California Ag Network

Tag: California Table Grape Commission

  • USDA Announces Roster for Trade Mission to Australia

    The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service announced the participant list for its upcoming trade mission to Melbourne, Australia, Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.

    Participants  from California include Best Buy Grocers, Carriere Family Farms, the California Table Grape Commission, the California Milk Advisory Board, Western United Dairies, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and Valley Pride Ag Co.

    Through FAS agribusiness trade missions, American agribusinesses connect directly with overseas buyers to expand market access and boost exports for U.S. producers. Luke J. Lindberg, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, will lead the delegation to Australia. The delegation includes 38 agribusinesses and trade organizations, as well as representatives from 10 State ag departments.

    “There’s no substitute for getting our producers face-to-face with overseas buyers – it’s the best way to showcase the best of what American agriculture has to offer,” said Under Secretary Lindberg. “Growing demand across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands makes this an ideal time for us to expand trade, strengthen partnerships and support American producers.”

    In 2025, Australia imported nearly $1.7 billion in American agricultural products, making it the 18th-largest export market for U.S. agricultural products. Consumer-oriented goods – such as packaged snacks, wine and fresh meats – account for 85% of that value. In New Zealand, U.S. exports reached $612 million in 2025, with consumer-oriented products making up more than half of the total.

    In addition to brokering business-to-business meetings, FAS staff and regional experts will hold in-depth market briefings and host site visits and networking events to strengthen trade relationships. — Story contributed by the USDA Foreign Ag Service

  • Grapes from California Team Up with NFL Star Davante Adams

    The California Table Grape Commission (commission), All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams and the Los Angeles Rams are teaming up ahead of the first-ever regular-season football game in Australia. The matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne on Sept. 10 presents an opportunity to celebrate California’s global influence on and off the field. With two California teams competing on an international stage and a California-born-and-raised star athlete at the center of the matchup in one of the California table grape industry’s key export markets, the game, which will stream globally on Netflix, creates a platform to showcase California agriculture, talent, trade and culture to consumers around the world.

    A northern California native and standout athlete at Fresno State, Adams represents the connection between California’s agricultural heritage and its tradition of athletic excellence. Australia is an important export market for California table grapes, making the Rams game in Melbourne a natural opportunity to strengthen awareness of California grapes and the California goodness they represent among Australian consumers. The partnership highlights the state’s growers, shippers, workers, plus their families and communities while reinforcing California’s reputation for producing products enjoyed around the world.

    As a partner of the Rams, Grapes from California have been designated the official grape of the Los Angeles Rams domestically and in Australia. The campaign will feature two consumer sweepstakes designed to drive excitement on both sides of the Pacific. One sweepstakes will offer Australian fans the opportunity to win tickets to the historic Rams-49ers game in Melbourne, while a second sweepstakes will award a grand prize trip for two from Melbourne to Los Angeles, including travel and tickets to a future Rams home game. California grapes will also be integrated into Rams-hosted activities for fans happening in Melbourne around the historic game. More details about these activations will be announced in the coming weeks.

    “This is a uniquely California moment,” said Commission President Ian LeMay. “When two California football teams meet in Australia for a landmark event, it creates an extraordinary platform to tell California’s story. For our growers and shippers, Australia represents an important export market, and this partnership with a renowned athlete like Davante Adams allows us to highlight that exceptional athletes and agriculture products are rooted in California and shared around the world. Davante and the Los Angeles Rams embody what California represents: California roots with global reach. Together, we’re sharing the very best of California with consumers around the world.”

    “The Rams are proud to partner with Grapes from California as we bring one of the biggest moments in our season to an international audience,” said Chris Edwards, Los Angeles Rams Vice President of Partnerships. “Together, we’re celebrating the growing connection between

    the Rams and fans in Australia, using this global stage to share our story and engage audiences around the world.”

    “I’m from California, and the Central Valley will always be home,” said Adams. “That’s where my story began. Working with Grapes from California feels authentic because it represents the same people and values that shaped me. Taking that connection to Australia lets me bring that Valley pride and share it with fans across the world.”

