California Ag Network

Tag: Fresno County

  • 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.

  • American Pistachio Growers Awarded $1 Million for Regional Pest Management Collaboration

    American Pistachio Growers (APG), in collaboration with Washington State University, University of California – Riverside, UC Cooperative Extension, the USDA Agricultural Research Service and regional nut industry partners, has been awarded a $1 million grant through the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) Program to develop a Regional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) network for Navel Orangeworm (NOW) — the most damaging pest in California’s tree nut industry.

    The project, led by Dr. Houston Wilson (UC Riverside), Dr. David Crowder (WSU), Dr. Jhalendra Rijal (UC IPM), and Dr. Charles Burks (USDA ARS) will pilot a groundbreaking Decision Aid System (DAS) that integrates real-time trap data, weather models, and crop phenology into a single communication platform. The goal is to improve the timing and precision of pest control decisions while fostering regional cooperation among almond, pistachio, and walnut growers.

    “This project moves us beyond the farm gate,” said Joe Coelho, APG’s Director of Sustainability and Member Outreach, who serves as Technical Agronomist and PCA on the project. “For the first time, growers across commodities will have access to shared regional data and communication tools that allow them to anticipate pest pressure before it hits their fields and ultimately make precise, timely treatment decisions. The outcome is fewer sprays, lower costs, and higher quality nuts.”

    Through field-level data acquisition, the system’s meta-analytics will identify regional flight trends coupled with crop-specific phenological development and enhance forecasting of NOW flights — critical steps in breaking the pest’s lifecycle across neighboring farms. Ultimately, the program is expected to help reduce pesticide use, improve nut quality, and lower aflatoxin risk associated with pest damage.

    APG will serve as the grower administration partner, coordinating grower participation and outreach. Carlee Branco, APG Grant Programs Administrator, will conduct on-farm grower coordination, engagement and data collection. “This is a major milestone for sustainable pest management,” said Coelho, “and it demonstrates APG’s leadership in advancing research that directly benefits growers.”

    The Regional IPM for Navel Orangeworm Project represents a pivotal step toward the state’s Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap by providing a scalable, data-driven framework that can be expanded statewide.

    “This is exactly the kind of innovation California agriculture needs,” said Dr. Wilson. “Regional coordination is essential to long-term pest reduction, especially for highly mobile insects like the navel orangeworm, and this project will now put those ideas into practice at scale.”

    The program launches in early 2026, with pilot regions in West Fresno County and Modesto, serving as the foundation for a future statewide expansion. Growers within these territories who are interested should contact Carlee Branco for more information at cbranco@americanpistachios.org.

    American Pistachio Growers (APG) is a non-profit trade association representing more than 800 growers and processors across California, Arizona, and New Mexico. APG’s mission is to enhance grower profitability through global marketing, industry research, and sustainability initiatives that promote economically viable and environmentally responsible pistachio production.

  • Increase of Navel Oranges Expected in California this Upcoming Season

    The initial 2025-26 California Navel orange forecast is 80.0 million cartons, up 6% from the previous year. These forecasts, by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, are based on the results of the 2025-26 Navel Orange Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey, which was conducted from June 12 to August 21, 2025. Estimated fruit set per tree, fruit diameter, trees per acre, bearing acreage, and oranges per box were used in the statistical models estimating production.

    This forecast includes production of conventional, organic, and specialty Navel oranges (including Cara Cara and Blood orange varieties).

    Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 375, down 9% from the previous year. The average diameter from the survey was 2.179 inches, up 6% from last year. Bearing acreage is estimated at 109,000, which results in a forecasted yield of 734 cartons per acre.

    Funding for the survey was provided by the California Citrus industry.

    CARA CARA PRODUCTION FORECAST

    Cara Cara variety production is forecast at 10.0 million cartons. Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 290, down 4% from the previous year, but 8% above the five-year average of 269. The average diameter from the survey was 2.216 inches, 3% above the previous year and 2% above the five-year average of 2.171 inches.

