crops in addressing drought and salinity issues.

     

  • 2016 California Wine Sales in U.S. Hit New Record: 238 Million Cases with Retail Value of $34.1 Billion

    San Francisco, Calif., (May 8, 2017) – California wine shipments to the U.S. reached an estimated retail value of $34.1 billion in 2016, up 4.6%. The state shipped an all-time high of 238 million cases to the U.S. in 2016, up 2% from the previous year.

    California wine sales to all markets, including shipments to the U.S. and exports, also set a record of 285 million cases in 2016.

    “Consumers worldwide recognize the high quality of California wines from diverse regions across the state,” said Robert P. (Bobby) Koch, Wine Institute President and CEO. “As consumers in the U.S. and around the world continue to trade up to premium wines, California is ideally positioned.”

    “California wines in the U.S. market have increased from 191 million cases shipped in 2006 to 238 million cases in 2016,” said Jon Moramarco, founder and managing partner of BW166, who purchased The Gomberg-Fredrikson Report with partners last year. “The growth trend has been driven by population, which is up more than 12% over the last decade, and by the fact that baby boomers, traditionally the large population segment of frequent wine consumers, have been joined by millennials aged 21-38 who are also driving the growth in wine consumption,” Moramarco explained.

    “The estimated retail value for wine was calculated with an updated methodology that uses a wide variety of government, private, and other statistical data that have not historically been available, such as the direct-to-consumer sales report and Dept. of Commerce data,” Moramarco continued. “Consumer expenditures had been growing at a 6.1% annual rate as opposed to the historical estimates of 5.5% previously published, so the retail value was reset for more recent years. The new data sources provided a more comprehensive methodology for calculating consumer expenditures.”

    2016 Stats at a Glance:

    • Estimated retail value of 2016 California wine sales in the U.S. was $34.1 billion
    • The state shipped an all-time high of 238 million cases to the U.S. in 2016
    • Total California wine sales to the U.S. and exports was a record 285 million cases
    • The U.S. has been the world’s largest wine market since 2010

    Moramarco pointed out several trends in the U.S. marketplace. Both major retailers and distributors continue to consolidate, creating fierce competition and crowded sales channels. Consequently, many wineries are targeting niche sales channels, such as tasting rooms and direct-to-consumer sales, which have now reached more than 4% of the total volume. Another trend is that California wines selling for $10 and above are showing growth, accounting for 19% of the volume and 40% of the value in U.S. food stores. Wines under $10 are flat or down, but still holding 81% share of the shipment volume and 60% of the revenues.

    Americans’ access to wine continues to expand with over 550,000 locations that sell wine, according to Nielsen, a global provider of information and insights into consumer preferences and purchases. The number of on- and off-premise locations is about 120,000 more than a decade ago.

    Consumers are finding more in store restaurants and bars and also wine service in less traditional locations such as bookstores, nail salons, coffee shops and movie theaters, even car wash and car repair shops, said Danny Brager, Senior Vice President of Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice Area. Wine is a growing category, and it is being offered in new and different venues, as well as interesting, alternative packaging vehicles, such as cans, single-serve containers, premium boxes and wines on tap.
    According to Nielsen measured U.S. food store volume, Chardonnay remains the largest varietal of all wine types accounting for 20% share of the cases, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), Red Blends including Sweet Reds (12%), Pinot Grigio/Gris (9%), Merlot (7%), Pinot Noir (6%), White Zinfandel/Blush (6%), Moscato/Muscat (5%) and Sauvignon Blanc (5%). The largest gains for whites came from Sauvignon Blanc with Pinot Grigio following well behind. Red wine growth was driven by Red Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. From a smaller base of 1% share, Ros退 is on fire with a 35% volume gain, but more than 60% on dollars.

    Total shipments of sparkling wine and champagne to the U.S. reached 25.6 million cases in 2016. Up 14% from the previous year, the category is showing very strong growth with Prosecco a key growth driver. Sparkling wines/champagne accounted for a 6% share of the U.S. wine market.

    The U.S. Wine Market – Wine shipments to the U.S. from all production sources — California, other states and foreign producers — grew to 399 million cases, up 3% from 2015, with an estimated retail value of nearly $60 billion. The U.S. has remained the world’s largest wine market by volume since 2010. California’s 238 million cases shipped within the U.S. in 2016 represent a 60% share of the U.S. wine market.

    U.S. wine exports, 90 percent from California, reached a record $1.62 billion in winery revenues in 2016. Volume shipments were 461 million liters or 51.2 million cases. The European Union’s 28-member countries were the top market for U.S. wine exports, accounting for $685 million; followed by Canada, $431 million; Hong Kong, $99 million; Japan, $87 million; China, $82 million; Mexico, $24 million; South Korea, $23 million; Switzerland, $19 million; Singapore, $14 million; and Philippines, $13 million.

     

  • Tulare County Reports on Current Crop Status

    Visalia, Calif., (May 5, 2017) – 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 wheat is being cut for silage. Alfalfa fields are making excellent progress; some are being cut and baled with the coming of drier weather. Dryland oats are being windrowed and baled. Some irrigated oats are being cut and dried. Corn continues being planted, and earlier planted fields are growing well.

    Early stone fruit varieties are being harvested. The domestic market for stone fruit is strong. Some orchard floors are being lined with reflective plastic to improve color prior to harvest. Late varieties of stone fruit are being thinned. Cherries are being packed and shipped domestically, with some being sold at roadside stands. Walnuts are being exported to Thailand and the European Union. Both mechanical and chemical weed control continues in orchards. Grapevines continue to have leaves removed to allow for improved air circulation around the developing bunches. New orchards and vineyards are being planted and irrigated.

    The late navel harvest is nearing its end. Navels continue to experience rind issues. Late navel oranges are still being picked and shipped domestically; with some fruit exports to China, Japan, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Valencia orange harvest continues at an accelerated pace. Valencia oranges are being exported to Ecuador, Guatemala, Japan, and Korea. New citrus trees are being planted. Mature orange groves are being hedge-rowed and skirted. Seedless tangerines are still netted to prevent cross pollination by bees during the bloom. Olive bloom is finishing.

    Early planted summer vegetables continue to grow. New fields are being prepared for planting of additional summer vegetables. Cucumbers, Zucchini squash, eggplant, and melons are being planted. Early planted Summer squash is being harvested. Blueberries are being harvested, with exports to Taiwan. Strawberries are being harvested and sold at roadside stands.

    Range and pasture conditions at the lower elevations are drying and good to fair. The fed cattle market has good prices at $153.00 per hundred-weight.

    Wholesale nurseries are shipping large amounts of stock to both local and out-of-state retail outlets. Shipments are increasing as the demand for Mother’s Day flower and foliage plants increases. Rose plant shipments are slowing domestically. Mature olive trees are being dug from groves and sold for use in landscaping.