California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Economics

  • Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) Program Now Accepting Cycle 2 Grower Applications

    California’s Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) program is now accepting Cycle 2 applications from commercial growers. This initiative aims to showcase the efficacy of additional control measures against the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the carrier of the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) bacterium causing Huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus.

    Commercial citrus producers in California are invited to apply for the program, and eligibility is open to all.

    For Cycle 2, applications will be accepted until program capacity is reached with priority given to those applications received by March 15, 2024. Applications can be found at  https://citrusresearch.org/growers-application

    CRB’s CA-CRaFT initiative seeks participation from commercially managed citrus groves in California, subject to the implementation of specified mitigations and adherence to the overall experimental design. We encourage both organic and conventional citrus growers to submit applications.

    Grove selection criteria will consider existing management practices, with a preference for those actively utilizing ACP management in accordance with the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM) guidelines. Priority consideration will be accorded to California citrus groves facing sustained psyllid pressures or located in close proximity to significant psyllid risk factors, such as transportation corridors and residential areas. Citrus producers can apply without any limitations on the total acreage, and we welcome applications for multiple blocks or groves.

    Project support is currently being offered for the following mitigations:

    Preventative Mitigations

    • Implementing barrier mesh fencing along grove borders to hinder ACP entry.
    • Creating natural windbreaks using living vegetation along grove borders to mitigate psyllid movement.
    • Cultivating trap crops like the curry leaf tree, to attract and control psyllidpopulations.

    Threshold-based Mitigations 

    • Introducing specific biological control agents as a whole grove treatment to suppress ACP populations, regularly assessing their impact and effectiveness, and encouraging conservation and the release of generalist predators like syrphid flies, lacewings, and lady beetles.
    • Implementing targeted insecticide treatments, such as border sprays for ACP control or whole grove treatments with insecticide-based ant baits for ant control, or utilizing border treatments with psyllid repellents like kaolin clay or diatomaceous earth to make the crop unappealing to psyllids.

    Compensation is exclusively provided to growers implementing endorsed additional preventative or threshold-based mitigations, such as barrier mesh fencing, living windbreaks, trap crops, biological control releases, border sprays, psyllid repellents, or ant control, as outlined above.

    Control plots must refrain from receiving any additional mitigations, be they preventative or threshold-based, recommended by the program, as outlined above.

    Participants will receive annual assistance on a per-acre basis to cover expenses related to data collection and field access for scouts. This applies to both control plots and all plots receiving additional CRaFT-endorsed mitigations as part of the program.

    Growers are allowed to conduct regular scheduled plot maintenance and apply various treatments for pests, including ACP, in all plots, including control plots. However, they will not receive compensation for these routine treatments that fall outside of program priorities endorsed by CA-CRaFT.

    The CRB will be hosting webinars on the CA-CRaFT program and its application process on:

    • February 13 at 2:00 PM – Click HERE to register
    • March 7 at 2:00 PM – Click HERE to register

    For details about the California-focused CRaFT Project, program requirements, and webinar schedule, visit the CRB website at www.citrusresearch.org or contact Ariana Gehrig at craft@citrusresearch.org.

    The CRB administers the California Citrus Research Program, the grower-funded and grower directed program established in 1968 under the California Marketing Act as the mechanism enabling the State’s citrus producers to sponsor and support needed research. More information about the Citrus Research Board may be found at www.citrusresearch.org.

  • Grower-Shipper Association Appoints 2024 Board Members

    As recently ratified by its regular (i.e., grower, shipper, processor, landowner, harvester) membership, the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) elected four new members to its Board of Directors: Kiana Amaral, Chief Operating Officer, BlazerWilkinsonGee, Chris Drew, President & CEO, Ocean Mist Farms, Carmen Ponce, Vice President and General Counsel of Labor, Tanimura and Antle, and Matt Rogers, Co-Founder and General Manager of AgSocio.

    “We welcome Kiana, Chris, Carmen and Matt and look forward to their input and contributions to the dynamic Board discussions that help GSA define our strategic directions, programs and policies that support our members and our region,” says Christopher Valadez, GSA President.

    “We also thank our outgoing Board members for their years of service and leadership throughout the challenges we have faced, including the pandemic, wildfires, and floods, as well as labor and water issues and the INSV disease complex impacting our region,” Valadez says. Those outgoing members include Colby Pereira, Chief Operating Officer, Braga Fresh, Jason Smith, President, Smith Family Wines and John Wilkinson, Founder, BlazerWilkinsonGee.

    About the new GSA Board members:

    Amaral began her produce career at Misionero Vegetables before switching industries when she moved to the HSBC Credit Card division where she worked in the Marketing Department for nearly ten years. While working at HSBC, Amaral got her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Amaral joined the family-owned berry business, BlazerWilkinsonGee, LLC, in 2000 where she worked in every office position imaginable on her way to becoming the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Amaral is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor’s of Science degree.

