California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Tree Fruit

  • California Olive Oil Day 2020 Recap

    Roughly 150 olive oil industry members were present at third annual California Olive Oil Day held in early March.  The day started at 9 a.m. with a session focused on maximizing grower profits through grove management. Leandro Ravetti, Technical Director at Modern Olives spoke about irrigation management in olive orchards for oil production. His presentation included important information on the best times to irrigate, frequency of irrigation, and soil and plant monitoring.

    Ravetti also stressed the importance of careful site and variety selection as well as grove design prior to planting, noting that these practices can help growers increase profitability in the long term.

    William Krueger, Farm Advisor Emeritus of Glenn County, provided the group with information on canopy management in olive orchards for oil production. Krueger’s talking points included row orientation, best hedging practices to increase sunlight exposure for super high-density groves, how to prune modern high density, proper times to prune and mechanical options.

    The session on grove management was followed by Q&A with an industry panel who spoke to their own orchards and experiences. Panelists included Ravetti and Krueger as well as Lizandro Magana, Director of Farming at California Olive Ranch and Jeff Colombini, an olive grower in Lodi. The session was moderated by Adam Englehardt.

    The next session of the day dealt with disease management to prevent reduced yields and improve quality. First to present was Dr. Florent Trouillas, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis and Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Trouillas presented on the biology and control of Neofabraea in California and as well as his investigation into the occurrence and distribution of olive anthracnose in California.

    Through his research, Trouillas found that anthracnose was not present in commercial olive orchards in California. As for his research on Neofabraea, he discovered that the disease is emerging in California but remains limited to super high-density orchards at this time. This may be due to mechanical harvesting in SHD orchards, since the disease requires wounds on leaves and twigs to spread.

    Next Dr. James Adaskaveg from the Department of Plant Pathology at UC Riverside presented his research on epidemiology and management of olive knot and evaluation of new fungicides for the control of olive leaf spot/peacock spot. Adaskaveg recommended preventative care as the best means of managing these diseases. Since olive trees are most susceptible to olive knot and peacock spot at a point of injury, like that which occurs after mechanical harvesting and pruning, he recommended that trees be sprayed with a treatment the same day as the damage occurs.

    Dr. Askaskaveg also spoke about several new products that are in the process of being registered for use in California — an effort that has been made possible through research funded by the OOCC.

    During the Q&A portion of the session Adaskaveg, and Trouillas were joined by Paul Busalacchi, Director of Ag Operations at Corto and John Post, President, Agricultural Advisors to answer attendees’ questions.

    The final session featured Dan Flynn, Director of the UC Davis Olive Center who referred to California olives as “the crop of the future”. Flynn gave an update on the Olive Center as well as a recap of the year’s research. He also challenged growers to double yields by the year 2030, which some growers stated they thought was an achievable goal. His plan to help the industry achieve this included implementing a benchmark assessment of current production, conveying best practices in the New Olive Oil Production Manual and pushing higher yields through field research.

    All presentations from California Olive Oil Day can be found on the Research page of the OOCC website under the Research Presentations tab or downloaded below.

    Irrigation Management in Olive Orchards for Oil Production Canopy Management in Olive Orchards for Oil Production

    Biology and Control of Neofabraea in California and Investigating the Occurrence and Distribution of Olive Anthracnose in California

    Epidemiology and Management of Olive Knot and Evaluation of New Fungicides for Control of Olive Leaf Spot/Peacock Spot

    UC Davis Olive Center 

  • Daily Avocado Consumption Improves Focus

    A diet including daily avocado consumption improves the ability to focus attention in adults whose measurements of height and weight are categorized as overweight or obese, a new randomized control trial found.

    Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted the 12-week study, published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology.

    “Previous work has shown that individuals with overweight and obesity are at higher risk for cognitive decline and dementia in older age,” said kinesiology and community health professor Naiman Khan, who led the study. “We are interested in whether dietary approaches may have benefits for cognitive health, especially in midlife.”

