UC Ag and Natural Resources is hosting a berry production workshop in Escondido. Whether it’s backyard and container-grown production, or commercial, field-grown operations, growers can learn the essentials of cultivating, managing and the economics of growing strawberries, blackberries and blueberries in San Diego County.
The workshop will cover site selection, planting, irrigation, pest management, harvesting and market considerations for berry production at any scale. Practices, strategies, and challenges for production of strawberries and cane berries
Issues and strategies for container-grown blueberries in San Diego County. Challenges for commercial, field-grown production of blueberries in San Diego County Economic consideration for berry production, tasting and value-added product development with berries will also be discussed.
Registration is $40 per person. The deadline is 5 p.m. June 15, or earlier if capacity is reached.
Day of walk-ups will not be admitted. Registration includes educational materials, continental breakfast and tasting of berries and berry products.
For questions about registration, contact Lupe Ibarra at (858)822-7711 or llibarra@ucanr.edu. For questions about the program, contact Ramiro Lobo at (858)243-4608 or relobo@ucanr.edu. — Story contributed by UC Ag and Natural Resources
To understand consumers’ attitudes toward a bioengineered pesticide for citrus crops, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources researchers are asking for volunteers to participate in focus groups in Riverside, Oakland and Fresno.
Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, is a naturally occurring bacterium being tested to control the spread of Asian citrus psyllid, the small insect that transmits the disease huanglongbing to citrus trees. Both the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing have been found in Southern California backyard citrus trees and threaten to spread throughout the state.
Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease, is a bacterial infection that stunts citrus trees, reduces their fruit production, deforms and greens the fruit and eventually kills the tree. There is no known cure or effective control.
The disease has already devastated Florida’s citrus industry, slashing the state’s orange production by 92% between 2005 and 2025, according to Karen Jetter, associate director and project economist at the UC ANR Policy Institute. By the time the magnitude of the problem was revealed, both Asian citrus psyllid, or ACP, and huanglongbing were widespread in Florida.
“In California, we still have the opportunity to slow the spread of huanglongbing through ACP management,” Jetter said.“This unique technology is designed to be part of a comprehensive ACP management program, not to replace it.”
Jetter and Fiona Ogunkoya, survey researcher at the UC ANR Policy Institute, are conducting focus groups to assess consumer attitudes toward an engineered Bt pest control method that targets Asian citrus psyllids, the primary vector of the disease, to stop the spread of huanglongbing.
The bioengineered pest control strategy, developed in Florida and shown to be effective, uses an engineered citrus tristeza virus to transmit an engineered Bacillus thuringiensis to citrus trees. The Asian citrus psyllid lays eggs on the tender new leaf growth of the trees. After the nymphs hatch, the immature insects consume the modified Bt-infected leaves, become sick and die.
California citrus growers surveyed by Sandipa Gautam, UC Cooperative Extension integrated pest management citrus advisor, said they are interested in the approach. But they growers are concerned that consumers will not accept fruit grown with this new bioengineered insecticide.
To find out what consumers think, the researchers will meet with three focus groups, with each session limited to six to eight people to allow all participants time to express their thoughts.
The 90-minute focus group meetings will be held at UC Cooperative Extension offices in Riverside on March 30 at 6 p.m., in Oakland on April 6 at 2 p.m. and in Fresno on April 8 at 2 p.m. Pizza will be served.
To participate in a focus group, register for a session at https://forms.gle/QPyUd7QazTLfNdATA. To be eligible, participants must be 18 years of age or older and able to attend the focus group in person. — By UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Spider mites can be a difficult pest for date growers, especially with how high up in the trees the fruit is. However, new methods of spider mite management are being studied at UC Riverside, including the use of predatory mites. Entomology specialist Bodil Cass spoke with Matthew Malcolm from Malcolm Media Ag Publishing at the World Ag Expo to discuss their findings. Watch this quick video and read more in California Fruit & Vegetable Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Simplot for their industry support.
The Asian citrus psyllid is an active threat for growers and the main vector for Huanglongbing disease. These invasive insects have wreaked havoc in Florida and spread to Southern California, but researchers at UC Riverside are finding ways to counter them. Matthew Malcolm from Malcolm Media Ag Publishing interviewed Bodil Cass at the World Ag Expo to discuss the use of predators against psyllids. Watch this quick video and read more in California Fruit & Vegetable Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Simplot for their industry support.
For commercial growers considering planting cilantro or parsley, the costs and returns of producing in Ventura County are outlined in a new study by the University of California Cooperative Extension, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Institute, and UC Davis Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics.
