California Fruit and Vegetable

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  • Organic Certifiers Recognized for Data Partnership and Collaboration

    The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) today recognized the work of accredited organic certifiers with awards for extraordinary support of the National Organic Standards. The awards were presented at the annual NOP Certifier Training for organic inspectors from around the world, held virtually. Ten certifiers were recognized for exceeding requirements for delivering high quality data to the Organic INTEGRITY Database in 2021. Two Certifiers were also recognized with a Director’s Award for outstanding contributions to work in organic certification.

    “These awards recognize the success of our public-private partnership and demonstrate the close collaboration between certifiers and the program to protect consumer confidence and maintain a level playing field for organic farmers, ranchers and businesses,” said NOP Deputy Administrator Jennifer Tucker. “The work of these certifiers really stood out, even at a time when the overall quality and timeliness of the data being provided voluntarily continues to improve each year.”

    Up-to-date public information about organic operations helps buyers and sellers find each other in the marketplace, making data an important market development tool. The USDA Organic Integrity Database makes it easy for anyone to look up the status of a certified organic operation and see the products that each farm and business has to offer.

    The fifth annual Investing in INTEGRITY Data Quality Award winners are (listed alphabetically):

    • CCOF Certification Services, LLC (CCOF) – Santa Cruz, CA

    • Certificadora Mexicana de Productos y Procesos Ecologicos SC (CMEX) – Oaxaca, Mexico

    •Clemson University (CU) – Pendleton, SC

    • Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) – Des Moines, IA

    •LACON GmbH (LACON) – Offenburg, Germany

    • Marin Organic Certified Agriculture (MOCA) – Novato, CA

    • MOFGA Certification Services, LLC (MCS) – Unity, ME

    • New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food (NHDAMF) – Concord, NH

    •Primus Auditing Operations (PAO) – Santa Maria, CA

    • Quality Certification Services (QCS) – Gainesville, FL

    Exceeding Data Requirements

    The federal organic regulations currently require that certifiers annually submit a set of basic facts regarding all certified operations to the Organic Integrity Database. The database also includes many optional fields, like acreage and head count for cattle or poultry, that can aid in oversight. The Strengthening Organic Enforcement rulemaking underway will increase accreditation and certification oversight, in part, through additional reporting and training requirements for certifiers and inspectors.

    The ten certifiers recognized today significantly exceeded the minimum requirements by supplying additional detail on their certified operations and submitting updates on a rolling basis throughout the year.

    Over the past year, two certifiers stood also out for their consistent, effective communication and collaboration with NOP staff on a wide range of issues and day-to-day operations, including fraud investigations. Their regular, open collaboration with the Program provided increased insight into the real-world application of the organic standards, while allowing the NOP to more effectively ensure certifiers are consistently applying the standards for USDA certified farms and businesses located in the U.S. and around the world.

    For their outstanding contributions to work in organic certification, the 2022 National Organic Program Director’s Award winners are:

    • Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) – Corvallis, OR

    • MOFGA Certification Services, LLC (MCS) – Unity, ME

    Organic Oversight

    The NOP develops and enforces voluntary standards for organically produced agricultural products sold in the United States. Congress established the NOP as a regulatory program that operates as a public-private partnership. The NOP currently accredits and oversees 76 certifiers operating around the world.

    These third-party organizations inspect and certify organic farms and businesses to the USDA organic regulations. USDA also invests significant resources to develop certifier and inspector capabilities and oversee their work year-round.

    The Organic INTEGRITY Database makes information on current and former certified organic operations publicly available online from anywhere in the world. It allows users to quickly confirm the organic certification status and other details of a farm or business and helps certifiers support the organic community in market development and fraud prevention.

    More information on organic enforcement and oversight is available on the NOP website at www.ams.usda.gov/organic.

  • Turkish Orange Crop Forecast Up 40%

    In Market Year (MY) 2021/22, the orange yield is forecast to increase 40 percent to 1.82 million metric tons (MMT) due to favorable rainy weather conditions in March and April 2021. The input costs for items such as fertilizer, fuel, and pesticides are still considered too high while farm gate prices are too low to compensate for the high production costs. Orange exports in MY 2021/22 are expected to increase 20 percent to 265,000 MT when compared with the previous season in correlation with high yield expectations. Tangerine exports in MY 2021/22 are expected to increase 11 percent to 1 MMT in correlation with higher production expectations. In 2021/22, lemon production is expected to increase 27 percent to 1.4 million MT with good quality fruit due to favorable weather conditions in late spring in 2021. The main problems reported by lemon producers in Turkey are diseases and pests, input costs such as fertilizers and chemicals, labor costs for tree trimming, crop quality, and marketing issues. 