    The Hass Avocado Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture supported this work.

    Avocados are high in lutein, a dietary component associated with cognitive benefits. Though avocado consumption’s benefits have been studied in older adults and children, no randomized controlled trials had studied its cognitive effects on adults with overweight or obesity, despite 70% of the American adult population falling into that category, said graduate student Caitlyn Edwards, the first author of the study.

    In the new study, the researchers provided 12 weeks of daily meals to 84 adults with overweight or obesity. The meals were identical in calories and macronutrients, but one group’s meals included a fresh avocado every day, while the control group had no avocado in their meals.

    At the beginning and end of the study, the participants completed three cognitive tests to measure attention and inhibition. In addition, the researchers measured lutein levels in the participants’ serum and in their retinas, which is associated with the lutein concentration in the brain.

    Graduate student Caitlyn Edwards and professor Naiman Khan performed the first randomized control trial looking at the cognitive benefits of avocado consumption for overweight or obese adults (Photo by L. Brian Stauffer).

    They found that the participants whose diets included avocados improved their performance on one of the cognitive tests, called the Flanker task, which measures attentional inhibition – the ability to maintain focus on the task at hand even in the face of distraction. However, there was no difference in the other two cognitive tests.

    “It could be that nutrients in avocados have a specific action in the brain that supports the ability to do this task in particular, or they could be more beneficial for certain cognitive abilities over others,” Khan said. “It’s also possible that with a longer study or different tests, we could see other effects. Other studies have found broader effects in other populations, so it is interesting to see a more specific benefit for this population.”

    Another unexpected finding was that, while the participants who ate avocados had higher levels of lutein at the end of the study, the changes in lutein levels were not correlated with their cognitive changes.

    “Avocados also are high in fiber and monounsaturated fats. It is possible that these other nutrients may have played a role in the cognitive effects we saw, but we focused on the lutein in our analyses,” Edwards said. “Future analyses may focus on other nutrients found in avocados, or avocado consumption’s impact on other measures such as weight status, inflammation and potential changes in the microbiome.”

    Although this study focused on avocados, other dietary sources of lutein, fiber and unsaturated fats – such as green leafy vegetables or eggs – also have potential cognitive and health benefits. The researchers say their study shows that small dietary changes, such as eating avocados, can have measurable impacts on cognitive performance, even when other health behaviors remain the same.

    “Our mission is to give people options. There are multiple ways people can eat to optimize brain health,” Khan said. “What we’re learning is that avocados may be one of those fruits that may be neuroprotective in certain ways. This work provides some evidence behind one option people have from a plethora of healthful foods that we can consume.”

    Editor’s notes: To reach Naiman Khan, email nakhan2@illinois.edu.

    The paper “Effects of 12-week avocado consumption on cognitive function among adults with overweight and obesity” is available online. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.12.006

  • Penn State Extension Offers Self-paced Course on Planning, Establishing Orchards

    The completion of apple harvest brings the opportunity to begin planning new orchards with exciting new cultivars and rootstocks. Penn State Extension now offers two online courses on best practices for planning and establishing orchards.

    The self-paced courses provide the latest recommendations on site planning and preparation, cultivars, rootstocks and training systems. Although designed for new producers, orchard managers and young growers returning to the family farm, the courses also have step-by-step suggestions useful to more experienced growers.

    The first course, “Orchard Management — Site Planning and Preparation,” addresses orchard site and climatic considerations along with site preparation practices to obtain early tree growth and yield. Basic horticultural principles are discussed for individuals who desire more training but have limited time. Online learners will develop an orchard map using sound horticultural principles and determine a site-specific approach to the preparation of a new orchard planting.

    The second course, “Orchard Management — Cultivars, Rootstocks and Orchard Training Systems,” has a series of videos and exercises on the selection of cultivars, rootstocks and training systems for apples, peaches, pears, plums, sweet cherries and tart cherries. Course registration includes access to image galleries of cultivars and rootstocks. There also are whiteboard animations on training various fruit types to higher density, profitable production systems.

