Almond Industry Headline
Environmental News
Edited by Mark Looker
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Valley growers upset as bill excludes nuts, dried
fruits - – Congress dissed dried fruits and nuts in the latest farm bill,
and growers are feeling ambushed.In a last-minute maneuver that is only now
coming to light, farm bill authors cut out dried fruits and nuts from an
ambitious school snack program. The action could slam the door on some
potentially lucrative markets. "This is a real problem with the bill, excluding
an entire industry," said Dan Haley, a lobbyist for California specialty crops.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Lawsuit seeks EPA pesticide data - - The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency is refusing to disclose records about a new
class of pesticides that could be playing a role in the disappearance of
millions of honeybees in the United States, a lawsuit filed Monday charges.
The Natural Resources Defense Council wants to see the studies that the EPA
required when it approved a pesticide made by Bayer CropScience five years
ago. The environmental group filed the suit as part of an effort to find out
how diligently the EPA is protecting honeybees from dangerous pesticides,
said Aaron Colangelo, a lawyer for the group in Washington. In the last two
years, beekeepers have reported unexplained losses of hives - 30 percent and
upward - leading to a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder. Scientists
believe that the decline in bees is linked to an onslaught of pesticides,
mites, parasites and viruses, as well as a loss of habitat and food.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 SF Chronicle
Feds: Common pesticides
jeopardize salmon survival -- Three pesticides commonly used on farms and
orchards throughout the West are jeopardizing the survival of Pacific salmon,
the federal agency in charge of saving the fish from extinction has found. Under
the settlement of a lawsuit brought by anti-pesticide groups and salmon
fishermen, NOAA Fisheries has issued a draft biological opinion that found the
way chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion are being used now, they get into
salmon streams at levels high enough to kill salmon protected by the Endangered
Species Act. The chemicals interfere with salmon's sense of smell, making it
harder for them to avoid predators, find food, and even find their native
spawning streams. Banned from many household uses, tens of millions of pounds of
the chemicals are still used throughout the range of Pacific salmon on a wide
range of fruits, vegetables, forage crops, cotton, fence posts and livestock to
control mosquitoes, flies, termites, boll weevils and other pests, according to
NOAA Fisheries.
<more> Aug. 14, 2008 Capital Press
Thirsty
orchards' plight in Central Valley - - Standing on a ridge between a
sluggish water canal and a swath of spindly, gray almond trees, farmer Jim
Jasper has a good view of California's water crisis. Drought forced one of
Jasper's friends to abandon these trees. The adjacent canal's flow has been
reduced by more than one-third to protect an endangered fish. To offset the
loss, Jasper has leased the land beneath the dying trees to use its water on his
own 2,500 acres of almond trees, some of them "babies." Being a farmer in
drought-prone California always has been a struggle. But 2008 is turning into
one for the history books. This year, natural and man-made water shortages will
cost the agriculture industry more than $160 million, not to mention the reduced
plantings for next year and the ripple effect through banks, farming equipment
businesses and consumers who could pay even higher prices for food.
<more> July 11, 2008 SF Chronicle
Local Growers, Local Solutions at Almond Pest Management
Alliance Sutter County Field Day July 31 - - The Almond Pest
Management Alliance, a collaborative project of almond industry stakeholders
aimed at demonstrating reduced risk best management practices in almonds, will
present its first field day Thursday July 31 in Sutter County. The field day will be held at a Pest Management Alliance
Demonstration Orchard from 8:00 am until 10:00 am at the Spilman Ranch near Live
Oak.
<more> July 10, 2008 Almond PMA Press Release
Three keys to properly managing late season navel
orangeworm - - By Bob Curtis, Senior Manager, Production Research, Almond
Board of California - - Moving toward almond harvest, it is important to take
steps to effectively manage the navel orangeworm (NOW). This pest is a double
threat to almond quality: In addition to causing direct damage to the kernel,
NOW has broader quality implications because it opens the door to fungal
infections and contaminants. Research shows the mold Aspergillus and the
aflatoxin contaminant it produces is associated with reject kernels,
particularly those damaged by navel orangeworm. Aflatoxin produced by
Aspergillus mold is a known carcinogen and mutagen. Aflatoxins are regulated the
world over, with the European Union (EU) having particularly low maximum limits.
The EU is the largest market for California almonds, even larger than the U.S.
market, and has put pressure on the California almond industry to reduce
aflatoxin contamination, which requires NOW prevention and control. Growers must
take critical steps to minimize NOW damage to attain a goal of no more than 2
percent damage, which reduces the risk of aflatoxin contamination.
<more> July 9, 2008 Western Farm Press
Almond growers expect another record crop - -
Almond growers are in for another record-breaking season, according to a federal
government projection released Monday in Modesto. The orchards that paint the
valley a pale shade of pink every spring will yield about 1.5 billion pounds of
nut meat this year, according to a National Agricultural Statistics Service
projection released Monday. That's an 8 percent growth over last year's record
production. "Bloom conditions up and down the valley were just about perfect,"
said Almond Board of California Chief Executive Officer Richard Waycott. "Eight
percent is a significant increase. Fortunately, our industry has proven it can
market the increase."
