Western Farm Press.  May 2012.  Fresno County Thompson seedless grower Monte Schutz, president of the Raisin Bargaining Association, has had a good start to this year’s season.  “The weather has been just perfect,” he says. “It’s beautiful the way the vines look. They’re growing every day — they’re tall and reaching for the sky.”  He was expecting a mid-May bloom. Right after bloom, when the new crop reaches BB size, he’ll spray his Caruthers, Calif., vineyards with gibberellic acid to encourage a little more grape size and better quality.

The Raisin Bargaining Association has released its April bunch count, down 19 percent from the same time last season. Schutz isn’t surprised as vines recover from the big 2011 crop.  He has been treating his vineyards to prevent powdery mildew, and so far, pressure from the disease has been average. Once the shoots had pushed out about 2 to 3 inches, he started spraying vines with wettable sulfur and copper fungicide every 10 to 14 days. In addition to providing powdery mildew control, the copper also helps prevent phomopsis.  By the time the shoots reach about 12 to14 inches in length, phomopsis is no longer much of a threat, he says. That’s when he’ll replace the copper with a sterol inhibitor fungicide. He’ll alternate that treatment with applications of sulfur, in the form of either dust or wettable powder, until veraison.  Spider mites are his main pest problems, usually becoming a concern in midsummer when weather turns hot.

Last year at harvest, Schutz saw vine mealybugs in his vineyards for the first time. So, around the third week of this month, he’ll spray to control them.  He irrigates mostly with drip systems, although he flood irrigates a few vines. He pumps water, but is concerned that growers who count on surface water, but are not going to receive a full allotment, will resort to groundwater pumping. “If those growers who normally don’t pump water begin pumping this year, the water table could drop,” he says.

Schutz is looking for a higher raisin price this season, even though last year’s $1,700 per ton price was a historical high. He expects the field price to be firmed around Aug. 1.  He is encouraged by a 3 percent increase over 2011 in raisin sales for the first six months of the current marketing year. Demand for Thompson juice is also trending up.  Last year, raisin grape growers received $265 a ton for green Thompsons. “Now, people are starting to talk about a $300 a ton green price for this year,” Schutz says. “That’s just a rumor — but it’s a positive sign. I’m not hearing of a lower number than last year.”

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Western Farm Press.  May 14 2012.  A plant pathologist at the University of California, Riverside has identified a fungus that has been linked to the branch dieback and general decline of several backyard avocado and landscape trees in residential neighborhoods of Los Angeles County.  The fungus is a new species ofFusarium. Scientists are working on characterizing its specific identification.  It is transmitted by the Tea Shot Hole Borer (Euwallacea fornicatus), an exotic ambrosia beetle that is smaller than a sesame seed. The disease it spreads is referred to as “Fusarium dieback.” “This beetle has also been found in Israel and since 2009, the beetle-fungus combination has caused severe damage to avocado trees there,” said Akif Eskalen, an extension plant pathologist UC Riverside, whose lab identified the fungus.

To date, the Tea Shot Hole Borer has been reported on 18 different plant species worldwide, including avocado, tea, citrus, guava, lychee, mango, persimmon, pomegranate, macadamia and silk oak. Eskalen explained that the beetle and fungus have a symbiotic relationship. “When the beetle burrows into the tree, it inoculates the host plant with the fungus it carries in its mouth parts,” he said. “The fungus then attacks the vascular tissue of the tree, disturbing water and nutrient flow, and eventually causing branch dieback. The beetle larvae live in galleries within the tree and feed on the fungus.”