    The courses are designed to stand alone or to be bundled for a discount. For more information and to register, visit https://extension.psu.edu/orchard-management-pr.

    About Penn State Extension

    Penn State Extension serves individuals, businesses and communities, helping them address problems and realize opportunities through educational programs, products and services. In support of Penn State’s land-grant mission, extension programs make a difference locally through face-to-face education as well as widely through online programs. With support from federal, state and county governments, extension has a tradition of bringing unbiased, research-based information to the citizens of Pennsylvania for more than 100 years. Penn State Extension offers a variety of online non-credit courses for the public. Consumers can access educational articles, videos, online courses and publications at their convenience, and register for regional in-person workshops and online webinars on a wide range of topics.

     

  • 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!

  • 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.

     

  • 9th Annual Madera Pomegranate, Fruit and Nut Festival

    The 9th annual Madera Pomegranate, Fruit and Nut Festival takes place Saturday, November 2, from 10:00a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Madera District Fairgrounds.  Admission and parking are free.  The unique, vibrant and fun event brings in visitors from all over the world to experience the best of the Central Valley’s local pomegranate and nut products.  The event is organized by the Madera Tourism Alliance, a committee of the Madera Chamber of Commerce.

    The festival features a full day of delicious pomegranate products, assorted local nut vendors, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations from local chefs, educational briefings on pomegranates, arts & crafts, and fun for the whole family.  Check out last year’s Pomegranate Festival Video –  https://youtu.be/ATqn5N-wwOY.

    “On behalf of the Madera Chamber, I would like to invite everyone to come out and join us for this fun-filled event. It’s a great outing for the entire family, ” Debi Bray, President/CEO, stated. “The Tourism Alliance Committee and Chamber staff is working hard to bring yet another great event to our community this year.”

    This year the festival welcomes Ohana Comic Con, featuring the world of comic book culture.  The event will be held in Women’s World, and as a part of the festival there will be no charge to attendees.  Fans often dress in costume when attending Comic Con and Ohana will host a costume contest in the afternoon.  This year’s Halloween costumes can be put to good use for this year’s festival attire!

    Ohana has also announced the participation of two featured celebrities; C. Andrew Nelson is an award-winning artist, actor, writer, consultant, and motivational speaker.  Andrew is probably best known for having played the iconic character of Darth Vader in the Special Edition re-release of the original Star Wars trilogy as well as in the Rebel Assault II and Dark Forces games from LucasArts.

    Actor Robert Allen Mukes, tops out at 6’10” and uniquely stands out from his fellow actors.  His most current projects include HBO’s TV series Westworld; the movies Coffin 2, Valentine DayZ, and Bone Tomahawk; and Showtime’s award-winning series Weeds, in which he played the memorable Alaskan bounty hunter, Abumchuk. He is most known for his role as Rufus Jr in Rob Zombie’s 2003 House of 1000 Corpses.

    This year, the live entertainment includes the Wheels Up band

    Festival highlights include:-

    • NEW this year is Ohana Comic Con. 
    • New this year Good Times Quarter Midget Race Car Show in Kids Zone
    • Pomegranate and Nut Inspired Foods and Products to taste and purchase.
    • Learn about the flavors of Pomegranates and Local Nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and walnuts through live cooking demonstrations.
    • Kid Zone that includes art, activities and games, children’s stage, educational information about local agriculture and interactive displays featuring law enforcement.
    • Live music entertainment
    • Classic Car Show
    • 100 plus vendors and exhibitors featuring pomegranate and nut products as well as a variety of other items

    The momentum is building and exciting things are falling into place for this year’s Madera Pomegranate, Fruit and Nut Festival. The annual event celebrates what Madera does best! Agriculture is Madera’s #1 industry, and the event takes place during November, which is National Pomegranate Month. Event Chair Nicki Rincon, encourages everyone to come out and join the fun.

