[wpdevart_youtube]R0YNI_0Kx0Y[/wpdevart_youtube]
At the Annual Garlic & Onion Research Symposium, Mary Ruth McDonald shared some great results from her field trials in controlling Stem & Bulb Nematode, a significant pest of garlic, with some promising pesticides, one of which may also control white rot. Watch this video and read more in the May issue of Vegetables West Magazine.
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.
Davis, Calif., (April 14, 2017) – UC Agricultural Issues Center has released an updated study on
the costs and returns of producing transplanted processing tomatoes under subsurface drip irrigation in the Sacramento Valley and northern Delta region.
The analysis is based upon a hypothetical well-managed farming operation using practices common to the region. The costs, materials and practices shown in this study will not apply to all farms. Growers, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisors and other agricultural associates provided input and reviewed the methods and findings of the study.
The hypothetical 3,500-acre farm, focuses on production costs for growing transplanted processing tomatoes under subsurface drip irrigation on 60-inch beds in San Joaquin County and the lower Sacramento Valley.
The authors describe the assumptions used to identify current costs for production, material inputs, cash and non-cash overhead. Ranging analysis tables show profits over a range of prices and yields. Other tables show the monthly cash costs, the costs and returns per acre, hourly equipment costs, and the whole farm annual equipment, investment and business overhead costs.
The new study, “Sample Costs to Produce Processing Tomatoes, Sub-Surface Drip Irrigated (SDI) in the Sacramento Valley & Northern Delta – 2017,” and sample cost-of-production studies for many other commodities are available for free. To download the cost studies, visit the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics website at http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu.
For additional information or an explanation of the calculations used in the studies, contact the Agricultural Issues Center’s Donald Stewart at (530) 752-4651 or destewart@ucdavis.edu, Brenna Aegerter, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for San Joaquin County at bjaegerter@ucanr.edu, or Gene Miyao, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties at emmiyao@ucanr.edu.
The cost and returns program is funded by the UC Agricultural Issues Center, which is part of UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Ventura County
UCCE Conference Room, 669 County Square Drive, Ventura.
Visalia, Calif., (April 7, 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 forage crops are maturing well. Oats are being cut, dried, and baled. Some alfalfa fields are being cut and baled. Corn seed is being received in advance of planting. Black-eyed beans were exported to Korea.
Grapevines are in third to sixth leaf stage. Fruit development is taking place in almonds and stone fruit. Thinning of immature fruit on stone fruit has started. Kiwi vines are leafing out. Almonds are being sent to Belgium, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom. Pistachios and walnut trees are blooming. Pistachios are being exported to Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and Vietnam. Both mechanical and chemical weed control continues in orchards. Old vineyards and orchards continue to be pushed out to make way for new plantings. New orchards are being planted.
The late navel harvest is continuing, and has several more weeks remaining. Navels continue to experience rind issues. Navel orange exports continue to Australia, China, Ecuador, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Valencia oranges continue to be harvested at a slow but accelerating pace. Valencia oranges are being exported to China and Japan. Star Ruby grapefruit are being picked, with most of the fruit being packed for the domestic market and export to Chile and China. Mandarins are being shipped to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Minneola tangelos are being exported to Japan. Orange groves are being hedge-rowed and skirted. Growers continue to net the seedless tangerines to prevent cross pollination by bees during the bloom. Some olive trees are blooming. Citrus bloom has been declared for Districts 1 and 2.
Many fields are being prepared for sowing or transplanting vegetables. Those already established have increased mechanical weed control. Cucumbers continue to grow under hot caps. The hot tunnels over squash have been removed. Blueberries are blooming. Strawberries fields are being harvested.
Sunny warm weather is allowing rangeland forage to grow rapidly. Recent rains will continue to benefit rangeland forage growth. Range and pasture conditions remain excellent. Fed cattle prices are up to $136.00 per hundredweight.
Potted roses are being shipped to Hawaii. Only a few bare root roses are being shipped now. Due to the warm weather there has been an increase in the shipment of wholesale nursery stock. Mature olive trees continue to be dug for landscaping purposes.
Fresno, Calif., (April 3, 2017) – The good news is that cotton acreage looks like it will increase for the 2nd year in a row. Record rainfall and snowpack, coupled with stable cotton prices and falling prices from other commodities are leading to an increase in cotton acreage. However, that increase is being tempered by a disappointing, less than expected water allotment from the Central Valley Project (CVP) of only 65%, and the potential flooding in the Tulare lake bottom in Kings County.
As of today, all indicators of water supply are above normal. Way above. Currently, the statewide snowpack is at 164% of average, while statewide rainfall is over 200% of average to date, with Blue Canyon in the northern Sierras at 245% and Mariposa in the central Sierras at 211% of average to date. Reservoirs are all higher than average with Shasta at 87%, Oroville at 74%, New Melones at 77%, Don Pedro at 88%, and most importantly San Luis is at 98%. Flood releases are occurring at many of these dams including Shasta, Oroville, Folsom, and Millerton. Yet, with all of these positive factors, farmers relying upon the CVP water are only going to receive 65% of their allotment. While industry is thankful for the water, it is inconceivable that the number isn’t closer to 80% or more. Unfortunately, this will have a direct impact on the cotton plantings for this coming year.