    SURVEY SAMPLE

    A sample of 804 Navel orange groves was randomly selected proportional to county and variety bearing acreage, and 753 of the groves were utilized in this survey. Once a grove was randomly chosen and grower permission was granted, two trees were randomly selected.

    For each randomly selected tree, the trunk was measured along with all connected branches. A random number table was then used to select a branch, and then all connected branches from the randomly selected branch were measured.

    This process was repeated until a branch was reached with no significant limbs beyond this point. This randomly selected branch, called the terminal branch, was then closely inspected to count all fruit connected to this branch, as well as all of the fruit along the path from the trunk to the terminal branch. Since each selected path has a probability of selection associated with the path, a probability-based method was then applied to estimate a fruit count for the entire tree.

    In the last week of the survey period, fruit diameter measurements were made on the right quadrant of four trees surrounding the two trees of every third grove. These measurements were used to estimate an average fruit diameter per tree. Of the 753 utilized groves, 133 were in Fresno County, 420 were in Tulare County, 174 were in Kern County, and 26 were in the remaining counties.

    SURVEY HISTORY

    A Navel Orange Objective Measurement Survey has been conducted in the Central Valley every year since the 1984-85 crop year, except for the 1991-92 season due to a lack of funding. The data from the first two years were used for research purposes in developing crop-estimating models. The Cara Cara forecast was undertaken at the request of the California Citrus Advisory Committee starting with the 2018-19 crop year.

    Beginning in the 2023-24 crop year, only state level forecasts will be published, and the Central Valley forecasts will be discontinued.

  • Golden State Farm Credit Awards Over $15,000 in Scholarships

    Golden State Farm Credit (GSFC) is proud to announce that it has awarded more than $15,000 in academic scholarships to outstanding high school seniors and college students pursuing degrees in agriculture. These scholarships reflect GSFC’s ongoing commitment to investing in the future of rural communities and supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders.

    Each year, GSFC recognizes and supports students who reside within its service area, including Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties, or are children of GSFC customers. Recipients must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a strong commitment to agriculture and can receive awards ranging from $500 to $1,500 to support their education at two-year and four-year colleges.

    “Our scholarship recipients are the future of agriculture,” said Rob Faris, President and CEO of Golden State Farm Credit. “By supporting their education, we’re not only investing in individual students but also in the long-term sustainability of agriculture in California.”

    The scholarship program is one of many ways GSFC works to strengthen rural economies and encourage youth to pursue careers in the agricultural industry. In addition to academic scholarships, GSFC supports youth in agriculture by purchasing livestock at county fairs, offering a summer internship program, and providing interest-free youth loan opportunities for junior livestock exhibitors. These initiatives underscore the cooperative’s mission to develop future ag leaders and strengthen rural communities.

    Applications for the scholarship program open annually in January. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit GSFC’s website to apply for the 2026 cycle.v

    For a full list of 2025 scholarship recipients, see the following:

    About GSFC:

    Golden State Farm Credit (GSFC) is a lending institution of the Farm Credit System with offices in Northern and Central California that service the counties of Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity, Fresno, Kings and Tulare. The GSFC administrative office is located at 3013 Ceres Avenue, Chico, CA 95973. The Farm Credit System (System) is a nationwide network of borrower-owned lending institutions that provides loans, leases, and related services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agribusiness, agricultural and rural utility cooperatives, and Young, Beginning and Small Farmers nationwide. Congress established the System in 1916 to provide a reliable source of credit for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. Today, the System provides more than one-third of the credit needed by those who live and work in rural America.

    For more information about Golden State Farm Credit, call (530) 895-8698 or visit us online at www.goldenstatefarmcredit.com.

  • Tulare Surpasses Fresno as #1 Ag County in the Nation

    It’s official. Tulare County is the number one ag producing county in the United States for 2022. While Fresno County reported a record $8.095 billion haul for 2022, it didn’t beat Tulare County’s $8.6 billion report. Both counties benefited from improved market prices and continue to corner the market in the top spots in the nation for ag production. Add in Kern County at number three, and the Central Valley counties are a combined agriculture and economic powerhouse valued at $24,432,162,300. Putting this in perspective, three California counties account for 44% of California’s total ag production value of $55,871,204,000.

