URGENT HLB Quarantine UPDATE

HLB Quarantine Update

A Huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine is now in effect in part of Los Angeles County following the detection of HLB in four citrus trees.

On July 10, a kumquat tree on a residential property was confirmed to be infected with the incurable HLB disease. After extensive surveying and testing in the area, three more diseased trees were found nearby. The four diseased trees were on four separate properties close to one another. The tree varieties include kumquat, lime, mandarin and calamondin.

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has already removed two of the diseased trees and is currently working with the homeowners at the other two properties to remove those trees as soon as possible. See the CDFA press release below for more details on the resulting quarantine.

QUARANTINE FOR HUANGLONGBING DECLARED IN SAN GABRIEL, LOS ANGELES COUNTY

SACRAMENTO, July 22, 2015 – An 87-square mile quarantine in the San Gabriel area of Los Angeles County has been added to the existing huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine in the Hacienda Heights-area following the detection of the citrus disease huanglongbing, or citrus greening.

Additional information, including a map of the quarantine zone, is available at the CDFA Save Our Citrus website. The quarantine boundaries are: on the north, E. Orange Grove Boulevard; on the east, N. Lemon Avenue; on the west, Griffin Avenue; and on the south W. La Habra Boulevard.

This area is part of a much larger quarantine already in place for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the pest that spreads bacteria causing huanglongbing (HLB). The new quarantine will prohibit the movement of all nursery stock out of the area, while maintaining existing provisions allowing the movement of only commercially cleaned and packed citrus fruit. Any fruit that is not commercially cleaned and packed, including residential citrus, must not be removed from the property on which it is grown, although it may be processed and/or consumed on the premises.

“The success of any quarantine depends on cooperation from those affected,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “The stakes couldn’t be higher for California citrus. We urge residents in the San Gabriel-area to do all they can to comply.”

CDFA, the USDA and the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner’s continue their work to investigate the source of the disease, to survey and test for it throughout the Los Angeles Basin, and to continue with ground treatment of citrus trees within 800 meters of the find sites – which began earlier this week. In the long term, the strategy is to control the spread of ACPs while researchers work to find a cure for the disease.

Huanglongbing has been confirmed four times in San Gabriel, in a kumquat tree on a residential property, in a lime tree on an adjacent residential property, and in calamondin and mandarin trees on residential properties in close proximity to the original find. The disease is bacterial and attacks the vascular system of plants. It does not pose a threat to humans or animals. The Asian citrus psyllid can spread the bacteria as the pest feeds on citrus trees and other related plants. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure; it typically declines and dies within a few years.

Huanglongbing is known to be present in Mexico and in parts of the southern U.S. Florida first detected the disease in 2005, and the University of Florida estimates that the disease causes an average loss of 7,513 jobs per year, and has cost growers $2.994 billion in lost revenue since then. Huanglongbing has also been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

A total of 15 states or territories are under full or partial quarantine due to the presence of the ACP: Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Asian citrus psyllid was first detected in California in 2008 and quarantines for the pest are now in place in 17 California counties. If Californians believe they have seen evidence of huanglongbing in local citrus trees, they are asked to please call CDFA’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-800-491-1899 FREE. For more information on the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing, please visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/acp/.

California Ag Today2016-05-31T19:28:09-07:00July 23rd, 2015|

BREAKING NEWS ON HUANGLONGBING CITRUS DISEASE

HUANGLONGBING CITRUS DISEASE DETECTED IN SAN GABRIEL AREA OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
CDFA
Release #15-031

Sacramento, July 10, 2015 – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have confirmed detection of huanglongbing (HLB) citrus disease, or citrus greening. The disease was detected in plant material taken from a kumquat tree in a residential neighborhood in the San Gabriel area of Los Angeles County.

This is the second time HLB has been detected in California. The first detection occurred in 2012 in a residential citrus tree in Hacienda Heights, about 15 miles from San Gabriel.

HLB is a bacterial disease that attacks the vascular system of plants. It does not pose a threat to humans or animals. The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) can spread the bacteria as the pest feeds on citrus trees and other plants. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure; it typically declines and dies within a few years.

“Citrus is a cherished part of our landscape and our shared history, as well as a major agricultural crop,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “CDFA is moving quickly to protect the state’s citrus. We have been planning and preparing for HLB detections with our growers and our colleagues at the federal and local levels since before the ACP was first detected here in 2008.”

A CDFA crew has removed and disposed of the infected tree and is preparing to conduct treatment of citrus trees for ACP infestation within 800 meters of the find site. By taking these steps, a critical reservoir of disease and its vectors will be removed, which is essential.

