California Ag Network

Tag: Strawberries

  • UC ANR Hosting Berry Production Workshop in SD County

    UC Ag and Natural Resources is hosting a berry production workshop in Escondido. Whether it’s backyard and container-grown production, or commercial, field-grown operations, growers can learn the essentials of cultivating, managing and the economics of growing strawberries, blackberries and blueberries in San Diego County.

    The workshop will cover site selection, planting, irrigation, pest management, harvesting and market considerations for berry production at any scale. Practices, strategies, and challenges for production of strawberries and cane berries

    Issues and strategies for container-grown blueberries in San Diego County. Challenges for commercial, field-grown production of blueberries in San Diego County Economic consideration for berry production, tasting and value-added product development with berries will also be discussed.

    Registration is $40 per person. The deadline is 5 p.m. June 15, or earlier if capacity is reached.

    Day of walk-ups will not be admitted. Registration includes educational materials, continental breakfast and tasting of berries and berry products.

    Registration Link: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=49412

              

    For questions about registration, contact Lupe Ibarra at (858)822-7711 or llibarra@ucanr.edu. For questions about the program, contact Ramiro Lobo at (858)243-4608 or relobo@ucanr.edu. — Story contributed by UC Ag and Natural Resources

  • UC ANR: April Showers Bring Ruined Berries

    The Salinas Watsonville growing region was beset by significant amounts of rain recently, so it was time to go out and have a look. According to UC Ag and Natural Resources, the fruit is being thrown away instead of being put into clamshells and boxes for shipping.

    Much of the damage in the pictures below has to do with “water soaking”, meaning the riper fruit has pulled water into itself via osmotic pressure and the extra water coming in so quick has subsequently burst the epidermis.  A general rule of thumb is that most varieties of strawberry can take up to 1/2 inch of water before they manifest “water soaking” damage, so the berries around here which were subjected to 1 1/2 inches of water didn’t stand a chance.

  • Ventura County Farmers, Researchers Convene to Explore Regenerative Ag

    Ventura County will host a two-field series about regenerative ag this May, bringing together growers, ag researchers and sustainability leaders to explore the future of the region’s specialty crops.

    The series will be presented in partnership with the Ecological Farming Association, and will allow attendees to examine practical approaches to regenerative farming across avocados, citrus and strawberries — three cornerstone crops in Ventura County.

    The series will begin May 4 at Rancho Dos Hermanas in Fillmore, where participants will explore regenerative strategies in orchard systems, putting a focus on soil health, biodiversity and water management. The second event will take place May 11 at McGrath Family fam in Camarillo. This event, in partnership with the Rodale Institute, will highlight regenerative approaches to strawberry production that support long-term productivity and ecological resilience.

    “Ventura County has long been an agricultural leader, and growers here are increasingly interested in systems that work with nature rather than against it,” Nina Morris Thomson, Co-Fournder of Ranco Dog Hermanas. “This series is designed to bring farmers and scientists together to share knowledge, exchange ideas and strengthen the future of agriculture in our region.”

    People speaking and contributing to the event include:

    • Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, Founder of the Ecdysis Foundation and the 1000 Farm Initiative

    • Tony Serrano, regenerative organic certified farmer, Salinas Valley
    Phil McGrath, McGrath Family Farms

    • Researchers from Cal Poly Pomona studying diversified orchard systems

    • Experts in pest management, irrigation efficiency, biodiversity and organic certification

  • California Strawberry Growers & Farm Workers Pick Safety

     

    Pick Safety is a new effort from the California Strawberry Commission to highlight farmworker safety and industry-leading training and safety practices by emphasizing that everybody is responsible to always pick safety.

    “Our new I Pick Safety logo reminds people to be safe and healthy, and it highlights why this is important,” said Carolyn O’Donnell, communications director of the Commission. “Incorporating the tag line ‘For Me. For All.’ keeps the focus on every person’s role in protecting our families—from kids to seniors, along with the community at large.”

    The Commission is highly respected for its award-winning food safety program, providing train-the-trainer, classroom and in-field training programs, as well as sustainability and a variety of workforce training and safety courses. As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic was identified, the Commission went straight to work, identifying how to keep workers safe and healthy, and working with government and medical experts to provide the best advice available to California strawberry farmers.

