California Ag Network

Tag: USDA

  • USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for January 2021

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for January 2021, which are effective January 4-January 31. These rates are used for a variety of farm credit options available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

    The CCC’s borrowing rate-based charge is 0.125%, same as December. The interest rate for crop year commodity loans less than one year disbursed is 1.125%, same as December.

    Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans are the same as they were for December:

    • 0.250% with three-year loan terms;
    • 0.375% with five-year loan terms;
    • 0.625% with seven-year loan terms;
    • 0.875% with 10-year loan terms; and
    • 1.000% with 12-year loan terms.

    The interest rate for 15-year Sugar Storage Facility Loans is 1.250%, up from 1.125% in December.

    FSA loan programs provide low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade storage facilities and other structures. They also help producers with interim financing to meet cash flow needs. More information on loans can be found at fsa.usda.gov or by contacting your local USDA Service Center.

    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

  • CA’s Planet-Smart Dairies: Model for National Climate Efforts

    Dairy Cares — 2020 has been a historic year, and the only thing for certain in 2021 is more change. President-elect Joe Biden will reenter the U.S. into the Paris Climate Agreement, renewing national commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift toward a clean energy economy. The new federal administration plans to address climate change, relying heavily on executive action through agencies, including the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This will be a monumental effort, on top of the countless far-reaching challenges the pandemic has created. Tom Vilsack, Biden’s nominee for USDA Secretary, is fully aware of the role dairy farms play in a sustainable and nutritious food system, their track record of reducing GHGs, and what it will take to achieve further reductions.
     
    Vilsack, whose nomination is still subject to Senate confirmation, has spent the past four years serving as the president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). He has been a part of the conversation as the national dairy sector has been voluntarily developing goals and working strategically to reduce its climate impact. At a time when dairy foods are especially critical as a source of affordable nutrition, it is reassuring that Vilsack understands the great challenges and opportunities facing the nation’s dairy farmers.
     
    “With an estimated one in six Americans and a quarter of U.S. children facing a hunger crisis, farmers reeling, and rural communities struggling to weather the pain and economic fallout of the pandemic, Vilsack will bring the experience and bold thinking needed to deliver immediate relief to farmers, ranchers, producers and families all across the country,” Biden said in a news release announcing the nomination.
     
    While food availability is paramount, there is also no doubt that the dairy sector will continue to shrink its climate footprint. Vilsack recognizes that American dairy farmers have already made tremendous achievements—reducing the carbon footprint of a gallon of milk by 19 percent since 2007 (63 percent since 1944). “I think it’s important to set the stage by indicating that the dairy industry has always been committed to sustainability,” Vilsack said during a panel discussion at the virtual California Dairy Sustainability Summit this past November. He then described the national dairy industry’s ambitious net zero initiative, an industry-wide goal to achieve carbon neutral or better (net zero climate impact) by 2050. Vilsack noted that resources, including research and incentives, will be needed to make it affordable for dairy farms of all sizes to implement climate-smart practices and technologies.
    “The federal government can be a strong partner in this [national dairy industry’s net zero initiative] by providing resources, providing incentives, and providing research dollars,” Vilsack said.

     
    California is already demonstrating that incentive-based programs are highly effective in reducing GHGs, particularly methane, from the dairy sector. The state’s two dairy manure methane reduction programs—the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program and the Alternative Manure Management Program—are collectively estimated to reduce 2.3 million metric tons of GHGs (MTCO2e) per year, more than any other individual program in the state’s climate investment portfolio. The reductions are being achieved by installing technologies and adopting new manure management practices, including anaerobic digesters, solid separators, and vacuum trucks. The state has invested a total of $265 million to date, with more than $422 million being provided in matching private funds.
     
    While California’s dairy methane reduction programs have been achieving much success, additional opportunities for even greater reductions can be created through research and development. One example is the area of enteric emissions, or the release of methane directly from the digestive systems of cattle. A number of feed additives are demonstrating promise to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminant animals by 30 percent or more. As these products are further verified and eventually become commercially available, it will be critically important to ensure that these feed additives are economically viable for farmers and ranchers to incorporate into daily feed rations.
     
