Citrus harvest underway in Tulare County.
Courtesy of the California Farm Bureau Federation

By Kate Campbell

Citrus harvest is progressing between storms, the state’s growers and shippers say, a challenge not seen during the past four years of drought. But weather is only one factor, producers of the state’s signature fruit say.

They also face water supply and infrastructure problems, pest infestations, regulatory constraints and uncertain market conditions.

“Overall, we’re about 25 percent picked, so we’re through the front end of harvest season,” said Kevin Severns, a Sanger citrus grower and general manager of Orange Cove-Sanger Citrus Association. He said he expects citrus harvest will continue into May.

“We got through the December cold spell pretty well, but there may be some damage to tangelo and mandarin varieties,” Severns said. “The bulk of the navel crop came through unscathed.”

If harvest delays stack up, the growers and shippers may get stuck with overripe fruit late in the season, he said, “but now quality is excellent. This is the third year the eating quality of California navels has been exceptional.”

“So far, so good,” Severns said. “There are still a lot of challenges that could happen between now and the end of harvest, but we’re bullish on this crop.”

Fresno County citrus farmer Greg Meyers said temperatures during the December cold spell weren’t much below 28 degrees where damage to the fruit starts to occur.

“When it did dip, our wind machines helped us out,” he said. “We were fine in our location.”

This season’s navel orange crop is forecast to be slightly smaller than last year, an estimated 81 million cartons, produced on fewer acres and yielding somewhat smaller fruit, the U.S. Department of Agriculture crop survey predicts. The forecast includes conventional, organic and specialty navel oranges, including cara cara and blood orange varieties.

California’s grapefruit production is down 1 percent from the 2013-14 season, but lemon production is up 9 percent, USDA crop analysts found. Tangerine and mandarin production in California is up 24 percent from last season with continued increase in planted acres.

“We’re about to start harvesting tangelos and sweet mandarins,” Meyers said. “And we’re starting to prune our citron trees to get ready for next season. We’re the only citron grower in the U.S. and there’s a lot of demand for the fruit.”

As to rain, he said the weather outlook is “very encouraging, but it won’t be enough to recover from four years of drought. It will, however, go a long way toward providing growers with what they need to get through the coming crop year.”

Most packinghouses have planned for a wetter winter and as opportunities occur between storms, growers are moving enough fruit into processing plants to carry packing and shipping activities for a week or more at a time, said Bob Blakely, vice president of Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual.

“If we don’t get a break in the weather and can’t get back into the field to pick, then we could see some impact on supplies,” he told agricultural reporters.

If prolonged rains occur during coming weeks, that could cause problems with rind quality, “but we’re a long way from that becoming a problem,” Blakely said.

Another challenge, he said, is the threat posed by the Asian citrus psyllid, a non-native pest that can spread huanglongbing, a disease deadly to citrus plants. The California Department of Food and Agriculture said Dec. 28 that southern Stanislaus County has been placed under quarantine for ACP following detection of two psyllids within the city of Turlock.

ACP county-wide quarantines are in place in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties, with portions of Alameda, Fresno, Kern, Madera, Merced, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties also under quarantine.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week the first of four preliminary risk assessments for insecticides potentially harmful to bees, specifically neonicotinoids. In the assessment, the EPA said citrus “may” have residues of pesticides in pollen and nectar above a threshold level.

California Citrus Mutual President Joel Nelsen called the agency’s premise that neonicotinoids are a major contributor to the decline in bee populations or colony collapse false, noting the National Academy of Sciences finds there are several causes.

“Citrus does not require bees to produce a crop,” said Nelson. “But the citrus industry is in danger of being wiped out by the incurable disease huanglongbing that is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, which can only be controlled by timely pesticide applications.

“We empathize with beekeepers dealing with colony collapse,” Nelsen said. “But neonicotinoids are a vital tool in the battle to save the citrus industry.”

He said CCM encourages EPA to continue regulating pesticides and other crop production tools based on sound, replicated science and “not to be swayed by unsubstantiated and emotional hyperbole.”

In the meantime, Severns, who is chairman of the CCM board of directors, said the U.S. market for California citrus is good for larger and medium fruit, “but smaller sizes are always a market challenge this time of year, with prices slipping considerably.

“We realize that seasons like this are a marathon and not a horse race,” he said.

Link to story at California Farm Bureau Federation web site

By Jeffrey Dorfman

Many parents and children today worry about both what college costs and whether after spending all that money they will be able to get a good job. In general, college graduates do get jobs after graduation—the unemployment rate for college grads is under 3%—but still families of current and approaching college students are concerned. One easy way to reduce the risk of post-graduate un- or underemployment is to gain skills in a field with a shortage of skilled workers. A great example of what students might study is food and agricultural systems.