    Their ag prowess doesn’t stop at farm gate receipts. Central Valley agriculture is a hotbed of innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. Farmers have always been problem solvers with longevity in mind, and now they are using poop to power their farms and communities.

    You heard that right. Poop power is a thing. Tulare County produces the most milk in the nation and has 40 operational dairy digesters. The digesters capture methane from manure and convert the greenhouse gas into a natural resource used to fuel farm vehicles, homes, and transportation fleets. Tulare County has reached 56% of their 2030 pollution reduction goal and had a net reduction of 592,131 metric tons of CO2e in 2021 alone. Once all planned digesters have been operational for 10 years, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reductions will total nearly 8.5 million MTCO2e.

    This win-win-win strategy combined with scientifically advanced animal nutrition and breeding genetics has also allowed dairy herd sizes to be reduced while increasing milk production. Since 2013, the number of dairy cows in Tulare County has declined by 30,000. This has led to reduced methane emissions and even better cow comfort.

    Innovations like these allow this powerful tri-county corridor to continue to improve sustainability and food security. They need the strong support of Sacramento and Washington D.C. to continue these successes.

    ·    2022 Tulare County Crop Report

    ·    Tulare County Supervisor Vander Poel Testifies on behalf of dairy digesters to CARB

    ·    Tulare County Lobbies to Save Dairy Digester Funds

    ·    The Golden State is Going Greener

    ·    2022 Cash receipts by commodity, state ranking – USDA

    About County of Tulare

    Located in the heart of the Central Valley, Tulare County is situated in a delightful and geographically diverse region. There are a variety of opportunities for all-season outdoor recreation such as camping, hiking, water and snow skiing, fishing, and boating.

    The County has a growing population of 479,112 and includes an area of 4,863 square miles. Mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevada range rise to more than 14,000 feet in its Eastern half, which is comprised primarily of public lands within the Sequoia National Park, National Forest, and the Mineral King, Golden Trout, and Domeland Wilderness areas. Meanwhile, the fertile valley floor in the Western half has allowed Tulare County to become the top producer of agricultural commodities in the United States.

    Learn more at wwwGrowTulareCounty.org.

  • 2018 California Raisin Grape Mechanical Harvest Report

    As the farm labor force in California continues to shrink and costs continue to climb, growers have been compelled to mechanize much of their farming tasks.  Harvesting is one of the most labor-intensive tasks for California raisin growers, and fortunately, mechanical harvesting is an option for them.  The technology has been around for quite some time now; however, some growers have been hesitant to convert to mechanized harvesting for one reason or another.  For many, it’s a question of finance.  Many of the old Thompson raisin vineyards are not set up to be mechanically harvested, but times are changing.

    Total acreage harvested by mechanical means in 2018 was 45,429, nearly 30 percent of the State’s total raisin-type grape acreage, according to the Pacific Region Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  The Overhead Trellis Management System was used on 13,346 bearing acres in 2018, accounting for 8.8 percent of the total raisin-type grape acreage.  Fresno and Madera County growers have 49 and 42 percent of the Overhead Trellis acreage in the State, respectively. Kern County growers have 6 percent of the Overhead Trellis acreage.  Other mechanical harvest systems include Continuous Tray at 20 percent of the raisin acreage, South Side with 0.4 percent and Open Gable with about 1.2 percent of the raisin-type grape acreage.

    Although Fresno County has the most acreage with mechanical harvesting, at 32,991, that acreage only represents 31 percent of the Fresno County raisin-type grape acreage.  Kern and Madera County growers harvest 11 and 43 percent of their raisin-type grape acreage by mechanical means, respectively.

    By variety, Thompson Seedless grape acreage with mechanical harvesting is 32,191 or 25 percent of the total raisin-type grape acreage.  Fifty percent of the Fiesta grape acreage is harvested mechanically and 68 percent of the Selma Pete acreage is harvested mechanically.

