California Fruit and Vegetable

Tag: Vegetables West Magazine

  • Dealing with Wild Pig Pests on the Farm

    Farmers are used to dealing with insect pest and small furry rodents, but how about wild pigs? Now, this is a more common issue in some areas more than others; nonetheless, pigs can wreak a lot of havoc in vineyards, orchards and field crops, so exploring your management options is key. Watch this brief interview with Julie Finzel from the UC Cooperative Extension as she provides some recommendations for growers.

  • The Recent Romaine Recall and the LGMA

    Although the Center for Disease Control announced on January 9, 2019 that the recent e-coli outbreak is over, there is another part of the story that doesn’t seem to be getting allot of traction. During the investigation the FDA made the comment that based on the spread of the traceback it’s highly unlikely that it originated from a single farm. I don’t have any first-hand knowledge that hasn’t already been publicly disclosed, but I do understand how the produce supply chain works. A single source could be a possible scenario when you think through how one farm can go to multiple processors and terminal markets. There are two troubling allegations floating around about this outbreak that need put to rest.

    First, that the only grower/shipper implicated so far was not a member of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA). The LGMA recently sent out a statement confirming that is accurate so that’s not up for further debate. Since it was formed in 2006 the backbone of the LGMA has been that members voluntarily subject themselves to minimum food safety standards verified through unannounced inspections conducted by California Department of Public Health (CDPH) inspectors. The LGMA was never intended to stop all recalls but that through a HACCP type approach to continuously reduce risk starting at the field. Since the marketing agreement was voluntary the failsafe were the commitments made by some of the largest retailers and food service distributors at the time that their buy side would support LGMA members for West Coast sourced leafy greens.

    Being a member of the LGMA is not cheap. One recent study suggested that the incremental cost per acre since 2006 to abide by all of the minimum food safety standards and inspections that come with LGMA is close to $180 per acre. A non-LGMA farm can have the most stringent standards in the industry on paper. However, without incurring the incremental costs associated with maintaining “trust but verify” standards, supported by unannounced site audits they would have a substantial cost advantage over LGMA members.

    The second issue is how a non-LGMA member can get their leafy greens into the retail and food service channels. Just prior to the outbreak the romaine supply was extremely tight in many areas which was reflected in the USDA Mostly Market reports for romaine. Maybe it’s just coincidence, or maybe there is a hole in the process that the buy side needs to step up and address, especially when the industry is short. This is the second recall situation I am aware of in the past three years where the trace back implicated a California shipper/handler that was not an LGMA member.

    I’m not suggesting that somehow LGMA members have a safer product than anyone else. I am suggesting that we owe it to ourselves as an industry and to consumers to ensure that everyone is at least working from the same floor. How high someone wants to go above that floor is an individual business decision. The LGMA may not be the perfect solution to maintaining minimum standards on an industry wide basis, but right now it’s the only solution.

    If the buy side isn’t going to step up and support LGMA for leafy greens sourced from the West Coast, especially when supplies are tight, then maybe it’s time to rethink it. When everyone is allowed to revert back to their own standards, then we really have no standards which is where we were in 2006.

  • Understanding Coyotes & How to Manage/Deter Them

    Once confined mostly to the Great Plains of North America, coyotes have spread across much of the continent, and can be a real threat and nuisance to farming communities. Check out this brief interview with USDA Wildlife Specialist Derek Milsaps, as he offers some recommendations on how to identify and deal with these pests.

  • Invasive Nutria Damages CA Waterways — Requesting Farmer Assistance!

    Rodents of unusual size —California has got them! The new kid on the block is Nutria, a semiaquatic rodent, that has invaded California’s waterways, and is doing a lot of damage.  USDA is asking farmers for help in locating these pests to be removed. Derek Milsaps from USDA-APHIS presented some information on this pest at the Tree & Vine Expo in Turlock recently.

  • New High-Yield Strawberry, Raspberry Varieties Released

    By Krisy Gashler

    These berries yield like the dickens.

    Cornell’s berry breeding program is releasing two new varieties, which will be available for planting in spring 2019: a strawberry, Dickens, and a raspberry, Crimson Treasure. Both varieties produce large fruits with vibrant colors that maintain peak flavor for longer than most heritage varieties.

