Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces its upcoming three-part webinar series which will provide more insight and information on the program impact with its followers, supporters, and potential friends.
Brighter Bites’ first ever webinar series entitled, “Brighter Bites: Our Not-So-Secret Formula”, aims to educate its audience on the Brighter Bites mission, organization’s impact, the ways you can join the movement, and much more. Over the course of the three-part series, attendees will hear a word from the Brighter Bites Founder, Lisa Helfman, testimonials from partners, research and data from Co-Founder, Dr. Shreela Sharma, and stories from inside the schools from a panel of educators.
“We’re so excited to spread the word and educate our audience about our life behind-the-scenes at Brighter Bites through our first-ever webinar series,” said Melissa McDonald, Director of Development at Brighter Bites. “We’re grateful for our team, donors, and volunteers for making this possible and to be able to share exciting announcements about our future initiatives in the communities we serve.”
Brighter Bites: Our Not-So-Secret Formula
Tuesday, August 22 11:30am-12:00pm CST: Fill the Plate
“This webinar allows us to provide our followers, supporters, and potential new friends with insight into the impact of this program,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “You’ll hear more about how the program operates through strong partnerships, how the formula really works in creating healthy change in families, and how the program is changing nutrition education in schools. Brighter Bites works, and we are excited to give you a closer look into the change we’re making in lives across the country.”
To learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor through product or financial donations contact Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Amy Priebe, at amy.priebe@brighterbites.org.
About Brighter Bites:
Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and San Antonio. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.
Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, announces its upcoming three-part webinar series which will provide more insight and information on the program impact with its followers, supporters, and potential friends.
Brighter Bites’ first ever webinar series entitled, “Brighter Bites: Our Not-So-Secret Formula”, aims to educate its audience on the Brighter Bites mission, organization’s impact, the ways you can join the movement, and much more. Over the course of the three-part series, attendees will hear a word from the Brighter Bites Founder, Lisa Helfman, testimonials from partners, research and data from Co-Founder, Dr. Shreela Sharma, and stories from inside the schools from a panel of educators.
“We’re so excited to spread the word and educate our audience about our life behind-the-scenes at Brighter Bites through our first-ever webinar series,” said Melissa McDonald, Director of Development at Brighter Bites. “We’re grateful for our team, donors, and volunteers for making this possible and to be able to share exciting announcements about our future initiatives in the communities we serve.”
Brighter Bites: Our Not-So-Secret Formula
Tuesday, August 22 11:30am-12:00pm CST: Fill the Plate
“This webinar allows us to provide our followers, supporters, and potential new friends with insight into the impact of this program,” said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. “You’ll hear more about how the program operates through strong partnerships, how the formula really works in creating healthy change in families, and how the program is changing nutrition education in schools. Brighter Bites works, and we are excited to give you a closer look into the change we’re making in lives across the country.”
To learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor through product or financial donations contact Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Amy Priebe, at amy.priebe@brighterbites.org.
About Brighter Bites:
Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 50 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than 500,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, Southwest Florida, Salinas, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and San Antonio. To learn more about Brighter Bites visit www.brighterbites.org.
The IX International Olive Symposium grants a golden opportunity for researchers and industry stakeholders to once again share research findings and industry development, at the University of California, Davis, September 10-14th. This is not an annual event, so take advantage of this rare occasion and visit some of the best places that California has to offer!
This 5-day Symposium, hosted by ISHS, will include all aspects of basic and applied research, including: and will include all aspects of basic and applied research, including: breeding & genetics, crop physiology & biology, orchard design, propagation, planting systems, canopy management, soil management, crop protection, harvest, irrigation & fertilization, climate change and sustainable orchard management, precision management and new technologies, table olive & olive oil processing, quality and safety, olive oil health benefits, adulteration, by-products, marketing including, economics, certification and rural policy. For more information and to register to attend, click HERE.
