California Ag Network

Category: Vegetable Industry

  • This Week In Ag – September 2

    Five stories are making headlines across California agriculture this week, from a familiar Central Valley face appearing on pistachio packaging to a new tool aimed at protecting cattle from New World screwworm. Here’s what you need to know in this week’s edition of This Week in Ag.

    Josh Allen Featured on Wonderful Pistachios Packaging

    Firebaugh native and NFL MVP Josh Allen is bringing more attention to one of California’s biggest specialty crops.

    Allen is featured on new limited-edition Wonderful Pistachios packaging rolling out at select retailers. The Buffalo Bills quarterback has a personal connection to the industry as a fourth-generation pistachio farmer.

    This marks the second year of Allen’s partnership with Wonderful Pistachios and also brings back the Josh Allen Scholarship program. The program supports first-generation students from Firebaugh pursuing higher education, providing recipients with up to $12,000 over four years of college.

    Nearly 40 high school seniors were accepted into the scholarship program during its first year.

    Blueberry Industry Votes to Continue U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

    The U.S. blueberry industry has voted in favor of continuing the work of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

    The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service announced that a majority of eligible blueberry producers and importers supported continuing the council.

    Created by the industry 26 years ago, USHBC works to increase consumer demand for blueberries, expand opportunities in global markets and provide resources to support the blueberry industry.

    FDA Authorizes Tool to Help Prevent New World Screwworm

    Cattle producers have another tool available as concerns surrounding New World screwworm continue.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Bimectin, an ivermectin injection, to help prevent New World screwworm infestations in certain cattle.

    Under the authorization, the product can be administered within 24 hours of birth, at the time of castration or when a wound appears.

    Bimectin is not authorized for this use in lactating dairy cows or calves intended to be processed for veal.

    The FDA said available evidence indicates it is reasonable to believe the product may be effective when used as authorized and that its known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks.

    UC ANR Connect Seeks New Technology for California Agriculture

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is looking for agricultural technology that could benefit California growers.

    Applications are open for UC ANR Connect, a grower-informed commercialization program operated by UC ANR Innovate in partnership with Farmhand Ventures.

    Selected companies will receive commercialization support, feedback directly from California growers and agricultural professionals, industry connections and an opportunity to demonstrate their technology during a field day.

    The current application cycle is focused on commercially available technology for permanent and specialty crops, including fresh fruit, table grapes, pistachios, desert vegetables, berries, citrus and avocados.

    Applications will be accepted through Sept. 18.

    Mike Forbes Named President and CEO of American Pistachio Growers

    American Pistachio Growers has announced new leadership.

    Mike Forbes officially takes over as the organization’s president and CEO on Sept. 1, bringing more than two decades of leadership experience across the food, consumer products and wellness industries.

    Forbes also has agricultural roots. A Wisconsin native, he grew up participating in 4-H and comes from a family of farmers. His career has included positions with McKinsey & Company, Jim Beam, Procter & Gamble and General Mills.

    As president and CEO, Forbes will lead American Pistachio Growers’ efforts to represent American pistachio growers and processors, strengthen domestic and international demand and promote the benefits of American-grown pistachios.

    Stay Up to Date with California Ag Network

    That’s this week’s look at five stories impacting agriculture.

    Follow California Ag Network for more news, industry updates and stories from across California agriculture.

  • UC ANR Hosting Irrigation Meeting

    UC Ag and Natural Resources is hosting its 2026 Irrigation and Nutrient Management Meeting for vegetable and berry crop growers. The session will offer cover such topics as basin conditions and groundwater management, stress factors affecting rot development in strawberries, irrigation management tools, impact assessments on nitrogen fertilizer and more.

    The meeting will be held Aug. 19 from 8:20 a.m. to to noon at the United Water Conservation District in Oxnard. Those interested can register here. Click here to view the full agenda. — Story contributed by UC Ag and Natural Resources

  • 42nd Carrot Conference Planned by UCANR

    UC Ag and Natural Resources will hold the 42nd International Carrot Conference, scheduled for June 2-3 at the Bakersfield Marriott Convention Center.

