Bayer CropScience Offers Biologic ‘Serenade’ to Fight Pests

Serenade Offers Big Dividends to Growers Fighting Pests

By Kyle Buchoff, CaliforniaAgToday Reporter

In this new frontier of pest and disease controls with biological fungicides and insecticides, Dr. Jonathan Margolis, the Vice President of Biologics Research for Bayer CropScience at the company’s new West Sacramento Research Facility, recently commented on Serenade, a major biologics product used by many growers. “When I joined Bayer in 2005, I would never have expected that we would still be spending this much effort on fundamental basic research on understanding Serenade and its mode of action, and ultimately on improving it.”

“We’ve invested a tremendous amount of resources on characterization of the chemistry that’s produced by the microbe,” Margolis explains, “on understanding how it interacts with plants—the signals it exchanges with plants to stimulate their growth and turn on host defense responses. Even more importantly, we want to understand the fundamental genetics of the organism so, in the future, we can use physiological cues, nutrients and growth conditions to change the way it produces these biologic chemicals in terms of increased efficiently.”

The company states that Serenade is a fungicide and bactericide that stops harmful spores from germinating, disrupts cell membrane growth, and inhibits attachment of the pathogen to the leaf. Biologic applications target Botrytis, Sclerotinia, Xanthomonas, and Erwina on grapes, strawberries, leafy vegetables, potatoes, pome fruit and tree nuts.

(Featured photo source: “Enhancing Global Food Security, Facts and Figures 2012-2013 Bayer CropScience”)

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:24-07:00September 23rd, 2014|

Fresno State Alumni and Friends to Gather at Concannon Vineyard for Collaborative Event Oct. 4

The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and Craig School of Business at Fresno State are welcoming alumni and friends in the Livermore area to a gathering hosted at Concannon Vineyard on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 2 – 4 p.m.

Guests will enjoy wine tasting with Concannon wine maker James Foster, a Fresno State alumnus, as well as Jordan College enology students who will be pouring Fresno State’s award-winning wine. Hors d’ oeuvres will feature Fresno State farm products.

Jordan College Dean Dr. Charles Boyer and Craig School Dean Dr. Bob Harper will share updates on their respective colleges. Following the program, attendees have the opportunity to enjoy a tour of the winery, with advance registration.

“Dean Boyer and I have a strong interest in fostering alumni relations in and around the Bay area,” Harper states. “We know there are many alumni in the area with fond memories of their time spent at Fresno State and strongly believe that their education prepared them well for professional careers. There is a strong synergy between agriculture and business, and the Craig School of Business is proud to partner with the Jordan College to sponsor this event.”

As a collaborative effort to engage alumni and friends outside of the Fresno area, this event was proposed by members of The Wine Group (TWG), the worlds third-largest wine producer by volume, which supports both the Jordan College and the Craig School. An independent, management-owned company, headquartered in Livermore, TWG’s portolio includes such leading brands as Cupcake, Franzia, flipflop and Almaden.

Dave Johnson, Executive Vice President of Finance with The Wine Group and member of the Craig School’s Business Advisory Council, proposed the idea at Concannon Vineyard, which is one of The Wine Group’s locations.

Concannon Vineyard is celebrating its 130th year of wine making at their beautiful estate located at 4590 Tesla Road, Livermore 94550. Cost to attend is $35 per person, $40 per person after Sept. 27. Advance purchase and tour sign-up required.

For more information, visit www.agonefoundation.org or contact Ag One/Jordan College at 559.278.4266 or by email at sfast@csufresno.edu.

Established in 1979, the Ag One Foundation benefits, promotes and supports the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State. It has raised more than $16 million in endowed funds, with more than 3,350 students receiving more than $2.4 million in scholarships and grants.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:24-07:00September 23rd, 2014|

The California Avocado Festival – A Green Event

The idea of the California Avocado Festival began in 1986 at a meeting between community leaders Rob Godfrey, Connie Korbel, Debbie Murphy, Fran Puccinelli, Bob Ealee and John Franklin. A brainstorming meeting was called to create an ongoing weekend event that would benefit the fundraising efforts of the local non-profit groups. It seemed the plan would also help promote Carpinteria as a Southern California weekend getaway destination and boost our local economy.