    Most California raisins are produced by sun drying after placing bunches on paper trays on terraces between vine rows.  The Overhead Trellis System has led to increased production of dried-on-the-vine raisins, increased machine harvesting, and decreased hand labor use.

    Raisin grape mechanical harvest

     Procedures

    The Pacific Region Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, conducts an annual grape acreage survey.  The 2018 Grape Acreage Report, published in April, summarized the latest survey results.  At the request of the raisin industry, an additional question was added to the grape acreage survey form the past ten years to gather information on raisin-type acreage that is harvested mechanically.  In addition to the mechanical harvest data, producers were asked to update acreage by variety and year planted.  Growers were initially contacted by mail and follow up was done by telephone.  This report summarizes data for mechanical harvest methods of raisin-type grapes.    The totals included are only for those that voluntarily reported to this survey.

    Acknowledgments

    We sincerely thank the many vineyard operators, owners, and management for firms providing the information.  Funding for the raisin-type grape acreage report was provided by the Raisin Administrative Committee.

    Mechanical Harvest Methods

    • Overhead Trellis– Grapes are dried directly on the vine, forming a canopy over the rows.  It allows the mechanical grape harvester to get underneath and gather the dried fruit.
    • South Side Trellis– In an east-west row orientation vineyard, an angled cross-arm is added to each trellis stake to support two wires on which fruiting canes are tied.  The southern exposure of the fruit facilitates drying.  The raisins may be harvested mechanically with a south side harvester.
    • Continuous Tray– Grapes are mechanically harvested and laid out on a continuous (rather than individual) thin sheet of paper where they dry in the sun for two to three weeks.
    • Open Gable – Trellis wires are connected between rows of v-shaped supports.  The unique V-shape lets in additional sunlight and traps the heat.  This greatly improves ripening and drying.  Raisins are harvested mechanically with a harvester that has been modified to place the raisins in bins instead of gondolas.

    Raisin type acreage chart

  • Public Forum On Proposed Temperance Flat Project

    Fresno, Calif., (April 17, 2018) – How big of a deal is the proposed Temperance Flat dam on the San Joaquin River?

    An April 27 forum hosted by the Friends of the Madden Library at Fresno State will help you learn more.

    The project is big, no question about it.

    There’s a lot of money involved: The dam will cost $3 billion, according to supporters, though opponents say it will turn out to be much more expensive. Physically, it’s huge: The dam, which would be located upstream of the existing Friant Dam, about 20 miles northeast of Fresno, would stand 665 feet high and have the capability to store more than 1.3 million acre feet of water. And politically, it’s become a high-stakes battle: Advocates say that farmers and residents need the water-storage capabilities of a new dam in times of drought, while foes decry the environmental impact and say that the cost for what they call a relatively small amount of water is far too high.

    As is the case with many complicated political issues, it’s a lot of information for the casual observer to absorb. The free library forum, to be held at 6 p.m. Friday, April 27 will help focus the discussion by featuring two passionate speakers on either side of the debate. Each has been following the project for more than 15 years.

    Speaking on behalf of the Temperance Flat project will be Mario Santoyo, executive director of both the San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Authority and the California Latino Water Coalition.

    “For me, the message is going to be fairly simple,” said Santoyo. “We’re in a time in history when the Central Valley has never experienced this degree of water shortage and groundwater regulation. That makes it imperative to manage what is otherwise lost to the ocean for the purposes of stabilizing our water supply and our economy.”

    The City of Fresno is what Santoyo calls a “major potential investor” in the project. In November, the city council approved $500,000 in preconstruction planning and coordination related to the dam, with an anticipated goal of forming a joint-powers agency with other irrigation districts.

    Speaking in opposition will be Chris Acree, executive Director of Revive the San Joaquin.

    “I think the basic point is that this is a private project that’s trying to benefit off the conversion of public lands,” said Acree. “I think it’s a shame we have to flood a giant canyon area for 70,000 acre feet of water — because the only time it would be 1.5 million acre feet is after a 100-year storm. The amount of money it costs for the amount of money it generates is just absurd.”

