Uncategorized Archives - Page 31 of 101 - California Agriculture News Today

Farmers Markets Try to Weather the Drought

Source: Ching Lee; Ag Alert

With summer harvest in full swing and farmers markets brimming with the usual variety of produce, the effects of the drought may not be immediately apparent to shoppers–but farmers who work those markets tell a different story.

Kern County farmer Greg Tesch, who works five farmers markets in his region and runs three of them, relies entirely on surface water to farm more than 70 different fruits, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers. Tesch said he’s not selling his usual array of products this year.

He said he couldn’t plant strawberries last fall because the canal that feeds his farm went dry in August. Half his cherry trees did not survive, so he had fewer cherries to sell. And because he did not have water deliveries until mid-March, he was unable to plant certain crops on time, missing an important early-season niche.

“We’re typically able to sell things that are slightly out of season,” he said. “The water wasn’t available, so we had to plant when a lot of other people planted, and so there is less demand for our product at farmers markets, as well as wholesale.”

He said the late start also forced him to lower his prices because he now faces “a glut of produce all at one time” and “competing against stores in the wrong time of year.”

Looking ahead, Tesch said he plans to scale back his vegetable production and plant more deep-rooted crops, most likely cherries on drought-tolerant rootstocks. He said he wants to grow crops that mature in the spring, which he acknowledged will affect his farmers-market business.

Some farmers who have better access to water were not necessarily spared from impacts of the drought. In San Diego County, Eli Hofshi, who uses mainly municipal water for irrigation, said he has stopped watering his winter vegetables and will not harvest them because his water bills have become unaffordable.

He said while certain crops such as tomatoes, squash and trees can handle some water stress, vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts become too bitter if not irrigated. In hindsight, he said he should not have planted the winter vegetables.

“We just didn’t realize it was going to be this costly,” he said. “We planted them last fall and they’ve just now started to produce. So it was a bad mistake. It’s been a double loss by putting the water in, doing the labor.”

With the loss of product, Hofshi said he’s had to buy from other farmers to fill in at his farm stand, but he’s not able to do that at the farmers market, where he’s taking a loss, despite raising prices.

“People are definitely balking at the prices right now,” he said. “They don’t like to pay (more). But we absolutely had to do it, with the cost of water and not to mention we’ve had a minimum-wage increase.”

Fresno County blueberry farmer Kim Sorensen, whose season ended earlier this month, said she also had to raise prices this year—by about 8 percent—to cover some of her higher production costs from having to pump water during the winter. While her customers noticed the price increase, she said most of them understood.

“We lost a little business I think, but not a tremendous amount just because most of what we do is in more affluent areas,” she said.

Farms in other parts of the state where there’s more water also reported increased production costs, with some having to reduce their production or not grow more thirsty crops in order to save water.

San Joaquin County farmer Beatriz Jimenez said she didn’t grow as much okra, eggplant and peppers. Cesar Cuebas, who works for Perry’s Garden Highway Gardens in Sacramento County, said the farm cut at least 30 percent of its production of crops such as sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers and watermelon. And El Dorado County farmer Patrick Hoover said he restricted water on some of his crops, such as apples, and may have smaller fruit this year.

“The drought is not just about water,” said Dan Best, general counsel of the California Federation of Certified Farmers Markets, noting that the warm winter did not give trees such as cherries enough chill hours to set fruit, leaving many growers with a very small crop or nothing to sell.

But for the most part, farmers-market managers reported little change in the amount and variety of products selling at their markets, and said any price increases have been minimal.

Joe Schirmer, who grows a variety of vegetables in Santa Cruz County, said warm, sunny winter weather increased patron attendance at farmers markets, which was good for business. With access to adequate groundwater supplies, he said he was able to extend his growing season during the winter.

“Things really were productive in the wintertime, so we actually did pretty well because of the drought,” he said.

