California Ag Network

Category: News

  • Economic Analysis Reveals Significant Impacts of Pesticide Policies on California Lettuce Production

    Today, Californians for Smart Pesticide Policy (CSPP) released a comprehensive economic analysis highlighting possible implications of elements of California’s proposed Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) framework that would result in impacts on the state’s lettuce production industry. The study, conducted by economists Jarrett Hart, Duncan MacEwan, Jay Noel, and Amrith Gunasekara, underscores the critical need for effective and timely pest management solutions to safeguard the state’s agricultural productivity.

    The economic impact of pesticide restrictions is profound, with projections indicating a 7.3 percent decrease in California’s lettuce production due to restrictions on key pesticides such as neonicotinoids and pyrethroids. This would result in an annual loss of $160.3 million to producers and an additional cost of $694.28 million to consumers. Additionally, the shift in production from California to other regions like Arizona and Mexico would increase production costs and consumer prices, further straining the state’s agricultural economy.

    The consequences of delays in pesticide registration are equally concerning. The study reveals that California’s stringent and lengthy registration process leads to a reduction in lettuce production, with producers losing $42.8 million and costing consumers $139.3 million annually. The state’s process, which can extend 1-3 years following federal approvals, hinders innovation and delays the availability of new, effective pest management products to California growers.

    Market shifts and regulatory leakage are anticipated as a result of these proposed policies. The economic analysis predicts a modest short-run decrease in lettuce prices and a production shift from California to Arizona and Mexico. In the long run, more stringent pesticide policies would drive a significant portion of lettuce production out of California, resulting in increased prices throughout the supply chain, including for consumers.

    The implications of the proposed SPM framework are significant. While the SPM framework aims to phase out harmful pesticides, without viable alternatives, this policy could undermine California’s agricultural sector.

    CSPP is dedicated to balanced pesticide policies that protect California’s agriculture and economy while ensuring environmental sustainability and public health. We strive to promote informed decision-making through comprehensive research and economic analysis. For more information on this study and CSPP’s initiatives, please visit our website at https://ca4pestpolicy.org/.

  • Opportunities for California Tree Nuts, Dairy & Beef in Upcoming Trade Mission to Morocco

    U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor will lead an agribusiness trade mission to Casablanca, Morocco, Dec. 2-5, 2024. Current and potential U.S. exporters interested in participating should apply for consideration by Aug. 28.

    “This mission presents a pivotal opportunity for U.S. agribusinesses to tap into Morocco’s dynamic market and leverage its strategic position for wider African access,” Taylor said. “We are committed to facilitating these vital connections and expanding U.S. agricultural exports.”

    Morocco is the second-largest export market for U.S. agriculture in Africa. U.S. sales of farm and food products to the country topped $619 million last year, representing 16 percent of the continent’s market share. American agricultural exports to Morocco have doubled since the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement entered into force in 2006.

    Morocco offers a stable market and growing economy and serves as a key distribution hub for the African continent. The country is already a major importer of bulk and intermediate commodities from the United States and its expanding food processing sector and rising consumer demand are creating new potential for sales of consumer-oriented products.

    U.S. exporters have opportunities in numerous sectors, including beef and beef products, dairy products, feed grains, live animals and genetics, rice, seafood, seed potatoes, soybeans and tree nuts.

    During the trade mission, representatives from U.S. companies will participate in business-to-business meetings with potential importers from Morocco, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and other West African nations. Participants will also receive in-depth market briefings USDA Foreign Agricultural Service staff and other regional trade experts.

    To learn more about the trade mission and to apply to participate, please visit: https://fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions/morocco-december-2024.

  • Chefs Awarded Top Prizes For Innovative Use Of Real California Cheeses

    Following a live bake-off competition where eight professional chefs from across the United States were judged on their innovative pizzas highlighting California cow’s milk cheeses, the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) crowned three new pizza champions in the 2024 Real California Pizza Contest, the premier national search for the best pizza recipes that feature Real California Cheeses.

    Eddie Stalewski took home the $7,500 (protein category) prize for his Rose Bowl pizza.