    The Commission’s website has become the go-to source for current information on the coronavirus/COVID-19 situation, specifically tailored for farms and farm workers (https://www.calstrawberry.com/en-us/Coronavirus). This website has a series of audio, video, visual aids, guidance, and other resources that are available in English and translated into Spanish and Mixtec to help farm workers stay safe on the job and at home. Many materials are printed and suitable for posting on the ranch.

    Over the past 60 days, the Commission staff has visited nearly every strawberry farm currently operating in California, and provided on-site training, signage and informative materials to keep farm workers healthy, highlighting the Centers for Disease Control guidance on creating a safer work environment, and how to protect oneself through daily activities.

    California’s 400+ family strawberry farms provide over 70,000 well-paying jobs and generate over $3.4 billion of annual economic impact. “Strawberries are one of the most labor-intensive crops, and strawberry farmers are working diligently to protect farm workers while providing a consistent supply of this nutritious fruit to consumers,” said  O’Donnell. “Many strawberry farmers started in the fields planting and picking berries. This gives them a unique perspective and they are very appreciative and protective of their workforce.”  

    The Commission’s efforts include information on increased illness prevention training (at home and work), adopting crew and schedule modifications to implement social distancing during harvest, increasing the amount of hand washing facilities and hand sanitizing stations available in the field, sanitizing field facilities and work stations more frequently and keeping a watchful eye on employee health.

    Strawberry farmers and field supervisors are also working to quickly identify any workers who may be exhibiting illness symptoms and are being trained to help them isolate the individual to avoid spreading the virus to others. In California, most strawberry farm workers have paid sick leave as well as health insurance.

    While COVID-19 presents new challenges, for many years farmers in California have operated under the most stringent standards in the nation, governing field sanitation and worker safety. These existing standards have provided an important basis for the I Pick Safety program as farmers move with expediency to adopt worker protection protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, maintain the health of our dedicated farm workers and ensure the safety of our food supply. The increased training and attention during this coronavirus pandemic should reassure consumers that wholesome and delicious strawberries will remain available for their families to enjoy.

    About California Strawberries:

    The California Strawberry Commission represents more than 400 strawberry farmers, shippers, and processors, proudly working together to advance strawberry farming for the future of our land and people. Commission programs create opportunities for success through groundbreaking programs focused on workforce training, strawberry production research, and nutrition research. Through science-based information and education, we deliver good news about sustainable farming practices that benefit the health of people, farms, and communities. California Strawberry Commission

  • Breeding a Better Strawberry:Scientists Uncover Genetic Roadmap of Cultivated Strawberry

    Consumers want strawberries to be red, sweet, ripe and juicy, like those fresh picked from a garden. Suppliers want them to be easy to handle and ship, without getting squished. Commercial strawberry growers need their crops to be high-yielding and disease-resistant.

    An international team of scientists led by the University of California, Davis, and Michigan State University has taken a step that might allow breeders to grow a strawberry to satisfy all those needs. They’ve sequenced and analyzed the genome of the cultivated strawberry, which will provide a genetic roadmap to help more precisely select desired traits. The study was published today (Feb. 25) in the journal Nature Genetics.

    “Without the genome we were flying blind,” said Steven Knapp, professor of plant sciences and director of the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program. “It was like having a library of books, but all the books’ pages were blank.”

    Protecting strawberries from disease

    The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of strawberries, and almost 90 percent of them are grown in the cool, coastal climates of California. Growers are constantly struggling to fight off diseases like Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt and Macrophomina without having to use fumigants. The assembled genome will allow scientists to pinpoint specific genes that can protect the plant against diseases. Strawberries can also have diseases that may involve several different genes, similar to complex diseases in humans. Sequencing the genome will help unravel that complexity.

    “The genome sequence is powerful because it provides scientists with barcodes for nearly all the genes in strawberry. We can use that information to identify genes that play an important role in traits of agricultural importance,” said Knapp.

