California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Non-Video

  • USDA’s Risk Management Agency Amends Potato Crop Insurance Options

    USDA’s Risk Management Agency Amends Potato Crop Insurance Options

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on May 4th that its Risk Management Agency (RMA) is modifying four Northern Potato Crop Insurance Policy optional endorsements. The options are available to producers who choose to purchase additional coverage on top of their multi-peril crop insurance policy. The changes specify that the premium only applies to planted acreage and is no longer charged on acreage prevented from planting. The changes will be effective for the 2022 and succeeding crop years.

    RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy

    “Producers will benefit from this change since the premium will only be due for years when the crop is planted, which will make the additional coverage more affordable in years when the crop is prevented from planting,” said RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy.

    The modifications are applicable to the Quality Endorsement, Processing Quality Endorsement, Certified Seed Endorsement and the Storage Coverage Endorsement. Currently, insured operations are charged a premium if they elect the optional endorsements by the sales closing date, regardless if the acreage was prevented from planting or not.

    For example, the Storage Coverage Endorsement extends crop insurance coverage for potatoes that have been harvested and are in storage. Acreage prevented from planting would not need coverage that is specifically designed for a final harvested crop. Previously the acreage was still charged a premium.

    The changes are a result of RMA’s outreach to potato commodity groups and the crop insurance industry. With these changes, producers will see their premium reduced during years when there are prevented planting losses and an offsetting increase in years without those losses, which enhances the overall financial stability provided by insurance.

    Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.

    USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

  • FDA Issues Report Highlighting Salmonella Outbreak in Red Onions

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Newport outbreak that caused more than 1,600 reported illnesses in the U.S. and Canada between June and October 2020. The FDA worked with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state partners, and Canadian officials (Public Health Agency of Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency) to investigate the outbreak, which was linked through epidemiology and traceback to whole red onions supplied by Thomson International Inc., headquartered in Bakersfield (Southern San Joaquin Valley) with additional operations in Holtville (Imperial Valley), California. The outbreak is the largest Salmonella foodborne illness outbreak in over a decade. The report released today includes an overview of the traceback investigation, subsequent on-site interviews, visual observations of the growing fields, and environmental sampling, and various factors that potentially contributed to the contamination of red onions with Salmonella.

    Although a conclusive root cause could not be identified, several potential contributing factors to the 2020 Salmonella outbreak linked to red onions were identified. These include:

    • potentially contaminated sources of irrigation water;
    • sheep grazing on adjacent land;
    • signs of animal intrusion, including scat (fecal droppings), and large flocks of birds that may spread contamination; and
    • food contact surfaces that had not been inspected, maintained, or cleaned as frequently as necessary to protect against the contamination of produce.

    In sampling conducted in Holtville, CA, the FDA found Salmonella Newport in 10 water (irrigation, seepage, and drainage) and one sediment subsamples. However, the whole genome sequencing of these samples did not match the outbreak strain.

    Although a conclusive root cause could not be identified, several potential contributing factors to the 2020 red onion outbreak were identified, including a leading hypothesis that contaminated irrigation water used in a growing field in Holtville, CA may have led to contamination of the onions.

    In light of this report, the FDA encourages all farms to:

    • assess growing operations to ensure implementation of appropriate science and risk-based preventive measures, including applicable provisions of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and good agricultural practices;
    • implement industry-led root-cause analyses to determine how the contamination likely occurred when pathogens are identified through pre-harvest or post-harvest testing of produce, or microbiological surveys;
    • be aware of and consider the risks that may be posed by adjacent and nearby land uses, especially as it relates to the presence of livestock and the interface between farmland, rangeland, irrigation water, and other agricultural areas;
    • consider additional tools such as pre-harvest and/or post-harvest sampling and testing of products to help inform the risk assessment and clarify the need for specific prevention measures; and
    • improve traceability by increasing digitization, interoperability and standardization of traceability records; and
    • follow good agricultural practices to maintain and protect the quality of water sources.

    Thomson International Inc. cooperated with the FDA throughout the investigation and is continuing to engage with the FDA on the agency’s findings and recommendations.