According to preliminary planting intentions survey conducted by the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association this past month, the Association is currently estimating approximately 186,000 acres of pima and 70,000 acres of upland statewide for the 2017 cotton season. This survey is based on surveys from all of the gins in California prior to planting and a lot can happen between now and when things are actually planted. If it plays out, it will represent a 22% increase in pima acreage and a 6% increase in upland acreage in California as compared to 2016.
San Luis Obispo, Calif., (March 30, 2017) – Cal Poly’s Packaging Program faculty will host freshPACKmoves, an educational seminar focused on fresh produce packaging, May 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey, Calif. The event will look specifically at e-commerce’s growing role in the fresh produce packaging industry as home-delivery services for consumers become increasingly popular.
freshPACKmoves will feature several industry speakers, including keynote presentations from the leaders of Blue Apron, UPS Customer Solutions and Imperfect Produce. It will also include expert panels and interactive discussions on packaging’s role in food waste, traceability and food safety, and consumer expectations in e-commerce and retail. On the final day, attendees will tour of farms in the Salinas area to survey the complete supply chain from grower, to packer, to shipper.
“In true Learn by Doing spirit, we want the attendees to have hands-on experiences and walk away with a competitive edge in their field,” said Cal Poly’s Packaging Program Director Jay Singh.
The seminar, now in its fourth year, is especially suited to professionals responsible for translating perishable quality initiatives into packaging, supply chain, logistics and food safety solutions for their companies. Content will be geared toward product development directors, regulators, industry suppliers, transportation directors and operations managers.
For more information and registration, visit http://www.freshpackmoves.com.
About Cal Poly’s Packaging Program: Cal Poly’s Packaging Program is part of the Orfalea College of Business. As the only program of its kind in a business school, it combines the full continuum of packaging design, development and testing with supply chain logistics and business strategy. The curriculum is rooted in applied research and the university’s Learn by Doing philosophy. Cal Poly’s Packaging Program serves leading companies in agriculture, retail, technology and manufacturing by providing top talent and valuable research.
Sacramento, Calif., (March 28, 2017) – The week oscillated between warm and wet to dry and cool two separate times last week, as early springtime Pacific systems moved through the State.
Rain totals were up to a quarter of an inch along the southern coast, increasing gradually to nearly two inches near San Francisco. The southern valley saw one-and-a-half inches, increasing northward to four inches near Napa. An inch was the norm along the southern Sierra foothills, increasing northward to three inches in northern foothills. The Sierras saw two to three inches of liquid-equivalent precipitation, with snow falling above 7,000 feet. A combination of warm temperatures and rain led to a substantial decrease in the snowpack except at the highest elevations in the northern Sierras. Lodgepole, at 6,700 feet in the southern Sierras, remains the thickest snowpack with a report of nearly six feet of snowdepth.
Temperature highs were in the 40s to 60s in the mountains, 60s to 70s in the valley and along the coast, and 70s to 90s in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 20s to 30s in the mountains, 30s to 50s in the valley, 40s to 50s along the coast, and 40s to the 60s in the desert.
Winter forage crops were maturing well. Some growers were starting to harvest silage. Spotty lodging was noted due to the heavy rain and wind. Corn seed was being received in advance of planting. Cotton preparation work was almost done for planting.
Field work in vineyards continued with pruning, tying, berm sanitation, and brush shredding. Bud break was progressing in vineyards. Cherries and late varieties of stone fruit continued to bloom. Reports of heavy rain and hail may have knocked off petals and affected the bloom. Kiwifruit were being shipped to foreign and domestic marketplaces. The citrus harvest was slowed due to the rain. Late navel orange harvest was underway in some areas. Navel oranges, Mandarins, lemons, Star Ruby grapefruit, and late harvest Finger limes were being packed and exported for foreign and domestic marketplaces. Valencia orange harvest started. Orange groves were being hedge-rowed and skirted. Seedless tangerine groves continued to be netted to prevent cross pollination by bees during the coming bloom. Blueberries were blooming. Strawberry fields continued to thrive. Previously planted onions continued to progress well.
Almond bloom continued to slow down. Almonds and pistachios continued to be packed and exported mainly to foreign marketplaces. Some walnut trees were blooming. Bee colonies continued to be moved into nut and stone fruit orchards for pollination.
In Fresno County, garlic and onions have solid growth, due to excess moisture. In Madera County, tomato bed preparation was ongoing and over half of the tomatoes have been planted. In Tulare County, new fields were being prepared for spring planting as weather permitted. Cucumbers were being planted under hot caps.
Rangeland and dryland pasture quality continued to improve with all the recent rainfall and intervening warm weather. Some cattle ranchers have increased their herd size to take advantage of the improved forage conditions.