An intensive survey of local citrus trees and psyllids is underway to determine if HLB exists anywhere else in the area. Planning has begun for a quarantine of the area to limit the spread of the disease by restricting the movement of citrus trees, citrus plant parts, green waste, and all citrus fruit except what is commercially cleaned and packed. As part of the

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.

quarantine, citrus and closely related plants at nurseries in the area will be placed on hold.

Residents of quarantine areas are urged not to remove or share citrus fruit, trees, clippings/grafts or related plant material. Citrus fruit may be harvested and consumed on-site.

CDFA, in partnership with the USDA, local agricultural commissioners and the citrus industry, continues to pursue a strategy of controlling the spread of ACPs while researchers work to find a cure for the disease.

HLB is known to be present in Mexico and in parts of the southern U.S. Florida first detected the pest in 1998, and the disease in 2005, and the two have now been detected in all 30 citrus-producing counties in that state. The University of Florida estimates that the disease causes an average loss of 7,513 jobs per year, and has cost growers $2.994 billion in lost revenue since HLB was first detected in that state in 2006.

HLB has also been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A total of 15 states or territories are under full or partial quarantine due to the detected presence of the Asian citrus psyllid: Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The ACP was first detected in California in 2008, and quarantines are now in place in 17 California counties. If Californians have questions about the ACP or HLB, they may call CDFA’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-800-491-1899 or visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/acp/.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:28:11-07:00July 10th, 2015|

MY JOB DEPENDS ON AG Broadens Ag Community on Facebook

“My Job Depends on Ag” Facebook Campaign Goes Big

By Patrick Cavanaugh, Associate Editor

It was a vision by Steve Malanca a tractor, salesman, and Erik Wilson, pest control operator and honeydew melon farmer, both working in around Dos Palos in Merced County.

Erik Wilson

“The fact that California agriculture is only 2 percent of the gross domestic product of the state was offensive to agriculture,” said Wilson. “because we all know it goes way beyond the gross receipts.”

Steve Malanca

Back in 2013 Malanca, an equipment salesman with Duetz Allis in Kerman, Calif., came up with a decal with the message: My Job Depends on Ag. He made a few for his friends who slapped them on their trucks.

“The phrase was inspired by a video done by Mike Wade, California Farm Water Coalition, in which he asked several people how they depended on ag for their job,” Malanca said.

Malanca was born and raised in Firebaugh, where his grandfather settled after emigrating from Italy. “My grandfather worked for Miller and Lux ranch, which was one of the largest ranches in the United States in the late 1800s,” he said.

“My father was born and raised on the West Side and was a cotton gin manager for Producers Cotton Oil Company. I have an older brother who is in the cantaloupe business longer than I have been in the farm equipment business. He is part owner of Westside Produce, and my younger brother is a shipping clerk there.

Producers Cotton Oil Company Plant Near Calwa, California

For the last 40 years, starting in Firebaugh, Malanca has been selling farm equipment. “That community has been tremendous to our family. Being involved in the equipment business, and talking to our customers about the trials and tribulations about water was an inspiration to put the ‘I Depend on Ag’ video together.

“There was a local Firebaugh farmer who made a brown ‘V’ decal that was a spinoff of the green ‘V’ of former Fresno State Bulldog coach Pat Hill, signifying the green valley. The brown V of course signified no water,” said Melena. “I expanded the idea and generated the ‘I Depend on Ag Decal’ about a month ago.

“Then Erik immediately suggested that we put it on Facebook, and the two ideas were married–and here we are,” said Malanca. As of the afternoon of June 6, the number of connections were close to 21,000 members!

“We did not want to have a Facebook with statistics on the importance of agriculture in California,” said Wilson. “I have a friend named Brian Ervin who is on Facebook, and he posted an item unrelated to the ‘I Depend on Ag’ concept. He wanted to know about other people’s California…Was it raining?…Was there hail on the ground? There was also an image of a guy loading a hay truck.”

“Instead of pushing out information, I got the idea of just letting everyone tell their own story,” Wilson said. “If people have a job that depends on ag, then we should let them tell their own story. Let people get involved. They own the page, and the stories have been wonderful. In fact, Steve and I have gotten choked up on some. People are saying are some things you’ve never heard of, and it’s really kind of historical,” he said.

“There are a lot of old methods of farming that have been forgotten that are now being introduced on the page,” said Wilson.

“Also, I have encouraged any group or person who disagrees with our philosophy and farming methods to open up the conversation, and not yell or get profane. This is what everyone America has been crying for from our politicians. So, we are going around them. This is how civilized adults get things done.”

“There have been comments from the organic crowd regarding images of sprayers working in fields. Now if they want organic food to eat, we will be happy to give it to them at a higher cost; organic production costs us more in time, money and trips across the field because the materials that we are permitted to use are not as affective,” said Wilson.

“We had a conversation with Western Growers on June 4 in which they asked if we were having to delete a lot of entries from people bashing the web page,” said Malanca. “And Erik, who moderates the page, said only three posts had to be deleted.”