As the avocado industry continues to boom in sales and pop culture, Fresh Avocados – Love One Today®, a leading science-based resource founded by the Hass Avocado Board (HAB), celebrates its 10th anniversary with news of continued big strides in elevating positive awareness for the health benefits of avocados, a proven driver for stimulating demand in the U.S. Founded in 2013, Love One Today has focused on reducing purchase barriers by telling avocado’s nutrition story, starting with the benefits of good fats amidst a challenging landscape of contradictory policy opinions. As registered dietitians are amongst the most influential health professionals when it comes to nutrition, it is especially exciting to see that in the 2023 HAB tracking study analyzing health professional’s attitudes and awareness, eighty percent (80%) of surveyed registered dietitians now recommend avocados as a source of good fat to their clients, reflecting a 25% increase since 2013.1,2
“For ten years, Love One Today has been steadily improving public opinion and advocacy for the nutritional value of fresh avocados because the health benefits are a key purchase driver,” explained Gina Widjaja, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Hass Avocado Board. “The impact on demand as well as pop culture thanks to targeted programs for registered dietitians validates the approach and prompted successful campaigns focused on physicians and nurses who increasingly want to be more confident advising patients about nutrition. We are driven to keep supporting the industry by moving the conversation from avocados being a fad, party food to an invaluable investment in good health.”
Love One Today works in partnership with the Avocado Nutrition Center, HAB’s research resource dedicated to discovering and validating the role of fresh avocados in improving human health without bias.
“This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the first publication supported by theAvocado Nutrition Center,” commented Dr. Nikki Ford, Senior Director of Nutrition, Hass Avocado Board. “After a decade of learning and nearly 50 peer-reviewed publications, passion still runs high to add to the growing body of evidence supporting avocado’s benefits on heart health, weight management, diabetes and healthy living across the lifespan.”
Love One Today is increasingly recognized as a leading source of the healthiest reasons and tastiest ways to enjoy avocados. The resource provides a robust pipeline of free recipes, educational handouts, and easy-to-follow meal plans on LoveOneToday.com to help health professionals break down the science and further inspire their clients to enjoy avocado’s goodness every day.
The Love One Today nutrition marketing program and research supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center are key to driving public trust in how Hass avocados are healthy for people, a core tenet of HAB’s 5 Year Objectives. The opportunity for the future of the industry grows as the science-based relationship between avocados and priority health pillars is better understood and promoted.
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 nutrition research, educates health professionals, and brings people together from all corners of the industry to collectively work towards growth that benefits everyone. The organization also collects and reallocates funds to California and importer associations to benefit specific countries of origin in promoting their avocado brands to customers and consumers across the United States.
Avocado Health Professional Tracking Study 2023, Cooper Roberts Research
Health Professional Tracker Study 2013, WebMD and foodminds
Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) introduced two bipartisan bills to improve the domestic specialty crop industry – the Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion Program Act and the Specialty Crop Mechanization Assistance Act. Specialty crops are a cornerstone of California agriculture – the state produces the most specialty crops in the country both in quantity and diversity, with over 400 different commodities produced in the state per year.
“Our specialty crop producers in California have faced many challenges over the last few years. From supply chain backlogs at our ports, rising input costs, labor shortages, and drought – farmers have continued growing our nation’s food despite these obstacles,” said Congressman Valadao. “Specialty crop producers face unique challenges, and we need to ensure they are better equipped to handle them. These bills make technology and resources available to our specialty crop producers so they can access new markets and remain competitive.”
“American farmers produce some of the best quality and nutritious food in the world. Our fresh fruit and vegetable industries are critical to our food security and rural economies,” said Congressman LaMalfa. “I’m pleased to join my colleagues in cosponsoring these important pieces of legislation for our specialty crop producers and California agriculture.”
“California produces over half of the nation’s fresh produce. But supply chain disruptions, COVID-19, and the drought have made it more difficult for specialty crop producers to put food on America’s dinner table,” said Congressman Costa. “I’m proud to support these pieces of legislation to equip producers with the tools they need to access new markets and safeguard our food supply chain.”
“CFFA is proud to have worked with the California Table Grape Commission to co-lead this effort to expand the promotion of the U.S. specialty crop industry domestically. Many healthy specialty crops are grown in the U.S. and should be enjoyed by all Americans. The Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion and Development Program Act of 2023 will enhance the opportunity of American growers, including CFFA members, to better market their produce to U.S. consumers. CFFA thanks Congressman Valadao and Congressman Costa for their bipartisan partnership to support American farmers and consumers,” said President of the California Fresh Fruit Association Ian Lemay.
California Fresh Fruit Association President Ian LeMay (Photo by Matthew Malcolm)
“CFFA is proud to have worked with the California Table Grape Commission to co-lead this collaborative effort to help equip farmers with the tools and technologies they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. I would like to thank Congressman Valadao and Congressman Costa for their partnership to support the needs of American agriculture. This bill will not only support farmers, but also their employees, to ensure that America continues to a global leader in agricultural production,” said President of the California Fresh Fruit Association Ian Lemay.
The Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion Program Act would create a program that helps specialty crop producers market their products to access American markets. It replicates the popular Market Access Program (MAP) through USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) specifically for specialty crop producers to break into niche domestic markets. Rep. Valadao was joined in introduction of the bill by Reps. Darren Soto (FL-09), Jim Costa (CA-21), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01).
The Specialty Crop Mechanization Assistance Act makes it easier for specialty crop producers to remain competitive in the face of labor shortages by making expensive automation technology more accessible to producers. This bill aims to create a reimbursement-based cost-share program which would permit growers and processors to invest more in these time and money-saving technologies. Rep. Valadao was joined in introduction of the bill by Reps. Jim Costa (CA-21), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and Dough LaMalfa (CA-01).
Developing disease-resistant, high-quality improved crop varieties to benefit agricultural producers and consumers may seem like a “hairy” task, but Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists may have gotten to the root of the issue.
At the root of their project is developing new ways to fight fastidious pathogens, which infect living plants and resist growth in a lab setting for study. One such fastidious pathogen causes citrus greening — a significant problem for the citrus industry.
“Fastidious plant pathogens infect citrus, tomatoes, potatoes, grapes, peppers and other crops grown throughout Texas,” said Dirk Hays, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M AgriLife center at Weslaco. “Often transmitted by insect vectors, these disease agents are responsible for billions of dollars in agricultural losses yearly.”
A breakthrough in plant disease therapies
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the citrus industry would prevent $3 billion in losses per year by controlling citrus greening alone.
Assay plate of “hairy roots” that may be used to develop improved varieties of citrus and other plants. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)
In recent years, Mandadi and his team at Weslaco developed a breakthrough method as an alternative means to propagate fastidious bacteria responsible for citrus greening and other insect-vectored diseases such as potato zebra chip and tomato vein greening disease.
“We developed a technology that uses pathogen-infected host tissues to produce so-called ‘hairy roots’ that can serve as biological vessels for the propagation of these pathogens in the laboratory,” Mandadi said.
The hairy root screening technique has already led to the discovery of new antimicrobial peptides and chemicals with proven efficacy in plant materials, said Sonia Irigoyen, Ph.D., an AgriLife Research scientist who helped develop the hairy root technology.
“These antimicrobials, either singly or in combination, could be used as near- and long-term therapies to control citrus greening, potato zebra chip and tomato vein greening diseases,” she said.
Now, in their most recent study, Mandadi and his team investigated how to use this hairy root technique in plant transformation and bioengineering improved citrus.
Hairy root-based genetic engineering of citrus
Citrus plant regeneration from hairy roots. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)
Building on previous success, in their latest study called “Rhizobium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root induction and plant regeneration for bioengineering citrus,” recently published in the high-impact Plant Biotechnology Journal, Mandadi and his team showed proof of the concept of engineering citrus using hairy roots.
In addition to Mandadi and Irigoyen, study co-authors include Manikandan Ramasamy, Ph.D., Michelle Dominguez, B.S., and Carmen Padilla, Ph.D., all AgriLife Research scientists at Weslaco. The study was supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Insect-Vectored Disease Seed Grants, and the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture.
“Developing new plant varieties with improved genetics using conventional breeding or the latest bioengineering and CRISPR tools can be quite laborious, often taking multiple years,” Mandadi said. “The ability to overcome this bottleneck and improve this process, particularly for hardy, slow-growing, perennial trees like citrus, can be a game changer and a boon to producers and consumers.”
A more efficient, quicker method for breeding hardier citrus
In their most recent study, the researchers used R. rhizogenes to induce transgenic hairy roots from diverse citrus cultivars such as grapefruit, sweet orange, rough lemon and citron at efficiencies of 28% to 75%. This level of efficiency is at least twice — potentially greater — than those seen with previous methods for citrus transformation, making for a faster and less costly process.
After making sure a transgenic root had the proper genetics, the team was then able to regenerate and clone several identical, transgenic plants from it.
Ramasamy said while scientists have used multiple methods in the past to transform crops, the efficiency of genetic modification of tree crops like citrus has been challenging due to their slow growth and difficulties in regeneration.
“However, we were able to demonstrate a versatile R. rhizogenes-mediated hairy root induction, plant regeneration and clonal propagation approach that could be helpful for multiple bioengineering and gene-editing applications in citrus and other tree crops,” he said.
The proposed R. rhizogenes-mediated citrus hairy root induction, shoot regeneration and multiplication process achieved in about six months what typically took approximately 12-18 months using the previously described transformation method.