And while having to irrigate through the winter definitely increased his costs, he said the extra production and sales probably resulted in a net gain for his farm.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:14-07:00July 23rd, 2014|

Almond Growers Are Reminded to Send Back Survey Regarding Green Waste Use

UC Researchers are reminding almond growers to fill out the survey that they received in the mail more than a month ago regarding their use of organic amendments to their soil.

Daniel Schellenberg is a postdoctoral scholar in the department of Plant sciences at UC Davis and part of the research team.

“Each of the cover letters came with the user ID and were hoping to hear back from all of the growers who would be interested in replying to the survey,” said Schellenberg

“We’re looking into the use of what is collectively called,“Organic Matter Amendments” which can include manures, composts, and green wastes. And this survey is really targeted to all growers even though its organic matter and amendments, its not exclusively a study just for organic growers,” said Schellenberg.

And its not just for almond growers either. “We were targeting all almond growers, but growers of all permanent crops, including walnuts and pistachios are welcomed to take the survey online,” said Schellenberg.

The survey can be found at www.growersurvey.ucdavis.edu

Schellenberg said the researchers have got a good response so far. “Out of the total amount of mailings, we got about 800 responses. A number of them filled out the survey and some of the people opted out.

“So, if people are just not interested in taking the survey or they just couldn’t because maybe they have someone who manages their property and do it for them, we still like to hear from them so that way we at least know we are getting all the responses that we can. We’ve heard response from people who manage more than 175,000 acre of almonds, which is almost 20 percent of the total almond acreage,” said Schellenberg.

Schellenberg said the goal is not to change the way farmers farm. “Our goal here is not to try to constrain farming practices. Our goal is try to understand these materials and how they are being used that way we can target research that would benefit growers in terms of allowing them more freedom,access, and the ability to use these materials,” said Schellenberg.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:15-07:00July 21st, 2014|

Commentary: American Dream flourishes in state’s strawberry fields

Source: Lorena Chavez; Ag Alert

For thousands of immigrants to California, the path to the American Dream literally winds its way through the state’s strawberry fields. Perhaps more than any other crop, strawberries are defined by decades of immigrants from Europe, Asia and Mexico.

A report issued earlier this month by the California Strawberry Commission, titled “Growing the American Dream: California Strawberry Farming’s Rich History of Immigrants & Opportunity,” illustrates how many new Americans find that strawberries are a viable ladder to success.

According to the report—which can be found on the Strawberry Commission website at www.californiastrawberries.com—a diverse community of 400 family farmers dominates the state’s strawberry production, which accounts for nearly 90 percent of all the strawberries grown in the United States.

Sixty-five percent of these farmers are Latinos, a quarter of whom worked their way up from field workers to supervisors and eventually owners of their own farms. Another 20 percent are Asian Americans, primarily Japanese and, most recently, Laotians. The remaining 15 percent are comprised of European Americans, with some tracing their ancestry to Gold Rush pioneers.

The story of my father, Luis Chavez, illustrates this immigrant experience. He came to the United States from a small, rural town in Jalisco, Mexico. Born in 1934, he was raised in a home with no electricity or running water. He hasn’t attended a single day of school in his entire life. His family grew corn and beans to survive.

With no money in his pockets, he arrived in California in search of a better life in 1955, as part of the Bracero program. Like generations of immigrants, my father realized that the key to success was hard work. He first worked in a dairy, covering double shifts for 16 years until the family could scrape up enough money to lease an acre to plant strawberries.

While still working their regular jobs, my parents would get up at 4 a.m. every day to tend their plot, slowly building their business. Gradually, they expanded to become L&G Farms. My siblings and I now work side by side with my father to farm 300 acres in Santa Maria, where we employ several hundred people.

This story is not uncommon. But why are so many immigrants drawn to strawberry farming?

Due to their high yield, year-round harvesting and strong consumer demand, strawberries are able to sustain a family on a relatively small parcel of land. The barriers to entry are also favorable to immigrant farmers, because they can afford to lease and not buy their farmland.

