California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Non-Video

  • USDA Extends Deadline to May 17 for Producers to Certify 2018 Crop Production for Market Facilitation Program Payments

    USDA extended the deadline to May 17 from May 1 for agricultural producers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), which helps producers who have been significantly affected by foreign tariffs, resulting in the loss of traditional exports. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) extended the deadline because heavy rainfall and snowfall have delayed harvests in many parts of the country, preventing producers from certifying harvested production.

    Payments will be issued only if eligible producers certify before the updated May 17 deadline.

    The MFP provides payments to producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, dairy, hogs, fresh sweet cherries and shelled almonds. FSA will issue payments based on the producer’s certified total production of the MFP commodity multiplied by the MFP rate for that specific commodity.

    “Trade issues, coupled with low commodity prices and recovery from natural disasters, have definitely impacted the bottom line for many agricultural producers,” said FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce. “The MFP payments provide short-term relief from retaliatory tariffs to supplement the traditional farm safety net, helping agricultural producers through these difficult times. Weather conditions this fall, winter and early spring have blocked many producers from completing harvest of their crops, and we want to make sure producers who want to finalize their MFP application have an opportunity.”

    Producers can certify production by contacting their local FSA office or through farmers.gov.

    About the Market Facilitation Program

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue launched the trade mitigation program to assist farmers suffering from damage because of unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. FSA implemented MFP in September 2018 as a relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets to help American farmers compete globally. To date, more than $8.3 billion has been paid to nearly 600,000 applicants.

    The MFP is established under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and is administered by FSA.

    More Information

    For more information, contact your local FSA office or visit www.farmers.gov/MFP.

  • Wawona Begins Promotable Stone Fruit Volumes

    Wawona Packing house logoWawona Packing Company, a leading grower and shipper of organic and conventional tree fruit, today announced the start of its 2019 stone fruit season. Beginning with proprietary varieties of organic and conventional peaches and nectarines, the program will expand to include additional commodities and varieties as the season progresses with plums, pluots and apricots available by mid-May.

    Wawona Ranch

    Wawona anticipates a large, promotable volume of stone fruit throughout its full 26-week season. Several of the varieties included in this year’s program are a result of the company’s acquisition of the stone fruit breeding assets of Burchell Nursery last summer.

    “Our proprietary breeding program allows us to start earlier and finish later than our competitors, while maintaining exceptional quality throughout the season,” said Mark Berlinger, tree fruit sales manager at Wawona. “We always have had an extensive research and development program, and our partnership with Burchell Nursery has further expanded our ability to provide the most flavorful, high-quality varieties to our customers.”

    With more than 9,000 acres of farmland in production in California’s central San Joaquin Valley, Wawona’s stone fruit program is the most diverse of its kind, offering organic and conventional varieties for yellow and white peaches, yellow

    and white nectarines, black and red plums and pluots, along with conventional apricots.

    For more information about Wawona Stone Fruit programs please call (559) 528-4000 or email sales@wawonapacking.com.

    About Wawona Packing Company
    Founded in 1945, Wawona Packing Company currently farms more than 9,000 acres in California’s central San Joaquin Valley. Wawona offers organic and conventional tree fruit and citrus and is the largest grower of organic tree fruit in the United States. The company’s brands include Sweet-2-Eat, Sweet-2-Eat organic, Harvest Sweet and Wawona. For more information visit wawonapacking.com.

  • America’s Onion Industry helps sustain a healthy planet!

    Onion logo

    The National Onion Association’s membership works hard to keep their operations sustainable. From use of onion as a raw “onion power” to power up facilities to protecting workers and the land, America’s onion farmers work hard every day to create the most sustainable programs possible.  It’s not only right for the country, but their families as they continue to feed America.  This Earth Day, remember the onion farmer, and his/her contributions, to keeping the Earth healthy, while they help feed America.

