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Video – CDFA’s plant and pest scientists at work

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

At CDFA’s Plant Pest Diagnostics lab in South Sacramento, scientists work long hours identifying invasive species–pests and diseases–that threaten California’s environment and food supply. Examples of these would be exotic fruit flies as well as the Asian citrus psyllid and the disease it carries, huanglongbing, or citrus greening. This video produced by the California Association of Professional Scientists examines some of that work and takes us in some interesting and unexpected directions.

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UC Davis has encouraging early research findings on cows, seaweed and methane – from the Associated Press via OCRegister.com

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs
Cows eating seaweed at UC Davis.

By Terrence Chea

University of California researchers are feeding seaweed to dairy cows in an attempt to make cattle more climate-friendly.

UC Davis is studying whether adding small amounts of seaweed to cattle feed can help reduce their emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that’s released when cattle burp, pass gas or make manure.

In a study this past spring, researchers found methane emissions were reduced by more than 30 percent in a dozen Holstein cows that ate the ocean algae, which was mixed into their feed and sweetened with molasses to disguise the salty taste.

“I was extremely surprised when I saw the results,” said Ermias Kebreab, the UC Davis animal scientist who led the study. “I wasn’t expecting it to be that dramatic with a small amount of seaweed.”

Kebreab says his team plans to conduct a six-month study of a seaweed-infused diet in beef cattle starting in October.

More studies will be needed to determine its safety and efficacy, and seaweed growers would have to ramp up production to make it an economical option for farmers.

Dairy farms and other livestock operations are major sources of methane, a heat-trapping gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Researchers worldwide have searched for ways to reduce cattle emissions with various food additives such as garlic, oregano, cinnamon and even curry — with mixed results.

If successful, adding seaweed to cattle feed could help California dairy farms comply with a state law requiring livestock operators to cut emissions by 40 percent from 2013 levels by 2030.

“If we can reduce methane on the dairy farm through manipulation of the diet, then it’s a win for consumers because it reduces the carbon footprint, and it’s for dairy farmers because it increases their feed efficiency,” said Michael Hutjens, an animal scientist at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Link to story

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Meet the new apple boss: Gala – from The New York Times

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

California Apple StatisticsBy Niraj Chokshi,
The New York Times

After more than a half-century as America’s most-grown apple, the Red Delicious is on track to be ousted this year by a sweet, juicy, young upstart: the Gala.

That’s according to the U.S. Apple Association, a trade group, which released its production forecast for 2018 last week.

“It’s the beginning of the end,” said Tom Burford, an apple historian, orchard consultant and admitted Red Delicious detractor. “How are you going to market a tasteless apple when the consumer has tasted so many good apples?”

Despite his bias, Mr. Burford has a point: The decline of the Red Delicious, with its mild flavor and often mealy texture, can be credited to a shift in consumer preferences toward apples that are crunchier, crisper and sweeter.

“It’s the industry adapting to the consumer’s demands,” said Mark Seetin, the director of industry affairs for the Apple Association, who, unlike Mr. Burford, is more sanguine about the apple variety’s future.

The Red Delicious is still projected to be the second most-popular apple by production in America, according to the group, which claims 7,500 growers as members. The Granny Smith will be third, followed by Fuji and the ascendant Honeycrisp, which could rise to third place as soon as 2020, just three decades after its introduction, the trade group said.

While the country had native apples, the most common domestic varieties today are descendants of centuries-old imports from Europe, according to “Apples of North America,” a book by Mr. Burford, whose family has been growing apples since the early 1700s.

Apples were an important part of colonial America, used not only as food but often to make hard cider, a popular alternative to water that was unfit to drink, according to Erika Janik, the author of “Apple: A Global History” and executive producer of podcasts at New Hampshire Public Radio.

“Apples were some of the earliest things planted by colonists in the United States,” she said. “Basically everyone had an apple tree or two or three in their yard.”