    Food safety is a shared responsibility that involves food producers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and regulators. Recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment when it comes to public health outcomes, we encourage collaboration among various groups in the broader agricultural community (i.e. livestock owners and produce growers, state government and academia) to address this issue. The FDA is committed to working with these stakeholders to advance critical work.

    For More Information:

  • Effective Non-chemical Soil Fumigants for Organic Production

    The Organic Center — Soil fumigants that fight soil-borne diseases and ensure crop production continue to be banned to protect the health and safety of rural communities. Organic farmers and conventional farmers who can no longer use these chemical tools need effective alternatives to protect their yields. A recent study published in the journal Agronomy(link is external) demonstrates that a non-chemical alternative can be effective and affordable if farmers receive a high enough price for their crops. Until 2016, Methyl Bromide had been used in California for decades as a soil fumigant to disinfest soils of devastating diseases before planting high-value crops such as strawberries. Methyl Bromide was never permitted for use in organic farming, and its recent ban due to public health safety concerns also left conventional farmers without an important disease control tool. The ban has prompted much research into alternatives to chemical soil fumigants such as steam, solarization, and anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) using rice bran or mustard seed meal. While many studies are optimizing the effectiveness of these strategies, a missing key component is the consideration of the economic cost of these alternatives. This study took a comprehensive approach, and measured the effectiveness and affordability of two alternative management strategies to chemical soil disinfestation for strawberries produced under conventional and organic management.

    The results show that organic-approved methods of soil disinfestation (steam and steam plus mustard seed meal) resulted in better yields compared to the control for both conventional and organic systems. And when the cost of treatment is considered, along with yield and crop value, organic far out-competes conventional management. In this study, organic yields were greater than conventional, which helped better cover the high cost of soil treatment. The higher price premium earned for organic strawberries even further enhanced the affordability of the soil treatment for organic management. This study shows that a non-chemical method of managing devastating soil diseases is effective and affordable, but only if the farmer receives a high enough price to cover the added expense. This study brings up an important consideration: when we ask farmers to use practices that benefit not just their own production, but also their surrounding environment which improves public and environmental health of rural communities, it’s clear that the farmers need financial assistance to make the safer choice.

  • FDA to Implement Sampling Effort for Lettuce Grown in Salinas

    FDA to Implement Sampling Effort for Lettuce Grown in Salinas

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will be collecting and testing samples of lettuce grown in California’s Salinas Valley from local commercial coolers from May through November 2021. The agency will test the samples for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella spp. as part of ongoing surveillance efforts following reoccurring outbreaks linked to this region, including most recently in the fall of 2020.

    The FDA assignment will direct sampling to be conducted at commercial cooling and cold storage facilities where field heat is removed from harvested lettuce and where product is cold-stored before processing. Sampling may include pre-cooled product (preferred) or post-cooled product. Sample collection at commercial coolers helps the FDA efficiently obtain samples from multiple farms at centralized locations and facilitates prompt traceback and follow-up if contamination is detected.

    The agency plans to collect and test a total of approximately 500 post-harvest samples of iceberg, leaf and romaine lettuce. Each sample will consist of 10 subsamples, each made up of one head of lettuce (trimmed, cored and possibly wrapped), or in the case of romaine lettuce, loose leaves or one package of hearts.  FDA laboratories will conduct all testing.

    During this sampling assignment, the FDA will take extra precautions to help ensure the safety of agency investigators and firm employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA investigators will preannounce their visits to firms per the Agency’s COVID-19 safety practices. They will be outfitted with personal protective equipment (PPE) and will carry out their work while adhering to local, state and applicable CDC guidance.

    Helping to ensure the safety of leafy greens remains a high priority of the FDA. This assignment adds to other work underway in collaboration with stakeholders in the California Central Coast growing region to identify where the recurring strain of pathogenic E. coli is persisting and the likely routes of leafy green contamination with STECs.  This includes continued implementation of actions identified in the recently updated Leafy Greens Action Plan, including a multi-year longitudinal  study to assess the environmental factors impacting the presence of foodborne pathogens in this region. Consistent with the action plan, if the FDA detects a pathogen such as E. coli O157:H7, the agency will conduct a follow-up investigation to identify potential sources and routes of contamination. Such investigations are designed to inform what additional preventive measures may be needed to help prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness.