Although the beetle was first detected in Los Angeles County in 2003, reports of its negative impact on tree health were paid no attention until February 2012, when Eskalen found both the beetle and fungus on a backyard avocado tree showing dieback symptoms in South Gate, Los Angeles County. The Agricultural Commissioner of Los Angeles County and the California Food and Drug Administration have confirmed the identity of the beetle. “This is the very same fungus that caused avocado dieback in Israel,” Eskalen said. “The California Avocado Commission is concerned about the economic damage this fungus can do to the industry here in California.  read more

Western Farm Press.  9 May 2012.  Everyone involved with the California citrus industry should be aware by now that a citrus tree in the L.A. area, and an associated Asian citrus psyllid, were found to be infected with Huanglongbing, a tree‐deadly bacterial disease of citrus and related plants. Parts of this diseased tree appear to have been propagated from material not legally‐certified to be used to produce new citrus trees. Huanglongbing disease is present in many other citrus growing areas of the world such as Florida, Asia and Mexico.  When Huanglongbing infects a tree, bacteria, eventually, are found throughout the tree including shoots and buds. Bringing in an illegal bud and propagating a new branch or tree of a favorite pummelo from a country in Asia, no matter how sweet the fruit; or a lime from Mexico, no matter how much it reminds one of home or a fun vacation; or possibly even a citron from an arboretum in Europe, no matter how good the fruit smells; puts the entire California citrus industry at extreme risk.

Budwood can be brought into this country legally but will require permits and protocols from a number of government agencies starting with the United States Department of Agriculture, and in California will eventually involve the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Citrus Clonal Protection Program (www.ccpp.ucr.edu).

While it may seem harsh, any tree that was created from budwood illegally brought into California should be killed immediately in advance of the arrival of the Asian citrus psyllid vector of this disease into the San Joaquin Valley. Cutting the tree down at ground level may not be enough (but it is a good start). New suckers from the stump will still harbor the disease. Monitor the stump, and destroy suckers immediately until nothing new regrows. It is probably not a bad idea to disinfect tools after use on the infected tree. Always use and follow all safety features, guidelines and instructions when using hand or power tools such as axes, handsaws, chainsaws, clippers, loppers, grinders and chippers.

Western Farm Press.  8 May 2012. Agencies of the Department of the Interior (Bureau of Reclamation) and Agriculture (Natural Resources Conservation Service), are working together to leverage funds for water delivery agencies and agricultural producers for a second consecutive year, and will provide $5.3 million in funding to five water districts and associated growers to save water and improve water management. “Coordinated federal actions and investments, such as this cooperative effort between Interior and USDA, are an important step toward improving water conservation and water supply sustainability in California, now and in the future,” said Hayes. “By working in partnership, USDA and Interior better ensure that water management efforts enhance water supplies and sustain our natural resources,” said Merrigan.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) launched the cooperative pilot program to fund water conservation and water use efficiency projects last year. Due to the success of the program, Reclamation and NRCS partnered once again to expand the benefits of the collaboration.

With NRCS support, Reclamation selected five projects for funding, totaling $2.3 million under its Agricultural Conservation and Efficiency Grants program. The selected projects will increase district-level efficiencies and facilitate farm water conservation and water use efficiency. NRCS will provide up to an additional $3 million in funding, and technical assistance to growers in the selected districts, for eligible on-farm conservation practices. (Adding $3 million from NRCS to Reclamation’s $2.3 million in funding, a total of $5.3 million is being provided to enhance water conservation.) NRCS will work with each district to determine the appropriate application periods for the district’s eligible growers.

The five recipients of the funding are the Henry Miller Reclamation District 2131, Firebaugh Canal Water District, Tulare Irrigation District, Rancho California Water District and Central California Irrigation District. read more

Western Farm Press.  7 May 2012.The initial subjective forecast for 2012 California almond production is 2 billion pounds, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Field Office in Sacramento, Calif.  This is 1.5 percent below last year’s record production of 2.03 billion pounds.  The forecast yield is 2,560 pounds/acre, down 4 percent from last year’s record of 2,670 pounds/acre.  The 2012 forecasted bearing acreage is 780,000.

This forecast is based on a telephone survey conducted April 19 through May 1 from a sample of almond growers. Of the 458 growers sampled, 283 reported. Acreage from these reports accounted for 27 percent of the total bearing acreage.  The 2012 almond crop is shaping up nicely, NASS reports.  February was warm and dry across the state creating favorable bloom conditions for almond trees. While the bloom period was shorter than last year, the excellent weather made up for the shorter overlap and bloom load was high.  Chilling hours were plentiful.