    Figure 1. Turkish Citrus Exports by Products, Marketing Years (MY) 2018-2020

    Harmonized System (HS) Codes:

    Oranges 080510
    Tangerines/Mandarins 080520, 080521, 080522, 080529 Lemons 080550
    Grapefruits 080540
    Orange Juice 200911, 200912, 200919

    Abbreviations used in this report:

    FAS USDA Foreign Agricultural Service TDM Trade Data Monitoring
    MT Metric ton (1,000 kg)
    MMT Million Metric Tons

    GoT The Government of Turkey
    MinAF Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry MY Marketing year
    PS&D Production, Supply and Distribution
    TL Turkish Lira
    TurkSTAT Turkish Statistical Institute
    USD U.S. Dollar

    Commodities:

    Oranges, Fresh

    Production:

    In MY 2021/22, the orange yield is forecast to increase 40 percent to 1.82 MMT due to favorable rainy weather conditions in March and April 2021. However, in recent months, producers have become concerned about drought conditions affecting the fruit. According to producers, water which is provided by the Irrigation Unions in the region, has already been restricted for orchards due to overall decreasing water levels in local dams because limited rainfall. This issue affects the quality of the fruit but doesn’t greatly affect the yield, according to producers. On the other hand, the yield in the Aegean region is expected to decrease 15 percent due to the freezing weather conditions during the Spring 2021 months.

    Figure 2. Turkey Orange Production and Orchards Comparison, MY 2018/19 – 2020/21

    In MY 2020/21, Turkey produced 1.3 million MT of oranges, which is 23 percent lower than MY 2019/20 (1.7 million MT), due to excessive hot weather conditions in May 2020 during the blooming period of trees. Losses and tonnage problems were seen in MY 2020/21, especially for the Washington variety, which produced 25 percent less fruit than the previous season. Orange production totaled 31 percent of Turkey’s total citrus production in MY 2020/21.

    Turkey produces mostly the Washington variety of oranges, with that variety accounting for 70 percent of total orange production. Eighty-five percent of oranges are produced in the Mediterranean region while 15 percent are produced in Aegean region. 

    The Mediterranean fruit fly is still a major concern. Producers are planning to harvest and sell their products much earlier than normal in order to prevent exposure to the harmful flies. In addition, the input costs for items such as fertilizer, fuel, and pesticides are still considered too high while farm gate prices are too low to compensate for the high production costs. Producers are concerned about MY 2021/22 production since it is expected that input prices will continue to increase, especially fuel and fertilizers.

    Figure 3. Orange Producers Gate Prices, Comparison TL and $ Basis

    As shown in Figure 2, the number of orchards has been decreasing for the last 3 years as producers convert orchard land or determine profits are not great enough to invest fertilizer and pesticides. However, the area is expected to increase for MY 2021/22. The decrease in MY 2020/21 was seen mostly in orchards of the Washington and yapha varieties while orchards for other varieties have been increasing in correlation with export demands. Also, some of producers has converted their orchards from oranges and tangerines to Pitaya fruit due to high demands from touristic places. In MY 2020/21, orange orchards consist of 29 percent of total citrus orchards areas. According to producers, uncertainity concerning gate prices and lack of production technologies are the main negative factors for marketing of oranges.

    Consumption:

    In MY 2021/22, orange consumption is expected to increase to 1,488 MMT in correlation with high production expectations. In MY 2020/21, orange consumption was realized at 1,018 MT in correlation with lower production. The market price of oranges at supermarkets has been increasing, like many commodities, due to multiple stakeholders in the market chain and increasing food inflation. On the other hand, retail prices decreased in January and February 2021 since the GoT applied export restrictions to address EU regulations regarding limited pesticides residues. Many Turkish citrus exports are routinely rejected from the EU and Russia due to maximum residue levels above the importing allowances. Less exports helped the domestic orange market prices to decrease.

    In 2019/20, orange consumption per capita was 12.3 kg. In Turkey, oranges account for 49 percent of total citrus consumption. According to the sector, orange consumption has shrunk 17 percent over the last five years.

    Figure 4. Orange Retail Market Price Changes, Monthly, 2019-2020-2021

    Trade:

    Orange exports in MY 2021/22 are expected to increase 20 percent to 265,000 MT when compared with the previous season in correlation with high yield expectations and assuming normal levels of precipitation over the winter months.

    In 2020/21, Turkey exported 220,630 MT of oranges, which was 24 percent lower than the MY 2019/20 total of 291,846 MT, due to very low yields and the export restrictions laid down by MinAF at the beginning of 2021. For more information about the restrictions, please click here. In MY 2019/20, although orange exports in volume were lower than the previous season due to logistic problems because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the export value was higher than the previous season.