  • Are Finger Limes Just Another Fad?

    Are Finger Limes Just Another Fad?

    There has been growing hype around finger limes from citrus growers, the retail sector, and their customers. Growers are particularly interested in this market as disease pressure such as citrus greening and international competition have made other citrus and fruit markets less appealing. However, many are concerned that finger limes are just a fad and the markets will eventually crash as consumers move on to the next cool food trend. Our research at the University of Florida is examining these markets to determine the potential for growers in Florida and throughout the U.S. to take advantage of the emerging finger lime market.

    Finger limes are known as the “citrus caviar,” because of their unique compressed, round juice vesicles that are distinct from other citrus crops’ delicate, tear shaped fruit sacs. This feature combined with its bright colors and tangy flavor make finger limes a great garnish used in high end restaurants and as a perfect accent to a cocktail. As more and more chefs, bartenders, and suppliers in the hospitality industry become familiar with the fruit, they are falling in love with them and demand for finger limes is rapidly growing.

     Many growers and suppliers of finger limes are hopeful that the demand for this fruit will expand beyond the hospitality sector to mass markets, as consumers across the U.S. and around the world become more familiar with the fruit. Finger limes are not only resistant to greening that plagues orange and other citrus production but also have traditionally been grown using few agrochemical inputs. So, there are expectations that organic markets could provide an additional premium for this fruit. Some research has also pointed out the high prevalence of antioxidants in the fruit, providing finger lime growers and suppliers with potential to enter health food markets.

    This fruit, which is native to Australia, has only in the last several years become commercially available to growers across the US, after first having been cultivated in California in late 1960s. In fact, nearly all of the current production in the U.S. is in central and southern California and the big island of Hawaii. There are only about 15,000 trees, which are owned by less than a dozen growers. So, there is room to expand production especially by Florida growers, who supply East Coast markets. Prices are quite elevated for the fruit; for instance, during the spring of 2020 finger limes were priced at $32 for 80 grams or 8 limes on Amazon or $18 for 9 to 10 finger limes from one of the only suppliers in South Florida. Questions remain whether these prices will remain elevated as more and more growers enter the market.

    Over the next two years, we at the University of Florida will be exploring the potential for finger limes in these markets and how to develop inclusive supply chains to improve the participation of all growers in them. We will hold taste testing panels and interviews with suppliers, chefs, and bartenders at trade fairs to introduce them to the product, gauge their interest in the fruit, and estimate their willingness to pay for finger limes. The analysis of this research will allow us to estimate the potential demand of the fruit and how many growers could participate in this market. Additionally, we will examine the supply chain to determine which factors need to be addressed to improve growers’ access to these growing markets. Please be on the lookout for further updates as we examine the potential growers to tap into growing finger lime markets and determine what can be done to sustain the demand for them. — By Trent Blare (tblare@ufl.edu), Assistant Professor in Food Resource Economics, University of Florida

  • CALIFORNIA GEM® Added To CALIFORNIAAVOCADO.COM

    CALIFORNIA GEM® Added To CALIFORNIAAVOCADO.COM

    With the GEM® avocado variety acreage increasing in California groves and gaining increased popularity as a point of discussion with retailers, the California Avocado Commission has added the GEM® variety to the CaliforniaAvocado.com website. In tandem with this initiative, the Commission also has made concerted efforts to better position California avocados on search engines by updating the avocado variety browser on the consumer website.

    The Commission has positioned itself as the go-to resource for media, its assorted partners and consumers by providing relevant and engaging content for consumers as well as quality, Commission-owned and branded assets for members of the media, retailers and influencers. To that end, the Commission produced high-quality GEM® photos and assets and made them available to site visitors in the Commission’s online press room where they can simply download the high-quality images for use on websites, social media and in press materials. These assets, when used by industry partners, help ensure ‘California’ is communicated in articles, social media posts, ads and POS.

