Do you suspect some big black birds are damaging your irrigation lines, pecking at your newborn calves or eating your developing crop? You may have a problem with crows or ravens. But how do you tell the two apart, and how can you legally control them? Watch this brief interview with Brian Popper from USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services to learn more (special thanks to Hardshell Labs for providing some of the video b-roll footage).
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
As farmers face drought conditions once again this summer, local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies are still working on the planning and implementation of their Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Watch this brief video with Patricia Poire, Executive Director of the Kern Groundwater Authority, as she shares concerns and needs for both farmer and government support to meet the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requirements.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program — While limiting the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid and Huanglongbing are the highest priority for the California citrus industry and the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program, the program continually monitors for a number of threats to the industry and has recently detected sweet orange scab (SOS) in new areas of the state. Additionally, an unofficial Lime Swallowtail Butterfly (LSB) sample was identified from Los Angeles County and several LSB sightings have been uploaded onto the iNaturalist application, including sightings in Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo counties.
SOS is a cosmetic fungal disease that impacts the marketability of the fruit and effects all citrus, not just oranges. SOS is caused by the fungus Elsinöe australis, which is dispersed by water. You can recognize SOS by the scab-like lesions on fruit, and less frequently on leaves and twigs. SOS can cause premature fruit drop and stunt young nursery trees and new field plantings but has little impact on fruit quality.
A positive detection of SOS was found during a commodity survey on the west side of Riverside County, the fourth detection in California within the last year and a half. To help protect citrus from SOS, growers and packinghouses within five miles from an SOS detection, and packinghouses throughout the state receiving fruit from groves within five miles from an SOS detection, are currently required to follow the below measures:
Per the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee’s direction, CDFA is also reviewing SOS impacts and analyzing the need to establish SOS interior quarantine regulations. Currently the program regulates areas within a five-mile radius from each SOS detection, following the United States Department of Agriculture’s quarantine protocols.
Working hand in hand with growers, CDFA is exploring the rulemaking process to create state interior quarantines, which will avoid a broader statewide quarantine that would be more burdensome to the industry.
There was one unofficial detection of LSB in Los Angeles and several reported sightings in Los Angeles and in San Luis Obispo counties.
LSB in the larval stage eat citrus leaves and have been very damaging to nursery stock in other parts of the world. The larva looks similar to bird guano before maturing into green caterpillars. As butterflies, they are largely black with irregular yellow spots on the outer wings.
California Avocado Commission — The National Weather Service has issued warnings concerning an extended period of excessive heat, gusty winds and critical fire weather conditions beginning Monday, June 14 and lasting throughout the entire next week for the Los Angeles/Oxnard region.
Beginning Monday, the region will experience higher temperatures and gusty winds, peaking Tuesday through Friday, June 18. The combination of extended high temperatures — in the triple digits — warm overnight temperatures, low humidity, abnormally dry fuels and Sundowner winds will create critical fire conditions during this time period. The Sundowner winds in Santa Barbara County and north winds along the I-5 corridor and the canyons and hills of the Santa Ynez Range and Santa Clarita Valley could create gusts in the 30 – 50 mph range. Driving conditions also could become hazardous due to downed branches or power lines.
The highest temperatures will occur Tuesday through Friday with highs between 98˚F – 108˚F in the valleys and mountains. Overnight lows will be between 65˚F– 75˚F. Humidities will range from 8 – 15%.
These conditions will post a high risk for heat-related illnesses for those working outdoors.
For more information on how to avoid these risks, view “Reduce Heat Illness for Employees” on the California avocado growers’ website.
To ensure California avocados maintain their superior quality it is imperative growers manage their trees and harvest their fruit according to best management practices as outlined below.
IRRIGATION
Growers should be irrigating their trees now, in advance of the heat, to ensure their trees are fully hydrated. It is recommended that an additional 50% of the budgeted amount of water be applied the day before a heat wave. For extended heat waves, daily pulses of irrigation are recommended to maintain the trees’ water status. A well-watered tree will tolerate the stress of a heat wave much better than a tree that is suffering from water stress. Signs of heat damage to trees include fruit drop, shoot damage, leaf burn and in severe cases leaf drop.
HARVESTING
Every attempt should be made to harvest fruit when temperatures are below 90 °F, and no harvesting should take place when temperatures exceed 95 °F. Temperature in the shade should be monitored during harvesting and, when possible, harvesting crews should be moved to the coolest, least exposed areas of the grove.