    Similarly, scientists may also be able to find genes in the strawberry that lead to increased flavor or aroma for the consumer, while maintaining the firmness and shelf life for producers.

    strawberriesOrigins of the strawberry

    Patrick Edger, co-corresponding author with Michigan State University, and his team also deciphered the complex evolutionary history of the cultivated strawberry. While humans are diploid species, meaning each cell contains two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent, the cultivated strawberry is an octoploid. Each cell in a strawberry plant contains eight complete sets of chromosomes, so untangling its evolution is a feat.

    “Strawberry has a rich history that spans the globe, ultimately culminating in the fruit we enjoy today,” said Edger.

    Other UC Davis authors in the study include postdoctoral scholars Thomas Poorten and Michael Hardigan. The study was funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and the California Strawberry Commission.

    — By Amy Quinton in Food & Agriculture

  • Cold Snap Under Way for the Central Coast – What to do on the Berry Side

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 1, 2018) – We have a stretch of unusually cold weather, including freezing temperatures at night, underway currently on the Central Coast, and it has attracted a lot of attention.

    Being originally from Wisconsin, it always slays me what people here think of as cold.  I was up in Cupertino this morning, and overheard a women exclaiming into her phone that it was so cold that she was wearing two jackets!! Ever hear of a snowmobile suit, longjohns or a ski mask?  I used to go running in -10 degree weather, and fished through the ice all day long in temperatures even colder. Naah, 25 degrees above zero isn’t cold my friends.

    Regardless, I should provide some insight to you here concerning these upcoming freezing temperatures and what they could do, particularly in the case of strawberries, which in most places around the Bay have started to really grow and in some case produce a lot of fruit already.

    Strawberries come from temperate regions of the world and can handle freezing temperatures in due course. However, once the plants are actively growing like they are here now, that does present some difficulties which growers and managers can take some steps to address.

    Once the strawberry plant has broken dormancy, cold temperatures no longer offer any enhancement in the way of cold conditioning (what many of us refer to as chill), and therefore we shouldn’t be seeing any extra plant vigor or fruiting from these freezes.

    To the contrary, while these early spring freezes will normally not kill strawberry plants here on the Central Coast they nevertheless present a setback to fruiting because of the danger they present to sensitive plant parts. The core of the strawberry plant, which is the crown and is a thick, fleshy organ full of water and if correctly planted is mostly submerged below the surface of the soil, is well protected.   Not so with flowers and on occasion younger leaves, which are fully exposed to the cold and can die back in a hard freeze.  Even if a flower is not killed outright by below freezing temperatures, pollination has a good probability of being affected and subsequent fruit will be misshapen.

    Growers can take measures to mitigate the damage of freezes to strawberries. If one is concerned about an upcoming freeze, taking the step to saturate the bed full of water via the drip irrigation before the frost is expected can do a lot. Having the bed full of water accomplishes two things; the first is that the irrigation water being well above freezing will insulate the bed, and second the cells of plant in a well watered condition will become turgid with liquid and this to some measure protects them as well against freezing.

  • Entomologist Frank Zalom Delivers 2017 ARS B. Y. Morrison Memorial Lecture at ASHS Conference

    Waikoloa, Hawaii, (September 26, 2017) – “Significance of Integrated Pest Management to Sustainable Horticultural Production—Observations and Experiences” is the title of entomologist Frank G. Zalom’s 2017 ARS Benjamin Y. Morrison Memorial Lecture, which he delivered today at the American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference in Waikoloa, Hawaii.

    2017 ARS B. Y. Morrison Memorial Lecturer Frank G. Zalom

    Zalom is nationally and internationally renowned for his leadership developing research-based integrated pest management (IPM) programs. He is also recognized for his adeptness in mobilizing and coordinating different and often divergent scientific, stakeholder and governmental groups to achieve a common goal of industrywide improvements in pest and pesticide management for individual crops such as almonds, tomatoes, strawberries, grapes and olives.

    IPM benefits most from a transdisciplinary approach to developing a control program, especially one that places the plant at the center as the “unifier of knowledge,” so that the plant’s own particular biology and its special defenses can be brought into play, Zalom explained.