But the Red Delicious was a relative latecomer. It was discovered in the late 1800s by Jesse Hiatt, an Iowa farmer who reluctantly let a Red Delicious tree grow on his property after several unsuccessful attempts at killing it, according to various accounts.

In the early 1890s, Mr. Hiatt entered the fruit, which he had named “Hawkeye,” into an apple competition and won, ultimately agreeing to sell the rights to the contest’s hosts, the Stark Bro’s Nursery, in Missouri, according to Mr. Burford’s book.

The Stark brothers, whose nursery is still operating more than a century later, renamed the apple “Delicious” and, later, “Red Delicious” to differentiate it from a yellow apple from West Virginia that they began to sell under the name “Golden Delicious,” according to the book.

It enjoyed relative popularity for decades, but took off in the mid-20th century, with its distinctive elongated shape and five-point base becoming an American symbol, according to the book “Apples of Uncommon Character,” by Rowan Jacobsen. Then things started to change.

“We left the farm,” Mr. Jacobsen said in an interview. “As more and more people became city people and national supermarkets arose, you were no longer getting your own apples and you were no longer getting local apples.”

To meet the demands of consumers who began to associate the color red with ripeness, apple growers and supermarkets produced and sold ever-redder apples at the expense of flavor.

“We started eating with our eyes and not our mouths,” Mr. Burford said.

In recent decades, the trend has started to reverse itself, as consumers have begun to pay more attention to the provenance, variety and quality of goods, such as coffee, tomatoes, beer and, of course, apples.

The Honeycrisp, for example, has soared in popularity, largely on the strength of its crispness and sweetness, since it was developed at the University of Minnesota and released in 1991.

The shift in tastes isn’t lost on the industry. Demand for new Red Delicious trees is falling and the growers see that there’s a glut of the fruit they bear, according to Mr. Seetin, of the Apple Association.

But he isn’t ready to count out Red Delicious apples entirely: They still account for about half of apple exports and remain popular in other countries, like India.

“They’re going to reach an equilibrium,” Mr. Seetin said. “I very seriously doubt they’re just going to vanish from the picture.”

See the original article here.

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Summer interns contribute to key projects at CDFA

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross (left) says "Thanks and farewell!" to summer intern Nancy Chang.

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross (left) says “Thanks and farewell!” to summer intern Nancy Chang.

In a few short weeks, CDFA will host the Scaling Up Climate Smart Agriculture forum which will bring together farmers and ranchers, international partners and climate stakeholders to discuss the important role agriculture plays in climate discussions. This event, part of the Global Climate Action Summit, would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of CDFA’s Executive Office interns – Grace Berry and Nancy Chang.

Both of these remarkable women have an appreciation of agriculture and a strong interest in our food system.  Grace is studying environmental sciences at Berkeley and Nancy is studying earth systems at Stanford – two great California institutions. Their combined work on the climate conference and policy issues will be greatly missed at CDFA and we cannot say  “THANK YOU” enough for all of their hard work. We can only hope that they return soon to start their career with the Department!

Thank you Grace and Nancy for a pleasant and productive summer!

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CDFA to help prevent spread of invasive mussels over holiday weekend

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

California agencies combatting the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels remind boaters to remain cautious over Labor Day weekend.

Quagga and zebra mussels are invasive freshwater mussels native to Europe and Asia. They multiply quickly, encrust watercraft and infrastructure, alter water quality and the aquatic food web and ultimately impact native and sport fish communities. These mussels spread from one waterbody to another by attaching to watercraft, equipment and nearly anything that has been in an infested waterbody.

Travelers are advised to be prepared for inspections at California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Border Protection Stations. Over the past ten years, more than 1.45 million watercraft entering California have been inspected at the Border Protection Stations. Inspections, which can also be conducted by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and California State Parks, include a check of boats and personal watercraft, as well as trailers and all onboard items. Contaminated vessels and equipment are subject to decontamination, rejection, quarantine or impoundment.