    Another tremendous opportunity would be to increase the use of manure nutrients as natural soil amendments—something Biden mentioned during an October town hall. California’s dairy community is currently working with researchers, non-governmental organizations, and technology providers to explore expanding the use of manure nutrients in ways that help sequester carbon. California dairy farmers have long been applying manure to build soils and fertilize their forage and grain crops, which are fed to cows. Now, dairy farmers are looking for new ideas to create a circular fertilizer economy, in which manure-based soil amendments can be used to grow even more crops. Much more research is needed to fully explore how a promising list of technologies and strategies could potentially serve the needs of dairies and other farms. This area of research and development represents a significant opportunity for public-private partnerships.

    The change in federal leadership is expected to promote the public-private partnerships needed to advance the sustainability of the dairy sector. From his time at USDEC, Vilsack has seen firsthand the global demand and implications of sustainable farming practices. The market is already demanding that dairy farm and food production practices become more climate friendly, the dairy sector has already pledged its bold commitment to do so, and California has created a model to build upon.
     
    As the U.S. embarks upon renewed efforts to fight climate change, it is imperative that initiatives remain financially feasible for family farms. That will not only ensure the viability of our culturally-rich dairy farm legacy, but also a continued, reliable supply of delicious, nutritious milk and dairy foods for the American people.
     
    The federal government can follow California’s lead—taking bold steps to nourish families while fighting climate change.

    Center, Tom Vilsack spoke on a panel with national dairy industry leaders during the virtual California Dairy Sustainability Summit on November 6, 2020.

  • Synergy between Biotech and Classical Control Tactics Rid U.S. of Invasive Pest

    Genetically engineered cotton and classical pest control tactics combined to rid the United States and Northern Mexico of a devastating pest, according to a new study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Arizona (UofA) scientists published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

    For most of the past century, the pink bollworm was the major cotton pest in the Southwest. For decades, cotton growing in Arizona, California, Texas, and New Mexico was only possible because farmers sprayed pesticides an average of 12 times a year, nine specifically against pink bollworm. Some farmers sprayed as often as 25 times a year without reaching control. In 1990, pink bollworm cost cotton growers $48 million in Arizona alone.

    A coordinated and multitactical list of areawide and integrated pest management strategies were developed over the years in hopes of putting down this pest while replacing expensive and environmentally hazardous chemical pesticides, explained research entomologist Jeffrey Fabrick, one of the authors of the study. Fabrick is with the ARS-USDA Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit in Maricopa, Arizona.

    “By analyzing computer simulations and 21 years of field data from Arizona, we proved that genetically engineered cotton and release of billions of sterile pink bollworm moths acted synergistically to suppress this pest,” Fabrick said.

    Both the computer simulations and what was seen in the field from 2006 to 2010 showed neither of the two tactics would have worked if used alone, he added.

    “Collaboration among farmers and scientists from government, industry, and academia was essential for the remarkable success of the pink bollworm eradication program,” said Bruce Tabashnik, lead author of the study and regents professor in the UofA Department of Entomology.

    In the late 1960s and 1970s, ARS scientists first began powering up the fight against pink bollworm. They helped create the artificial pheromones that allowed precise tracking of the pest as well as the first synthetic diet and methods for raising sterile pink bollworm moths to disrupt mating. Releasing synthetic female sex pheromone in cotton fields also was used to confuse males and disrupt mating Another important tactic required farmers to plow down cotton residues after harvest to reduce overwintering survival of pink bollworm.

    Enter genetically modified Bt cotton in 1996. Bt cotton is engineered to produce one or more proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt for short) that kills pink bollworm and other related caterpillar pests and are harmless to people and most other insects, unlike broad spectrum pesticides. Growing mostly Bt cotton knocked the pink bollworm population down by 90 percent in 10 years. At the same time, farmers continued employing other techniques.

