California Ag Network

Tag: USDA

  • California Walnut Commission Electing New Members

    This year the California Walnut Commission will be holding elections for members and alternates for the term beginning September 1, 2021 and ending August 31, 2023.

    “The diversity of our growing and evolving membership brings valuable perspective to the industry. The CWC in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) welcomes participation of women, minorities and people with disabilities,” said Michelle McNeil Connelly, CEO of the California Walnut Commission.

    Following are the specifications for the election:

    Every two years the Commission law provides for the nomination of 13 members and 13 alternates that will be appointed by the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

    The following is a list of the member and corresponding alternate positions for the Commission:

    Eight Producer Members (four from each district, see below)

    Four Handler Members

    One public member (nominated by 12 elected members)

    All producers and handlers participating in the election must complete a nomination form in order for their name to appear on the ballot. The nomination period is May 1-31. All producer candidates must return the form with at least 15 eligible grower signatures. All handler candidates must submit a petition with at least five other handler signatures.

    We anticipate that ballots will be mailed to growers and handlers in late June. The election results will most likely be announced in August.

    District 1 is comprised of counties in the state that lie north of a line drawn on the south boundaries of San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Calaveras and Alpine counties. District 2 consists of all other walnut producing counties in the state south of this boundary line.

    If you have any questions please feel free to call the CWC office at (916) 932-7070.

    About California Walnut Commission

    The California Walnut Commission, established in 1987, is funded by mandatory assessments of the growers. The CWC represents over 4,800 growers and over 90 handlers (processors) of California walnuts in export market development activities and conducts health research. The CWC is an agency of the State of California that works in concurrence with the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). For more industry information, health research and recipe ideas, visit www.walnuts.org.

  • Dairy Farmers Seek Emergency Hearing on Class I Mover Reform

    The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors voted today to request an emergency USDA hearing on a Federal Milk Marketing Order proposal to restore fairness for farmers in the Class I fluid milk price mover. The endorsement of the board, which represents dairy farmers and cooperatives nationwide, follows approval from the organization’s Executive Committee last week.

    The NMPF plan would ensure that farmers recover lost revenue and establish more equitable distribution of risk among dairy farmers and processors. The current mover was adopted in the 2018 farm bill and intended to be revenue neutral while facilitating increased price risk management by fluid milk bottlers. But the new Class I mover contributed to disorderly marketing conditions last year during the height of the pandemic and cost dairy farmers over $725 million in lost income. NMPF’s proposal would help recoup the lost revenue and ensure that neither farmers nor processors are disproportionately harmed by future significant price disruptions.

    “As the COVID-19 experience has shown, market stresses can shift the mover in ways that affect dairy farmers much more than processors. This was not the intent of the Class I mover formula negotiated within the industry,” said Randy Mooney, the dairy farmer chairman of NMPF’s Board of Directors. “The current mover was explicitly developed to be a revenue-neutral solution to the concerns of fluid milk processors about hedging their price risk, with equity among market participants a stated goal.

    “Dairy farmers were pleased with the previous method of determining Class I prices and had no need to change it, but we tried to accommodate the concerns of fluid processors for better risk management. Unfortunately, the severe imbalances we’ve seen in the past year plainly show that a modified approach is necessary. We will urge USDA to adopt our plan to restore equity and create more orderly marketing conditions,” Mooney said.

    While the current Class I mover was designed to improve the ability of fluid milk handlers to hedge milk prices using the futures market, it was also expected to be revenue-neutral compared to the formula it replaced. But that has not been the case. The significant gaps between Class III and IV prices that developed during the pandemic exposed dairy farmers to losses that were not experienced by processors, showing the need for a formula that better accounts for disorderly market conditions.

    NMPF’s proposal would modify the current Class I mover, which adds $0.74/cwt to the monthly average of Classes III and IV, by adjusting this amount every two years based on conditions over the prior 24 months, with the current mover remaining the floor. NMPF’s request will be to limit the hearing specifically to proposed changes to the mover, after which USDA would have 30 days to issue an action plan that would determine whether USDA would act on an emergency basis.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

  • CA Almond Acreage Continues on the Rise

    The Almond Board of California (ABC) is releasing two California almond industry acreage reports: USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) 2020 California Almond Acreage Report including the 2021 preliminary bearing acreage, and Land IQ’s 2021 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate (bearing acres, only). These reports are being issued side by side to improve industry reporting methods and provide a more robust picture of California’s almond acreage.

