From “Tech Talk,” by Phillip Lan

Over the past few decades, technology has disrupted many industries including manufacturing, media, banking and retail shopping. We also now understand that it is no longer a matter of if but when technology-based solutions, such as self-driving vehicles, will transform transportation and logistics.

Agriculture, on the other hand, has experienced a relatively slow adoption of technology. Sure, some crops require less manpower then they did years ago. Talk to the old farmers here in the Central Valley and they will tell you about climbing up in almond trees to knock down nuts when they first began working out in the orchards.

It took dozens and dozens of laborers working long hours during harvest, and even longer hours when orchards needed to be replanted. Today, two almond workers can manage hundreds of acres with specialized machinery.

Many delicate crops like cherries, however, are still harvested the same way they were 1,000 years ago because advances in agricultural automation have primarily been mechanical, not software-based like many other industries.

This will increasingly become a problem for California’s $47 billion ag industry as a couple of long-term macro trends continue developing.

First, countries such as Mexico, China, Chile and parts of the Middle East have rapidly progressing agricultural industries and lower labor costs. To remain competitive, California farmers need to continually increase per-acre yields.

Second, local agriculture continues to experience a severe and growing shortage of farm laborers. Mexico’s improved economy, current immigration policies and lack of interest in farm jobs by American youth are all contributing to the dire situation, despite a 50 percent pay increase for farm workers since 1996, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Fortunately, recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) software are about to give Central Valley farmers a fighting chance to win in the competitive global food production marketplace.

The applications for AI are endless, improving disease diagnosis, new drug development, investing decisions and even enabling the sci-fi dream of self-flying cars (many working prototypes are already being produced). In agriculture, this advanced software is powering a new generation of machines capable of distinguishing between tomato plants and similar weeds, trees that are healthy and trees that are thirsty or lack nutrients, an important first step in increasing yields and reducing labor requirements.

Upcoming developments will soon combine agricultural software, computer hardware and durable farm equipment to build comprehensive solutions that significantly improve farming materials conservation, foliage strength, yield mapping to address yield variation and autonomous self-driving tractor capabilities.

Accurate analysis will one day help farmers increase yields through plant-by-plant optimization instead of field or orchard optimization. Current aerial and satellite photography methods, which only show what is going on in the top layer of fields and orchards, are unable to provide the necessary data.

Several companies are now emerging as leaders in ag tech. Blue River Technologies is leveraging AI software to create innovative solutions for farmers across the nation. Their “see and spray” robotics platform uses computer vision to distinguish between good crops and bad weeds and then sprays herbicide on the weeds with inkjet printer-like precision. Most of our nation’s 911 million acres of farmland is sprayed with fertilizer to control weed growth. Blue River’s solution reduces chemical usage by more than 90 percent, and is beginning to have a tremendous impact on important crops such as lettuce. Their robots can even determine how to allocate resources optimally to grow lettuce, and then autonomously thins the plants to improve yields.

Another innovative company is Central Valley-based Milano Technical Group, started by UC Merced graduate Dominic Milano. The company is a manufacturer of automation modules that are fitted to row crop harvesters, significantly improving their performance. The company’s solution leverages LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging is a detection system that works on the principle of radar, but uses light from a laser), infrared and computer vision to address high variable data collection and yield monitoring challenges in fields and orchards.

Autonomous Solutions, Inc., is one of the fastest growing robotics companies in the United States. ASI’s broad product line includes market-leading autonomous tractors for a variety of field, vineyard and orchard work. They were recently selected as one of the top companies in the global robotics industry by Robotic Business Review alongside robotic giants Google Alphabet, Boston Dynamics, Bosch Group, IBM, Intel and Uber.

These new software-based technologies will give California farmers another tool to improve quality and reduce costs, positioning them to win in the global marketplace.

Ag tech is starting to gain traction, but one of the key factors holding back investment thus far has been the lack of exits in the industry. Venture capital firms are hesitant to invest in ag tech companies because they haven’t traditionally seen a path to cash out.

Things are changing though. John Deere’s recent $305 million acquisition of Blue River Technologies will definitely accelerate investment and growth in this space.