    Acree says the $3 billion estimated cost doesn’t include the loss of hydropower, environmental-impact reports and the consequences of flooding hundreds of Native American burial sites.

    These are pivotal times for the proposed dam. Supporters are seeking $1 billion in state funding. In January, the California Water Commission, which administers water-project bond money approved by voters with the passage of Proposition 1, gave the Temperance Flat project a score of zero for the dam’s cost-benefit ratio. Supporters are appealing the score.

    Both Santoyo and Acree said they’re looking forward to getting their views across at the library forum and stress the importance of an informed public.

    “It’s clearly one of the most important projects in probably the last 50 years in the Central Valley,” said Santoyo. “It’s well worth taking the time to listen.”

    The event is presented in collaboration with the Central Valley Water Awareness Committee, which will sponsor the Water-Wise Plant event on campus the following day.

     

  • Fresno County Department of Agriculture Crop Report

    Fresno, Calif., (April 16, 2018) – Growers continued to irrigate oats, triticale, wheat, and winter forage as they started to head out. Dry-land barley, triticale, and wheat benefitted greatly with the recent rain that arrived in March. All grain fields received fertilizing and treatment for broadleaf weeds as needed. Rice fields were getting prepared for planting.

    Alfalfa fields started to grow rapidly in the warm spring weather. Fields where sprayed for weeds and Selma District reported some growers started to cut and windrow for hay production. Ground preparation continued for the upcoming corn, cotton, melon, and tomato season. In the Huron area, processing tomatoes started to be transplanted. Garlic and processing onions were growing quickly. Onions grown for seed continued to be planted. Garbanzo bean crop showed good growth and was being cultivated. Alfalfa seed was exported to Australia and Hong Kong.

    Almond and various stone fruit orchards completed blooming. Growers applied bloom sprays, foliar feeds and fungicides before the expected rain. Orchard floors received herbicide treatments and avenues were prepared for irrigation. Almond exports were slower as processors waited to see if the frost damaged the crop. Grapevines started to push leaves and were treated for mealy bugs and powdery mildew as needed. Vineyards continued to be pushed out and replanted with nut crops. Pistachio and walnut growers did some weed control, as trees were still dormant. Pomegranate orchards were pruned. Almonds, dry cherry, dry figs, pistachio, pomegranates, prunes, raisins, and walnuts were exported to Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Chilean and Peruvian table grapes were re-exported to Canada.

    Preparation for spring was in full force, with ground being prepared for fresh market tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Parsley, spinach, fennel, and radicchio were all growing well. Asparagus harvesting continued, with prices competing with imports from Mexico. Head, leaf, and Romaine lettuce harvest started towards the end of the month; prices were lower than expected. Carrots were in all stages of production around the County, and some carrot tops were mowed. The freeze set beck the strawberry growers but regrowth has been good. Blueberries finished blooming and fields were starting to be treated for weeds. Pepper and lettuce seed was exported to Australia, Brazil, China, and Germany.

    Citrus continued to be harvested and packed. Groves that were harvested, were treated with herbicides, pruned and topped. Pollinator-exclusion netting was placed on mandarin blocks to prepare bloom. Grapefruit, lemons, navel oranges, and tangelos were exported to Australia, Belgium, China, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Polynesia, Guatemala, Honduras, Republic of Korea, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and United Kingdom.

    Bee shipments were starting to be gathered up and stacked, to be moved to citrus and plum orchards. Other shipments started to return to the States where they came from. Smaller beekeepers started moving their colonies into alfalfa to build up the colony numbers. Ranchers started branding and marking calves. The foothills started to green up from the rains, creating good conditions for grazing. Sheep were being moved out of alfalfa and into retired farmland. Egg production started to ramp back up after the winter lull.

  • Fresno County 4-H Corner

    Fresno, Calif., (March 7, 2018) – Have you ever wondered who owns the animals at the Big Fresno Fair or who exhibits items in the different buildings? Chances are, those exhibitors are 4-H members.