    USDA-NASS reports a continued increase in California’s almond acreage in 2020. Bearing acres, or orchards that have matured enough to produce a crop, are estimated at 1.25 million acres, up 5.9 percent from 2019. Total almond acreage, including non-bearing trees, is estimated at 1.6 million, up 5.3 percent from the previous year.  Nonpareil continued to be the leading variety, followed by Monterey, Butte, Carmel, and Padre.

    Land IQ’s initial estimate for total bearing acreage in 2021 – which reflects standing acreage that will be productive during the 2021/2022 harvest – is 1,323,722 acres.  This estimate takes into account both young orchards coming into production and orchards removed or estimated to be removed.

    “California almond bearing and non-bearing acreage continues to increase indicating almond production will also rise in coming years. Demand has consistently been very strong during this crop year with global shipments YTD (August 2020 – March 2021) up 17.7%, as production crossed the 3 billion pound threshold for the first time,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO of the Almond Board.

    All export regions of the world have reported strong numbers, with shipments to China/Hong Kong up 59% year to date (YTD), South Korea up 45% YTD, India up 51% YTD, and Western Europe up 12% YTD, as compared to a year ago.

    USDA-NASS’s acreage report is the first of three annual reports, including the Subjective Estimate released in May and Objective Report in July. These reports are commissioned by the Almond Board to provide statistical transparency to industry stakeholders around the world.

    Each USDA-NASS California Almond Acreage Report includes estimates on bearing, non-bearing and total acreage, in addition to data organized by variety, year planted and county. A major source of data for this survey is almond growers’ voluntary responses to mailed questionnaires distributed by USDA-NASS, with consecutive telephone and field follow-up. To arrive at the estimated almond acreage, USDA-NASS compares its almond acreage database with the 2017 Census of Agriculture, pesticide application data maintained by County Agricultural Commissioners and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, in addition to data collected on the 2020 Almond Nursery Sales Report, which this year USDA-NASS released in conjunction with the California Almond Acreage Report, and Land IQ assessment.

    In 2018, ABC first commissioned Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental scientific research and consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive, living map of California almonds. The map is the result of nearly a decade of research, and because Land IQ’s approach does not rely on surveys or extrapolation, it has an accuracy of 98% or greater. Beginning in 2019, ABC began a mapping process with Land IQ in which two acreage estimates will be released annually: the initial estimate of bearing acreage in the spring and the final estimate, with both bearing and non-bearing acreage for the same production year, delivered in the fall. In addition to the acreage estimates, Land IQ will annually produce an estimate of removed acreage.

    This year, Land IQ’s spatial analysis shows that between September 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, 44,303 acres were removed and estimates that an additional 3,500 acres will be removed from April 1 to August 31, 2021, for a total estimate of 47,803 acres removed.

    Starting in 2020, Land IQ annually provided its initial estimate to USDA-NASS to fine-tune the official California Almond Acreage Report and other forecasts. The USDA-NASS reports and estimates remain the official Almond Board statistics provided for the California almond industry.

    On Wednesday, May 12, 2021, USDA-NASS will release the 2021 Subjective Estimate, which provides an initial forecast of the upcoming crop. Data within the Subjective Estimate is based on opinions obtained from almond growers in a survey sent by USDA-NASS. Almond growers will soon receive the USDA-NASS survey and are encouraged to participate. On Monday, July 12, 2021, USDA-NASS will release the 2021 Objective Report. This report collects data later in the growing season, closer to harvest, and is based on an actual count of nuts on the trees. — Almond Board of California

  • USDA Seeks Comments on Food System Supply Chains

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking comments on a Department-wide effort to improve and reimagine the supply chains for the production, processing and distribution of agricultural commodities and food products. USDA is taking this action in response to Executive Order 14017, America’s Supply Chains, signed by President Biden on Feb. 24, 2021. The request for comments is published today in the Federal Register and the comment period will close on May 21, 2021.

    The comments received will help USDA assess the critical factors, risks, and strategies needed to support resilient, diverse, and secure supply chains and ensure U.S. economic prosperity, national security, and nutrition security for all Americans. Such supply chains are needed to address conditions that can reduce critical processing and infrastructure capacity and the availability and integrity of critical goods, products, and services. Identifying food system supply chain-bottlenecks and vulnerabilities also may provide valuable insights into the competitive and fair markets landscape, effects on local and regional producers and processors, and equitable access to food and economic opportunity across diverse communities. USDA will use the comments to prepare a report required by Executive Order 14017.