    Drew has been with Ocean Mist for over two decades. Prior to becoming President & CEO, Drew was the company’s Chief Operating Officer and collaborated with teams to streamline strategies and processes in addition to overseeing the operational departments and facilities across the organization. Drew earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Crop Science from Cal-Poly University, San Luis Obispo, followed by his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

    Ponce serves in a crucial role for Tanimura & Antle (T&A), a family and employee-owned company, which employs over 7,000 people annually. She is in her 25th year with T&A. Ponce graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with a dual degree – A Master’s of Science in Foreign Service and Juris Doctor.

    Prior to starting AgSocio, Rogers spent many years working on strategic purchasing initiatives and social, environmental, and food safety issues in the produce supply chain for Whole Foods Market. Rogers serves on the standards committee of the Equitable Food Initiative and on the board of directors of CIERTO. He is a member of the National Agricultural Worker Advisory Council of the National Center for Farmworker Health.

    The new Board members were elected to serve a three-year term. For more information, visit www.growershipper.com.

    2024 Board of Directors (effective January 2024)

    Victor Ramirez, Chair, NorCal Harvesting
    Tony Alameda, Past-Chair, Top Flavor Farms
    Greg Beach, Vice-Chair, Huntington Farms
    Steve Ish, Secretary, Taylor Farms
    Chad Amaral, D’Arrigo Bros. of California
    Kristina Nunes, The Nunes Company
    Carmen Ponce, Tanimura & Antle
    Melissa Duflock, Landowner
    Chris Drew, Ocean Mist Farms
    Jay Iverson, GreenGate Fresh
    Matt Rogers, AgSocio

    Kiana Amaral, Blazer Wilkinson Gee

  • New Trade Advisory Committee Members Needed to Represent Fruits and Vegetables

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are accepting applications for new members to serve on agricultural trade advisory committees.

    Members of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee provide advice to the administration on the implementation and enforcement of existing U.S. trade agreements, negotiation of new agreements, and other trade policy matters.

    Members of the six Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees, or ATACs, provide technical advice and recommendations on international trade issues that affect specific agricultural commodity sectors. The ATACs focus on trade in:

    • Animals and animal products
    • Fruits and vegetables
    • Grains, feed, oilseeds, and planting seeds
    • Processed foods
    • Sweeteners and sweetener products
    • Tobacco, cotton, peanuts and hemp

    Applicants must have expertise in U.S. agriculture and experience in international trade to be considered for committee membership. Committee members serve four-year terms and represent a cross-section of U.S. food and agricultural stakeholders. Committee members must be U.S. citizens, qualify for a security clearance, and be willing to serve without compensation for time, travel, or expenses. The committees hold frequent video or teleconference calls and generally meet in Washington, D.C., twice a year.

    Application instructions are available at https://www.fas.usda.gov/trade-advisory-committees-applying-membership. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. ET on January 31, 2024. Any applications received after the deadline will be considered for future appointments, as appropriate.

    In support of the Administration’s priority to improve equity and representation across the Federal Government, USDA and USTR intend for the advisory committees to be broadly representative of agricultural sectors and groups with expertise and experience in agricultural trade and policy issues. Applications are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial status, parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or gender identity. For more information, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-advisory-committees or e-mail ATACs@usda.gov.

  • New Stanislaus County Ag Commissioner Serves as Liaison Between Farmers and California DPR

    At Malcolm Media’s recent Tree & Vine Expo, event host Matthew Malcolm was pleased to introduce, Linda Pinfold, the new Stanislaus County Ag Commissioner to attendees.  Watch this brief video to get to know Linda and her emphasis on serving and assisting local farmers in navigating the ever-changing pesticide regulatory environment of California.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Thunder Creek Equipment for their industry support.

  • International Research Conference on Huanglongbing VII Coming March 2024

    The California Citrus Research Board (CRB) and the Conference Steering Committee are pleased to share the International Research Conference on Huanglongbing VII (IRCHLB VII) will return March 26-29, 2024, to Riverside, California.

    The Conference is being produced by the CRB with the support of California’s citrus industry partners and guidance of the international Steering Committee. The California citrus industry is excited to welcome researchers, regulators, and citrus industry members from around the world to the Golden State. The Conference was previously held in Riverside in 2019 and welcomed more than 500 attendees, representing over 22 countries.

    The IRCHLB VII will feature presentations and poster sessions detailing the global status of Huanglongbing (HLB), highlight ongoing research efforts, and share how research can move toward field solutions. A select group of keynote speakers will provide insight on innovative HLB research with a variety of perspectives and methodologies, including both domestic and international approaches.

