California Ag Network

Tag: USDA California Crop/Weather Report

  • 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

  • California Crop Weather Report (For Week Ending: October 6, 2019)

    Weather

    Temperature highs ranged from the low 50s to low 80s in the mountains, low 60s to high 80s in the valley, low 60s to high 90s along the coast, and mid 60s to high 90s in the desert. Temperature lows ranged from the low 20s to low 40s in the mountains, mid 20s to mid 60s in the desert, mid 30s to mid 50s along the coast, and high 30s to mid 60s in the valley.

    Field Crops

    In Tulare County, cotton harvest began. Alfalfa continued to be cut, dried, and baled. Corn and sorghum harvest was wrapping up. Black-eyed peas were being harvested. In the valley, rice harvest continued at a steady pace and corn harvest was underway.

    Fruit Crops

    Stone fruit orchards were irrigated. Apricot, peach, plum, pluot, and nectarine harvest continued to wind down for the season. Some stone fruit orchards were pruned and topped.Olive, pomegranate, and Asian pear harvest continued. Persimmons and quince were showing color. Wine grape harvest continued. Marginal sugar levels were reported for some producers in Tulare County. Valencia oranges and kiwi continued to be harvested. Raisins were being rolled and picked up for processing in some areas. Lemon and lime harvest continued steadily. Citrus groves were pruned, hedge rowed, and skirted. Old citrus trees were being pushed out and replaced with new plantings.

    Nut Crops

    Orchards continued to be irrigated. Almond harvest continued to wrap up smoothly with hardshell varieties coming in slightly below the Nonpareil variety for a few producers. Walnut and pistachio harvest continued at a steady pace.

    Vegetable Crops

    In Monterey County, most lettuce and leafy greens production declined. Brassica harvest is continuing for a few more months. Fresno County reported processed tomato harvest finished, but is still ongoing in other parts of the State.

    Livestock

    Foothill rangeland and non-irrigated pasture were reported to be in fair to poor condition. Irrigated pasture was in good to excellent condition. Supplemental feeding of cattle was ongoing.

  • California Crop Weather (WEEK ENDING: April 14, 2019)

    WEATHER

    Temperatures for the week were above average for the most part across California. The Sierras experienced scattered showers and maintained above-average snow depth, while temperatures reached as high as 100 in the desert.Temperature lows ranged from the upper 20s to mid 40s in the Sierras, 30s to high 60s in the desert, high 30s to low 60s along the coast, and low 40s to low 50s in the valley.

    Temperature highs ranged from mid 40s to low 70s in the Sierras, mid 50s to high 80s in along the coast, mid 60s to mid 80s in the valley, and low 60s to low 100s in the desert.

    FIELD CROPS

    In Tulare County, wheat and alfalfa continued to mature. Silage crops were being cut. Spring silage continued to be planted.

    FRUIT CROPS

    Stone fruit orchard bloom was ongoing. Cherry and early plum fruit were sizing well. Pomegranates were leafing. Late navel orange harvest and packing continued. Somecitrus groves were being topped and skirted. Lemon harvest continued. Seedless tangerines were being tented to prevent cross pollination. Olives were blooming in Tulare County.

    NUT CROPS

    Almonds were sizing well. Walnuts were blooming. Pistachio planting continued.

    VEGETABLE CROPS

    In Imperial, romaine lettuce and spinach harvest continued. Winter vegetables continue tobe grown and harvested in Tulare. In the Sacramento Valley, asparagus harvest resumed.Processing tomato continued to be planted.

    LIVESTOCK

    Warmer temperatures promoted range development. Rangeland and non-irrigated pasturewere in good condition. Drier weather promoted milk production. Some bee hives were being moved from stone fruit orchards to the foothills.

    Crop weather report chart

  • California Crop/Weather Report Week Ending October 21, 2018

    WEATHER
    Low pressure aloft across the state led to cool conditions through midweek. Temperatures rested at below to near normal levels during the first half of the week. By midweek, the low pressure aloft moved toward the east allowing for high pressure to build over the region. This allowed for a warming trend to develop in which temperatures were expected to rise to above normal levels. The warm conditions continued until Sunday, when the high pressure began to weaken and allowed for temperatures to begin to cool.

    Temperature highs ranged from the upper lower 60s to mid 70s in the Sierras, upper 50s to low 80s in the mountains, the lower 60s to upper 80s along the coast, low 70s to upper 90s in the desert, and mid 70s to mid 80s in Central Valley. Temperature lows ranged from the upper 20s to lower 50s in the Sierras, upper 30s to upper 60s in the desert, upper 30s to low 50s in the mountains, mid 40s to upper 50s in the Central Valley, and mid 50s to lower 60s along the coast.