Invisible to the naked eye, microscopic juveniles are spread from infested waterbodies by water that is entrapped in boat engines, bilges, live-wells and buckets. Quagga mussels have infested 33 waterways in Southern California and zebra mussels have infested two waterways in San Benito County.

To prevent the spread of these mussels and other aquatic invasive species, people launching vessels at any waterbody are subject to watercraft inspections and are strongly encouraged to Clean, Drain and Dry their motorized and non-motorized boats, including personal watercraft, and any equipment that contacts the water before and after use.

Take the following steps both before traveling to and before leaving a waterbody to prevent spreading invasive mussels, improve the efficiency of your inspection experience and safeguard California waterways:

  • CLEAN — inspect exposed surfaces and remove all plants and organisms,
  • DRAIN — all water, including water contained in lower outboard units, live-wells and bait buckets, and
  • DRY — allow the watercraft to thoroughly dry between launches. Watercraft should be kept dry for at least five days in warm weather and up to 30 days in cool weather.

CDFW has developed a brief video demonstrating the ease of implementing the clean, drain and dry prevention method. In addition, a detailed guide to cleaning vessels of invasive mussels is available on the CDFW’s webpage. Additional information is available on the Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) website.

Quagga and zebra mussels can attach to and damage virtually any submerged surface. They can:

  • Ruin a boat engine by blocking the cooling system and causing it to overheat
  • Jam a boat’s steering equipment, putting occupants and others at risk
  • Require frequent scraping and repainting of boat hulls
  • Colonize all underwater substrates such as boat ramps, docks, lines and other underwater surfaces, causing them to require constant cleaning
  • Impose large expenses to owners

A multi-agency effort that includes CDFW, DBW, CDFA and the California Department of Water Resources has been leading an outreach campaign to alert the public to the quagga and zebra mussel threats. A toll-free hotline, (866) 440-9530, is available for those seeking information on quagga or zebra mussels.

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Oldest known cheese found in Egyptian tomb – from Smithsonian

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

Egyptian tombs

A look inside the ancient Egyptian tomb containing really old cheese

By Katherine J. Wu

Last month, archaeologists cracked open a tomb excavated in Alexandria, Egypt, revealing three skeletons bathing in an crimson pool of sludgy sewage. In response, tens of thousands around the world immediately petitioned for the right to sip from the freshly uncorked casket of amontillado (a sherry wine). (Spoiler: It hasn’t worked out.) But fear not, coffin connoisseurs: There’s a new artisanal artifact in town—the world’s oldest solid cheese, over 3,000 years in the making.

The tomb of Ptahmes, mayor of Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt during the 13th century BC, contains quite the trove of treasures. First uncovered in 1885, the site was then lost to time for over a century. But between 2013 and 2014, Cairo University archaeologists rooting around the grave stumbled across a few broken jars with puzzling contents. One had remnants of a solid, whitish mass, as well as a canvas fabric the researchers speculate may have covered the jar when it was whole—perhaps to preserve its contents.

To unveil the nature of the mysterious mass, the researchers, led by Enrico Greco, a chemical scientist at the University of Catania in Italy, dissolved the substance and analyzed its contents.

Ancient cheese

The cheese

The lump still contained a few recognizable bits of proteins, including casein from both cow milk and either sheep or goat milk. Since the cloth covering wouldn’t have kept a liquid from spilling out, the researchers reasoned that they were probably dealing with a solid dairy product, rather than, say, an old bottle of very spoiled milk.

Normally, an unidentified cheesy object would be confirmed with an analysis of its fats, Greco said in an interview with Ruth Schuster at Haaretz. But “aggressive” environmental disturbances, including several floodings from the nearby Nile and heavy rainfall, may have contaminated the gravesite with foreign chemicals. This kind of contamination likely destroyed most of the fats in the jarred substance over the course the last 3,200 or so years it endured in the tomb.