    “We have an opportunity to take the lessons we’ve learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and apply those to transforming our nation’s food system from the inside out, including our supply chains,” said Vilsack. “USDA plans to tackle this supply chain assessment holistically – looking across a full range of risks and opportunities. From elevating the importance of local and regional food systems, to addressing the needs of socially disadvantaged and small to mid-size producers, to supporting sustainable practices to advance resilience and competitiveness, this top to bottom assessment will position USDA to make long-term, transformative changes for economic, national, and nutritional security.”

    In addition to asking about the agricultural supply chain, USDA is interested in comments about how to target pandemic-related stimulus relief programs and spending authorized by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) toward long term, systemic change that results in food supply chain resiliency. In particular, the request for comment seeks input on—

    • bolstering local and regional food systems,
    • developing new market opportunities (including for value-added agriculture and products),
    • creating fairer and more competitive markets,
    • meeting the needs of the agricultural workforce,
    • supporting and promoting consumers’ nutrition security, particularly for low-income populations,
    • addressing the needs of socially disadvantaged and small to mid-sized producers, and
    • advancing efforts in other ways to transform the food system.

    USDA is undertaking this effort to strengthen U.S. competitiveness with attention to our farmers, ranchers, producers, food processors, and other important links in the food supply chain. Under Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, USDA is helping to accelerate a transformation of our food system. Goals of this transformation include a fairer, more competitive, and transparent system where a greater share of the food dollar goes to those growing, harvesting, and preparing our food and one that promotes and strengthens the overall health and well-being of people, our land and water, and our economy. Growing consolidation in food and agriculture, the general health of our population, a growing climate crisis, and the need to ensure racial justice and equity are important factors to take into consideration as USDA looks at strengthening food and agricultural supply chains.

  • USDA Expands Conservation Reserve Program to Boost Enrollment, Address Climate Change

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA will open enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with higher payment rates, new incentives, and a more targeted focus on the program’s role in climate change mitigation. Additionally, USDA is announcing investments in partnerships to increase climate-smart agriculture, including $330 million in 85 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects and $25 million for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials. Secretary Vilsack made the announcement today at the White House National Climate Task Force meeting to demonstrate USDA’s commitment to putting American agriculture and forestry at the center of climate-smart solutions to address climate change.

    The Biden Administration is working to leverage USDA conservation programs for climate mitigation, including continuing to invest in innovation partnership programs like RCPP and On-Farm Trials as well as strengthening programs like CRP to enhance their impacts.

    “Sometimes the best solutions are right in front of you. With CRP, the United States has one of the world’s most successful voluntary conservation programs. We need to invest in CRP and let it do what it does best—preserve topsoil, sequester carbon, and reduce the impacts of climate change,” said Vilsack. “We also recognize that we can’t do it alone. At the White House Climate Leaders Summit this week, we will engage leaders from all around the world to partner with us on addressing climate change. Here at home, we’re working in partnership with producers and local organizations through USDA programs to bring new voices and communities to the table to help combat climate change.”

    Conservation Reserve Program

    USDA’s goal is to enroll up to 4 million new acres in CRP by raising rental payment rates and expanding the number of incentivized environmental practices allowed under the program. CRP is one of the world’s largest voluntary conservation programs with a long track record of preserving topsoil, sequestering carbon, and reducing nitrogen runoff, as well providing healthy habitat for wildlife.

    CRP is a powerful tool when it comes to climate mitigation, and acres currently enrolled in the program mitigate more than 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). If USDA reaches its goal of enrolling an additional 4 million acres into the program, it will mitigate an additional 3 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent and prevent 90 million pounds of nitrogen and 33 million tons of sediment from running into our waterways each year.

    “We want to make sure CRP continues to be a valuable and effective conservation resource for our producers for decades to come,” said Vilsack. “USDA will continue to find new and creative ways of putting producers and landowners at the center of climate-smart practices that generate revenue and benefit our planet.”

    CRP’s long-term goal is to establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, improve soil health and carbon sequestration, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers a number of signups, including the general signup and continuous signup, which are both open now, as well as a CRP Grasslands and pilot programs focused on soil health and clean water.