    The new berries are the handiwork of berry breeder Courtney Weber, associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences based at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York.

    Dickens is a traditional, June-bearing strawberry with high yields and bright red fruit that continues bearing late into the season. The berries are firm, so they hold well on the plant and in the container, Weber said, but not so firm that they have no flavor. Strawberries are the third-leading fruit crop in New York state, but most strawberries sold in supermarkets are from California.

    “With New York-grown berries, because we don’t have to ship so far, we can handle a softer fruit. And people notice the softer, sweeter, juicier fruit,” Weber said. “Customers can get supermarket strawberries any day of the week; the reason people make the effort to come to the farm stand or farmers market and buy the local product is because it tastes so much better. Maintaining that flavor is paramount to what we do in our breeding program.”

    The Dickens strawberry was first discovered in Weber’s breeding fields in 2002 and was originally noticed for the plant’s hardiness in surviving cold winters, making it especially suitable for New York and other cold-winter climates. Production trials throughout the region have shown Dickens to be an adaptable and consistent producer of high-quality fruit. Dickens has been tested in annual and perennial production systems, without soil fumigation, and found to be tolerant to root rot and other common diseases.

    Weber has named his strawberry varieties after his favorite authors, including L’Amour, Clancy, Herriot, Walker and, most recently, Archer. Because this newest berry “yields like the dickens,” Weber decided to name it after prolific English author Charles Dickens.

    The new raspberry, Crimson Treasure, is also very high-yielding, with larger fruit than traditional varieties grown in the region. The well-known Heritage raspberry produces fruit of approximately 2.5 grams, while Crimson Treasure produces berries twice as large – averaging between 4 to 6 grams. That’s typical of what you see with supermarket raspberries, Weber said.

    Crimson Treasure is a fall-bearing raspberry with bright-red fruit that holds its color and texture well in storage.

    “Color is a big deal. You need fruit that does not darken after you pick them,” Weber said. “A lot of older varieties, after you pick them and put them in the cooler, they darken and then look overripe. This one doesn’t; it holds its color and eating quality well.”

    Crimson Treasure was originally discovered in 2012. Weber has worked to speed the process of developing new raspberry varieties because the program has so many international collaborators interested in raspberries. These collaborators plant trial raspberries and collect data, giving Weber more information on disease resistance and other traits that can inform his breeding trials.

    The name continues another Weber tradition. This is the third raspberry in the “Crimson” series. Two previously released raspberries were named Crimson Giant and Crimson Night.

    Cornell’s berry breeding program is the oldest in the country and is the only one in the Northeastern U.S. The university’s berries are grown all over the world: Crimson Treasure has been planted in trials in New York, California, Mexico and the European Union. The berry program works with commercial partners across North America, in Morocco, Spain and Portugal. Heritage, the most commonly grown raspberry variety in Chile, was developed at Cornell, and two Cornell raspberry varieties, Crimson Night and Double Gold, are under license in Japan.

    The Dickens strawberry will be available from Nourse Farms, a licensee in Whately, Massachusetts, 413-665-2658. Crimson Treasure raspberry will be available from North American Plants, a licensee in McMinnville, Oregon, 877-627-4636. For information on licensing opportunities, email Jess Lyga at the Center for Technology Licensing at Cornell University.

    Krisy Gashler is a freelance writer for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

  • Dealing with Diamondback Moth

    It has been a couple of “rough” weeks managing the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), in the Central Coast. Based on my conversations with some PCAs, we are managing large populations of this moth, resulting in high infestations in cole crops like broccoli and Brussel sprouts. Larvae of this insect will typically feed on the underside of the leaves, rasping the epidermis and generating this characteristic “window panning” that results on perforations later on (Fig. 1). Diamondback larvae will also feed on the plant’s growing points, floral stalks, and even on flower buds.

    Fig.1. Characteristic window panning injury from Diamondback larva feeding on a broccoli leaf.

    It seems like populations have been building up during early summer in our area, resulting in enough individuals, at this point, generating significant injury in cole crops. PCAs have been recommending spraying several different insecticides to reduce the infesting populations in affected fields, since damage has been beyond tolerable. For instance, after one of my field visits, I was able to spot affected larvae in treated fields (Fig. 2). Treatments are working, I believe we need to continue being ahead of future DMB infestations.

