California Ag Network

Tag: The California Avocado Commission

  • California Avocado Commission to Hold Annual Meetings in these Regions

    The California Avocado Commission encourages members of the California avocado industry to attend the upcoming CAC 2025 Annual Meetings that will be held in March. The meetings will take place at three different locations within California avocado growing regions.

    The sessions will provide attendees with the opportunity to learn about the evolution of the consumer marketing campaign, as well as gain insight into the grower-focused priorities of the Production Research and Industry Affairs teams.

    The meetings will take place as follows:

    Tuesday, March 25 — 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
    South Coast Winery
    34843 Rancho California Road
    Temecula, CA 92591

    Wednesday, March 26 — 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
    Museum of Ventura County
    100 E. Main Street
    Ventura, CA 93001

    Thursday, March 27, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
    SLO Farm Bureau
    4875 Morabito Place
    San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

    RSVPs are not required. For more information, contact the Commission at 949.341.1955 or cac.iaf@avocado.org.

  • Growers Encouraged to Attend February California Avocado Commission Board Meeting

    The California Avocado Commission will host its next Board meeting on February 22 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in Ventura County. The meeting will provide California avocado growers with the opportunity to engage with CAC staff and Board, and receive updates on Commission operations, including marketing and industry activities. Growers can attend the meeting in person at the United Water Conservation District, 1701 North Lombard Street, Suite 200, Oxnard, CA. Growers also have the option of attending the meeting virtually.

    The agenda will be posted on CAC’s grower website 10 days prior to the meeting at the following link: https://www.californiaavocadogrowers.com/commission/meeting-agendas-minutes.

    The California Avocado Commission’s Board of Directors also currently has a Handler Member and Handler Alternate Member seat available. Appointees will fill the vacant seats for the remainder of their unexpired terms: October 31, 2024 for the Member seat and October 31, 2025 for the Alternate Member.

    Interested parties should complete the candidate form available in the right-hand navigation and return it to the Commission by February 15. The form may be faxed to 949.208.3503, emailed to aaymami@avocado.org or mailed to 12 Mauchly, Suite L, Irvine, CA 92618-6305.

    To be eligible, candidates must:

    • Certify they have a financial interest in handling avocados for market via ownership, employment or membership in a legal entity engaged in the handling of avocados; and handles no less than 1% of the total industry volume of avocados in the preceding marketing year
    • Demonstrate direct involvement in the selling, marketing, distributing, receiving, grading, packing, canning, extracting, preserving, grinding, crushing or changing the form of California avocados to prepare them for market
    • Have ultimate control over handling California avocados and liability for reporting and payment of CAC assessments

    The vacancies will be filled by majority vote of the CAC Board during a meeting held on February 22.

  • Preventing Alternate Bearing Patterns And Freeze/Frost Protection (Avocado Field Day)

    The California Avocado Commission will host a grower field day at Pine Tree Ranch in Santa Paula on January 25, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

    During the event, California avocado growers will have an opportunity to meet CAC’s new president, Jeff Oberman. In addition, Tim Spann of Spann Ag Research & Consulting and Ben Faber, UC Farm Advisor, will lead a discussion on cultural management practices specific to the winter 2023 season. The topics will include:

    • Preventing severe alternate bearing patterns. Many groves have a very light crop for the 2023 season, which can lead to trees becoming set in a severe alternate bearing pattern. Discussion will center on cultural management practices to alleviate this problem.
    • Post-freeze/frost grove care. Winter brings with it the risks of frosts and freezes. Presenters will focus on best practices for managing groves after frosts and freezes have occurred.

    Attendees are encouraged to ask questions about concerns they are facing within their own groves and are welcome to walk through the various grove plantings at Pine Tree Ranch.

  • California Avocado Commission Anticipates 286 Million Pound Crop

    The California Avocado Commission (CAC) recently reported the results of their mid-season crop update surveys with their growers and handlers, forecasting a smaller crop than was initially expected. Through use of grower and handler surveys, CAC is able to collect the most up-to-date volume information and anticipated harvest timing. The results are used to inform the industry of the total crop that is expected to come to market and as a guide that helps shape the timing of CAC’s marketing efforts.

    The results forecast a 2022 California crop estimate a 286 million pounds – which consists of 272 million pounds Hass, 8 million pounds Lamb-Hass, 5 million pounds GEM and 1 million pounds of other varieties. This updated volume is a 20-million-pound reduction from the December 2021 handler pre-season estimate of 306 million pounds. The decrease in volume mostly comes from Hass (19 million pounds), however a slight reduction to the Lamb-Hass volume also has been made (1 million pounds).

    Detailed results from the grower and handler survey can be found on CAC’s grower website, as well as revised monthly and weekly harvest projections based on the 286-million-pound crop volume. Please note that projected volume for the beginning of the season, which has already been harvested, does not match weekly actuals, but instead how the four-year average and handler forecasting models projecting a 286-million-pound crop would have come to market (based on the actual monthly volume that was harvested). As we move through the season, Commission staff will continue to track crop harvest and remaining volume closely, ensuring that CAC’s marketing efforts are aligned with when California fruit is in season.

  • California Avocado Acreage Drops (Acreage And Condition Analysis Report)

    The California Avocado Commission gathers critical yield forecasting data to make informed budgeting and marketing decisions by partnering with Land IQ to conduct an annual acreage survey. Data from this survey is then compiled in a database for use by the Commission. In addition, Land IQ releases a yearly report for public consumption. The 2021 Statewide Avocado Acreage and Condition report is now available on the California avocado growers website.

    Highlights from the report are as follows:

    • Total planted acreage in 2021 was 51,988 acres, a reduction of about 2,000 acres from 2020
      • 46,727 producing acres
      • 2,668 new/young acres
      • 2,592 topped/stumped acres
    • The five major avocado growing counties — Ventura, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Luis Obispo — accounted for 96% of planted acreage
      • Ventura — 38%
      • San Diego — 29%
      • Santa Barbara — 13%
      • Riverside — 9%
      • San Luis Obispo — 7%
    • Updated tree age analysis
      • 9% of groves were newly planted to 4 years old
      • 14% were 5 – 8 years old
      • 17% were 9 – 15 years old
      • 16% were 16 – 20 years old
      • 44% of groves were 21 or more years old
    • Planting density analysis
      • 19% of acreage is planted at high density (15×15 or closer and 20×10)
      • 81% of acreage is planted at standard density (15×20 or greater

    The report also includes:

    • Tables and graphs illustrating avocado acreage by condition and county
    • Tables of statewide avocado acreage by county and zip code
    • Tables listing planted avocado acreage by year planted or stumped
    • A table noting the age of groves as a percentage of planted acreage, as well as a table summarizing planted avocado acreage by year planted or stumped
    • Tables comparing the condition (producing, stumped, young, abandoned) of high density and standard groves by acreage and county
    • Maps depicting planted avocado polygons in each of the Commission’s five districts
    • Table of net change in acreage from 2020 to 2021, by county
    • Table noting the change in avocado acreage classifications from 2020 to 2021

    A copy of the report is available HERE.