Field bins should be placed under the trees while being filled to protect the harvested fruit from sunburn. Once filled, bins should be moved to a shade structure (open-sided roofed building), or covered with bin covers or light-colored tarps if they cannot be immediately transported to the packinghouse. Never leave filled bins exposed to the direct sun. The surface layer of fruit can easily heat up to more than 15 °F above ambient temperature when exposed to direct sun. Acute sunburn will only show on fruit after it is packed and is a major quality detractor.
To avoid water loss and decreased fruit quality do not hold fruit too long after harvest. Transport fruit to the packinghouse at least once per day, if not twice daily. Bins should not be left in the grove for more than 8 hours after harvest. Cover bins during transport to avoid sunburn and to reduce water loss.
For more information about managing heat in avocado groves, growers can view the following articles on the California avocado growers’ website:
• Managing Heat in California Avocado Groves
• Managing Avocado Heat Damage
• Best Practices for California Avocado Groves Impacted by Excessive Heat
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak in Peaches. The FDA and multiple state and federal partners investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections that were linked to the consumption of peaches during the summer of 2020. In total, the outbreak caused 101 reported illnesses across 17 states, including 28 hospitalizations. This appears to be the first time a Salmonella outbreak has been linked to peaches.
The FDA conducted this investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state partners, and Canadian public health officials between August and October 2020. The epidemiological and traceback investigation determined that peaches packed or supplied by a large grower/producer were the likely source of the outbreak. The traceback evidence informed and helped to prioritize two subsequent investigations of peach packing/holding operations and peach orchards in Cutler, Kerman, and Sanger, California. The large grower/producer cooperated with FDA throughout the investigation and is continuing to engage with FDA on the agency’s findings and recommendations.
Investigators conducted over 700 tests on environmental, peach, and peach tree leaf samples. While no test results matched the 2020 outbreak strain, four tests conducted on peach and peach tree leaf samples collected from an orchard adjacent to a poultry operation yielded positives for Salmonella Alachua which were further linked via whole genome sequencing (WGS) to 2019 and 2020 chicken isolates. This finding prompted a follow-up investigation more closely focused on growing areas and a voluntary recall by the firm, preventing the tested, contaminated product from reaching the market. During the follow-up investigation, two tests of peach tree leaf samples collected from orchards adjacent to a cattle feedlot yielded positives for Salmonella Montevideo that were genetically similar via WGS to 2018-2020 beef and cattle isolates.
While investigators did not find the outbreak strain, and the strains of Salmonella found during this outbreak were not linked to any clinical illnesses, the investigational findings reinforce the FDA’s concern about the potential impact that adjacent land uses can have on the safety of produce.
The FDA views the implementation of appropriate science- and risk-based measures to reduce the potential for contamination of peaches and other produce as the most effective and practicable means to improve the safety of fresh produce, especially when measures are tailored to the specific practices and conditions on individual farms. The FDA encourages all growers to be cognizant of and assess risks that may be posed by adjacent and nearby land uses, including for the potential impact of dust exposure. The FDA also recognizes the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment when it comes to public health outcomes, and we encourage collaboration among various groups in the broader agricultural community (e.g., produce growers, those managing animal operations, state and federal government agencies, and academia) to address this issue.
For additional information
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and the California Walnut Board (CWB) and U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) are collaborating with a select group of retailers, including Coborn’s, Rouses Markets and Weis Markets, to encourage consumers to “grab a boost of blue and walnuts, too!” Activations will include unique opportunities such as local TV segments, e-newsletter features, Facebook Lives, and more, led by retail registered dietitians. There’s no better time to consider brain benefits through snack food choices.
“Power periods like Brain Health Month are timely opportunities to get consumers thinking in new and different ways about the products they love,” said Jennifer Sparks, V.P., Marketing and Communications at USHBC. “This strategic collaboration helps both the walnut and blueberry industries reach new audiences and increase demand. It’s a win-win.”
“While the health benefits of blueberries and walnuts are compelling, this campaign clearly demonstrates how agricultural groups can come together through combined thought leadership and resources, to bring exceptional value and benefit to retailers, consumers and their growers,” said Jennifer Olmstead, Senior Director of U.S. Marketing & Communications at the California Walnut Board. “By working together, we can educate consumers about the benefits of consuming walnuts and blueberries while providing simple snacking solutions that they can implement in their daily lives.”
Just about all Americans snack daily (97%), and 22% of snackers (53 million people) are looking for snacks that promote cognitive health, according to a new snacking survey conducted by California Walnuts in partnership with Kelton Global. Diet may have a role to play in bolstering brain health and mitigating potential risks. A growing field of research is looking at the connection between certain foods like walnuts and blueberries and cognitive function. Snacking on walnuts provides important nutrients, like ALA omega-3 fatty acid (2.5 g/oz), that have been studied in connection with brain health. A growing body of scientific evidence is examining how blueberries can be part of eating patterns to support brain health, especially as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
Perfect as on-the-go snacks to enjoy all month long, blueberries and walnuts are easy to add into any routine and are sure to become a family favorite. For recipe inspiration, the CWB and USHBC created a new blueberry & walnut recipe collection.
“Grab a Boost of Blue and Walnuts Too!” is designed to inspire and motivate consumers to enjoy more of the blueberries and walnuts they love, in more ways and more often – ultimately driving demand and increasing sales. Retailers are encouraged to participate and inspire their audiences to think about brain health using engaging, easy-to-use content developed by USHBC and the CWB, including recipes, social media images, digital ads and other resources.
California walnuts and blueberries are also teaming up for joint displays at two regional retailers. In June, Giant Eagle will prominently integrate walnuts into their month-long “blueberry harvest” event and support the effort with a display contest awarding the stores achieving the largest sales increases. In August, Jewel Osco will feature both California walnuts and blueberries in their circular ad and showcase both items with adjacent displays in-store.
About the Survey: The study surveyed 1,005 nationally representative Americans age 18+ in the U.S., and was conducted online during the period of May 7-14, 2021 and the study has a margin of error of+/- 3.1%. Methodology: Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percent, from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all personas in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher. Kelton Global, a Material Company, is a strategic consulting agency specializing in quantitative and qualitative market research and serves as a partner to more than 100 of the Fortune 500 and thousands of smaller companies and organizations. For more information about Kelton Global please call 1.888.8.KELTON or visit www.keltonglobal.com.
About the California Walnut Board
The California Walnut Board (CWB) was established in 1948 to represent the walnut growers and handlers of California. The CWB is funded by mandatory assessments of the handlers. The CWB is governed by a Federal Walnut Marketing Order. The CWB promotes usage of walnuts in the United States through publicity and educational programs. The CWB also provides funding for walnut production, food safety and post-harvest research.
About the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is an agriculture promotion group, representing blueberry growers and packers in North and South America who market their blueberries in the United States and overseas, and works to promote the growth and well-being of the entire blueberry industry. The blueberry industry is committed to providing blueberries that are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in clean, safe environments. Learn more at blueberrycouncil.org.
California Prune orchards put on a beautiful show this spring as the trees bloomed with white blossoms and shifted to a changing color palette as new fruit formed. Growers across the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys reported a nice extended bloom with excellent quality.
With an estimated 75,000 tons in volume for the 2021 crop, California Prune growers have been diligent in maintaining the health of the trees, the soil, and preparing crews for harvest this summer to produce the premium quality prunes that California is renowned for. Over the course of the pandemic, demand for California Prunes accelerated and the industry responded with smart inventory management which translates to consistency in supply for customers.
“Stable weather conditions and a steady supply have put the California Prune industry in a healthy position,” says Donn Zea, Executive Director for the California Prune Board. “We are hitting an equilibrium in acreage and supply due in part to the carryover that California maintains each year to provide customers with a high-quality, healthy product when it matters most.”
California is the world’s largest supplier of prunes providing a range of premium sizes to meet demand in the U.S. and key export markets. Generations of craftsmanship, intricate climate-controlled drying tunnels, and ongoing investments in research to perfect orchard management practices and deepen the understanding of health benefits, have provided a solid foundation for California’s growers and handlers.
“Providing a reliable supply each year is a priority across the industry,” added Zea. “With over 100 years of experience growing prunes, we’ve found our way through many challenges, but we’ve never taken our eye off the ball.”
California has the highest agricultural standards of any other nation. Prune growers and handlers make substantial investments that support the profitability and production of a sustainable food system without compromising efficiencies. Each year, the California Prune industry generates more than $717 million in annual economic impact flowing into the state economy creating and sustaining more than 7,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
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.
With emergency drought regulations being prepared and cuts in state and federal water deliveries being announced, farmers and ranchers are being forced to make tough decisions about the future of their operations. One crop now getting a lot of attention as a possible alternative is table olives, grown in the modern acreage format, which the U.C. Davis Olive Center has called “California’s crop of the future.”
The main catalyst for that attention is the olive modern acreage initiative, an effort being spearheaded by the Musco Family Olive Co. in partnership with U.S. family olive farmers. The U.S. grower/processor olive initiative is promoting a more competitive, drought-tolerant, environmentally friendly U.S.-based table olive sector by moving the industry towards a modern acreage format adaptable to mechanical harvesting and efficient irrigation methods.
While traditional olive acreage is typically planted 60 to 80 trees per acre and hand-harvested, the modern acreage system is optimized with 200 to 250 trees per acre and mechanical harvesting using shaker technology. This approach doubles the yield per acre and reduces harvesting costs to roughly one-third of hand harvesting, which drives significantly improved grower economics. Just as important is the fact that olive trees are also drought-tolerant and annually use less water than almonds or walnuts – a critical attribute given California’s constant drought concerns, rising water costs, and a tightening water supply. The trees enjoy peak productivity for decades and perform well on marginal soil, which helps minimize capital investment.
“The looming challenges facing all farmers – limited water supply, rising water costs, increasing labor costs, decreasing labor supply, loss of prime farmland, and reliance on selling products to volatile foreign markets – are all effectively addressed when planting and growing olives in the modern format,” said Dennis Burreson, a grower and vice president of field operations and industry affairs for Musco Family Olive Co. He added, “When you learn of the significant environmental benefits of the trees being drought tolerant and the recent successful trade actions, family farmers become very interested. As a result, we have already committed one million nursery stock trees free to select grower partners who stand ready to plant their own state-of-the-art orchards.”
The U.S. government’s effective enforcement of U.S. trade remedy laws has provided a major boost to the hundreds of family farmers and processors comprising the U.S.-based olive industry. Since 2018, the United States has imposed antidumping and countervailing duties to redress heavily subsidized and dumped ripe olives from Spain, which for years have unfairly seized U.S. market share and pushed U.S. farmers and processors to the brink. By restoring fairness to the U.S. marketplace, those duties are giving the U.S.-based industry the time it needs to invest in its future competitiveness and protect thousands of American jobs. Today, the California ripe olive industry has regained nearly all the grocery business it had previously lost due to unfairly priced Spanish product.
Because the modern acreage plantings will take time to reach maturity, the U.S.-based olive industry is taking every step necessary to ensure that effective antidumping and countervailing duties remain in place at the border. This includes actively monitoring imports and taking further actions as appropriate to stop evasion and other unfair imports that undermine a fair U.S. marketplace.
“California’s olive growers have been taking every step possible to ensure a prosperous and growing table olive industry that will continue to provide the American consumer with premium California-grown ripe olives. We are grateful for the Biden Administration’s commitment to continued strong trade enforcement and ‘Build Back Better’ policies, which align with our industry’s aims and should help safeguard the future for table olives that are grown and processed in America,” said Andy Weinrich, a table olive grower from Glenn County who planted 80 acres in the modern acreage format about eight years ago.
To provide growers with a better understanding of the benefits of modern acreage, the University of California, Davis Olive Center will host a free webinar on modernizing table olive groves on Wednesday, June 23, from 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. To register for the webinar, visit: https://www.olives.com/milliontrees/
Scientists from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are working to understand how something can be equally effective as both a government-approved food additive and as a pesticide.
Methyl benzoate is a naturally occurring compound produced by plants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration long ago approved methyl benzoate for human use; its fruity and floral aroma makes it a staple in perfumes and cosmetics and as a food additive. Nature employs it to attract pollinators.
While many insects find methyl benzoate appealing, Aijun Zhang, research chemist at the ARS Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, is investigating why some insects and non-insect pests find it revolting.
Zhang’s research has focused on methyl benzoate’s utility as a pesticide for human protection and crop protection. So far, Zhang has documented that the compound will kill or repel many insects in various stages of development, including mosquitoes, bed bugs, fire ants, ticks, flies, moths, and the brown marmorated stink bug. Perhaps most important, however, is its ability to repel and kill the spotted wing drosophila fly (SWD). “SWD is the most significant invasive insect pest of soft-skinned fruit crops in the USA,” Zhang said.
Since SWD was first detected in California a little over a decade ago, the fly has become a key pest in blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cherries. These crops have a combined annual value of over $5.8 billion, and farmers lose about $718 million annually to SWD damage.
Farmers fight SWD with synthetic insecticides, but at prices up to $1,200 per acre, that method is expensive. It is costly in other ways, too, Zhang said; the synthetic insecticide is harmful to the environment, contributes to pesticide resistance, and may be harmful to humans.
Because methyl benzoate is an environmentally friendly, bio-based compound, Zhang thinks it has great potential to be used by people for human protection as an alternative to synthetic pesticides. It also costs much less than synthetic pesticide treatments.
According to Zhang, methyl benzoate shares the same “chemical skeleton” as DEET, the gold standard in arthropod repellency, a detail that is leading future research efforts.
“Understanding the structure-activity relationship will allow researchers to modify the chemical structure of the methyl benzoate molecule to develop pesticides that are more efficient at controlling arthropod pests,” he said. — By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications.
