California Ag Network

Tag: Broccoli

  • California’s Desert Agriculture Is Hot Stuff

    Parlier, Calif., (March 9, 2018) – Stretching from the Death Valley to Calexico, California’s vast dry desert is home to a unique and important agriculture industry.

    It’s a place where summertime temperatures often top the 115-degree mark. Where water supplies for irrigation depend on the Colorado River, but upriver states are claiming more of it. Where evapotrasporation – a reference rate of water use in unstressed turf grass – is 72 inches per year, but rainfall is rarely more than 4.

    Still, stalwart farmers grow dates, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, kale and more, plus plants for landscaping everything from family homes to beautiful and luxurious resorts. The agriculture output of the state’s three desert counties – Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial – exceeds $4 billion annually.

    The California desert also impacts the quality of life across the nation. If Americans are enjoying a salad in the winter, the lettuce most likely was grown in the California desert. There are bountiful winter recreation opportunities available on the beautifully manicured golf courses, parks and landscapes.

    A group of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) academics formed a desert workgroup to better serve the state’s desert region. The group organized a symposium in February to bring together representatives from desert farm and natural resources communities, related industry and academics working in the desert.

    Director of UC Cooperative Extension in Imperial County, Oli Bachie, is chair of the UC ANR Desert Workgroup.

    “The close exchange of information among desert researchers, non-profit organizations, industry and clientele groups will facilitate collaboration among UC ANR, Arizona and Mexico and foster how our programs should be shaped on a regional level,” said Oli Bachie, the director of UC Cooperative Extension in Imperial County and the current workgroup chair.

    With saline soil, scorching summer temperatures and limited water supplies, the desert could be considered a hotbed of the “wicked problem.” A wicked problem isn’t evil, said UC Associate Vice President Wendy Powers, the symposium’s plenary session keynote speaker.

    “The term ‘wicked problem’ was coined at UC Berkeley,” Powers said. “It’s a problem with circumstances that resist resolution.”

    She named climate change and the growth of the global population California must help feed as wicked problems faced by the state. Powers described UC ANR’s statewide programs that are working to find solutions to formidable issues faced in California agriculture.

    “We’re on the verge of some serious breakthroughs as we look at solving wicked problems,” Powers said. “They are accelerated by conversations like those we’re having today.”

    UC ANR Associate Vice President Wendy Powers was the symposium’s plenary session keynote speaker.

    UC Vice Provost Mark Bell said that the potential of UC ANR to reach every single Californian is what drew him to his position in 2017. Bell invoked Star Wars robot R2D2 for an acronym to reflect the characteristics that accurately define UC ANR.

    “R2 stands for reach and relevance,” he said. “D2 is diverse and dispersed.”

    UC Cooperative Extension offices serve 57 California counties and its nine research and extension centers are located in key agriculture ecosystems, including one in the low desert of the Imperial Valley.

    The afternoon program of the symposium included breakout sessions to highlight programs and research efforts in three broad areas: irrigation and crop production, landscape management, and livestock and feed quality.

    “This was the first attempt to organize such a regional desert-based symposium for the UCANR Desert Workgroup with the collaboration of desert-serving UCCE counties,” Bachie said. “I believe that we have registered a remarkable get-together.”

    The symposium had speakers and participants from UC, USDA, California Department of Food and Agriculture, the desert agricultural industry, pest control advisors, non-profit institutions and organizations, agricultural commissioners, farm bureaus, Arizona and Mexico universities and the general public.

    “I believe that the symposium is a stepping stone for future desert research and extension meetings, conferences and symposiums among people engaged or interested in desert agriculture and natural resources,” Bachie said.

  • Fresno County Department of Agriculture Crop Report

    Fresno, Calif., (February 8, 2017) – Heavy rains continued in January promoting vigorous growth in barley, triticale, wheat and winter forage. Fields have been fertilized, and herbicides applied. Dry-land barley have been planted and showing good growth.

    The rains have put much of the fieldwork on hold, waiting for drier conditions. Between storms, growers reshaped beds, and added soil amendments for the next round of field crops. Sheep continue to graze in some alfalfa fields when other fields received areal herbicide treatments to control weeds in wet fields. First cuttings of alfalfa are rapidly approaching in Sanger district.

    Working around storms, growers continued to prune, disc, and apply herbicides to orchards. Around the County dormant sprays were being applied between storm systems. In the Sanger and Selma Districts, early varieties of nectarines and peaches started to bloom. Almond buds are swelling in Sanger and Huron, loads of beehives were moved in. Work continues in the vineyards with pruning, tying, and herbicide applications. Around the County orchards and vineyards continue to be taken out, replaced with almonds and pistachios. Almonds, Asian pears, dry apricots, dry cranberry, dry figs, dry prunes, pecans, raisins, and walnuts were exported to; Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Viet Nam. Kiwi were exported to Guatemala, Japan, and Taiwan. Peruvian and Chilean grapes were re-exported to Canada

    Preparation for spring planting has started in a few fields with weeding, discing, irrigation repair, and formation of rows taking place. Field fumigations for eggplant, strawberries, and tomatoes had started in some districts but most were on hold due to ground saturation from recent rains. Garlic and onion planting have all emerged and show good growth. Broccoli is growing steadily in Firebaugh, while asparagus fields were topped and shredded for spring harvest. Harvesting of carrots and daikon continued. Broccoli, cilantro, kale, mustard, and leaf lettuce was planted for seed production. Onion and lettuce seed were exported to Germany, Japan, and republic of Korea. Blueberries started showing signs of swelling buds in Selma district, when other areas remain dormant.

    January had a few nights with below freezing temperatures but so far, no significant freeze damage has been reported in the districts. Rain also delayed citrus harvest in many districts but exports are steady. Around the storms, fungicide applications took place in many citrus orchards. Grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, Navel oranges, pummelos, tangelos, and tangerines were exported to; Chile, China, Ecuador, Fiji, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Tonga. Olive groves underwent discing, and herbicide applications to control weeds.

    The rain has had a huge impact on the rangeland, creating favorable conditions for grazing livestock. Sheep continue to graze on dormant alfalfa and fallow fields. In Huron district, cattle are being shipped out for processing. With the almonds and stone fruit starting to bud, beehives were brought in from out of state to be placed in orchards for pollination.