With our deep and longstanding immigrant tradition, California strawberry farmers have been highly vocal in advocating for immigration reform. Certainly, we are concerned about the need for a pool of workers to harvest our crops. But more importantly, we share a desire to make sure that future generations of immigrants have the opportunity for the upward mobility that strawberries have provided for our family.

Along with other California strawberry farmers, and even Silicon Valley executives, I have made several trips to Capitol Hill to tell Congress about the critical need for meaningful immigration reform.

While recent election results have stalled efforts, immigration reform should not be postponed indefinitely. And it definitely should not be a partisan matter.

On one of our trips to Capitol Hill, one of my colleagues, a first-generation Mexican-American farmer from Salinas, eagerly sought out a statue of President Ronald Reagan, his hero, who granted amnesty to millions of immigrants. This simple act paved the way for my colleague to become an American citizen, gradually working his way to become a strawberry farmer employing nearly 100 workers. Another American Dream realized.

The commission’s report provides a strong reminder about the sacrifice, pride and contributions made by this nation’s immigrants throughout our history.

It also underscores the fact that immigration reform is as American as, well, strawberries.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-07-26T11:07:00-07:00July 17th, 2014|

California Water Feeds Our Communities Tackles Rural Hunger

California Water Feeds Our Communities, a grassroots effort consisting of local businesses, service organizations and farmers, has partnered to help our communities who are suffering from the lack of water. As the summer progresses and less water is available, the need for resources will increase.

Community Food Bank CEO Andy Souza explained, “Our rural communities are suffering, and as we are challenged to keep up with the food lines at distribution sites, the generosity of our community can help us bridge the gap with financial and food donations.”

Local grower Sarah Woolf said, “This event is an ideal opportunity for our community to participate in helping those who are hardest hit by the drought. These are people whose livelihood depends upon a vibrant agricultural industry.”

The current zero water allocation for most of the Central Valley and the severe statewide drought is the inspiration for this event. The success of our state is tied to water which produces not only food but jobs and spurs the economy.

Promoting the need for food donations brings necessary focus on water and demonstrates how our state’s future depends upon a reliable water supply. Those wishing to donate can do so by phoning the Community Food Bank at 559-237-3663 ext. 113 or online at their website at: http://communityfoodbank.net/HowToHelp.aspx.

California Water Feeds Our Communities is a grassroots effort to raise the awareness of the important role that water plays in California agriculture and everyday life. The drought has directly impacted our communities, farm workers and farmers. Many are devastated by the lack of water.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:16-07:00July 16th, 2014|

Ag Official on Asian Citrus Psyllid in Tulare County

Marilyn Kinoshita, Tulare County Ag Commissioner, talks about the Asian Citrus Psyllid and how its affecting growers in the area.

“Our growers have the heavy commercial production as opposed to the ranchettes in San Diego Count, so we got more emphasis on spray treatments immediately after a find. We’ve had really good success rate, and so our trapping program is top-notch, so if psyllids are found, we have the ability to eradicate immediately and keep it under control that way,” said Kinoshita.

The Asian Citrus Psyllid, or ACP, is a tiny insect that acts as a carrier of the citrus disease Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease. this bacterial disease is transmitted by the ACP, after it feeds on affected plant tissue.

Without proactive measures such as quarantine and eradication treatments, ACP could have dire consequences for the entire California citrus industry.

“We always knew that we were going to be ground zero. Because we’ve got the most packing sheds in the state, and the most juice facilities, and we’re receiving products from Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and Southern California and our growers need to stay diligent. We got all but 13,000 acres of citrus within the quarantine area, and so that can cause some problems with not having the entire county included,” said Kinoshita.

Citrus Greening Disease has only recently become a problem for California. The first infected plant was discovered in March 2012. It has still caused a concern in that short period of time, as the California Department of Food and Agriculture has found that here is no physical, cultural, or biological methods to completely eradicate ACP.