An early March frost resulted in some spotty damage in the southern San Joaquin Valley (SJV). An early April hailstorm affected orchards in Merced County.  Weather in the Sacramento Valley has been near ideal.  A heavier than normal drop was reported in the SJV.  Low disease and insect pressure were reported.

Western Farm Press.  1 May 2012.  Despite record prices and 100 percent free tonnage, California raisin exports are increasing at a faster pace than domestic sales.  Raisin exports are up about 6 percent over last year. Domestic shipments are up about 4 percent. Exports have been averaging about 125,000 tons annually, roughly 35 percent of the total annual California raisin production.  Both are healthy percentages, particularly for export raisins considering the record prices growers are receiving. Last year producers received a record $1,700 per ton for raisins.

For many years, export raisins sold for less than domestic raisins. Each year raisin packers and growers evaluate the crop size and the potential market, setting a “free tonnage” or the percentage of raisins for which a grower can expect to receive the field price. Supplies over that free tonnage go into a reserve pool. Export raisins are sold out of that pool at a discount with federal market development assistance to increase consumption overseas.  This long-time practice is paying off based on reports given recently by overseas representatives of the Raisins Administrative Committee when several export raisins market agents reported on a wide array of activities to promote California raisins from London to Seoul.  read more

Western Farm Press.  26 April 2012.  In the constant search for new crops that fit the area and fill a niche market, a handful of growers in the desert Southwest are turning their attention to an ancient agricultural product with a promising new future.  With Americans in pursuit of healthier living, there’s a growing demand for high-quality olive oil, said Glenn Wright, a University of Arizona researcher with the Yuma Agriculture Center. And it’s a crop he thinks would do well here.  “I think there’s a big future here, based on what I know so far.”

One grower in Yuma has about 20 acres of olive trees in south Yuma Valley that have been in the ground for more than two years and could potentially have some olives this fall for milling into oil. In addition, there’s about 100 acres planted in Imperial County in the Westmorland-Calipatria area that had some olives milled last year. And there’s some acreage of mature trees in northern Mexico east of Mexicali that can be seen from the All American Canal, Wright said.

Ag Alert. 24 April 2012. The last two decades have been marked by a flurry of activity in global trade. Markets have opened for California producers and created promising and beneficial trading relationships. California agricultural exports are expanding and buoying up the state’s otherwise struggling economy.

There is no doubt agricultural trade has played an important role in the economy. During the last 10 years, for example, U.S. farm exports have more than doubled—even growing by leaps and bounds during the recession. This holds true for California, where agricultural exports continue to be a bright spot in the state’s economy.

The U.S. has engaged in multiple trade agreements during the last two decades that have resulted in new foreign partners and markets for California’s agricultural production. Recent deals between the U.S. and Panama, Colombia and Korea have demonstrated our nation’s commitment to this cause. President Obama’s National Export Initiative, announced in his State of the Union address in 2010, aims to double exports by the end of 2014.

Market access is the only way to reach that goal. read more

Yahoo! News. 24 April 2012.  The United States Department of Agriculture confirmed Tuesday that it found a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from central California.  The infected cow was found as part of a “targeted surveillance system,” says John Clifford, the USDA’s chief veterinary officer, who said at no time did it present a threat to humans.  This is the nation’s fourth confirmed case since 2003 of the ailment known as mad cow disease, which can be fatal to humans who eat parts of the animal infected.

“The animal was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so it at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health. Additionally, milk does not transmit BSE,” Clifford said.  The cow was found at a “rendering plant,” which takes sickly or sub-standard animal meat and recycles it into  inedible products.  The animal tested positive for atypical BSE, a very rare form of the disease not generally associated with an animal consuming infected feed.  The USDA in collaborating with international animal labs and U.S. public health officials to determine the origins of the case.

It does not expect the finding to affect U.S. trade in beef.  Worldwide cases of BSE peaked in 1992 with 37,311 confirmed cases. In 2011, there were 29 cases. This is attributable primarily to the use of feed bans, according to the USDA.