    Figure 5. Turkey Orange Exports (MT) and Export Value ($) Comparison, MY 2018/19-MY 2020/21

    Figure 6. Turkish Orange Exports, Comparison Table for MY 2018/19 – 2020/21

    Russia, Iraq, and Ukraine are the main Turkish orange export markets. In January 2021, the exports to Ukraine reduced 79 percent, the exports to Romania reduced 59 percent and exports to Iraq reduced 52 percent due to the MinAF export restrictions.

    According to exporters, varieties and fruit quality need to be improved and new markets such as China, Far East Countries, South Korea, and the U.S. need to be opened in order to make profits from exports. Storage conditions also need to be improved in order to avoid price fluctuations in the domestic market and foreign markets as well. Better storage facilities will enable Turkish producers to sell their products at a steady supply throughout the year, including at higher prices during lower harvest months. Recently, the European Union has increased import control inspection frequency for Turkey from 10 percent to 20 percent to address pests and maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides. Turkey’s orange export value has decreased 44 percent compared to five years ago.

    Figure 7. Turkish Orange Exports, Country Comparison for MY 2018/19- MY 2020/2021

    Imports: Orange imports In MY 2021/22 are expected to stagnate at 43,000 MT, as realized in MY 2020/21. Turkey imported 43,628 MT of oranges in MY 2020/21, and 98 percent of the orange imports came from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Turkey`s orange imports depend on the low production, climate change and dispersion of production with small size orchards. Read the full report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • NIFA Invests Nearly $11M to Combat & Prevent Citrus Greening Disease

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of nearly $11 million for research to combat Huanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as citrus greening disease. HLB, caused by an insect bacterium, is the most severe threat to global citrus production.

    “NIFA’s Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program brings the nation’s top scientists together with citrus industry representatives to find scientifically sound solutions to combat and prevent HLB at the farm-level,” said NIFA Director Dr. Carrie Castille. “This year’s awards represent all three major U.S. citrus growing regions and include possible solutions ranging from blocking HLB transmission from inside the insect vector to utilizing novel anti-microbial peptides to treat HLB-infected trees.”

    The fiscal year 2021 five funded Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension projects include:

     

    • Texas A&M AgriLife Research will leverage public-private partnerships between state agencies, universities, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, and the citrus industry to pursue advanced testing and commercialization of promising HLB therapies and extend outcomes to stakeholders. ($7,000,000)
    • University of California, Riverside will build on previous work and evaluate the performance of 300 hybrid citrus trees in established trials to map HLB tolerance/resistance genes and release superior new rootstocks. ($1,499,998)
    • University of Florida seeks to develop a bacterial pathogen transmission blocking strategy (specifically to block Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the pathogen that causes HLB) toward mitigation of citrus greening-related losses in an integrated pest management framework. ($1,020,810)
    • University of Florida’s project will support the needs of both commercial and residential citrus growers by comparing new tools to support young trees and develop management recommendations for the incorporation of each tool into production and residential settings. ($750,000)
    • University of Florida aims to introduce and transfer the natural HLB resistance present in Australian limes into conventional citrus to produce HLB-resistant Australian lime hybrid rootstocks and deploy these hybrids to protect susceptible citrus scions against HLB. ($500,000)

    Background: Huanglongbing (HLB) is considered the most destructive disease in citrus growing regions worldwide and has become the greatest challenge for the U.S. citrus industry. Currently, HLB has no cure.  Since HLB’s initial U.S. detection in 2005, citrus acreage and production in Florida has decreased by 60 percent and 80 percent, respectively. The disease has spread to all citrus-producing states, including Texas and California. Although citrus greening is a serious threat to the citrus industry worldwide, significant progress has been made to coordinate a multipronged approach for citrus greening management and suppression of the Asian citrus psyllid, an insect that carries and spreads HLB, through expanding partnerships with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, states, universities, and private partners.  Learn more about HLB.

    Asian Citrus Psyllid, the insect responsible for the spread of the citrus-killing disease HLB

    NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.

    Visit our website: www.nifa.usda.gov; Twitter: @USDA_NIFA; LinkedIn: USDA-NIFA.

  • Expanding Global Markets for Mexican Avocado Production

    Mexico avocado production for marketing year 2021/22 is forecasted eight percent lower than the record production observed the previous marketing year. While production will remain strong, growers expect trees will need to recover for a season. High international demand and attractive global prices has encouraged producers to export product for higher returns. And while Michoacán is the only state with phytosanitary certification to export to the United States, exports to other global markets are expected to increase in the coming years.

    PRODUCTION

    The Post forecast for MY 2021/22 (July/June) avocado production is 2.33 million metric tons (MMT), eight percent lower than in the previous MY on reduced tree productivity. Grower’s state that they are expecting needed tree recovery after record productivity and production (especially in Michoacán) in the MY 2020/21 season. Additionally, insufficient rainfall and high temperatures are likely to reduce production and yields in non-Michoacan producing states. Planted and harvested areas are forecasted at 227,126 hectares (ha) and 225,910 ha respectively, with a national yield of 10.30 metric tons per hectare (MT/ha). Harvest reaches peak from October to February, with average supply from March to May, and low season from June to September.