“So far we are dealing with it, and I have heard that this fall would kind of be the ‘trigger point’ that the Southern California counties saw at the two and a half year point of having Psyllids in their county. So we will see,” said Kinoshita.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:17-07:00July 14th, 2014|

UC Research on Effects of Herbicide Milestone

Milestone, a herbicide from Dow AgroSciences, was registered about 9 years ago in California for mainly cattle ranged applications, targeting problem weeds.

Guy Kyser with the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis looked at how the herbicide was affecting good perennial grasses.

“Its used mostly for broadleaf weeds, its been a real help with the Yellow Starthistle. There was some concern about whether it might affect seedling grasses, especially the perennial native plants that we want to replant after controlling yellow star thistle, because it got a little bit of soil residual, which is good for thistles but we wanna make sure it wasn’t hurting our grasses, and that’s what this trial is. We treated several rates of Milestone, and replanted with several species of native California perennial grasses, to see if there was any impact on the seedlings.

Kyser found out that the important grass species are more tolerant to Milestone applied at the time of planting, then when milestone is applied to young seedlings. He noted that California Brome is the most tolerant grass to Milestone.

Kyser’s research was featured at the recent 58th annual UC Davis Weed Day.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:17-07:00July 14th, 2014|

Tips on Minimizing Herbicide Drift

Its critically important to minimize drift when applying crop protection materials.

Alan James is a Technical Services Agronomist with Mid Valley Agriculture Services, based in Linden, in Stanislaus County. James noted the usual drift issue.

“We get called out all the time by the growers themselves, ‘What are those spots on my leaves?’ and eight times out of ten, it’s drift from the herbicide application they put on, on their own. There is always a little bit, you can’t eliminated drift, you can minimize it,” said James.

James points out some practical strategies in minimizing drift, and not just the obvious of not spraying during heavy wind.

“They need to think about the type of nozzles, the 800 nozzle produce fewer finds than the 110 nozzles, and they came out a few years ago with an extended range, T-Jet extended range nozzle, which allowed you to work at lower pressure and still the coverage,” said James. “And since then there has been at least 2 types of air induction nozzle, where you draw air in, and produce droplets that are bigger because they are wrapped around a little bit of air, and they tend to settle quicker,” he added.

Low pressure is the key, says James.

“You get a good pattern with 15-20 PSI, which produces much fewer finds if you are up at 30-40 PSI. and sometimes they think the higher the pressure the better ill drive it down into the weed, and that has nothing to do with that, it just producing more finds.” said James.

James comments on the scenario of worn out or missing nozzles.

“Every year, you ought to start out with a new set of nozzles, and make sure they are all the same. That is the other thing, when they have weed sprayers got 8 nozzles across the boom, and one plugs up, they have to put in the that plugged one, whatever they got in their pocket. which may or may not be the right size.” said James.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:17-07:00July 14th, 2014|

Save Our Water Does Double Duty at State Fair, Hosts Exhibits Featuring Indoor and Outdoor Water Saving Tips

The drought is on and so is the California State Fair. This year, the Save Our Water campaign is doubling down its messaging on conservation by hosting two exhibits at the fair – one on indoor water conservation and the other on outdoor conservation.

Save Our Water is the water conservation campaign co-managed by ACWA and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Staff from both organizations will be on hand this year to help attendees identify opportunities to conserve.

The outdoor garden area exhibit on outdoor water conservation tips is themed “It’s Easy as 1, 2, 3.” Its featured tips are: 1 – Get efficient– with your Irrigation system. 2 – Get smart with new technology. 3 – Get green with great plants, compost and mulch.

The indoor exhibit is set up to look like a home to inspire fairgoers to conserve water. It offers three islands that focus on saving water in the kitchen, laundry, and bathroom. Each island has an interactive component.

“Californians have a great resource in Save Our Water to help them combat this extraordinary drought,” said Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies. “We hope taking part in events like the State Fair will encourage even more of us to join the effort to save water.”

Mark Cowin, director of DWR, added: “The State Fair has always been a great opportunity to connect with Californians and spread the message of how important it is to save water. Now that the drought has brought the issue of conservation to the forefront, the Save Our Water displays are especially timely.”

