California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Non-Video

  • Ryan Talley is Elected New Western Growers Chairman of the Board

    Western Growers is pleased to announce that Ryan Talley, co-owner and farm manager of Talley Farms, will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Talley, who has been committed to agriculture for more than three decades, will serve as chairman for a one-year term, taking over the responsibilities of outgoing chairman, Ron Ratto, president of Ratto Bros., Inc.

    “Ryan’s successful tenure at Talley Farms and his significant personal accomplishments make him the ideal choice to be the next Western Growers’ Chairman of the Board of Directors,” said Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif. “With his stellar track record on the board, there is no doubt in my mind that Ryan, along with the rest of the Western Growers Board, is poised to truly lead the organization and the fresh produce industry to even greater heights.”

    Talley spearheads Talley Farms, a diversified family-owned farming company and grower- shipper of bell peppers, cilantro, spinach, lettuce, Napa cabbage, avocados, lemons and grapes. His passion for agriculture dates back to 1985 when he first started picking beans at the age of 12, alongside his brother, Todd, and cousin, Brian. Talley earned his bachelor of science in business from Purdue University and subsequently returned to the farm to help write the computer programs Talley Farms currently uses for production, planning, their mechanic ship and the nursery. The farm is committed to supplying consumers with the best and freshest produce that California has to offer, following the company’s vision to strive for “Excellence in Everything.”

    “Western Growers has been a staple organization in the agriculture industry for nearly a century, and Talley Farms is proud to have been a part of its legacy since 1970,” said Talley. “I am both eager and honored to embark on this new role as Western Growers’ Chairman of the Board of Directors, working with the rest of the board to further our commitment to the industry.”

    Talley was named as 2020 chairman during Western Growers 94th Annual Meeting in Maui, Hawaii. During the meeting, the Board also selected Albert Keck of Hadley Date Gardens as senior vice chairman; Stuart Woolf of Woolf Enterprises as vice chairman; Carol Chandler of Chandler Farms as treasurer; and Vic Smith of JV Smith Companies as secretary.

    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 over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including nearly half of America’s fresh organic produce. Some members also farm throughout the U.S. and in other countries so people have year-round access to nutritious food. For generations, we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

  • One Ton Champion Gourd Dominates Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival

    The World Pumpkin Capital of Half Moon Bay recently celebrated its bountiful fall harvest and autumn splendor with the 50th annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival.  This festive event included a special display of gigantically enormous/heavyweight champion pumpkins, smashing entertainment with four stages of stellar live music, the home-spun Great Pumpkin Parade, boo-tiful harvest-inspired crafts, tasty homestyle foods, premium wines, seasonal craft beer, pumpkin-infused ales, pumpkin-flavored artisanal cocktails, expert pumpkin carver Farmer Mike sculpting monster pumpkins into amazing one-of-a-kind masterpieces, photos with the gargantuan grand champion mega-gourd, pie-eating and costume contests, pumpkin carving for fun, the world’s largest mosaic pumpkin sculpture that measures 12-feet long, 11-feet high and weighs 10,000 pounds by artist Peter Hazel,  the Xfinity Take 5 Lounge with giant screen TV, wet and wild waterballerz, ultra thrilling bungee jump, Cornhole game area, Stay Cool Misting Tent, selfies and fun with the delightfully rotund, playful and mischievious Pumpkin Festival mascot “Gourdy”, and the Sunday-only “Made on the Coast” local artists block with art and live music, and the Sunday-only Great Pumpkin Run – 10k, 5k, Half Marathon and Kids’ Fun Run, plus sweet sponsor swag giveaways and samples. Presented by the non-profit Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee which has raised several million dollars for community service organizations and civic improvements in its 50 year history.

    The event was preceded by the annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, featuring the World’s Greatest Gourd Growers and their titanic orbs. Organizers offered a hefty, world’s biggest top prize of $7 per pound and $30,000 in total prize money for a new world record entered at Half Moon Bay plus beefed up overall prize money to the Top 20. Two-time Half Moon Bay champion Leonardo Urena’s Goliath (Napa, CA) 2,175-pound mega-gourd obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2019 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off and setting a new California record.  As impressive as Urena’s mega-gourd is, it did not exceed the world record – 2,624 pounds set in 2016. With the win, Urena claimed a cash prize of $15,225. The Goliath grand champion mega-gourd, along with the top four heaviest weigh-off pumpkins, were displayed at the Pumpkin Festival.