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According to production statistics compiled by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and released by CDFA, lettuce is the fifth largest commodity in California, with a value of nearly $2 billion. Roughly 75 percent of the nation’s lettuce and leafy greens are grown in California.

There are three main growing regions.  The Central Coast, which includes both the Salinas Valley and the Santa Maria/Oxnard region, is the largest with 75 percent of production for the state, the Desert region is the second largest with 19 percent of production and the Central Valley – which acts as a seasonal transition region between the other two – produces the final 6 percent.

Monterey County is, by far, the largest county of leafy greens production.  Located on the Central Coast, Monterey County produced over 100,000 acres of lettuce valued at $1.5 billion in 2015.  The next biggest lettuce producer is Imperial County.  In 2015 Imperial County produced over 30,000 acres valued at over $2 million.

Lettuce is produced year-round in California, but this crop does demand good weather.  Ideal conditions for leafy green crops are high temperatures in the 60s or 70s and lows in the 40s.  Because of this, the Central Coast is a huge growing region that produces lettuce between the months of April and November.  Winter in the hot Desert Region is perfect for leafy greens from November through March.  And the Central Valley covers the transition period in Spring and Fall.

California is not the only source of leafy greens in the U.S.  Arizona is another substantial producer. It is estimated that combined the two states produce nearly 95 percent of US leafy green crops.

There are 14 different leafy greens covered by the California’s Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement. While lettuce is the most heavily-produced, some of the others include  spinach, kale and cabbage.

With thousands of Californians suffering devastating losses due to recent wildfires, CDFA is offering a web page with resources for recovery.

Included is a program from the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for individual assistance to those who have lost their jobs during the fires, in Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sonoma and Yuba counties. This is federal assistance administered by EDD that provides temporary unemployment benefits to people whose jobs or work hours were directly impacted by the fires.

The USDA has multiple agencies that provide financial and/or technical assistance to help farmers, ranchers and rural landowners recover from natural disasters such as wildfires. The web page contains information about programs from the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agency.

Additionally, expertise and assistance on particular subjects (e.g. re-seeding, erosion & flooding, livestock, salvage logging, or reforestation) may be available through local or regional University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Extension offices.

The page also includes a link to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for a roster of local assistance centers as well as information about debris removal.

Link to CDFA wildfire resources web page

With Fall now in full swing, Californians are again starting to turn their attention to El Dorado County’s Apple Hill, which is in the midst of its 2017 production season. From CDFA’s award-winning Growing California video series, here’s an encore presentation on Apple Hill’s draw as a tourism destination.

Note – California and all of American agriculture are seeking young people to enter farming-related fields, and not just on the farm – there are an estimated 300 positions in food production, many of them requiring increasingly sophisticated technical skills.   

Technology has changed the way farmers irrigate their crops in the Central Valley, a region that produces a quarter of the nation’s food. One local community college is responding by teaching students how to design and create irrigation systems, while filling a gap in the local industry’s workforce.

Modesto Junior College’s Irrigation Technology program is the first of its kind in the state. It offers both an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree and an Irrigation Technology certificate providing students the opportunity to learn the skills they need to work in agriculture water management.

“The population continues to increase as does the water needs for the state of California and the nation,” said Steve Amador, the program’s faculty advisor. “The water resources that we have now are continually being taxed more and more, so there’s really a lot of interest in conserving water and doing things the right way.”

The Irrigation Technology program started as the demand increased for the one irrigation class offered to MJC science students. “So we decided to start an irrigation degree, an A.S. degree,” added Amador. “We decided to build some facilities, look for some money for student travel and really just expand and promote the program.”

The program is funded by a Strong Workforce Program regional investment administered through the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation.

The first graduates completed the program earlier this year. “I was proud that we had 24 who were irrigation majors,” said Amador. “Some of them finished and received degrees and some of them have a few more classes to take. We were at 95 percent full-time employment or summer internships in the irrigation field.”

One of those graduates is Ryan Lehikainen. “I was going to school for ag business. Irrigation has always been an issue in California, so I took a class to get some knowledge of irrigation. It sparked my interest. The program that Mr. Amador has at MJC really caught my eye and I decided spend another semester at MJC to get that degree.” Lehikainen, a Modesto native, was brought on as an intern at the Central Irrigation Company and after graduation, was hired as a full-time irrigation designer.

