California Ag Network

Tag: CDFA

  • Referendum on CA Dairy Quota Reform Proposal Recommended by Administrative Judge

    United Dairy Families of California — Judge Timothy Aspinwall issued a recommended decision today that United Dairy Families of California’s petition to sunset the Quota Implementation Plan (QIP) and equalize Regional Quota Adjusters (RQAs) must move forward to a referendum.

    The judge’s decision confirmed that the petition submitted to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) met all legal and procedural requirements. The Order of Decision is now before CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, who will make the final determination on whether or not a referendum will be held.

    The petition was born out of a multi-year effort led by United Dairy Families, a volunteer organization of dairy farmers seeking to unite the California dairy industry. United Dairy Families held over twenty meetings around the state and solicited input from hundreds of producers to determine a fair process to resolve the current dispute over the QIP.

    Economists Dr. Marin Bozic and Matt Gould provided expert analyses of multiple plans that aided dairy producers in their decision to move forward with the sunset plan to the QIP.

    United Dairy Families submitted over 300 signed petitions from dairy producers to CDFA in June, which initiated the referendum process. A hearing on the petition was held on September 30, 2020, during which Judge Aspinwall heard testimony and arguments from United Dairy Families, interested organizations SAVE QIP and STOP QIP, and additional testimony from various producers.

    United Dairy Families is pleased with Judge Aspinwall’s decision, and hopes Secretary Ross will affirm the recommended decision and direct that the petition proceed to a referendum.

  • CDFA Issue Stop Use Notice & Statewide Quarantine On Organic Fertilizer Agro Gold WS

    Agro Gold WS was found  adulterated with glyphosate and diquat and CDFGA has issue a stop order for use on organic farms in the state of California. The press release is shown below:

    CDFA ISSUES STOP USE NOTICE AND STATEWIDE QUARANTINE ON ORGANIC FERTILIZER AGRO GOLD WS

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) today announced that a Stop Use notice and statewide quarantine have been issued for the organic fertilizer product AGRO GOLD WS to all organic operations registered in California. CDFA lab analysis of the product detected the presence of Diquat and Glyphosate, which are substances prohibited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program for use in organic production. Continued use of this product in organic production may jeopardize an operation’s organic status.
     
    Pursuant to authority under the California Food and Agricultural Code (FAC), Division 17, Chapter 10, CDFA’s State Organic Program (SOP) in coordination with the Fertilizer Materials Inspection Program (FMIP) issued a Stop Use notice today for AGRO GOLD WS to all organic operations in California registered with the SOP. CDFA’s FMIP also announced today that all California operations registered as organic in possession of AGRO GOLD WS must hold the product and contact CDFA for quarantine instructions on how to handle it.
     
    AGRO GOLD WS is manufactured by Agro Research International, LLC. It has been distributed in a co-packaged box that also contains the product WEED SLAYER. CDFA continues to provide follow up to this investigation and is working with state and federal agencies. CDFA received a complaint about the AGRO GOLD WS product and program staff collected product samples from various locations to conduct lab analysis in CDFA’s Center for Analytical Chemistry. FMIP is an industry-funded program that ensures consumers receive fertilizing materials that meet the quality and quantity guaranteed on the product label. Investigators located throughout the state conduct routine sampling and inspections, respond to consumer complaints, and enforce the laws and regulations that govern the manufacturing and distribution of fertilizing materials in California. CDFA’s State Organic Program protects the organic label through enforcement, education and outreach.
     
    If you are in possession of AGRO GOLD WS and seek additional information, please contact the Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program at FMIP@cdfa.ca.gov. Any appeal of the determination that this product violates the Food and Agricultural Code must be filed with the Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program no later than 15 days from receipt of the Stop Use notice and statewide quarantine. See Food and Agricultural Code section 14659.

  • FDA, CDFA, Western Center for Food Safety, and CA Ag Stakeholders Partner to Enhance Food Safety

    “California leads the world in leafy greens production and innovation. Industry and food safety officials are proud to partner on this in-depth scientific study protecting public health.” — CDFA Secretary Karen Ross

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing the launch of a multi-year study to improve food safety through enhanced understanding of the ecology of human pathogens in the environment that may cause foodborne illness outbreaks. This initiative is being launched with partners including the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the University of California, Davis, Western Center for Food Safety (WCFS), and agricultural stakeholders in the Central Coast of California.