    FIELD CROPS
    In the Sacramento Valley, rice, safflower, and corn harvest continued. Sunflowers, beans, and rice continued to be harvested in Sutter. In Tulare cottonharvest continued, alfalfa was cut and baled, and corn and sorghum was harvested for silage.

    FRUIT CROPS
    Table and wine grape harvest continued. Late variety grapes were covered to protect from rain. Raisin grapes were harvested and laid out for sun drying, while dried raisins were picked up. Asian pears, apples, plums, pomegranates, and quince were harvested. Stone fruit harvest was wrapping up for the season. Some old stone fruit orchards were torn out for replacement with new trees. Persimmons were maturing well and developing external color. Oliveharvest continued. Lemons were harvested in Tulare County. Finger lime and Valencia orange harvest continued. Citrus groves were skirted, hedge-rowed and irrigated. Pushed out citrus groves were prepared for planting.

    NUT CROPS
    Almond harvest was wrapping up for the year. Pistachio harvest continued. Walnut harvest was underway in some locations. Harvested orchards were cleaned and young trees were irrigated.

    VEGETABLE CROPS
    Cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes were still being harvested in Tulare County. In the Sacramento Valley, processing tomatoes continued to be harvested. Brassica and lettuce continued to be harvested in Monterey County.

    LIVESTOCK
    Rangeland and non-irrigated pasture remained in poor condition. More precipitation is needed for fall grass germination. Cattle continued to be provided supplemental feed.

    Please be advised, the Weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report’s Weather Data Tables may be discontinued for budget reasons. This includes the possibility of discontinuing the weather data narratives and graphics. Please contact the Pacific Regional Field Office (916-738-6600) with comments regarding this issue. The Weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report’s Crop Progress and Condition data will remain and be available.

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (April 17, 2018) – Early last week was dry across California. From Thursday to early Sunday, a series of storm systems from an atmospheric river from the Pacific impacted coastal areas as well as central and northern California; bringing moderate to heavy precipitation. Snow levels dropped to around 4,000 to 4,500 feet over the weekend in the mountains, with a few inches of snow at pass level. Dry weather returned on Sunday.

    Temperature highs for the week ranged in the 50s to 70s in the mountains, 70s to 80s in the valley, 60s to 80s along the coast, and 70s to 90s in the desert. Temperature lows for the week ranged from the 10s and 30s in the mountains, 40s to 50s in the valley, 30s to 50s along the coast, and 30s to 50s in the desert.

    Winter forage crops were maturing well. Alfalfa cutting was stalled by the wet weather. Cotton field preparation and planting was ongoing. Corn fields were prepared and planted in the San Joaquin Valley. Wheat development benefited from March precipitation.

    Older vineyards and orchards continued to be pushed out for new plantings.  Pear trees were leafing out.  Grape vines started to bud break.  Stone fruit orchards were continuing to leaf out as the bloom period was coming to an end.  Pomegranate orchards were pruned.  Mechanical and chemical weed control continued.    Olive and cherry trees were blooming.  The harvest of late variety Navel oranges continued, and fruit were showing some grading issues.  The Valencia orange and lemon harvests continued.  Seedless tangerine groves remained netted for the bloom.

    Orchard clean up continued after the heavy spring rains and recent storms.  A good set was reported for Almonds in many orchards in the San Joaquin Valley. Pistachio leaf out began. Early walnut varieties were blooming, and some orchards were pruned. Catkins were developing on Chandler walnuts.

    Fields were being prepared and planted, but activities have been slow due to wet soils. Harvest of broccoli, cauliflower, and some lettuce continued in Salinas. Strawberry harvest continued in Monterey. Asparagus harvest began in San Joaquin County.

    Rangeland and non-irrigated pasture quality continued to improve with the recent precipitation. Sheep grazed on idle crop land, stubble fields, and dormant alfalfa fields. Beehives were moved from almond to olive, citrus, and stone fruit orchards. Bee activity picked up when the weather was favorable.

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (December 12, 2017) – Dry conditions prevailed throughout the state for the past week as a strong ridge of high pressure slowly moved eastward toward the Great Basin. Mild afternoons and chilly nights were experienced for most of northern California due to the persistent ridge. Elsewhere, the area of high pressure led to the development of strong Santa Ana winds which brought very dry conditions and contributed to the development of the fires across parts of southwestern California.