    Here are some great examples of sustainable practices in the onion world:

    “Onion Power”

    Ten years ago, Gills Onions in California created a system whereby it uses onion remains (tops, skins, stems and tops) to create energy, a system that now has generated more than 25 gigawatt hours of electricity — enough power to supply a year’s worth of power to 460 residential homes. The Advanced Energy Recovery System provides 100 percent of the base electrical load of Gills’ processing plant in Oxnard, Calif. Gills to this day is working to achieve greater efficiency and energy independence.

    “It’s hard to do business in California, but also it challenges us to think outside of the box. So, onion juice power was (owner Steve Gill) thinking outside of the box. He created a program that did not exist in the world.”

    Source: Gills Onions. Contact: Megan Jacobsen, 805-240-1983.)

    Using all of the onion

    Our farmers continue to close in on the idea of zero waste. There are continually new ways of using all of the onions.  From the tops and stems in production facilities, to the “culls” left over in the field being used for sheep feed, and shredded for cattle crazing.

    • Sakata Farms in Colorado routinely trucks its culls to area sheep farms.

    • Fashion designers in New York are using onion skins as natural dyes for their fabrics. A group of students working with the Fragmentario studio in New York City will unveil its onion fabrics during NY Textile Month in September. (Contact: Maria Elena Pombo, Fragementario Studio, https://fragmentario.co/)

    • Gumz Farms in Endeavor, Wis., has installed a high-tech, humidity and temperature controlled circulation system, which allows it to store onions longer, reducing waste. Gumz also is a member of the Healthy Grown program in Wisconsin, which ensures their commitment to sustainability.

    Coveting the land

    America’s onion farmers work diligently to keep soils healthy to grow the best products to put on the table. They follow researchers from around the world to implement the best practices.

    Says Dylan Dembeck of Minkus Family Farms in New York:

    “Many people think commercial agriculture hurts the land, but they don’t realize it is in our best interest to keep the land as fertile as possible to continue to produce high quality produce  for generations to come.  Not only are sustainable farming techniques good the for environment it is also very good for farmers.  We are able to achieve higher yields, better quality product, and decrease our overall chemical applications.  These things are all better for the environment and they help farmers increase their bottom line to ensure they can continue to farm for many years to come.”

    • At Potandon Produce in Idaho, soil ph and nutrient levels are constantly monitored to reduce fertilizer use.

    Reducing footprints

    • Minkus Family Farms in New York has installed solar panels to reduce its footprint; it has built 62 skylights in their warehouse, almost completely eliminating the need for lighting in tis warehouse. Use exclusively LED lights. It also uses 10 large 20-foot fans to reduce building temperature, to avoid as much air conditioning as possible.

    (Contact: https://freshonions.com/wholesale-onion-farm/)

    • Potandon Produce in Idaho also recycles fresh water in an overall water management plan, uses poly bags printed with water-based inks and uses only recycled materials in its master containers. Corrugated and cardboard containers are sourced from suppliers that are part of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program.

    • Grimmway Farms in California has a 4.75 megawatt solar from to help power its facilities, along with a multifaceted sustainability program to reduce its footprint.Water management and soil protection

    • Fagerberg Farms in Eaton, Colo., uses subsurface drip irrigation, an innovative watering practice that requires less water, fewer chemicals and more efficient applications. Fagerberg has been recognized in the farming industry for its sustainable farming practices.

    (Source: Fagerberg Farms,https://fagerbergproduce.com/)

    • In Glennville, Ga., G&R Farms constantly monitors its varieties to get the best yields with the greatest efficiencies. Part of that is water management.“On the field side, we try to be very protective of the water, and make sure we don’t have any washing in the field or erosion. We put in cover corps in the off season to protect the till for the soil. Our goal is to use less and less fertilizer,” said Cliff Riner of G&R Farms. “We have to stay on top of the curve to provide the best product we can.”

    The National Onion Association was incorporated in 1913 and represents more than 500 onion growers, shippers, packers and suppliers throughout the United States.

     

  • Heat Illness Prevention Alert!

    Summer is coming, and temperatures are rising to levels of concern for heat illness for farm employees.  “Weather forecasts are looking at highly increased temperatures in the coming weeks,” shared Manuel Cunha, Jr., President of Nisei Farmers League.  “In some areas, an increase of more than 20 degrees than what we are used to at this time of the year.  Please follow the important rules for being sure your employees are safe.”