“I may have deleted something prematurely because I thought a comment might go south too fast, but I just do not want the nastiness or personal attacks to take over, because it often happens if you do not moderate–even if it’s a friend–if they throw F-bombs, their entries will be deleted.”

“We are hearing from so many people who understand that ag is part of their job. We had a guy who works in the tortilla chip factory in Los Angeles who depends on ag for his job because all the corn that goes into the chips is grown in the San Joaquin Valley,” said Wilson.

“Flower shops are connecting in because flowers are agriculture. A lavender grower also posted a comment.”

Trucking companies are chiming as well. “If we can’t grow and sell it, then these boys can’t haul it,” noted Wilson. “And if we can get the trucking industry behind us since they do haul a lot of ag products, suddenly we are uniting an even larger segment of people who depend on agriculture,” said Malanca.

“I’d like to see these truckers and the guys on the docks get as passionate as we are, and maybe decide not to haul freight to areas that are complaining about farmers. They need to say, ‘if you want what we have, then turn the water on for the farmers.'”

“This is giving farmers a voice,” said Malanca. “And it’s something that has been missing.”

“Our wives have said that we are preaching to the choir, and I say that we need to rally and embolden every single person in the industry. I want to champion them as their story has not been told in the media–other than the agricultural media,” said Wilson.

“Many fragments have beentrying to get something done, but now we are seeing farmers really coming together on ‘I Depend on Ag.’ This is what we have been trying to do since the beginning of time,” said Malanca.

While the scope of the facebook page focuses on California, plans are germinating to roll out a national campaign. “After all, there are millions across the country who depend on agriculture,” said Wilson.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:28:15-07:00June 6th, 2015|

Here’s a deal: Tour the Port of Oakland for Free

Summer Port of Oakland Excursions Aboard Former FDR Vessel Open to the Public

Here’s summer’s biggest travel bargain: free boat tours at the Port of Oakland. The Port today introduced no-charge, 90-minute harbor excursions available to the public. The narrated port tours will be conducted aboard the USS Potomac, the former presidential vessel of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

“We’re proud of our Port and of the relationship we have with our communities,” Executive Director Chris Lytle said today before embarking on the maiden harbor tour. “Inviting our neighbors to these tours gives them a way to know us even better.”

More than 200 Oakland school children boarded the Potomac today for the first two of 12 free summer tours. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and School Superintendent Antwan Wilson were there as the Port welcomed youngsters aboard.

The Port said it has scheduled two tours each month on designated Friday afternoons and evenings through October. The 165-foot Potomac, berthed at the Port’s Jack London Square, can carry 120 passengers per excursion. Schedules and registration for the tours will be open to the public beginning June 1 at the Port’s website, www.portofoakland.com.

Tour organizers said the excursions are a cost-effective way to give neighbors a close-up look at how the Oakland seaport works. Passengers will transit the Oakland Estuary and Outer Harbor. They’ll see all five Oakland marine terminals and pass within yards of massive container ships, some 1,200-feet long. The tours will also provide close-up views of San Francisco’s waterfront and skyline.

Port of Oakland Harbor Tours

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:28:16-07:00May 30th, 2015|

Port of Oakland Praises Signing of Maritime Labor Contract

PMA Signs Five-Year Contract with ILWU Workers

The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents 29 ports along the West Coast from San Diego to Seattle, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have signed a new 5-year maritime labor contract. The coast-wide agreement between PMA and ILWU covers approximately 13,600 employees in ports that handle nearly half of all U.S. maritime trade and follows a massive labor dispute and port slowdown in January and February of this year that severely impacted agricultural exports.

Marilyn Sandifur, spokesperson for Port of Oakland

Marilyn Sandifur, spokesperson for the Port of Oakland, said, “The port of Oakland is very pleased that this agreement has been signed; basically we thank both the PMA and ILWU for ratifying this new five-year labor contract. It’s important because now we can really focus on the work ahead of us.”

“One of the things we have to do is improve service to our shippers so that we can remain an important trade gateway for them,” Sandier stated. “You know after this big cargo slowdown, we really have to enhance the flow of cargo at the Oakland seaport. And I’m sure a lot of the other ports are feeling the same way—that we all have to improve cargo improvement and regain our shippers trust.

Sandifur commented, “Agriculture is really our biggest export category. It represents about 40 percent of the total value of exports through our seaport. Just to give you a few examples, think about the almonds grown in the Central Valley, citrus fruit or wine from northern California. Those are just a few of our major agriculture exports. So now that this contract has been ratified, we can all work on improving cargo flow through the seaport and getting agricultural goods moving again.”