    By 2006, for the first time, eradication became a practical reality. With an eye to finishing off pink bollworm, detailed cooperative plans were developed by a coalition that included cotton farmers, grower organizations, ARS researchers, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the biotech industry, the Arizona Department of Agriculture, the Arizona Cotton Research and Protection Council, and UofA extension and research scientists. Many of these groups’ counterparts in Northern Mexico were also were also recruited.

    APHIS also scaled up production of sterile pink bollworm moths so that billions of them were unleashed by airplanes to overwhelm any field populations of the pest.

    Removal of pink bollworm saved U.S. cotton farmers $192 million from 2014 to 2019 alone, according to the study. Pink bollworm suppression has also facilitated integrated pest management for all other cotton pests. Overall, this reduced insecticide use by 82 percent, avoiding application of 25 million pounds of insecticides in Arizona alone during the past two decades. It improved the overall environment and brought back beneficial insects as the ecology returned to a more natural balance.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $17 of economic impact.

  • USDA Dairy Roundtable Delivers Record Exports to Indonesia

    The USDA-sponsored “U.S.–Indonesia Dairy Roundtable” event, held in Jakarta on September 30, 2019, has delivered record results for U.S. dairy exports. In the year since the seminal event concluded, U.S. exports of dairy products to Indonesia surged to more than 160,000 metric tons, valued at more than $346 million. Moreover, U.S. market share of Indonesia’s nearly $1.4 billion dairy import market dramatically increased from 14 percent to 25 percent. In calendar year 2020, as of September, the U.S. had already exported a record volume of dairy products to Indonesia and is on track to reach a record value by the end of the year. The event was an excellent example of FAS collaboration with host government officials, local importers, and U.S. industry stakeholders to increase U.S. exports.

    Background

    Held at the Grand Hyatt Ballroom in Jakarta on September 30, 2019, the U.S.–Indonesia Dairy Roundtable was a groundbreaking event designed to increase trade in dairy products between the U.S. and Indonesia. Led by USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs, Ted McKinney, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Joseph R. Donovan, and Indonesia’s Minister of Trade, Enggar Lukita, the gathering brought together key stakeholders from both countries for day-long discussions on dairy trade and policy. In addition to hearing from senior level officials from both governments, participants engaged in one-on-one business meetings designed to expand importer knowledge of U.S. dairy products and exporter knowledge of Indonesian buyers’ requirements. Arranged by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and FAS Jakarta, industry representatives from 13 dairy exporters and producers met directly with buyers from 60 Indonesian companies representing importers, processors, and retailers. FAS Jakarta collaborated closely with USDEC to organize and manage this USDA- sponsored event. The event was an excellent example of how FAS can join with host government officials, local buyers, and U.S. industry stakeholders to increase U.S. exports.

    Ambassador Joseph R. Donovan speaks at the U.S. – Indonesia Dairy Roundtable event alongside Agricultural Counselor, Chris Rittgers (center) and USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs, Ted McKinney (right).

    Results

    In the immediate months following the roundtable, exports of U.S. dairy products to Indonesia accelerated across key product categories including Non-Fat Dry Milk (NFDM), Whey, Lactose and Cheese. This strong performance in the final quarter led to a record quantity of U.S. exports to Indonesia in 2019. Despite market and demand disruptions related to Covid-19, strong demand for U.S. dairy products continued throughout 2020. Far outpacing the record 2019 year, in the year since the roundtable concluded (October 2019 – September 2020), U.S. exports of dairy products to Indonesia surged to more than 160,000 metric tons, valued at more than $346 million.

    Source: USDA – GATS

    Importantly, the gains for U.S. dairy were not solely derived from Indonesia’s growing dairy consumption. Global trade data in the year following the roundtable demonstrates the vast majority of growth in U.S. exports were a direct result of increasing market share. The U.S. market share for Indonesia’s $1.4 billion dairy import market increased nearly 80 percent in the year following the roundtable. This impressive growth, from 14 percent to 25 percent market share, came almost exclusively at the expense of dairy exports from the EU.