    Cunha emphasized the need for adequate shade and rest, water, training and an emergency plan.  It’s also critical to know and comply with recent changes to regulations regarding heat illness prevention, as follows:

    Ø  Acclimatization:

    o      Plan for new hires who will be exposed to heat to which the employee’s and body hasn’t yet adjusted.

    o      New employees must be closely observed for their first two weeks on the job.

    o      Allow employees to properly acclimate to high heat temperatures.

    o   Supervisors must be extra vigilant with new employees and stay alert to the presence of heat related symptoms.

    o   New employees will be assigned a buddy to closely watch for discomfort or symptoms of heat illness.

    Ø  Shade:

    o   Must be made available to 100% of the employees on rest breaks or meal periods when temperatures equal or exceed 80 degrees (NFL recommends to have shade available at the start of the day)

    o   May be provided by any natural or artificial means (ex: trees or vines that allow for workers to sit under comfortably is sufficient)

    o   If providing shade tents, shade tents should provide enough shade so that a person can sit in a normal posture fully in shade without being in physical contact with another worker.

    Ø  Water:

    o   Must be fresh, pure, and suitably cool.

    o   Shall be located as close as practicable to the area where employees are working.  (NFL recommends you provide a water station at shade area)

    o   Have a replenishment plan in writing.

    Ø  High Heat Procedures (triggered at 95 degrees):

    o   Encourage employees to take rest periods.

    o   Monitor employees during recovery and develop a buddy system

    o   Be sure crews are manageable (ex: 20 workers per crew)

    o   If possible, change work schedule to adjust to the temperature.

    o   You will be required to take a 10 minute paid break every two hours.  You will need to record all breaks.

    For more information, visit Cal/OSHA website: http://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/dosh_publications/ESPHIP.pdf

  • Heat illness prevention alert!

    Summer is coming, and temperatures are rising to levels of concern for heat illness for farm employees.  “Weather forecasts are looking at highly increased temperatures in the coming weeks,” shared Manuel Cunha, Jr., President of Nisei Farmers League.  “In some areas, an increase of more than 20 degrees than what we are used to at this time of the year.  Please follow the important rules for being sure your employees are safe.”

    Cunha emphasized the need for adequate shade and rest, water, training and an emergency plan.  It’s also critical to know and comply with recent changes to regulations regarding heat illness prevention, as follows:

    Ø  Acclimatization:

    o      Plan for new hires who will be exposed to heat to which the employee’s and body hasn’t yet adjusted.

    o      New employees must be closely observed for their first two weeks on the job.

    o      Allow employees to properly acclimate to high heat temperatures.

    o   Supervisors must be extra vigilant with new employees and stay alert to the presence of heat related symptoms.

    o   New employees will be assigned a buddy to closely watch for discomfort or symptoms of heat illness.

    Ø  Shade:

    o   Must be made available to 100% of the employees on rest breaks or meal periods when temperatures equal or exceed 80 degrees (NFL recommends to have shade available at the start of the day)

    o   May be provided by any natural or artificial means (ex: trees or vines that allow for workers to sit under comfortably is sufficient)

    o   If providing shade tents, shade tents should provide enough shade so that a person can sit in a normal posture fully in shade without being in physical contact with another worker.

    Ø  Water:

    o   Must be fresh, pure, and suitably cool.

    o   Shall be located as close as practicable to the area where employees are working.  (NFL recommends you provide a water station at shade area)

    o   Have a replenishment plan in writing.

    Ø  High Heat Procedures (triggered at 95 degrees):

    o   Encourage employees to take rest periods.

    o   Monitor employees during recovery and develop a buddy system

    o   Be sure crews are manageable (ex: 20 workers per crew)

    o   If possible, change work schedule to adjust to the temperature.

    o   You will be required to take a 10 minute paid break every two hours.  You will need to record all breaks.