<more> July 1, 2008 Modesto Bee
Valley growers, UC advisers discuss almonds, pests,
water. - - With the Panoche Hills wrapped in haze not far away, the almond
orchard near Firebaugh offered welcome respite from the sun this week as 60
growers and pest-control advisers exchanged information on challenges they face.
They gathered at that orchard and another near Mendota to talk of ways to
minimize spraying and still kill pests, how to avoid damage that can come when
winds whistle through the trees and the proper use of a sometimes-scarce
resource -- water. Almond Pest Management Alliance sponsored the field day,
which drew some of the top pest and almond experts with the University of
California.
<more> June 28, 2008 Fresno Bee
Honey bee crisis could lead to higher food prices - -
Food prices could rise even more unless the mysterious decline in honey bees is
solved, farmers and businessmen told lawmakers Thursday. "No bees, no crops,"
North Carolina grower Robert D. Edwards told a House Agriculture subcommittee.
Edwards said he had to cut his cucumber acreage in half because of the lack of
bees available to rent. About three-quarters of flowering plants rely on birds,
bees and other pollinators to help them reproduce. Bee pollination is
responsible for $15 billion annually in crop value.
<more>
Aerial sprays are so 20th century - - By A.G. Kawamura, CDFA Secretary - - When a pest such as the light brown apple moth comes along - a pest that threatens not only crops but forests, habitat and landscapes - the California Department of Food and Agriculture is called upon to eradicate the infestation using the safest, most effective tools available. When we began this eradication effort more than a year ago, aerial pheromone treatments were the clear choice, and they remain a remarkably progressive option. Behind the scenes, CDFA and USDA scientists are hard at work developing tools to eradicate not only the light brown apple moth, but many other invasive species. These scientists have made advances in a program that will add another safe eradication method to our toolbox. <more> June 23, 2008 SF Chronicle Editorial
Local Growers, Local Solutions at Almond Pest Management Alliance Field Day June 25 - - The Almond Pest Management Alliance, a collaborative project of almond industry stakeholders aimed at demonstrating reduced risk best management practices in almonds, will present its first field day Wednesday June 25 in Fresno County. The field day will be held at two Pest Management Alliance Demonstration Orchards, starting at 9 a.m. at Pik-A-Lok orchard in Mendota, then moving at 11:30 a.m. to Windfall Farms in Firebaugh. UCCE Farm Advisors Walt Bentley, Brent Holtz and David Doll and retired UCCE Farm Advisor Mario Viveros will present workshops on wind damage, preventing and controlling almond diseases, and navel orangeworm monitoring and control. PMA cooperator growers will also discuss their role in the second Pest Management Alliance project. <more> June 12, 2008 PMA Press Release
We need to
be busy like bees to help save them - - By California Sen. Barbara
Boxer. Most people don't spend much time thinking about bees.
New alternaria fungicide gets California Section 18
for almonds - - The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has
granted Section 18 emergency exemption approval of Inspire fungicide from Syngenta for use on Alternaria in almond orchards. “Alternaria can devastate an
almond orchard,” said James Adaskaveg, professor of plant pathology, University
of California –, Riverside. “California almond growers should be encouraged by
this new tool to control this damaging disease.” Though new to this market in
the United States, difenoconazole has been used extensively for more than two
decades in 96 other countries on more than 100 crops. “Difenoconazole is one of
the most powerful triazole fungicides available and offers years of proven
performance to California almond growers,” said David Laird, fungicide brand
manager, Syngenta. “Applied at low use rates, Inspire has high preventive and
curative activity. Through translaminar movement, Inspire is rapidly absorbed
into the leaves, providing strong residual control and protecting leaf
surfaces.” June 2, 2008 Western Farm Press
Fumigant rules may tighten. Organic compound
numbers higher than first estimated - - San Joaquin Valley growers
will have to do more than limit field fumigant use to meet air quality
standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in 2009. Regulators now say
that emulsifiable pesticide formulations are adding more volatile organic
compounds to the air than originally estimated.
The state Department of Pesticide Regulation initially said that
limiting field fumigant applications and restricting the timing and
application methods during the peak ozone period of May 1 through Oct. 31
would reduce emissions in the valley air basin enough to satisfy terms of a
2006 court order on air quality. Finding that formulations for pesticides
are included in the mix adds to the complexity of the situation.
<more> May 30, 2008 Capital Press
Agricultural
research and extension symposium set for June 18-19-
- At a symposium June 18-19 in
Sacramento, agriculture professionals and policymakers will get a first look at
new research that shows the rate of growth of public funding for agricultural
research and extension has declined and the rate of growth in agricultural
productivity is also slowing.
A soon-to-be-released study by
agricultural economists Julian Alston of UC Davis, Philip Pardey of the
University of Minnesota and Jennifer James of California Polytechnic State
University, San Luis Obispo, shows that from 1949 to 2002, in inflation-adjusted
terms, total U.S. public spending on agricultural research grew by 1.85 percent
per year, but from 1991 to 2002, spending growth slowed to only 0.43 percent per
year. Research and development spending in California's state agricultural
experiment station also slowed dramatically in the 1990s.