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

    Cotton harvest neared completion. Growers continued to prepare fields for fall planting of wheat, barley, and oats. Silage corn grew well and harvesting was ongoing. Black-eyed beans were being harvested and processed. Recent rain helped germinate planted forage.

    The apple harvest was nearly complete. Pruning continued in some stone fruit orchards and old orchards were removed and prepared for replanting. Table grape harvest was almost finished.  Some vineyards were sprayed for weeds. Pomegranates, kiwifruit, and persimmons were harvested. Navel orange harvest was ongoing. Lemon, grapefruit, mandarin and pomelo harvests continued. Young citrus trees were bagged to protect them from frost. The extent of the impact of the southern California wild fires and Santa Ana winds on avocado and citrus orchards has yet to be quantified.

    Almond and pistachio harvests were complete. Walnut harvest was nearly complete. Soil amendments were applied in orchards.

    Brussel sprouts were being harvested. Broccoli, carrots, and lettuce all have excellent stands for the winter season.  Fall and winter vegetables were being harvested and available at roadside stands. Continued cultivating of organic garlic was ongoing.  Fresh onions fields and tomato beds were being prepared for planting. Organic cantaloupe harvest ended. Organic broccoli, celery and spinach fields were growing nicely.  Head, leaf, and romaine lettuce for the fall season grew nicely with many fields starting to be harvested.

    Non-irrigated and foothill rangeland forage quality continued to improve with north and central state locations reporting fair to poor conditions. Earlier rains and warm weather stimulated germination and foothill range and non-irrigated fields were showing green. Dairy workers were cleaning out corrals in preparation for winter.  Supplemental feeding of cattle was ongoing.   Sheep grazed idle cropland, stubble fields and dormant alfalfa.

     

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (December 5, 2017) – A frontal system brought light rains to areas of Northern California early last week. Drier conditions developed mid-week as high pressure built after the passing of the frontal system over most of California. Over the weekend a cold front boundary brought northerly winds as well as light rain and mountain snow and colder conditions from the northwest to central areas of California. The coldest temperatures were recorded along the Northeastern part of the State. The warmest temperatures were recorded along the southeastern interior of the State, where temperatures were reported to be more above normal in comparison to the rest of state.

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

    Cotton harvest neared completion. The warmer temperatures accelerated emergence of previously planted winter wheat. Growers continued to prepare fields for fall planting of wheat, barley, and oats. Silage corn grew well and harvesting was ongoing. Black-eyed beans were being harvested and processed. Recent rain helped germinate planted forage.

    Apple harvest was winding down. Pruning continued in some stone fruit orchards and old orchards were removed and prepared for replanting. Table grape harvest was nearing completion.  Some vineyards were sprayed for weeds. Pears, pomegranates, kiwifruit, and persimmons were harvested. Olive groves were pruned. Navel orange harvest was ongoing. Lemon, grapefruit, mandarin and pomelo harvests continued. Young citrus trees were bagged to protect them from frost.

    Almond and pistachio harvests were complete. Walnut harvest was nearly complete. Soil amendments were applied in orchards.

    Broccoli, carrots, and lettuce all have excellent stands for the winter season.  Fall and winter vegetables were being harvested and available at roadside stands. Strawberries continued to grow at roadside stands. Continued cultivating of organic garlic was ongoing.  Fresh onions fields and tomato beds were being prepared for planting. Organic cantaloupe harvest ended. Organic broccoli, celery and spinach fields were growing nicely.  Head, leaf, and romaine lettuce for the fall season grew nicely with many fields starting to be harvested.

    Non-irrigated and foothill rangeland forage quality was improving with some north and central state locations reporting fair to poor conditions.  Earlier rains and warm weather stimulated germination and foothill range and non-irrigated fields were showing green. Dairy workers were cleaning out corrals in preparation for winter.  Supplemental feeding of cattle was ongoing.

  • USDA California Crop Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (October 18, 2017) – A drier pattern persisted during the prior week. Most stations reported little to no precipitation across the State. Some precipitation was reported along the northern coast. Some snow-melt occurred in the afternoon hours along the northeast mountain region.

    Temperature highs were in the 60s to 70s in the mountains, 70s to 90s along the coast, and 80s to 90s in the valley and the desert. Temperature lows were in the 10s to 40s in the mountains, 30s to 40s along the coast, in the valley, and the desert.

    Alfalfa fields continued to be irrigated, cut, and baled. Sorghum fields were being harvested. Corn silage continued to be harvested. Cotton was being harvested for lint and seed. Black-eyed beans continued to be harvested.

