California Fruit and Vegetable

Tag: California Fresh Fruit Magazine

  • Philippine Market Opens to US Fresh Blueberries

    On May 24, 2020, the Philippines will formally open its market to U.S. fresh highbush blueberries. Since the United States is the only country with official access to the Philippine market, U.S. suppliers are poised to take advantage of the opportunity to supply the Philippine retail and food service sectors. Traders estimate sales of U.S. fresh blueberries could reach $500,000 this season, with greater potential in the years to come.

    The Philippine Department of Agriculture’s (DA) regulation allowing complete market access for U.S. fresh blueberries will take effect on May 24, 2020, making the United States the only country with formal market access. U.S. suppliers and Philippine importers now have much stronger incentive to cultivate trade relationships to supply the expanding food retail sector, and eventually the food service sector once COVID-19 community quarantine measures are eased.

    In the past, DA had allowed limited and intermittent importation of fresh blueberries specifically for hotels, restaurants, and high-end supermarkets. Sales over the past five years (2015 to 2019) averaged $150,000 each year (roughly 20 metric tons). With formal market access in place for the entire Philippine market, multiple trade contacts forecast U.S. sales could reach $500,000 this season and exceed $1,000,000 in succeeding years if there is a concerted marketing effort to increase consumer awareness on the availability, quality, and health benefits of U.S. fresh blueberries.

    Like all fresh fruit importation, a licensed importer must secure a Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry. Products must not load for export before their issuance, must be shipped within 20 days following their issuance, and must arrive in the Philippines within 60 days from the must ship-out date.

    The full import requirements are outlined in the Administrative Circular, which can be found here: https://law.upd.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/DA-AC-No-05-Series-of-2020.pdf.

    Tariff Rates

    The Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rate for blueberries is seven percent and subject to 12 percent Value Added Tax or VAT.

    Competition

    Aside from the United States being the only approved country to source fresh imported blueberries, the Philippines has only very limited local production. Consistently supplying the multitude of hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and other retail outlets with quality product remains a challenge for Philippine growers due to limited production area and the lack of adequate post-harvest facilities and cold chain infrastructure.

    Further Information and Assistance

    USDA-FAS at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines is ready to help exporters of U.S. agricultural products achieve their objectives in the Philippines. Contact us at AgManila@fas.usda.gov

  • USDA Announces Details of Direct Assistance to Farmers

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to this direct support to farmers and ranchers, USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program is partnering with regional and local distributors, whose workforces have been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat and deliver boxes to Americans in need.

    “America’s farming community is facing an unprecedented situation as our nation tackles the coronavirus. President Trump has authorized USDA to ensure our patriotic farmers, ranchers, and producers are supported and we are moving quickly to open applications to get payments out the door and into the pockets of farmers,” said Secretary Perdue. “These payments will help keep farmers afloat while market demand returns as our nation reopens and recovers. America’s farmers are resilient and will get through this challenge just like they always do with faith, hard work, and determination.”

    Beginning May 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses.

    Background:

    CFAP provides vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.

    Farmers and ranchers will receive direct support, drawn from two possible funding sources. The first source of funding is $9.5 billion in appropriated funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act to compensate farmers for losses due to price declines that occurred between mid-January 2020, and mid-April 2020 and provides support for specialty crops for product that had been shipped from the farm between the same time period but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channels. The second funding source uses the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act to compensate producers for $6.5 billion in losses due to on-going market disruptions.

    Non-Specialty Crops and Wool

    Non-specialty crops eligible for CFAP payments include malting barley, canola, corn, upland cotton, millet, oats, soybeans, sorghum, sunflowers, durum wheat, and hard red spring wheat. Wool is also eligible. Producers will be paid based on inventory subject to price risk held as of January 15, 2020. A payment will be made based 50 percent of a producer’s 2019 total production or the 2019 inventory as of January 15, 2020, whichever is smaller, multiplied by the commodity’s applicable payment rates.