“The systems we design are designed to meet the evapotranspiration (the combination of evaporation and transpiration from plant material) rates of the plant. So each plant has a different water requirement that makes sense,” explained Lehikainen. “An almond tree each day during the summer requires .28 inches of water a day to sustain healthy growth and a healthy nut. So the system we design is designed to give exactly .28 inches of water to that tree in a specific area.”

Central Irrigation Company’s owner Keith Yamamoto explained the importance of MJC’s program. “There’s a huge need in the middle for someone who is technologically savvy, who has an understanding for engineering, but didn’t have the means or desire to go on to a large four-year university.”

Irrigation designers use software such as AutoCAD and don’t necessarily need an engineering degree. “What’s also important is you have to have some common sense – how things work, and also understand ag and the area. It’s very important that you can relate what you learn and apply it to the field,” said Yamamoto.

MJC’s program not only offers the A.S. degree, but also provides a way for current irrigation technicians to increase their worth with their current employers. According to Amador, “I have several students who work for irrigation companies and come in and take a couple of classes, get a certificate and go back to get a raise or more responsibility at work, whatever the case may be.”

Programs such as MJC’s Irrigation Technology Program fills a workforce gap in an industry that it vital to the country’s food supply.

After playing a role in the creation of the $200-million Strong Workforce Program, the Summit has helped to support the program’s implementation, highlighting programs successfully engaging and maintaining relationships with employers.

Expanding and improving these types of workforce programs through the California Community Colleges will be one of the topics at the California Economic Summit, which will be held in San Diego on November 2-3.

The Summit will also drive a broad effort to strengthen rural communities through infrastructure and job creation programs in regions which have struggled with higher rates of poverty, higher concentrations of minimum wage workers, and lower broadband connectivity than anywhere else in California.

Link to article

Migrating birds in California rice fields.

By Bryce Lundberg and Sean Doherty

Note – Rice farmer Bryce Lundberg serves on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Sean Doherty is a third-generation rice farmer in Dunnigan, Yolo County.

Last winter’s heavy rains were a welcome relief for Central Valley farmers after years of drought. But the high water that came with them also made it clear that we must upgrade the flood control system designed to protect people, farms and cities from catastrophic flooding.

Watching hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria from afar, Californians may not realize that our own Central Valley is at high risk of this type of flooding, especially as extreme weather events are becoming more common.

Fortunately, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board recently updated its plan to improve protection for farmers and city dwellers alike. It will also help revive flagging salmon runs and support other struggling native species.

As farmers, we are often on the front lines of California’s water challenges. We understand the benefits of wildlife-friendly agriculture. Rice farmers, especially, have taken the lead in finding ways to use limited water supplies to sustain farms while simultaneously benefiting birds, fish and other wildlife.

This multi-benefit approach to flood and water management is at the core of the new Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, which calls for building projects designed to allow rivers and floodplains to function more naturally. These projects come with additional public benefits, such as improving water quality, increasing groundwater recharge and providing outdoor recreation opportunities.

One of the best ways to both prevent flood damage and improve fish and wildlife populations is to find strategic places to expand floodways. Allowing flood waters to spread out and slow down lowers crests and reduces strain on the levees that line Central Valley rivers. And when rivers can safely handle higher flows, dam managers can keep reservoir levels higher during heavy rains, potentially increasing water supplies during the summer.

In addition to increased public safety, this approach seems much more promising for fish and wildlife than the current flow strategies. Instead of pitting the needs of wildlife against those of farmers, it focuses on ways to address both.

With the right approach, changing the way we manage floods could improve the survival of native fish without harming farms. If we help fish populations rebound by improving the health of our rivers, water allocations for farms and cities may also become more predictable.

The updated Central Valley Flood Protection Plan takes this right approach. Now it’s time for policymakers to ensure sufficient funding is available to turn the plan into action.

Link to article

Sensors that tell growers how much water to use; drones that can fly over operations and assess the health of crops; real-time data at the fingertips of farmers.