    The Carrot Conference is an opportunity to share and discuss research findings and a way for people to exchange ideas and concerns in all aspects of carrot production. Topics such as breeding, new products, production, and pest management are discussed in formal paper sessions, poster sessions, and a field tour, as well as other social gatherings.

    The conference also provides continuing education opportunities with 4.5 other DPR hours approved for June 2. More details and an agenda can be found here. For additional information please contact: Jaspreet Sidhu, Kern County Cooperative Extension, 661-868-6222, 661-304-8870. — Contributed by UC Ag and Natural Resources

  • Tomato Industry Taking Steps to Stop Spread of Parasitic Weed

    California’s processing tomato industry for the first time this past harvest season agreed to voluntary equipment cleaning and notification guidelines to prevent the spread of branched broomrape, a parasitic weed that attaches to roots and sucks out key nutrients.

    The weed’s tiny can be smaller than finely ground spices, survive dormant in soils for decades and be carried by wind, footwear and other methods. Its resurgence in 2017 in Yolo County threatens the productivity of an industry that brought in $1.6 billion in 2024.

    The University of California, Davis — in conjunction with industry — federal authorities and state regulators, is playing a key research role in the battle against broomrape by testing and developing in-field sanitation guidelines for tomato harvesters and other field equipment. Researchers across campus are also evaluating herbicide treatments, weeding methods, ways to detect the weed and disrupt its ability to affect crops.

    Harvesting with Conditions

    Under former state quarantine rules, any broomrape detection would require a field be destroyed before harvest. With the new guidelines, growers may harvest if they adhere to certain management practices, including equipment cleaning standards developed by the California Broomrape Board, formed in 2024 to advise the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

    “There’s 1,000 acres that are actually reported but we know from observation that it’s probably much greater than that,” said Cassandra Swett, a UC Davis plant pathologist who is leading efforts to sanitize field equipment. “There are two main goals: reduce the economic impacts of broomrape on growers in the affected region by allowing them to harvest, and on the other side, keep broomrape out of the regions that do not currently have it.”

    In 2025, nearly all growers and processors in the state signed on to compliance agreements regarding cleaning and notification, and this year the California Department of Food and Agriculture is expected to require them, said Zach Bagley, managing director of the California Tomato Research Institute, which has been working on broomrape control issues since 2018.

    “It’s overall seen as a positive in the industry,” Bagley said. “The driver for sanitation is not just the biology of this weed and the reality in the field, but it also has regulatory components.”

    Also, this year, all processing tomato canneries in the state have agreed to build on-site wash stations or set up cleaning protocols for the 2026 season to help stop the spread from harvest trailers.

    “We can never have a 100% guarantee that we’re not moving seed, but we can do our best to take it off in the fields where we know we have a problem, and that’s where the research comes in,” said Bagley, whose organization helps fund related UC Davis research.

    Effectiveness and Timing Key 

    Swett, fabricators with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, a Cooperative Extension farm advisor and others in the industry are working on prototypes of sanitizing equipment, evaluating spray nozzle size, water pressure, aim and other factors.

    Cleaning is no simple task, and it consists of removing debris with physical cleaning and sanitizing. The right combination of debris removal followed by a sanitizer can substantially reduce dispersal risk, Swett said.

    The goal is to reach under and around tractors and remove mud, soil, plant material or anything that can collect and carry broomrape seeds. Some versions of these prototype cleaning systems are in the field and others roll under the equipment.

    “These machines are running 24 hours a day,” Swett said. “Taking that downtime to clean the machine is really messing up harvest schedules.”

    At present, cleaning a tomato harvester can take hours, but industry is hoping it can get to less than an hour to meet labor, costs and logistics needs. “One of the drivers of this work has been, ‘How can we make it faster but still be acceptable at the end of the day?” Bagley said. Agricultural engineer Dan Frank and crop advisor Patricia Lazicki have developed and are testing prototypes of automated systems that can improve cleaning time and coverage, Swett said.