    Under Zalom’s guidance, the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program became recognized as the premier program of its type as he reinforced the need for sustainability in the pursuit of managing pests. Today, he serves as distinguished professor and extension specialist in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at UC Davis.

    For example, Zalom first helped develop and then implemented a pest management program for the navel orangeworm—a key almond pest—that has been widely adopted by California growers. As a result, damage from this pest dropped from 8.8 percent annually to less than 1.5 percent while industrywide insecticide use for navel orangeworm control decreased by more than 40 percent.

    He also led a multidisciplinary research and extension effort in the 1990s that reduced organophosphate dormant spray use in almonds by more than 50 percent and ultimately by 90 percent across California orchard crops. Organophosphates had been running off into the Sacramento River after winter rainfalls, and cuts in their use helped bring the river back into compliance with the Clean Water Act.

    The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) established this memorial lectureship in 1968 to honor the memory of Benjamin Y. Morrison (1891-1966) and to recognize scientists who have made outstanding contributions to horticulture and other environmental sciences and to encourage the use of these sciences. Morrison was a pioneer in horticulture and the first director of ARS’s U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. A scientist, landscape architect, plant explorer and breeder, author and lecturer, Morrison advanced the science of botany in the United States and fostered broad international exchange of ornamental plants.

    For more information about the B.Y. Morrison Memorial Lecture, see https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/lectures/morrison/

    For more information contact Kim Kaplan, ARS Office of Communications.

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 7, 2017) – A lot of variation in the weather across the State as a departing Pacific system exerted its influence onto the State. Monday, heavy rainfall across the southern quarter of the State, with areas along the immediate coast receiving up to two inches of rain. Heavier rainfall fell in the coastal mountains immediately inland of the San Diego area, with locations receiving over five inches. Most of the deserts received a quarter inch of rain. Midweek was mostly dry, expect for light rainfall in a few southern coastal areas. By Friday, the next storm system arrived, with light showers falling on the northwestern mountains. Saturday and Sunday brought heavier precipitation, with up to one to two inches falling in the northern portion of the State, and up to one inch falling in the southern parts of the state outside of the deserts. Light snow was reported in the central Sierras on Monday before warming temperatures mid-week resulted in the first significant snowmelt of the season. Heavy snowfall returned by Saturday with twelve to eighteen inches of snow falling in the central and northern Sierras. Further south, three to six inches of new snowfall occurred, maintaining the pre-week snowpack level there. Mountain snowpacks continued to be very heavy with Lodgepole in the southern Sierras and the Tahoe area reporting snowcover of nearly seven feet.

    Temperature highs were in the 30s to 40s in the mountains, 40 to 80s in the desert, 50s to 70s in the valley, and 60s to 70s along the coast. The temperature lows were in the 10s to 20s in the mountains, 20s to 40s in the valley, 30s to 50s in the desert, and 40s to 50s along the coast.

    Growers continued to wait for fields to dry out sufficiently to resume planting winter grain and field crops. Reports of lodging in mature wheat fields due to the recent high winds and rain of last week. Alfalfa fields were flooded and recharging underground water.

    Pruning, discing, weed control, and pre-bloom spraying continued where dry orchard floor conditions permitted. Olive groves were pruned. Pruning, tying, berm sanitation, and brush shredding continued as vineyard floors dried. Herbicides were applied in some vineyards. Early varieties of stone fruit, including cherries were blooming in Tulare County. Citrus harvest continued. Recent rains impacted the overall quality of the citrus. Orange groves were hedge-rowed and skirted.  A few seedless tangerine groves were being netted to prevent cross pollination during the pending bloom.

    As field conditions permitted walnut and pistachio orchards were pruned. Where dry enough cleanup of trees toppled by high winds began. Almond bloom was progressing with the southern portion of the state nearing completion. Rain and wind caused some almond petal drop.

    Recent rains slowed some harvesting but broccoli, romaine, and red lettuce harvest continued in Imperial County.  In Fresno County, winter onion and garlic fields were being fertilized and cultivated.  In Tulare County, squash was being planted in hot tunnels.  New fields were being prepared for spring planting.  Strawberries continued to thrive.