California Ag Today2016-05-31T19:28:16-07:00May 25th, 2015|

Governor Brown targets Climate Change

Governor Brown Wants to be the World Leader in Climate Change

By Patrick Cavanaugh, Associate Editor

Because Governor Brown wants to be the world leader on climate change, he recently signed an Executive Order with the target of reducing green house gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2030, to be extended to 80 percent by the year 2050. Keep in mind the agricultural industry cannot get there without making significant changes to the transportation and energy systems.

Additional targets are short-lived climate pollutants, such as methane and black carbon, which is soot from stationary engines. So, we are talking about a major air quality and energy shift in this state. Governor Brown also aims to reduce petroleum use in half by 2030 and increase renewable energy mandates from one-third to one-half by 2030.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:28:16-07:00May 25th, 2015|

BOLING AIRSHIP Alex SOARS, DEMANDS ATTENTION

BOLING AIRSHIP ENTERTAINS VIEWERS

The Boling Air Media thermal airship, ALEX, made its maiden flight in conjunction with the 2015 World Ag Expo in Tulare, taking to the air above the event on February 10, 11 and 12. Alex now works with clients to deliver advertising messages to major outdoor venue audiences.

The 150’ long x 65’ tall ship flies approximately 1000’ above the ground and is clearly visible to observers up to 2 miles away. The first advertising banners in Tulare, “Eat Pistachios”, flanked each side of the bright red 105,000 cubic feet aircraft. The client was American Pistachio Growers.

“The thermal airship is similar to a helium blimp in size and structure,” says Boling Air Media President, Chris Boling. “However, our airship uses propane-heated hot air instead of helium. It’s environmentally friendly and is definitely a ‘green’ way to fly.”

VIP guests and members of the press were invited to board the Boling airship for short orientation flights in Tulare. Passengers’ responses were unanimous: flying in a “blimp” is an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Although the airship is capable of carrying up to four passengers, the true thrust behind its operation is as a mobile advertising platform. Due to its size, custom banners featuring corporate logos or advertising messages can be as large as the equivalent of six highway billboards.

Always popular, blimps measure an incredible 92% likeability rating among the public and virtually guarantee extensive viewership and brand retention for the advertiser.

Chris Boling may be reached at 559-244-5741 or at chris@bolingassociates.com. Additional information is available at www.bolingairmedia.com.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:30:27-07:00March 13th, 2015|

Slowdown at West Coast Ports Stops, Restarts at Port of Oakland, and Stops. . .

Port of Oakland Work Stoppage Ends

By Laurie Greene, CalAgToday reporter

Despite the tentative 5-year coast-wide contract agreement reached on February 20, 2015, between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and its 20,000 members at 29 West Coast ports, and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) , which represents management for the ports and shipping lines there, ILWU Local 10 has repeatedly engaged in illegal work stoppages at the Port of Oakland, according to PMA, and brought operations to a standstill yesterday at Oakland International Container Terminal, the largest terminal in the Port.

PMA reports that ILWU Local 10 has repeatedly refused to allow yard crane operators to work as directed, reports PMA. These workers are essential to the movement of cargo in and out of the port. The terminal in question follows standard industry practice of hiring two workers for every yard crane – the same as at every other terminal at the port. Yet, ILWU Local 10 refused to allow yard cranes to operate unless that number was increased to three. This is a demand that Local 10 made and dropped during negotiations that led to the tentative agreement.

PMA also claims that Local 10 also refused to allow longshore utility workers to lock and unlock connecting devices between chassis and containers. The use of steady utility workers to perform this work is a longstanding practice at every terminal in the port. And while Local 10 made a demand in bargaining to change this practice, they dropped it in the tentative agreement.

“These repeated work stoppages by Local 10 – which run counter to the tentative agreement reached after more than nine months of negotiations – are the sort of counterproductive activity,” according to PMA, “that has become commonplace in Oakland over the years. Local 10’s current actions are damaging to the PMA member companies, to the shippers whose containers are idled, and to the reputation and future of the Port of Oakland.”

According to a CNN Money report TODAY, Melvin Mackay, president of the ILWU Local 10 at Oakland, denied the union was engaged in the job action and blamed the shutdown on the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) sending workers home.

“It’s a ploy by the PMA. These members come to go to work,” said Mackay. “But the companies are telling the members to operate the machine with no safety man on the ground. The members want safety. That’s the bottom line.”

An arbitrator ruled the union was engaged in an illegal strike that shut down most of the Oakland operations yesterday, affecting the container terminal — the key operation at the port.

The Oakland port handles the third greatest volume of containers of all West Coast ports–linchpins to trade between the U.S. and Asia– after only the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are the nation’s largest ports. It is the sixth largest container port nationwide.

American Shipper reported TODAY, “U.S. container imports are down more than 5 percent in 2015, with the nearly the entire drop attributable to West Coast ports, according to statistics released Wednesday by the trade data firm Zepol Corp.”

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:30:27-07:00March 12th, 2015|