    The gains in U.S. exports have made Indonesia the fourth largest market for U.S. dairy by volume and the sixth by value. Significantly, this achievement is not the result of increased exports for any one particular product, but rather an upsurge across various dairy product categories:

    Top Destinations for Key U.S. Dairy Products by Value and Volume

    Seizing Opportunity

    The success of the U.S.–Indonesia Dairy Roundtable can in a large part be attributed to the fast response by U.S. Ambassador Donovan, FAS Jakarta, and the dairy industry to seize an opportunity to expand U.S. exports. Upon hearing reports of trade tensions between the EU and Indonesia related to palm and palm- derived products spilling over into trade of other commodities, FAS Jakarta and the dairy industry moved quickly to mobilize a high-level event that could capitalize on the changing trade environment. Ambassador Donovan spearheaded the engagement with the Ministry of Trade, which ultimately brought together U.S. exporters and Indonesian importers together at an opportune moment when Indonesia sought to diversify trade in dairy products away from the EU.

    Following the roundtable event, both FAS Jakarta and USDEC have continued to work aggressively to link U.S. dairy exporters with Indonesian buyers. This collaboration is perhaps most clearly demonstrated in the successful efforts to register new U.S. dairy facilities for export to Indonesia. Since concluding the roundtable, over 30 new U.S. dairy facilities have submitted applications to the Ministry of Agriculture seeking approval to export. Accordingly, USDEC has expanded its counseling to members on the application process and halal product requirements for Indonesia, while FAS Jakarta has actively engaged U.S. exporters to review and troubleshoot applications before submission and continually advocate with the Ministry of Agriculture for expedited review of U.S. applicants. As a result, 13 U.S. dairy facilities have been approved for export to Indonesia in 2020 and an additional 19 are undergoing the review process. Currently, 114 U.S. dairy facilities are approved for export to Indonesia, more than double the number of any other country. — By Garrett Mcdonald, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

  • ARS Research Prepares Farm Soil During Farming’s ‘Off-Season’

    It may be winter, but farmers don’t stop growing crops or preparing their soil for future planting – and scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are there – with the farmers – to help.

    “Climate changes pose significant challenges for many cropping systems,” said Tom Sauer, supervisory soil scientist at the ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE) in Ames, IA. “Changes in management practices need to be carefully evaluated to build or enhance the resilience of different agroecosystems.”

    Researchers at NLAE are midway through a 5-year project, Managing Energy and Carbon Fluxes to Optimize Agroecosystem Productivity and Resilience, to investigate aspects of cover cropping and tillage on farm production efficiencies. The project also looks at agroforestry – tree windbreaks and silvopasture (mixing forestry, forage production, and grazing).

    “We have been tracking a variety of metrics for soil organic matter under cover cropping and reduced tillage,” said Peter O’Brien, research agronomist at NLAE. “We see some positive trends indicating that these practices may maintain soil carbon levels, in contrast to conventional systems that have declining levels of soil carbon.”

    Experiments at the USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames Iowa are showing how cover crops like this radish can help protect the soil surface and improve soil health following the harvest of primary crops. (Photo by Katherine Kral-O’Brien)

    Cover cropping can help keep soil carbon in the ground and out of the atmosphere, thus significantly benefiting the environment, including water quality. Cover cropping encompasses a wide variety of practices. At the most basic level, O’Brien said, it is the practice of growing crops during the part of the year that the primary crops are not in the field, typically in the late fall and early spring.

    “While the concept is simple, there are a lot of different ways to implement a cover crop,” he said. “Farmers must make decisions about annual vs. overwintering cover crops, single-species vs. mixes, planting method, and how to terminate/manage overwintering cover crops to prepare for the next primary crop. Ultimately, factors like climate, soil type, crop rotations, and the farmer’s goals guide how cover crops are best implemented.”

    For example, in the corn-soybean rotations across the Midwest, O’Brien said the amount of time suitable for cover crop growth after primary crop harvest may be limited in comparison to other parts of the country. Consequently, some farmers may sow cover crops, especially cereal rye, into standing corn a week or two prior to harvest to lengthen the cover crop growing window.