Some such job skills do not require a college degree; welders are in short supply and certified welders can earn $75,000 per year. Thus, learning to weld would be a smart career move for some and financial aid for technical schools teaching these skills is generally abundant. However, for those not interested in welding as a career and committed to pursuing a college education, studying for jobs in the food and fiber sector would be a great plan.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts that over the next five years the annual demand for college graduates in agriculture and food industries will be 57,900 jobs per year. Unfortunately, American agricultural colleges (such as my own College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at The University of Georgia) will only be producing about 35,400 graduates per year.

Right now, this shortfall in college graduates with majors in agriculture are being filled by graduates with other, related majors. But the employers would prefer graduates with more background in agriculture.

Further, these jobs are not all in direct production agriculture (that is, farming), which accounts for only 15 percent of these jobs. The other 85 percent are in the broader food and fiber industry. In fact, 50% percent these jobs are in business and management. For example, food processors such as Campbell’s Soup or Tyson Food need people to manage their production facilities, marketing campaigns, and finances. Twelve percent of the jobs are in agricultural education, communication or government agencies that regulation and support the food and fiber industries. As agriculture becomes more global, there are good jobs available for students with an interest in international finance and policy and also for those who can speak a foreign language.

The remaining 27 percent of these agricultural jobs are in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). These jobs require strong scientific, quantitative, and technical training and employers are also looking for familiarity with agricultural and food systems. For example, a large meat or poultry processing company will likely prefer a geneticist who is an animal or poultry science major with genetics training. A food processing company looking for a food safety specialist will choose a food science major over a microbiologist with no specific training in food safety.

You get the idea; many of these jobs are ones that non-agriculture majors can fill, but agriculture majors already know the background setting and the technical jargon for the industries which are hiring. Plus, these jobs pay well.

According to Payscale.com, operations managers within the field of agriculture earn an average of $60,600 per year, agronomists average $45,500, and IT managers in food and agricultural businesses earn an average of $78,500 per year. Across all jobs in what Payscale defines as agriculture, the starting salary averages $47,300 per year with a $5,000 annual bonus.

As an added bonus, agriculture colleges are located in state land-grant universities. That means much lower tuition than at private colleges, particularly if you attend one of the state colleges in your own state and pay in-state tuition. Thus, students can earn their degree in an agricultural field and graduate with little to no student loan debt (certainly less than if they attend a private college which typically cost $20,000 to $40,000).

So for college students, soon-to-be college students, and parents hoping for a good return on their investment in tuition, think agriculture. People will always eat, so jobs in producing, processing, transporting, and selling food will never go away. For good-paying, rewarding, and secure employment, college students would be well-served to find a major in food and agriculture.

Link to article

Link to full news release

Governor Brown’s proposed budget for 2016-2017 would provide a total of $485 million to CDFA for its mission to promote and protect agriculture, including appropriations for invasive species programs, food safety and security programs, drought analysis and response, a new program to address antibiotic use in livestock, a new licensing program for medical cannabis, and greater investment in a vitally important direction for our state – climate smart agriculture.

It’s called climate smart agriculture because it represents a set of practices that sustainably increase productivity and resilience while reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). There is $75 million proposed for CDFA in this area. The funding would come from the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and would include $20 million for the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), which provides financial incentives to growers to implement water distribution systems on farms that reduce GHGs and save water;  $35 million for the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program to provide financial assistance for the implementation of dairy digesters and other management practices that result in reduced GHG methane emissions; and $20 million to develop and administer an incentive and demonstration program for the state’s Healthy Soils Initiative, which is designed to capture atmospheric carbon and increase carbon levels in California agricultural soils.

CDFA is honored and pleased to have the opportunity to maintain these programs for the people of California. We already have success stories to share. The SWEEP program has already allocated nearly $18 million for water and GHG savings, and more than $11 million has been provided for five new dairy digester projects in the state.

In addition, the Governor’s budget includes $40 million for the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC), which is overseen by the Strategic Growth Council, an interagency body consisting of seven different state agencies, including CDFA and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. SALC supports the protection and management of California’s agricultural lands through planning and permanent protection of farm and ranch lands via agricultural easements.

This proposed climate smart agriculture investment by the State of California will help farmers and ranchers adapt to climate variability while meeting the demand for sustainable food production for a growing world population.  We look forward to discussing all this with members of the legislature in the weeks and months ahead as the budget process moves forward.

The U.S. Health and Human Services agency and the USDA have released updated nutritional guidelines that encourage Americans to adopt a series of science-based recommendations to improve how they eat to reduce obesity and prevent chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the nation’s trusted resource for evidence-based nutrition recommendations and serves to provide the general public, as well as policy makers and health professionals with the information they need to help the public make informed choices about their diets at home, school, work and in their communities.

The newly released 8th edition of the Dietary Guidelines reflects advancements in scientific understanding about healthy eating choices and health outcomes over a lifetime. This edition recognizes the importance of focusing not on individual nutrients or foods in isolation, but on the variety of what people eat and drink—healthy eating patterns as a whole—to bring about lasting improvements in individual and population health.