    For more information, visit Cal/OSHA website: http://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/dosh_publications/ESPHIP.pdf

  • Western Growers Launches AgTech Innovation Directory

    Western Growers has officially launched an interactive directory that acts as a marketplace for agricultural technology (agtech) startups. Found at https://www.agtechpages.com, the Western Growers AgTech Innovation Directory allows users to identify, research and connect with start-up companies who are developing technologies and innovations to solve the biggest issues facing the agriculture industry. These startups are specializing in everything from automation and traceability to data management and aerial imagery.

    “As the agtech industry grows and the number of startups continue to increase, farm operators do not necessarily have the time to vet each startup to determine if a partnership is viable,” said Hank Giclas, Western Growers’ senior vice president, strategic planning, science & technology. “The vision of Western Growers AgTech Innovation Directory is to streamline that process, saving farmers time and money by allowing them to easily search for the startup and technology that meets their most immediate needs.”
    The directory enables users to learn details about each startup including team size, years in business and product/service descriptions. It also provides access to metrics such as acres deployed, community ratings, funding raised and business reviews.
    The advanced search function of the directory allows users to quickly find desired startups. Filter categories include the following:
    • Location
    • Issues Addressed (food safety, labor availability, water supply/quality, compliance costs, data management, planning & optimization, etc.)
    • Solutions Offered (automation/mechanization, pest management, imagery & mapping, traceability, water treatment, irrigation hardware/software, predictive analytics, etc.)
    • Crops/Commodities
    In addition to serving farmers, the directory will provide agtech start-up companies with the ability to connect directly with growers and potential clients, as well as provide venture capitalists with the opportunity to explore a startup’s progress prior to investing. The directory is open to the public; however, only Western Growers and Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (Center) members will be able to post comments and reviews.
    The launch of the Western Growers AgTech Innovation Directory is part of the Center’s efforts to accelerate the development and adoption of agricultural technologies. Today, the Center houses 50 startups that are inventing solutions to allow farmers to continue feeding the nation and world.

    About Western Growers

    AgTech directory

    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. For generations we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

  • Western Growers Testifies Before House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration

    On April 3rd, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif detailed the critical labor shortages facing American agriculture and laid out the case for agricultural immigration reform before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

    In his testimony, Nassif stated that experienced workers are aging out of the agricultural workforce with few Americans lining up to take their place, despite wages well above state and federal minimums. Farmers in all sectors of U.S. agriculture, especially in the labor-intensive fruit and vegetable industries, are experiencing chronic labor shortages, which have been exacerbated by recent interior immigration enforcement and tighter border security policies. As a result of the uncertain agricultural labor market, Nassif noted that many American farmers are either shifting toward more mechanized crops or moving their operations to other countries.

    “The simple fact is this,” Nassif articulated, “fruits and vegetables that are eaten in the United States will be harvested by foreign hands.” He continued: “The simple question for you, as members of Congress, is do you want those foreign hands harvesting your fruits and vegetables to be on farms here in the United States or do you want to see production continue to shift to farms in foreign countries?”

    After touching on the existing, flawed H-2A agricultural guest worker program, rife with burdensome regulatory red tape, Nassif outlined a two-pronged proposal for agricultural immigration reform that jointly provides a pathway to legalization for existing farmworkers and their immediate families and creates a more flexible, efficient and market-based agricultural worker visa program to ensure a sufficient future flow of labor.

    Nassif concluded that while “immigration can be among the most divisive and difficult to resolve in Washington,” this issue is decidedly non-partisan, as agricultural immigration reform is really about securing the future of American agriculture and, by extension, long-term U.S. food security.

    Western Growers appreciates the efforts of Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren and Ranking Member Ken Buck to elevate the dialogue around this vital issue, and we look forward to working across the aisle to advance bipartisan legislation that provides our country and farmers with a legal, stable and reliable source of agricultural labor.

    About Western Growers:
    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. For generations we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

  • USDA Launches New Farmers.gov Features to Help with H2A Applications, Managing Loans

    (WASHINGTON, D.C., April 2019)– Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched two new features on farmers.gov to help customers manage their farm loans and navigate the application process for H2A visas.