“This means we will be able to develop and multiply disease-resistant citrus plants using root tissue more quickly and get them established much faster than when using the previous approaches,” Mandadi said. “The entire throughput for developing more disease-resistant citrus and other plants will be greatly expedited.”
Mandadi said the hairy-root mediated transformation could benefit citrus producers in many ways by speeding the development of new varieties with superior disease resistance, as well as resilience to environmental stresses, increased production efficiency and improved nutritional quality.
“It will also benefit the consumer in that they can expect to continue to have a supply of their favorite fruits and other items with characteristics they find most appealing in their produce,” he said.
Malaysia was the 26th-largest export destination for U.S. agricultural products in 2022, totaling nearly $1.1 billion in value, and is a top prospect for exports of food and beverage ingredients because of its large and growing food processing industry. Food and beverages manufactured in Malaysia not only serve domestic consumers but are also exported to many neighboring countries. U.S. exports of dairy products, fresh and processed potatoes, food-grade soy, processed fruit and juices, tree nuts, and more have many opportunities to supply the Malaysian food processing sector, which depends on imports for key ingredients and inputs, and in doing so reach consumers across Malaysia and throughout Southeast Asia.
Macroeconomic Perspective
Malaysia has a diverse and open economy with a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita that is among the highest in Southeast Asia at $12,360 in 2022. Malaysia is currently considered an upper-middle income country by the World Bank (countries with gross national income per capita between $4,466 and $13,845) but is expected to become a high-income country within the next few years. According to the International Monetary Fund, Malaysia’s real GDP growth has been mostly between 4 and 5 percent in recent years, apart from major shifts between 2020 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With an estimated population of 34 million in 2022, Malaysia is the 43rd-most-populous country in the world and the 6th-most-populous member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Agricultural Trade and the Food Processing Industry
Malaysia is the 26th-largest export destination for U.S. agricultural products, with exports valued at nearly $1.1 billion in 2022. The United States was Malaysia’s eighth-largest supplier, accounting for 5.6 percent of total agricultural imports. The mix of U.S. products is diverse, ranging from bulk products such as soybeans, wheat, and cotton to consumer-oriented products such as dairy, tree nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
U.S. Agricultural Exports to Malaysia
Value in Millions, U.S. Dollars
The Malaysian food processing sector accounts for around 10 percent of total domestic manufacturing output and supplies in both the internal and export markets. To serve its consumers domestically and abroad, the Malaysian food processing industry depends on imported ingredients. The manufacturing of dairy products, wheat flour-based products, processed fruit and vegetables, and various specialty foods and beverages rely heavily on imports. The United States is an important supplier of many of these ingredients, and prospects are strong because of the size and growth of Malaysian food processing. Because Malaysia is a regional supplier of processed foods, U.S. food and beverage processing ingredients can reach consumers in Malaysia, throughout Southeast Asia, and beyond.
The U.S. agricultural products that have high potential to expand in the Malaysian market for use in food processing include: dairy products; fresh and processed potatoes; food-grade soy products; processed fruit and juices; and tree nuts.
Tree Nuts
Malaysia imported $196 million of tree nuts from all suppliers in 2022, down from $204 million in 2021. The United States exported $32.4 million to Malaysia in 2022 and was the second-largest supplier behind Indonesia, holding 19 percent market share. Shelled almonds made up 68 percent of U.S. tree nut exports to Malaysia, with $22.2 million exported there in 2022. Other top products include in-shell pistachios ($3.5 million), shelled walnuts ($3.4 million), and in-shell almonds ($1.6 million). The United States holds a very high market share in Malaysia for imported shelled almonds, at nearly 85 percent, and a high market share for shelled walnuts (64 percent) and in-shell pistachios (48 percent). According to Euromonitor International, sales of nuts, seeds, and trail mixes in Malaysia have increased 4.5 percent annually, on average, since 2018, and this growth rate is forecast to increase during the next 5 years. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts are common ingredients in nut mixes, and U.S. exports have good prospects because of the current market share for these tree nuts.
Trade Policy
Malaysia is a member of ASEAN and is thus part of the ASEAN Free Trade Area along with its neighbors Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. As part of ASEAN, it has free trade agreements (FTAs) with Australia, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), India, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Malaysia is a party to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Malaysia also has seven bilateral FTAs with countries including Australia, the PRC, India, Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Türkiye. For information on trade policy and regulations relevant to the export of food processing ingredients to Malaysia, see FAS’s most recent Malaysia: Food Processing Ingredients GAIN report.