    — Story Contributed by Grapes from California

  • California Table Grape Commission Chairman Elected

    Justin Parnagian of Fowler Packing Company Inc. was recently elected to serve as the chairman of the California Table Grape Commission. Parnagian was preceded by Marko Zaninovich, of Sunview Vineyards, who served as commission chairman since 2024.

    “The commission is deeply appreciative of Marko’s leadership during a significant period of transition for our organization and industry,” said Commission President Ian LeMay. “Throughout his tenure as chairman, Marko demonstrated a tremendous respect for the legacy of the California table grape industry, while also maintaining a clear focus on the work necessary to position our industry for the future and address the challenges ahead. We are equally excited to welcome Justin into this leadership role and look forward to working alongside him as we continue advancing the mission of the commission and building upon the strong foundation of California table grapes both domestically and internationally.”

    Six commissioners were also recently reappointed to their positions after district nomination meetings were held between March 3 and March 4, 2026: Jack Campbell, District 1; Wayde Kirschenman, District 2; Jon Paul Zaninovich, District 3; John D. Zaninovich, District 4; Gary Gipson, District 5; and Justin Parnagian, District 6. — Story contributed by the California Table Grape Commission

  • California Table Grape Commission Launches a New Global Campaign as the Season Arrives Early

    The California table grape season is on track to arrive about two weeks early, signaling that grapes from California will be available for promotion longer than previous seasons. Each season begins in the Coachella Valley, where growers are expecting to begin harvesting at the beginning of May this year. An early start to harvesting in the San Joaquin Valley is also expected to begin in mid-June.

    “California grapes have always enjoyed a long season, with grapes often being promoted into January, but an early start to the season this year lets retailers get a head start on promotions and providing tasty, healthy, happy Grapes from California to eager customers,” said Commission President Ian LeMay.

    For the 2026 season, the Commission is launching an updated global marketing campaign throughout the U.S. and up to 22 export markets, targeting the trade — which includes retailers, wholesalers and importers, as well as primary shoppers — with the objective to drive demand for California table grapes. The updated campaign introduces retailers and consumers to a cast of characters known as the Lunchbox League. The Lunchbox League is a trio of superhero grapes that originate from California, where tasty fuels healthy, and healthy makes happy. Captain Cluster, Munch and Glow are the superheroes who make up the Lunchbox League and serve as the embodiment and personification of all the health benefits, taste, and quality of California grapes.

    “This campaign element is exciting because it capitalizes on the scientific perspective published by Dr. John Pezzuto in July 2025, which claimed grapes should be considered a superfood, in order to give the Lunchbox League their superhero status,” said LeMay.

    Dr. Pezzuto, Ph.D., D.Sc., is a leading resveratrol and cancer researcher and Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University.

    To drive demand for California grapes through the season, the commission works with retail partners on a variety of activities such as contests, digital promotions, merchandising, point-of-purchase materials and sampling. For retailers in the U.S. with registered dietitians on staff, the commission Retail RD Program offers an additional way to promote Grapes from California and highlight the health benefits of grapes to shoppers. Retail dietitians can work directly with the commission dietitian team to develop customized promotional activities and educational materials.

    “With a healthy crop arriving early and an engaging new campaign with demand-driving materials and activities, the commission is eager to work with retailers throughout the U.S. and around the world to move California table grape volume this season,” said LeMay.

    — Story provided by the California Table Grape Commission

  • Table Grape Commission Awarded $2.2M through Through America First Trade Promotion Program

    The California Table Grape Commission announced a $2.2 million award through the America First Trade Promotion Program to support expanding international marketing efforts to strengthen demand for California table grapes.

    “This award through the America First Trade Promotion Program represents a meaningful investment in the continued success of the California table grape industry and the communities the industry supports,” said Commission President Ian LeMay. “We are grateful to the Trump Administration for recognizing the importance of export market development and for providing tools that help American agriculture compete and thrive in global markets. These resources will allow us to expand strategic promotions in key partner countries and ensure consumers around the world continue to choose grapes from California.”

    California table grapes are exported to more than 60 countries each year, with international markets representing an important component of industry stability and growth. According to the Commission, funding from this award will support retail initiatives in Australia, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom, and reinforce California’s position as a global supplier, while supporting growers, shippers and farming communities throughout the San Joaquin and Coachella valleys.