    A Better Picture

    Before the broomrape compliance agreements, it was difficult to determine how many of the 185,000 to 250,000 tomato production acres might be infected because reporting would mean losing a crop and the money invested on planting, irrigation and other efforts with no hope of insurance covering the loss.

    The agreements have changed that, said Brad Hanson, a professor of Cooperative Extension in plant sciences who is an ad hoc member of the Broomrape Control Board.

    “With the risk of crop quarantine off the table for growers under the compliance agreements, we can talk about the problem out in the open,” Hanson said. “The daylighting part of this has been really helpful because for the last five years, we’ve been really in the dark.”

    Now it’s about working toward a common solution, said Neil McRoberts, a UC Davis plant pathologist who researches ways to support plant health and regulations. He is also a non-voting member of the board and familiar with pests that have caused widespread damage to other crops. With broomrape, the attention is focused before the weed has spread widely across fields in California and potentially to other crops like carrots, potato and sunflower.

    “I’m hopeful because the issues are being faced very early on,” he said.  — By Emily C. Dooley, UC Davis

  • Sweet Potato Tips

    The winter of 2024-2025 saw average precipitation for the Merced area, with 9.66 inches of rain based on the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) weather station in Ballico (Merced County no longer has any functioning CIMIS stations). A cool spring was followed by a mild summer, with only six days at or above 100°F. This great weather led to low plant stress and excellent yields. Overall production was even better than in 2023, which was likewise a good year due to mild summer temperatures.

    The Collaborators Trial results reflected the successful production year — the standard lines exceeded 1400 boxes/acre, or about 70 bins/acre (Figure 1). Several Bellevue fields exceeded 80 bins/acre.

    Rains came early during harvest, with 1.5 inches of rain falling on October 13, followed by another storm in November. The mid-October storm may cause some problems for the stored crop, especially if the Diane cultivar was still in the ground.  Soil temperatures at 6 inches depth dropped 4°F after that rain. The combination of the soil being both cold and wet during harvest created the potential for accelerated decay in storage.

    How Did the Different Cultivars Perform?

    The Murasaki and Vermillion cultivars continue to have inconsistent set and erratic production.  Zero carryover from last year resulted in high prices for Murasaki in August and September. Farm advisor Scott Stoddard guesses that many fields were harvested early to take advantage of the price at the expense of yield, which means a short crop is likely in summer of 2026.

    Vermillion quality and yield vary.  The plants seem to set too many roots that never fully develop. That is why Stoddard continues to screen new reds, with three potential new releases in the pipeline.

    The market for purple-flesh sweet potatoes continues to grow and command good prices. In the last two years, new purple-flesh cultivars have yielded well — over 35 bins/acre — in Stoddard’s trials.  They are attractive, with good shape and skin color. Cultivar L-24-71p looks especially promising in its first year, with deep purple flesh and good flavor and texture. It may soon join the six purple cultivars already commercially available: Stokes, Ben Yagi, Regal Purple (USDA ARS), Purple Majesty (NCSU), Purple Splendor (NCSU) and Purple Reyne (LSU), grown on about 1000 acres total.

    Total marketable yields in boxes/acre differed widely among cultivars and among years. Covington had the highest 4-year total and Vermillion had the lowest.

    Diseases Remain Problematic

    Despite the good growing season, certain diseases remain problematic. Fusarium root rot (putatively Fusarium oxysporum+ F. solani) mainly impacts Bellevue, though the other cultivars are not immune.  Scurf — a superficial, soil-borne fungal disease — impacts Covington, but also can infect the other cultivars. Southern blight is mostly a problem in Diane in the hotbeds, but it can likewise damage any variety.

    New work by UC Davis plant pathologist Cassandra Swett shows that the organism responsible for Fusarium foot rot may not be F. oxysporum at all, but rather the newly named Fusarium noneumartii, formerly lumped in with F. solani f.sp. batatas.

    Fusarium foot rot first appeared as a major problem in 2022 during harvest, causing 10-20% loss on some fields harvested in October, after a September heat spell with several days above 105°F and a record high of 112°F on September 6. The roots rotted while still in the ground. No such heat conditions occurred in 2025, which makes the high incidence of this disease worrisome. No doubt it has been around for decades, but why it has suddenly become so prevalent is not known.