    The launch of this study follows a series of E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks in recent years linked to California’s lettuce production regions, particularly the most recent three outbreaks in the fall of 2019 which collectively resulted in 188 people falling ill. In response, FDA launched an investigation, the findings of which are outlined in a report released in May 2020. The FDA also published a Leafy Green STEC Action Plan to address issues associated with leafy green Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) contamination. This new longitudinal study is included in the action plan, as well as the continuation of a similar study being conducting in the Yuma, Arizona, growing region.

    A key component of the Leafy Green STEC Action Plan is the need to address knowledge gaps in order to advance prevention. The multi-year study will examine how pathogens survive and move through the environment and possibly contaminate produce through work with water quality, food safety, and agricultural experts from the Western Center for Food Safety, representatives from various agriculture industries, and members of the leafy greens industry.

    Research teams will be collecting and examining samples from the environment including adjacent land, well and surface waters, soil inputs that include compost, dust and animal fecal samples.

    The California Central Coast region grows a significant portion of the nation’s leafy greens. The findings from this study will contribute new knowledge on how various environmental factors may influence bacterial persistence and distribution in this region, and how those factors may impact the risk of leafy greens becoming contaminated. Results from this collaboration will lead to improved practices to prevent or mitigate food safety risks, and ultimately enhance the safety of leafy greens grown in California.

  • 2020 Grape Crush Report Survey & Smoke Affected Wine Grapes

    California Association of Winegrape Growers — Many California winegrape growers in areas affected by wildfire smoke may wonder how grape prices and tonnage will be reported for the 2020 Grape Crush Report. All California processors who crush grapes should have received a Grape Crush Report questionnaire, which was mailed in October by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)-Division of Marketing Services-Agricultural Statistics Branch.

    For some processors, filling out this year’s questionnaire may be more complicated due to wildfires and smoke affected grapes. Some processors who were uncertain about the quality status of smoke affected winegrapes worked with growers to adjust terms for delivery, crush and payment. These transactions may differ from historical practice and processors may have questions about how to report tonnage and prices paid.

    In situations involving smoke affected winegrapes, processors should refer to CDFA’s frequently asked questions (FAQ) document – How to Report Smoke Affected Grapes. The FAQs address various scenarios processors may have encountered in dealing with potentially smoke affected fruit. The document and other information related to the Grape Crush Report can be found at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/mkt/grapecrush.html.

    “The Grape Crush Report is extraordinarily important to growers and wineries, and it’s essential that information from the 2020 crush is reported timely and accurately,” California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) President John Aguirre said.

    CAWG urges every processor of winegrapes to complete and return their survey promptly. Completed questionnaires are due back to CDFA no later than Jan. 8, 2021.

     

  • New Leadership at the Olive Oil Commission of CA

    Mark Sievers and his wife Ann Fiorello Sievers of II Fiorello Olive Oil Company

    Mark Sievers of Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company was elected to serve as new Chairman of the Olive Oil Commission of California’s Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee is made up of seven members who are appointed by the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). It serves to make sure olive oil producers with less than 5,000 gallons per year have a voice in the decisions made by the OOCC.

    Sievers previously held the position of Vice Chairman of the Advisory Committee and he replaces Albert Katz who resigned from the Advisory Committee in August.

    Sam Israelit of Spanish Oaks Ranch in Templeton

    Sam Israelit, of Spanish Oaks Ranch in Templeton, was elected to serve as the Advisory Committee’s new Vice Chairman.

    As Chairman, Sievers will oversee meetings and help identify areas the Committee should address in order to best serve the interests of the state’s small olive oil producers. He also has a voting position on the OOCC Board of Directors.

    Albert Katz’s departure leaves a vacant position on the Advisory Committee. CDFA will revisit the list of interested candidates from a list of applications submitted in June and appoint an additional member.

    The OOCC thanks Albert Katz for his many years of service and dedication to the OOCC and Advisory Committee.

  • CDFA Accepting Proposals for Riverside County Grower Liaison

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is currently accepting proposals for its Request for Proposal for a contractor to serve as the Riverside County grower liaison. Proposals must be received by Nov. 18. Responsibilities may include conducting outreach directly to growers in Riverside County, providing them up-to-date information on the latest industry news or updates, staying engaged in CDFA activities, communicating voluntary or mandatory treatments Riverside County and more.