    Mexico is the largest avocado producer in the world, accounting for 30 percent of global production. Planted area is steadily increasing year over year, at an annual growth rate of three percent, mainly due to high profitability and increased international demand. Mexico produces three varieties of avocado, with Hass accounting for 97 percent of total production and Criollo and Fuerte accounting for the remaining three percent.

    Michoacán is the top producing state in Mexico, with 75 percent of national production and 81 percent of total production value. Michoacán is also the only state with phytosanitary certification to export supplies to the United States. According to the Association of Avocado Producers and Packers and Exporters of Mexico (APEAM), there are more than 29,000 registered producers in the state (with small orchards of five to ten ha) with year-round production through four harvests. The first -and most productive- harvest of MY 2021/22 is forecasted 36 percent lower than the previous MY. The main avocado-producing municipalities are Peribán, Los Reyes, Uruapan and Tancítaro. Michoacan’s production forecast for MY 2021/22 is 1.78 MMT, nine percent lower than the previous MY, with planted area forecasted at 167,401 ha, and yields forecasted at 10.64 MT/ha. Approximately 63 percent of the states orchards are rain fed, and the remaining are equipped with drip or sprinkler irrigation systems.

    Jalisco is the second largest avocado producing state with more than 250,000 tons produced year-round from 3,100 producers (medium sized production of 10 ha or more, and 50 percent of total area among 15 to 20 growers). MY 2021/22 planted area is forecasted at 21,414 ha, two percent higher than the previous MY. Jalisco has 12,000 ha that are five years old or less among its 75 growing municipalities. Eighty-five percent of orchards are irrigated with either drip or micro-sprinklers, and planting is high density and sophisticated with technological advances like drone usage to monitor crop advancement and health.

    CONSUMPTION

    Most fresh domestic consumption is supplied from the states of Mexico, Nayarit, and Morelos. Domestic consumption for MY 2021/22 is forecast at 1.1 MMT. According to SIAP, annual per capita consumption is seven kilograms (approximately 15 pounds) per person. While a staple in Mexican cuisine, avocado consumption has not grown in recent years because of high prices driven by increased international demand. 

    Avocado has a wide range of uses as an industrialized product, including as a base for spreads, and oil production for cosmetic products. Avocado oil production from Hass and Fuerte varieties has increased in recent years. Read the full report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • Blueberries Around the Globe – Past, Present, and Future

    USDA International Agricultural Trade Report — Trade and production of blueberries is expanding globally as product development boosts their profile in form and function. Hailed for their flavor, versatility, and health benefits, blueberry consumption has expanded beyond fresh, ranging from pureed to powdered forms. Blueberries are also being used as ingredients and additives in foods and beverages. These new uses and forms of blueberries are combining with increasing fresh consumption to drive up production worldwide. Global production and trade have seen the most dramatic growth between 2010 and 2019, driven ever higher by mounting consumer demand.

    Domestication of Blueberries: From Idea to Industry

    The development of cultivated blueberries began in the early 1900s through the collaboration of Elizabeth White and USDA botanist Frederick Coville. Living on a cranberry farm in New Jersey,  White started conducting her own research into wild highbush blueberry plants in the 1890s. Coville began his research on cultivating wild blueberries in 1908. After they began corresponding, White eventually invited Coville to work with her on her family farm. They become business partners in 1911, harvesting and selling their first commercial crop of blueberries in 1916.

    Since then, commercial blueberry production has expanded in the United States and to every continent except Antarctica. Enabled by advances in genetics and production practices, blueberries were grown in at least 30 countries in 2019 and in a variety of climates. The major classes of blueberry plants now grown commercially are highbush, lowbush (sometimes referred to as wild), half-high (a cross between highbush and lowbush species), Rabbiteye, and Southern highbush. Plant production can be short or long-lived, with some cultivar plants productive for as little as 1-5 years or as long as 40-60 years.

    Global Production

    Global production more than doubled between 2010 and 2019, rising from 439,000 metric tons to nearly 1.0 million. During this time, the number of countries with reportable production expanded from 26 to at least 30, with 27 countries showing growth. In 2010, only 4 countries produced more than 10,000 tons:  the United States (224,000 tons), Canada (84,000 tons), Chile (76,000 tons), and France (11,000 tons). The number of countries producing at least 10,000 tons started increasing by 2012 and has not declined since then. By 2019, at least 11 countries were above the 10,000-ton threshold. Peru had the most dramatic expansion, rising from less than 50 tons to nearly 125,000 to become the fourth-largest producer behind the United States, Canada, and Chile. Peru is now the world’s leading exporter by value.