    Livestock

    Livestock eligible for CFAP include cattle, lambs, yearlings and hogs. The total payment will be calculated using the sum of the producer’s number of livestock sold between January 15 and April 15, 2020, multiplied by the payment rates per head, and the highest inventory number of livestock between April 16 and May 14, 2020, multiplied by the payment rate per head.

    Dairy

    For dairy, the total payment will be calculated based on a producer’s certification of milk production for the first quarter of calendar year 2020 multiplied by a national price decline during the same quarter. The second part of the payment is based a national adjustment to each producer’s production in the first quarter.

    Specialty Crops

    For eligible specialty crops, the total payment will be based on the volume of production sold between January 15 and April 15, 2020; the volume of production shipped, but unpaid; and the number of acres for which harvested production did not leave the farm or mature product destroyed or not harvested during that same time period, and which have not and will not be sold. Specialty crops include, but are not limited to, almonds, beans, broccoli, sweet corn, lemons, iceberg lettuce, spinach, squash, strawberries and tomatoes. A full list of eligible crops can be found on farmers.gov/cfap. Additional crops may be deemed eligible at a later date.

    Eligibility

    There is a payment limitation of $250,000 per person or entity for all commodities combined. Applicants who are corporations, limited liability companies or limited partnerships may qualify for additional payment limits where members actively provide personal labor or personal management for the farming operation. Producers will also have to certify they meet the Adjusted Gross Income limitation of $900,000 unless at least 75 percent or more of their income is derived from farming, ranching or forestry-related activities. Producers must also be in compliance with Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions.

    Applying for Assistance

    Producers can apply for assistance beginning on May 26, 2020. Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap. Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local FSA office. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested. FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020.

    Payment Structure

    To ensure the availability of funding throughout the application period, producers will receive 80 percent of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date as funds remain available.

    USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

  • Automated Delivery System for Therapeutic Materials to Treat HLB Infected Citrus

    Why is this research needed?

    In 2005, a disease called Huanglongbing (HLB, citrus greening, was identified in Florida’s commercial citrus groves. The disease is caused by a bacterium that affects all citrus cultivars by disrupting the flow of nutrients from the source of production, to the site of use, causing tree decline. HLB weakens the root system, increases early fruit and leaf drop, lowers tree productivity and fruit quality and ultimately kills the tree. The disease has spread to all the major production regions in Florida. Economic losses have exceeded more than $4 billion dollars. Currently, more than 95% of Florida’s trees are infected. There is currently no cure for the disease.

    Efforts to control HLB have been unsuccessful as the bacterium cannot be cultured, literally grown, in a petri dish, and once in the plant it proliferates within the citrus phloem. Phloem is the system that transports sugars from their site of production, the leaves, to plant parts that use sugars, the roots or flowers.Phloem transport is generally downward but can be upward as well.

    Once the HLB bacterium is in a tree’s phloem it has the potential to infect the entire tree. It is exceedingly difficult to introduce any control agent into the phloem with the conventional control methods of foliar spraying or soil drenching.

    Thus far, no treatment preventing HLB infection, or controlling the bacterium once within the tree, has been developed. Potential chemicals are being investigated, but in order to test them, direct or indirect phloem delivery, where the bacterium proliferates, is needed. Therefore, an effective method of delivering an effective volume of theraputics into the phloem is needed to evaluate potential treatments.

    What is the focus of this project?

    Our project focuses on developing a method of delivering therapeutic liquid materials, bactericides, microbial metabolites, RNAi, or biologicals, into the citrus vascular tissues, both the xylem which conducts water and nutrients upward from the roots and the phloem, which conducts sugars and other metabolic products downward from the leaves. We are investigating diffusion, trunk punctures with a surrounding liquid reservoir for passive uptake and infusion, low pressure active injections. We are focusing on these methods as foliar sprays and root drenches have not been successful phloem delivery methods.

    Who will be doing the research?