Sacramento, Calif. (March 21, 2017) – It was a warm week across the State, as most of the area was well entrenched into a dry pattern. Fog developed across the northern central valley early in the week which helped supply a bit of moisture. Rainfall was limited to the northern third of the State late week. Rainfall amounts were very light along Interstate 80, gradually increasing to the north. The heaviest rains fell in the northern mountains, which received around a quarter inch of rain each day. Warm temperatures last week resulted in the first week of significant snowmelt in the mountains. Despite that, mountain snow packs continued to be heavy with Lodge pole still reporting over seven feet of snow depth.
Temperature highs were in the 30s to 70s in the mountains, 60s to 80s in the valley and along the coast, and 70s to 100 in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 10s to 40s in the mountains, 40s to 50s in the valley and along the coast, and 40s to the 60s in the desert.
Winter forage crops were maturing well. Some growers were starting to harvest silage. Alfalfa was making good growth as a result of the warmer weather. Drier and warmer weather were ideal for the grains.
Field work in vineyards continued with pruning, tying, berm sanitation, and brush shredding. Some bud break has been observed in vineyards. Cherries and late varieties of stone fruit continued to bloom. Kiwifruit were being packed and shipped to domestic and foreign markets. Some persimmons and pomegranates were leafing out. New orchards were being planted. The citrus harvest picked up with the improved weather. Late Navel orange harvest started in some areas. Navel oranges, Mandarins, Minneola tangelos, lemons, and late harvest Finger limes were being exported mostly to foreign markets. Star Ruby grapefruit harvest began, with most of the fruit being packed for the domestic market. Orange groves were being hedge-rowed and skirted. Growers were starting to net the seedless tangerines to prevent cross pollination by bees during the coming bloom. Pruning of olives continued.
Almond bloom was slowing down. Bee colonies continued to be moved into nut orchards for pollination. Almonds and pistachios were being exported. Some walnut orchards were blooming.
In Tulare County, squash was being planted in hot tunnels. New fields were being prepared for spring planting. Cucumbers were being planted under hot caps. Blueberries were blooming. Strawberry fields continued to thrive. Previously planted onions continued to progress well. In Monterey County, strawberry production was picking up and harvest crews were working. A few brassica fields were being harvested as well. Flood waters were receding.
Rangeland and dryland pasture quality continued to improve with all the recent rainfall. Condition was excellent due to continued rainfall and warmer weather. Some cattle ranchers have increased their herd size in order to take advantage of the improved forage conditions. Bees were active in almond and early stone fruit orchards.
Sacramento, Calif., (March 14, 2017) – Temperatures warmed up last week between 10 and 20 degrees, with a drier pattern taking hold over much of the State. Rainfall was largely confined to the northern one third of the State, with generally light rains falling along the central/northern valley, central/northern coast, and snow into the central/northern Sierras on Monday through Wednesday.
Mountain snowpack decreased for the first time since last fall. Although snow showers fell on the central/northern Sierras early in the week with up to three inches of new snow accumulation, warm temperatures helped produce an overall decrease in snowpack by about one to two feet. Very heavy snowpacks continued in the mountains, with Lodgepole in the southern Sierras still reported over four feet of snow on the ground. Deeper snowcover was seen in the central and northern Sierras.
Temperature highs were in the 40s to 60s in the mountains, 60s to 70s in the valley and along the coast, and 70s to 90s in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 20s to 40s in the mountains, 30s to 50s in the valley, 30s to 60s in the desert, and 40s to 50s along the coast.
Alfalfa broke dormancy but growth was slow. Alfalfa fields continued to be sprayed for weeds. Growers started preparing ground for the upcoming cotton season by tilling, making furrows, and applying herbicides.
Pruning, discing, weed control, and pre-bloom spraying continued. Olive groves were pruned. Herbicides were applied to some vineyards to combat the increase in weeds after an exceptionally wet winter. Early varieties of stone fruit, including cherries, apricots, and plums, were blooming in the San Joaquin Valley. Harvest of Cara Cara and Navel oranges, lemons, and mandarins continued. Fungicide applications were made to some citrus orchards. Recent rains impacted the overall quality of the citrus. Orange groves were hedge-rowed and skirted. A few seedless tangerine groves were netted to prevent cross pollination during the pending bloom.
As field conditions permitted, walnut and pistachio orchard pruning resumed. Almond bloom was progressing up the state with some areas nearing completion. Fungicides were applied in some almond orchards.
In Colusa County, harvest began on asparagus. In San Joaquin County, sunshine and warm weather allowed farmers and growers back into the fields. In Fresno County, spring carrots were harvested and beds were prepared for summer carrots. Winter crops of broccoli, cabbages, and cauliflower were harvested and sold in local markets. Garlic and onions around the county were growing well and had herbicides applied. Growers planted tomatoes and prepared fields for eggplant. In Tulare County, squash was planted in hot tunnels. New fields were prepared for spring planting. Previously planted onions continued to progress well.
Warming spring conditions and plentiful precipitation promoted lush forb and grass development. Non-irrigated pasture and rangeland continued to improve with much of the state’s range reported to be in excellent to fair condition. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued to diminish as range conditions improved. Calving was ongoing in Shasta County. Bees were active in almond and early stone fruit orchards. Lambing season in Fresno County was underway. Sheep grazed stubble fields, idle cropland and dormant alfalfa.