    Non-irrigated pasture and rangeland continued to improve with warming temperatures promoting forb and grass growth. Range was reported to be in excellent to fair condition. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued to wane as range conditions improved. Bees were active in almond orchards. Sheep grazed stubble fields, idle cropland, and dormant, alfalfa.

  • Full statistics now available for crop year 2015

    Sacramento, Calif., (February 2, 2017) – In 2015 California’s farms and ranches received approximately $47 billion for their output. This represents a decrease of nearly 17 percent compared to 2014. California remains the leading US state in cash farm receipts.

    California’s agricultural abundance includes more than 400 commodities. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. California’s top-10 valued commodities for 2015 are:

    • Milk and Cream— $6.29 billion
    • Almonds — $5.33 billion
    • Grapes — $4.95 billion
    • Cattle and Calves — $3.40 billion
    • Lettuce — $2.26 billion
    • Strawberries — $1.86 billion
    • Tomatoes — $1.71 billion
    • Flowers and Foliage — $1.08 billion
    • Walnuts — $977 million
    • Hay — $945 million

    Agricultural Exports: In 2015, California exported approximately 26 percent of its agricultural production by volume, accounting for $20.69 billion in value. California’s leading agricultural export products by value are almonds ($5.14 billion), dairy products ($1.63 billion), walnuts ($1.49 billion), wine ($1.48 billion), and pistachios ($848 million).

    Statistics: California agricultural statistics derive primarily from the United States Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Services (USDA/NASS) reports. The California Department of Food and Agriculture also publishes statistics related to California dairy production and, in cooperation with the University of California at Davis, statistics for California agricultural exports. For most timely research into California dairy statistics, please see our dairy pages under Division of Marketing Services. Please see also links in the right hand column for USDA National Agricultural Statistics and Economic Research Service reporting. For county-level reporting please see the CDFA County Liaison site.

    Annual crop year reports have been reproduced below for your convenience. Export reports are typically published within the corresponding crop year report. While data is made available throughout the year, crop year and export reports are published typically about one year following the given crop year.

    Link to report

  • Tulare County Reports on Current Crop Status

    Visalia, Calif., (January 13, 2017) – Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner released the current status today of major crops in the most valued county in the California Ag portfolio. They report that Recent rains have benefited the growth of already planted grains and field crops, but the rain has hindered ground preparations for continued planting. The forecast for optimal returns continues to look positive. Sorghum seed continues to be received for future planting. Black-eyed beans were exported to Malaysia.

    Table grapes from cold storage continue to be exported to Canada, China, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Vineyards continue being pruned and tied. Pistachios are being exported Belgium, China, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Vietnam. Almonds are being exported to Chile, China, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. Pecans are being shipped to Australia, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. Walnuts are being shipped to Hong Kong. Pomegranates are primarily being exported to Mexico. Deciduous fruit and nut orchards continue to be pruned and the brush shredded as weather conditions allow. Tree fruit, nut orchards, and vineyards have halted most post-harvest field activities due to the recent rain. In drier locations the removal of older orchards and vineyards continues in preparation for replanting with new varieties.

    Wet weather continues to slow citrus harvest. Navel and Mandarin oranges are being harvested as conditions allow. Navel and Mandarin oranges are being shipped to Australia, China, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The second application of copper fungicide has or will be made to meet the February 4th deadline for continued export to Korea. Satsuma tangerines continue to be harvested and sent to domestic markets. Melogold grapefruit are being exported to Japan and Korea. Lemons are being exported to Australia, China, Korea, and New Zealand. Removal of older orchards continues in preparation for replanting to new varieties in drier locations.

    Winter vegetables continue to mature ideally. Strawberries fields continue to thrive. Blueberries continue to be planted, weather permitting.

    Rangeland and dryland pasture continues to improve with the recent rainfall. Rangeland quality is benefiting from this week’s rain at the lower elevations. The fed cattle market price held steady at about $112.00 per hundredweight.

    Bare root rose nursery stock continues to be received, processed and shipped out. Potted roses are currently being shipped. Shipments of wholesale nursery stock have remained slow due to winter weather and a lack of demand.