  • California Prunes Shine in Fourpoints Energy Bars

    The world comes to California for prunes, and so does energy bar innovator, Fourpoints®. Denver-based Fourpoints is the first-and-only energy bar to feature California Prunes as the star ingredient.

    “The energy bar category is crowded and full of the same old date based and syrup-based bars,” said Kevin Webber, co-founder of Fourpoints. “You have to have a one-of-a-kind product to stand out, and for us, that means a one-of-a-kind ingredient: California Prunes. We created our product out of both passion for outdoor recreation and out of personal need for a low-glycemic, better functioning bar inspired by our families fight with diabetes.”

    Fourpoints is disrupting the energy bar market by taking full advantage of the fresh, naturally sweet taste and exceptional nutritional profile of California Prunes.

    “California Prunes have a low-glycemic index meaning a slower rise in blood sugar that increases satiety to delay hunger during exercise. This makes prunes an ideal energy source,” said Leslie Bonci, registered dietitian, sports nutrition expert, and California Prune Board nutrition consultant. “California Prunes deliver the nutritional clout of macros (carbohydrates and fiber), micros (vitamins and minerals), and phytos (polyphenols). They are neat little bites that add big taste delight.”

    Fourpoints bars are crafted to offer hours of slow-burning energy without the dreaded “spike and crash” typically associated with higher-glycemic bars that make up much of the category, adds Webber.

    “We use only the highest-quality ingredients, like prunes – exclusively sourced from California – to make Fourpoints bars,” said Webber. “Those seeking action and adventure deserve an energy bar that delivers clean energy, tastes amazing, and is easily enjoyed on-the-go, too. Fourpoints and California Prunes deliver on both.”

    Fourpoints & California Prunes Co-brand New Packaging

    California Prunes are such an important ingredient on the inside of the bars, Fourpoints features the California Prunes brand on the outside, too. Each package of Fourpoints energy bars highlights the new California Prunes brand.

    “It’s refreshing to partner with a company that truly believes in the power of prunes,” said Donn Zea, Executive Director, California Prune Board. “Fourpoints not only recognizes the remarkable benefits that prunes offer but they’ve gone the extra mile to feature the California Prunes brand on packaging in prime real estate near the list of ingredients where health-conscious consumers gravitate.”

    California Prunes are the best prunes in the world due in large part to the ideal growing conditions, high environmental standards and craftsmanship used in growing and drying the crop to create a premium prune with legendary sweetness. California is the world’s largest prune producer and the most reliable source in the industry.

    “The California Prunes brand represents all that makes California Prunes exceptional. It’s more than a logo and a tag line, it’s a statement about being the best,” said Zea. “California Prunes are a versatile and functional ingredient making them particularly attractive for manufacturers, such as Fourpoints.”

    In addition to the California Prunes brand integration on the Fourpoints packaging, California Prunes and Fourpoints are partnering on strategic integration opportunities including co-promotion via special events, social media outreach, sampling, and more. Fourpoints will be on center stage at this weeks’ Naturally Boulder Annual Autumn Pitch Slam.

    Fourpoints energy bars are available nationally at REI, regionally in the Denver area at Safeway and King Soopers, and on the Fourpoints website at www.fourpointsbar.com. They come in five unique flavors including Alpine Apple Pie, Backcountry Banana Bread, Mountain Mocha Espresso, Powder Day PB&J, and Trailhead Gingerbread and can be purchased by the box of 12 for $36.00 USD. This fall their flagship line converts to 100% hemp-based protein while introducing a hemp-free tactical line using whey protein isolate for active duty military and professional athletes. For more information about California Prunes, visit www.californiaprunes.org.

    ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA PRUNE BOARD

    Created in 1952, The California Prune Board aims to amplify the premium positioning and top-of-mind awareness of California Prunes through advertising, public relations, promotion, nutrition research, crop management and sustainability research, and issues management. The California Prune Board represents approximately 800 prune growers and 28 prune, juice, and ingredient handlers under the authority of the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

    ABOUT FOURPOINTS

    Made from 100% real food and designed to offer hours of slow-burn energy without the sugar spikes and crashes, Colorado based Fourpoints® made the energy bar better than it has to be so you can perform better when you need to!  The only prune-based bars on the market are available in five unique flavors to elevate your performance. BONUS:  THEY DON’T FREEZE! Follow us with #WHEREVERYOUPLAY and help us to protect the places we play!