    New Climate-Smart Practice Incentive

    To target the program on climate change mitigation, FSA is introducing a new Climate-Smart Practice Incentive for CRP general and continuous signups that aims to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate-Smart CRP practices include establishment of trees and permanent grasses, development of wildlife habitat, and wetland restoration. The Climate-Smart Practice Incentive is annual, and the amount is based on the benefits of each practice type.

    Higher Rental Rates and New Incentives

    In 2021, CRP is capped at 25 million acres, and currently 20.8 million acres are enrolled. Furthermore, the cap will gradually increase to 27 million acres by 2023. To help increase producer interest and enrollment, FSA is:

    • Adjusting soil rental rates. This enables additional flexibility for rate adjustments, including a possible increase in rates where appropriate.
    • Increasing payments for Practice Incentives from 20% to 50%. This incentive for continuous CRP practices is based on the cost of establishment and is in addition to cost share payments.
    • Increasing payments for water quality practices. Rates are increasing from 10% to 20% for certain water quality benefiting practices available through the CRP continuous signup, such as grassed waterways, riparian buffers, and filter strips.
    • Establishing a CRP Grassland minimum rental rate. This benefits more than 1,300 counties with rates currently below the minimum.

    Enhanced Natural Resource Benefits

    To boost impacts for natural resources, FSA is:

    • Moving State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) practices to the CRP continuous signup. Unlike the general signup, producers can sign up year-round for the continuous signup and be eligible for additional incentives.
    • Establishing National Grassland Priority Zones. This aims to increase enrollment of grasslands in migratory corridors and environmentally sensitive areas.
    • Making Highly Erodible Land Initiative (HELI) practices available in both the general and continuous signups.

    Expanding Prairie Pothole Soil Health and Watershed Programs

    CRP has two pilot programs ― the Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP) and the Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers 30-year contracts (CLEAR30).

    • For SHIPP, which is a short-term option (3, 4, or 5-year contracts) for farmers to plant cover on less productive agricultural lands, FSA will hold a 2021 signup in the Prairie Pothole states.
    • The CLEAR30 pilot, a long-term option through CRP, will be expanded from the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay pilot regions to nationwide.

    Increasing Technical Assistance Capacity and Impact Measurement

    USDA technical assistance through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is critical to enable producers to plan and implement conservation practices that are appropriate for their needs. To ensure increased enrollment and support for producers, USDA is increasing NRCS technical assistance capacity for CRP by $140 million.

    Additionally, in order to better target the program toward climate outcomes, USDA will invest $10 million in the CRP Monitoring, Assessment and Evaluation (MAE) program to measure and monitor the soil carbon and climate resilience impacts of conservation practices over the life of new CRP contracts. This will enable the agency to further refine the program and practices to provide producers tools for increased climate resilience.

    To learn more about updates to CRP, download our “What’s New with CRP” fact sheet.

    Partnership Programs Contribute to Priorities

    In addition to changes to CRP, Secretary Vilsack also announced significant investments for climate-smart policies. First, NRCS is investing $330 million in 85 locally driven, public-private partnerships under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program to address climate change and other natural resources challenges. NRCS will announce more details on the RCPP project selections on April 26.

    Second, NRCS is investing $25 million in proposals for On-Farm Trials, which are part of the Conservation Innovation Grants program. NRCS is seeking proposals through June 21. Project priorities include climate-smart agricultural solutions and soil health practices.

    Under the Biden Administration, USDA is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat the climate crisis and conserve and protect our nation’s lands, biodiversity, and natural resources including our soil, air and water. Through conservation practices and partnerships, USDA aims to enhance economic growth and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, producers and private foresters. Successfully meeting these challenges will require USDA and our agencies to pursue a coordinated approach alongside USDA stakeholders, including state, local, and tribal governments.

  • Governor Newsom’s Response to Drought Conditions

    With much of the West experiencing drought conditions and California squarely in a second consecutive dry year, Governor Gavin Newson today directed state agencies to take immediate action to bolster drought resilience and prepare for impacts on communities, businesses and ecosystems if dry conditions extend to a third year.

    In addition, the Governor proclaimed a regional drought emergency for the Russian River watershed in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, where reservoirs are at record lows following two critically dry years and accelerated action may be needed to protect public health, safety and the environment.