    The Commission also uses high quality and high equity search terms to “California’ize” conversations around avocados. The Commission has optimized its online avocado variety browser — and added GEM® to the browser — to strengthen its position when people look for avocado varieties using online search engines. As a result, the Commission’s avocado variety browser has achieved the number one position on Google with more than 40 million results. In short, when people look for ‘avocado varieties’ online the search engine results lead them to the Commission’s variety browser — thus increasing California Avocados brand awareness and securing the Commission’s credibility as the source for all things avocado. CAC’s avocado variety browser currently garners about 69,000 visits each year — approximately 2.5% of all traffic to the site.

  • Successful HLB Management Strategy in CA Focuses on Everyone Doing Their Part

    Successful HLB Management Strategy in CA Focuses on Everyone Doing Their Part

    What Nobel Prize-winning Economics Research Tells Us About ACP and HLB Management in California

    As you have likely heard many times, coordinating management measures for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) over a larger scale than individual properties is key to achieving effective control and limiting the spread of the disease. Coordination is important in terms of surveying for HLB-positive trees and removing them from the ground as soon as possible, applying insecticide treatments at the same time for multiple citrus groves within a Psyllid Management Area (PMA) or a Pest Control District (PCD), complying with quarantine measures for the movement of bulk citrus, using certified budwood and sharing information with neighbors.

    But this coordination comes at a cost, and some individuals may be tempted to skip the costs of treating within the recommended window for ACP, correctly tarping their trucks, or even investing some time to convince their neighbors about the importance of these measures. Yet, if everyone skipped these costs and relied on the efforts of others, the ability of the citrus industry to combat HLB would be greatly reduced, leading to a higher risk of HLB spread in California.

    This temptation to free-ride on the efforts of others exists in the management of many natural resources, such as groundwater, fisheries or forests. In 2009, social scientist Elinor Ostrom received the Nobel Prize for Economics for studying how societies organized themselves to manage these types of resources and avoid the problem of free-riding. Throughout her career, she studied many different cases of this problem in different parts of the world, and she identified eight principles that were associated with sustained collective action. Interestingly, most of these principles are present in the strategy for HLB management in California, as shown in the table below.

    Due to a lack of participation in coordinated mitigation tactics – the free-rider problem – a similar HLB-management program in Florida was not as effective in keeping HLB at bay. But California has so far been more successful in achieving collective action than other infected areas like Florida, and as is seeing more success in preventing the spread of ACP and HLB, including keeping HLB out of commercial groves.

    To continue to stay a step ahead of HLB, it is crucial that California’s citrus industry and residents remain vigilant and engage in coordinated management efforts and follow best practices and regulatory requirements.

    Although Ostrom’s principles do not offer a universal solution to all free-riding problems, they can be useful to guide our efforts as we continue to work together to face the threat of HLB.

    More information on her research, which was recently published in Food Security Journal, can be found on https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01133-9 — By Sara Garcia Figuera, Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program