  • U.S. Participants for Philippines Trade Mission Selected

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture will lead a trade mission to Manila, Philippines, from April 13–16, 2026, to expand market access for American farmers, ranchers, and producers.

    This mission follows a landmark trade agreement negotiated by President Trump in July of last year, which opened new opportunities for U.S. agricultural exports to the Philippines. Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering will lead the mission, heading a delegation of 58 U.S. agribusinesses, trade associations, and representatives from four State departments of agriculture.

    “USDA is committed to getting American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses better access to strong markets and fair opportunities abroad,” said Deputy Undersecretary Bekkering. “Since the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing markets in Asia, this mission will connect U.S. exporters directly with reliable buyers, strengthen our trade relationship, and help keep American agriculture globally competitive.”

    The Philippines is the tenth‑largest market for U.S. agricultural and food products, averaging $3.4 billion in annual exports over the past five years. With a population of 118 million, a rapidly expanding middle class, and strong consumer preference for U.S. products, the Philippines offers enormous growth potential for American exporters.

    During the visit, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service staff and regional experts will host market briefings, site visits, and business-to-business meetings with buyers from the Philippines.

    State departments of agriculture from Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and Wisconsin will join the mission alongside the 58 agribusinesses and trade associations, which include:

    1. 7th Sky Ventures LLC – Tampa, Fla.
    2. Aerocos International Ltd – Marlboro, N.J.
    3. American Egg Board – Chicago, Ill.
    4. American Peanut Council – Alexandria, Va.
    5. Best Buy Grocers, Inc. – Sherman Oaks, Calif.
    6. BNutty, Peanut Butter – Portage, Ind.
    7. California Milk Advisory Board – Tracy, Calif.   
    8. California Table Grape Commission – Fresno, Calif.
    9. CAS InterGlobal – Pleasanton, Calif.
    10. Commercial Creamery Company – Spokane, Wash.
    11. Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin – Madison, Wis.
    12. Dragonfly Cakes – Tacoma, Wash.
    13. East-West International Group, Inc –   Moreland Hills, Ohio.
    14. Foodlinx – Brentwood, Calif.
    15. Fort McCoy Meat, LLC – Fort McCoy, Fla.
    16. Galdisa USA – Conroe, Texas
    17. Global Export Marketing Co. Ltd. (GEMCO) – New York, N.Y.
    18. Globex International – New York, N.Y.
    19. Groceries USA – New York, N.Y.
    20. Grove Services – Atlanta, Ga.
    21. Indiana Corn Marketing Council – Indianapolis, Ind.
    22. International Market Brands – Issaquah, Wash.
    23. Intervision Foods – Atlanta, Ga.
    24. Jack’s Alimentary Supply, Inc. (JASI) – Lowell, Mass.
    25. Kizable, LLC – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
    26. MacDonald Meat – Seattle, Wash.
    27. MEM Fairway Inc. – Irvine, Calif.
    28. Nebraska Corn Board – Lincoln, Neb.
    29. North American Export Grain Association – Washington, D.C.
    30. Ocean Gold Seafoods – Westport, Wash.
    31. Pacific Cheese Co., Inc. – Hayward, Calif.
    32. PacRim Wines & Spirits – San Rafael, Calif.
    33. Potatoes USA – Denver, Colo.
    34. Prime Pecan, LLC – Ocean Springs, Miss.
    35. Raisin Administrative Committee – Fresno, Calif.
    36. Scout & Zoe’s – Anderson, Ind.
    37. Sollarom Foods – Lakewood, Calif.
    38. Southern Forest Products Association – Metairie, La.
    39. Space Enterprises LLC – The Woodlands, Texas
    40. TAG Enterprise Ltd. – Beverly Hills, Calif.
    41. Tomex Foods Group – Lombard, Ill.
    42. Tranect LLC – Boston, Mass.
    43. Trinity Foods, Inc – San Diego, Calif.
    44. U.S. Dairy Export Council – Arlington, Va.
    45. U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council – Washington, D.C.
    46. U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council – Folson, Calif.
    47. U.S. International Foods LLC – St. Louis, Mo.
    48. U.S. Livestock Genetics Export – Mount Horeb, Wis.
    49. U.S. Meat Export Federation – Denver, Colo.
    50. U.S. Soybean Export Council – Chesterfield, Mo.
    51. U.S. Wheat Associates – Arlington, Va.
    52. United Dairy Ingredients Group LLC – Monterey Park, Calif.
    53. US Rice Producers Association – Katy, Texas   
    54. USA Poultry and Egg Export Council – Tucker, Ga.
    55. USA Pulses – Moscow, Idaho
    56. Valley Pride Ag Co. – Fresno, Calif.
    57. Virginia Distillery Co. – Lovingston, Va.
    58. Wonderful Citrus – Delano, Calif.