Save Our Water has been connecting Californians to daily drought tips and news via its recently launched Don’t Waste Summer campaign. The campaign is devoted to providing daily tips and news on the new microsite –SaveOurWater.com– to help Californians find ways to conserve at home and at work every day. Save Our Water’s Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram are also great resources for Californians looking to join the effort to save water.

To learn more about the Save Our Water program, visit saveourh2o.org.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:17-07:00July 14th, 2014|

Agriculture Shows Off at the California State Fair!

The State Fair Farm is three acres of living proof of the importance of agriculture and food production in California.

The Kitchen

‘The California State Fair is pleased to announce the newly expanded and enhanced program, “The Kitchen.” The success of this annual culinary program (formerly known as Foodstyle) has afforded the fair the opportunity to relocate it into the California Counties Building, where it will be centrally located among The Farm, Save Mart Supermarkets Wine Garden, and the Craft Brew Pub. The Kitchen will give us more room to expand the program and allow us to continue to showcase California’s Agriculture and the bounty our great state produces.

The new “Kitchen Theatre” will continue to offer our traditional food judging events, cooking demonstrations, and chef challenges while the programming will showcase the “Farm to Fork” philosophy. Along with the three main cooking stations in the Kitchen Theatre, The Kitchen will also have a new “Do-It-Yourself” space that will offer programs such as “Make Your Own Pickles,” “5-Minute Marinades,” and many other topics of interest.

The Kitchen’s exciting exhibits will not only educate fair guests, but will entertain as well. Sacramento Area Beekeepers Association’s Kate Morton continues to be instrumental in helping us to educate the public about beekeepers and in staffing the wonderful volunteers that come out to help every year.

The Farm presented by Save Mart Supermarkets

What’s growing on at The Farm? The Save Mart Supermarkets is taking “farm to fork” to the next level this year, relocating next to The Farm presented by Save Mart Supermarket to create a completely immersive experience, not to be missed. Guests can go to Save Mart’s California Kitchen (featuring the SMUD Energy Efficient Kitchen Theatre with Official Partner California Family Fitness) and get a Save Mart Supermarkets recipe passport and learn about more than 70 crops grown in California. Taste local culinary delights prepared by chefs at our outdoor kitchen grill.

Epic Chef Battles

Food Network junkies will enjoy watching as firefighters, postal workers, 4-H youth, rising stars from cooking schools and others go head-to-head in timed cooking competitions with surprise ingredients. Don’t miss local pros as they defend their street-cred in the Professional Chef Challenge. And this year, check out our men in uniform as they face-off for a Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) Cooking Challenge.

Get Your Grill On
Just outside The Kitchen is The Grill, a shady outdoor demonstration kitchen that brings the fork right to the farm. Here, you can pick up techniques for your own backyard culinary adventures.

Bragging Rights
Our panel of highly esteemed judges has a tough job to do, tasting their way through the state’s best homemade cookies, pies, preserves, sauces and more. Watch the judging events live – but try not to drool!

In The Raw
Sample California’s finest and freshest produce at the In The Raw Taste Center, featuring personal appearances by farmers, suppliers and Save Mart Supermarkets experts. This experience is sure to have you looking at food in new way.

Blue-Ribbon Secrets
Learn the recipes for top fair entries as home chefs demonstrate how to make their prize-winning treats.

Fermentation Sensation
The Home Brew and Home Wine exhibits will introduce fair-goers to the time-honored tradition of home-crafted libations. Get tips on how to taste wine; hone your nose with interactive sensory experiences; and experience innovative technologies and demonstrations on brewing beer.

Food With A View
This demonstration counter allows you to get up-close-and-personal with California’s culinary experts. Gain inspiration for your own kitchen learning about dehydrated foods, gourmet waffle making, one-pot meals, decorative food carving and more.