    HLB has affected hundreds of thousands of citrus trees in Florida and around the world and continues to be one of the biggest threats facing California’s citrus industry.

    “It has been nearly four years since the HLB research community has met to discuss their findings on strategies to manage the devastating effects of citrus greening disease,” said MaryLou Polek, Ph.D., Chair of the IRCHLB Steering Committee. “I am looking forward to the IRCHLB VII to hear about research progress made by scientists from around the world.”

    Registration for the conference is now open and additional information can be found at www.irchlb.com. The early bird registration rate of $425 is available through December 31, 2023 and will increase to the regular registration rate of $550 on January 1, 2024.

    About the IRCHLB VII Conference

    The International Research Conference on Huanglongbing VII is organized by the Citrus Research Board in collaboration with numerous citrus industry, state and federal government, and university partners. Learn more at www.irchlb.com.

    About the Citrus Research Board

    The Citrus Research Board administers the California Citrus Research Program, the grower-funded and grower-directed program established in 1968 enabling the state’s citrus producers to sponsor and support needed research. More information about the Citrus Research Board may be found at www.citrusresearch.org.

  • Grant Aims for Smarter Apple Harvesting

    Researchers have been awarded a $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant to improve the efficiency of automated apple harvesting robotics. Led by Ming Luo, Flaherty assistant professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University (WSU), the interdisciplinary team of researchers will develop a cyber-physical system that aims to integrate human intelligence and machine learning, enhance decision-making and actuation, and improve picking efficiency. The team includes Yan Yan from computer science, Manoj Karkee from biological systems engineering, Matthew Whiting from horticulture and landscape architecture, and graduate students Ryan Dorosh and Christopher Ninatanta.

    Agricultural robotic technologies currently are inefficient for orchard operations because of the unpredictable environment there as compared to industrial settings, said Luo.

    As part of the 3-year project, the researchers will create a network for human-robot interaction. The network will enable robots to function effectively in farm fields, allowing users to remotely monitor and guide the robots in addressing challenging tasks through teleoperation. Additionally, the robots will learn from the user’s input to enhance their harvesting efficiency.

    The researchers are developing a simple, low-cost robot system with a soft body and a fabric arm. The design is intended to delicately harvest apples without causing damage to the trees, while also allowing the robot to respond quickly.

    “Safety is a concern because the robot might accidentally collide with the tree,” said Luo. “Rigid robots require time to calculate the optimal path for apple picking with minimal damage, which is time-consuming. Therefore, we designed a soft robot that ensures safety in human-robot interactions and is also gentler on the trees. This reduces the computation time required for obstacle avoidance.”

    The robot will eventually automatically help with other operations, like flower thinning, pollination, and pruning as well. — By Tina Hilding, Washington State University

  • Ken Melban and Terry Splane To Serve as Co-Executive Leaders of California Avocado Commission

    At its Fall Board meeting, the newly-elected California Avocado Commission Board of Directors named current CAC Vice President of Industry Affairs and Operations, Ken Melban, and Vice President of Marketing Terry Splane as co-executive leaders of the organization, effective immediately. During the same meeting the Board elected its new slate of officers, including California avocado growers Jason Cole, chair; Rachael Laenen, vice chair; Daryn Miller, secretary; and Maureen Lamb Cottingham, treasurer.

    “Since the departure of CAC’s former president, Ken and Terry have been managing the Commission together very effectively,” said Jason Cole. “Our Board of Directors has utmost confidence in their leadership and the strength of their combined expertise to oversee CAC’s staff, programs and finances.”

    Ken Melban joined the Commission in 2011 as director, issues management. He was promoted to vice president of industry affairs in 2015, and to vice president of industry affairs and operations in 2022. He spearheaded the expansion of the California avocado export program, persisting to secure market access to China in 2020 after nine years of process and negotiation. Other highlights of Ken’s tenure with CAC include working with government organizations for the benefit of California avocado growers, sustainability initiatives, development of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for the California avocado industry, training and widespread adoption of the program.

    Food industry veteran Terry Splane was hired in March 2023 to be the organization’s new vice president of marketing. Since joining the Commission Terry developed a new strategic plan and approach to marketing communications, led the search for a new agency of record and reorganized the marketing staff. He has more than 30 years of sales and marketing experience in the foodservice and retail channels, most recently as head of partner success & strategy for Impossible Foods. Before working at Impossible Foods, for more than a decade Terry was Vice President of Marketing for Ventura Foods, LLC.

  • Updates to Bulk Citrus HLB Quarantine Requirements

    Effective Nov. 22, 2023, the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) has officially updated the requirements for moving bulk citrus fruit within and from a Huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine area to a packer/processor.