In 2013, the Festival reached its goal of Zero Waste with the exceptional help of E.J. Harrison. This is the 2nd year in a row that the California Avocado Festival can boast Zero Waste – a strong testament to E.J. Harrison’s commitment to their company motto, “Service is Everything.”

Here are some of the high standards that the California Avocado Festival holds to, allowing them to create a Green environment.

The Festival is a No Styrofoam Zone  Biodiesel is used for Festival Generators  Boast a 100% Overall Diversion Rate! (2012)
The Festival will be using LED lighting at their Commercial Venue to reduce power usage.
The Festival Honors the City’s Ordinance on Outdoor Smoking

We are one of the largest free music festivals in California with over 75 acts on four stages. Check out the Stages Page for line-up updates.

2014 FESTIVAL HOURS:

Friday, October 3 • 11am – 10pm
Saturday, October 4 • 10am – 10pm
Sunday, October 5 • 10am – 6pm

For Sponsorship Opportunities, please email info@avofest.com.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:24-07:00September 23rd, 2014|

Commentary: Groundwater Legislation: “One Size Fits All” Just Doesn’t Fit

By Sen. Tom Berryhill; Ag Alert

In the waning hours of the legislative session, three bills that will drastically alter California’s groundwater management were passed with little vetting by the public or stakeholders impacted by the proposed changes. Senate Bill 1168 and Assembly Bill 1739 had been making their way through the legislative process, but in a completely different form than what was presented in the final days of the legislative session. Senate Bill 1319 was added to the package with just hours to go and voila, the legislative leadership declares a negotiated groundwater management package that works for all of California.

Far from it. “Negotiated” implies people of opposing viewpoints had input, something that did not happen.

Almost universally, agriculture was opposed, and I would imagine had it not been “negotiated” behind closed doors, there would have been an outcry from other regions and stakeholders throughout the state as well. Make no mistake, these groundwater bills will radically change decades of California water policy and give unprecedented authority to the state’s water bureaucracy to declare winners and losers. All without an appeals process. This is no way to craft policy.

Legislators of both political parties immediately sent a joint letter to Gov. Jerry Brown requesting that he veto the bills and call a special session of the Legislature to develop a reasonable groundwater management plan.

Earlier this summer, the Legislature put together groundbreaking water bond legislation. We did it in the light of day with months of negotiations and years of work behind the policy changes. These negotiations were a true victory for the people of California and a shining example of how well we can do something when we work together.

As a farmer and a Californian, I am absolutely concerned about increasing conditions of overdraft in many groundwater basins and the long-term effects on access to groundwater and land. But I believe California is playing a dangerous game if it pursues the one-size-fits-all approach of these bills.

Add into the mix a devastating drought that has severely tested our ability to prioritize where dwindling supplies of water should go—agriculture, environment or homes—and any solution becomes murkier.

Some basins have been critically overdrafted for decades, and in those instances state oversight may be an appropriate option as a way to spur local-management improvements. However, other basins have little or no overdraft problems or already have effective management systems in place. These bills treat all scenarios the same, a de facto punishment of the basins doing it right.

What started earlier this year as a legislative effort to remedy overdraft of aquifers in specific areas of the state morphed into a policy package that addresses issues well beyond mitigation of overdraft, all done at the last minute, without policy hearings, in the final weeks of the legislative session.

The regulatory regime for groundwater extraction enacted in these bills will not only invite lawsuits, it turns a blind eye to the differences between the 500-plus water basins in California and ignores ongoing local overdraft mitigation efforts. This is a bureaucratic power grab by the state’s water agencies, not an honest solution to a problem.

It took us more than 10 years to craft a good water bond that addresses the needs of a variety of communities, interest groups and industries. Was three weeks enough time to fully consider and seek consensus on the numerous, substantial policy changes made to groundwater management? I think not.

In the coming years and decades, the authorities granted in this bill will radically change the landscape of groundwater management. That will have a de-stabilizing impact on those who depend on groundwater supplies, particularly in Northern and Central California, thus the virtually unanimous opposition of the agriculture community to these proposals.