    Southern Hemisphere countries account for nearly 40 percent of the world’s production growth during this time, reaching close to 300,000 tons in 2019. The spread of production to the Southern Hemisphere has expanded blueberries’ seasonal market presence to all 12 months of the year, boosting availability for consumers and driving worldwide demand.

    In the United States, blueberries are the second-most produced berry. Until the early 1970s, they were commercially grown mostly in three states:  New Jersey, Michigan, and North Carolina. The industry worked to develop production in other states. In the 1990s, U.S. production reached 100 million pounds or more than 45,000 tons. In 2010, Michigan was the largest producer at almost 50,000 tons, accounting for 22 percent of U.S. production. Other states were expanding output, with Washington becoming the top grower in 2015. Washington remains the leading producer averaging 58,000 tons per year and 19 percent of U.S. production, while Oregon is a close second averaging 55,000 tons. The number of states that USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service includes in its annual survey was reduced from 14 states to 9 states in 2018 (the other 5 states accounting for less than 5 percent of production). However, production has continued to rise, reaching a record 339,000 tons in 2019. U.S. production has averaged nearly 300,000 tons since 2015, accounting for 36 percent of global production.

    Global Exports

    The World Customs Organization (WCO) publishes the International Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System or HS), a “multipurpose international product nomenclature” that is a hierarchical framework consisting of 4- and 6-digit classification codes (referred to as headings and subheadings, respectively). Currently, blueberries do not have their own 6-digit classification code. Under the HS, they are classified and harmonized in HS-6 codes that group them with other fruits of the genus Vaccinium (including cranberries), making it difficult to get an accurate understanding of actual blueberry trade. (See section below “Working Towards Better Trade Data.”) By using data from the U.S. Census, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and industry as a guide, leading fresh blueberry exporters include Peru, Chile, Mexico, the United States, South Africa, Poland, and Canada.

    Though the value of fresh blueberry export trade is not known for all exporting countries, looking at these countries gives a good indication of the export situation. Using U.S. Census Bureau, Trade Data Monitor, and country data provided by FAS’s overseas offices, exports for these countries totaled $2.1 billion in 2019. For these seven countries, combined growth has averaged 18 percent annually since 2016, with Peru, Mexico, Poland, and South Africa seeing continuous growth. If exports average only 5 percent growth during the next 5 years, export value for these countries alone will reach nearly $3.0 billion by 2025. According to FAO data, global export volume has not declined since at least 2010, rising on average 46,000 tons per year between 2015 and 2019. Considering the expansion in production and exports since 2010 and the continued rise in consumer demand, exports of fresh blueberries are expected to continue their upward trajectory.

    Growth has been more moderate for U.S. exports. While the export value of fresh blueberries has grown 30 percent between 2010 and 2019, exports experienced 4 straight years of decline between 2014-2017, some of which coincided with years of lower output. On either side of that timespan, exports had peaked at $147 million in 2013 and have seen continuous growth since 2017, rising from $107 million to nearly $121 million in 2020. For 2021, January-July exports are slightly ahead of last year, up $3 million to nearly $99 million. On average, more than 80 percent of U.S. shipments go to Canada, valued at more than $106 million in 2020. Among the seven leading exporters, the United States ranks fourth behind Peru, Chile, and Mexico.

    The Future of Global Production

    Research into varieties no longer relies on public institutions but is now also happening in private industry, resulting in more rapid advances in genetics and varietal development. Research is underway to improve yield, berry quality, disease and pest resistance, and cold and heat resistance. Improvements are also happening in technology to better manage, harvest, and package crops. For example, due to its range of required chill hours (from 400 to 0 hours), Southern highbush cultivars can be grown as an evergreen, a system of managing bushes to produce berries year-round or at specific points in time. Depending on the geographic area, “evergreening” can prevent or manage defoliation through timing and severity of pruning. While prevention enables year-round production, managed defoliation allows growers to control or target when berries will be ripe, and therefore when they can be harvested. For managed defoliation, depending on the cultivar, the time period between pruning and harvest ranges from 5 to 8 months. For example, if aiming for a May harvest, bushes would be trimmed in January. While evergreen production is used in some areas of the United States, it has also allowed the spread of blueberry production to areas with warmer climates such as Australia, Mexico, Peru, and Spain.

    Current blueberry varieties are all within genus Vaccinium and section Cyanococcus. However, wild varieties outside Cyanococcus are known to exist around the world, including in more isolated areas such as islands in the South Pacific. With the success of blueberries, some of these countries are starting to cultivate their wild varieties. The current level of science does not yet easily allow the combining of genetics from Cyanococcus and non-Cyanococcus varieties. Expected advances in genetic technology will likely make this possible in the coming decades, leading to the development of new varieties and further spreading blueberry production.