    Cover cropping has many benefits for soil health that exceed just keeping carbon in the soil, such as reducing erosion, suppressing weeds, increasing soil biological activity, promoting soil physical quality, and providing pollinator habitat and/or high-quality forage for grazing.

    “Cover cropping can improve soil health in several ways, and healthy soils not only have the potential to increase crop yields, but they may also be more resilient to changing weather patterns,” O’Brien said. “Cover crops protect the soil surface from raindrop impact and excessive exposure to sunlight, both of which can break down soil aggregates and lead to erosion.”

    The ARS scientists are also showing that the non-cover cropping aspects of the project are just as essential to soil health.

    Cereal rye cover crop growing in fall after corn harvest. Scientists from USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames Iowa are investigating how rye can protect the soil surface and reduce nitrogen losses through tile drainage systems. (Photo by Peter O’Brien)

    “The presence of trees either in long, linear rows (windbreaks) on the edge of fields or in widely-spaced rows (silvopasture) modify local microclimates by reducing wind speed, therefore lowering wind erosion, and providing shade that helps retain soil moisture,” Sauer said.

    Farmers can manage these agroforestry practices to reduce losses to their commercial crops from extreme events, particularly heat and water stress association with drought conditions. “Each of these practices can be managed for local conditions or climate trends to enhance their effectiveness in building agroecosystems that are more resistant to negative effects of climate extremes,” Sauer said.

    “This project contextualizes our goals of enhancing productivity and reducing environmental degradation,” O’Brien said. “All aspects of the research are geared towards understanding how our agroecosystems are responding to — and also contributing to — climate change, and it highlights the importance of finding management practices that promote resilience in changing conditions.” – By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications.

  • Sustainable Food Systems, COVID-19 Drive 2020 Sustainable Ag Summit Dialogue

    Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, previewed the 2021 Food Systems Summit and its implications for U.S. agriculture during her keynote address of the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Summit held virtually, Nov. 18-19.

    The sixth annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit attracted a record 800 attendees, with farmers making up about a fourth of the audience. The summit is hosted jointly by five organizations representing U.S. dairy, commodity crop, specialty crop, beef and pork industries, including the checkoff-founded Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

    Bechdol said the Food Systems Summit, which will be held in New York City in September, will be an opportunity for the U.S. food and agriculture community to ensure its diverse voices, sustainability record and progress are reflected in the role food systems play in achieving the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

    “This is an agenda that must be owned by everyone,” she said. “In some ways, we really hope that it awakens the world to the fact that we all need to work together to transform the way the world produces, consumes and even just thinks about food.”

    Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, opened the Sustainable Agriculture Summit with a review of the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on the world. She said Feeding America projects an 8 billion meal deficit in the charitable food system over the next 12 months, and that the virus created a “reframing” of how people think about and define a sustainable food system.

    “Brands, companies and industries, including agriculture, can no longer sit on the sidelines of the conversation,” O’Brien said. “We don’t have the luxury to stay silent on environmental, social and economic issues as NGOs, customers and consumers make it an expectation of business.”

    She recognized the 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals announced by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and applauded the resilience of U.S. agriculture this year, saying its collective strength positions the industry for a bright future.

    “The counter narrative is growing louder and the global debate over what fits and what doesn’t fit in a sustainable food system is real,” she said. “The question is how do we set the course for the next generation of global agricultural sustainability that builds consumer trust, preserves consumer choice and allows for a vibrant industry? Together, I think we can find the answer.”

    Examining ESG issues

    A panel discussion led by Krysta Harden, executive vice president of global environmental strategy for Dairy Management Inc., focused on how environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are revolutionizing sustainability throughout the value chain. For agriculture, these challenges include climate change, food waste, labor and treatment of essential workers.