<more> May 28, 2008 UC Press Release
Almond grower cultivates an extraordinary team.
Cummings brings family tradition and Ivy League education to orchards - -
If Dan Cummings wasn't a farmer, he'd likely make a good football quarterback.
He has developed a keen business sense to read the field in front of him. His
turf includes 6,000 acres of almond and walnut orchards owned by Cummings-Violich,
Inc. based in Chico, Calif. Cummings, 45, makes the farm management calls with
the help of a support team of managers and field personnel. "I have a wonderful
team, an extraordinary team. All of my senior managers in this large farming
operation are in their 30s. Many of them have only had this as their career,"
Cummings said. "They do a tremendous job, so I am able to delegate a lot of
responsibility to my team and they rock. They are really good at what they do."
<more> May 27, 2008 Capital Press
USDA to end surveys of farm pesticide usage - -
The federal government is eliminating a long-running program that gathers data
on the use of pesticides on farm fields. But the move will not affect
California, which funds its own comprehensive pesticide-monitoring program.
Since 1990, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual survey has collected
information on herbicides, insecticides and other chemicals used on American
farms and made it available to the public in a database on the USDA Web site.
Released this week, the 2007 survey showed, among other things, that the rate of
herbicide use on the nation's cotton fields has increased 53 percent in the past
six years. Tracking such trends in the future would be essentially impossible
without the USDA data.
<more>
May 25, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Almond crop to pass last year's record, government
predicts - - Another record almond crop, about 1.46 billion pounds, will
come off California orchards this year, the federal government projected today.
The estimate is 6 percent more than the 1.38 billion pounds last year. It
reflects favorable weather in winter and spring and an adequate supply of bees
for pollinating, said Doug Flohr, a statistician for the National Agricultural
Statistics Service. The steady growth will help keep supply in line with demand,
said Richard Waycott, president and chief executive officer of the Almond Board
of California.
<more> May 7, 2008 Modesto Bee
Still seeking a cause of colony collapse disorder
- - The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Apiary Inspectors of
America have conducted a combined survey of beekeepers to get a snapshot of
how well managed colonies made it through the winter of 2007-2008. Surveyed
beekeepers reported a total loss of about 36.1 percent of their honey bee
colonies, up about 13.5 percent from the previous winter. Losses attributed
to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) appear to be about the same, with just
over one-third (36 percent) of the operations reporting some lost colonies
in which all adult bees disappeared, a primary symptom of CCD, according to
Jeff Pettis, research leader of the ARS Bee Research Laboratory in
Beltsville, Md.
<more> May 7, 2008 Western Farm Press
New clean-air rules for trucks set off battle
between enviros, industry - - As the nation focuses on greenhouse gas
regulations set into motion by landmark legislation in 2006, state
regulators are set to pass a less-publicized, wide-reaching rule on
emissions from diesel busses and trucks that business groups say could cost
billions of dollars to implement. Environmentalists hailed the state Air
Resources Board after its staff released a draft of the new regulations
earlier this year-the first such rules in the nation. But following a public
hearing last Friday, the regulations were modified in the wake of howls of
protest from business groups-a move that immediately kindled
environmentalists' suspicions. A critical piece of the draft regulation
required some truckers' engines to be replaced twice in nine years in order
to comply with the rule, but that language has been eliminated from the
draft regulation, the ARB said.
<more> May 1, 2008 Capitol Weekly
Pending emissions rules among top concerns of
haulers, growers. Industry asking for seasonal-truck exemptions - -
Agricultural haulers say new diesel-emissions rules proposed earlier this year
by the California Air Resources Board will push them out of business. The
state's proposed rules, published in late January, would create stringent new
requirements for cleaning up diesel exhaust. The diesel engines of the
goods-transportation industry are blamed for most of California's
transportation-related smog. A central argument among those in agriculture -
growers as well as crop transporters - is that regulations should allow
exemptions for trucks and field machines that operate only seasonally. Many of
those engines run for many years and replacing or retrofitting them with
emissions-control systems can be a sizable investment.
<more> April 18, 2008 Capital Press
Valley's greenery
gives off pollutant. Scientists looking at role of hydrocarbons in the ozone
problem -- An astonishing fact is buried in dirty-air data: Valley trees
and plants produce far more hydrocarbons than vehicles do. In the summer,
crops, trees, lawns and the rest of nature release 360 tons daily of the key
smog component. That's four times more hydrocarbons than from cars and trucks.
Hydrocarbons combine with other gases in vehicle exhaust to form the San
Joaquin Valley's ozone, considered one of the nation's worst air problems. Between
the valley's millions of farmland acres and the Sierra Nevada's sprawling
forests, this region has a lot of plants. How big a role does all this
greenery play in the valley's bad air? Scientists need the answer to help meet
smog cleanup targets over the next 20 years. But it is difficult to know how
much of nature's hydrocarbons are involved in creating ozone. Because plants
play a role in cleaning the air, nobody has found a way to calculate the
possible net benefits that trees and other plants provide for the valley.