    In the protein-focused category, Eddie Stalewski, chef of Mercurio’s in Pittsburgh, Pa., grabbed the contest’s $7,500 prize for his Rose Bowl pizza.

    The Rose Bowl pizza kicks off with crunchy, cheesy Frico edges on a thin, tavern-style cornmeal crust. It’s topped with mild Giardiniera vegetables, handmade Calabrian sausage, and pepperoni roses. The cheeses include Real California Fresh Mozzarella, Provolone, White Cheddar and Dry Jack. The pizza is finished with a sprinkle of pickled Juanita peppers and a basil pesto drizzle.

    In the produce-focused category, Michael Vakneen, partner at Truly Pizza in Dana Point, Calif., earned a $7,500 prize for his Umami Mushroom pizza.

    The Umami Mushroom pizza is a deeply flavored creation with Real California Smoked Mozzarella, Stracchino, and TomaRashi cheeses combined with marinated roasted mushrooms – all topped with a creamy onion and garlic sauce. Touches of toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, chopped green onion and bonito flakes complete the taste profile.

    Michael Vakneen was awarded the $7,500 (produce category) prize for his Umami Mushroom pizza.

    In a special team three-cheese pizza bake off, Vakneen and Jay Falk, chef at Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh, Pa., joined up to win the top prize. The pair shared the contest’s $7,500 prize.

    The five other professional chef competitors each received $750 for reaching the bake-off competition finals.

    “Chefs thrive on innovation and we saw that with our winning chefs and recipes this year. We were pleased to see the variety of Real California cheese and dairy products they tapped into for inspiration,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “All the recipes at the bake-off gave the finalists an opportunity to show the judges how products made with milk from California dairy families improve the quality and flavor profile of any pizza.”

    The 6th Real California Pizza Contest, held at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, Calif., was open to professional chefs and culinary students across the United States. The 2024 contest again produced a record number of entries leading to a competitive finalist selection and exciting live event for participants.

    The competition was judged by a renowned panel of judges including 13-time World Pizza Champion and owner of 22 culinary concepts, Tony Gemignani; certified pizzaiolo and award-winning executive chef Glenn Cybulski; and professional chef and 2023 Real California Pizza Contest Grand Prize Winner Bill Crawford. Judges based scores on a range of factors including taste, texture and the inventive use of cheeses made with Real California Milk.

    “California’s position as the country’s number one producer of milk and Mozzarella is a testament to the hard work of the state’s dairy farm families and processors,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “Whether in pizza or any other menu item, chefs know they can depend on the quality, sustainability and flavor of more than 250 cheeses being made in California.”

    The 2024 Real California Pizza Contest finalists and winners:

    Protein

    • CATEGORY WINNER: Eddie Stalewski, Mecurio’s, Pittsburgh, Pa.
    • Jose Valverde, Zorba’s Pizza, Millbrae, Calif.
    • Leith Leiser-Miller, Psychic Pie, Sebastopol, Calif.
    • Jay Falk, Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh, Pa.

    Produce

    • CATEGORY WINNER: Michael Vakneen, Truly Pizza, Dana Point, Calif.
    • Doug Dellaccio, Wayfarer Bread, La Jolla, Calif.
    • Constantino Anezinos, Zorba’s Pizza, Millbrae, Calif.
    • Ray Cullison, Charlie’s Pizzeria, Kingman, Ariz.

    Three Cheese Team

    • WINNERS: Jay Falk, Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh, Pa. and Michael Vakneen, Truly Pizza, Dana Point, Calif.

    Details on the bake-off event, chef finalists and the CMAB are available on the Real California Pizza Contest website. An online recipe book with all 8 finalist pizzas and the team three-cheese pizza, as well as exclusive videos from the contest, will be released online in September.

    California is a reliable, consistent source of sustainable dairy products used by chefs throughout the world. As the nation’s largest dairy state, California boasts an impressive lineup of award-winning cheesemakers and dairy processors, that help drive dining innovation nationwide.