Traces of dairy have been found on artifacts as old as 7,000 years, constituting sufficient evidence for ancient cheesemaking, but this is the first sizable hunk of the tasty concoction to be found in any kind of preserved state.

The cheese was far from alone in this jar, however. The team was unsurprised to find traces of bacterial proteins in the knob of decayed cheese as well; after all, microbes are an essential part of fermenting dairy. But the microscopic critters that had blossomed upon this cheese weren’t the friendly Lactobacillus species that give Swiss and Emmental cheese their pleasantly nutty tang—or anything else you’d want near your food. That is, unless you have a bit of a death wish.

It turns out this antique cheese had a blood- (and milk-) curdling secret: a possible infestation of Brucella melitensis, a species of bacteria that causes the infectious disease brucellosis, which comes with a whole set of kicky symptoms including fever, sweating and muscle pain. Unsurprisingly, eating or drinking unpasteurized or raw dairy products is one of the most common ways to contract Brucella.

But matching bits of proteins to actual foods and living creatures is a bit like guessing the title of a book based on just a couple sentence fragments. Sometimes the words are distinct enough to make the connection; other times, they’re so ubiquitous that they could belong to just about any piece of writing. The researchers’ findings are somewhere in the middle: They think that this is some highly overmatured cheese—the Brucella is somewhat more dubious. If confirmed, though, this could be the oldest evidence yet that Brucella plagued ancient populations. Until now, brucellosis has only been identified in human remains dating back to 750 BC.

Even if it wasn’t Brucella, though, only so many microbes carry the particular protein the researchers identified. One of the other options, Coxiella burnetii, is also no walk in the park: This bacterium causes Q fever and also naturally infects a similar subset of livestock, resulting in similarly unpleasant ailments in humans. Based on their protein work, the researchers believe Coxiella is a far less likely suspect, but say that further confirmation is necessary.

In any case, with a hefty dose of decontamination, maybe this prehistoric cheese could pair well with a glass of ancient wine. And if given the opportunity, the people will likely make an understandable stink for the chance.

Link to story

Posted in Dairy | 2 Comments

Virulent Newcastle Disease response by the numbers

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

The Virulent Newcastle Disease (VND) project in Southern California is now in its fourth month. The disease has been detected at a total of 117 properties in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura Counties.

Key numbers as of August 29, 2018

96,880 – Number of properties surveyed

2,679 – Number of properties placed under quarantine

397 – Number of properties released from quarantine

671 – Combined number of farmers markets, feed stores, pet stores, egg vendors and private veterinary practices visited by VND outreach teams

Zero – Number of VND detections at commercial poultry operations

40 – Number of commercial operations in Southern California conducting surveillance testing

176 – Number of state and federal personnel working on this incident

As this project continues, bird owners everywhere, but especially in Southern California, are urged to practice strict biosecurity measures. In Southern California these include:

  1. Don’t move birds
  2. Don’t bring new birds to the property
  3. Don’t let people with birds come into contact with your birds.

VND mostly travels through the movement of  infected poultry or on the hands and feet of people that came into contact with infected poultry or their droppings.

Bird owners urged to  report sick birds to CDFA’s Sick Bird Hotline, 866-922-2473.

Please visit CDFA’s VND web page for more information.

 

 

 

 

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Hydrogen Fuel Testing: Secretary Ross at CDFA’s Measurement Standards office in Anaheim

Posted on August 28, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross is in Southern California today to check in on the department’s various projects, including a visit to the Anaheim office of CDFA’s Division of Measurement Standards where staff conducts hydrogen fuel testing to detect contaminants like water and sulphur, among others.

Secretary Ross (L) learns about hydrogen fuel testing today at CDFA's Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) facility in Anaheim.

Secretary Ross (L) learns about hydrogen fuel testing today at CDFA’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) facility in Anaheim.

The device shown is called the Hydrogen Quality Sampling Apparatus (HQSA), and it takes liter-sized samples from California's 36 hydrogen fuel stations. The samples are tested for contaminants like water and sulphur, among others.