    Working Towards Better Trade Data

    As noted above, blueberries are included in HS-6 codes that group blueberries with other fruits of the genus Vaccinium, such as cranberries and bilberries. Under the HS, blueberries are currently classified and harmonized globally at the HS-6 level subheadings of 0810.40 (fresh), 0811.90 (frozen), and 0813.40 (dried). Monitoring blueberry trade is challenging because only some countries break out blueberries beyond the HS-6 level as the United States does for fresh, frozen, and dried.

    Due to the considerable growth in global blueberry production and trade in the past 10 years, especially trade in fresh blueberries, FAS has prepared a proposal to submit to the WCO to amend the HS by creating specific subheadings for fresh, frozen, and dried blueberries, thereby distinguishing them from other Vaccinium fruit. Proposals for amendments to the HS are typically submitted by the industry. However, due to the need for global trade data, FAS has undertaken this effort to provide clarity on trade (and thus production) and achieve a more precise understanding of how large the market is and where trade (and thus production) is happening.

    The following are the steps for submission, review, and approval for amendments to the HS:

    1. Proposal is submitted to U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) – if approved, USITC submits the proposal to the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC).
    2. TPSC approval – if approved, USITC submits the proposal to the World Customs Organization HS Review Sub-Committee (WCO HS RSC) as an agenda item for their next meeting.
      Note:  TPSC is an interagency committee that includes representatives from USITC, USDA/FAS, the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Homeland Security/Customs and Border Protection.
    3. WCO HS RSC approval – if approved, the WCO HS RSC submits the proposal to the WCO HS Committee (HSC) for review at their next meeting.
    4. WCO HSC approval – if approved, the proposal is forwarded to the WCO for adoption.
    5. WCO adoption – if adopted, the proposed coding changes will be reflected in the next iteration of the HS, which means it will also be reflected in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.

    FAS submitted a proposal to USITC in September 2021. If it successfully proceeds through the above process, the proposed changes will be reflected in the 2027 HS. Though it will be several years before the changes are implemented, ultimately the changes will significantly improve our ability to understand and forecast blueberry trade.

  • California Navel Orange Crop Forecast Down 14%

    USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service — The initial 2021-22 California Navel orange forecast is 70.0 million cartons, down 14% from the previous year. Of the total Navel orange forecast, 67.0 million cartons are estimated to be in the Central Valley. Cara Cara variety Navel orange production in the Central Valley is forecast at 6.0 million cartons. These forecasts are based on the results of the 2021-22 Navel Orange Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey, which was conducted from June 15 to September 1, 2021. Estimated fruit set per tree, fruit diameter, trees per acre, bearing acreage, and oranges per box were used in the statistical models estimating production.

    This forecast includes production of conventional, organic, and specialty Navel oranges (including Cara Cara and Blood orange varieties).

    Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 239, down 25% from the previous year and b e l o w the five-year average of 344. The average September 1 diameter was 2.145 inches, below the five-year average of 2.208 inches. The Cara Cara orange set was 211 with a diameter of 2.146 inches.

    SURVEY SAMPLE

    A sample of 785 Navel orange groves was randomly selected proportional to county and variety bearing acreage, and 707 of the groves were utilized in this survey. Once a grove was randomly chosen and grower permission was granted, two trees were randomly selected. The Navel orange sample included conventional, organic, Cara Cara, and Blood orange groves.

    For each randomly selected tree, the trunk was measured along with all connected branches. A random number table was then used to select a branch, and then all connected branches from the randomly-selected branch were measured.

    This process was repeated until a branch was reached with no significant limbs beyond this point. This randomly-selected branch, called the terminal branch, was then closely inspected to count all fruit connected to this branch, as well as all of the fruit along the path from the trunk to the terminal branch. Since each selected path has a probability of selection associated with the path, a probability-based method was then applied to estimate a fruit count for the entire tree.

    In the last week of the survey period, fruit diameter measurements were made on the right quadrant of four trees surrounding the two trees of every third grove. These measurements were used to estimate an average fruit diameter per tree. Of the 707 utilized groves, 10 were in Madera County, 119 were in Fresno County, 419 were in Tulare County, and 157 were in Kern County.

    SURVEY HISTORY

    A Navel Orange Objective Measurement Survey has been conducted in the Central Valley every year since the 1984-85 crop year, except for the 1991-92 season due to a lack of funding. The data from the first two years were used for research purposes in developing crop-estimating models. The Cara Cara forecast was undertaken at the request of the California Citrus Advisory Committee.

  • Researchers & Grower-Shipper Association Collaborate to Battle INSV

    Grower-Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) — Implementing effective disease and pest management strategies is a continual challenge for farmers. While these challenges are not new in agriculture, they impact more than just farmers. Lower yields due to disease and pest pressure affects farm employees and harvesting crews too and can also inhibit our ability to provide a steady supply of affordable and healthy produce to consumers.