“These studies provide growers with a baseline to estimate their own costs, which can help if they need to apply for production loans, project labor costs or market their crop” said Etaferahu Takele, UC Cooperative Extension farm management advisor and agricultural economist and study co-author.
The UC Cooperative Extension cost and return estimates are based on cilantro and parsley grown in Ventura County. Each study describes the cultural practices used for establishing, producing and harvesting the herbs, including land preparation, soil fertility and pest management, irrigation and labor needs.
Ventura County produces a diverse mix of vegetables and herb crops. Lately, the acreage in cilantro production has been increasing. Between 2002 and 2022, the cilantro acreage almost quadrupled from 1,257 acres to 4,065 acres, reflecting increases in demand for the herb often used in Latin American and Asian recipes.
The total cost to produce cilantro in 2025, using a yield of 1,200 cartons per acre, is approximately $7,316 per acre. Sold for $9 per carton, profit for cilantro before paying management is estimated at $3,480 per acre.
The total cost to produce parsley in 2025, using a yield of 2,200 cartons per acre, is approximately $14,759 per acre. Using a price received of $8.60 per carton, profit for parsley before paying management, is estimated at $4,713 per acre.
The researchers based their studies on an 800-acre farm, which was the average farm size of the growers they interviewed. Double cropping is common in Ventura County so the total land farmed for this sample is about 1,600 acres per year. Because growers produce multiple crops each year, planting and harvesting vegetable crops are year-round activities.
Government agencies such as the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture can use the information when developing and implementing agricultural policies and programs.
The cost estimate studies were coauthored by Oleg Daugovish, UC Cooperative Extension strawberry and vegetable crop advisor in Ventura County; and Karen Jetter, research economist and associate director; Donald Stewart, staff research associate; and Fiona Ogunkoya, survey researcher, all of the UC ANR Policy Institute.
For more information about cost studies, contact Takele at ettakele@ucanr.edu.
These studies were funded by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Thelma Hansen Trust. — By Pamela Kan-Rice, UCANR
Yessica Fernandez Galicia is a researcher who’s organizing a webinar series to meet the most pressing questions from California agave growers. Photo by Rob Padilla
With all those new agave farms popping up, more farmers are seeking advice to best care for this hardy succulent. To meet that need, agricultural experts from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis surveyed English-speaking and Spanish-speaking agave growers on their top concerns. So far, they’re received over 50 responses and counting.
“With this survey, we’ve identified 30 farmers that we didn’t have on our radar before,” said Yessica Fernandez Galicia, a UC ANR and UC Davis agave researcher.
Growers’ responses focused on many of the same themes: How much should you water an agave plant? Which pests and diseases affect agave? Can you get certified for growing agave sustainably?
Those survey results have been put to good use. Based on grower input, UC ANR has developed a series of free, virtual webinars about agave, offered every month from August to December. The sessions are open to all, but please register ahead of time:
Rodrigo Mestas – Agave grower in Jalisco, Mexico. Mestas is the owner of the first Regenerative Tequila Certificate, which was awarded to his business, Tequila Torrente.
Steve Sanchez – California farmer and consultant who promotes agave and cactus cultivation through sustainable practices and dry farming. Sanchez hosts the podcast Agave & Cactus Talk.
Fabiola Santiago – Activist, researcher, and cultural entrepreneur, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, and raised in California. Proudly Zapotec, she dedicates her work to defending and preserving Oaxacan culture.
Photo Caption: Agricultural experts from UC ANR and UC Davis surveyed new and long-time agave growers as the drought-tolerant crop gains popularity in California. Photo by Rob Padilla
The webinars cover multiple topics, including grower certification and irrigation practices. According to Fernandez Galicia, attendees will leave with economic and environmental takeaways.
“We are trying to educate people that the agave doesn’t need a lot of water. If you give them a lot of water, they don’t generate the adequate quantities of sugar,” she said.
That means overwatering could make the agave unusable for commercial products like alcohol or biofuel. Cutting water use also can be a cost-saver and environmentally responsible in this drought-prone state.
“The principal goal is to encourage practices that care for the earth and make farming more sustainable,” said Fernandez Galicia. — By Caroline Champlin, UCANR
The California Dry Bean Advisory Board (CDBAB) is requesting applied research proposals for 2024. This commodity-based research request is sponsored by the California Dry Bean Marketing Order, under the guidance of CDFA (CA Dept Food & Ag). The Board has supported applied research by university programs for many years.
Please find the grant application as well as a list of the 2024 applied research priorities developed by the CDBAB. The Board is particularly interested in pest management projects to address weeds and insects. Funding is for one year. Proposals for projects extending beyond one year must be re-submitted each year.