    “California is facing the familiar reality of drought conditions, and we know the importance of acting early to anticipate and mitigate the most severe impacts where possible,” Governor Newsom said. “Climate change is intensifying both the frequency and the severity of dry periods. This ‘new normal’ gives urgency to building drought resilience in regions across the state and preparing for what may be a prolonged drought at our doorstep.”

    The text of today’s emergency proclamation can be found here.

    With an extremely low Lake Mendocino as a backdrop, the Governor today announced that he is directing state agencies to work with regional and local governments – including groundwater sustainability agencies – to identify watersheds, communities, public water systems and ecosystems that may require coordinated state and local actions to address drought impacts and protect people, natural resources and economic activity.

    To encourage Californians to reduce water use and conserve supplies in case drought conditions continue next year, the proclamation also directs state agencies to partner with local water suppliers to promote conservation tips and messages through the Save Our Water campaign. The campaign and website were critical resources for Californians during the 2012-2016 drought and remain a trusted information source on using water wisely.

    The proclamation directs additional actions to coordinate with California Native American tribes; accelerate funding for water supply enhancement, conservation and species protection projects; work with counties to encourage and track reporting of household water shortages including dry residential wells; provide technical and financial assistance for water systems at risk of water shortages; support the agricultural economy and food security; and evaluate and take action to protect terrestrial and aquatic species.

    To address acute drought impacts in the Russian River watershed, the proclamation directs the State Water Board to consider modifying requirements for reservoir releases or diversion limitations to ensure adequate supplies for critical purposes. The regional state of emergency also enables flexibilities in regulatory requirements and procurement processes to mitigate drought impacts.

    Under the Governor’s direction, state agencies have been working together since November to prepare for continued dry conditions. The Governor recently formalized that coordination through the Drought Resilience Task Force, which includes the Natural Resources Agency, California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Water Resources, Department of Fish and Wildlife, State Water Resources Control Board, Department of Finance, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, California Health and Human Services Agency, California Public Utilities Commission and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

    Other recent actions by state agencies to address dry conditions include:

    • The state has launched a new drought preparedness website detailing current conditions, the state’s response and informational resources for the public.
    • The State Water Board has identified water suppliers at extreme financial risk that may need additional support due to the combined impacts of COVID and drought.
    • The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has updated its Dry Well website that tracks reports of water supply outages.
    • DWR has drafted a Drought Contingency Plan that explains how it will manage the State Water Project in a manner that protects fish and wildlife.
    • The State Water Board has issued letters to approximately 40,000 water right holders across the state, advising them to plan for potential shortages by closely managing water use.
    • Last month, DWR released a report, prepared with extensive stakeholder involvement, that evaluates the water shortage risk of more than 4,000 small water providers.
    • Informed by that report, this month the State Water Board completed its first-ever comprehensive look at California water systems that are struggling to provide safe drinking water to communities and how to help them. The assessment identifies both failing water systems and those at risk of failing, offering the most in-depth view of long-term drinking water safety the state has ever had.
    • CDFA is coordinating closely with the USDA to provide aid to growers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife is working with California Native American tribes and commercial and recreational salmon representatives to manage impacts to iconic salmon in the basin.

    The 2012-2016 drought helped usher in some important water resilience policies that position the state to better handle another drought. These include:

    • Enactment in 2014 of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to require and empower local agencies to bring overdrafted groundwater basins into sustainable conditions by 2042.
    • Enactment of legislation to establish new standards for indoor, outdoor and industrial use of water.
    • Funding for disadvantaged communities lacking access to safe drinking water through the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Act.
    • Increase in the frequency of water use reporting.
    • Expanded state authority to order failing public water systems to consolidate with better-run systems.
    • Tighter landscape efficiency standards for new developments.

  • USDA to Implement New Dairy Donation Program

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announced yesterday that it will soon implement the $400 million Dairy Donation Program established by Congress in December 2020. The department provided details on program participation to dairy processors and cooperatives in order to ensure donations of nutritious dairy products continue to make their way to Americans struggling with hunger while USDA finalizes the program.

    The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) today issued the following statements applauding USDA’s work:

    “IDFA applauds USDA for advancing the Dairy Donation Program (DDP), which will facilitate the donation of fresh, nutritious dairy products to nonprofit organizations helping Americans currently struggling with hunger and nutrition issues. The U.S. dairy industry stepped up throughout the pandemic to partner with and aid non-profits, charities, and other organizations working to combat our nation’s hunger issues that were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. This new program will help ensure persons in need continue to receive assistance and the unique combination of essential nutrients that only dairy products can provide. IDFA appreciates the department’s work to ensure dairy donations continue during this crucial time of need in our country. We will continue to work with the department to ensure the program works efficiently for dairy processors and cooperatives and the nonprofit organizations serving our nation’s food insecure families,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO, IDFA.