    “Customer service is our top priority at USDA and these new features will help our customers as they manage their farm loans and navigate the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program,” said Secretary Perdue. “In my travels across the country, I have consistently heard people express a desire for greater use of technology in the way we deliver programs at USDA. As we adopt new technology, we are introducing simple yet innovative approaches to support our farmers, ranchers, producers, and foresters as they support the nation every day. It’s my goal to make USDA the most effective, most efficient, most customer-focused department in the entire federal government, and farmers.gov is a big step in that direction.”

    In 2018, Secretary Perdue unveiled farmers.gov, a dynamic, mobile-friendly public website combined with an authenticated portal where customers will be able to apply for programs, process transactions and manage accounts.

    Navigating the H-2A Visa Process:

    Focused on education and smaller owner-operators, this farmers.gov H-2A Phase I release includes an H-2A Visa Program pageand interactive checklist tool, with application requirements, fees, forms, and a timeline built around a farmer’s hiring needs.

    You may view the video at this following link: youtu.be/E-TXREaZhnI

    The H-2A Visa Program – also known as the temporary agricultural workers program – helps American farmers fill employment gaps by hiring workers from other countries. The U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of State, and state workforce agencies each manage parts of the H-2A Visa Program independently, with separate websites and complex business applications.

    Over the next several months, USDA will collaborate further with the U.S. Department of Labor on farmers.gov H-2A Phase II – a streamlined H-2A Visa Program application form, regulations, and digital application process that moves producers seamlessly from farmers.gov website to farmers.gov portal to U.S. Department of Labor’s IT systems.

    Managing Farm Loans Online:

    The self-service website now enables agricultural producers to login to view loan information, history and payments.

    Customers can access the “My Financial Information” feature by desktop computer, tablet or phone. They can now view:

    • loan information;
    • interest payments for the current calendar year (including year-to-date interest paid for the past five years);
    • loan advance and payment history;
    • paid-in-full and restructured loans; and
    • account alerts giving borrowers important notifications regarding their loans.

    To access their information, producers will need a USDA eAuth accountto login into farmers.gov. After obtaining an eAuth account, producers should visit farmers.govand sign into the site’s authenticated portal via the “Sign In / Sign Up” linkat the top right of the website.

    Currently, only producers doing business as individuals can view information. Entities, such as an LLC or Trust, or producers doing business on behalf of another customer cannot access the portal at this time, but access is being planned.

    Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge are the recommended browsers to access the feature.

    About farmers.gov:

    USDA is building farmers.gov for farmers, by farmers. Future self-service features available through the farmers.gov portal will help producers find the right loan programs for their business and submit loan documents to their service center.

    With feedback from customers and field employees who serve those customers, farmers.gov delivers farmer-focused features through an agile, iterative process to deliver the greatest immediate value to America’s agricultural producers – helping farmers and ranchers do right, and feed everyone.

  • Don’t Pack a Pest – April is Invasive! Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month!

    The USDA has declared April to be “Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month,” during a critical time of year when damaging invasive species emerge and can be easily spread in outdoor items that people pack and move, such as grills, gardening equipment, wading pools, bicycles, and patio furniture.

    Invasive species are a series problem. They attack trees, plants and agriculture, costing the United States about $40 billion each year. Household moves increase the risk for the spread of these invasive species, since people can potentially transport them to new areas.

    CDFA partners with the USDA to prevent and eradicate invasive species in California. The agencies have a long history of working together on programs like Asian citrus psyllid/huanglongbing, the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, and the European Grapevine Moth.

    About 35 million Americans move every year, bringing a high possibility of transporting invasive pests. For instance, federal and state inspectors often find gypsy moth egg masses on outdoor household items and recreational vehicles in non-infested areas. The USDA is offering a free checklist for household moves that includes suggestions and tips for reducing this risk.

    Click here for more information about CDFA’s invasive species programs.

    Click here for more information about the USDA’s Hungry Pests outreach program.