    Design Principle (Ostrom, 1990) HLB Management in California
    1. Clearly defined boundaries: the boundaries define who is responsible for the collective effort and over what area, reducing the cost of monitoring behavior.
    • PMAs
    • PCDs
    2A. Congruence between rules and local conditions: the rules that are established for the management and maintenance of a resource are aligned with the predominant social norms, culture and agro-ecological conditions in a community.
    • Rules defined by the citrus industry through Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (CPDPC) in collaboration with County Agricultural Commissioners (CACs) and California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
    • Some pre-existing PCDs
    • Quarantine zones and rules defined by local conditions (citrus production, ACP populations and/or climatic suitability)
    2B. Congruence between appropriation and provision rules: correspondence between the rules governing contributions to the maintenance of the resource system, and the rules governing withdrawal of resources from the system.
    • Insecticide treatments for ACP funded by individual growers.
    • Other assessments based on production volume (CPDPP) or acreage (PCD)
    3. Collective-choice arrangements: if local users who directly interact with one another can define the rules that regulate the day-to-day decisions about the use of a shared resource, they will be in a better position to incorporate local knowledge.
    • AWM organized locally through PCDs or PMAs
    • CPDPC establishes rules in collaboration with CDFA
    4A. Monitoring users: a community needs to be able to identify users that do not comply with rules; otherwise there can be no credible commitment. Monitoring should be undertaken by the resource users, better than by external authorities.
    • Seasonal reports of areas treated for ACP
    • Packinghouse inspections of grate cleaning or spray & harvest
    4B. Monitoring the resource: assesses the extent to which the collective effort is being achieved.
    • ACP monitoring by CDFA, CACs, Citrus Research Board (CRB) and pest control advisors (PCAs) hired by growers
    5. Graduated sanctions: Although sanctioning prevents an excessive violation of community rules, sanctions should be graduated based on the severity and/or repetition of violations to ensure proportionality. And they should be imposed by the resource users or officials accountable to them, to maintain community cohesion.
    • If less than 90% of the acreage is treated in a PMA or PCD, it will not qualify for the residential buffer treatment
    • When there is a violation of the tarping requirement, a notice of violation is sent before further sanctions
    6. Conflict-resolution mechanisms: Low-cost conflict resolution prevents the cost of conflict from outweighing the benefits of successful collective action.
    • Task Force meetings and other public meetings have been used for addressing conflicts
    7. Minimal recognition of rights to organize:Local institutions are more effective when higher levels of government allow users to self-organize in ways that reflect local social and ecological contexts.
    • CPDPC
    • PCDs
    • Grower leader in PMAs
    8. Nested enterprises: refers to the importance of connecting smaller social systems that manage different parts of a larger resource system to facilitate cross-scale coordination.
    • Statewide program coordinated at the regional, county and local level
    • Grower liaisons
  • India Confirms Prunes not Subject to the non-Genetically Modified cum Genetically-Modified-Free Status Certificate Requirement

    India Confirms Prunes not Subject to the non-Genetically Modified cum Genetically-Modified-Free Status Certificate Requirement

    FAS New Delhi (Post) secured confirmation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India that prunes from plums (Prunus domestica) are a processed food product (dried fruit), and as such are not subject to the non-Genetically Modified (GM) cum GM-Free status certificate requirement. Industry’s concerns for clarification necessitated post’s outreach. U.S.-origin prune exports to India reached nearly $1 million in 2020.

    DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this report was retrieved from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) website http://www.fssai.gov.in. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi – Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Office of Agricultural Affairs (OAA), USDA and/or the U.S. Government make no claim of accuracy or authenticity. The Government of India has not officially endorsed this report. Import approval for any product is subject to local rules and regulations as interpreted by Indian officials at the time of product entry.

    GENERAL INFORMATION:

    On April 13, 2021, FAS New Delhi\Office of Agricultural Affairs secured confirmation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) Director of Imports, Dr. Amit Sharma, that prunes from plums (Prunus domestica) are a processed food product (dried fruit). As such, prunes are not subject to the non- Genetically Modified (GM) cum GM-Free status certificate requirement. Industry’s concerns for clarification prompted post’s outreach.

    FSSAI, in its Clarification dated October 12, 2020 (Appendix I), referencing the Order of August 21, 2020 (Appendix II), mentions that the requirement to obtain a non-GM cum GM-Free status certificate for all food import consignments containing any of 24 specific foods (including fruits, vegetables, and grains) does not apply to processed food products in general.

    In calendar year 2020 (January-December), U.S. prune exports to India reached nearly $1 million. — By Radha Mani, Agriculture Assistant and Mariano Beillard, Senior Regional Agricultural Attache, USDA Agricultural Research Service

  • Nut and Dried Fruit Global Online Forum

    Nut and Dried Fruit Global Online Forum

    More than 1,300 attendees from over 85 countries are expected to join the INC 3D Online Conference from May 25-27, 2021. The event will be held using a virtual platform in which participants can customize an avatar to explore all that the conference has to offer.