  • $3 Million Program to Train Tomorrow’s Plant Scientists

    If you’re eating fruits, nuts, grains, or vegetables in a few years, you’ll likely owe a debt of gratitude to UC Riverside. The university has created a program to transition today’s undergraduates into professional scientists solving tomorrow’s farming challenges.

    The program, called Plants-3D, will train students to discover, design, and deploy biology and engineering solutions to the projected problem of massive-scale food insecurity due to climate change. 

    “It’s exciting that 50 students, many of whom are traditionally underrepresented in academia and the biotech sector, will now learn to use the most cutting-edge technologies in biology and engineering to help increase crop yields and nutritional value, while also helping themselves professionally,” said Julia Bailey-Serres, a UC Riverside professor of genetics who is leading the new program. 

    The program was made possible by a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship program. It will fund a total of 50 students who will receive academic and entrepreneurial training, as well as mentorship and stipends to help them travel to professional conferences.

    Plants-3D will foster a synthetic biology approach to solving agricultural problems, meaning students will learn to design biological systems that do not already exist in the natural world. This approach will enable plants to tolerate increased levels of stress due to drought, flooding, and extreme heat, as well as boost protection from pests, pathogens, and invasive plants. 

    An example project would be the discovery and design of chemical compounds to attract beneficial microbes that could reduce plant requirements for fertilizer. 

    “Not only will our trainees help improve crop resilience and yields, but many plant metabolites they discover will have applications in other fields as well, including medicine and nutrition,” said Plants-3D co-leader Ian Wheeldon, associate professor of chemical and environmental engineering.

    The program has already established relationships with companies for internships, helping ensure participants will go on to leadership positions in agricultural fields after graduate school. 

    The program will provide opportunities for UC Riverside undergraduates to participate in team research, enhancing their candidacy for graduate programs and jobs in agriculture and biotechnology. 

    Agriculture and related industries provide nearly 10% of U.S. employment opportunities, but the number of students graduating with degrees that would prepare them for these jobs is not meeting industry demand. Nearly 40% of positions are projected to go unfilled, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

    Making the problem even more dire is the rapid pace of retirement from the current agricultural workforce, which is the oldest and least diverse of all scientific workforces in the U.S., the USDA reported.

    “There is a giant, gaping need for scientists who can not only update the aging agricultural technologies of today, but who can find solutions to the challenges that climate change will pose for the farmers of tomorrow,” said Sean Cutler, UCR professor of plant cell biology. “This program will definitely help fill that need.” 

    About UC Riverside

    The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California’s diverse culture, UCR’s enrollment is more than 24,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of almost $2 billion. To learn more, email news@ucr.edu.

  • Investigating Olive Anthracnose in California

    A new research project which will investigate the occurrence and distribution of olive anthracnose in California has been added to the list of approved projects for the Olive Oil Council of California’s 2019/2020 fiscal year. This project will be led by Florent Trouillas, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis, Kearney Agriculture Research and Extension Center. The budget for this project is $14,849.

     

    Olive anthracnose poses a threat to olive orchards worldwide. Anthracnose is a fungal disease that can cause yield loss and impact the quality of olive oils made from affected fruit. The most common symptoms of the disease include fruit rot and mummification along with fruit prematurely falling to the ground. Other symptoms include yellowing of leaves, defoliation and dieback of twigs and branches.Perhaps the biggest problem for California olive growers is that the occurrence of the disease is unknown in the state, although olive orchards in the Sacramento Valley have recently shown symptoms resembling olive anthracnose. Therefore, the objectives of this research project are:-Determine the occurrence and distribution of olive anthracnose in California. Identify what Colletotrichum (a genus of fungi species) are associated with olive anthracnose in California.

    -Determine whether the identified Colletotrichum species causes disease to main oil olive cultivars.

     

    To accomplish these objectives, surveys for olive anthracnose will be conducted in oil olive orchards throughout the Central Valley and fungal strains will be isolated from symptomatic tissues sampled from surveyed orchards. Those strains identified as resembling Colletotrichum will be studied further and final identification will be determined using DNA based techniques. Lastly, laboratory studies will be conducted to identify the ability of the supposed disease-causing agents to cause disease in main oil super-high-density olive cultivars such as Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki.