    Harden referenced dairy’s proactivity in  launching its U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment in 2018. The Commitment is a voluntary social responsibility pledge to consumers and customers that processors and co-operatives will transparently meet defined criteria in areas including animal care, environment and food safety. Harden said 29 dairy companies representing 70 percent of U.S. milk production have adopted the Stewardship Commitment.

    “Investors are increasingly seeking a strong link between corporate sustainability performance and financial performance, which is why it’s important for agriculture to take note and make sure we are prepared to accelerate these areas,” Harden said.

    The summit also featured a panel discussion on how COVID-19 heightened public awareness around food security and how food and agriculture can build sustainable supply chains in a disrupted world.

    Denise Osterhues, senior director of sustainability and community engagement for The Kroger Co., said the company’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste program that aims to end hunger and reduce waste in its communities by 2025, took on added relevance this year.

    She said Kroger’s top priority during the onset of COVID-19 was to simply stay in business so consumers could continue having access to safe, healthy and affordable food. The grocer invested more than $1 billion in health and safety measures for employees and customers. Kroger also accelerated its e-commerce business and offered curbside and delivery services.

    Osterhues referenced a milk donation program in Michigan that was in place before COVID-19 hit, in which Kroger collects surplus milk from co-ops and donates the processing. More than 130,000 gallons have been donated into the Feeding America pipeline as a result.

    She is encouraged by the charitable and proactive response she has seen during this time.

    “One lesson we believed from the start, but has become more clear, is that we totally need everyone,” she said. “It will take all of us to do our own parts and more. We’re excited about the innovation we have seen. Some of the start-ups, entrepreneurs and college students who have risen to the moment are putting creative solutions in place and making things happen.”

    Other panel sessions addressed subjects including preserving biodiversity, climate-smart agriculture and working alongside underrepresented communities to build a more just, equitable and inclusive food system.

    For information on U.S. Dairy’s sustainability efforts, visit www.usdairy.com/sustainability.

  • State Farm Service Agency Director named Almond Champion of the Year

    Connie Conway, Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in California, has been honored as the Almond Alliance of California’s 2020 Almond Champion of the Year for the agency’s outstanding efforts in assisting almond growers with the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP.)

    The Almond Champion of the Year Award is presented annually to those who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in education, coalition building, partnerships and promoting legislation and policies that encourage the advancement and protection of California agriculture and the California almond industry.

    The CFAP consists of direct payments to almond growers for losses suffered as a result of COVID-19 as well as disruptions to the supply chain. The Almond Alliance advocated for federal funding for the original program and the subsequent program known as CFAP 2. To date, the California almond community has received over $125 million through the programs.

    The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers the funding and provides technical assistance to potential applicants. Almond Alliance Chair Mike Curry praised Conway for her leadership in providing access to the program. “Some of these programs can be incredibly technical and complex. Connie and her team have been very attentive and worked with our industry members above and beyond what would normally be expected,” he explained. “Her team has conducted numerous educational webinars for our members and addressed literally hundreds of questions about the program and how it works. Her leadership and commitment to excellence in providing this assistance during these unprecedented times is truly appreciated.”

    Prior to her appointment, Conway ran her own consulting business, focusing on strategic planning, business development, and government relations services. She also served as an assemblywoman for the California State Legislature where she served as Minority Leader and on the Agriculture, Transportation, Labor and Health Committees. She also served as a member of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.

    About the Almond Alliance of California

    The Almond Alliance of California (AAC) is a trusted non-profit organization dedicated to advocating on behalf of the California almond community. California almonds generate more than $21 billion in economic revenue and directly contribute more than $11 billion to the state’s total economy. California’s top agricultural export, almonds create approximately 104,000 jobs statewide, over 97,000 in the Central Valley, which suffers from chronic unemployment. The AAC is dedicated to educating state legislators, policy makers and regulatory officials about the California almond community. As a membership-based organization, our members include almond processors, hullers/shellers, growers and allied businesses. Through workshops, newsletters, conferences, social media and personal meetings, AAC works to raise awareness, knowledge and provide a better understanding about the scope, size, value and sustainability of the California almond community.