The device shown is called the Hydrogen Quality Sampling Apparatus (HQSA), and it takes liter-sized samples from California’s 36 hydrogen fuel stations. The samples are tested for contaminants like water and sulphur, among others.

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California releases new climate change assessment

Posted on August 28, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

From a California Natural Resources Agency News Release

Warning that two-thirds of Southern California’s beaches could completely disappear and the average area burned by wildfires could nearly double by 2100, the State of California has released California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, which details new science on the devastating impacts of climate change and provides planning tools to support the state’s response.

“In California, facts and science still matter,” said Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. “These findings are profoundly serious and will continue to guide us as we confront the apocalyptic threat of irreversible climate change.”

The compilation of original climate research includes 44 technical reports and 13 summary reports on climate change impacts to help ready the state for a future punctuated by severe wildfires, more frequent and longer droughts, rising sea levels, increased flooding, coastal erosion and extreme heat events. The peer-reviewed research translates global models into scaled-down, regionally relevant reports to fill information gaps and support decisions at the local, regional and state levels.

For agriculture, the report notes that many of California’s important crops, including fruit and nut trees, are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts like changing  temperature regimes and water-induced stress. Adaptive decision-making and technological advancement may maintain the viability of California agriculture. However, studies show that viability of the sector overall may be at the expense of agricultural jobs and the dairy sector, and this report points out that additional research is needed on potential yield changes of crops under changing climate conditions, to provide growers the crops varieties that can thrive under warmer and drier conditions, and tools they can use to identify and implement adaptation options. Sustainably managing groundwater resources remains a crucial priority.

California has completed three prior Climate Change Assessments. Since the release of California’s Third Climate Change Assessment in 2012, the state has experienced several of the most extreme natural events in its recorded history, including a severe five-year drought, an unprecedented tree mortality crisis, damaging floods driven by atmospheric rivers, and increasingly large and destructive wildfires.

The Fourth Assessment suggests these events will worsen in the future. Among the key findings:

  • Wildfire: Climate change will make forests more susceptible to extreme wildfires. By the year 2100, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, one study found that the average area burned by wildfires would increase 77 percent and the frequency of extreme wildfires burning more than 25,000 acres would increase by nearly 50 percent. In the areas that have the highest fire risk, the cost of wildfire insurance is estimated to rise by 18 percent by 2055. Additionally, the percentage of property insured in California would decrease.
  • Sea-Level Rise: Under mid to high sea-level rise scenarios, up to 67 percent of Southern California beaches may completely erode by 2100 without large-scale human interventions. Statewide damages could reach nearly $17.9 billion from inundation of residential and commercial buildings if sea-level rise reaches 20 inches, which is within range of mid-century projections. A 100-year coastal flood, on top of this level of sea-level rise, would almost double the cost of damages. Updated modeling can help local planners analyze vulnerabilities in their area.
  • Energy: Higher temperatures will increase annual electricity demand for homes, primarily for use of air conditioning units. High demand is projected in inland regions and Southern California. More moderate increases are projected in cooler coastal areas. Increases in peak hourly demand during the hot months of the year could be more pronounced. This is a critical finding for California’s electric system, because generating capacity must match peak electricity demand.
  • Extreme Heat Events and Impacts on Public Health: Heat-related illnesses and deaths are projected to worsen drastically throughout the state. By mid-century, the Central Valley is projected to experience heat waves that average two weeks longer than those today, and the hot spells could occur four to 10 times more often in the Northern Sierra region. A new California Heat Assessment Tool (CHAT) could support public health departments as they work to reduce heat-related deaths and illnesses.

The latest reports also detail the unique and disproportionate climate threats to vulnerable communities and tribal communities, with a focus on working collaboratively with these communities on research and solutions for resilience.