Due to limited research funding, proposals that demonstrate cost sharing are encouraged. Although, there is some flexibility in the budget below, the total amount of funding available for 2024 is as follows:
Board: $55,000
Baby lima council: $7,500
Blackeye council: $10,480
Garbanzo council: $7,500
Large lima council: $0
Common bean council: $0
Total: $80,480
For current information on dry bean production in California as well as past reports funded by the board, see the Dry Bean webpage on the Agronomy Research and Information Center. You can search and view previously funded research reports from the online database.
Please share this call for proposals with colleagues and others who might be interested in dry bean research. Proposals are due by Friday, February 10, 2023. Progress reports for projects funded by the CDBAB in 2022 will also be due Friday, February 10, 2023. See an example progress report.
Those who submit proposals should be prepared to give a brief presentation to the Board at their first meeting of the year, which usually occurs in early March. Funding decisions are communicated shortly thereafter by Board Manager, Nathan Sano.
A Hmong small-scale farmer in Merced County has saved about 14.4 acre-inches of water annually and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 12.406 MTCO2e per year (equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions produced from burning 1,396 gallons of gasoline) after upgrading her farm. Rosie Lee – who sells Asian greens, green beans, corn, strawberries and other produce at her farm stand and to Asian markets – is one of hundreds of growers benefiting from California Department of Food and Agriculture incentives and funds with the assistance of Climate Smart Agriculture community education specialists.
“She is one grower who would not have access to those funds without my bringing my computer out to the field,” said Caddie Bergren, a Climate Smart Agriculture community education specialist who has been working with growers in Merced County since the program’s launch.
To make it easier for farmers to adopt new practices, CDFA and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources partnered to create the Climate Smart Agriculture program.
Drip irrigation has saved Lee about 14.4 acre-inches of water annually.
“Since 2019, UC ANR’s Climate Smart Agriculture Team has provided in-depth technical assistance to more than 1,300 farmers and ranchers in 24 counties,” said Hope Zabronsky, academic coordinator for UC ANR’s Climate Smart Agriculture team. “Through their strong relationships with diverse farming communities, they support the implementation of soil health, water efficiency, and manure management practices that optimize climate benefits for all growers and Californians.”
The program’s community educators work with farmers and ranchers in 24 California counties to get CDFA-funded grants and implement Climate Smart Agriculture projects. These efforts, which emphasize outreach to underserved farmers and ranchers, have resulted in a total of $36.5 million invested from the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program or SWEEP, the Healthy Soils Program, and the Alternative Manure Management Program.
“Agriculture is an important part of the climate solution,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “This funding enables CDFA and UC ANR to partner with farmers and ranchers to scale up climate-smart agricultural practices. This is essential as we contend with our hotter, drier future.”
Lee, the Hmong grower, had been growing 18 acres of vegetables by flood irrigating with groundwater. To save water and reduce pumping costs, she asked Bergren to help her apply for SWEEP funds to convert to drip irrigation and install solar panels. Bergren brought her laptop to the field to help Lee pull together the necessary information for the application. After Lee received funds for the project, Bergren assisted her with the technical logistics of installing the irrigation and solar equipment.
“I called vendors and we were able to complete the project on time,” Bergren said.
Through the Climate Smart Agriculture program, Lee, shown holding a soil moisture sensor, received help to apply for grants and complete the energy and water-saving project.
CDFA and UC ANR have published an impact report highlighting the results of the multi-year partnership focused on increasing adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices to reduce water and energy use.
The investments have funded more than 420 projects, so far. The projects are expected to save an estimated 8.3 billion gallons of water during their lifetime, enough to supply over 75,000 typical homes in California with water for a year. Additionally, there are projected reductions of more than 355,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent, as much as would be achieved by removing 79,110 gas-powered vehicles from roads.
The report highlights the importance of providing tailored outreach, education and technical assistance to small-scale, non-English speaking, and otherwise underserved farmers and ranchers. — By Pam Kan-Rice and Josh Staab
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings the power of UC to all 58 California counties.Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition,economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.
Weeding, harvesting, picking, carrying,… Robots are today’s answer to many challenges facing agriculture. And they will show up this fall in Salinas for the second edition of FIRA USA. From September 19 to 21, the Salinas Sports Complex, home of the famous California Rodeo Salinas, will be the place to discover the autonomous farming solutions in action. During three days, expo, demos, pitch sessions and even a robot parade will take place in the Salad Bowl of the World. Please note that the traveling event through California FIRA USA not only focuses on vegetables: trees and vineyards are also at the heart of the environmental and labor issues that agriculture must address… just like FIRA USA! For this reason, Malcolm Media is partnering with FIRA-USA, and California Ag Network, California Fruit & Vegetable, Pacific Nut Producer, and American Vineyard Magazines are among the proud sponsors of this special event, so be sure to come see us there.