Conclusion
Due to its expanding food processing industry, Malaysia is a major prospect for the export of food and beverage ingredients and is a significant export destination for U.S. agricultural products. The Malaysian food processing sector, which depends on imports for essential ingredients and inputs, has many opportunities to benefit from U.S. exports of dairy products, fresh and processed potatoes, food-grade soy, processed fruit and juices, tree nuts, processed food and beverages, snacks, and more. Food and beverages manufactured in Malaysia not only serve domestic consumers but are also exported to many neighboring countries. Given that Malaysia is a key regional supplier of processed foods, U.S. food and beverage ingredients can effectively reach consumers not only within Malaysia but also throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.
What are some of the most creative and mouth-watering ways to grab a boost of blue? Blueberry fans will answer this July with their delicious entries in The Great Blueberry Recipe Showdown. Hosted by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), the recipe contest celebrates National Blueberry Month, the versatility of blueberries and the dedication of blueberry fans. Christina Tosi, James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and founder and co-owner of Milk Bar, will judge the contest. The grand prize includes $10,000 and the opportunity to meet Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi and tour the flagship Milk Bar bakery in New York City.
The Great Blueberry Recipe Showdown shines a spotlight on the many ways to enjoy blueberries – as a meal or snack, at any time of day, with sweet or savory flavors. Contest participants can submit their favorite original recipe in one of five categories: breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks and appetizers, mocktails and cocktails, and dessert. In addition to one grand prize winner, which can come from any of the categories, one second-prize winner will be chosen in each of the other four categories ($1,000each) and one randomly chosen participant will win a sweepstakes prize just for entering ($500). The contest will run from July 1-31, and entries can be submitted at BlueberryShowdown.com.
“Creativity, curiosity, expression fuel me, and that’s one of the reasons I love blueberries – their possibilities are endless! Blueberries add a pop of flavor, color, texture, and fun to any recipe, so they’re perfect for celebrating, in July and beyond,” said Tosi. “With The Great Blueberry Recipe Showdown, fans can really embrace the versatility of blueberries and have a blast in the kitchen. I can’t wait to see what they create – I know I’ll leave with a full inspiration tank!”
In addition to delicious taste and versatility, every boost of blue comes with nutritious benefits. Blueberries, whether fresh or frozen, offer a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and phytonutrients called polyphenols. They’re also a good source of fiber, containing 3.6 grams, and only 80 calories per serving (one cup, or approximately a handful). Eating blueberries is a simple, smart choice people can feel good about making every day.
“USHBC is on a mission to grow our community of blueberry superfans and encourage people to grab a boost of blue each and every day. National Blueberry Month is the perfect occasion to celebrate blueberry fans across the U.S. and shine a light on the incredible growers who work so hard to bring this beautiful and delicious berry to our kitchens.” said Kasey Cronquist, president, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. “The Great Blueberry Recipe Showdown also gives fans the opportunity to share their talents and creativity as we celebrate this July. We’re excited to see their favorite ways to grab a boost of blue.”
To submit a recipe in The Great Blueberry Recipe Showdown – and read the full contest rules – visit BlueberryShowdown.com.
For more information on National Blueberry Month, including history, blueberry trivia and mouthwatering blueberry recipes for summer, visit Blueberry.org/celebrate.
Promotion open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.), 18 years of age and older. Void where prohibited by law. Enter Promotion before 7/31/23 at 11:59 pm ET. Subject to full Official Rules, including prizes, judging criteria, and all details, click here. Sponsor: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, 81 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 110, Folsom, CA95630.
About the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is an agriculture promotion group, representing blueberry growers and packers in North and South America who market their blueberries in the United States and overseas, and works to promote the growth and well-being of the entire blueberry industry. The blueberry industry is committed to providing blueberries that are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in clean, safe environments. Learn more at blueberrycouncil.org.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding its insurance coverage options for specialty crops and other actual production history (APH) crop programs. Through its Risk Management Agency (RMA), it will expand the availability of enterprise units to crops where they were previously unavailable, giving agricultural producers greater options to manage their risk.
An enterprise unit allows a producer to insure all acres of the insured crop in the county together, as opposed to other unit structures that separate the acreage for insurance. Enterprise units are attractive to producers due to lower premium rates offered to recognize the lower risk associated with the geographic diversification. In general, the larger the enterprise unit, the lesser the risk, and the greater the enterprise unit discount.