Yes, it is time to craft groundwater regulation that meets today’s needs, but these bills won’t get us there. Let’s go back to the drawing board and craft a narrower, more effective measure focused on basins where real problems exist, encouraging them to implement management measures modeled by other regions and providing a mechanism for the state to partner with areas when local management fails. We came together and passed the water bond; we can, and should, do the same for groundwater management.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:24-07:00September 21st, 2014|

What’s Plantable? It’s the new gardening app from the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers

Source: CDFA

We farmers love our tractors, but if you had to pick an official “tool of the 21st century,” you’d probably put the “app” at the top of that list. Apps (mobile device software applications) are a great way to reach the Millennial audience on its own technological wavelength. Our friends over at the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers (CANGC) have joined in the fun, launching the new Plantable app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod.

Available online at http://plantable.org, this resource gives consumers a swipable menu of DIY projects like “The Incredible, Edible Patio Garden” and “House Plants that Clean the Air,” complete with materials lists and simple, straightforward instructions. It’s the kind of tool that can transform a young, urban audience into new urban farmers and home gardeners, giving them a chance to share a little bit of the thrill that farmers get every time they bring a crop to harvest.

CANGC developed the Plantable app with the help of a $237,000 grant from CDFA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The app will help drive young consumers to nurseries and garden centers, which is great for the industry – but it also accomplishes the goal of raising consumers’ “ag IQ” and that’s good news for all of us.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:25-07:00September 19th, 2014|

Asian Citrus Psyllid Quarantine Expansion in Kern County

An additional portion of Kern County has been placed under quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detection of one psyllid in a residential neighborhood south of the City of Bakersfield in Kern County.

CDFA officials are going door to door to notify owners of the spray mandate.

The new Asian citrus psyllid quarantine zone measures 113 square miles in and around the City of Bakersfield, bordered on the north by New Stine Road; on the east by S Fairfax Road; on the south by Millux Road; and on the west by Interstate 5. This area is in addition to the previously announced quarantine areas in Kern County. A map is available online at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/go/acp-quarantine.

In addition to quarantines in portions of Kern, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, and Tulare counties, ACP entire-county quarantines remain in place in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.

The ACP is an invasive species of grave concern because it can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening. All citrus and closely related species are susceptible hosts for both the insect and the disease. There is no cure once a tree becomes infected. The diseased tree will decline in health until it dies.

SAVE OUR CITRUS app is a free USDA iPhone to report and identify the four leading citrus diseases: citrus greening, citrus canker, citrus black spot and sweet orange scab. Report your symptoms, upload a photo and citrus experts will respond.

HLB has been detected just once in California – in 2012 on a single residential property in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County.

HLB is known to be present in Mexico and in parts of the southern U.S. Florida first detected the psyllid in 1998 and the disease in 2005, and the two have been detected in all 30 citrus-producing counties in that state. The University of Florida estimates the disease has tallied more than 6,600 lost jobs, $1.3 billion in lost revenue to growers and $3.6 billion in lost economic activity.

The disease is present in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas. The states of Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, and Mississippi have detected the pest but not the disease.

Residents in the area who think they may have seen the Asian citrus psyllid are urged to call CDFA’s Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899. For more information on the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing disease, please visit: www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/acp

Featured photo source: UC ANR IPM

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:25-07:00September 18th, 2014|

Three UC Davis students named Switzer environmental fellows

Source: John Stumbos — University of California, Davis

Three UC Davis graduate students—Angela Doerr, Sarah Moffitt, and Meredith Niles—have been awarded prestigious fellowships for outstanding environmental scholarship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation. Twenty-two such awards were made this year to students from New England and California.

“We are very grateful to the Switzer Foundation for again choosing UC Davis students for its highly regarded fellowship program,” said Jan W. Hopmans, associate dean in the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “It is worth noting that all three awardees are conducting research on sustainable management practices for natural or agricultural ecosystems. These students recognize that informed policymaking demands a working knowledge of interdisciplinary science and that our top-ranked graduate groups are the best place in the world to get that education.”

“Today’s environmental issues are increasingly complex and require an ability to translate scientific, ecological, and social knowledge across disciplines and apply it in real-world settings,” said Lissa Widoff, the Switzer Foundation’s executive director. “The 2013 Switzer Environmental Fellows are at the cutting edge of science and policy and will be supported with funding, professional coaching, and a network of leaders to help them achieve results. Their problem-solving abilities and innovation will make a difference.”