A Taste Of The East
The Little Saigon Cooking Series invites chefs from the famed Sacramento neighborhood to demonstrate Asian recipes and cooking techniques.

Learn about fish farming by visiting our aquaculture and aquaponics displays. Check out water-efficient gardens sponsored by the Department of Water Resources. Get gardening tips from our Master Gardeners booth. For even more fun, go inside our greenhouse to learn about orchids and careers in horticulture. Step back in time at our blacksmith booth. See what’s buzzing at the insect pavilion. Visit Urban Farming to learn about backyard and container gardening. Then let the kids race off to Kids Pedal Tractor Pull for some good family fun!

Don’t forget the Commercial Wine Competition, Cheese Competition and Commercial Craft Brew Competition, plus the Winery-of-the-Day partners.

Want to plan your day at the fair down to the last deep-fried Twinkie? There’s an online tool for that.

Make an account on the California State Fair website, advises the Sacramento Bee, and browse through each day’s events, exhibits and special activities. Add items to a schedule you can import to your phone’s iCal or Google Calendar for easy reference at the fair. You can also search all activities in a certain category, such as animals or entertainment, to figure out when and where your fair favorites are being offered. Though the program is not available for download, the tool is mobile-compatible, so you can access the site on your phone anywhere you go.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:17-07:00July 12th, 2014|

Report Highlights Urgent Need to Address California’s Groundwater Management

Management of California’s groundwater basins is fragmented, and many groundwater management plans are outdated and lacking important details, leaving significant room for improvement, according to a report released today by the California Water Foundation (CWF).

The report, An Evaluation of California Groundwater Management Planning, assesses the current condition of groundwater management planning in the state and makes recommendations to support sustainable management.

Lester Snow, Executive Director, California Water Foundation

“California’s limited approach to groundwater management has been a concern for a long time, but the drought has drawn renewed attention to this increasing problem,” said Lester Snow, executive director of CWF. “Developing effective plans for how we manage this valuable resource is a crucial step to ensure that California’s farms, cities, and environment have reliable water supplies today and in the future.”

Groundwater is a critical part of California’s water supply, used to meet approximately 40 percent of the state’s water demands in an average year and up to 60 percent or more during droughts. In some regions, groundwater provides 100 percent of the local water supply. Yet, California is the only state without comprehensive statewide groundwater management programs.

The report released today reviewed 120 groundwater management plans adopted by local water agencies to manage their groundwater basins and concludes that current state groundwater management laws are inadequate. While many districts are effectively managing their groundwater resources, the report found significant limitations to the overall quality of groundwater plans in all parts of the state. Many plans lack basic basin management objectives or an implementation strategy for ensuring that objectives will be met. Most of the plans did not include or describe stakeholder outreach and participation. Additionally, 28 percent of the plans examined were written in 2002 or earlier and have not been updated.

The report makes the following recommendations to advance the development and implementation of groundwater management plans:

Establish a statewide goal that groundwater plans must describe how they will achieve sustainability of each groundwater basin.
Organize and empower local groundwater agencies to manage groundwater sub-basins.
Require the development and enforcement of groundwater management plans by local groundwater agencies.
Provide local agencies with technical guidance and financial support from the state of California.
Empower the state of California to oversee program implementation.

The state’s growing groundwater overdraft problems have resulted in a number of adverse consequences, including saltwater intrusion, increased energy costs due to pumping from greater depths, environmental degradation, and land subsidence that results in costly damage to infrastructure.

In May, CWF released a report of findings and recommendations to achieve sustainable groundwater management in California. Learn more at: http://www.californiawaterfoundation.org.

An Evaluation of California Groundwater Management Planning was prepared for CWF by RMC Water and Environment. The California Water Foundation’s (CWF) vision is to sustainably meet the water needs of California’s farms, cities, and environment today and into the future. CWF supports innovative projects and policies and brings together experts, stakeholders, and the public to achieve 21st century solutions.

Photo Credit: CDFA

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:34:17-07:00July 12th, 2014|

Previous 303132 Next