“We want to make sure we are giving the nation’s agricultural producers the strongest risk management tools possible – and one of those is flexibility,” said Marcia Bunger, Administrator for the Risk Management Agency. “This expansion of enterprise units gives producers more choices for how they can protect their operations and themselves best. That is our ultimate goal.”
This furthers RMA’s efforts to improve and expand the insurance program for specialty crops as required by the 2018 Farm Bill. Moreover, this expansion also meets producer requests for enterprise units for other APH crop insurance programs. The initial set of targeted crops can enjoy this new option when it becomes effective on June 30, 2023. RMA plans to expand to dozens more specialty and other APH crop programs with these benefits in the coming months.
“This expansion of enterprise units provides more producers the same options for discounted insurance coverage as row crops,” Bunger added.
The following crops will have enterprise units available beginning with the 2024 crop year:
Alfalfa seed
Cultivated wild rice
Forage production
Mint*
Onions*
Potatoes* (Enterprise units will be available in California for the 2025 crop year)
*Specialty Crop
More Information
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator.Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting your RMA Regional Office.
Every summer, people around the country enjoy luscious fruits like apricots, table grapes, kiwis, peaches and plums. And since California is the nation’s largest producer of each of these commodities, there’s a good chance those fruits were grown right here in the Golden State.
Working to protect the interests of growers of these and several other permanent fruit crops is the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA). With roots dating back to 1921, it’s one of the oldest agricultural trade associations in California, said Courtney Razor, CFFA’s Director of Member Services and Communications.
“CFFA is a public policy organization that advocates on behalf of 13 permanent, fresh fruit commodities, everything from blueberries to stone fruit to table grapes,” Razor said. “We advocate for our grower and shipper members at the local, state and federal levels on a vast array of issues including but not limited to labor, water, trade and food safety.”
Statewide, the association has about 350 members from Lake County to the Coachella Valley, with the bulk of operations clustered between Madera and Kern counties.
Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said without CFFA members, consumers would have much less fresh fruit.
“According to state statistics, California growers lead the nation in the production of apricots, figs, table grapes, kiwis, nectarines, peaches, persimmons, plums and pomegranates – and second nationally in blueberries and cherries,” Hesterberg said. “In fact, the state is basically the sole source of American production of kiwis, nectarines, clingstone peaches and plums. Farm Credit is proud to support many different commodities like fresh fruit that are such important parts of California agriculture.”
Farm Credit Alliance members AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are proud supporters of CFFA. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.
Razor said water supply and implementation of the state’s groundwater management system were key priorities, even in this extremely wet water year.
On the labor front, CFFA members were disappointed in the passage of AB 2183 last year, which permits so-called “card check” voting for union representation instead of secret-ballot elections that allow workers to vote without fear of coercion. She said the association has been working with other ag organizations to educate members about how to comply with the new requirements. The group is also supportive of technological research and mechanization with the goal of making farm practices more efficient.
She credits the Association for rising to the occasion during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure CFFA members and their employees had access to personal protective equipment and vaccinations so growers could provide safe working environments and ensure fruit could be harvested and transported to consumers.
Razor also thanked Farm Credit for its sponsorship of CFFA’s 87th Annual Meeting, which was held in March this year at The Lodge at Torrey Pines near San Diego.
“The California Fresh Fruit Association is extremely grateful to Farm Credit for their continued partnership and support in helping us make the event a success each year. At our 2023 Annual Meeting, we had 225 members in attendance who heard from keynote speakers about priorities taking place this year at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C. as lawmakers begin preparations for the Farm Bill,” she said.
Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, said supporting organizations advocating for California agriculture is an important priority for Farm Credit’s philanthropical efforts.
“The issues CFFA works on are absolutely critical to the success of our state’s fruit growers – indeed, all of California’s farmers and ranchers,” Littlefield said. “Without water, a labor force and the ability to export crops overseas, the industry that feeds the nation and the world could not exist, which is why it’s so important that CFFA and other advocacy organizations do such a great job of educating policymakers here in California and in Washington, D.C.”
About Farm Credit:
AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For a link to this article and for more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com.
About the California Fresh Fruit Association:
The California Fresh Fruit Association is a voluntary public policy organization that represents growers, packers, and shippers of the California table grape, blueberry, kiwi, pomegranate, and deciduous tree fruit communities. CFFA serves as a representative for these growers, shippers, and packers, on issues at both the state and federal levels. More information on the Association can be found at www.cafreshfruit.com.