     

    Should Colletotrichum not be isolated and identified from symptomatic tissues sampled from surveyed orchards, Trouillas will work to identify and record what pathogens are causing the symptoms observed in orchards. These efforts will help the industry to record the geographical and seasonal occurrence of diseases of oil olives within the Central Valley.

     

  • First Genome of Spotted Lanternfly Built from a Single Insect

    Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, in cooperation with Pacific Biosciences and Penn State University, have published the first genome of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) in the journal Gigascience and they did it from a single caught-in-the-wild specimen.

    Not only is it the first published genome for this pest, but no closely related species has had its genome sequenced, making the data even more important, according to entomologist Scott M. Geib with the ARS Daniel K Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center.

    SLF, a native of China, Bangladesh and Vietnam, was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has now spread to Virginia, Maryland and New York. This invasive pest has a taste for almonds, apples, apricots, grapes, peaches, blueberries and hops as well as hardwoods such as oak, walnut, and poplar. Various estimates put the potential economic damage in the billions of dollars, if the SLF becomes widely established in the United States.

    “Having the genome for this pest opens the door to a better understanding of its biology and behavior, and makes coming up with potential control methods much more likely to happen, such as developing a lure for a trap through understanding the insect’s olfactory genes, or exploring avenues such as gene editing or RNAi,” said Geib.

    While having the SLF genome is critical for the management and control of this invasive pest, the approach taken to obtain the genetic data is an achievement of remarkable note as well. For the first time, all of the DNA required to generate a whole genome sequence was taken from a single insect picked from a tree in the wild in Reading, Pennsylvania, across the street from the Reading Pagoda on Mt. Penn.

    One hurdle for deciphering this species’ genome is its relatively large genome size, at about 2.2 billion base pairs. Typically, with previous sequencing systems, many sequencing runs would have been needed to do the complete job, with each run using up the available DNA for the organism being sequenced.

    So often to have sufficient DNA for a complete genome sequence, many organisms would need to be pooled, introducing more opportunities for errors to be generated. To avoid such potential for errors, the subjects—especially insects—often have to be raised in colonies and inbred.

    “In cooperation with Pacific Biosciences and using their new sequencing platform—the PacBio Sequel II—that produces 10 times the data from a single sequencing run, we were able to generate sufficient coverage from just a single specimen. This allows for a very fast turn-around of data and assemblies as well as lowers cost, in this case under $2,000 in consumable supplies, not including the purchase price of the sequencing instrument of course,” explained Geib.

    For genome completeness, and since there aren’t many related genomes to compare that of the SLF to, the team checked a set of “core genes” that should be present exactly one time in all insects and verified how many of these were found in this genome project. In this case, they found about 97 percent of these single copy core genes, with a very low rate of duplication.

    “Sequencing such a large insect genome quickly and showing there is no need to pull the insect into a colony raises the feasibility that we can complete the Ag100Pest Project,” Geib said. The ARS Ag100Pest initiative is focused on deciphering the genomes of 100 insect species that are most destructive to crops and livestock and that are projected to have profound bioeconomic impacts to agriculture and the environment. “Now, with this system, doing 100 or even 1,000 genomes is not unrealistic,” he added.

    The ability to get a complete genome from a small amount of DNA also makes it practical to consider sequencing the genomes of physically tiny insects without having to catch or raise a large number of any one species. That expands the list of insects that may be genetically sequenced.

    By Kim Kaplan, USDA-ARS

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

  • Western Growers Board Selects Dave Puglia as Next President and CEO

    The Western Growers Board of Directors has unanimously selected Dave Puglia as the organization’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. Puglia will succeed current President and CEO Tom Nassif, who is retiring after 18 years as a forceful and effective leader in the nation’s agriculture industry, on February 1, 2020.

    “Fifteen years ago, Dave came to Western Growers with an extraordinary pedigree in California politics, having served in senior roles on statewide political campaigns and in public service in addition to private sector experience,” said Ratto Bros. President and Western Growers Chairman of the Board, Ron Ratto. “Since joining our organization, Dave has demonstrated an unyielding passion for our members, a deep understanding of the issues facing Western agriculture – water policy, in particular – and an unrivaled capacity for leading our association and industry into the next decade and beyond.”