<more> April 17, 2008 Modesto Bee
Regulators get good news from almond industry - -
Growers often hesitate to invite regulators onto their property. “Why invite
scrutiny,” they reason. But almond grower and handler Dick Braden of Braden
Farms warmly welcomed regulators during the Almond Board’s Fourth Environmental
Stewardship Tour in February. After all, Braden Farms has a great story to tell.
Some 30 state and federal regulators, local dignitaries and media members toured
Braden’s 13,000-acre almond operation in Hickman, Calif., to learn first-hand
what he and other growers are doing to address environmental issues, including
air and water quality, reduced-risk pest management and endangered species. The
tour highlighted new technologies and methods designed to reduce the impact of
almond production on the environment. At Braden Farms, land is laser leveled and
designed with collection ponds and cover crops to reduce fertilizer and soil
runoff into nearby waterways. Micro-irrigation systems help Braden reduce water
use and runoff and apply fertilizers more efficiently. And pests are managed
through careful monitoring and timely sprays of softer insecticides.
<more> April 10, 2008 Western Farm Press
Government sued after approving 4 pesticides - -
Environmental and farmworker advocates have sued the Bush administration for
allowing the continued use of four pesticides, saying the government brushed
aside its own findings that the chemicals are dangerous to workers, children and
wildlife. The suit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco,
challenged the Environmental Protection Agency's decision in 2006 to reauthorize
the four pesticides sprayed on fruit and vegetable fields in California. A 1996
federal law required the EPA to reassess the safety of all pesticides used on
foods and decide by 2006 whether to approve their use. Patti Goldman, a lawyer
for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said the agency found that four substances
posed risks to human health but concluded their cost savings to growers
outweighed the dangers.
<more> April 8, 2008 SF Chronicle
California almonds: Fumigation rules affect new
plantings - - New state restrictions on the use of soil fumigants are
expected to hit Ventura County strawberry growers hard, but these new rules will
also have an immediate impact on the ability of San Joaquin Valley growers to
fumigate ground for planting permanent crops like almonds and other tree and
vineyard crops. The new regulations will apply to the use of all seven fumigants
with the potential to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the
months of May through October. These include methyl bromide, 1,3-Dichloropropene
(Telone), chloropicrin, metam-sodium, metam-potassium, dazomet, and sodium
tetrathiocarbonate. Almond growers rely on soil fumigation to prevent orchard
replant disorder when they pull out aging orchards to replant new trees. Soil
fumigation is the best way to destroy microorganisms that can otherwise
jeopardize the growth and yield potential of young new orchards, said Roger
Duncan, a University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor in
Stanislaus County.
<more> April 1, 2008 Western Farm Press
Season of hope. The growing California almond
industry depends on honeybees to pollinate the trees. - - Every spring, just
as the swallows return to Capistrano, so do the bees buzz back to Bakersfield.
But don't expect to look up in the sky and see a swarm of them making their way
west. These bees travel by truck. And though the place they're visiting is
certainly beautiful, trees arranged in graceful allées and topped with billowing
white and pale pink clouds of blossoms, this trip is all business. The almond
industry, which has emerged over the last decade as one of the biggest and most
profitable in California agriculture, depends on bees for pollination. And so
every spring, fully 60% of the commercially kept honeybees in the United States
-- more than 1 million hives -- are trucked to California's Central Valley to do
their thing. But what happens when one of the state's fastest-growing businesses
depends on workers who are disappearing almost as quickly? That's what
California's almond farmers are waiting to find out.
<more> March 26, 2008 LA Times
UC developing Web site for drought water management
in almonds - - A number of critical issues are at play concerning the short-
and long-term availability of water for the California almond industry. The most
pressing of these is the recent Delta smelt decision that will impact about
216,000 acres of almonds served by the Central Valley Project and the State
Water Project. In response, irrigation and water experts in the UC Division of
Ag and Natural Resources are developing a Web site for drought water management
in almonds and other crops. UC researchers, farm advisors and Extension
specialists have developed extensive information over the years on water
management practices during periods of reduced water availability. The Web site
will compile this information, and in particular, will focus on drought
management and irrigation.
<more> March 21, 2008 Western Farm Press
Valley workshops set on future of irrigated lands
program -- A series of workshops will be held throughout the Central Valley
later this month and in early April to discuss the future of the Irrigated Lands
Regulatory Program. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is
conducting the workshops to gather comments on the program elements and
environmental information that should be considered in the development of a
long-term program. The meetings will be held in Sacramento March 26; Modesto
April 1; Tulare April 2 and Durham April 8. "The irrigated land program will
very likely be changed to include groundwater and that is a very significant
change which growers should be aware of," said Gabriele Ludwig, the Almond Board
of California’s senior manager for technical and regulatory affairs. "These
workshops will discuss how groundwater monitoring might be implemented and it is
important for growers to attend and voice their opinions on how such a
monitoring program should be developed. Thus, this program will affect every
almond grower in the Central Valley.”