    To learn more about the festival, visit www.PomegranateFestival.com or www.Facebook.com/PomegranateFestival, or call the Madera Chamber of Commerce at 559-673-3563.

  • Gerawan Farming and Wawona Packing Merge to Create Leading Stone Fruit Producer

    Gerawan Farming Inc. (“Gerawan”) and Wawona Packing Co., LLC (“Wawona”), today announced that they have completed a merger. Paine Schwartz, an existing investor in Wawona and a global leader in sustainable food chain investing, is partnering with both companies to facilitate the transaction. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

    Both Gerawan and Wawona are third-generation family businesses. Gerawan is a stone fruit industry pioneer with best-in-class farming, packing practices, and proprietary varieties marketed under the Prima® brand. Wawona is a California-based supplier of high-quality stone fruit and a leader in the organic segment of the market. The merger builds upon the legacies and reputations of the two industry-leading companies and creates an enhanced platform for growth and innovation. The combined business will be able to better serve its customers and create significant opportunities for employees.

    The combined company will be led by Dan Gerawan, who will be the largest individual shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of the merged entity. Brent Smittcamp, current Executive Chairman of Wawona, will also remain a significant shareholder and continue to be highly involved with the combined company. The management team will be comprised of leaders from both companies.

    Mr. Gerawan said, “At Gerawan, innovating on a large scale to grow, pack and ship the world’s best fruit has been key to our success, and those efforts have always hinged on investing in our employees. These same values underpin Wawona’s success. This merger is an exciting next step to unlock the full potential of both companies.” Mr. Smittcamp, Executive Chairman of Wawona, said, “Over the last several years, we have focused on accelerating Wawona’s growth by building on the inherent strengths of our business and management team. Our acquisition last year of Burchell Nursery Inc. was one example, and now this historic merger with Gerawan takes it to yet another level. We are eager to bring the benefits of this merger to our employees, suppliers and customers.”Mr. Gerawan continued, “We have great respect for Wawona’s management and employees, all of whom share our passion for producing the highest-quality stone fruit. We look forward to working closely with them and the team at Paine Schwartz to deliver even more of the best quality fruit to our customers.”

    Kevin Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer of Paine Schwartz, said, “This merger represents a tremendous milestone and the type of growth opportunity that we can achieve by leveraging Paine Schwartz’s agribusiness sector expertise and close collaboration with family-owned businesses. We look forward to this new chapter for two companies that have been incredibly successful on their own, and we believe they can achieve even greater success through this merger. Dan’s experience and commitment are invaluable assets, and we look forward to supporting him in leading the combined company in this next stage of growth and value creation.”

     

  • Spotted Wing Drosophila Control in Cherries

    If the birds don’t get to your cherries, Spotted Wing Drosophila will, injecting their larvae right into the fruit. Watch this brief video with UC Cooperative Extension Specialist Kent Daane as he shares how to manage this pest that has managed to spread all over the United States. Read more about orchard pest and disease management in California Fresh Fruit Magazine.

  • How to Control Black Heart in Pomegranate

    With pomegranate harvest approaching, growers may be wondering how much fruit they are going to lose this year to “Black Heart” fruit rot.  But what causes this spoiling of the fruit and how can it be prevented or minimized?  Watch this brief interview with Plant Pathologist Themis Michailides at UC Davis to find out.  Read more about orchard pest and disease management in California Fresh Fruit Magazine.

  • USDA Announces Details of Support Package for Farmers

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced further details of the $16 billion package aimed at supporting American agricultural producers while the Administration continues to work on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals.

    In May, President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a relief strategy in line with the estimated impacts of unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. The Market Facilitation Program (MFP), Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP), and Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) will assist agricultural producers while President Trump works to address long-standing market access barriers.

    “China and other nations have not played by the rules for a long time, and President Trump is the first President to stand up to them and send a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate unfair trade practices,” Secretary Perdue said. “The details we announced today ensure farmers will not stand alone in facing unjustified retaliatory tariffs while President Trump continues working to solidify better and stronger trade deals around the globe.