    “Words are not adequate to express how deeply honored I am to be entrusted with this great opportunity and responsibility,” stated Puglia. “The people of this industry welcomed me into their hearts from the first day on the job, rain or shine. As their advocate, I am as energized and optimistic as ever about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

    The Western Growers Board of Directors engaged in an extensive nationwide search to ensure that Western Growers’ leadership in federal and state public policy would carry forward and grow while continuing to provide innovative business services to the association’s members. The Western Growers Family of Companies is built on the strength of 445 dedicated employees providing expert advocacy and services across multiple business lines.

    “The mentoring and support I have received from Tom Nassif and so many current and past directors has been amazing,”

    “Outgoing President & CEO Tom Nassif”

    continued Puglia. “My talented and dedicated Western Growers colleagues have also helped propel me on this journey, and there is no better professional staff in the entire agriculture industry. We are ready to go.”

    Puglia will inherit an association that experienced a renaissance under Nassif’s leadership. Over the course of nearly two decades, Nassif elevated the national prominence of Western Growers and established the organization as a recognized leader in food safety, labor and immigration, water, technology and innovation, international trade and many other areas impacting the viability of Western Growers members.

    “Tom Nassif was the right leader at the right time for our organization and the industry,” said Ratto. “The strength and influence our association enjoys today is a credit to his intelligence, work ethic and personal charm. Our membership owes Tom a debt of gratitude for employing his fierce devotion and incomparable talents on our collective behalf.”

    “My service to Western Growers and the fresh produce industry has been a fulfilling culmination to my career,” stated Nassif. “Every day since 2002, my inspiration has been derived from the hard-working, innovative and ethical family farmers who comprise our membership. I am proud of the major strides we have taken as an industry during my tenure, and it brings me great satisfaction knowing that the future of our association is secure in the hands of Dave Puglia.”

    Puglia joined Western Growers in 2005 and currently serves as Executive Vice President, overseeing four departments in addition to the organization’s non-profit charitable foundation and its political action committees. He is also intimately involved in the internal operations of the organization. Prior to joining Western Growers, he was Vice President of APCO Worldwide, a global public affairs consulting firm, and previously served for seven years in the California Attorney General’s Office, first as Press Secretary and later as Director of Public Affairs and Communications.

    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.

     

  • Western Growers Board Selects Dave Puglia as Next President and CEO

    The Western Growers Board of Directors has unanimously selected Dave Puglia as the organization’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. Puglia will succeed current President and CEO Tom Nassif, who is retiring after 18 years as a forceful and effective leader in the nation’s agriculture industry, on February 1, 2020.

    “Fifteen years ago, Dave came to Western Growers with an extraordinary pedigree in California politics, having served in senior roles on statewide political campaigns and in public service in addition to private sector experience,” said Ratto Bros. President and Western Growers Chairman of the Board, Ron Ratto. “Since joining our organization, Dave has demonstrated an unyielding passion for our members, a deep understanding of the issues facing Western agriculture – water policy, in particular – and an unrivaled capacity for leading our association and industry into the next decade and beyond.”

    “Outgoing President & CEO Tom Nassif”

    “Words are not adequate to express how deeply honored I am to be entrusted with this great opportunity and responsibility,” stated Puglia. “The people of this industry welcomed me into their hearts from the first day on the job, rain or shine. As their advocate, I am as energized and optimistic as ever about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

    The Western Growers Board of Directors engaged in an extensive nationwide search to ensure that Western Growers’ leadership in federal and state public policy would carry forward and grow while continuing to provide innovative business services to the association’s members. The Western Growers Family of Companies is built on the strength of 445 dedicated employees providing expert advocacy and services across multiple business lines.

    “The mentoring and support I have received from Tom Nassif and so many current and past directors has been amazing,” continued Puglia. “My talented and dedicated Western Growers colleagues have also helped propel me on this journey, and there is no better professional staff in the entire agriculture industry. We are ready to go.”

    Puglia will inherit an association that experienced a renaissance under Nassif’s leadership. Over the course of nearly two decades, Nassif elevated the national prominence of Western Growers and established the organization as a recognized leader in food safety, labor and immigration, water, technology and innovation, international trade and many other areas impacting the viability of Western Growers members.