<more> March 18, 2008 Almond Board of California Press Release
Out-of-state researchers visit California to test bee
health - - Ever since the devastation of honey bee colonies by Colony
Collapse Disorder made its way onto television news programs and newspaper
headlines nationwide, these hard-working pollinators have been in the spotlight.
While people learn more about the mysterious phenomenon that causes bees to
leave the colony and not return, top bee researchers from around the country are
feeling the pressure to find answers to a variety of pests and diseases that
impact bees and that may be causing this disorder. Researchers from the
University of Minnesota visited several Northern California bee breeders in late
February to gather data and test hive health.
<more> March 14, 2008 Ag Alert
Hive loss is enigma - - For many beekeepers, the
mystery is as deep as the devastation. A hive begins as a set of wooden frames
whose combs hold thousands of worker bees, pollinators of all manner of crops.
Then the insects scatter without warning, deserting the colony and leaving the
queen bee and her young to starve — and farmers scrambling to keep up their
fruit and nut orchards. The syndrome, colony collapse disorder, has gutted
numerous beekeeping operations since its discovery two years ago. At the start
of a new growing season in the Mid-Valley, many farmers — especially almond
growers — must cope with a tightening stock of healthy bees as researchers
continue looking for the cause of dying hives. "This is the problem which has
befuddled us the most," Eric Mussen, an entomologist at the University of
California, Davis, said Tuesday. "Since we can't put a finger on why or how this
is how it is, it's difficult to tell anybody how to treat it."
<more> March 13, 2008 Yuba City Appeal Democrat
Scientists work to protect vulnerable bees - -
It's almond blossom time in California. The orchards are bursting into bloom and
the almond trees, their canopies ablaze in white and pink, are all abuzz with
millions upon millions of honey bees avidly gathering pollen and nectar for
their hives. Here at UC's honey bee research center, scientists are seeking to
breed new strains of the immensely valuable insects called Apis mellifera
carnica, while others are probing the recently sequenced bee genome to
understand the most important qualities conferred upon each tribe by its unique
genetic heritage. The researchers are bent on improving the ability of the bees
to pollinate the flowering fruit trees and vegetables that account for more than
$35 billion a year in crop value for California, and right now they hope to
understand and perhaps halt the spread of the disease called Colony Collapse
Disorder that has devastated the hives of many professional beekeepers in
California and across the country.
<more> March 10, 2008 SF Chronicle
Beekeepers get stung by hive heists as California nut
trees bloom - - Third-generation beekeeper Roscoe Hall spent the last year
fretting over a disease that's inexplicably caused thousands of his industrious
insects to abandon their colonies. Now, entire hives are disappearing, too. In
the long, flat valley where the nation's almonds grow, bee thieves are striking
hard this winter, nabbing increasingly valuable hives from farmer's fields where
bees are used to pollinate blossoming nut trees. A few weeks ago, 180 of Hall's
hives were lifted over a period of days, a bit of banditry he estimates cost him
nearly $70,000 in lost bees, pollination fees and honey production.
<more>
March 10, 2008 AP
Regulators view environmental successes on almond
orchard tour - - More than 30 regulators, members of the media and local
dignitaries gathered in February for the Almond Board of California's fourth
annual Environmental Stewardship Tour in Hickman, Calif., to hear first-hand how
the industry is tackling environmental issues. State and federal regulators
praised the work of almond growers and handlers — including tour host Braden
Farms — who are finding solutions to environmental challenges, including
endangered species, air and water quality and reduced-risk pest management.
Pamela Creedon, executive officer with the Central Valley Water Board's
Irrigated Lands Program, said the Environmental Stewardship Tour helps
illustrate not only the impacts of various regulations on industry, but
opportunities for partnerships in meeting the Board's water quality mandates.
"It's encouraging to see some of the things we've seen out in the field today,"
Creedon told tour attendees.
<more> March 9, 2008 Western Farm Press
Bees and blooms go nuts in valley. Almond pollination
conditions, weather excellent this year - - From north to south,
California's Central Valley has been fragrant with the scent of almond blooms
and filled with the buzzing of honeybees. This year's bloom season arrived
almost three weeks late, but hit a patch of perfect weather to the delight of
almond growers and beekeepers alike. It also peaked quickly, with good overlap
among varieties, a promising scenario for cross-pollination. Earlier this year,
north state almond growers suffered major tree losses as storms raked the area.
In the south, growers were worried if their water allocations would carry them
through the growing season. As weather worries have diminished, it appears
Mother Nature has cooperated, providing excellent pollination conditions for
almonds and other tree fruit.
<more> March 7, 2008 Capital Press
Almond, honey industries face changes --
California's almond growers and bee wranglers will now be voting to change their
businesses. On Monday, the Agriculture Department set in motion two distinct
referendums that could touch San Joaquin Valley farmers and consumers alike. The
elections will shape how almonds are labeled, what quality standards may apply
and how the honey industry pools money for ads and research. Alarms already are
ringing in some quarters. "I fear this is going to lead to mass confusion,"
cautioned Orin Johnson, a Hughson-based beekeeper. Almonds and honey are each
covered by different but related Agriculture Department programs funded by
industry fees and voted upon by participants.