    Unfortunately, farmers of leafy greens are now dealing with the re-emergence of a damaging disease called thrips-vectored Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus or INSV. According to local farm advisors this increase in INSV is often accompanied by Pythium wilt infections, which is a relatively new problem in the region.

    Lettuce fields are infected by INSV via thrips migrating in from infected host plants in the early spring. Fields infected by INSV cause stunting, yellowing, wilting of the outer leaves and eventual death for leafy greens. Currently, there are no effective treatments for INSV and Pythium wilt on organic and conventional lettuce farms.

    To support farmers as they battle INSV, GSA created a new task force to identify major research questions, examine treatment strategies, develop treatment efficacy trials and build a grower education program specific to these diseases.

    Mary Zischke, former Executive Director of the California Leafy Greens Research Board, was hired by GSA to lead and coordinate Task Force activities. In addition, to assist local farm advisors and help advance University of California cooperative research efforts, GSA added Jasmine Rodriguez to its team. Rodriguez is currently working toward her biology degree at California State University, Monterey Bay and also serves as a laboratory assistant for entomology research projects at the UC Cooperative Extension in Monterey County.

    “Mary and Jasmine will provide our industry with the additional personnel resources and experience as we combat this complex disease and pest control problem,” says Christopher Valadez, GSA president.

    To further expand resources and personnel, GSA has applied for a California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Block Grant. The grant would allow scientists to conduct multi-year field research trials assessing the effects of common crop rotation sequences, monitor Pythium wilt and INSV occurrence in commercial fields, conduct greenhouse studies to characterize the interactions between Pythium wilt and INSV in lettuce to understand their impacts on overall plant health and disease management.

    If awarded the grant, the GSA team will work with researchers from California State University, Monterey Bay and U.S. Department of Ag, Agricultural Research Service in Salinas. Grant outcomes would include knowledge of the impact of crop rotation on Pythium wilt and thrips populations as well as the interplay between Pythium wilt and INSV and how to jointly manage them.

    While GSA is hopeful the grant provides future resources, we will continue moving needed work forward to uncover potential answers and treatment strategies so farmers in our region can minimize losses. Farming equates to surmounting challenges and GSA is committed to supporting farmers as they face those challenges.

  • New Food Freezing Concept Improves Quality, Increases Safety and Cuts Energy Use

    Shifting to a new food freezing method could make for safer and better quality frozen foods while saving energy and reducing carbon emissions, according to a new study by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of California-Berkeley scientists.

    “A complete change over to this new method of food freezing worldwide could cut energy use by as much as 6.5 billion kilowatt-hours each year while reducing the carbon emissions that go along with generating that power by 4.6 billion kg, the equivalent of removing roughly one million cars from roads,” said ARS research food technologist Cristina Bilbao-Sainz. She is with the Healthy Processed Foods Research Unit, part of ARS’s Western Regional Research Center (WRRC) in Albany.

    “T­hese savings could be achieved without requiring any significant changes in current frozen food manufacturing equipment and infrastructure, if food manufacturers adopt this concept,” Bilbao-Sainz added.

    ARS scientists Cristina Bilbao-Sainz (right) and Roberto Avena-Bustillos demonstrate the use of isochoric freezing chambers. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    The new freezing method, called isochoric freezing, works by storing foods in a sealed, rigid container—typically made of hard plastic or metal—completely filled with a liquid such as water. Unlike conventional freezing in which the food is exposed to the air and freezes solid at temperatures below 32 degrees F, isochoric freezing preserves food without turning it to solid ice.

    As long as the food stays immersed in the liquid portion, it is protected from ice crystallization, which is the main threat to food quality.

    “Energy savings come from not having to freeze foods completely solid, which uses a huge amount of energy, plus there is no need to resort to energy-intensive cold storage protocols such as quick freezing to avoid ice crystal formation,” Bilbao-Sainz said.

    Isochoric freezing also allows for higher quality storage of fresh foods such as tomatoes, sweet cherries and potatoes that are otherwise difficult to preserve with conventional freezing.

    Another benefit of isochoric freezing is that it also kills microbial contaminants during processing.

    “The entire food production chain could use isochoric freezing—everyone from growers to food processors, product producers to wholesalers, to retailers. The process will even work in a person’s freezer at home after they purchase a product—all without requiring any major investments in new equipment,” said WRRC center director Tara McHugh, co-leader of this study. “With all of the many potential benefits, if this innovative concept catches on, it could be the next revolution in freezing foods.”

    UC-Berkeley biomedical engineer Boris Rubinsky, co-leader of this project, first developed the isochoric freezing method to cryopreserve tissues and organs for transplants.

    Since then, ARS and UC-Berkeley have applied for a joint patent for applying isochoric freezing to preserving food. The research team is now developing the best applications for this technology in the frozen foods industry, especially scaling up the technology to an industrial level. They also are seeking commercial partners to help transfer the technology to the commercial sector.