The program began in 1986 and now has a network of more than 530 fellows. Each student will receive $15,000 to help them complete their degrees and advance skills and expertise needed to address critical environmental challenges. Their work covers a broad range of studies, including environmental policy, economics, conservation, public health, journalism, architecture, environmental justice, and business law, as well as traditional environmental science such as biology, chemistry and engineering. This year’s fellowship recipients from UC Davis are:

Marine scientist Angee Doerr studies lobster fishery in Bahamas

Angela “Angee” Doerr, a doctoral student in the Ecology Graduate Group, focuses on the sustainable use of natural resources. Her thesis work examines the intersection of policy, resource economics, and marine ecology in the Bahamian spiny lobster fishery. She is one of the first scientists working to develop a baseline of the use of small artificial habitats—locally known as “lobster condos—in the fishery there. She also serves as a subject matter expert for the U.S. Navy Civil Affairs Command, travelling internationally to both teach and present on aquaculture and sustainable fishing practices. Doerr earned her MBA while in the Navy through American Military University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Duke University.

“Angee was a rising star in the Navy before coming to UC Davis to study natural resource policy and I know her commanding officer was not happy to lose her to graduate school,” said Doerr’s faculty adviser, environmental science and policy professor James Sanchirico. “Since coming to UC Davis, Angee has continued her trajectory. She is a natural leader and I have no doubt that Angee will make important contributions to the management of natural resources during her career.”

Coral reef studies lead Sarah Moffitt to climate science

Sarah Moffitt, a doctoral student in the Ecology Graduate Group, is working at the interface between oceanography, earth science, and ecology. Her dissertation research is focused on rapid environmental change in upper ocean ecosystems, specifically the western continental margin of North America. Her goal as an ocean and climate scientist is to improve communication among climate scientists, policymakers, and citizens. She graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, during which time she worked on coral reefs in the Caribbean region of Costa Rica and in Bermuda. She then spent two years working for NOAA’s Coral Reef Ecosystem Division in Hawaii as a coral reef specialist and scientific diver.

“Sarah truly embodies the word ‘interdisciplinary’ when she approaches a scientific problem,” said Moffitt’s faculty adviser, UC Davis geology professor Tessa Hill. “She sees things from the perspective of an ecologist, an oceanographer, and a climate scientist. With her dissertation work, she is trying to accomplish an admirable task—trying to extract lessons from the recent ‘paleoclimate’ record to understand what future, anthropogenic climate change holds for marine ecosystems.”

Farmer perceptions on climate drive Meredith Niles’ research

Meredith Niles, a doctoral student in the Ecology Graduate Group, examines the variables that cause farmers to adopt climate mitigation and adaptation techniques, and farmer perceptions of climate change and environmental policy. Her research is centered on New Zealand and Yolo County, Calif. She worked with a New Zealand research institute, participated in the Climate Action Reserve workgroup, and served as a board member of the UC Davis Agricultural Sustainability Institute. Her ambition is to work in public service at the interface of science and environmental policy. Niles is a summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate in political science and environmental studies from the Catholic University of America.

“Meredith’s research focuses on public policy and decision-making in the context of agriculture and food systems,” said Niles’ faculty adviser, environmental science and policy professor Mark Lubell. “She has completed important empirical research on how farmers perceive and respond to climate change in New Zealand and California. As a Switzer fellow, Meredith is a proven leader with a deep commitment to doing research at the interface between science and policy.”

This is the 27th year of the Switzer Environmental Fellowship Program of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation.

Fellowships are merit-based and rigorously competitive. Candidates must be recognized for their leadership capacity by their academic institution or by environmental experts. Applications are evaluated based on demonstration of environmental problem-solving, critical analysis and communication skills, relevant work and volunteer experience, necessary scientific or technical background for their field of study, the applicant’s career goals, and the potential of the candidate to initiate and effect positive environmental change.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:25-07:00September 18th, 2014|

California expects more competition for wine market

Source: Steve Adler; Ag Alert

A new report showing that the United States continues to lead the world in wine consumption is viewed as good news for the California wine sector—but it shouldn’t lead to complacency, according to three experts.