    Fig. 2. Dark colored insecticide-poisoned and dead Diamondback larva collected from an insecticide treated broccoli field.

    Some information to consider:

     

    • Scout early. If you have transplants or direct seeded seedlings, pay a visit more often. We are dealing with a large DBM population right now. There will be a high chance that those fields may ended having DMB earlier than expected during this time of the year.
    • Use of adjuvants. The waxy nature of cole crop leaves represents a challenge for insecticide deposition in the canopy. Make sure that you are using a spreader/sticker adjuvant to potentially reduce any pesticide “sliding off” from the waxy leaves.
    • Rotate pesticides. Consider using different classes of insecticides, before using different active ingredients within the same class. For instance, using an avermectin and then a diamide, instead of using chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole (two different active ingredients within the diamide class) back to back. Using different modes of actions will help to delay potential issues of developing insecticide resistance in our DBM populations.

  • Got “Red” Aphids?

    Since last week, I have been receiving samples with “red” aphids to get the identification. It turned out that this time, most of these ‘reddish’ aphids were identified as the lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribis-nigri (Fig. 1). To me, they look more red-orange; however, their distinct black marks on the abdomen and short cauda (finger-like, short appendage at the end of the abdomen) are some key ID features. These features help to differentiate the lettuce aphid from the other “red” aphid, the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Fig. 2). Yes, we do have two different species of red aphids!

    Fig. 1. Lettuce aphid.
    Fig. 1. Lettuce aphid.
    Fig. 2. Potato aphid.
    Fig. 2. Potato aphid.

    More samples for aphid ID are still coming into the UC Cooperative Extension office. The pattern is still similar to last week. There are mostly lettuce aphids on the submitted samples. I was also able to notice that some samples have mixed populations between the lettuce and the potato aphids, where all the specimens were red.

    We have several trial locations where we are scouting for aphids. So far, fields in Soledad have the largest number of aphids documented, as both alates (with wings, collected from yellow sticky cards) and wingless (collected from lettuce samples). If you need further information about the other scouting locations, or would like to double check your aphid ID, please contact or send samples to Alejandro Del-Pozo (adelpozo@ucanr.edu, 831-759-7359).

  • Microbial Soil Amendments to Improve Strawberry Health & Production

    In the recent years, interest in biological products – nutrient, biostimulant, soil amendment or pesticide products of plant and microbial origin – is increasing for use in agriculture.  While the growth of the organic industry is partly responsible for this interest, an increase in research exploring the potential of these products and a continued emphasis on sustainable agriculture could also be among other contributing factors.  In an undisturbed ecosystem, both beneficial and pestiferous arthropods and microorganisms coexist, limiting each other’s proliferation and maintaining a balance.  This coexistence is out of balance in an agricultural ecosystem, especially where fumigants and other agricultural inputs are routinely used.  Introducing beneficial microbes and organic or inorganic compounds can enhance the soil structure, promote root and plant growth, improve crop health, reduce salt and drought stress, prevent the loss of nutrients, increase the uptake of nutrients and water, and protect against pests and diseases.

    In a continuous effort to explore the potential of additive, soil amendment, biostimulant, and other products, a new study was conducted in a conventional strawberry field at the Manzanita Berry Farms in Santa Maria.  The following treatments were administered at different times, from planting till the end of production season, as requested by the manufacturer.

