California Citrus Mutual (CCM) is proud to announce we have hired Jacob Villagomez as the new Director of State Governmental Affairs. He comes to us from the State Senate, where he previously served as the District Director for Senator Melissa Hurtado.
In his new role, Jacob will advocate on behalf of California’s citrus growers in the State legislature and within administrative and regulatory agencies.
“I am extremely excited to add another talented member to the CCM team,” stated President/CEO Casey Creamer. “Jacob’s time as a legislative staffer will add valuable experience and perspective to the organization as we deal with significant concerns related to water, pest management, labor, and the overall cost of doing business in California. As a son of citrus farmers in the Sanger area, he has a vested interest in our success and a strong passion to bring positive change for the industry.”
Jacob attended California State University, Fresno where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is also an alumnus of the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute’s Legislative Scholars program and a graduate of the Fresno County Farm Bureau’s Future Advocates Concerned About Tomorrow (FAACT) program.
About California Citrus Mutual (CCM)
CCM is a voluntary, non-profit trade association representing CA citrus growers on the economic, regulatory, and political issues that impact them most.
As rain and expected cold weather sweep through the citrus belt of California, growers are looking forward to the positive effects that this weather is bringing.
Water and the current drought top growers’ concerns and the needed rain will have positive effects on the water supply and improve fruit size and quality.
Following today’s rain, temperatures are expected to drop to freezing and below. As currently forecasted, the sub-freezing temperatures will be a benefit to the crop. The colder temperatures will help send trees into dormancy as well as helping to improve coloring and overall quality.
California Citrus Mutual employs weather stations up and down the citrus belt and provides citrus-specific forecasts to help members anticipate weather issues. Growers will be monitoring conditions closely over the weekend and will be prepared to run water or turn on wind machines to alleviate any negative effects of the lower temperature.
About California Citrus Mutual
CCM is a voluntary, non-profit trade association representing CA citrus growers on the economic, regulatory, and political issues that impact them most.
Effective Dec. 6, 2021, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has expanded the Huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine boundaries in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in the Jurupa Valley and Riverside areas to create one quarantine area, connecting parts of Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. A map of the boundary expansion can be found below and at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/hlb/regulation.html#maps.
Additionally, effective Dec. 6, 2021, CDFA is expanding the Asian citrus psyllid bulk citrus quarantine zone 6 in Riverside and San Bernardino counties to reflect the HLB boundary expansion. A map of the proposed new boundaries can be found at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/citrus/pests_diseases/acp/regulation.html.
For any questions regarding the regulations or quarantine area, please email Karina Chu at Karina.Chu@cdfa.ca.gov or call 916-274-6300.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of nearly $11 million for research to combat Huanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as citrus greening disease. HLB, caused by an insect bacterium, is the most severe threat to global citrus production.
“NIFA’s Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program brings the nation’s top scientists together with citrus industry representatives to find scientifically sound solutions to combat and prevent HLB at the farm-level,” said NIFA Director Dr. Carrie Castille. “This year’s awards represent all three major U.S. citrus growing regions and include possible solutions ranging from blocking HLB transmission from inside the insect vector to utilizing novel anti-microbial peptides to treat HLB-infected trees.”
The fiscal year 2021 five funded Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension projects include:
Background: Huanglongbing (HLB) is considered the most destructive disease in citrus growing regions worldwide and has become the greatest challenge for the U.S. citrus industry. Currently, HLB has no cure. Since HLB’s initial U.S. detection in 2005, citrus acreage and production in Florida has decreased by 60 percent and 80 percent, respectively. The disease has spread to all citrus-producing states, including Texas and California. Although citrus greening is a serious threat to the citrus industry worldwide, significant progress has been made to coordinate a multipronged approach for citrus greening management and suppression of the Asian citrus psyllid, an insect that carries and spreads HLB, through expanding partnerships with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, states, universities, and private partners. Learn more about HLB.
NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.
Visit our website: www.nifa.usda.gov; Twitter: @USDA_NIFA; LinkedIn: USDA-NIFA.
The University of California Riverside Avocado Rootstock Program is seeking for grower cooperators interested on participating and testing the new soon to be released UCR avocado rootstocks selections in Spring 2022!
UCR Rootstocks selections have been chosen by their performance under Phytophthora root rot high incidence, alkalinity, heat, and salinity tolerance. We are seeking growers in California to stablish two rootstock x scion field trials: i) 576 trees corresponding to Dusa, Toro Canyon, Stedoom, PP35, PP40, and PP80 UCR rootstocks grafted with Hass, Gem, Lamb_Hass, and Reed (24 trees/rootstock x scion combination); and ii) 600 trees corresponding to Dusa, PP35, PP40, and PP80 UCR rootstocks grafted with Hass, Gem, and Lamb_Hass (50 trees/ rootstock x scion combination). PP35, PP40, and PP80 are rootstocks with Phytophthora root rot resistance and exhibited good performance (tree health and yield) under high salinity and heat conditions.
Selection Criteria
In order to test our rootstocks under the best conditions, we would like that our cooperators meet the followings:
If you are interested in being part of our rootstock evaluation, please contact Patricia Manosalva at patricia.manosalva@ucr.edu.