The specific recommendations fit into five overarching guidelines in the new edition:

• Follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan. Eating patterns are the combination of foods and drinks that a person eats over time.
• Focus on variety, nutrient-dense foods, and amount
• Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats, and reduce sodium intake
• Shift to healthier food and beverage choices
• Support healthy eating patterns for all

Healthy eating patterns include a variety of nutritious foods like vegetables, fruits, grains, low-fat and fat-free dairy, lean meats and other protein foods and oils, while limiting saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars and sodium. A healthy eating pattern is adaptable to a person’s taste preferences, traditions, culture and budget.

Importantly, the guidelines suggest Americans should consume:

• A variety of vegetables, including dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy and other vegetables
• Fruits, especially whole fruits
• Grains, at least half of which are whole grains
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages
• A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, and nuts and seeds
• Oils, including those from plants: canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower. Oils also are naturally present in nuts, seeds, seafood, olives, and avocados.

Further, Americans should be encouraged to consume:

• Less than 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars. ChooseMyPlate.gov provides more information about added sugars, which are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared. This does not include naturally occurring sugars such as those consumed as part of milk and fruits.
• Less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats. The Nutrition Facts label can be used to check for saturated fats. Foods that are high in saturated fat include butter, whole milk, meats that are not labeled as lean, and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil.
• Less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium for people over the age of 14 years and less for those younger. The Nutrition Facts label is a helpful tool to check for sodium, especially in processed foods like pizza, pasta dishes, sauces, and soups.

Based on a review of current scientific evidence on nutrition, the 2015 edition includes updated guidance on topics such as added sugars, sodium, and cholesterol and new information on caffeine.

Since 1980, HHS and USDA have shared a responsibility to the American public to ensure that advancements in scientific understanding about the role of nutrition in health are incorporated into the Dietary Guidelines, which are updated every five years.

Link to news release

Cows in front of a dairy digester in Stanislaus County

By John Holland

A new study praises some of the dairy cows in Stanislaus and Merced counties for doing their part to curb climate change.

It deals with digesters, which use bacteria to turn manure into electricity. On the one hand, this reduces methane, one of the most potent of the gases causing global warming. On another, it reduces the need to generate power from coal or natural gas, which also contribute to the problem.

Digesters have been slow to spread in California’s vast dairy industry, but our area has a couple of notable examples at farms that also are cheese producers. One is at Fiscalini Cheese Co., northwest of Modesto. The other is at Joseph Gallo Farms near Atwater, which sells under the Joseph Farms label.

The study, by the global firm of Ramboll Environ, looked at the cost of various climate projects funded by the California Air Resources Board with money from emitters who do not meet the standards.

The study found that dairy digesters cost an average of $7 per ton of carbon dioxide – or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases – that is kept out of the atmosphere. Other projects ranged from $2 to $1,250 per ton.

“Dairy anaerobic digesters are a proven and highly effective method of reducing greenhouse gases, particularly methane, from agriculture,” said Dawn Chianese, the study’s primary author, in a news release.

“Dairy digesters provide great bang-for-the-buck when compared to other investments,” Executive Director Michael Boccadoro said.

Once again I was honored and thrilled to receive an invitation from the California Cut Flower Commission to spend time with them last week at the fabulous Rose Parade. The Commission has developed partnerships with the Buy California Marketing Agreement (CA Grown), the floral company FTD, the California Milk Advisory Board, Miracle-Gro, and Cal Poly University (both the SLO and Pomona campuses) to utilize primarily California-grown flowers, seeds and other plant materials for their floats and vehicles in the parade!

The California Milk Advisory Board’s Rose Parade float, “Adventures in Real Food.”

Prior to the parade, I was pleased to provide certification that 85 percent of the flowers on the Cal Poly, Miracle-Gro and Milk Advisory Board floats were CA Grown. Achieving that designation requires extraordinary planning, creative designs and innovative engineering, as well as a year-round working relationship with flower growers who must plant the right crops to be ready for the big day. All that work paid off – the Cal Poly float, called “Sweet Shenanigans,” once again won the Lathrop K. Leishman Award for the Most Beautiful Non-Commercial Float. Miracle-Gro’s float, “Life Starts Here,” won the coveted Governor’s Award. And the Milk Advisory Board’s float, “Adventures in Real Food,” was recognized, as well – receiving a Tournament Special Trophy from the judges.

“Life Starts Here,” a float from Miracle-Gro

This year’s parade also included CA Grown certification for the vehicles carrying Rose Bowl VIPs. The cars were sponsored and decorated by FTD.

The Cut Flower Commission is encouraged by the visibility the certification creates within the FTD national network of floral designers. Proof-positive of the benefits of this exciting partnership to keep locally-grown flowers at the center of the Tournament of Roses!

Cal Poly students built this float, “Sweet Shenanigans.”