    In 2025, USDA trade missions connected more than 200 U.S. companies with buyers in Hong Kong, Thailand, Peru, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Taiwan and Mexico, generating projected 12‑month sales of $125 million. USDA will continue expanding export opportunities in 2026 with upcoming missions planned for Australia and Vietnam.

    For more information on USDA trade missions, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions. — By USDA Foreign Ag Service

  • California Table Grape Industry Welcomes Farm Bill Momentum

    The California table grape industry welcomed renewed momentum toward advancing the Farm Bill through the House Agriculture Committee with the approval of H.R. 7567, restoring regular order to the legislative process and emphasizing the importance of ensuring specialty crops remain a central part of the discussion.

    “California table grape growers compete in a global marketplace while supplying families across the United States with fresh, healthy fruit,” said Ian LeMay, president of the California Table Grape Commission. “A Farm Bill that reflects the needs of the specialty crop sector is essential to maintaining that competitiveness. We are encouraged to see forward progress and a return to regular order that gives growers the opportunity to be heard.”

    About the California Table Grape Commission

    The California Table Grape Commission represents California table grape growers which produces 99 percent of commercially grown table grapes in the U.S.

  • AI Tool to Help Farmers Measure Real-Time Crop Health from the Field

    Leaf Monitor, a new mobile tool backed by artificial intelligence and predictive modeling, could revolutionize how farmers monitor crops and make decisions by providing real-time nutrition and leaf trait information in the field.

    “Having this information is very valuable for the farmers,” said Alireza Pourreza, associate professor of Cooperative Extension and director of the Digital Agriculture Laboratory in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the University of California, Davis. “In five seconds, they can have a sense of how much nutrition they have in a leaf.”

    Development of the AI model was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s HiRes Vineyard Nutrition multistate project and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, as well as the California Table Grape Commission.

    Maha Afifi, director of viticulture research at the California Table Grape Commission, said the tool could be a game changer for the table grape industry if it leads to faster decision-making about fertilizer use. The right amount typically leads to healthier vines that produce more grapes with optimal size, weight and color.

    “The evaluation of vine nutrient status is one of our top priorities,” Afifi said. “At the same time, exploring new technology tools like this project is a high priority for us because they will be important to the future of the table grape industry.”

    Field testing

    The Leaf Monitor tool uses a handheld spectrometer to measure leaf reflectance beyond the range of light visible to the human eye.

    Once a leaf is scanned, its spectral data is uploaded to a cloud-based machine learning system designed to predict leaf traits and nutrient content. This algorithm was developed and trained by the Digital Agriculture Laboratory over five years using a dataset of thousands of leaf samples collected from California’s specialty crops, primarily grapevines and almonds. The samples were chemically analyzed to determine nutrient levels and structural leaf traits, providing the data needed to build an accurate prediction model.

    “Nutrient deficiencies in plants often go unnoticed until late in the season, by which point the damage is already irreversible,” said graduate student Parastoo Farajpoor, who is running the project. “This is why early detection is essential. Spectrometry provides a rapid and reliable way to identify these deficiencies before visible symptoms appear.”

    After a recent demonstration, Bulleseye Farms Irrigation Manager Geoff Klein said the tool could help save money and improve yields. Bullseye grows walnuts, pistachios, tomatoes, corn, wheat, rice and sunflowers in Yolo and Solano counties.

    Tailored crop management

    Currently, farmers typically take leaf samples, dry them, grind them up and send the samples off to a lab for testing, which can take up to two weeks to return results. Bullseye samples leaf tissues about three times a year.