25+ robots for farming autonomously
FIRA’s organizers, French association GOFAR, Western Growers and University of California ANR/The VINE announce that already 25 robots have signed up for FIRA USA 2023.
“Even if FIRA USA 2022 in Fresno was already a success, this year marks a real turn: four months before the event, we already confirmed 25 robots – and it’s just the beginning!”notes Maialen Cazenave, co-director in charge of the partnerships at GOFAR. “Coming from California, other states in the US, and even from Europe, we expect another 10 to 20 robots to partner with us – and we have space to welcome them both on the exhibition area and on the demo zones (on vegetables, fruits, orchards, and vineyards)”.
From weed control to fruits picking, robots main functions at FIRA USA
Here is the list of the 25 robots from the companies that already confirmed their participation in FIRA USA 2023:
● Bluewhite (USA – California): Bluewhite’s Pathfinder transforms any brand of existing orchard or vineyard tractor into a fully autonomous fleet, capable of executing multiple tasks, such as spraying, herbicide, discing, mowing, or harvesting, with high precision and operating efficiency.
● Naïo Technologies (France and USA – California): Oz, Ted, Orio and Jo: light electric and autonomous ag. robots to offer a sustainable alternative to the use of herbicides that can interface with smart implements to offer a high precision weeding, seeding, mowing and a very precise guidance of the implements.
● Carbon Robotics (USA – California): high-precision LaserWeederTM leverages sophisticated AI deep learning technology, computer vision, robotics, and lasers.
● Stout Industrials (USA – California): the Stout Smart Cultivator is a software-defined, tractor-drawn implement that uses machine vision and artificial intelligence to cultivate and weed fields using mechanical blades.
● Agtonomy (USA): A fully electric, reference tractor that executes labor-intensive field missions such as mowing, spraying, transport, and weeding, in the toughest terrain.
● Ecorobotix (Switzerland): ARA is a high-precision sprayer developed by Ecorobotix, which enables the ultra-targeted application of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides or fertilizers, reducing the use of them up to 95%.
● Solinftec (Brazil): scouting robot that scans the crops and record their growth rates, plant health the prevalence of any weeds, suited for farms around 500 acres and works with several types of row crops including corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat, canola and many others.
● Nexus Robotics (Canada): weeding and scouting robot that provides farmers with real-time information about the size and health of their crops.
● Verdant Robotics (USA – California): multi-action, autonomous farm robot capable of millimeter-accurate spraying, laser weeding, and AI-based digital crop modeling.
● GUSS Automation (USA – California): GUSS autonomous sprayers provide a solution to labor challenges while increasing efficiency, precision and safety in orchards, vineyards, and high-density orchards.
● SeedSpider (USA – California): the WeedSpider can be configured to efficiently and accurately mechanically weed, mechanically thin, or precision spray commercial vegetable crops.
● Farm-ng (USA – California): Amiga is a modular, all-electric micro-tractor that can turn-in-place, haul, lift, carry tools, cultivate, and is easy to adapt to any farm’s cropping systems and cultural practices.
● Monarch Tractor (USA – California): fully electric, driver-optimal, smart Tractor platform built to empower farmers by enabling profitable implementation of sustainable and organic practices.● Mantis Ag Technologies (USA – California): from thinners to sprayers and cultivators, the line of products turns intelligence, automation and data into smart, practical solutions for growers.● Burro (USA – California): Burros use computer vision, high precision GPS, and AI to follow people to navigate autonomously from A to B while carrying various payloads.● Robotics Plus (New Zealand): modular platform, designed to accommodate swappable attachments for spraying – mowing, trimming and weed control under development.● Aigen (USA – Washington) : robotics platform powered by the sun, directly. Like a plant! We aim for affordability and scale, while others aim for high profit margins. We start with the farmer first, and build our platform from there.● EDETE (Israel): end-to-end artificial pollination service comprising 2 steps that mimics the natural pollination process: 1. collecting and 2. distributing pollen.
● K.U.L.T. (Germany): agricultural machines for soil cultivation and weeding solutions for vegetable production, field crops, ornamental production, herbs, grassland, vineyards, orchards,…
● Sabanto (USA – Iowa): aftermarket autonomy system installed on tractors.
The US largest in-field demo zone for robots
FIRA USA will host the largest demo zone of farming robots.