In addition, a report set for release in early September will highlight how California can better integrate climate impacts in design processes for critical infrastructure. The report by a working group established by AB 2800 (Quirk) of 2016 reflects the expertise of multiple scientific and engineering disciplines to help design and construct infrastructure to withstand higher temperatures, more frequent and intense storms, drought, wildfires and sea-level rise.

To access Fourth Assessment technical reports, summary reports, online tools, climate projects and data, and other resources and information developed as part of California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, please visit www.ClimateAssessment.ca.gov.

California is a global leader in using, investing in, and advancing research to set proactive climate change policy. Its climate change assessments provide the scientific foundation for understanding climate-related vulnerability and how Californians may respond. The Climate Change Assessments directly inform State policies, plans, programs, and guidance to promote effective and integrated action to safeguard California from climate change.

California – which is playing a world-leading role in building strong coalitions of partners committed to curbing carbon pollution in both the United States and around the globe – will convene the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco next month. At the Summit, representatives from subnational governments, businesses and civil society will showcase the surge of climate action around the world, and make the case that even more must be done.

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Industrial Hemp to be evaluated as low-desert crop – from the Imperial Valley Press

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Office of Public Affairs

Industrial hemp plants

Note – CDFA has established the California Industrial Hemp Program, in accordance with state statute, and is working to develop a registration process, fee structure, regulations, and other administrative details as necessary to provide for the commercial production of industrial hemp. This work is ongoing. 

By Oli Bachie,  University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Agronomy Advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties.

EXCERPTED

Hemp, Cannabis sativa L., is a dioecious annual plant that has not been grown legally in California for many years due to regulatory restrictions.  In recent years, the restrictions have been loosened and many industry groups have shown research interest with industrial hemp. A 2015 federal law removed hemp from the list of controlled substances as long as its tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content did not exceed 0.3 percent.

State Senate Bill 566 (the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act), defines industrial hemp as a fiber or oilseed crop, or both, that is limited to the non-psychoactive types of the plant and the seed produced, having no more than 0.3 percent THC contained in the dried flowering tops.

The bill emphasizes that industrial hemp be grown only if it is on the list of approved seed cultivars and would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to determine the methodology and procedure by which the list of approved seed cultivars may be amended, as specified.

Industrial hemp is a versatile fiber crop and is known to produce food, fuel, feed, fiber for textiles, bio-composite plastics and other advanced manufacturing materials, oils for industrial and cosmetic purposes, and pharmaceuticals, with more than 25,000 linked products.

In terms of resource requirements for production, at least one study suggested that it is possible to produce three times the amount of hemp fiber as cotton from the same amount of land with lower impact in terms of water, energy and the ecological footprint. Hemp is considered to consume 66 percent to 76 percent less water than cotton. It is heat-tolerant and produces excellent fiber.

The University of California Cooperative Extension-Imperial County intends to conduct research on industrial hemp at the UC Desert Research and Extension Center. The objectives of our trials are to test adaptability and potential yield of some selected cultivars. The outcome of our research will help to identify cultivars that may withstand heat, high temperatures and other environmental conditions of the low desert.

We will evaluate seed and fiber (straw) yield and productivity, strictly following the guidelines specified by the U.S. Farm Bill (Agricultural Act). According to this bill, industrial hemp must be grown or cultivated for research purposes conducted under an agriculture pilot program or academic research with a THC concentration of no more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.

If levels exceed this value, the trials should be destroyed. In summary, our trial(s) will confirm if industrial hemp can withstand the dry and hot weather and be productive under mostly long photoperiod seasons of the low desert. Seasonally repeated trials will identify the best planting dates, adaptability and suitability of hemp varieties for California’s low desert environment.

Note: This is not an endorsement of hemp production by growers or any other interested party in the low desert. This is to simply state that the university will soon be conducting industrial hemp adaptability and yield potential under the low desert environment. We encourage growers and the farm community to share their concerns on our intended trial(s) with the UCCE Imperial County.

Link to Imperial Valley Press

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