    The online conference will feature live nut and dried fruit working group webinars led by industry leaders from around the world, giving insights and updates on topics such as production, trade, consumption, consumer trends, and other topics relevant to each product. Moreover, the event will include on-demand sessions which participants can watch on their own time. Apart from each product working group being available on-demand, attendees can also watch Nutfruit & Immunity, which will focus on nutrition and scientific research examining the health benefits of nuts and dried fruits, Nutfruit & Sustainability, which will highlight the sustainable activities of the sector, and Industry Marketing Programs Update, where participants can hear about the latest promotional activities from nut and dried fruit associations around the world. In addition, on-demand videos will feature sponsor videos and the Innovation Award Applicants. All of the live sessions will be recorded and published in Nutflix, so participants can re-watch the conference’s sessions or view them at a time that best suits them. Nutflix will also host all of the on-demand videos, making it the one-stop spot to catch all of the conference’s sessions.

    Brand new to this event is an interactive 3D virtual exhibition area where sponsors who have a booth can expose their brand, product, and services to the entire industry. Furthermore, attendees’ customizable avatars can explore the virtual platform to network by visiting the Nutfruit Cafe Corners where they will be able to foster existing and new business relationships and enjoy all the conference has to offer.

    Additionally, the INC will give out this year’s Innovation Award, which recognizes some of the brightest and most innovative products in the nut and dried fruit industry.

    Visit the INC 3D Online Conference website to register for the event, see the preliminary program, Innovation Award information, and discover who is already attending. 

    About the INC

    The INC is the international umbrella organization for the nut and dried fruit industry. Its members include more than 850 nut and dried fruit sector companies from over 80 countries. INC membership represents over 85% of the world’s commercial “farm gate” value of trade in nuts and dried fruits. The INC’s mission is to stimulate and facilitate sustainable growth in the global nut and dried fruit industry. It is the leading international organization on health, nutrition, statistics, food safety, and international standards and regulations regarding nuts and dried fruits.

  • Peaches & Apricots Included in New $159.4 Million USDA Food Assistance Purchases

    Peaches & Apricots Included in New $159.4 Million USDA Food Assistance Purchases

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it will purchase up to $159.4 million in domestically produced seafood, fruits, legumes, and nuts for distribution to a variety of domestic food assistance programs, including charitable institutions. These purchases are being made utilizing funds under the authority of Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (Pub. L. 74-320), as amended (Section 32). This is one of many actions USDA is taking to address the disruptions in the food system supply chain and worsened food insecurity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “The impacts of COVID-19 reverberated from our farms to our oceans,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “U.S. fisheries and the American seafood industry were dealt a heavy blow. Today, USDA is pleased to make the largest single seafood purchase in the Department’s history. These healthy, nutritious food purchases will benefit food banks and non-profits helping those struggling with food hardship as the Biden Administration works to get the economy back on track for American families.”

    Selected commodities include: Alaska pollock, apricots (canned, dried, and frozen), chickpeas, dry peas, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic wild-caught shrimp, lentils, navy beans, Pacific pink shrimp, Pacific rockfish fillets, Pacific whiting fillets, pistachios, prepared peaches, and sockeye (red) salmon. The inventories of these commodities are in high oversupply due to a decrease in demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption in the supply chain, as restaurants and other outlets closed during the pandemic. This is the largest purchase of U.S. raised seafood by the USDA to date.

    Within a few days of approval, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service will offer these commodities to their networks. Orders should be received during the first week of June with solicitations being issued mid-June and awards occurring near the end of the month. Deliveries should start to occur by mid-August.

    Solicitations will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements and be domestic operations.

    The purchase amounts are as follows:

    USDA also announced today a policy change that makes food fish and other aquatic species eligible for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) under the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Previously, only farm-raised game and bait fish were eligible for death loss ELAP benefits. Beginning June 1, eligible aquaculture producers can request ELAP assistance for 2021 losses. This policy change is for the 2021 and subsequent program years. You can learn more here.