This country’s No. 1 ranking in total consumption in 2013 marked the third consecutive year of that achievement. U.S. wine consumption topped 3.3 billion liters, an increase of 5.4 percent compared to the previous year. France retained its hold on second place, with 2.8 billion liters—but that represented a 6.9 percent decrease in consumption.

California’s share of U.S. wine production is about 90 percent, although there are wineries in every state.

“Our consumption is growing in this country, but everyone realizes that the U.S. is the largest wine market in the world because we have such a large population base. Everybody in the world wants to sell their wines here, so there is a lot of foreign competition,” said Gladys Horiuchi of the Wine Institute in San Francisco.

Mendocino County grape grower and winery owner Bill Pauli said last week’s report on wine consumption underscores the importance of the U.S. market not only to California producers, but to producers around the world.

“With America’s expanding growth and improved economic times, consumption has improved and people are drinking better wines. But we still have to compete, not only amongst ourselves, but with all of the foreign competition. And that foreign competition is really the challenge in not only flavors, but price,” Pauli said.

The challenge comes not only in finished products, but from the foreign producers who sell bulk wines into California to be blended or bottled here, competing directly with California grape growers, he said.

Horiuchi said lighter crops produced in California prior to 2012 allowed foreign producers of bulk wines to make inroads. But because of the large crops in 2012 and 2013, the availability of California grapes has eased that threat, she said.

“The good news now is that the wineries are brimming with California wine of excellent vintages, so naturally the wineries have gone back to their local sources. But in order to maintain their shelf space, when the production in California is down, they will import wine from other countries,” Horiuchi said.

Competition from foreign producers was also noted by Glenn Proctor of the Ciatti Co. in San Rafael, who cautioned the state’s growers and wineries not to become complacent.

“When you are No. 1 in the world, it is not just California wines and U.S. wines that consumers are buying, but other countries are trying to get their wines into the U.S. market too,” he said. “So I think we will continue to see a very competitive environment.”

Proctor said it is important for California wineries to continue producing wines that U.S. consumers want, at prices that allow them to purchase more.

“We have to be on our game and remain competitive. The opportunities continue to grow, but we have to be ahead; we cannot be behind,” he said. “We’ve seen countries like Australia, Chile, Argentina and South Africa do a pretty good job of bringing bottled product into this country.”

While this year’s winegrape crop in California is projected to be normal in size, it follows two years of record production, resulting in large inventories in most of the state’s wineries. Proctor said that will allow California wineries to hold onto highly competitive shelf space.

“We have had two bumper crops in a row and this year looks to be a healthy crop, but not large per se. But we do have some excess of wine, especially in the Central Valley. I think we will work through the excess, and it is helpful that we don’t have a big crop this year. But we do need to increase our sales and grow. Any kind of stagnation in case-good sales would not be a good thing for the industry,” he said.

Proctor predicted that in the near term, there could be some “corrections” in prices that wineries pay to growers.

“Prices received by growers are healthy right now and some wineries may think they are too high,” he said. “We may see some correction in the marketplace in the Central Valley in the next year or two, to get inventory costs back in line.”

In the long term, he said, wineries will need a steady supply of grapes coming from California, “and you want to have new and efficient vineyards so growers and wineries can continue to be profitable.”

Proctor said some older and less-productive vineyards in the Central Valley will probably be removed and replanted, either with better-producing grape varieties or other commodities such as almonds or pistachios.

On the marketing side, Horiuchi said wineries continue to target baby boomers, people ages 50 to 68.

“The baby boomers are the ones who have the income and the ones who are dining in restaurants. But at the same time, there is a transition taking place as wineries are starting to market to the next generation, where the consumers are more involved with social media, taking pictures of wine labels and so on. They are willing to try a lot of different things,” she said.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:25-07:00September 18th, 2014|

Bayer CropScience’s New West Sacramento Facility to Focus on Biopesticides

Biopesticides Are Valuable Part of Pest and Disease Control

By Colby Tibbett

Bill Stoneman is the executive director of the Biopesticide Industry Alliance, which is dedicated to fostering adoption of biopesticide technologies through increased awareness about their effectiveness and full range of benefits to a progressive pest management program.

“These are very important tools in terms of resistance management because they allow us to target alternative modes of action against pests. Biopesticide technologies are tools in the quiver, as well as the chemistries we are currently using and developing,” said Stoneman.