    Late season peaches, nectarines, and plums continued to be harvested. Some old stone fruit orchards were being pushed out. Soil amendments were being applied to some stone fruit orchards. Wine and table grape harvest continued in the San Joaquin Valley. Napa and Sonoma County wild fires were impacting some field activities and the smoke could taint unharvested grapes. Thompson seedless grapes were being rolled and picked up. Pear and pomegranate harvesting continued. Persimmons were coloring. Most citrus packing houses continued to get ready for the new navel orange season. Citrus orchards were being skirted and trimmed for the coming season. Some orange groves were being pushed out to make way for new plantings. Finger limes were harvested. The olive crop continued to be harvested.

    The almond harvest continued to slow down across the state. Walnut and Pistachio harvests continued.

    In Fresno County, jalapenos continued to be harvested. Carrots were recovering from heat damage. Soil was prepared for planting organic garlic and onions. In Tulare County, certified producers were picking tomatoes, sweet corn, okra, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. Commercial plantings of yellow squash, eggplant, bell peppers, green chili peppers, and cucumbers were harvested and shipped domestically. Fall vegetables were planted and developing well. Pumpkins were prepared for harvest. In Tulare County, certified producers were picking tomatoes, sweet corn, okra, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. Commercial plantings of yellow fall vegetables were developing well and some early varieties were almost ready for harvest. Strawberries continued to grow. Pumpkin patches look very mature and should be ready for picking soon.

    Non-irrigated and foothill rangeland was reported to be in poor to very poor condition. Supplemental feeding of cattle continued. Cattle were moved down from high-elevation range. Sheep were being moved to Imperial Valley. Northern California wildfires burned rangeland and forced evacuations of large animals.

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 8, 2017) – Summer heat continued to prevail across the State last week, with a few isolated reports of rain. Monday thru Friday brought scattered showers and thunderstorms across the deserts, with most areas receiving up to a quarter of an inch of rain in one day. A few heavier thunderstorms just east of San Diego dropped nearly 2 inches of rain through the end of the week. Elsewhere, moisture advection combined with orographic lifting led to scattered light showers in the Sierras on multiple days. On Sunday, a southern-track system managed to clip the northern tier of California, dropping about a quarter of an inch of rain from Redding northward. Most areas in the State were finally devoid of snowcover, but sheltered areas at higher elevations in the Lassen National Park area still contained patchy snow, along with the peak of Shasta.

    Temperature highs were in the 60s to 70s along the coast, 70s to 90s in the mountains, 90s to 100s, in the valley, and 90s to 110s in the desert. Temperature lows were in the 40s to 60s in the mountains, 50s to 60s along the coast, 60s to 70s in the valley, and 60s to 80s in the desert.

    Corn and sorghum for silage was being cultivated and irrigated. The corn silage crop was in various stages of development from tassels to developing ears. Cotton continued to be irrigated, cultivated, and was growing well. Cotton was blooming and forming bolls. Black-eyed beans continued to be irrigated and cultivated.

    Mid-season peaches, nectarines, and plums continued to be harvested and packed. Summer pruning and topping of harvested stone fruit groves occurred.  Asian pears were being packed and exported.  The table grape harvest continued with grapes packed and shipped to foreign markets.  Valencia orange harvest continued, primarily for the domestic market.  Regreening continued to be a problem, due to high temperatures.  Valencia oranges, Meyer lemons, variegated lemons, and finger limes were being harvested, packed, and shipped for foreign markets.  Olives continued to develop.

    In San Joaquin County, almond orchard ground prep continued for upcoming harvest.  Almond hull split was underway.  In Tulare County, last season’s almonds and pistachios were being packed and exported.  Walnut, almond, and pistachioorchards continued to be irrigated.

    In Colusa County, temperatures came down to the mid-to-high 90s, which provided a break from the triple digit heat recorded previously.  Processing tomato harvest continued and quality was reported as good.   In Yolo County, the processing tomato harvest was underway.  In San Joaquin County, harvest continued for cucumbers, honeydew melons, watermelons, cantaloupes, Bell peppers, and sweet corn. In Monterey County, the Salinas Valley was in a flurry with harvesting and shipping trucks.  All commodities were in production and market prices were holding steady at baseline cost.  Warm weather promoted seed-stem and decay in iceberg lettuce negatively affecting quality.  In Fresno County, harvest continued foronions and tomatoes.  The carrot harvest was about half completed.  Quality was reported as good, though yields were lower than expected.  Additional carrot planting was expected to start soon.  Yellow peppers were prepared for harvest.  In Tulare County, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers were picked by certified producers and sold at the local Farmers’ Markets.  Yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, Bell peppers, green chili peppers, and cucumbers were harvested and shipped domestically.  Sweet corn harvest continued and was sold at roadside stands and local Farmers’ Markets.  Melons were irrigated and prepared for the upcoming harvest.  In Kings County, the tomato harvest continued with a decent harvest reported.