    The project is led by plant pathologist Dr. Ozgur Batuman with colleagues at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) at University of Florida in Immokalee. This four-year project will also study the citrus vascular system with a multidisciplinary research team including UF Plant Pathologists Drs. Nabil Killiny and Amit Levy at Lake Alfred, SWFREC UF Plant Physiologist Ute Albrecht, Citrus Horticulturist Fernando Alferez, Precision Ag. Engineer Yiannis Ampatzidis, Agricultural and Natural Resources Economist Tara Wade, University of California-Davis Extension Specialist Louise Ferguson and Texas A&M-Kingsville Citrus Center Plant Pathologist Veronica Ancona as well as number of graduate students, postdocs, and Florida, Texas and California citrus industry members.

    How will this research be done?

    Our earlier research involving comparisons of delivery methods including foliar sprays, soil drenching and trunk injection determined Needle-Assisted Trunk Infusion (NATI) was the best potential delivery method (Figure.1). In initial experiments, using NATI, 1 ml of rhodamine (1%) dye was injected into the trunks of one-year-old citrus seedlings. A visible red color, indicative of rhodamine uptake and movement, was detected in the upper-most leaves within 30-60 min and an increase in color intensity was observed within 24 hours. Similar results were observed in two-year-old grafted Valencia plants within 48 hours. If the NATI delivery method can be automated, large numbers of trees could be treated quickly. Once the delivery method has been developed, implementation will be tested with potential treatments developed within other research projects.

    Our proposed automated delivery would consist of a robotic arm with several modules at the end of the arm, installed on an ATV or tractor. One module with needles would grip and puncture the trunk, a second module would wrap a reservoir around the trunk below the punctures and third module would fill the reservoir. (Figure 2). Hopefully, a robotic arm plus automated system will be inexpensive enough for growers to purchase and simple enough to use.

    Another approach is disease prevention; application pf prophylactic chemicals that prevent infection. In this scenario our system would be used treat healthy young trees with bactericides or boost their immune system. When infected by the ACP the bacterium would either be killed or suppressed, perhaps below the level that harms tree growth and productivity. This option is analogous to the vaccinations that prevent diseases in humans and animals.

    What are the greatest challenges and opportunities?

    The greatest challenge is successful phloem delivery. The greatest opportunity is that, if successful, we will have developed a method that will allow much more precise deliver of theraputics to citrus trees. For example, if an effective phloem delivery method is developed, it could be used to control insects that feed on citrus plant parts. Or, it could be used to deliver growth regulators, perhaps nutrients and carbohydrates, to roots and fruits to increase growth, development and fruit quality; much like an intravenous injection functions in an animal.

    Among the questions we hope to investigate are:

    • When, what kind of, and what amount of therapeutics can be applied by NATI?
    • At what frequency?
    • What type of citrus tree: cultivar, age, infected, healthy is the best for treatment by NATI?
    • Can we kill the bacterium? How and when to assess a change in bacteria titer after treatment?
    • When will become available and be economically feasible for growers?
     — By Ozgur Batuman, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida; and Louise Ferguson, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis
    Figure 1. Distribution of rhodamine (red dye; 1%) applied by NATI in various tissues (left) of grafted and non-grafted young citrus plants grown in the greenhouse (right). Photos taken 2 weeks after the treatments. Treatments and tissues observed are indicated. Yo = year-old.
    Figure 2. Projected automated delivery system (ADS); an ATV with extendable arm with NATI and the cover placement systems on the arm guided onto the tree trunk.

  • Dry Root Rot of Lemon

    The calls have come in.  We’ve gone from cool to hot and Dry Root Rot of Lemon has struck,  It’s shocking how fast the trees go down.