  • Musco Family Olive Co. Offers New Contracts to California Olive Growers

    Looking to strengthen the market for California-grown olives, Musco Family Olive Company, the #1 branded olive company in America and the largest packer of ripe olives in the world, recently announced it is offering new contracts to growers impacted by the recent decision of a competitor to cancel its contracts with California farmers.

    “We want every farmer impacted by this decision to know that Musco Family Olive Company is committed to the California ripe olive industry.  Our gates are open to purchase this year’s crop to meet our increased supply needs from any grower who commits to our modern growing and harvesting goals,” said Felix Musco, the company’s Chief Executive Officer.  He added, “Additionally, while preference will be given to those growers who commit to planting mechanically harvestable acreage, we will also offer a one-year contract to as many acres as we can to provide everyone with more time to consider this opportunity.”

    The California olive industry has suffered for years from unfair trade benefitting Spanish ripe olives.  Using what was later determined to be unfair trade practices, Spanish olive exporters years ago seized the U.S. foodservice market and then moved on to capture the U.S. retail market.  The California industry filed a trade action against Spain in 2017, which led to final anti-dumping and countervailing duty rulings last year in favor of the California ripe olive industry.  The U.S. Government’s strong enforcement of the trading rights is now providing the California ripe olive industry the care and attention it needs to grow.

    As a result of that ruling, the California ripe olive industry has quickly regained substantial market share lost to unfair imports from Spain. With the California industry having regained the U.S. retail segment, Musco Family Olive Company believes the time has come for the domestic industry to turn its sights on becoming the primary provider to the U.S. foodservice market which is, in total, larger than the retail market.  Unfortunately, California has lost the lion’s share of that segment in recent years.

    “Regaining the lost sales in foodservice is a huge opportunity for the domestic ripe olive industry and could provide a home for 10,000 acres of new plantings in California,” said Felix Musco.  He added, “California has long been the largest and most modern producer of agricultural products in the world.  We are proud that olives have been a part of this strong industry for many years and we look forward to investing in our future so the California ripe olive industry will thrive and grow for generations to come.”

    For many years, Musco Family Olive Company has practiced a long-term, sustainable model focused on the development of modern growing and harvesting techniques.  The company was the first to demonstrate and utilize mechanical harvesting as a viable option for picking olives in California.  It is committed to modern planting to ensure competitively-priced fruit and strong grower returns.  The company has a long-term perspective on the California ripe olive industry and looks forward to working with like-minded growers to build a strong future for the industry. Musco Olive Company recently unveiled its incentive program for planting mechanically-harvestable acreage to its existing growers.“I firmly believe these monumental events can strengthen an industry.

    Rather than surrender, I know as a grower and as a packer, now is the time to invest in our California olive industry,” said Dennis Burreson, Musco Family Olive Company’s Vice President of Field Operations and Industry Affairs.   He added, “My family’s modern mechanically harvested olive orchards have generated revenue exceeding any other crop we are involved with, including almonds.  Because of this, we are now planting additional olive acreage. ”

    Musco Olive Company looks forward to sharing and discussing these programs with all interested growers.  For growers interested in learning more about Musco Family Olive Co.’s contract offerings they can contact field personnel at (530) 865-4111.

    About Musco Family Olive Co.:

    Musco Family Olive Co. is a third-generation privately held family owned business and holds the #1 branded market share of ripe olives in the U. S.  Musco partnes with hundreds of multi-generational family farmers throughout California’s Central Valley growing premium Manzanilla variety black olives developed and grown in the state for decades.  Musco Family Olive Co. is proud of its industry-leading environmental stewardship program and has been recognized with numerous awards.  The company is committed to its California growers, long-tenured employees, and countless valued vendors and business partners.

    History of the Olive Industry in California:

    The California ripe olive industry has a long and storied history. The black ripe olive process was developed in California over 120 years ago by Freda Ehmann of Oroville, California. Thanks to her entrepreneurial spirit and the dedication of 1000 hard-working California ripe olive grower families, consumers can continue to enjoy this traditionally American olive as they have for many generations. For more information about California olive growing family farms, please look here: http://calolive.org/meet-our-growers/