    Non-irrigated pasture and rangeland quality continued to decline as condition reports across the state shifted into more poor and very poor categories. Supplemental feeding increased as the nutritional quality of grasses diminished. Sheep grazed on retired pasture and dormant alfalfa. Bees were active in melon and sunflower fields.

     

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (July 11, 2017) – Another hot and dry week as this midsummer heat wave continues across most of the state. Measurable rainfall was limited to the area immediately surrounding Yosemite N.P. on Thursday, where very light showers fell. A few light showers were also reported in the mountains surrounding the LA basin on Sunday. Summer temperatures led to continued snowmelt in the mountains, which continues to be the sole source of groundwater recharge across the agricultural areas of the state. A band of broken snow cover approximately 30 miles wide in the central/southern Sierras still exists at elevations above 9500 feet. A few patchy snow fields continue to exist in elevated sheltered areas around Tahoe. The peak of Mt. Whitney is no longer completely snow-capped. Maximum snow depth is estimated at about 2 feet in places, with 2-4 feet on Mt. Shasta. The most extensive snowfields are currently located in the mountains in the vicinity of Yosemite N.P. and Stanislaus National Forest.

    Temperature highs were in the 60s to 80s along the coast, 70s to 90s in the mountains, the 100s in the valley, and 100s to 120s in the desert. Temperature lows were in the 40s to 60s in the mountains, 50s to 70s on the coasts, 60s to 70s in the valley, and 60s to 90s in the desert.

    In Fresno County, the wheat harvest is almost complete.  Alfalfa fields were growing well and the cycle of cutting, windrowing, and baling was under way.  Alfalfa for seed production was also growing well while being pollinated by honey and leaf-cutter bees.  Spraying for lygus and aphids took place in alfalfa.  Cotton appeared to be growing well, but was hit hard by lygus and aphids.  Sweet corn and silage corn continued to show good growth in June. Sorghum was still being planted and being treated with herbicides and insecticides.

    Peach, nectarine, apricot and plum harvest was in full swing. Cherry harvest was complete. Apricot harvest was winding down for the year. Fruit orchards and vineyards were irrigated. Pesticides were applied to pomegranates. Fungicides and insecticides were applied to grapes. Valencia orange harvest continued. Regreening in citrus has become more common due to the elevated temperatures. Packers were color sorting to compensate.  Ruby Red grapefruit were harvested. Olive orchards were pruned. Harvesting continued in blackberry, blueberry, and strawberry fields.

    Walnut, almond and pistachio orchards were irrigated. Mechanical and chemical weed control continued in nut orchards. New almond orchards were planted. Pistachios were fertilized. Walnuts were sprayed for coddling moth.

    Summer vegetable season has started off well!  Basil, bittermelon, cucumbers English, Armenian, and Pickle), daikon, eggplant (Italian and Japanese), melons, okra, peppers (bell and jalapeno), tomatillos, tomatoes, squash, and zucchinihave all started to be harvested and are showing up in roadside stands and at farmer’s markets.  Market onions have started to be harvested around Fresno County.  Growers continued to plant fields of melons, eggplants, cucumbers and squash.  Harvest has begun in early planted tomatoes.  Tomato fields continued to be fertilized, pesticides applied, and were cultivated by hand-weeding crews.  Garlic was maturing nicely.  Melons grew well and increased in size rapidly over the last month.  Cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon harvest started towards the end of the month. Lettuce for seed production was maturing. Drip tape was pulled in garlic fields to begin to dry out.

    Hot summer days continue to dry non-irrigated grasses and forbs.  Rangeland was reported to be in good to very poor condition depending on elevation, aspect and soil moisture. Fires across the state raged in forest and rangeland, forcing some animal evacuations. Cattle continue to be moved to higher elevation range. Milk production was impacted by the poor nocturnal temperature recovery. Sheep grazed on retired pasture and dormant alfalfa. Bees were active in alfalfa for seed, melon, sunflower and vegetable fields. The availability of wild forage for foothill bees was diminishing.