    The reason for the increase in scurf, however, is most likely because of reduced use of clean seed these last few years. Scurf is easily transferred from cuttings to transplants, but does not live long in fields in the absence of sweet potatoes.  “One year out and it’s gone,” Stoddard comments.

    Suggested management practices for both Fusarium root rot and scurf include using thiabendazole (Mertect) fungicide in the hotbeds, using clean seed, cutting transplants above the soil line, managing nematodes and timely harvest — the longer the roots are in the ground the more likely they will become infected.

    What is the acreage and production of sweet potatoes in California? 

    The USDA has revised their estimates for sweet potato production acres in California:

    year

    acres

    2020

    22,000

    2021

    21,000

    2022

    21,000

    2023

    19,000

    2024

    18,000

    At 29.5 bins/acre average yield and 18,000 harvested acres, total production in 2024 was around 530 million pounds. USDA has not yet published estimates for 2025, but Stoddard estimates 18,000 acres at 35 bins/acre, for total production of 630 million pounds.

    What’s Happening in Sweet Potato Research?

    Variety Trials

    The National Sweetpotato Collaborators Group trial is a variety trial that is conducted in multiple states.  It provides regional information to plant breeders at Louisiana State University, North Carolina State University and USDA. The national results, shown in Figure 1, show that the yields vary widely among cultivars and over the years.  Covington had the highest four-year total and Vermillion had the lowest.

    The results of Stoddard’s 2025 Advanced Line Trials (ALT) in Merced, an expanded version of those conducted each year with Dave Souza, are presented in Figure 2. Notice how Beauregard yielded over 100 bins/acre, but was mostly jumbos (only 21% #1’s).  Bellevue stands out as having both high yield and a high percentage of #1’s. Stoddard used greenhouse plant cuttings straight from Foundation Plant Services, which illustrates the tremendous yield increases possible when using new seed.

    Advanced Line Trials (ALT) for 2025 showed Bellevue having both high yield and a high percentage of #1’s.

    Fumigation and Nematicide Trials

    Stoddard continued his evaluation of various nematicides in 2025 with an emphasis on placement and timing. The Salibro label, updated in 2025, prescribes different methods than the ones he has used for several years, limiting applications to pre-plant and 30 days after transplanting.

    The experiments were conducted in hotbeds in 2023 but in fields in 2024. Even in fields, root knot nematode (RKN) counts were very low and remained so throughout the entire season. The field was fumigated in April, planted May 1 with Diane (RKN susceptible) and harvested September 17-19, 2025. Nimitz and Nemaclean nematicides were pre-plant incorporated one week before transplanting, while all the others were applied post-plant in May and June.

    One of the Velum treatments was applied in the row by moving the tape over to the plants and then injecting. This position was chosen because Velum has low solubility and does not move well in soil, so direct placement near the plants may improve efficacy. A Velum-then-Salibro trial was also evaluated.

    The nematicide results are shown in Figure 3. Overall, this was a high-yielding field with low nematode pressure.  Nonetheless, yields were significantly higher in all the nematicide treatments than in the untreated control by an average of 8 bins/acre. The specific nematicides did not differ significantly from each other.

    Farm advisor Scott Stoddard’s sweet potato nematicide trial in Merced County in 2025 showed that yields were higher in the plots receiving nematicide than in the control plots with no nematicide, even in a year with low nematode pressure. The nematicides did not differ significantly from each other.

    The big news is that Covington comes off patent in May. The high-yielding variety was released by NC State in 2005.  — By Scott Stoddard, UCCE Farm Advisor, Merced and Madera Counties and edited by Nancy Power, PHD, Assistant Editor for California Fruit & Vegetable

  • USDA Announces $39M Purchase for Pears, Split Peas

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) intent to purchase up to $263 million in agricultural products from American farmers and producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country. These purchases are being made through USDA’s authority under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 and will assist producers and communities in need.

