California Ag Network

Tag: Grape Expo

  • Sun-Maid Growers Report Success in New Product Development & Global Demand for Calfornia Raisins

    The State of the Raisin Industry address was once again a big hit at Malcolm Media’s recent Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo.  In addition to hearing from Raisin Bargaining Association representatives, Steve Loftus from Sun-Maid Growers shared his perspective of 2024 raisin harvest, how the global raisin market is performing, and what Sun-Maid is doing to build demand for California raisins with new product development and consumer outreach. Watch his brief interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network and read the full report in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Postharvest State of the California Table Grape Industry

    How did the 2024 harvest fare for California table grape growers following the extensive high heat conditions they weathered over the summer? What are the biggest challenges concerning growers moving into 2025? California Fresh Fruit Association President Daniel Hartwig addressed these questions at Malcolm Media’s annual Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in his State of the Industry address. Watch his interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network and read more about it in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Short California Winegrape Crop Doesn’t Fix Wine Market Troubles

    While harvest is generally a highly anticipated time of the year for California wine grape growers, it was a real let down for growers that could not find a home for their crop.  The global wine market remains depressed while supply and demand continues to be out of balance, despite the shorter crop that was delivered to the wineries this year.  This is what Allied Grape Growers President Jeff Bitter shared at Malcolm Media’s Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in his annual State of the Wine Industry address. Watch this brief interview as Jeff shares with American Vineyard Editor Matthew Malcolm what growers can expect heading into 2025. Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Introducing the New Viticulture Farm Advisor for Tulare & Kings Counties

    The UC Cooperative Extension is pleased to introduce one of their newest Viticulture Farm Advisors, Joy Hollingsworth, who will be serving primarily table grape growers in Tulare and Kings Counties. Watch this video interview to get to know Joy, her history, and the research and extension she is currently focusing on.  Joy can be reached at 559-684-3313 or joyhollingsworth@ucanr.edu.

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

  • Combatting the Arch Nemesis Pest of the CA Grape Industry

    The arch nemesis pest of the California grape industry continues to spread to more grape growing areas. Vine mealybug damage not only leads to black sooty mold on grapevine leaves and clusters, but it can also transmit and spread grapevine leafroll associated viruses that have been devastating vineyards.  Watch this brief interview with UCCE Kern County Entomology Advisor David Haviland as he encourages an integrated or combination approach to combatting this pest.

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

  • Mitigating the Effects of Grapevine Red Blotch Disease

    With grapevine red blotch disease widespread across the west, what’s a grower to do with a young or old vineyard that contracts this disease?  How does it impact grape yield and quality and are there ways to mitigate the detrimental effects of this disease?  Watch this brief interview with the new UCCE San Joaquin County Viticulture Advisor Justin Tanner to find out.

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

  • Mechanizing Table Grape Vineyard Pruning

    While the wine grape industry is a few steps ahead in vineyard mechanization, the table grape industry has made some recent advancements in options for mechanized pruning that can help growers save on labor costs and speed up what can be a tedious process of winter pruning.  Watch this brief interview with Kern County UCCE Viticulture Farm Advisor Tian Tian to learn more, and be sure to read the new Table Grape Tasks column in American Vineyard Magazine.

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

  • State of the Wine Industry, Lodi/Interior with Mike Needham

    There’s been a lot of activity in the wine market over the past several months as the industry heads into 2022 with tighter inventories. Watch this brief interview with Mike Needham as he shares some insights of what he’s been seeing in California’s interior wine grape regions based on his recent presentation at Malcolm Media’s Tree & Vine Expo.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Don’t Miss the Sonoma Grape Expo, Nov. 5

    Save the date, Friday, November 5th for the Sonoma Grape Expo at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Sonoma County, Malcolm Media’s premier event for North Coast  Wine Grape Growers and PCAs.  Held biennially in collaboration with American Vineyard Magazine, California Ag Network (and the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group this year), it is the ultimate postharvest regional gathering place for wine grape growers and crop advisors.  Hundreds of growers, PCAs and industry stakeholders attend this expo to enjoy State of the Wine Grape Industry presentations with Allied Grape Growers and Turrentine Brokerage, Continuing Education Credited IPM seminars, great food & company, and an industry trade show featuring the North Coast’s most innovative vineyard technologies, products and services.

    This event is FREE to attend and wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of local industry associations, universities and this year’s sponsors: Wonderful Nurseries, Live Earth Products, FieldIn, Belkorp Ag, Casa Cristal Nursery, Vineyard Industry Products, and the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group.

    Online pre-registration for the event is now available HERE and includes the ability to pre-register for any CE credits attendees would like to receive. Three hours of PCA, PA, QAL, QAC and 4.5 hours of CCA credits have been approved for this event.

    Also new to this year’s program will be a special panel discussion led by Jason Saling, President of the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group.  In addition to wildfires and a challenging marketplace, the North Coast wine grape industry is under an increasing threat of invasive vineyard pests and diseases that need to be kept at bay. Saling and his associates will address the need for collaborative IPM strategies through a county wine grape pest control district.  See the full program below for more details.

    This event along with other Malcolm Media Ag Expos has generated nearly $150,000 in scholarship endowments for the agricultural programs at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, Fresno State, Santa Rosa Junior College and UC Davis.  Interested in exhibiting/sponsoring? Visit agexpo.biz/exhibit and give us a call at 559-298-6020 to see what options are still available.

  • How to Prepare your Vineyard for the Heat of the Summer

    Grape growers last summer experienced some pretty significant periods of hot weather that, for some, negatively impacted the health of their vines and crop yield. In the center of much of this heat, Fresno County UCCE Viticulture Advisor George Zhuang has been researching ways to reduce the impact of such temperatures which are sure to return to both the Central Valley and other parts of the state. Watch this brief interview with George, reporting from the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo as he explains. Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.