California Ag Network

Tag: NASS

  • 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. 

  • New California Mandarin Objective Measurement Survey

    USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Pacific Regional Field Office conducted the Mandarin Objective Measurement Survey for the first time this year. A sample of 271 Tango, W. Murcott Afourer, and White Murcott Mandarin varieties were randomly selected proportional to county and variety bearing acreage. Initial results show an average fruit set of 945 fruit per tree and an average fruit size of 1.49 inches in diameter for these varieties. Because this is a new survey, a production forecast will be not be made for at least three years.

    Fruit counts were made from two trees per orchard, and fruit diameter measurements were taken on the right quadrant of four trees surrounding the two sampled trees.

    California Mandarin Objective Measurement Survey Results, October 1, 2020
    County Number of samples Average set per tree Average diameter (inches)
    Fresno 31 1,378 1.57
    Kern 66 1,005 1.52
    Madera 34 694 1.34
    Tulare 132 912 1.48
    Other1 8 367 1.57
    State Survey Avg. 271 945 1.49

    1Other includes Imperial, Riverside, and Ventura counties.

    This and all NASS Pacific Regional reports are available at www.nass.usda.gov/ca. For more information, contact the NASS Pacific Regional Field Office at 1-800-851-1127.

  • California Walnut Acreage Continues to Grow

    According to the USDA’s 2019 Walnut Acreage Report, California’s walnut acreage is estimated at 415,000 acres, up 3.8 percent from 2017. Of the total acreage, 365,000 were bearing and 50,000 were non-bearing. Of the walnut acreage reported, Chandler continues as the leading variety with 133,609 bearing acres. Tulare overtook Hartley for second place with 29,331 bearing acres. San Joaquin County shows the largest acreage with 14 percent of the total, followed by Butte with 13 percent and Tulare with 10 percent each.

    OBJECTIVES

    The Pacific Regional Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts an acreage survey of California walnut growers. The purpose of this survey is to provide walnut acreage information on new plantings and removals. It is a continuation of a long series of industry-funded walnut acreage surveys.

    This report consists of two parts:

    Estimated walnut acreage — bearing, non-bearing, and total.

    Detailed data by variety, year planted, and county – as voluntarily reported by walnut growers and maintained in the NASS database. 

    With perfect information, the estimated walnut acreage and the detailed data would be the same. However, differences exist for the following reasons:

    A voluntary survey of approximately 4,900 walnut growers is unlikely to ever attain 100 percent completeness.

    It is difficult for USDA, NASS to detect growers that are planting walnuts for the first time.

    The detailed data reflects tree removals from over 15,000 acres during the past two years. Of this number, some acreage was harvested in 2019 prior to being pulled out, and that acreage has already been removed from the detailed data.

    PROCEDURES

    The major source of the walnut detailed data was a questionnaire mailed to all walnut growers included in the NASS database. The mailing was made to approximately 4,900 walnut growers in early November. The questionnaire contained previously reported crop, variety, and acreage information preprinted. Producers were asked to update the information with new plantings, removals, and any other corrections; new growers were mailed a blank questionnaire. Producers were given six weeks to respond by mail. A telephone follow-up was then undertaken.

    To arrive at the estimated walnut acreage, the NASS walnut acreage database was compared with pesticide application data maintained by County Agricultural Commissioners and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. In addition, NASS looked at data collected on the Walnut Nursery Sales Survey.

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    The USDA, NASS, Pacific Regional Office sincerely appreciates the many farm operators, owners, and management firms for providing the information. A special thanks goes to the California Walnut Board for providing funding and support of this special acreage update survey.

  • USDA-NASS Predicts Third Straight Record-Breaking Almond Crop

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting a record California almond crop for the third straight year. The USDA-NASS 2020 California Almond Subjective Forecast estimates California almond orchards will produce 3.0 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 17.6 percent from last year’s 2.55 billion-pound crop. Forecasted yield is expected to reach 2,380 pounds per acre, 10.2 percent greater than the 2019 yield of 2,160 peracre.