    “Our team at USDA reflected on what worked well and gathered feedback on last year’s program to make this one even stronger and more effective for farmers. Our farmers work hard, are the most productive in the world, and we aim to match their enthusiasm and patriotism as we support them,” Secretary Perdue added.

    Background:

    American farmers have dealt with unjustified retaliatory tariffs and decades of non-tariff trade disruptions, which have curtailed U.S. exports to China and other nations. Trade damages from such retaliation and market distortions have impacted a host of U.S. commodities. High tariffs disrupt normal marketing patterns, raising costs by forcing commodities to find new markets. Additionally, American goods shipped to China have been slowed from reaching market by unusually strict or cumbersome entry procedures, which affect the quality and marketability of perishable crops. These boost marketing costs and unfairly affect our producers. USDA is using a variety of programs to support American farmers, ranchers, and producers.

    Participating in the Trade Mitigation Call – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA Chief Economist Rob Johansson, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps.

    Details of USDA’s Market Facilitation Program (MFP)

    MFP signup at local FSA offices will run from Monday, July 29 through Friday, December 6, 2019.

    Payments will be made by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) under the authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act to producers of alfalfa hay, barley, canola, corn, crambe, dried beans, dry peas, extra-long staple cotton, flaxseed, lentils, long grain and medium grain rice, millet, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, rapeseed, rye, safflower, sesame seed, small and large chickpeas, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower seed, temperate japonica rice, triticale, upland cotton, and wheat. MFP assistance for those non-specialty crops is based on a single county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in aggregate in 2019. Those per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. A producer’s total payment-eligible plantings cannot exceed total 2018 plantings. County payment rates range from $15 to $150 per acre, depending on the impact of unjustified trade retaliation in that county.

    Dairy producers who were in business as of June 1, 2019, will receive a per hundredweight payment on production history, and hog producers will receive a payment based on the number of live hogs owned on a day selected by the producer between April 1 and May 15, 2019.

    MFP payments will also be made to producers of almonds, cranberries, cultivated ginseng, fresh grapes, fresh sweet cherries, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Each specialty crop will receive a payment based on 2019 acres of fruit or nut bearing plants, or in the case of ginseng, based on harvested acres in 2019.

    Acreage of non-specialty crops and cover crops must be planted by August 1, 2019 to be considered eligible for MFP payments.

    The MFP rule and a related Notice of Funding Availability will be published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2019, when signup begins at local FSA offices. Per-acre non-specialty crop county payment rates, specialty crop payment rates, and livestock payment rates are all currently available on farmers.gov.

    MFP payments will be made in up-to three tranches, with the second and third tranches evaluated as market conditions and trade opportunities dictate. If conditions warrant, the second and third tranches will be made in November and early January, respectively. The first tranche will be comprised of the higher of either 50 percent of a producer’s calculated payment or $15 per acre, which may reduce potential payments to be made in tranches two or three. USDA will begin making first tranche payments in mid-to-late August.

    MFP payments are limited to a combined $250,000 for non-specialty crops per person or legal entity. MFP payments are also limited to a combined $250,000 for dairy and hog producers and a combined $250,000 for specialty crop producers. However, no applicant can receive more than $500,000. Eligible applicants must also have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000 or, 75 percent of the person’s or legal entity’s average AGI for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 must have been derived from farming and ranching. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations.

    Many producers were affected by natural disasters this spring, such as flooding, that kept them out of the field for extended periods of time. Producers who filed a prevented planting claim and planted an FSA-certified cover crop, with the potential to be harvested qualify for a $15 per acre payment. Acres that were never planted in 2019 are not eligible for an MFP payment.