    “Tom Nassif was the right leader at the right time for our organization and the industry,” said Ratto. “The strength and influence our association enjoys today is a credit to his intelligence, work ethic and personal charm. Our membership owes Tom a debt of gratitude for employing his fierce devotion and incomparable talents on our collective behalf.”

    “My service to Western Growers and the fresh produce industry has been a fulfilling culmination to my career,” stated Nassif. “Every day since 2002, my inspiration has been derived from the hard-working, innovative and ethical family farmers who comprise our membership. I am proud of the major strides we have taken as an industry during my tenure, and it brings me great satisfaction knowing that the future of our association is secure in the hands of Dave Puglia.”

    Puglia joined Western Growers in 2005 and currently serves as Executive Vice President, overseeing four departments in addition to the organization’s non-profit charitable foundation and its political action committees. He is also intimately involved in the internal operations of the organization. Prior to joining Western Growers, he was Vice President of APCO Worldwide, a global public affairs consulting firm, and previously served for seven years in the California Attorney General’s Office, first as Press Secretary and later as Director of Public Affairs and Communications.

    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.

     

  • What is the Value of Using Crop Wild Relatives in Potato Breeding?

    It may surprise you to learn that wild potatoes grow like weeds in South America. While farmers in the United States battle weeds like pigweed and lamb’s quarters, farmers in the Andes Mountains have to keep weedy potatoes in check. These wild relatives of our potato varieties grow in agricultural fields and roadsides, as well as in forests and grasslands. They are found in amazingly diverse habitats, from ocean beaches to windswept alpine meadows. Some even grow in the knotholes of oak trees.

    As you can imagine, wild potatoes must grow in these stressful environments without the aid of fertilizer, irrigation, or pesticides. Consequently, they are rich in genes that are useful for potato improvement, especially stress tolerance. Breeders usually refer to native, weedy versions of plants as “crop wild relatives.” Collecting and preserving this genetic diversity is crucial to today’s food supply.

    In the Andes, local villagers eat potatoes daily, as part of their native diets. They have selected varieties for diverse tastes, textures, and cooking qualities. Cultivated potato relatives are also important to breeders. These land races are valuable sources of genes for culinary traits. The US Potato Gene Bank in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, maintains a large collection of wild and cultivated potatoes. My job is to find useful genes in the gene bank and bring them into cultivated potato so breeders can integrate them into their variety development programs.

    My favorite wild potato, Solanum chacoense, carpets regions of the Chaco province of northern Argentina. It is one of the most broadly adapted wild potato species and has been collected extensively by scientists around the world. It carries a broad array of genes of interest to potato breeders. One clone in my program, named C545, has S. chacoense as a maternal grandparent. Another wild potato, S. berthaultii, is a paternal grandparent. C545 has resistance to several important diseases, including Verticillium wilt, potato virus Y, soft rot, common scab, and early blight.

    There are now a wide variety of cultivated potatoes for consumers to choose from. Potatoes are the world’s fifth most grown crop, valued for its broad cooking ability and nutrition. Provided by Shelley Jansky.

    Another wild potato important for breeding is Solanum berthaultii, which is found on forested and brushy hillsides from southern Bolivia through northwest Argentina. This species was named after the French agronomist Pierre Berthault. The most characteristic feature of S. berthaultii is the production of sticky hairs on its leaves. For this reason, it has been used in breeding as a source of insect resistance. The varieties “Prince Hairy” and “King Harry” are two specialty potato varieties with insect resistance genes from S. berthaultii. While wild potatoes typically produce small (dime-sized) tubers, hybrids between cultivated potatoes and S. berthaultii often produce large beautiful tubers.

    Our most Verticillium wilt resistant breeding line, C287, features S. berthaultii as a grandparent on both sides of its pedigree. When I was a graduate student (a few decades ago!) I created and selected two clones that I named S438 and S440. These selections have S. berthaultii as a grandparent and have been used extensively as a source of improved processing quality in the development of new potato varieties.

    Wild potatoes also contribute genes for traits related to cooking ability. S. chacoense is a great-grandparent of the cultivar Lenape, which is credited for laying the foundation for the development of cultivars used for making potato chips.

    One type of South American cultivated (land race) potato is colloquially known as Phureja. These common land races are incredibly diverse for tuber traits such as skin color, flesh color, shape, size, and eye depth. Some Phureja selections produce tubers with very deep yellow flesh. Yukon Gold potatoes have Phureja as a grandparent.