    For more information on the Almond Alliance, visit https://almondalliance.org/ or check out the Almond Alliance on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

  • Purple Sweetpotatoes for Thanksgiving, Christmas & More

    Bright-orange sweetpotatoes are a staple of many American Thanksgiving dinners and are often prepared with a traditional family recipe. But this year, why not start a new tradition with purple-fleshed sweetpotatoes?

    Both colors of sweetpotato are high in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but the purple varieties are also rich in health-beneficial antioxidants called anthocyanins and phenolic acids. Anthocyanins are plant pigments that make blueberries blue and cherries cherry-red, and the antioxidant activities in purple sweetpotatoes can be at similar levels to these antioxidant-rich fruits. Various studies have indicated that anthocyanins and phenolics from purple‐fleshed sweetpotatoes may have potential health benefits.

    A team of scientists from the Agricultural Research Service’s Food Science and Market Quality and Handling Research Unit in Raleigh, NC, collaborated with researchers at North Carolina State University to find ways to preserve purple-fleshed sweetpotatoes’ anthocyanin levels during processing into products like juice or natural colorants. Typically, heat is used during processing, but heat changes the flavor and prevents isolation and use of sweetpotato starch and fiber. But if heat is not used, then the flesh quickly browns due to the same enzymes that turn sliced apples brown.

    The scientists wanted to figure out a heat-free way to extract the juice and pigments directly from the raw purple sweetpotato. After those are extracted, what’s left is raw starch and fiber (pomace), each with its own uses and benefits.

    The team successfully used water containing a small amount of citric acid, a substance naturally present in citrus fruits, to inactivate the browning enzymes and preserve an appealing reddish-purple color in the fresh juice and pomace. Preserving the high anthocyanin content makes these products desirable as functional ingredients in beverages and other food products. This research can pave the way for sweetpotato processors to produce new, value-added products. The team published the study in the Journal of Food Science in 2019.—By Sue Kendall, USDA ARS Office of Communications.

  • USDA Shares Easy At-Home Advice for Handling Food Safely this Thanksgiving

    This week, Americans will enjoy a delicious meal on Thanksgiving Day with family and friends – either in person or virtually. Taking the necessary steps toward safe food handling and sanitation will help protect you and your loved ones this year. To make sure your Thanksgiving meal is prepared safely, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering food safety advice to reduce foodborne illness, including on Thanksgiving Day.

    “Our data shows that consumers can reduce their likelihood of foodborne illness by focusing on good hand hygiene and other food safety practices,” said Dr. Mindy Brashears, USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety. “As home chefs nationwide prepare their Thanksgiving meals, proper handwashing and avoiding cross contamination in the kitchen are critical to keeping your loved ones safe.”

    Wash Your Hands

    The first step to safe food preparation is to clean. In recent USDA observational research, participants did not even attempt to wash their hands, or did not wash their hands sufficiently about 95 percent of the time before and during meal preparation.

    Handwashing is recommended to control the spread of germs, especially before, during and after preparing food (especially after touching raw meat or poultry).

    Thawing the Turkey

    Frozen turkeys should never be thawed on the counter or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. The best method to thaw the turkey is in the refrigerator since this allows slow, safe thawing. When thawing turkey in the refrigerator, allow about 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey. Once thawed, it can remain safe in the fridge for one to two days. Other safe thawing methods include a cold-water bath or the microwave. If you use either of these thawing methods, you should cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. If using the cold-water method, allow 30 minutes per pound, and submerge the turkey in its original wrapping to avoid cross-contamination. If thawing in the microwave, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when defrosting the turkey.

    Avoid Cross-Contamination

    In a recent study, USDA found 60 percent of kitchen sinks were contaminated with germs after participants washed or rinsed poultry. To avoid this cross-contamination risk, do not wash your turkey. But if you do wash your turkey or put your turkey in the sink, you need to fully clean and sanitize your sink. Cleaning and sanitizing is a two-step process. To clean, rub down surfaces — including the sink, cutting boards, and counter tops — with soap and hot water, and then sanitize them with a cleaning solution to remove any residual germs you cannot see. You can use a homemade solution of one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of water. Let air dry.

    Do Not Stuff the Turkey

    Although many choose to stuff the turkey, USDA does not recommend doing so for optimal safety. Instead, cook stuffing outside of the turkey cavity to reduce cross-contamination risk. This will also allow your turkey to cook more quickly.

    Cooking to the Safe Temperature

    A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by a food thermometer in three parts: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the wing, and the innermost part of the thigh. Even if the turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator, you should still use a food thermometer to check that the bird has reached at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit in those three places. If you are planning to cook a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey, check the temperature with the food thermometer (165 degrees Fahrenheit) at the thickest part the breast. All previously cooked side dishes should be reheated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by a food thermometer as well.

    The Two-Hour Rule

    To make sure food stays safe to eat through the weekend, all perishable items should be refrigerated within two hours of when they finished cooking. After two hours, perishable food will be in the Danger Zone (40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit) too long, which is when bacteria can multiply quickly and cause the food to become unsafe. If foods have been left out for more than two hours they should be discarded.

    Store and Reheat Leftovers

    Store leftovers in small, shallow containers in the refrigerator until the Monday after Thanksgiving Day or in the freezer for later use. Shallow containers help cool leftovers more quickly than storing them in large containers. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the internal temperature of the food in several places with a food thermometer after allowing a resting time.

    You Have Questions, USDA Has Answers

    For advice about how to safely prepare the turkey and all other menu items this Thanksgiving Day, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or chat live with a food safety expert at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. If you need last-minute help on Thanksgiving Day, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

  • Compound from Soil Bacterium Gets Reboot as Antibiotics Super Booster

    USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their collaborators continue garnering success in their tests of a compound that could bolster the potency of beta-lactam antibiotics, potentially reducing the dosages required and helping stave off resistance in the germs they’re meant to kill.

    According to Neil Price, a chemist with the ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, beta-lactams are a class of antibiotics widely used in human health, veterinary medicine and agriculture. Many are penicillin- and cephalosporin-based. However, some germs have developed resistance to the drugs, threatening their continued effectiveness in fighting infection and preventing illness. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates antibiotic-resistant germs infect at least 2.8 million people in the United States each year. Of that total, 35,000 people die as a result.

    For his part, Price has partnered with a team of ARS scientists to bolster the potency of these antibiotics with a rebuilt version of a compound called tunicamycin. In nature, certain types of bacteria secrete tunicamycin in an act of chemical warfare to keep competing microbes from reaching choice resources. Unfortunately, tunicamycin also blocks the activity of a key protein in human and animal cells. To overcome this problem, the team reconfigured tunicamycin with a pair of hydrogen atoms, blunting its harm to human and animal cells but not germs.

    In the first round of laboratory trials, mixing the modified tunicamycin with oxacillin and other penicillin-based drugs made them 32 to 64 times more potent. Since then, the team has expanded the list of beta-lactam antibiotics that are synergized by one of two modified tunicamycins: TunR1 and TunR2.

    For example, 11 beta-lactams showed a two- to 256-fold increase in potency against Bacillus subtilis bacteria—including a Penicillin-G-resistant strain—when combined with TunR2 in microtiter plate tests. Additionally, Cefquinome (a fourth-generation cephalosporin-based antibiotic commonly used to treat bovine respiratory illness in cattle and ailments in swine) showed a 500-fold increase in potency against B. subtilis when combined with TunR2.

    “That synergistic effect is important for both overcoming pathogen resistance to Cefquinome and achieving a potential cost savings from needing 500 times less of it,” said Price, who co-authored a paper published in the August 2019 issue of the Journal of Antibiotics. ARS has also established a Material Transfer Research Agreement with Cayman Chemicals Company of Ann Arbor, Michigan, to scale-up the compounds’ production so that other research groups can evaluate their antibiotic-bolstering effects, especially in the biomedical field.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.