    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 milk from California’s 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 orRealCaliforniaMilk.com/Foodservice, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

  • Back To School Season Kicks Off With Retail Campaign Focused On Mornings With California Dairy

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has announced a consumer promotion focused on the breakfast occasion this season. Whether families with children headed back to school or those who are looking to simply reset and settle back into a routine after a busy summer, quick and easy recipes made with wholesome Real California Milk dairy products can make mornings mean more for everyone.

    Mornings Mean More communicates messages of re-establishing morning routines while offering delicious and nutritious breakfast solutions for busy mornings. The recipes highlighted in the campaign can all be made in 20 minutes or less, including Magical Cereal Milk Latte with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream, Chocolate Shell Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats, One Pan Skillet Breakfast Sandwich, Black and Blueberry Ricotta Grilled Toast and more.

    The promotion, which runs August 5 through September 8, will be geotargeted around 1,170 California retail locations including Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill, Bristol Farms, Cardenas Markets, Safeway, Smart & Final and Stater Bros. Markets. It will be supported with in-store media and shopper marketing activations. Integrated digital media will include banner ads and in-line recipe pairings throughout Chicory’s recipe network, Instacart promotions, targeted email blasts, influencer activations, sponsored social media posts, and targeted display banner ads.

    “Breakfast is essential to starting the day right and dairy is an essential part of breakfast. Our Mornings Mean More campaign and featured breakfast recipes were curated to showcase a range of California dairy products while inspiring both families and individuals to create quick and nutritious meals to start their days,” said Katelyn Harmon, Director of Business Development, U.S. Retail for the CMAB. “High quality, sustainably produced California dairy products are perfect additions to make breakfast that much more special.”

    California is the nation’s leading milk producer and makes more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. California is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made with milk from the state’s dairy farm families. California dairy farm families are proud leaders in sustainable farming practices.

    About Real California Milk/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’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter,Instagram and Pinterest.

  • U.S. Dairy Organizations Urge Gov’t to Preempt Colombian Trade Barriers

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) are asking the U.S. government to prepare a plan to “leverage all available tools” should Colombia move forward with imposing countervailing tariffs on U.S. milk-powder exports, making that request in a recent letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

    USDEC and NMPF also commended a complementary Congressional letter sent Friday to Colombian Ambassador to the United States Luis Gilberto Murillo in response to the investigation. Led by Reps. Jim Costa, D-CA, Adrian Smith, R-NE, Jimmy Panetta, D-CA and Dusty Johnson, R-SD, the letter highlights that the U.S. and Colombian dairy industries should be working collaboratively to promote policies that strengthen the dairy sector instead of launching “damaging protectionist investigations.”

    Colombia’s recent decision to initiate an unwarranted Subsidies and Countervailing Measures investigation into U.S. exports of milk powder is a tariff threat without merit, USDEC and NMPF say in the letter, noting that no causal link exists between U.S. milk powder exports and the injury alleged by Colombian officials. The letter also explains that imported milk powder products and domestically produced fluid milk are not interchangeable ingredients in a food manufacturing facility.

    “The U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement has been a success story for American and Colombian producers and consumers alike,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “Initiating unfounded investigations undermines this progress and is a step backward in our trade relationship. We appreciate the Ag Trade Caucus leaders for recognizing this investigation for what it is – baseless. USDEC commends the U.S. interagency team for their extensive work on the ongoing investigation and will continue to work closely with the U.S. government and Congress as the legal process moves forward.”

    “NMPF appreciates Representatives Costa, Smith, Panetta and Johnson for standing up for American dairy producers’ market access rights,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “We will continue working with the U.S. government to ensure this unsubstantiated investigation doesn’t set a dangerous precedent.”

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. For more, visit www.usdec.org.

  • Fresno State Expands Farm Credit Multicultural Scholars Program, Encouraging Careers in Ag

    After some 40 years, the Farm Credit Multicultural Scholars Program at California State University, Fresno, is continuing to grow and expand its mission. In fact, the program is now reaching even more students and urging them to consider earning a college degree and pursuing a career in agriculture.

    During the recently concluded school year, Fresno State completed the first year of an ambitious outreach program to visit Central Valley high schools to educate traditionally underrepresented students about the benefits of attending the university and pursuing a career in an agriculture-related field.