    1. Untreated control: Other than the soil incorporated fertilizers during the field preparation, no other nutrient inputs were added during the study.
    2. Grower standard: Transplants were dipped in Switch 62.5WG (cyprodinil+fludioxonil, at 5 oz/100 gal) before planting and a proprietary nutrient regimen that included administration of a humic acid-based product was followed.
    3. Innovak Global regimen: Nutrisorb-L (a blend of polyhydroxy carboxylic acids) at 28 fl oz/ac, starting 2 wk after planting and every 3 wk thereafter through drip.  Packhard (carboxylic acids with calcium and boron) at 28 fl oz/ac, starting at the first fruit set (early January) and every 2 wk thereafter as a foliar spray.
    4. TerraVesco regimen: A microbe-rich Vermi-extract (worm extract) at 10% vol/vol as a transplant dip for 3 hours, followed by application through drip at 7.5 gal/ac after planting, and again in December, 2017 and January, 2018.
    5. Fertum regimen: Transplant dip in 1% vol/vol of Germinal Plus (a product from marine algae), followed by drip applications of Booster (a biostimulant and a natural organic fertilizer made from seaweed) at 0.5 gal/ac in late November and late December, 201; Silicium PK (a biostimulant and a natural organic fertilizer based on silicon enriched with phosphorus, potassium and seaweed extracts) at 0.5 gal/ac late December, 2017 and once a month starting from mid February to early July, 2018; and Foliar (a biostimulant and a natural organic fertilizer from marine algae) at 0.5 gal/ac in mid and late January.
    6. Shemin Garden regimen: EcoSil (a silica fertilizer) at 800 ml/ac once a month starting from early December, 2017 to May, 2018 through drip, and at 200 ml/ac in early May and June, 2018 as a foliar spray; ComCat (based on a plant extract) at 20 gr/ac and EcoFlora (a consortium of Azotobacter spp., Bacillus spp., Paenibacillus spp., Pseudomonas sp., Trichoderma spp., and Streptomyces spp.) at 12 oz/ac one week after EcoSil through drip until May, 2018 and ComCat at 10 gr/ac and EcoFlora at 12 oz/ac as a foliar spray in May and June, 2018.
    7. GrowCentia regimen-low: Yeti containing 1% bacterial culture (of Pseudomonas putida, Citrobacter freundii, Comamonas testosterone, and Enterobacter cloacae) and 2% alfalfa extract applied at 0.6 ml/gal through drip for 90 min weekly from the first drip application.
    8. GrowCentia regimen-high: Yeti at 1 ml/gal through drip for 90 min weekly from the first drip application.
    9. NanoChem regimen: EX10, a biodegradable fertilizer additive containing thermal polyaspartate at 1 qrt/ac through first drip after planting with follow up applications in early January (first bloom), mid February, and mid May, 2018.  The active ingredient binds with cations such as ammonium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc and improves their availability for the plant.
    10. BiOWiSH regimen 1: Formula 1 at 1.33 oz/gal for transplant dip followed by 3.53 oz/ac through drip starting 2 wk after planting and every 4-5 wk thereafter.
    11. BiOWiSH regimen 2: Formula 1 at 1.33 oz/gal for transplant dip followed by 3.53 oz/ac as a foliar srpay starting 2 wk after planting and every 4-5 wk thereafter.
    12. BiOWiSH regimen 3: Formula 1 at 1.33 oz/gal for transplant dip followed by 3.53 oz/ac through drip starting 2 wk after planting alternated with a foliar spray every 4-5 wk.
    13. BiOWiSH regimen 4: Formula 1 at 1.33 oz/gal for transplant dip followed by BiOWiSH Crop 16-40-0, a microbial consortium (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, B. lichenoformis, B. pumilus, and B. subtilis)at 3.53 oz/ac through drip starting 2 wk after planting and every 4-5 wk thereafter.

    Each treatment contained a 165′ long 5.7′ wide bed and replicated four times in a randomized complete block design.  A 15′ long plot in the center of the bed was marked and netted for collecting yield and some other parameters that were compared.  Strawberry cultivar BG 6-30214 was planted on 7 November, 2017.  Other than the untreated control, all other products were administered on top of the grower standard fertility program.  However, only the grower standard transplants were dipped in Switch 62.5WG before planting.

    Various parameters were measured during the vegetative growth and fruit production periods to evaluate the impact of the treatments on crop growth, health, and yield.  Data were analyzed using ANOVA and LSD test was used to separate significant means.

    20171107 Treatments (1)
    Transplant treatment (above) and drip application (below).  Photos by Tamas Zold
    20180320 Treatment injection-Tamas Zold (2)
    Measuring the canopy growth

    Tamas Zold taking canopy measurements.  Photo by Surendra Dara

    Canopy growth: Canopy growth was observed on 11 December, 2017, 7 and 30 January, and 8 February, 2018 by measuring the size of the canopy along and across the length of the bed from 20 random plants per bed and calculating the area.  Canopy size significantly (P = 0.0261) different among the treatments only on the last observation date where plants treated with EX10 and the GrowCentia product at the low concentration were larger than those in the grower standard.