    In June, H.R. 2157, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 was signed into law by President Trump, requiring a change to the first round of MFP assistance provided in 2018. Producers previously deemed ineligible for MFP in 2018 because they had an average AGI level higher than $900,000 may now be eligible for 2018 MFP benefits. Those producers must be able to verify 75 percent or more of their average AGI was derived from farming and ranching to qualify. This supplemental MFP signup period will run parallel to the 2019 MFP signup, from July 29 through December 6, 2019.

    For more information on the MFP, visit www.farmers.gov/mfp or contact your local FSA office, which can be found at www.farmers.gov.

    Details of USDA’s Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP)

    Additionally, CCC Charter Act authority will be used to implement an up to $1.4 billion FPDP through the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to purchase surplus commodities affected by trade retaliation such as fruits, vegetables, some processed foods, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and milk for distribution by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals.

     

    Purchasing:

    AMS will buy affected products in four phases, starting after October 1, 2019 with deliveries beginning in January 2020. The products purchased can be adjusted between phases to accommodate changes due to: growing conditions; product availability; market conditions; trade negotiation status; and program capacity. AMS will purchase known commodities first. By purchasing in phases, procurements for commodities that have been sourced in the past can be purchased more quickly and included in the first phase.

    Vendor Outreach:

    To expand the AMS vendor pool and the ability to purchase new and existing products, AMS will ramp up its vendor outreach and registration efforts. AMS has also developed flyers on how the process works and how to become a vendor for distribution to industry groups and interested parties. Additionally, AMS will continue to host a series of free webinars describing the steps required to become a vendor. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered during the webinar. Recorded webinars are available to review by potential vendors, and staff will host periodic Question and Answer teleconferences to better explain the process.

    Product Specifications:

    AMS maintains purchase specifications for a variety of commodities, which ensure recipients receive the high-quality product they expect. AMS in collaboration with FNS regularly develops and revises specifications for new and enhanced products based on program requirements and requests. AMS will be prioritizing the development of those products impacted by unjustified retaliation. AMS will also work with industry groups to identify varieties and grades sold to China and other markets imposing retaliatory tariffs, such as premium apples, oranges, pears, and other products. AMS will develop or revise specifications to facilitate the purchase of these premium varieties in forms that meet the needs of FNS nutrition assistance programs.

    Outlets:

    The products discussed in this plan will be distributed to States for use in the network of food banks and food pantries that participate in The Emergency Feeding Assistance Program (TEFAP), elderly feeding programs such as the Commodity Supplemental Foods Program (CSFP), and tribes that operate the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).

    These outlets are in addition to child nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch Program, which may also benefit from these purchases.

    Additionally, the rule provides flexibility for FNS to explore new channels of non-profit distribution of product, should the availability of distribution through traditional channels prove to be insufficient. FNS will offer products through traditional channels prior to consideration of new outlets.

    Distribution:

    AMS has coordinated with FNS, industry representatives, and other agency partners to determine necessary logistics for the purchase and distribution of each commodity, including trucking, inspection and audit requirements, and agency staffing.

    Details of USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP)

    USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will administer the ATP under authorities of the CCC. The ATP will provide cost-share assistance to eligible U.S. organizations for activities such as consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and exhibits, market research, and technical assistance. Last week, USDA awarded $100 million to 48 organizations through the ATP to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets.

    The 48 recipients are among the cooperator organizations that applied for $200 million in ATP funds in 2018 that were awarded earlier this year. As part of a new round of support for farmers impacted by unjustified retaliation and trade disruption, those groups had the opportunity to be considered for additional support for their work to boost exports for U.S. agriculture, food, fish, and forestry products.

    Already, since the $200 million in assistance was announced in January, U.S. exporters have had significant success, including a trade mission to Pakistan that generated $10 million in projected 2019 sales of pulse crops, a new marketing program for Alaska seafood that led to more than $4 million in sales of salmon to Vietnam and Thailand, and a comprehensive marketing effort by the U.S. soybean industry that has increased exposure in more than 50 international markets. These funds will continue to generate sales and business for U.S. producers and exporters many times over as promotional activity continues for the next couple of years.