    “NMPF worked closely with Congress to enact the Dairy Donation Program (DDP) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. This important program will help dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own to continue to do what they do best – feed people. Dairy stakeholders are eager to expand their partnership efforts with food banks and other distributors to provide a variety of nutritious dairy products to food insecure households who have faced uniquely difficult challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as hunger has risen significantly during the last year. We commend USDA for prioritizing implementation of the DDP and look forward to continue working with the Department, the food bank community and all involved to make the program a success,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO, NMPF.

  • USDA to Purchase Fresh Produce Under New TEFAP Program

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Fresh Produce (WBSCM Material Number 111427). Pandemic Assistance funding has been made available to supplement The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) program for the remainder of the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021. Pursuant to that directive, to help those most in need receive healthy, fresh foods, USDA will be offering boxes of pre-packed, fresh produce through TEFAP in addition to the single varieties that are already available to order. The fresh produce package will include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that meet the following requirements. A 10-12 pound package that includes a minimum of at least four of the following: 3-5 lbs. of vegetables (no more than 3lbs. of root vegetables; i.e. potatoes, yams, carrots, onions, etc.), 3-5 lbs. of fruit; at least 2 locally grown fruit or vegetable items, as available, and if not available, add an additional fruit and vegetable item to meet a minimum package weight range of 10-12 lbs. Packages will be expected to have a shelf life of 7-10 days once delivered to the location listed on the contract.

    Solicitations will be issued in the near future, and will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system and beta.sam.gov. A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available. Public WBSCM information is available without an account on the WBSCM Public Procurement Page. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through WBSCM, the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food, and beta.sam.gov. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The contract type is anticipated to be firm-fixed price. Deliveries are expected to be to various locations in the United States on an FOB destination basis.

    Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103(b), commodities and the products of agricultural commodities acquired under this contract must be a product of the United States and shall be considered to be such a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States. Packaging and container components under this acquisition will be the only portion subject to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and Free Trade Agreements, as addressed by FAR clause 52.225-5.

    Offerors are urged to review all documents as they pertain to this program, including the latest—

    • AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements (MSCP-D), August 13, 2020 (pdf)
    • Qualification Requirements for Selling TEFAP Fresh Produce to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, April 7, 2021

    These documents are available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.

    To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the Qualification Requirements for Selling TEFAP Fresh Produce to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. The AMS point of contact for new vendors can be reached by email at TEFAPFreshProduce@usda.gov. Please include the following in the email’s subject line: TEFAP Fresh Produce [insert company name].

    Once qualification requirements have been met, access to WBSCM will be provided. Bids, modifications, withdrawals of bids, and price adjustments shall be submitted using this system. Submission of the above by any means other than WBSCM will be determined nonresponsive.

    To receive e-mail notification of the issuance of AMS solicitations, contract awards, and other information, subscribe online by visiting: “Stay up to date on USDA Food Purchases” available on the AMS Commodity Procurement webs

  • Healthy Roots, Healthy Trees: HLB & Soil Microbes

    The rhizosphere, defined as the soil environment that surrounds the plant roots, is a rich and diverse habitat for microbes. Some members of the rhizosphere microbiome (or collection of microbes), are good, others bad while many are just there and don’t provide any benefits or harm to the host. One function of the good microbes in the rhizosphere is to help facilitate the availability and assimilation of nutrients and water from the rhizosphere. Just like the human gut, the plant rhizosphere conveys key nutritional functions and the analogy was made that “plants wear their gut on the outside”. One example is the symbiotic relationship between legumes (peas, beans) and rhizobia. Those bacteria help the plant fix atmospheric nitrogen in exchange for carbon supply. Another example is the symbiotic relationship between the plant and mycorrhizal fungi, whereby the mycorrhizae receive carbon from the plant in exchange for increased nutrient uptake (principally phosphorus and nitrogen). There is undeniable evidence that plants have developed a mechanism for recruiting good microbes to cope with environmental stress such as protection against opportunistic pathogens or drought. The rise of ‘omics’ technologies have helped profile entire microbial communities associated with plants and shed light in their biological functions. This research has fueled the development of novel commercial bioproducts to address the increasing consumer’s demand of environmentally-friendly products. As a result, there has been several commercial ‘probiotics’ and ‘prebiotics’ that have been marketed for agricultural use including many biocontrol agents such as fungal- (e.g., Trichoderma) and bacterial- based (e.g., Bacillus, Streptomyces, or Pseudomonas) bioproducts.