    Canopy size

    Electrical conductivity and temperature of soil: From two random location on each bed, electrical conductivity (EC in dS/m) and temperature (oC) were measured about 3 inches deep from the surface on 12 and 25 January, 7 February, 19 March, 18 April, and 29 May, 2018.  Only soil temperature on 25 January significantly (P = 0.0007) varied among treatments where the difference between the highest (untreated control) and the lowest (Vermi-extract) values was 0.8oC.

    EC and Temperature

    Dead plants: The number of dead plants represents empty spots in the bed due to the death of transplants.  There were no obvious signs of disease or a particular stress factor associated with those plants except that they were randomly distributed within each bed and throughout the field.  When counted on 18 April, 2018, BiOWiSH regimen 4, Fertum regimen, GrowCentia product at the high rate, and Innovak Global regimen had

    Missing plants

    Areas where transplants did not establish.  Photo by Surendra Dara

    Dead plants

    Fruit diseases: Fruit harvested on 12 March, 3 and 13 April, and 17 May, 2018 from each marked plot was incubated at room temperature in dark in plastic containers and the fungal growth was rated 3 and 5 days after harvest (DAH) using a scale of 0 to 4 where 0=no fungal growth, 1=1-25%, 2=26-50%, 3=51-75%, and 4=76-100% fungal growth. Botrytis fruit rot or grey mold was predominant during the first two observation dates and the growth of other fungi (possibly Rhizopus spp.) was also seen during the last two dates.  In general, fruit disease occurred at low levels throughout the observation period with

    Fruit disease

    Sugar content in fruit: Sugar content was measured from two harvest-ready berries per bed on 17 May, 2018 using a handheld refractometer.  Sugar content varied from 8.06 oBx (Innovak Global regimen) to 9.53 oBx (grower standard).

    Sugar content

    Fruit firmness: Fruit firmness was measured from eight randomly collected harvest-ready berries from each bed on 28 June, 2018.  Firmness varied from 0.82 kgf (Fertum and Shemin Garden regimens) to 0.98 kgf (untreated control).

    Fruit firmness

    Fruit yield:Strawberries were harvested from 6 February to 22 June, 2018 on 36 dates.  When compared to the grower standard, the marketable berry yield was 16.2, 15.1, 13.7, and 13% higher in Fertum regimen, EX10 treatment, Innovak Global regimen, and BiOWiSH regimen 4, respectively.  The marketable berry yield was 9.8, 9, 7.5, and 6.8% higher in those respective treatments over the yield from untreated control.

    Seasonal marketable berries 1
    Seasonal marketable yields among all treatments (above) and percentage difference compared to untreated control or grower standard (below).
    Percent difference from UTC
    Percent difference from GS
    When data were analyzed without the untreated control, there was a significant difference (P = 0.0279) among the treatments where treatment 5 had significantly higher marketable yield than the grower standard and treatments 3, 8, and 11.  Percentage difference from grower standard yield was also significantly different (P = 0.0301) among treatments where the Fertum regimen had the highest increase of 16.25.
    Seasonal marketable berries 2
    Seasonal marketable yields (above) and percentage difference compared to grower standard (below) when untreated control data were excluded from the analyses.
    Percent difference from GS excluding UTC
    There was a significant difference (P = 0.0141) among treatments only in the number of marketable berries.  There were more than 1700 in Innovak Global regimen, EX10 treatment, and BiOWiSH regimen 4 while grower standard had 1485, Vermi-extract had 1563, and the rest of the treatments had marketable berries in 1600s.
    Number of berries per plot
    The average fruit weight was a little over 33 grams in the grower standard and the Fertum regimen whereas the weight varied between 31.9 and 32.7 grams in the rest of the treatments.
    Weight of a marketable berry

    It took 23 harvest dates in three months (from February to April, 2018) to obtain the first third of the total seasonal yield while the remaining two-thirds were obtained from seven harvest dates in May and six dates in June.  Marketable fruit yield was higher than the grower standard in all treatments and higher than the untreated control in most treatments.