    The battle to save California citrus from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) is a collaborative effort that involves local, county, state and federal officials, researchers, scientists and commercial citrus growers. To help facilitate pest management and disease eradication, grower liaisons are key pieces to that puzzle and are dedicated to serving a specific region in the fight against HLB.

    This position requires a fundamental knowledge of citrus production, a working knowledge of grove operations, and the relationship between growers, shippers and allied businesses that work in the area of pest and disease control. A Pest Control Advisor’s license is desirable, but not required. The contractor should be familiar with California agriculture and specifically its citrus industry. Knowledge of the ACP and HLB is desirable.

    To submit a bid for the contract, you must follow these steps:

    • Visit ca.gov, if you do not have a profile you must register for one in order to view the Request for Proposal (RFP).
    • Once logged in, visit the Get Public Procurement Information page and select “See current bids.”
    • Under “Search Events,” type in “Asian Citrus Psyllid Outreach and Education.”
    • Once on the Events Details page, click “View Event Package,” then under the “View Attachments” area, click “view” to download the official Request for Proposal. Once there, you should be able to view the full RFP and Start a Bid if you meet the qualifications. Please note, you must have a profile and be logged in to view the RFP.

    Proposals are due to CDFA by Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. The term of this contract is Dec. 1, 2020 or upon final signature, whichever is later, through Nov. 30, 2022.

    For additional questions, contact Contracts Analyst Donna Weber at donna.weber@cdfa.ca.gov.

  • CDFA Raisin Handlers Annual Report

    California Department of Food & Agriculture — Free raisin tonnage produced by handlers in 2019 totaled 24,844 tons, up from the 9,423 tons reported in 2018. This figure does NOT include raisins purchased from other handlers or producers. The total 2019 raisin crop purchased from producers, for whom pricing had been finalized, reached 145,145 tons at an average price of $1,162 per ton, down significantly from the $2,119/ton average of 2018. This price is rounded to the nearest dollar per ton and includes all bonuses and allowances.

    Purchases from producers, for whom pricing was NOT finalized, totaled 139,888 tons. The average “good faith” estimate of the final weighted average price for this tonnage was $1,031 per ton.

    The quantity of all raisins purchased from producers was 285,032 tons for the 2019 crop. This figure does not include raisins produced by the handler or purchased from other handlers. The tonnage produced by the handler plus tonnage purchased from producers for the 2019 raisin crop was 309,877 tons.

    Information contained in this report was supplied by raisin handlers to fulfill reporting requirements of Sections 55601.7 and 55601.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code. The report includes all tonnages of raisins that were either produced by the handler or purchased from producers. The final weighted average price, including bonuses and allowances, has been reported for all contracts which were finalized.

    All 2019 crop transactions completed through the close of business on August 31, 2020 are included in this report. A “good faith” estimate of final weighted average price was reported for those contracts which were not final on the same date. The data are shown by major varieties at the State level only.

    DEFINITIONS

    Producer: A person or operator who is responsible for the raisins in the unprocessed state. A dehydrator operator is considered the producer of raisins if they grew or purchased fresh grapes and dehydrated them.

    Handler: Firm that processes and markets raisins.

    Finalized Purchases: Tonnage purchased from producers, for which a pricing contract has been completed.

    Non-Finalized Purchases: Contracted tonnage, for which a final price has not yet been determined.

    Free Tonnage: Tonnage received by a handler, for which the only Federal marketing order regulation is a minimum quality or size standard. Reserve tonnage is the tonnage set aside as authorized by a Federal marketing order.

    Weighted Average Price: Weighted average price reflects prices or “good faith” estimates of prices as reported by handlers and include any bonuses or allowances. 

  • CDFA Prune Handlers Annual Report

    California Department of Food & Agriculture — Prunes produced by handlers in 2019 totaled 9,791 tons, down from the 10,728 tons reported in 2018. This figure does NOT include prunes purchased from other handlers or producers.

    The total 2019 prune crop purchased from producers, for whom pricing had been finalized, reached 38,336 tons at an average price of $1,456 per ton, down significantly from the $1,715/ton average of 2018. This price is rounded to the nearest dollar per ton and includes all bonuses and allowances.

    Purchases from producers, for whom pricing was NOT finalized, totaled 39,828 tons. The average “good faith” estimate of the final weighted average price for this tonnage was $2,133 per ton.