    One goal of my research program is to identify beneficial microbes for tree and vines crops, promote practices that support the presence and abundance of beneficial microbes and figure out how good microbes help combat pathogens and support plant health. As part of a collaborative project (UC Riverside, University of Florida, USDA-ARS) funded by the California Citrus Research Board and the USDA-NIFA, we profiled the microbiome of citrus trees in the context of Huanglongbing disease (or HLB). HLB is a highly destructive and lethal disease to all commercial citrus cultivars making it a threat to citrus production globally. Finding strategies that do not only rely exclusively on management of the insect vector of the bacterium (the Asian Citrus Psyllid), is a priority to the citrus industry. In our research, we found that there were significant tissue-specific microbial shifts occurring within the citrus microbiome as trees get sicker, especially in the root compartment. As HLB progressed, there were depletions of beneficial species in roots, such as mycorrhizal fungi, and enrichments of parasitic microorganisms, such as Fusarium and Phytophthora (see Figure). HLB-affected trees decline because of the clogging the phloem sieve tubes, which limit movement of sap and translocation of sugar to the roots, hence leading to feeder root collapse. Once tree is weakened, it becomes more susceptible to pathogens such as Phytophthora which further weakens the trees and exacerbate above ground HLB symptoms. In addition, several studies from Florida suggested that cultural practices that supported root health and rhizosphere microbiome richness and diversity limited root collapse.

    Figure: Citrus decline caused by HLB (https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PBIOMES-04-20-0027- R – Ginnan et al. 2020. Phytobiomes); canopy thinning, wood dieback, feeder roots decline, collapse of beneficial microbes and enrichment of pathogens in roots.

    Our group was recently awarded another research funding by the USDA-NIFA Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program (project director, M.C. Roper, Microbiology and Plant Pathology, UC Riverside). This research effort in collaboration with UC Agricultural and Natural Resources, UC Davis, University of Florida, and the USDA-ARS aims at investigating the root collapse associated with HLB- impacted trees and finding ways to mitigate it by promoting root health. In the proposed work, we will test how different sectors of the root microbiome contribute to or lessen fibrous root loss and if soil amendments (e.g., humic acid treatment, mulching) and planting of HLB tolerant rootstocks (Poncirus trifoliata and P. trifoliata hybrids) can be used to mitigate root loss associated with HLB in Florida, and how tree respond to those practices under a HLB free environment in California. While these approaches will not cure trees from HLB, it will provide a science-based information for strategies that support root and tree health and sustain orchard longevity until remedies are discovered. — By Philippe Rolsausen, Professor in Cooperative Extension, UC Riverside

  • Marketing Assistance Loan Rates for Wheat, Feed Grains, Oilseeds, Rice and Pulse Crops

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced the 2021 Marketing Assistance Loan rates.

    Marketing Assistance Loans provide interim financing to producers so that commodities can be stored after harvest when market prices are typically low and sold later when market conditions may be more favorable. The 2018 Farm Bill extended the Marketing Assistance Loan program, making production for the 2019 through 2023 crops eligible for loan benefits.

    The 2021 Marketing Assistance Loan rates are available on the Farm Service Agency (FSA) website and below:

    Pandemic Assistance for Producers

    As part of a broader effort to help farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions, FSA has increased flexibilities for producers with Marketing Assistance Loans. Loans now mature at 12 months rather than nine for loans on most commodities. This applies to all loans disbursed beginning October 1, 2020, as well as any new loans requested by September 30, 2021. These flexibilities are part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, which includes direct payments. More information can be found on farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance.

    More Information

    The CCC’s domestic agricultural price and income support programs are carried out primarily through the personnel and facilities of FSA.

    For more information about the CCC, visit usda.gov/ccc. Producers interested in Marketing Assistance Loans should contact the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.

    While USDA offices are currently closed to visitors because of the pandemic, Service Center staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. To conduct business, please contact your local USDA Service Center. Additionally, more information related to USDA’s response and relief for producers can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.