    This forecast comes about three weeks after USDA-NASS released the 2019 California Almond Acreage Report, which estimated total almond acreage for 2019 up 10 percent from 2018 at 1.53 million acres. Bearing acres – orchards mature enough to produce a crop – were reported at 1.18 million acres, up 8 percent from the previous year. USDA-NASS also estimated preliminary bearing acreage for 2020 at 1.26 million acres.

    “Almond acreage and production continue to increase as California almond growers further invest in precision agriculture and responsible best practices,” said Almond Board of California (ABC) President and CEO Richard Waycott. “Through the industry’s advancements in water use efficiency to environmentally friendly pest management, zero waste efforts in the orchard and beyond, almond growers are committed to achieving our Almond Orchard 2025 Goals and the realization of the California almond orchard of the future.”

    The first of two production reports for the upcoming crop year, the Subjective Forecast is based on opinions obtained from randomly selected almond growers located throughout the state via a phone survey, this year conducted from April 20 to May 6. USDA-NASS asks individual growers to indicate their total almond yield per acre from last year and expected yield for the current year based on field observations. The sample of growers interviewed is grouped by size of operation, and different individuals are interviewed each year to ensure grower representation throughout the Central Valley. USDA-NASS then combines the yield estimates obtained from each grower and extrapolates the information to arrive at the numbers reported in the Subjective Forecast.

    This July, USDA-NASS will release its second production estimate, the 2020 California Almond Objective Report. While the Subjective Forecast provides an initial estimate of the 2020/2021 crop, the Objective Report will provide an estimate based on actual almond counts that uses a more statistically rigorous methodology to determine yield. In Dec. 2019, ABC’s Board of Directors approved a strategic approach to further improve the accuracy of USDA-NASS’s reporting. From 2020 on, the Objective Report will include measurements from 1,000 target orchards throughout the state (an increase of 150 samples from 2019) and provide nut counts on not one but two branches per tree. The Objective Report will also provide the weight, size and grade of the average almond sample broken down by growing region – no longer growing district – and variety.

    The 2020 California Almond Objective Report will be released on Tuesday, July 7, at 12:00 p.m. PT. USDA-NASS conducts the Objective Report, the Subjective Forecast and the Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions, and thanks all farm operators, owners and management entities for their time in providing the information necessary to create these reports. — Article & Photo Courtesy of Almond Board of California

  • USDA to Survey Fruit Growers about Chemical Use

    In the next few weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey fruit growers in 12 states, including California, for its biennial Fruit Chemical Use Survey. Growers across the nation will provide information on bearing acreage, pest management practices, fertilizer types, and application rates for more than 21 fruit crops.

    “Growers benefit from providing this information because it is used to re-register products for their use, to illustrate the industry’s environmental practices, and to assure the quality of U.S. food to consumers here and around the world,” said Gary Keough, director of the NASS Pacific Regional Field Office, “I encourage every grower to take the time to respond if they receive this survey.”

     The Fruit Chemical Use Survey will provide much needed information about the current crop production practices used in the United States. The results of this survey will paint a detailed picture of pesticide use and other pest management practices used by the fruit growers across the nation. To conduct the survey, NASS representatives will contact selected California growers to arrange in-person interviews. The results of this survey will be available in aggregate form only, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified, as required by federal law.

    Survey results will be published in NASS’s online database, Quick Stats, in July 2020. This database and all NASS reports are available on the agency’s web site: www.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Pacific Regional Field Office at 1-800-851-1127.

  • NASS Predicts Another Record-Breaking Almond Crop

    For the second year in a row, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting a record California almond crop for the upcoming production year. According to the NASS 2019 California Almond Subjective Forecast issued today, California almond orchards are expected to produce 2.50 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 8.69% from last year’s 2.30 billion-pound crop.1

    This forecast comes about two weeks after NASS released the2018 California Almond Acreage Report, which estimated total almond acres for 2018 were up 2% from 2017 at 1.39 million acres. Bearing acres – orchards mature enough to produce a crop – were reported at 1.09 million acres, up 6% from the previous year. Looking ahead, NASS reported preliminary bearing acreage for 2019 at 1.17 million acres, up 7.3% from 2018.2

    “I am excited by the future of the California almond industry. As our crop grows, our improvements in technology and innovative practices are growing with us, from advances in pest management that look beyond traditional applications to significant progress in water use efficiency. The Almond Orchard 2025 Goals highlight these successes and drive our industry to press onward towards the California almond farm of the future,” said Almond Board President and CEO Richard Waycott.