    The quantity of all prunes purchased from producers was 78,164 tons for the 2019 crop. This figure does not include prunes produced by the handler or purchased from other handlers. The weighted average size count of tons purchased from producers was 57 for the French varieties and 58 for the Non-French varieties.

    The tonnage produced by the handler plus tonnage purchased from producers for the 2019 prune crop was 86,879 tons of French prunes and 1,077 tons of Non-French prunes for a total of 87,956 tons.

    Information contained in this report was supplied by prune handlers to fulfill reporting requirements of Sections 55601.7 and 55601.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code. The report includes all tonnages of prunes that were either produced by the handler or purchased from producers. The final weighted average price, including bonuses and allowances, has been reported for all contracts which were finalized.

    All 2019 crop transactions completed through the close of business on August 31, 2020 are included in this report. A “good faith” estimate of final weighted average price was reported for those contracts which were not final on the same date. The data are shown by major varieties at the State level only.

    DEFINITIONS

    Producer: A person or operator who is responsible for the prunes in the unprocessed state. A dehydrator operator is considered the producer of prunes if they grew or purchased fresh prunes and dehydrated them.

    Handler: Firm that processes and markets prunes.

    Finalized Purchases: Tonnage purchased from producers, for which a pricing contract has been completed.

    Non-Finalized Purchases: Contracted tonnage, for which a final price has not yet been determined.

    Free Tonnage: Tonnage received by a handler, for which the only Federal marketing order regulation is a minimum quality or size standard. Reserve tonnage is the tonnage set aside as authorized by a Federal marketing order.

    Weighted Average Price: Weighted average price reflects prices or “good faith” estimates of prices as reported by handlers and include any bonuses or allowances. 

  • CDFA Walnut Handlers Annual Report

    California Department of Food & Agriculture — Walnuts produced by handlers in 2019 totaled 10,902 tons, down from the 11,992 tons reported in 2018. This figure does NOT include walnuts purchased from other handlers or producers.

    The total 2019 walnut crop purchased from producers, for whom pricing had been finalized, reached 624,890 tons at an average price of 95.0 cents per pound, up from the 67.3 cents per pound average in 2018. This price is rounded to the nearest tenth of a cent per pound and includes all bonuses and allowances.

    Purchases from producers, for whom pricing was NOT finalized, totaled 18,763 tons. The average “good faith” estimate of the final weighted average price for this tonnage was 83.8 cents per pound.

    The quantity of all walnuts purchased from producers was 643,653 tons for the 2019 crop. This figure does not include walnuts produced by the handler or purchased from other handlers. 

    The tonnage produced by the handler plus tonnage purchased from producers for the 2019 walnut crop was 654,555 in-shell tons.

    Information contained in this report was supplied by walnut handlers to fulfill reporting requirements of Sections 55601.7 and 55601.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code. The report includes all tonnages of walnuts that were either produced by the handler or purchased from producers. The final weighted average price, including bonuses and allowances, has been reported for all contracts which were finalized.

    All 2019 crop transactions completed through the close of business on August 31, 2020 are included in this report. A “good faith” estimate of final weighted average price was reported for those contracts which were not final on the same date. The data are shown by major varieties at the State level only.

    DEFINITIONS

    Producer: A person or operator who is responsible for the walnuts in the unprocessed state.

    Handler: Firm that processes and markets walnuts.

    Finalized Purchases: Tonnage purchased from producers, for which a pricing contract has been completed.

    Non-Finalized Purchases: Contracted tonnage, for which a final price has not yet been determined.

    Free Tonnage: Tonnage received by a handler, for which the only Federal marketing order regulation is a minimum quality or size standard. Reserve tonnage is the tonnage set aside as authorized by a Federal marketing order.

    Weighted Average Price: Weighted average price reflects prices or “good faith” estimates of prices as reported by handlers and include any bonuses or allowances. 

  • To all San Joaquin Valley Citrus Growers

    The ACP/HLB San Joaquin Valley Task Force called a meeting on October 8, 2020 due to the increased number of ACP trap finds in the southern part of Kern County. In the last month (September and into October), there

    have been a total of 35 ACP trap finds in the areas of the south part of Bakersfield, Arvin, Lamont, Mettler, and Maricopa. There were 15 residential and 20 commercial citrus sticky trap finds. While there have been finds in

    some of these areas in the past, the amount of detections in this last 30-day period is alarming. The Asian citrus psyllid, as a reminder, transmits Huanglongbing; the best way to avoid HLB is to control ACP which the valley has been successfully doing. 2020 has been a suspiciously quiet year for ACP finds but now, it is time to act.