Biopesticides offer many other benefits, such as no maximum residue level (MRL) issues, reduced preharvest intervals and decreased reentry intervals.

Bill Stoneman, Biopesticide Industry Alliance Executive Director

“What you’re going to find, is that they will be used in rotation with the chemical pesticides or other cultural methods to prevent plant diseases and insects. I think you’re going to see more development in the seed treatment area. Again, seed is a good delivery mode to get things to the plant’s roots, and that’s where a lot of these materials are effective, from the plant-disease perspective,” said Stoneman.

With regard to insect control, Stoneman said, “We’re going to see new things coming into the marketplace. Some insect-specific viruses are going to be expanding in the U.S. soon, with applications on a variety of crops—but very insect specific—so in other woBill Stoneman Bayer Crop Science West Sacramentords, they kill only that insect, so there is no harm to pollinators or beneficials,” said Stoneman.

This will be more common in the future, according to Stoneman, “I think we will see as a trend going forward more reliance on the biologicals, pollinators, tailored pest control programs and IPM approaches to preventing any damage to those natural control forces in agriculture,” said Stoneman.

A big step for Biopesticides in California was the recent grand opening of the Bayer CropScience’s $80 million investment in their biologics and seed business in West Sacramento. It will focus on this new frontier of pest and disease control.

Adrian Percy, Bayer CropScience Global Research and Development (Source: www.bayercropscience.com)

Adrian Percy, global head of research & development (R&D) with Bayer CropScience, explained Bayer’s decision for the West Sacramento location, “First and foremost, California is an amazing hub of agricultural innovation. We have UC Davis just down the road, which we have close ties to. In 2012, we purchased AgraQuest, which was based in Davis, so basically we’re moving them into this new facility which is much bigger and more state-of-the-art than what they were using previously,” said Percy.

“We’re really excited because here we will be researching brand-new applications based on bacterial-based products, fungicides, insecticides, etc. In addition, we will be developing new vegetable seed varieties,” said Percy.

Among the advantages of these new biologic tools for growers is avoidance of MRLs, a big boon for vegetable growers. “We see a lot of advantages for these types of products. And this is one of the fastest growing sectors both for us as a company, but also in general. What we are seeking to do now is bring next generation products to the marketplace which are even better than the ones we have today,” said Percy.

“These kinds of products, I think from a stewardship and management perspective, are very advantageous to the grower,” he added.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:25-07:00September 17th, 2014|

California Center in Shanghai Offers Direct Trade Gateway to Calif. Ag Industry

By Kyle Buchoff, Reporter

Strategically located in the new free trade zone in Shanghai, the California Center offers California companies a direct gateway to buyers and wholesalers in the Shanghai metro area (pop. 20 million) and beyond. The California Center is a private entity but enjoys strong support from both the California and Chinese governments.

Gordon Hinkle, VP California Center

While the Center showcases a huge range of California products and services, agriculture comprises the single largest trade category. Gordon Hinkle, vice president of the California Center explains, “Our range of members runs across the gamut, but we do have a heavy [emphasis his] emphasis on ag because some of the highest demand for California goods and services is in ag and wine. We aren’t limited only to food and ag, but I would say it is the largest portion of what we are doing.”

The former international trade director for the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, Hinkle said, “We have a lot of different organizations and associations that are involved with us,” Hinkle continued, “to help promote their products. Everything from processed goods to fresh fruits and vegetables…a very important part of what we are doing is working directly with the ag community.”

Recently Mr. Hinkle and other associates visited pistachio, raisin and olive oil producers in the Fresno area. “These are the folks we are helping to introduce and increase their exports into China, and we have had very good early response.”

Gordon also serves as a Committee Chair for the 150^th Anniversary Celebration of the Chinese Workers Contribution to the Construction of the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad, which will be holding numerous events in 2015, recognizing Chinese contribution and significance to American history.

The California Center provides door-to-door service to bring products to Chinese buyer destinations in a seamless operation that includes: shipping, customs clearance, warehousing, sales transactions and customer services. Through the center’s portal, Chinese buyers can navigate through listed California companies seamlessly and with great ease!

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:33:25-07:00September 17th, 2014|