<more> March 4, 12008 Fresno Bee
Almond
industry 'greens up'. Stewardship tour highlights environmentally friendly
operation - - Almond blooms were few and far between for the annual
Environmental Stewardship Tour hosted by the Almond Board of California, but the
springtime green hills complemented the "green" practices used on the
13,000-acre Braden Farms operation. The tour has been held for the past four
years to show regulators and the media innovative ways growers reduce pesticides
and dust and ensure food safety. Almonds are the nation's No. 1 horticultural
export and the leading tree crop in the Central Valley, but the popular nut
comes with an environmental price tag. Dormant sprays for pests have been
implicated in surface-water pollution. Dust from harvest operations contributes
to poor air quality.
<more> March 3, 2008 Capital Press
Plight of
the honeybees. So far this year, pollination and weather forecasts are good. But
can a reduced bee force stay healthy and get the job done? - - Mother Nature
appears to be smiling on California almond growers: Honeybees are in their
orchards, ready to make it possible to grow a $2.5 billion crop. But the forces
of nature don't appear to be as pleased with the nation's beekeepers. They
remain locked in battle with colony collapse disorder, mites and poor weather
conditions. Each year, the almond crop starts with bees from 1.2 million
colonies -- many of them from outside the state -- pollinating the blossoms.
This year, beekeepers scrambled to get their hives into orchards before a spell
of rain and cold weather hit. A later-than-usual bloom followed those rains and
is coming just as a string of warm days arrives.
<more> March 3, 2008 Fresno Bee
Bee decline still baffles scientists, worries
growers. In area that grows 80% of world's almonds, colony collapse a serious
concern --The beleaguered honeybees are back, working to pollinate another
almond crop despite a population decline that still baffles scientists. The
bloom began in earnest this week in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. It's a
crucial time each year for a crop that is second only to milk in gross farm
income in the region. "The trees are just starting to explode everywhere," said
Orin Johnson, a Hughson- area beekeeper who rents hives for pollination. "If we
have good weather, we could easily get a good crop again." The bloom is about
two weeks later than usual, grower Dick Braden said during a tour of his
orchards east of Hickman last week.
<more>
March 1, 2008 Modesto Bee
High bee prices sting almond growers - -
California almond growers are feeling the sting of higher prices for bees that
pollinate their crops. Bees are the perfect pollinators — no man-made creation
can accomplish what sterile adult female worker bees do. California is home to
more than 600,000 acres of almond orchards, and Kern County produces the largest
amounts of the high-protein nuts, according to the state’s Almond Board.
Per-hive costs are more expensive than ever before, between $125 and $180
depending on colony strength, said Joe Traynor, a bee broker and founder of
Scientific Ag Company. Traynor works with 40 almond growers from Bakersfield to
Modesto and about 40 beekeepers from around the country.
<more> Feb. 24, 2008 Bakersfield Californian
Almonds grown greener. Tour shows farmers using
environmentally friendlier techniques - - The rain kept bees from
pollinating almond blossoms Friday, but there was a buzz about something
else. The Almond Board of California held its fourth annual tour to show
regulators and the media what growers are doing for the environment. They
spray less pesticide than in the past. They try to capture irrigation runoff
so it does not taint streams. They chip their pruned limbs and till them
into the soil, rather than burning them in the open air. "We live in this
area," said Jim Wagner, who works on pest control at Braden Farms, host of
the tour. "We have children in this area. We aren't going to do anything
negative." The Almond Board, based in Modesto, has done research on
environmental issues as part of its effort to promote the industry. Almonds
are second only to milk in gross income among farm products in the Northern
San Joaquin Valley, bringing an estimated $833 million to growers in 2006.
<more> Feb. 23, 2008 Modesto Bee
Almond industry explores sustainability - - By
Gabriele Ludwig, Senior Manager, Global Technical & Regulatory Affairs, Almond
Board of California. It seems everyone is claiming that the products they make
or sell are “sustainable” or “green” nowadays. But what exactly is
sustainability and what does it mean to California almond growers?
Sustainability is about ensuring the health of a particular industry or company
while also ensuring the health of the environment and local community. With the
help of Dr. Keith Warner, director of the Faith, Ethics & Vocation Project at
Santa Clara University’s Environmental Studies Institute, the Almond Board of
California (ABC) has created a working definition of sustainable almond farming.
That definition was developed based on input from focus groups of almond
farmers, PCAs, farm advisors and handlers, all of who unanimously agreed that
the almond industry should continue to pursue the concept of sustainability.
<more> Feb. 19, 2008 Western Farm Press
MegaBee nourishes beleaguered honey bees - - Bees
busily ferrying pollen from one cream-white almond blossom to another in
California orchards this winter might get some of their zip from a new food
called MegaBee: The Tucson Diet. Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
entomologist Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman created the research and development
agreement that led to this new, convenient source of proteins, vitamins and
minerals that bees need for good health. Bees can eat MegaBee as a meal or snack
when days are too cold for venturing outside of their warm hive, for example, or
when flowers — bearing pollen and nectar, the staple foods for adult bees —
aren't yet in bloom.
<more> Feb. 18, 2008 Western Farm Press
Almond crop looks promising again - - Almond
industry officials look forward to another strong year for the $2.5 billion
California crop as the crucial annual bloom begins to pop. Despite January wind
storms that downed some trees in northern Sacramento Valley orchards, statewide
this year more acres than ever are expected to yield the nuts, said Dave Baker,
director of grower relations for the Blue Diamond cooperative. He estimates that
winds destroyed 8,000 to 10,000 acres. On average, winds blew down 9 percent to
10 percent of the trees, but losses in individual orchards varied, running as
high as 50 percent of the plantings. "The loss is just devastating for growers,"
Baker said. "Overall, we probably haven't seen the entire magnitude of it." <more>
Feb. 15, 2008 Stockton Record
Almond
growers warned about runoff potential. Pesticides found in water; sprays blamed
- - Growers were warned about dormant spray applications and the potential
for runoff into surface water at a regional almond meeting here last week, but
the damage had already been done. Tests of Merced River water near Ballico found
pesticides - likely from an almond grove dormant spray application - according
to Perry Klassen of the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition. Melissa Cregan,
deputy agricultural commissioner for Madera County, told growers attending the
meeting that state regulations are now in place to keep pesticide runoff from
polluting streams and rivers in the San Joaquin Valley. Next year, she warned,
there would be enforcement and penalties for allowing pesticide runoff to leave
property.
<more> Feb. 11, 2008 Capital Press
Almond
growers weigh options in storm's wake - - Butte County farmer Rick Fortier
has a huge mess on his hands--and he's not alone. A fierce storm that swept
through northern and central California in early January left many of the
state's almond orchards in ruins, with toppled trees, brush and debris scattered
across the fields. "It's ugly," said Fortier. "It's not what we need. I think
we're all trying to digest everything and get through it." Wind gusts as high as
70 mph coupled with heavy rains caused many of the trees to weaken and blow
over. Now farmers with tree losses must make some difficult decisions about
whether to replant just the damaged trees, remove entire blocks of their orchard
or plant a different crop altogether.
<more> Feb. 11, 2008 Ag Alert
Ferocious January winds fell Sacramento Valley almond
orchards - - Northern California almond growers, relatives, friends, and
neighbors armed with arsenals of chainsaws, chippers, and shredders were
entrenched in almond orchards in California’s Sacramento Valley in mid-January.
The beehive of activity was the result of devastating wind gusts up to 100 miles
per hour that unearthed hundred of thousands of almond trees during a Jan. 4
Pacific winter storm. “Some of these orchards look like a war zone,” said Dave
Baker, director, member relations for Blue Diamond Growers, Sacramento, Calif.
“It looks like a bomb went off in the orchard.” Nearly 300,000 almond trees were
blown over in Glenn County alone, according to Mark Black, county agricultural
commissioner. The toppled trees represented from 16 percent to 18 percent of the
county’s almond tree plantings. Butte County also suffered major almond trees
losses with fewer losses found in Colusa and Yolo counties.
<more> Feb. 6, 2008 Western Farm Press
Coordinated Research Aims To Improve Honey Bee Health
- - In response to a fast-spreading syndrome called colony collapse disorder
(CCD) that's striking honey bees nationwide, scientists at Agricultural Research
Service (ARS) bee laboratories across the country are pooling their expertise.
They want to learn what's causing the disappearance of the honey bees that add
about $15 billion a year to the value of U.S. crops by pollinating fruit,
vegetable, tree nut and berry crops. Some beekeepers have already lost one-half
to two-thirds of their colonies to CCD. Jeff Pettis, research leader at the ARS
Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., is a coordinator of the newly
established five-year Areawide Program to Improve Honey Bee Health, Survivorship
and Pollination Availability. Entomologist John Adamczyk at the ARS Beneficial
Insects Research Unit in Weslaco, Texas, helps Pettis coordinate the program,
along with Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman at Tucson, Ariz., and Tom Rinderer at Baton
Rouge, La. This is the first such initiative to bring various components of all
of the federal bee laboratories together to solve a single problem.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 ARS Press Release
Separating the Chaff from the Nuts - - The
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has signed a cooperative research and
development agreement with Flory Industries of Salida, Calif., to develop an
add-on device to control dust emissions from nut harvesters. Researchers Derek
Whitelock, Carlos Armijo and Ed Hughs at ARS’ Southwestern Cotton Ginning
Research Laboratory in Mesilla Park, N.M., and Michael Buser in ARS’ Cotton
Production and Processing Research Unit at Lubbock, Texas—working with Flory
Industries engineers Seth Richmond and Mike Flora—are testing a prototype device
that uses centrifugal force to trap soil and bits of leaves and sticks so the
harvester emits cleaner air.