    Listed below is an overview of the newly updated requirements, per the CPDPD’s Citrus Grower/Grove Manager Information page:

    • If you are moving bulk citrus within a contiguous HLB quarantine zone, there is now no mitigation required.
      • If you are moving bulk citrus within a contiguous HLB quarantine area, but out of the original ACP regional quarantine zone (i.e., Orange County to Riverside County), one HLB mitigation is required.
    • If you are moving bulk citrus between two non-contiguous HLB quarantine zones (i.e., Riverside County to Ventura County), there is now one HLB mitigation required.
    • If you are moving bulk citrus outside of an HLB quarantine area, but within the same county (i.e., San Diego HLB quarantine zone to San Diego ACP regional quarantine zone), there is one HLB mitigation required.
    • If you are moving bulk citrus fruit to an area outside of the HLB quarantine zone and outside of the origin county (i.e., Ventura HLB quarantine Zone to Kern County), two HLB mitigations or a wet wash are required.All fruit, no matter of its origin or destination, must be completely safeguarded with a tarp or enclosed vehicle while in transit per requirements listed in the compliance agreement. The CPDPD will be signing revised compliance agreements with growers within an HLB quarantine, as well as packers/processors receiving fruit from a quarantined area.For complete information and details regarding the mitigations required for fruit movement, please visit the CPDPD’s Citrus Grower/Grove Manager Information page.For questions regarding citrus fruit movement requirements, please contact your local agricultural commissioner, email Keith Okasaki at Keith.Okasaki@cdfa.ca.gov or call 916-274-6300. — By the California Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program

  • LandFlex Succeeds as an Incentivizing Farmer-Driven Solution for SGMA Compliance

    Permanently retiring millions of acres of productive California farmland is not a solution the growing world population needs right now.  That is why a new program, known as LandFlex was created, providing an alternative solution to assist farmers in meeting the requirements of SGMA. Millions of dollars of LandFlex funding have recently been awarded to serve farmers within critically overdrafted basins of California.  Watch this video with Anja Raudabaugh, CEO Western United Dairies, to learn more about the success of the program.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.

  • U.S. Avocado Industry Steps Forward On Sustainability Journey

    Recognizing nearly all avocado purchasers (96%) are aware, engaged and concerned about environmental and social issues,1 the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is advancing on telling the industry’s sustainability story. Beginning on November 1st, stakeholders are invited to access The Avocado Sustainability Commitment. Healthy Food, Healthy People, Healthy Planet webinar at HassAvocadoBoard.com/webinar for a timely update on consumer research conducted to date and how key findings are giving shape to the Avocado Sustainability Center, a newly launched resource with a vision to become the premier provider of sustainability research, data and information for the industry.

    “Thanks to a decade of building a compelling value proposition based on avocado’s strong nutrition benefits, the industry starts from a position of strength as it embarks on addressing a complex issue like sustainability,” remarked John McGuigan, Director of Industry Affairs, Hass Avocado Board. “We have initiated the process of building our knowledge base, and identifying gaps that will inform further research, drive thought leadership and support continuous improvement of best practices for a stronger future for the global industry.”

    The webinar discussion, available conveniently on-demand, reviews the important groundwork guiding the creation and evolving role of the Avocado Sustainability Center including insights on significant upsides and downsides facing the industry related to sustainability issues. McGuigan will cover why it is vital for the industry to stay informed and collaborative, unveiling strategic online resources at HassAvocadoBoard.com/sustainability such as message points, a library of published research and the team leading the Avocado Sustainability Advisory. Members of the industry are invited to learn how the Avocado Sustainability Center will focus on building a central source of information that can empower stakeholders to better understand the challenges as well as opportunities to leave a lasting, positive impact on people and planet for generations to come.

    This is the final installment of HAB’s 2023 webinar series. The full line-up of episodes from this year is easy to access and available on-demand to support members in making better business decisions and driving category growth more effectively. Subscribe to any of HAB’s monthly newsletters at HassAvocadoBoard.com/newsletter to receive an email update on the 2024 webinar schedule.

    About The Hass Avocado Board 

    The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) exists to help make avocados America’s most popular fruit. HAB is the only avocado organization that equips the entire global industry for success by collecting, focusing, and distributing investments to maintain and expand demand for avocados in the United States. HAB provides the industry with consolidated supply and market data, conducts and compiles research on nutrition and sustainability, educates health professionals, and brings people together from all corners of the industry to collectively work toward growth that benefits everyone for now and generations to come. HAB also enables programs run by California and importer associations that benefit specific countries of origin.

    Source: Hass Avocado Board, Sustainability Research, 2020-2021 In-depth Consumer Research on Sustainability and Avocados in the U.S. Market