    Yield at different seasonal intervals

    In general, fruit yields were higher and the pest and disease pressure was lower than usual during the study period.  Aleo, a garlic oil based fungicide, at lower label rates was periodically used for disease management and bug vacuums were operated a few times against the western tarnished plant bug as a standard across all treatments.

    This study evaluated some treatment regimens as recommended by the collaborating manufacturers and some of them appear to have a potential for use in strawberry production.  These results help the manufacturers fine tune their recommendations for achieving better yields through additional studies.

    Acknowledgments: We thank the planting and harvest crew at Manzanita Berry Farms for their help with the crop production aspects, Chris Martinez, Tamas Zold, and Maria Murrietta for their technical assistance, Sumanth Dara for statistical analysis, and the support of the industry collaborators who funded the study.

     

     

  • Steve Patricio Honored for Significant Contributions to Ag

    Western Growers to Present Patricio with 2018 Award of Honor on October 30

    Western Growers will honor Stephen (Steve) Patricio, who’s visionary leadership has advanced the agricultural industry by leaps and bounds, with the 2018 Award of Honor. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of industry achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community.

    “Steve has been a tireless advocate for agriculture, and his ability to turn some of the most tumultuous challenges that our industry has faced over the past few decades into opportunities is unmatched,” said Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers. “He has already left a tremendous legacy as someone who shoulders the responsibility of igniting change that advances the industry as a whole.”

    Patricio is being recognized for his immeasurable leadership and contribution to the agricultural industry, making significant advancements in food safety and the protection of public health. Steve led the creation of the first-ever mandatory food safety compliance program for the California cantaloupe industry, as well as helped raise millions of dollars to fund research geared toward preventing foodborne illness. He also played an integral role in the establishment of the California and Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements, which today have become the model for produce safety and accountability.

    “When you look at the success of California agriculture, Steve is a true representative of why the ag community is as successful as it is today,” said Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, executive director of the Center for Produce Safety. “He truly embodies passion and proactivity, and his commitment to food safety to benefit both the consumer and industry is unlike any other.”

    Patricio’s tenacity does not just stop at food safety. Patricio has spent countless hours throughout his 45-year tenure in the industry advocating for a sustainable supply of water for farmers to grow the food that feeds the state, nation and world. He has taken every opportunity, as he did when he was asked to join former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the San Luis Reservoir, to call attention to the need for more surface water storage and stress the need for a comprehensive water solution. Furthermore, Patricio launched the industry’s first orientation program for agribusinesses that focused exclusively on water rights.

    “Steve has one of the brightest minds and quickest wit in the industry,” said Bob Gray, past chairman of Western Growers and former president/CEO of California Ag Leadership Foundation. “He is a contributor of substance, and the expertise and competence he has brought regarding food safety and water has made major impacts for the industry.”

    A Los Banos-native, Patricio is deeply involved in the community and industry. He has served as chairman for Western Growers, Center for Produce Safety, California Cantaloupe Advisory Board and Monrovia Nursery Company. He has also held leadership positions at Western Growers Assurance Trust, Monsanto Vegetable Seeds Advisory Council and the Produce Marketing Association.

    “I was speechless when I found out I was selected for this award,” said Patricio. “I never thought that, in the end of it all, I would be a farmer or involved in this honorable and wonderful world that I am so engaged in today. I often tell youth that your career chooses you, and because I followed the path life decided to take me on, I am proud to say that I am a farmer. I couldn’t imagine being in any other industry.”

    Patricio’s accomplishments and passion for shaping the ag industry will be recognized at the Award of Honor Dinner Gala at the Western Growers Annual Meeting on October 30, 2018, in Palm Desert, California.  There, Patricio will be honored by his peers, friends and family. To attend the ceremony, visit http://www.wgannualmeeting.com/.

  • New Proposal for Immigration Reform Backed by Champion Boxers & Farmers

    Immigration reform seems to be an ongoing issue our legislature cannot seem to resolve on their own. That is why farmers have allied with champion boxers and other world-renown athletes in presenting a new solution known as EARNED. Watch this interview with Nisei Farmers League President Manuel Cunha who briefly explains the program and how it will benefit undocumented farm employees and the Agricultural industry as a whole.