    Dry Root Rot has menaced growers in Ventura County for many years. In the ‘50’s and ‘60’s it seemed most prevalent on older orange trees. A few years after the wet winter of 1968-69, dry root rot became an increasing problem among citrus trees of all ages. At that time, most of the damaged trees were on sweet rootstock (susceptible to Phytophthora), and growing in fine-textured soils or soils with poor drainage. A few years after another wet winter/spring (of 1983), dry root rot again reared its ugly head, but this time predominately on young lemons.

    The disease is caused by the fungus, Fusarium solani. This fungus is most likely present in all citrus soils in California. It is a weak pathogen in that by itself it will not attack a healthy tree. However, experiments conducted in the early 1980’s by Dr. Gary Bender, showed that when seedlings were girdled, root invasion occurred. In the field, the fungus can infect trees once gophers have girdled the roots or crown. A Phytophthora infection will also predispose trees to Fusarium, as will asphyxiation. Therefore, the mere presence of the fungus in the orchard soil will not lead to the disease.

    Description

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    Fusarium is a soil borne fungus that invades the root system. Once infected, the entire root will turn reddish-purple to grayish-black. This is in contrast to a Phytophthora infection which, in many cases, will attack only the feeder roots, but when larger roots are infected, only the inner bark is decayed and it does not discolor the wood. In addition, when observing the cross section of a dry root rot infected trunk, a grayishbrown discoloration in the wood tissue can be observed.

    Dry root rot is a root disease, but symptoms of the root decline are seen above ground. They are similar to any of the root and crown disorders such as Phytophthora root rot, oak root rot fungus (Armillaria) and gophers. The trees lack vigor, leaves begin to turn yellow and eventually drop (especially in hot weather) causing twig dieback. Finally, the foliage will become so sparse that one will be able to see through the canopy of the tree. A period of two to three years may pass from the time of invasion until noticeable wilt. Many times, the tree will collapse in the summer, after a period of prolonged heat. In the case of dry root rot, the collapse is so rapid that the tree dies with all the leaves still on the tree. When looking for symptoms of dry root rot, keep an eye out for symptoms of other maladies as well — Phytophthora, oak root rot fungus and gophers being the most prevalent.

    As mentioned previously, in order for Fusarium to infect a tree, there must be a predisposing factor such as girdling from gopher feeding. However, since many trees collapse from dry root rot without any apparent predisposing factor, there are obviously other factors which we have yet to identify. Therefore, in 1998, a grower survey was developed, along with intensive soil and leaf sampling, to attempt to identify as many new predisposing factors as possible. They might be elements in the soil, either deficiencies or excesses, or specific cultural practices such as irrigation patterns or fertilizer practices. Twenty orchards were identified from which 20 soil and 20 leaf samples were taken in diseased areas and another 20 soil and 20 leaf samples were taken from adjacent healthy areas. The owners or managers of the properties were given a questionnaire to complete regarding a variety of cultural operations. The objective was to identify those factors that would correlate well to trees becoming infected with dry root rot.

    Survey Results

    Soil analysis – The following laboratory procedures were conducted to see if there was any correlation between the disease and either deficiencies or toxicities of these elements or
    conditions: sodium, boron, salt level, pH and soil type (sand, loam, clay). For these elements or conditions, no correlation was found. It would appear that for our sampling sites, these conditions, whether favorable or not (toxic or deficient), did not play a major role in predisposing the tree to dry root rot.

    Leaf analysis – The following elements were analyzed for their concentration within the leaf: nitrogen, potassium, phosphate, manganese, magnesium and zinc. Of these, three correlations were found. Zinc and manganese levels were substantially higher in diseased trees. The third correlation showed a potassium deficiency in diseased trees. However, we do not believe that dry root rot is caused by elevated levels of zinc or manganese, or by potassium deficiency, but rather are a result of the disease. Unfortunately, it seems that we have still not identified any elements in leaf analysis that truly correlates and points to a predisposing factor for disease development.

    Control Measures – What Works & What Does Not
    Early experiments conducted by Menge, Ohr and Sakovich showed that the following circumstances or operations do not influence the incidence of this disease: fungicidal treatments, wounding the tap root at time of planting, sandy versus clay textured soils, spring versus fall planting and soil mounding.

    1. In choosing your nursery tree, the choice of rootstock is not important in that, as far as we know, all rootstocks are susceptible to this disease. However, since Phytophthora is a major component in dry root rot development, choosing a rootstock like sweet orange would certainly put those trees in a high risk category. We recommend that growers use Phytophthora resistant rootstocks like C35 or Citrumelo.

    Phytophthora. Publications written in the 1970’s, and again noted by our survey, showed that Phytophthora is a major culprit in the dry root rot complex. To control dry root rot, it is essential that the Phytophthora, when present, be controlled. This can be accomplished by fungicidal treatments, and by the proper application and timing of irrigation water. Overwatering creates a favorable environment for the multiplication of the Phytophthora fungus.

    Gophers. It is well known that gopher damage provides entry points for Fusarium. Controlling gophers is an important factor in reducing the potential of infection by Fusarium.

    Control

    We presently have no direct control for dry root rot. To control the disease, we must control the predisposing factors such as gophers, Phytophthora, poor drainage and over-watering. If the predisposing factor(s) cannot be identified for a given diseased orchard, it will indeed be difficult to control the disease. Two things are certain though: 1.) There are no chemicals to date which will control this disease; and 2.) Presently, there are no rootstocks resistant to the disease. — By Ben Faber, UC Cooperative Extension

    Listen to Akif Eskalen tell the Dry Root Rot story

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2fyBcC1HXk&feature=youtu.be

  • Six Ways to Improve Pesticide Sprayer Calibration/Coverage

    Are you not seeing the results you expected in your latest fungicide/insecticide application? Watch this brief interview with Peter Ako Larbi from the UC Cooperative Extension who shares several considerations on how growers can improve their pesticide spray coverage in their orchard or vineyard.

  • PPE in Short Supply for Farm Work During the COVID-19 Crisis

    While most Californians are staying home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, California farmers, farmworkers and other agricultural professionals are out in the fields and packing houses working to produce food. With increased demand for personal protective equipment, or PPE, to protect against COVID-19, these essential workers are facing shortages. Agricultural commissioners in 28 counties are hearing from farmers who are having trouble getting PPE for their employees and farmers in another 11 counties who are worried about running out of PPE in the next month or two, according to a California Department of Pesticide Regulation survey.

    Gloves, N95 respirators, coveralls and other gear that workers wear to protect themselves from COVID-19, pesticides, dust and other health hazards are in short supply as priority is given to health care workers during the pandemic.

    To reduce the spread of COVID-19, workers may wear homemade face coverings, but for applying pesticides, they must wear respirators specified on the pesticide product label, said Whitney Brim-DeForest, UC Cooperative Extension rice advisor.

    Pesticide applicators may use gear that is more protective than required by the product label and regulations. 

    “Although this could change in the days ahead, half-mask and full-mask respirators are more available than disposable N95 respirators for now,” said Lisa Blecker, coordinator for the UC Pesticide Safety Education Program.

    Before the pandemic, 10% of N95 respirators from 3M went to health care, but that number is now 90%, the company said in a letter to distributors. This has led to significant backorders of PPE supplies for distributors.

    Carl Atwell, president of Gempler’s, an online distributor of worker supplies, said that before the crisis, normal lead times for PPE was up to 10 days. He estimated disposable respirators will become available in the fall and other PPE supplies in August.

    In the meantime, there is alternative PPE that agricultural professionals can use during the shortage.

    Atwell suggests looking for lesser known brands of PPE as opposed to the first tier of choice: “It’s sort of like searching for Purell hand sanitizer. Purell brand might be out of stock, but can you find a different disinfectant?”

    On Gempler’s website, the more recognizable Tyvek coverall from Dupont is sold out, however disposable protective clothing is available from other brands. Reusable chemical-resistant clothing is also available as opposed to their disposable counterparts. Supplies in high demand are reusable and disposable nitrile gloves, protective clothing, disposable respirators and certain protective eyewear, such as goggles and face shields.

    For workers who will be applying pesticides, Blecker and Brim-DeForest offered some guidelines on how to meet PPE requirements as the shortage continues.

    General PPE requirements: “Remember, the label is the law,” said Brim-DeForest. “PPE requirements for agriculture are not being loosened.” The UCCE advisor recommends purchasing only what you need for the season and choosing reusable PPE whenever possible. Growers who have excess supplies of PPE can coordinate with their county agricultural commissioner or UCCE advisor to help other producers in their area.

    Respirators: If you can’t find the respirator required on the label, Blecker said, “Use an alternative, more-protective respirator. For example, if an N95 is required, you can use a half-mask with N95 particulate filters; these can be stand-alone filters or ones that attach to an organic vapor cartridge. You could also use a different pesticide that doesn’t require a respirator. Consult with your PCA (pest control adviser) for options.”

    Gloves: Chemical-resistant gloves, usually 14 mil or more in thickness are required for most California pesticide applications and should be worn by mixers, handlers and applicators. If nitrile gloves are not available, viton and laminate gloves are universal chemical-resistant materials for most pesticide labels. If the glove material is specified on the label, that instruction must be followed.

    “Disposable gloves less than 14 mil can be worn, but not for more than 15 minutes at a time,” Blecker said. “Farmers should also note that thinner gloves cannot be layered on top of one another.”

    Coveralls: Coveralls should be worn when required by the pesticide label or when the signal word is “WARNING” or “DANGER,” or when applying by backpack or airblast. “Coveralls can be made out of high-density polyethylene fibers (Tyvek and other brands), which are disposable, or cotton, which are reusable,” Brim-DeForest said. “If reusable coveralls are worn, the employer must ensure employees are provided clean coveralls.”

    Goggles/face shields: Face shields are required for mixing and loading pesticides only if it’s stated on the label. “If a face shield is unavailable, a full-face respirator can be used,” Blecker said. “Goggles or protective eyewear should always be worn in California when handling pesticides, regardless of what the label says. The face shield, goggles or safety glasses must provide front, side and brow protection and meet the American National Standards Institute Z87.1 standard for impact resistance.

    The UC Integrated Pest Management Program also covers these topics in their pesticide safety webinar series at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/IPMPROJECT/workshops.html.

    For more information about PPE, contact your county agricultural commissioner or see the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s posters at https://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/whs/pdf/gloves_for_pesticide_handling.pdfand https://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/whs/pdf/n95_alternatives_for_pesticide_handling.pdf. — By Katrina Hunter, UC Integrated Pest Management Program pesticide safety writer

  • Berry People Expands to Support Steady Growth

    Berry People (www.berrypeople.com), a year-round, full-line shipper of branded organic and conventional strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and avocados has created new positions within its organization, added team members, and moved operations to a larger central CA office to accommodate the growth, with team members temporarily working from home until the mitigation of COVID-19 matters.

    Jerald Downs – President

    “We are thankful to be an essential part of the nation’s food supply chain, allowing us to support the people in our Berry People community, including our growers, employees, customers and consumers,” said Jerald Downs, president, speaking of the worldwide effects of COVID-19. “We’re assessing the short and long-term effects of the pandemic, and taking measures to manage business risk, while also ensuring the safety of our field labor, consumers, and everyone in between. Our cloud-based and mobile work environment allow us to continue the quality of service that our buyers and growers expect, and we are effectively managing our supply-chain to support the market’s demands.”

    These business moves are consistent with the company’s long-term strategic plan for continual expansion since launching in 2017. Recent key hires include the addition of an ERP-process analyst, financial controller and regional supply managers. “These specialized roles improve functional efficiency, optimize deployment of resources, tighten risk management, and deepen relationships with growers and suppliers,” said Michael Osumi, VP Supply-Operations.

    “Strong core values and a clear company vision support our intentional organization and job design, so our valued team members convey a unified brand promise to our service providers and customers,” said Downs. “These characteristics support our ‘unity in diversity’ philosophy, leaning into each other’s strengths towards a common goal. Our growth and building balance sheet also enable us to increase our investment activity in technology, genetics, and packaging innovation, which supports our long-term growth and profitability.”

    Damon Barkdull – Sr. Commodity-Sales Manager

    “As we approach our third full year in business, our customers can increasingly rely on us for substantially increased volume coverage, and improved continuity across the entire berry and avocado categories, materially reducing the seasonal gaps that are common with young companies like ours,” added Damon Barkdull, senior commodity-sales manager. ”

    With strong business results and overwhelmingly positive customer feedback to date, we never stop looking for better ways to anticipate needs and shorten response times.”Berry People and its alliance partners have operations in California, Mexico, Chile, and Peru. The company offers year-round availability of organic and conventional strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and avocados through the Berry People and Avo People brands.”As we build financial strength, we plan to build our ‘social balance sheet’ as well, increasing our position in and commitment to both the marketplace, and to the communities we work in,” said Downs. “We look forward to giving back to the stakeholders that have embraced our organization, appreciating the fact that we’re a company whose growth is driven fundamentally by trust.”

    Michael Osumi – VP Supply-Operations

    Berry People’s short-term plans include the significant expansion of its summer organic strawberry program and a substantially increased position in the Peruvian avocado and blueberry industries.

    About Berry People:

    Berry People is a year-round, full-line shipper of branded organic and conventional strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and avocados, and owner of the Berry People and Avo People brands. Headquartered in Hollister, California, the company’s ownership and key alliance partners hold important production assets in California, Mexico, Chile and Peru. All product is graded and allocated by pallet, and all growers are fully compliant with USDA and FDA regulations on food safety and organic practices. Berry People operates with a strong company ethos along its entire supply chain that emphasizes complementarity, stewardship and empathy. For more information, visit www.berrypeople.com, or www.avopeople.com.

  • COVID-19 Impacts on Food Supply Chain (May 12 Zoom Call)

    Why is milk being dumped and produce left to rot in fieldswhile grocery store shelves go empty during the COVID-19 pandemic? Why are grocery stores running out of meat, and eggs becoming so expensive?

    The head of California’s Department of Food and Agriculture, researchers from the University of California, Davis, and food purveyors will tackle these and other questions in an online panel discussion at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.

    UC Davis invites the public to attend “Food Shortages in a Pandemic” over the web through Zoom conferencing. To do so, register online at least 48 hours in advance.

    The 90-minute event, which will include a question-and-answer period with the Zoom audience, will feature:

    • Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture since 2011
    • Dan Sumner, director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis, and former assistant secretary for economics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
    • Bu Nygrens, co-owner and director of purchasing at Veritable Vegetable of San Francisco, which distributes organic produce from more than 200 small and mid-size growers to restaurants, markets and co-ops across five states
    • Chelsea Minor, corporate director of public affairs for Raley’s Supermarkets of West Sacramento, a regional grocery chain in Northern California and Nevada

    Moderating the event will be Catherine Brinkley, who, as an assistant professor in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis, studies the architecture of food supply networks. 

    The panel will discuss how the food supply chain works, why the COVID-19 pandemic has been so disruptive, how distributors and supply chains are adapting to serve restaurants and grocery stores, and whether changes can or should be made to make food systems more resilient.

    The lecture is the third in the Savor series, which explores some of the biggest food and beverage topics being studied today at UC Davis — a world leader in the study of agriculture. The series is presented by the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science and the UC Davis Library.

    – By Jessica Nusbaum and Julia Ann Easley, UC Davis

  • Prima Wawona Empowers Stone Fruit Retailers with Key Category Data

    Prima® Wawona (prima.com), the largest stone fruit producer in the U.S., has partnered with a leading fresh produce strategic insight and research company to provide retailers with key stone fruit category data. These insights help retailers identify areas of growth and opportunity within the category and allow Prima® Wawona to develop programs specifically tailored to their retail partners. Leveraging Nielsen data from thousands of grocery stores throughout the United States, this service from Prima® Wawona enables retailers to customize their programs and promotions to achieve higher sales performance.

    “Our goal in everything we do is to help our retail partners provide consumers with the right quantities of the highest-quality stone fruit available,” said Ben Vived, Retail Sales Manager at Prima® Wawona. “Our category management program allows us to monitor national trends and analyze category data on a per-retailer basis to provide recommendations and keenly tailored retail programs. For example, we can see if a retailer isn’t experiencing the expected sales volumes on yellow peaches or if there’s a growth opportunity on white nectarines, and work with them to fill gaps and capitalize on opportunities.”

    Prima® Wawona reviews and analyzes data such as margins, the effect of price on sales volumes over time, retailer performance compared to the industry average, sales promotion performance, price gaps and more, segmented by commodity across the stone fruit category.

    “We’re the only producer offering this strategic data service so it’s a game-changer for retailers looking to serve existing customers and attract those who will buy organic—an increasingly important segment of the category,” added Dan Gerawan, CEO of Prima® Wawona. “We’re giving our retail partners insight on factors that drive success in this category, including how other leading retailers are performing, and that’s giving them a competitive edge in their market.”

    Prima® Wawona offers a full line of organic and conventional stone fruit under the Prima® and Sweet2Eat® brands, allowing retailers to meet demand for this important summer fruit category. For more information or to place an order, please call 559-528-4000 or email b.hammack@gerawan.com.

    About Prima® Wawona:

    Prima® Wawona is the largest producer of stone fruit in the U.S. Based in the heart of California’s central San Joaquin Valley, the company is a category leader both in terms of volume, quality, and the unique data insights and services it provides to retail partners to support them and promote their success. Prima® Wawona offers a full line of premium-quality organic and conventional stone fruit and citrus under the Prima®, Sweet2Eat®, Sweet2Eat® Organic and Sweet Value® brands, with a robust stone fruit season running from May through October. Visit prima.com to learn more.

  • Tree & Vine Growers Eligible for Ongoing Disaster Assistance for Drought, Wildfire, Etc.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started making payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program – Plus (WHIP+) to agricultural producers who suffered eligible losses because of drought or excess moisture in 2018 and 2019. Signup for these causes of loss opened March 23, and producers who suffered losses from drought (in counties designated D3 or above), excess moisture, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms or wildfires can still apply for assistance through WHIP+. 

    “To date, FSA has received more than 33,000 WHIP+ applications,” said Richard Fordyce, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “We want to remind producers that we are still accepting applications for WHIP+, and we encourage producers to call our offices for next steps on how to apply.”

    To be eligible for WHIP+, producers must have suffered losses of certain crops, trees, bushes or vines in counties with a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or a Secretarial Disaster Designation (primary counties only) for qualifying natural disaster events that occurred in calendar years 2018 or 2019. Also, losses located in a county not designated by the Secretary as a primary county may be eligible if a producer provides documentation showing that the loss was due to a qualifying natural disaster event.

    For losses due to drought, a producer is eligible if any area of the county in which the loss occurred was rated D3, or extreme drought, or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor during calendar years 2018 or 2019. Producers who suffered losses should contact their FSA county office. 

    In addition to the recently added eligible losses of drought and excess moisture, FSA will implement a WHIP+ provision for crop quality loss that resulted in price deductions or penalties when marketing crops damaged by eligible disaster events. To ensure an effective program for all impacted farmers, the Agency is currently gathering information on the extent of quality loss from producers and stakeholder organizations.

    USDA Service Centers, including FSA county offices, are open for business by phone only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information on Service Centers can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus, and more information on WHIP+ can be found at Remind.