    We are now in the late part of the season where most spray programs have already been executed. A coordinated spray is not recommended at this time. Kern County growers are encouraged to use an ACP effective material if they have not done so in the last six weeks. It is prudent for all growers to use ACP effective materials when treating other pests. Regarding the residential finds, CDFA is at various stages of treating them. Prior to these finds, CDFA had released Tamarixia radiata in certain residential areas of Kern County. Future Tamarixia releases are scheduled.

    The task force wants to convey the seriousness of what is being seen and what it means to our industry. Unfortunately, the suspicion is that these finds in commercial citrus are spilling over from residential properties. It is up to the citrus industry to deal with this threat. San Joaquin Valley citrus growers have done a good job using ACP effective materials when treating. The cooperation shown by growers during coordinated treatments reflects their commitment to keeping ACP suppressed. Nevertheless, task force members wished to highlight what should be done to help control the Asian citrus psyllid here in the valley.

    It is even more imperative to control the psyllid due to the find of a CLas positive ACP in commercial citrus down in the Riverside area. That was a wake-up call. We cannot, as an industry and in good conscience, dismiss that find. Growers and Pest Control Advisors need to be diligent. The following best practices must be a part of the regime tending to citrus groves.

    What do Growers and Pest Control Advisors need to do? It is easy to say, “follow the best practices”, but there are key elements that the task force believes is important. All the guidelines should be adhered to, but these are the key elements:

    A. Know When and Where Asian citrus psyllids might be present.
    – flush is what attracts the psyllid. Nice, tender leaves and stems. Like candy to an ACP.
    – citrus varieties matter. Lemons flush constantly. Grapefruit, oranges, and mandarins will have fewer flush cycles.
    – know when flushes occur. Spring, late summer for established trees. Younger trees have extensive, prolonged flush. Topping and hedging will produce flush. Spraying with kaolin stimulates flush also.

    – temperature determines how long a flush will last. Hot temps lead to quick hardening of the plant growth. Cooler temps prolong flush.

    1. Scout for Asian citrus psyllids (Yellow sticky traps are a passive method to determine presence of ACP).

      – use both visual and tap surveying.
      – survey along the borders, psyllids tend to not go deeper into groves unless the population is high (they do not like each other very much). If very wide plantings or very wide wind machine rows exist, then check along them too. Younger trees and shorter trees will allow the psyllids to travel farther into the grove.
      – do more frequent surveys during flush. Monthly surveys work when the vegetation is hardened off, unless the trees are close to a find, then sampling frequency should increase.

    2. Be aware of inadvertently transporting ACP.
      – clean equipment used before moving to the next property. Applies to anyone working in a grove; especially picking crews, trimming crews, irrigators, Pest Control Advisors, and the growers themselves.
      – check clothing and vehicles for insect hitchhikers. Shake out hats, bags, clothing. Sweep down vehicles.
      – do not park vehicles in the rows, park outside of the grove.

    3. If possible, use ACP effective materials when treating other pests, following label instructions.

    4. Follow the requirements when moving bulk harvested citrus.

    5. Be aware of developments!
      – receive newsletters from San Joaquin Valley Grower Liaisons.

    Fresno County Northern Tulare County Southern Tulare County Kern County

    – subscribe to industry publications.

    Sylvie Robillard Teri Blaser Jessica Leslie Judy Zaninovich

    FresnoACP@yahoo.com TBlaserSCI@ocsnet.net jess.leslie@hotmail.com jleslie@msn.com

    These were felt to be the most important points of the voluntary best practices. The ACP/HLB San Joaquin Valley Tack Force felt it was important to write this letter to all the valley citrus growers because as of this moment, the valley has not discovered a CLas positive Asian citrus psyllid or a CLas positive tree. The members of the task force believe that the industry must operate under the assumption that there are positive psyllids and trees in the valley; they just have not been found yet. If the industry relaxes its vigilance that is when Huanglongbing will become established and cause havoc. Thank you for taking the time to read this and may each and all stay safe and well.

    Sincerely,

    The ACP/HLB San Joaquin Valley Task Force