    4-H is a hands-on youth development organization whose motto is “to make the best better.” Our club, Blossom Trail, is an excellent example of this motto, having great participation and success at the fair this past year. Three of our members – Rachel Rusconi, Hannah Rusconi, and Faith Gatley – showed their dairy goats, with Rachel and Faith both winning first in their showmanship classes and Rachel also winning Junior Large Animal Round Robin.

    In addition, both Rachel and Hannah had many achievements for their dairy goats. Six of our members showed their market goats, with Hannah winning Reserve Supreme Champion Dairy-Market Goat. Eight of our members showed sheep and all did well in their categories. Four of our members showed pigs and all did extremely well.

    In terms of rabbits, Chloe Riley won Best of Breed Holland Lop. Three of our members showed poultry, with Seraphina Bedoyan winning Supreme Grand Champion Pen-of-Layers. A big recognition to Saro Bedoyan, who was awarded Outstanding Ag Exhibitor in the livestock building.

    Next door, 11 of our members exhibited in the Junior Exhibit Building, with several walking away with major awards. For example, Asa Chester won a first place for his painting and Seraphina Bedoyan, Saro Bedoyan, and Loren Parley all got Best of Shows.

    Finally, Blossom Trail’s feature fair booth won second place overall. This was an exciting year for Blossom Trail at the Big Fresno Fair, and we are looking forward to seeing our members continue their success in the years to come.

    By Faith Gatley, Blossom Trail 4-H Reporter

  • Fresno County Department of Agriculture Crop Report

    Fresno, Calif., (January 8, 2018) – Barley, triticale, and dry land wheat emergence has been slow due to lack of rain. Forcing some growers to irrigate fields. Early planted fields continued to mature and were treated with herbicides.

    Alfalfa went dormant, fields were treated with herbicides or grazed by sheep. Every District reported that, all cotton was disced and in compliance with plow down regulations. Due to lack of rain, ground prep and field fumigations continued for 2018 rotational crops. Alfalfa was exported to Argentina, Germany, Italy, and Qatar.

    Pruning in dormant stone fruit and nut orchards started to wrap up. Orchards were irrigated, disced, treated for weeds and had dormant sprays applied. Mummy shaking continued in lmond orchards. Older almond orchards were pushed out, for replanting later. Grapes were pruned and tied, along with having herbicides applied. Vineyards continued to be removed for planting of nut trees. Almonds, Asian pear, grape, kiwi, pecan, persimmon, pistachio, pomegranate, raisins, and walnut were exported to, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chili, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Viet Nam.

    Garlic and onion planting continued. Earlier planting had emerged and showed good growth. Fields were treated for weeds. Harvesting for winter greens such as, bok choy, cabbage, chard, collard greens, kale, parsley and daikon continued. In Firebaugh District, the broccoli harvest ended as temperatures dropped, fields were staring to be prepared for a spring crop. Head and leaf lettuce has been planted for the spring 2018 crop. Organic broccoli, celery and spinach are growing nicely in the Huron District. As well as next season’s tomato and garbanzo bean fields being worked prior to planting. In Sanger District, eggplant and strawberry fields were fumigated with Chloropicrin in preparation of planting. Asparagus fields were shredded in preparation for the spring growth. With the lack of rain, fields underwent discing, forming rows and irrigation line replacement in much of the County. Lettuce and arugula seed was exported to Brazil, Netherlands, Philippines, and South Korea.

    Grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, navel orange, and pomelo harvesting continued throughout December. Mandarin and navel harvests are approximately 1/3 completed in the Sanger District. Citrus is showing good color. The County experienced some low temperatures towards the end of the month but no freeze damage reported. Growers used fans, running water, and small fires to keep temperature up. Citrus is being exported to Australia, Dominican Republic, French Polynesia, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, in addition to the Philippines. Olive groves underwent discing and herbicide applications.

    Lack of rain in December kept rangeland very dry. Sheep with their new lambs continued to be grazed in alfalfa and fallow fields. Beehives are overwintering around the County and being given supplemental feedings.