    This includes $15 million for fresh pears and $24 million for split peas.

    “From milk and dairy to fruits, legumes, and tree nuts, these staples are essential for feeding families and sustaining America’s agricultural economy,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “Through these Section 32 purchases, USDA is delivering wholesome, real food to Americans while injecting critical dollars into local economies. By turning harvests into meals, we are not only stabilizing farm income and protecting rural jobs—we are nourishing our nation and supporting the farmers who feed America. Under President Trump’s leadership, these investments strengthen the food supply, sustain rural communities, and reinforce agriculture as a cornerstone of economic resilience.”

    Agricultural Marketing Service Section 32 Purchases

    AMS continuously purchases a variety of domestically produced and processed agricultural products. These “USDA Foods” are provided to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) nutrition assistance programs, including food banks that operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and are a vital component of the nation’s food safety net. USDA AMS will purchase up to $263 million of the following commodities:

    • Butter: $75 million
    • Cheddar Cheese and Cheese Products: $32.5 million
    • Swiss Cheese: $10 million
    • Fresh Fluid Milk: $20.5 million
    • Ultra-High Temperature Milk: $10 million
    • Chickpeas: $12 million
    • Dried Beans (Black and Pinto): $25 million
    • Fresh Pears: $15 million
    • Lentils: $14 million
    • Pecans: $10 million
    • Split Peas: $24 million
    • Walnuts: $15 million

    — By the USDA

  • Fusarium Wilt in Lettuce

    A new strain of fusarium wilt has been detected in lettuce, putting crops in danger. Researchers at UC Riverside are exploring new ways to combat this potentially devastating fungal disease. Alexander Putman spoke at the World Ag Expo in Tulare and with Matthew Malcolm from Malcolm Media Ag Publishing to discuss the issue. Watch this quick video and learn more in California Fruit & Vegetable Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Simplot for their industry support.

  • Five Ways to Avoid Expensive Irrigation Repairs & DU Losses

    Irrigation systems today are amazing at getting just the right amount of water where it needs to be to meet a crop’s needs; however, if these systems are not well-maintained, things can go south pretty fast, resulting in distribution uniformity-related losses and expensive repairs. During his presentation at Malcolm Media’s recent Tree & Vine Expo, UC Cooperative Extension Irrigation & Soils Advisor Moneim Mohamed noted that regular and proper irrigation system maintenance can prevent expensive repairs.  Watch his video interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network for five key tasks for preventative maintenance.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Simplot Grower Solutions for their industry support.

  • California Processing Tomato Crop Size Rises Above Early Expectations

    Contracted production for California processing tomatoes is forecast at 11.0 million tons, averaging 55.0 tons per acre, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The current production forecast is 1 percent below last year’s contracted production of 11.1 million tons, and 7 percent above the May forecast. The projected harvested acreage of tomatoes grown under contract is 200,000 acres, down 10 percent from 2024.

    Mild spring temperatures and adequate water supply provided tomato growers with favorable planting conditions and a good start to the developing crop. Cooler than normal summer temperatures have boosted yields to record high levels.

    The processing tomato harvest began the first week of July and may finish a little later than last year because of the larger than expected crop. However, if contracts are fulfilled and canneries decide not to process more tonnage, some acreage may be left unharvested. To date, tomato quality is reported to be good.

    The Processing Tomato Advisory Board published shipments through August 23, 2025, showing a 6% decrease compared to this time last year. This processing tomato estimate is funded by the California League of Food Producers.

  • UCCE Investigates New Marketable Potato Varieties that Suit California Growers Well

    While the University of California does not have an official potato breeding program, the cooperative extension has close ties and collaborations with other universities and private companies that do, and Kern County has become quite the hub for trialing new potato varieties to determine whether they are suitable for the warm and dry climate of the West.  Jaspreet Sidhu, Vegetable Crops Farm Advisor heads up these informative trials and spoke with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network about the most recent results at her annual Potato Variety Trial Field Day. Watch this brief interview and read the full results in the current issue of California Fruit & Vegetable Magazine.