    “We made 33 presentations and 14 farm tours during the school year,” said Amy Suarez, a graduate student leading the outreach effort. “The 60 ambassadors gave presentations about Fresno State as well as our ag programs. And they answered questions from the students about campus life, what it’s like to live in the dorms and about our majors. It was also important to show that all students can be accepted at Fresno State and that we thrive on diversity.”

    The expanded high school program adds to a long list of nearly 80 outreach efforts held each year by the Jordan College of Agricultural Science and Technology. These include career fairs, community college presentations and workshops at the FFA Leadership Conference. During the year, the ambassadors reached 10,675 high school and community college students in the Central Valley and Central Coast. That’s up from around 6,000 in 2022-23 and just 620 in 2021-22, said Dr. Sharon Freeman, the program coordinator.

    “For example, we had three of our ambassadors spend all day at a high school in Salinas, where they presented to eight groups of students in the ag teacher’s classrooms,” Freeman said. “We’ve found that students are receptive to learn about our six departments and the teachers are very appreciative as well.”

    The student ambassador program has been strongly supported by Farm Credit since 2013, said Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO with Fresno Madera Farm Credit.

    “During the past 11 years, Farm Credit has contributed over $765,000 to fund stipends each year for five ambassadors who serve as leaders of the program,” Hesterberg said. “Diversity has been part of Central Valley agriculture from the beginning as people from around the world migrated here to become farmers. That diversity is more important now than ever as we work to ensure that California agriculture reflects California’s rich diversity.”

    Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit, said he was extremely pleased to see the expanded outreach to high school students.

    “Our sponsorship has allowed the major expansion of the program to high school students while the program continues its outreach efforts to older students as well,” Ralph said. “It’s also a plus that this year the sponsorship is helping to reimburse the scholars for some of their travel expenses. Since the presentations take place from Modesto to Tulare, those stipends can really help these college students.”

    Farm Credit organizations supporting the program are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Freeman meets weekly with the ambassador leaders to go through the list of what’s coming up next and making sure enough people are in place for all of them, and Suarez keeps in touch throughout the week as well to orchestrate all the moving parts. Ambassadors can sign up for any activity that fits their schedules and student participation has been amazing.

    “I couldn’t be more proud of the effort and energy going into this outreach effort,” she said.

    Besides promoting careers in agriculture, the ambassadors also get a lot out of the program, Freeman said. They improve their communication, teamwork and time management skills, which improves their prospects for future employability.

    Suarez is a good example of that.

    “Being a part of the ambassadors has really helped me grow professionally,” Suarez said. “Managing the program has helped build my time management and management skills and I can see how it will help me pursue a career in the future. And just being able to develop relationships with other ambassadors has been a tremendous opportunity.”

    Suarez has an ag background and participated in 4H and FFA growing up. In high school, she raised and sold Boer goats to students to show at county fairs. She joined the ambassador program as a sophomore and became one of the agricultural scholars after entering grad school. She expects to begin student teaching this fall and to become a full-fledged ag teacher by May 2025 – and looks forward to continuing her outreach to students.

    “It’s very important to have ag teachers,” Suarez said. “They can spark students’ passion to be part of the industry, help them become more aware of what is going on in ag and how food ends up on their tables.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Multicultural Ambassadors Program:

    The Multicultural Ambassadors program is made up of agricultural students attending California State University, Fresno. Their mission is to conduct recruitment activities to encourage underrepresented students to further their education, consider agricultural careers, and to learn about the opportunities available at the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. Recruitment activities include career fairs, high school presentations, farm tours, and leadership conferences. Through participation in these recruitment activities, the Multicultural Ambassadors develop soft skills, leadership, and career-readiness practices that prepare them for leadership positions in the agricultural industry.

  • California FFA Foundation Announces Grace Miller as Development Officer

    The California FFA Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of Grace Miller to the California FFA team. Grace will serve as the foundation’s development officer.

    Miller is a recent graduate of California State University, Fresno (CSU Fresno), where she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education with an agricultural communication option. While attending CSU Fresno, Miller gained development experience working as a student assistant for Ag One Foundation, a nonprofit benefitting, promoting, and supporting the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

    In this new role, Miller will support all facets of the foundation’s fund development efforts and work closely with key stakeholders, sponsors, and the FFA Foundation Board of Directors to further the impact made on California FFA members.