POM Wonderful, the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the U.S., is kicking off the 2021 California pomegranate season with its largest digital marketing campaign ever to raise brand awareness and continue to drive category growth. Unveiled in the campaign is new branding for POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils, the No. 1 aril brand in total sales, brand awareness, and velocity in the U.S.
Previously known as POM POMS, the new branding and packaging coupled with the digital campaign helps to reinforce the connection for consumers that POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils are sourced straight from POM Wonderful pomegranates, making it easy to enjoy pomegranate arils as a snack or to elevate a variety of dishes, especially during the holidays.
The digital campaign, part of a multi-million-dollar marketing investment, includes >$1MM in new digital marketing. The efforts consist of two brand-new epicurean and antioxidant campaigns, highlighting POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils as the easy way to enjoy pomegranates. With just a snap of a finger, getting antioxidants is easier than ever with POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils. Through the “Insta-Antioxidants” digital campaign, a whole POM Wonderful pomegranate is harvested at peak freshness and quickly transformed into a POM Pomegranate Arils cup, then directly into a kitchen creation, showing the ease with which consumers can enjoy POM Pomegranate Arils.
“We are thrilled to kick off our 2021 season with new branding supported by our biggest digital marketing campaign, showcasing the ease of enjoying antioxidants with POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils,” said Stacey Anker, director of marketing, POM Wonderful. “With the holidays approaching, we hope to inspire consumers to use POM Arils in their holiday spreads to add the perfect pop of ruby-red color and antioxidant goodness.”
The POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils epicurean campaign will focus on delicious recipes that include strong pomegranate flavors. From appetizers to desserts and cocktails, consumers will be inspired to use POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils in their favorite dishes this holiday season. New recipes will be posted on the POM Wonderful social media accounts, as well as the POM Wonderful website.
“As the No 1. arils brand sold nationwide, we are excited to see POM drive category growth and raise consumer awareness for snacking and epicurean uses of fresh pomegranates,” said Adam Cooper, senior vice president of marketing, The Wonderful Company. “With the “Insta-Antioxidant” campaign, we hope to showcase how quickly and easily consumers can enjoy pomegranate arils, while also benefiting from the antioxidant power of POM.”
The campaign was created by The Wonderful Company’s in-house creative team, Wonderful Agency, and includes digital advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat,”as well as shopper marketing, consumer public relations, new POS materials, and a November FSI.
About POM Wonderful
POM Wonderful is the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the United States as well as the worldwide leader in fresh California pomegranates and pomegranate-based products including our 100% pomegranate juices, healthy juice blends, and teas. We grow, handpick, and juice our own pomegranates to ensure the highest quality. POM Wonderful is part of The Wonderful Company, a privately held $5 billion company, which also has other No. 1 brands such as Wonderful® Pistachios, FIJI® Water, Wonderful® Halos®, JUSTIN® Wine, and Teleflora®. To learn more about The Wonderful Company, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit www.wonderful.com/csr.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is announcing two vacancies on the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee. The committee advises the CDFA Secretary on activities associated with the statewide citrus specific pest and disease work plan that includes, but is not limited to, outreach and education programs and programs for surveying, detecting, analyzing, and treating pests and diseases specific to citrus.
Committee member vacancies exists for one grower representative from Fresno County, the member term expires on September 30, 2022, and one public member, the member term expires on September 30, 2025. Individuals interested in being considered for a committee appointment should send a resume by November 15, 2021.
The members receive no compensation but are entitled to payment of necessary travel expenses in accordance with the rules of the Department of Personnel Administration.
Applicants should have an interest in agriculture and citrus pest and disease prevention. Individuals interested in being considered for a committee appointment should send a brief resume by November 15, 2021 to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division, 1220 N Street, Sacramento, California 95814, Attention: David Gutierrez.
A new resource for small olive oil farmers and producers who want to know more about voluntary Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC) membership is now available on the OOCC website. While OOCC membership is not required for producers of less than 5,000 gallons of olive oil per year, they may choose to participate in the OOCC’s mandatory sampling and testing program on a voluntary basis.
A few years ago, the OOCC Board created a voluntary version of the OOCC’s mandatory sampling and testing program to make it more accessible and affordable for smaller producers. The program is available to any California olive oil producer committed to high quality standards for their product and who wishes to have this quality verified by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
This OOCC program is only for 100 percent California olive oil. The benefits to members include:
● OOCC member olive oil is analyzed by a credible, independent laboratory to ensure it meets stringent standards for quality and purity;
● Samples are collected and verified by the California Department of Food and Agriculture;
● Members who meet the stringent CDFA standards are allowed to use the OOCC logo on their packaging and marketing materials;
● A list of OOCC Members in Good Standing, which includes voluntary members, is maintained and published each year;
The information packet is available HERE and includes more details about the OOCC program Members in Good Standing and other useful resources to help you make an informed decision. Should you have questions or need additional information, please contact OOCC Executive Director Chris Zanobini by email at chris@agamisi.com or phone at (916) 441-1581.