It’s not science fiction – it’s the future of agriculture.

In an attempt to streamline operations, increase sustainability and improve climate resiliency, California farmers are embracing precision agriculture technology. Also known as “smart farming,” precision agriculture uses the latest technological innovations to produce more food while using less resources.

But California farmers are not the only ones adopting this technology. Nearly 6000 miles away, farmers, academics and public officials in the country of Chile are also actively exploring opportunities in precision agriculture.

As some of the world’s largest wine producers, Chile and California share a number of similarities. They both enjoy Mediterranean climate ecosystems. They bought have struggled with prolonged drought. And most importantly, both California and Chile are committed to implementing climate smart agricultural practices.

In an effort to share best practices, exchange information and learn more about the potential of precision agriculture,  the California Department of Food and Agriculture will host a climate smart webinar, titled “California & Chile: Opportunities for Precision Agriculture in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.”

This free webinar brings together farmers, research scientists and government representatives from Chile and California to discuss the role precision technology can play in mitigating the impacts of climate change and improve on-farm efficiency. The event will be held on October 30^th from 9 am to 11 am.

Registration and speaker information can be found at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2276456747899022083

California continues to work in collaboration with international partners to foster knowledge-sharing partnerships to address climate change impacts on agriculture. This webinar is the seventh in a series of international discussions focusing on climate smart agriculture. For more information, contact Jaydeep Singh at Jaydeep.bhatia@cdfa.ca.gov.

Pope Francis at today’s recognition of World Food Day.

Pope Francis called for governments around the world to collaborate to make migration a safer and voluntary choice, arguing that assuring food security for all requires tackling climate change and ending conflicts. He made the call at the global ceremony to mark World Food Day, held at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome. This year’s theme focuses on addressing migration through investing in food security and rural development.

World Food Day is being marked this year as global hunger rises for the first time in over a decade, affecting 815 million people or 11 per cent of the global population. The increase is largely due to the proliferation of violent conflicts and climate-related shocks which are also major drivers of distress migration.

Madagascar President Hery Martial Rakotoarimanana Rajaonarimampianina, whose country is facing the impacts of climate change, also spoke at the event.

Other participants in the ceremony were European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan, the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Gilbert F. Houngbo and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley.

Ministers of agriculture from several of the Group of Seven (G7) nations attended the World Food Day ceremony – testament to the important links between food security, rural development and migration. G7 representatives were Canada’s Lawrence MacAulay, France’s Stéphane Travert, Germany’s Peter Bleser, Italy’s Maurizio Martina, the United Kingdom’s Therese Coffrey and the United States’ Sonny Perdue. Japan’s Ken Saito sent a statement of support. [Read more]

Secretary Ross with California Resources Secretary John Laird on a flyover in Wine Country.

Over the weekend I traveled with Governor Brown and Senators Feinstein and Harris to Santa Rosa for meetings with local elected officials and a community town hall meeting. This is a remarkable community and the message delivered was that we are in this together and all levels of government will be fully supportive on the long road to recovery.

I cannot describe the impact of viewing block after block of completely destroyed neighborhoods – that one week ago were homes and today are piles of ashes. I look forward to visiting all the impacted North Coast counties in the next few weeks to meet with farmers and ranchers and agricultural commissioners.

A Santa Rosa neighborhood.

Governor Brown at a community meeting in Wine Country.

Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez, San Francisco Chronicle

Northern California wineries are already at work raising funds for fire recovery efforts. E&J Gallo Winery today announced a $1 million donation to be divided among the American Red Cross, the California Wildfires Relief Fund, the Community Foundation of Sonoma, and the Napa Valley Community Foundation. Gallo will also match employee donations two-for-one.

“It is devastating to learn that our colleagues, friends, growers and neighbors have suffered such great losses,” said Gallo Winery CEO Joseph E. Gallo. “We hope they are given the strength, fortitude, and endurance to deal with these adversities.”

Additionally, a Go Fund Me page has emerged, initiated by the Central Valley’s Fäsi Estate Winery, of Friant, Fresno County. The funds raised through this effort will be donated to the Napa Valley Community Foundation.