    “We are thrilled to have Grace join our development team at the California FFA Foundation,” said Matt Patton, executive director at California Association, FFA. “Given Grace’s FFA background coupled with her invaluable experience working at the Ag One Foundation, she will be a terrific asset to continue supporting over 104,000 California FFA members.”

    A native of Arcata, Calif., and FFA alumna, Miller also has extensive experience in the livestock industry, most recently serving as the livestock superintendent for the Humboldt County Fairgrounds. Her upbringing and past experiences provide her with a deep understanding of the California FFA Foundation’s mission and make her poised to fulfill the responsibilities of her new role.

    About the California FFA Foundation
    California FFA Foundation serves more than 104,000 California students and strives to make a difference in their lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the California FFA, visit calaged.org.

  • New Fire Insurance Protection-Smoke Index (FIP-SI) Crop Insurance Endorsement for California Grape Growers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released additional details on a new crop insurance endorsement to better protect California wine grape growers from the devastating impacts of wildfire smoke. The Fire Insurance Protection-Smoke Index (FIP-SI) endorsement, developed by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) in collaboration with industry stakeholders, including the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), is set to be available as a pilot program for the 2025 crop year.

    FIP-SI will be available to grape growers in all California counties, with the deadline to sign up for coverage being January 31, 2025.

    The endorsement is designed to provide grape growers with an additional layer of financial protection in the event of significant smoke exposure. This area-wide policy triggers a loss when a minimum number of cumulative Smoke Events occur during the insurance period, as defined in the policy using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Hazard Mapping System Smoke Product.

    “The 2020 wildfires sent shockwaves through the wine industry, with losses from smoke-exposed fruit felt throughout the state. Since that devastating year, we’ve been working diligently to find solutions to better safeguard California’s winegrape growers from the impacts of wildfire smoke,” said Natalie Collins, CAWG President. “The introduction of this targeted risk management tool for smoke marks a significant step forward in protecting the livelihoods of our growers and the future of the wine industry as we continue to face the challenges posed by increased wildfire activity.”

    Collins continued, “CAWG extends its gratitude to RMA’s Product Development Team for their extensive work in crafting and introducing this critical crop insurance endorsement. We also commend U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Congressman Mike Thompson for their advocacy in calling for action through crop insurance to better protect the CA wine industry.”

    CAWG will host an educational webinar on Thursday, November 14 at 10:00am, where Relation Insurance Services will present in-depth information on the new FIP-SI endorsement. The webinar will discuss how FIP- SI interacts with growers’ existing policies, and answer any questions from growers.

    Resources:

    About the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG)

    CAWG is a statewide nonprofit trade association advocating for California’s winegrape growers to ensure the sustainability of the winegrape industry. CAWG promotes the industry’s long-term success by advancing the adoption of sound public policies and fostering awareness and understanding of winegrape growers’ contributions to the economy, environment, and California communities. Learn more at cawg.org.

  • California Dairy Producers Prepare to Vote on Milk Price Adjustment QIP

    The debate over the California dairy industry’s Quota Implementation Plan (QIP) continues; but this time it’s not about whether to keep or sunset the program. Dairy producers will soon have the opportunity to vote in a referendum on some adjustments to the program that will affect all producers. Watch this brief interview with Paul Sousa from Western United Dairies as he explains to Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network, and read more about it in California Dairy Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Southern California Gas Company for their industry support.

  • Smaller Pistachio Crop This Year – Can Growers Expect Higher Prices?

    American Pistachio Growers held their first ever Pistachio Industry Insights Day, expanding upon their annual Summer Luncheon from years past. During this well-attended event in Visalia, CA, Jim Zion from Meridian Growers met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to discuss the current state of the pistachio market. As pistachios are in their “off-year” and with weaker chill hours over the winter, growers are expecting a much smaller crop than last season. The big question that’s on everyone’s mind is whether this will translate to a higher pistachio price and where the market is heading. Watch this brief interview with Jim and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Special Thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.