    “Right now, it doesn’t really make sense to go out and take tissues in every single corner just because it’s expensive,” Klein said. “It’d be really cool if I could just walk out there and test a couple of different places.”

    The Leaf Monitor tool helps farmers tailor management decisions to specific areas rather than an entire field. Calibrating fertilizer use to real-time data can prevent overuse and nitrogen runoff, a financial and environmental challenge that many growers face.

    “I feel like there’s a lot of times we do need to put less [fertilizer] on, where we end up putting more, because that’s what the nitrogen removal formula says,” Klein said. “But with this app we can use less because we know the actual conditions at the time. I think it opens a lot of doors in terms of getting data back in real time and also utilizing the level of control we have with the data.”

    The app can also aggregate the scans and map out spatial patterns over a large area.

    “What we know is every field has variability that is not necessarily visible to the farmer’s eye,” Pourreza said.

    The prototype Leaf Monitor tool is free and included in a set of tools that can be downloaded on the Digital Agriculture Laboratory website. A web-based version of the tool will follow while the team continues to feed new data into the algorithm to refine the predictions. On average, it achieves about 65% accuracy across all traits, with predictions for certain nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, performing better than the overall average. Users will need to pair it with a spectrometer.

    “We need to produce more food while using less resources so we need to have some kind of monitoring system to give us precise and accurate feedback on our management practice,” Pourreza said. “This technology is growing very fast.” — By Emily Dooley, UC Davis

  • California Table Grape Growers Double Impact of Food Bank Donations

    California table grape growers are doubling the impact of each gift made to the Central California Food Bank between October 20-31 to help provide meals for families facing hunger across the Central Valley.

    October is California Farmer and Farmworker Month, a month-long acknowledgement of California’s hardworking farmers and farmworkers. In celebration of the hands that help feed us, every dollar donated during the two-week campaign, up to $15,000, will be matched by California table grape growers. The campaign is designed to raise awareness and provide essential support to sustain food distributions in the San Joaquin Valley. Specifically, funds raised will help strengthen Central California Food Bank’s Farmworker Community Partnership Program across Fresno, Kern, and Tulare Counties.

    Central California Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in Central California, serving Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, and Tulare counties. In Central California, 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 3 children face food insecurity, which is the limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Through a network of more than 260 member partner agencies, Central California Food Bank distributes nutritious foods to over 320,000 people each month, including more than 100,000 children.

    The campaign is a demonstration of California table grape growers’ collective commitment to building thriving communities in the table grape growing regions. “The commission is a service-based organization, and this initiative is a reflection of the commitment of California table grape growers to the communities they live and work in,” said Ian LeMay, commission president.

    For more information about the campaign, please visit give.ccfoodbank.org/calgrapes.

  • California Table Grape Growers Offer Scholarship Opportunities

    California table grape growers are once again providing scholarship opportunities to graduating high school seniors from the table grape growing regions of California. Three categories of scholarships are available again in 2026.

    Two scholarships are available to field workers and their families. The Field Worker Bridge Scholarship is a $14,500 scholarship for students who will attend two years at a community college and transfer to a four-year university in California. The Field Worker Scholarship is a $25,000 scholarship for students who will attend a four-year university in California. Eligible high school graduates or graduating seniors, or their parent/legal guardian, must have been employed as a field worker in a California table grape vineyard during the 2025 harvest or plan to be employed during the 2026 season to be eligible for the Field Worker Scholarships.

    The third scholarship is a $25,000 Agricultural Scholarship available for students interested in building a career in the California table grape industry and investing their undergraduate years of study in academic areas related to the industry. Eligible high school graduates or graduating seniors must pursue a four-year undergraduate degree from a California university in a field of study pertinent to table grapes and be residents of the Coachella or San Joaquin valleys.

    Three scholarships from each category are available. Applicants for all scholarships must plan to attend a California college or university. The deadline to apply for all scholarships is Friday, February 6, 2026.

    Since 1985, California table grape growers aided over 200 students in attending college. To hear from recent scholarship recipients, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/scholarship-recipients/.

    For more information on the scholarship program, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/ or contact: Scholarships@grapesfromcalifornia.com.