Managed by Triangle Farms, Pacific Ag Rentals and the University of California, the crops will be available for the robots to show their functions on vegetables, fruits, orchards and vineyards.
To exhibit and/or make a robot demos, manufacturers can contact Maialen Cazenave:
Registrations to FIRA USA 2023 are open, please visit: www.fira-usa.com
About GOFAR
The GOFAR non-profit organization undertakes to promote and develop the agricultural robotics sector at international level. Like RobAgri, whose objective is to facilitate the technical development of agricultural robots, GOFAR meets the increasing need for visibility and networking of the agricultural robotics sector.
About Western Growers
Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including nearly half of America’s fresh organic produce. Some members also farm throughout the U.S. and in other countries so people have year-round access to nutritious food. For generations, we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers.
About The Vine, UC ANR
The VINE, an initiative of University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, is California’s agriculture, food, and biotech innovation network. Our mission is to harness the power of open innovation to help industries and entrepreneurs grow and scale globally while catalyzing technology innovation and commercialization for productive, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
We connect entrepreneurs to a vast network of public and private sector resources, build collaborations that accelerate technology solutions to solve industry challenges, and grow regional capacity to support global innovation as an economic opportunity.
Burton John Hoyle passed away in McKinleyville on Nov. 9, 2020, just weeks from reaching his 101st birthday.
Burton (Burt) was born in Saranac Lake, NY, in 1919. He grew up in the Jamestown, New York, area. He graduated from high school in 1938 and spent several years pursuing odd jobs before starting college in 1941. He did not serve in WWII because of a childhood injury. In 1944, he graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in horticulture.
There was a war going on and jobs were scarce, so Burt applied to graduate schools. The University of California, Davis, wrote that classes were closed, but they did have a job opening in vegetable crops. After Burt got to Davis, classes soon resumed with the end of the war, and he graduated in 1946 with an M.S. in vegetable crops. That same year he also married True Dolson.
As 1946 drew to a close, Burt took a job with the University of California Cooperative Extension system to pioneer the Agricultural Experimental Field Station in Tulelake, now known as the Intermountain Research and Extension Center (IREC). From 1947-1965 Burt’s research and work shaped many of the crops still grown in the Tulelake Basin today including potatoes, barley, peppermint and strawberries, according to a letter Rob Wilson, current Intermountain REC director, wrote to Burt for his 100th birthday.
However, Burt’s big winner was the introduction of horseradish as a cash crop. In 1983, he was featured in an NBC nationally broadcast news show as the “Godfather of Horseradish.”
Hoyle and wife True at Intermountain REC in 1947.
In 1965, Burt relocated to Fresno where he worked as a vegetable crops specialist at the University of California’s West Side Station in Five Points. Two major publications from his many projects were A Guide to Commercial Vegetable Production (1970), Curley TopIdentification Handbook (1977) [Curly top is a plant disease]. His work on “aggresizing” [a process for making the soil optimum for successful seed growth], for which he received a patent, led to widespread recognition in the agricultural research community.
Burt and True were active in the First Presbyterian Church in Fresno. One of the ways they lived out their faith was by opening their home to many foreign students. Over a period of more than 10 years, they hosted a number of Chinese, African and Middle Eastern students. Their involvement with these students was a ministry as they helped them with practical matters, and also spent hours counseling them about their lives.
Burt retired from UC ANR in 1983 and he and True relocated to Humboldt County. During the 1980s Burt enjoyed Rotary, his friends and taking pictures of beautiful Humboldt scenery. He traveled up and down the coast shooting pictures; then with his scanner and Adobe Photoshop, Burt explored the creative expressions of the visual, displaying some of his photos at local art shows. He and True were very involved with the Arcata Presbyterian Church and participated in many community activities. Burt and True also engaged in developing housing on land in Arcata, which True had inherited from her family.
True Dolson Hoyle passed away in 2005, and Burt married MaryAlice Comstock in 2006. MaryAlice preceded Burt in death on Sept. 16, 2020. She was 91 years old.
Burt was blessed by health, mental clarity and mobility throughout his life. He was known for his brilliant thinking and ever-present curiosity. During his final years, he was working on a book on statistical thinking and re-analyzing data from his field crop experiments he had collected more than 50 years ago. Even in his last days, his caretakers commented on his intellectual curiosity, his smile and sense of humor.
He is survived by his three children, Joe and Glenn Hoyle and Pamela Lund, three grandchildren, Julie McGuffey, Karin Ballstadt and Dennis Hoyle, and 10 great-grandchildren.
His three children remember the significant impact Burt had on their lives, but more importantly his love and concern for them, their families, and for the large number of people whom Burt influenced. — By Glenn C. Hoyle