    Phureja varieties have been selected by South American farmers not only for unique tuber traits, but also for exceptional culinary quality. Our best sources of genes for improved flavor have been found in Phureja, which produces tubers that are more flavorful, creamy and savory than standard potato varieties. Those of us who are impatient cooks might also be interested to learn that some Phureja varieties are done in half the normal time needed to boil potatoes.

    There are over 100 wild potato species and breeders have just scratched the surface for new variety development.  As climate change and a growing population put additional strains on potato growers, we will continue to explore the possibilities offered by this rich genetic resource.

    Answered by Shelley Jansky, USDA-ARS and UW-Madison

    To read more about Dr. Jansky’s work, or to watch a video, click here.

    To learn more about Crop Wild Relatives, visit our dedicated page:

     

  • Congressman Ted Yoho Addresses Citrus Growers on Ag Guest Worker Legislation

    I have worked in agriculture for over thirty years. At the age of fifteen, I worked loading produce during the harvest season at the Pompano farmers market in South Florida. I went on to veterinary school and after graduation, I worked as a large animal vet in North Central Florida for 30 years. For the last six and a half years, I have served on the House Agriculture Committee, proudly representing Florida’s Third Congressional District. With over three decades of experience in and around agriculture, I can confidently say that I understand the needs of American producers and those of the farmworker.

    Currently, agriculture faces an uncertain future because our nation’s farmers cannot find enough workers to tend to livestock or harvest crops. Labor scarcity in agriculture is not a new problem. Producers have been talking about this issue for decades, and likewise, lawmakers in Washington have failed for decades to come up with a commonsense reform to meet the needs of the producer while protecting the migrant workforce.

    Producers who cannot find domestic labor use the H-2A program or use the I-9 form to find temporary foreign labor. The H-2A program is a vital tool for producers, however, the program is flawed in that it only allows for temporary workers up to 10 months legally in the country. Industries like dairy, plant nurseries, and others have full time year-round labor demands that aren’t fulfilled by these programs. Another flaw is it has no enforcement to keep workers in the agriculture sector. So once in the country, the H-2A worker can go work in another industry, say construction for example, that often pays more than agriculture work

    The I-9 form that many producers rely on is plagued with many problems. One is that it does not confirm the legitimacy of a worker’s proper identification or social security number. E-Verify would help alleviate this uncertainty for employers, however the E-Verify program is not mandatory and therefore not widely used.

    While our citrus producers are currently able to use H-2A, there are problems with the program that our proposal would address. Our proposal would allow producers to continue bringing in temporary workers using the H-2A program, but it addresses the high costs of the program. Many citrus producers we have met with have discussed the issues they have with planning for the next year due to the unpredictability and high costs of the adverse effect wage rate (AEWR). Our reforms to H-2A would eliminate the AEWR, allowing market-based conditions to determine the wages paid to workers.

    Additionally, our program would make housing and transportation accommodations optional, allowing producers to charge a reasonable fee if they choose to provide these services to their temporary workers. H-2A would remain a seasonal program, allowing producers to bring in temporary workers for up to 10 months with the same contractual agreement between producers and workers. With these reforms the H-2A program would automatically enrolled the worker into the E-Verify system so an employer is confident they have hired a legal H-2A worker.  In addition, once a worker is in the system, their re-entry into the U.S. would be streamlined like TSA pre-check.  Our proposal would also simplify the petitioning process for employers who bring in H-2A workers. Once implemented this program will create certainty for producers seeking labor while easing restrictions on the valued H-2A worker.

    In addition to the temporary H-2A guest worker program, we are implementing a five-year program that will enable year-round workers to stay in the United States. The guest worker will be able to renew their visa every four and half years and will be allowed to travel back and forth between their county and the United States or follow the growing season around the country

    We must face reality. Without a reliable, predictable, and steady agriculture workforce, our food will not get to market, household food costs will increase, and our producers won’t be able to compete globally.  This also creates the risk of making America dependent on another country for our food supply, which no American should accept.   Our farmers and ranchers produce the highest quality food in the world. We are fortunate to live with such abundance, but we need individuals to work the fields and ranches to make this possible. It is imperative that we provide producers with the workforce they need to feed America and the world. While at the same time provide the hard-working migrants a legal, dignified way to generate income and opportunity.