    UC-Berkeley mechanical engineer Matthew Powell-Palm, one of the lead authors of the study paper, noted that “isochoric freezing is a cross-cutting technology with promising applications in not only the food industry, but in medicine, biology, even space travel.”

    WRRC has also been designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark in 2002 by the American Chemical Society for developing the Time-Temperature Tolerance studies, which made possible the production of stable, safe and high quality frozen food, revolutionizing the industry in the 1950s.

    This research was published in Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $17 of economic impact.

  • Slowing the Onset of Alzheimer’s by Eating Berries

    Americans are growing old and, sadly, the aging process for many means more than simply turning gray or thinning hair.

    According to the United States Census, in about a dozen years the number of Americans over 65 will outnumber children. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention project the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to nearly triple by 2060.

    Fortunately, USDA-funded research may have found a tasty way to slow disease onset.

    A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that diets high in flavonoids may protect cognitive health. Flavonoids are plant nutrients known for their antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer properties and are found in berries, tea, dark chocolate, and other foods.

    “Alzheimer’s disease is a significant public health challenge,” said Paul Jacques, nutritional epidemiologist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. “Given the absence of drug treatments, preventing Alzheimer’s disease through a healthy diet is an important consideration.”

    According to Jacques, who co-authored the study, about one in nine adults over age 65 are living with AD. While memory loss is the hallmark of AD, Jacques said it has many other cognitive and behavioral changes, including difficulty carrying out simple multistep activities, such as dressing or cooking; loss of judgement and attention; and changes in behavior such as depression and agitation.

    Jacques’s study, one of the first truly large, long-term studies to examine the effects of flavonoids on AD, showed that diets high in certain types of flavonoids present significant promise toward preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s.

    “Our study examined the association between long-term flavonoid intakes and AD over an average follow-up of 19.6 years among 2,809 participants,” he said. Results show that those who consumed the most of three types of flavonoids were more than 50 percent less likely to develop AD risks compared with those who ate the least. Plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, and seeds are good sources of flavonoids, as is a cup of green tea each day.

    Age 50 is not too late to make positive dietary changes. “While the risk of dementia increases over age 70, it is now believed that its preclinical stage may predate clinical diagnosis by decades” he said. “A healthy diet during this preclinical period may provide the best opportunity for slowing the development of AD. When you approach 50, you should start thinking about a healthier diet if you haven’t already.”

    According to Jacques, flavonoid-rich diets help more than just Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

    “The bottom line is that there are many reasons to consume a healthy diet, including lower risks of cardiovascular disease and some cancers. We can now add protection of cognitive health and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease to that list.” – By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications

  • Slowing the Onset of Alzheimer’s by Eating Berries

    Americans are growing old and, sadly, the aging process for many means more than simply turning gray or thinning hair.

    According to the United States Census, in about a dozen years the number of Americans over 65 will outnumber children. Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention project the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to nearly triple by 2060.

    Fortunately, USDA-funded research may have found a tasty way to slow disease onset.

    A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that diets high in flavonoids may protect cognitive health. Flavonoids are plant nutrients known for their antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer properties and are found in berries, tea, dark chocolate, and other foods.

    “Alzheimer’s disease is a significant public health challenge,” said Paul Jacques, nutritional epidemiologist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. “Given the absence of drug treatments, preventing Alzheimer’s disease through a healthy diet is an important consideration.”

    According to Jacques, who co-authored the study, about one in nine adults over age 65 are living with AD. While memory loss is the hallmark of AD, Jacques said it has many other cognitive and behavioral changes, including difficulty carrying out simple multistep activities, such as dressing or cooking; loss of judgement and attention; and changes in behavior such as depression and agitation.

    Jacques’s study, one of the first truly large, long-term studies to examine the effects of flavonoids on AD, showed that diets high in certain types of flavonoids present significant promise toward preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s.

    “Our study examined the association between long-term flavonoid intakes and AD over an average follow-up of 19.6 years among 2,809 participants,” he said. Results show that those who consumed the most of three types of flavonoids were more than 50 percent less likely to develop AD risks compared with those who ate the least. Plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, and seeds are good sources of flavonoids, as is a cup of green tea each day.

    Age 50 is not too late to make positive dietary changes. “While the risk of dementia increases over age 70, it is now believed that its preclinical stage may predate clinical diagnosis by decades” he said. “A healthy diet during this preclinical period may provide the best opportunity for slowing the development of AD. When you approach 50, you should start thinking about a healthier diet if you haven’t already.”

    According to Jacques, flavonoid-rich diets help more than just Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

    “The bottom line is that there are many reasons to consume a healthy diet, including lower risks of cardiovascular disease and some cancers. We can now add protection of cognitive health and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease to that list.” – By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications