The California State Fair is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 California Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. A panel of 12 certified sensory analyst judges gathered at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds, in Sacramento on May 18, to swirl, sniff, sip and analyze samples of olive oil from producers all over California. The annual competition celebrates the olive-growing and olive oil producing industries in California, and is open only to Extra Virgin and Flavored Olive Oils made from 100% olives which are grown, pressed and packaged in California.
This year 468 shining, new bottles of olive oil lined the cellar shelves of Cal Expo. Each of the 117 entries arrived with the hope of their producers that their care, expertise and hard work would result in a coveted Best of Show Golden Bear Trophy.
Competition Head Judge Orietta Gianjorio enlisted the talents of an exceptional group of skilled and experienced judges, some with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Gianjorio commented on the judging event, “It is always an honor to participate in the California State Fair Olive Oil Competition. All judges are incredibly talented and gifted tasters, deeply committed to the industry and high quality. The excitement in the room is palpable. After a couple of years of absence, we are all very happy to finally taste together and share our passion for California Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We are all thrilled to share our comments and taste amazing oils produced from this wonderful state of California.”
The 2022 Best of Show Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the Tuscan Blend by Olive Truck of San Francisco, California. Sam Bayraktar’s personal initiative, Olive Truck, started operation in 2019 which he describes as “the most exciting food project of all time.” This mobile mill combines Sam’s own experience with a state of the art vacuum-milling technology. The Olive Truck can take production straight to the groves which allows manufacturing of high-quality, extra-fresh olive oil right from the source.
The Best of Show Flavored Olive Oil is Kaffir Lime by IL Fiorello Olive Oil Company of Fairfield, California. IL Fiorello is a family-owned company dedicated to growing and milling the finest quality artisan olive oil. Owners Ann and Mark Sievers produce oil from their own certified organic groves.
This competition honors Olive Oil producers at all production levels. The Best California Extra Virgin Olive Oil by a Micro-producer (Less than 500 gallons annually) was awarded to “Elegante” Certified Organic Arbequina by Fandango Olive Oil of Paso Robles, California. The Best of California Extra Virgin Olive Oil by an Artisan Producer (between 500 and 5,000 gallons annually) was awarded to Kaffir Lime by IL Fiorello Olive Oil Company of Fairfield, California. The Best California Extra Virgin Olive Oil by a Large Producer (more than 5,000 gallons annually) went to Arbequina by Wild Groves of Newcastle, California.
During the 2022 California State Fair, July 15 – July 31, fair guests will enjoy an exhibit featuring award-winning extra virgin olive oils, free tastings, and the opportunity to purchase olive oil directly from award-winning California olive oil producers.
Complete results and competition information can be found on the California State Fair website at CalExpoStateFair.com/California-Commercial-Extra-Virgin-Olive-Oil
About the California State Fair
The California State Fair is an international award-winning fair, receiving top honors at the International Association of Fairs and Expositions out of more than 1,100 fairs world-wide. The California State Fair is dedicated as a place to celebrate the best the state has to offer in agriculture, technology, and the diversity of its people, traditions, and trends that shape the Golden State’s future. The 2022 State Fair will include a comprehensive list of competitions, including California’s best commercial wines, cheeses, olive oils, and fine arts, among others.
POM Wonderful, the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the U.S., is proud to announce it is furthering its commitment to a sustainable future with the transition to 100% recycled plastic (rPET) bottles and shifting more than 90% of its electricity needs to renewable energy.
Throughout North America, starting in May 2022, all 16 oz. bottles of POM Wonderful juices–100% Pomegranate Juice, Pomegranate Blueberry 100% Juice, and Pomegranate Cherry 100% Juice–will be bottled in 100% rPET. The new bottles will feature a “100% Recycled Plastic” logo. This commitment is just the beginning of the company’s overall strategy to reduce single-use plastic and transitions more than 11 million bottles to 100% rPET annually as the brand approaches its 20th anniversary this fall.
As part of POM Wonderful’s ongoing sustainability journey, the company completed work on a solar farm at its processing plant in Del Rey, California. This project, which will be operational in June 2022, is expected to deliver more than 90% of the company’s electricity needs by 2023. These initiatives are part of the company’s larger sustainability road map to reduce its carbon footprint and build a more sustainable future through responsible agriculture and farming, energy, waste, packaging, and emissions.
“As an agricultural company at heart, we know that sustainability is critical to our future. That’s why it’s important that we make environmental sustainability a core principle of our work, and conserve natural resources to minimize our company’s impact on the environment,” said Derrick Miller, president, POM Wonderful. “As we celebrate the transition to rPET and renewable energy, we continue to look for new ways to minimize our impact, serve as community stewards, and enhance sustainability across every part of our business.”
In 2020, POM Wonderful launched an innovation challenge, offering $1 million in funding and development resources to innovators who could develop an economical and environmentally friendly pilot-ready solution for the 50,000 tons of pomegranate husks generated each year by the company. In 2021, two winners were announced: BCD Bioscience and Enagon. As a direct result of this funding, BCD Bioscience is discovering ways to harness new value from pomegranate husks, and Enagon is working on upcycling the husks to transform them into new and nutritious ingredients.
To date, The Wonderful Company and owners Stewart and Lynda Resnick have invested more than $1.3 billion in environmental sustainability initiatives to help fight climate change. This billion-dollar commitment includes the unprecedented $750 million gift from the Resnicks to Caltech in support of the school’s environmental sustainability research.
In 2019, The Wonderful Company joined RE100, a global initiative made up of some of the world’s biggest companies, which have all committed to using 100% renewable energy. The POM solar farm joins solar installations at Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds facilities, JUSTIN Vineyards, and Wonderful Halos as a part of this journey toward a more sustainable future.
For more information, and for the latest updates on POM Wonderful, please visit POMWonderful.com or @POMWonderful on Instagram.
About POM Wonderful
POM Wonderful is the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the United States as well as the worldwide leader in fresh California pomegranates and pomegranate-based products including our 100% pomegranate juices, healthy juice blends, and teas. We grow, handpick, and juice our own pomegranates to ensure the highest quality. POM Wonderful is part of The Wonderful Company, a privately held company with a portfolio that includes other No. 1 brands such as Wonderful® Pistachios, FIJI® Water, Wonderful® Halos®, JUSTIN® wine, and Teleflora®. To learn more about The Wonderful Company, visit www.wonderful.com.
Fruit World, a family-owned, values-driven grower-shipper of organic and conventional fruit, has been harvesting and shipping delicious organic apricots and cherries since mid-April from their Central Valley orchards. “The March freeze tempered early stone fruit production volumes throughout California, especially compared to the banner year we had in 2021,” explained CJ Buxman, Fruit World co-founder. “Fortunately, the fruit that set is looking good, and all our ranches are yielding great product.”
Severe weather events this spring impacted California’s cherry crops substantially. “We have been extremely fortunate that our organic cherries from the Patterson area were eleven days earlier than last year and had exceptional quality and a larger peak size. We will finish shipping our cherries by the end of next week with Corals, Brooks and Tulares,” said Fruit World Director of Sales, Cindy Richter.
As a family operation that is focused on quality and sustainability, Fruit World continues to expand their use of cardboard punnet clamshells. “We have found many of the consumers who are seeking premium fruit, especially organic varieties, are also seeking out more sustainable packaging options,” reveals Bianca Kaprielian, Fruit World co-founder and CEO.
Grower partnerships have been key to Fruit World’s growth and success. “We are fortunate to have formed long-term relationships with several growers who share our values, dedication to farming, and approach to business,” Kaprielian said. “Blossom Hill’s apricots and Masumoto Family Farm’s peaches and nectarines allow us to provide more varieties, higher volumes and longer seasons of top-notch fruit. They are seamless brand extensions, and fully integrated into the Fruit World family.”
“No farmer works alone. We depend on partners like organisms in the living soil, good neighbors, talented farm workers, to name a few,” said Nikiko Masumoto, fourth-generation farmer and artist. “Fruit World is one of our loyal partners. We get to focus on what we do best in the fields and Fruit World helps us find a home for our fruit. We couldn’t do it without them!”
Today’s consumers are thoughtful about the environment and sustainability, and appreciate high-quality fruit packed with flavor. Delight them with extraordinary organic cherries, apricots, peaches and nectarines, all grown by family farms, and available from Fruit World.
For more information or to place an order, call (559) 650-0334, or visit fruitworldco.com to learn more about the Fruit World story.
Farmers and other California residents have been pushing legislature for many years to increase our state’s water storage capacity with no success, and with the “years of plenty” long past, hundreds of thousands of acres of prime farmland will go fallow this year. This will have devastating impacts on our nation’s food supply, local communities and the many families that traditionally worked these fields that will be left uncultivated. Watch this brief interview with Adam Borchard from the California Fresh Fruit Association as he addresses the current situation.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
Farmers and other California residents have been pushing legislature for many years to increase our state’s water storage capacity with no success, and with the “years of plenty” long past, hundreds of thousands of acres of prime farmland will go fallow this year. This will have devastating impacts on our nation’s food supply, local communities and the many families that traditionally worked these fields that will be left uncultivated. Watch this brief interview with Adam Borchard from the California Fresh Fruit Association as he addresses the current situation.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
The California Avocado Commission (CAC) recently reported the results of their mid-season crop update surveys with their growers and handlers, forecasting a smaller crop than was initially expected. Through use of grower and handler surveys, CAC is able to collect the most up-to-date volume information and anticipated harvest timing. The results are used to inform the industry of the total crop that is expected to come to market and as a guide that helps shape the timing of CAC’s marketing efforts.
The results forecast a 2022 California crop estimate a 286 million pounds – which consists of 272 million pounds Hass, 8 million pounds Lamb-Hass, 5 million pounds GEM and 1 million pounds of other varieties. This updated volume is a 20-million-pound reduction from the December 2021 handler pre-season estimate of 306 million pounds. The decrease in volume mostly comes from Hass (19 million pounds), however a slight reduction to the Lamb-Hass volume also has been made (1 million pounds).
Detailed results from the grower and handler survey can be found on CAC’s grower website, as well as revised monthly and weekly harvest projections based on the 286-million-pound crop volume. Please note that projected volume for the beginning of the season, which has already been harvested, does not match weekly actuals, but instead how the four-year average and handler forecasting models projecting a 286-million-pound crop would have come to market (based on the actual monthly volume that was harvested). As we move through the season, Commission staff will continue to track crop harvest and remaining volume closely, ensuring that CAC’s marketing efforts are aligned with when California fruit is in season.
What is arguably the foundational ingredient in salad? Lettuce! USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) supports research that is leading to stronger, healthier, more disease-resistant lettuce cultivars. See what NIFA is doing to keep healthy, safe salads on the menu for consumers everywhere.
Current funded projects in California and Illinois include the following:
The USDA Agricultural Research Service, Pacific West Area, in Albany, California, is working to improve the safety and survival of lettuce during fresh-cut processing and cold storage. Mechanical damage of processed leaf tissue offers new opportunities for the proliferation of E. coli, the main bacterial agent that causes lettuce-linked foodborne outbreaks. Researchers are working to identify lettuce cultivars that effectively reduce population sizes of E. coli upon shredding and cold storage and characterize defense responses on cut tissue.
The USDA Agricultural Research Service in Berkeley, California, is studying the prevention of pathogen contamination in agriculture water in lettuce production. Researchers are developing and implementing a screening tool to test the effectiveness of sanitizer, antimicrobial resistance and tolerance to oxidizing compounds, and provide recommendations on keeping resistant strains from developing.
The University of California – Davis is enhancing the use of resources to increase sustainable lettuce production in changing climates. This research project seeks to improve water, nitrogen and phosphate use in lettuce, and determine heat/cold/saline tolerance, to improve lettuce’s resilience. The research findings will be shared with breeders and students.
The University of Chicago is modifying lettuce by altering its genetic makeup without introducing genetically modified genes. Researchers are using tiny fibers to inject substances that will enable changing the gene content of lettuce.
Migrant workers in the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program provide critical seasonal labor on farms across California, spending weeks away from home doing the grueling work needed to support the state’s $49 billion agricultural industry.
The H-2A program allows employers who anticipate a shortage of U.S.-based workers to bring workers here from other countries to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. An ongoing U.S. Department of Labor effort has revealed some California vegetable farms have not been providing H-2A workers with the pay and benefits, and personal protections the law requires.
In a series of investigations from April 2020 to February 2022 by the department’s Wage and Hour Division, several farms were found to be failing to meet their responsibilities under the H-2A program. The investigations found five farmers failed to provide meals or kitchen facilities, did not pay required inbound and outbound transportation and meal costs, and allowed workers to be transported unsafely. The division also determined some farms shortchanged workers’ wages and failed to provide a contract to workers as required or did not abide by the terms of workers’ contracts.
The five investigations led to the recovery of $225,114 in back wages for 588 workers, and assessments of $54,617 in penalties. They also yielded findings and administrative settlements with the following employers:
“Employers that benefit from the H-2A guest worker program must be aware of all their responsibilities,” said Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez in San Francisco. “Agricultural workers employed under the H-2A program must be paid as their contracts require and be provided with what they need to live and work safely while contributing critical labor to California’s agriculture industry.”
Nationally, the Wage and Hour Division investigated 735 cases with H-2A violations in the last two fiscal years.These investigations recovered $9,092,624 in back wages for 13,408 workers and assessed $9,520,624 in civil penalties from employers for violations of federal labor laws.
For more information about farmworkers’ rights and laws enforced by the division, contact its toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). The division enforces the law regardless of a worker’s immigration status and can speak confidentially with callers in more than 200 languages. Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division.