    The first of two reports for the upcoming crop, the Subjective Forecast is based on opinions obtained from randomly selected almond growers located throughout the state via a phone survey conducted in April and May. NASS asked growers to indicate their total almond yield per acre from last year and expected yield for the current year based on field observations. The sample of growers interviewed is grouped by size of operation, and different individuals are interviewed each year, allowing all growers to be represented. NASS then combines the yield estimates obtained from each grower and extrapolates the information to arrive at the numbers reported in the Subjective Forecast.

    While the Subjective Forecast provides early estimates of the upcoming crop after it is set, NASS’s 2019 California Almond Objective Report will provide a more precise estimate as it uses a more statistically rigorous methodology to determine yield. The report’s data is based on actual almond counts and measurements gathered from over 850 orchards throughout the state and includes the weight, size and grade of the average almond sample broken down by both growing district and variety.

    The California Almond Objective Report will be released on July 3, 2019, at 11:50 a.m. PDT. NASS conducts the Objective Report, the Subjective Forecast and the Acreage Report in order to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions.1

    USDA-NASS. 2019 California Almond Subjective Forecast. May 2019.2

    USDA-NASS. 2018 California Almond Acreage Report. April 2019.

  • California Almond Acreage Increases in 2018

    USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reports that California’s almond acreage continued to increase in 2018. Bearing acres, or orchards that have matured enough to produce a crop, are reported at 1.09 million acres, which is up 6 percent from 2017. Total almond acres for 2018 is estimated at 1.39 million acres, up 2 percent from the previous year.
    Almond-Acreage-Increase-PNP

    With this increase, almond growers remain committed to continuous improvement, finding ways to responsibly produce more almonds to meet global and domestic demand (30% of total shipments of California almonds are shipped domestic). Last year, the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors prioritized industry resources in four key areas that will ensure almonds remain as leaders in California agriculture as they work towards producing an economically, environmentally and socially responsible crop. These four key areas – water use, harvest dust reduction, environmentally friendly pest management, zero waste – ladder up to the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals, whichbuild upon a history of significant industry achievements. For example, over the past two decades growers have reduced the amount of water it takes to grow a pound of almonds by 33%.

     

    In addition to achievements in the orchard, on the processing side there have been zero outbreaks of foodborne illness attributed to California almonds since the rollout of a groundbreaking pasteurization program a decade ago. In fact, earlier this month the Almond Board was selected to receive the GMA Food Safety Award from the International Association for Food Protection, in recognition of the Board’s “preeminence in and contributions to the field of food safety.”

    “The California almond industry continues to prove itself as a leader in responsible practices, from the orchard to the processor,” said Almond Board President and CEO Richard Waycott. “The Almond Orchard 2025 Goals act as a guidepost on our journey towards continued advancement and innovation throughout the industry. With the latest acreage numbers, we’re confident in our ability to continue to meet global demand and to provide the world with a high-quality product.”

    On Friday, May 10, 2019, NASS will release the 2019 Subjective Report, which provides an initial forecast of the upcoming crop. Data for the Subjective Report is based on opinions obtained from almond growers in a survey sent by NASS. Almond growers will soon receive the NASS survey and are encouraged to participate. For more information, growers may contact Bryce Spycher at bspycher@almondboard.com.
    About the Almond Board of California
    California Almonds make life better by what we grow and how we grow. The Almond Board of California promotes natural, wholesome and quality almonds through leadership in strategic market development, innovative research, and accelerated adoption of industry best practices on behalf of the more than 6,800 almond farmers and processors in California, most of whom are multi-generational family operations. Established in 1950 and based in Modesto, California, the Almond Board of California is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. For more information on the Almond Board of California or almonds, visit Almonds.com or check out California Almonds on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and the California Almonds blog.
    Almond Acreage increases chart