<more> Jan. 24, 2008 ARS Pres Release
Court decides farmers may continue using methyl
bromide -- A federal court is easing California farmers' continued
access to the powerful but dangerous pesticide methyl bromide despite
international plans to phase out the chemical. The Bush administration acted
properly in how it permits "critical use" of the pesticide, three appellate
judges agreed this week. The ruling relieves the California farmers who
apply more than 6.5 million pounds of methyl bromide annually to protect
crops including almonds, grapes and strawberries. "One of the problems has
been that there hasn't been a material to take its place that would satisfy
everybody," Madera County Agricultural Commissioner Robert Rolan said
Wednesday.
<more> Jan. 24, 2008 Fresno Bee
California Department of Pesticide Regulation budget
backs clean air goals - - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2008-2009
budget supports new rules by the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to
reduce pesticide air emissions that help meet California clean air goals. The
proposed DPR budget includes about $2.6 million to implement new regulations to
reduce pesticide volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions that contribute to
smog. Under federal court order, the rules are expected to take effect by
January 25. “The Governor’s Budget underscores our commitment to being part of
the solution to air quality issues in the Central Valley and throughout
California,” said DPR Director Mary-Ann Warmerdam. “Implementing the new
regulations is our top priority for 2008.”
<more> Jan. 18, 2008 Western Farm Press
Honey bee research is long-term solution to almond
industry’s growing pollination needs - - California’s almond bearing
acreage is expected to mushroom about 22 percent in the next five years, from
615,000 bearing acres in the 2006-2007 crop year to 750,000 bearing acres in
2011. Yet what’s a stinging concern in the side of almond growers is whether
adequate and healthy honey bee numbers will be available for crucial pollination
every spring. Research is a fundamental answer to honey bee issues, including
the so-called colony collapse (CCD) disorder that killed millions of bees over
the last few years. There is no single answer to the massive bee die-off that
helped push colony rental prices up to the $135 per hive range during the
2006-2007 almond season. “For almond growers, the price of colonies of bees has
tripled in the last five years. It has become quite a significant cost of our
operations,” said Dan Cummings, owner and general manager of Cummings-Violich,
Inc., Chico, Calif., which manages 7,000 acres of almonds and walnuts. Cummings
is also co-owner of Olivarez Honey Bees, an apiary business.
<more> Jan. 16, 2008 Western Farm Press
Storm
batters state, knocks down trees - - The hurricane-force winds and driving
rain that pounded California last week knocked down trees, blew roofs off barns
and disrupted electrical power in widespread locations. "The most severe damage
to almond trees occurred in the northern Sacramento Valley. But, there's no
dollar or total damage estimate yet available. Some of the older orchards took a
big hit," said Dave Baker, Blue Diamond Member Relations Director. He added that
the central and southern parts of the San Joaquin Valley did not have the high
winds nor the amount of rain experienced in the north and were spared major
damage. He said he expects almond growers in the northern areas of the valley,
where trees are reported down everywhere, will have larger economic losses.
<more> Jan. 9, 2008 Ag Alert
Colony collapse creates buzz at bee conference.
Beekeepers and researchers discuss threat facing nation's 2.5 million colonies -
- More than a year after it was first discovered, colony collapse disorder
remains a mystery to bee researchers and a source of high anxiety for the
nation's beekeepers. At a national bee conference here Thursday, a standing room
only audience listened as beekeepers and researchers discussed the challenges of
the disease, which threatens the nation's 2.5 million bee colonies and the
billions of agricultural crops that they pollinate. Colony collapse disorder,
known as CCD, causes a rapid loss of the adult bee population. Dr. Jeff Pettis,
who heads up the research team at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service Bee
Research Lab in Beltsville, Md., said the key for researchers is to look at the
interactions of the various stressors to get to the bottom of colony collapse
disorder. He said CCD is likely an interaction.<more>
Jan. 11, 2008 Capital Press
Almond Pest Management Alliance Honored by
DPR with Second IPM Innovator Award - - The Almond Pest Management
Alliance’s latest recognition as an IPM Innovator is the result of a cooperative
effort between growers, industry groups, researchers, and regulatory agencies to
help integrate economically and environmentally sound production practices into
commercial orchards, according to project participants. The Almond Pest Management Alliance (PMA) was selected by
the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to receive an unprecedented
second IPM Innovator Award for 2007 for its publication of “A Seasonal Guide to
Environmentally Responsible Pest Management Practices in Almonds.” The IPM
Innovator award will be presented in a ceremony Jan. 17 at the Cal EPA
headquarters in Sacramento.
<more> Jan. 10, 2008 Almond Board of California Press Release
Meeting Environmental Challenges - - By
Dave Baker Chairman, Environmental Committee, Almond Board of California
- - Growers face a growing number of environmental challenges as new
technology allows more scrutiny on the impact of production practices. The
almond grower has always been proactive in meeting past challenges to the
betterment of society and we are working toward an enhanced understanding of
these new ones.
<more> December 2007 California Almonds Newsletter
Farmers join clean-air fight - - On his Madera
County almond ranch, Chester Andrew is far from air-quality politics. But
he's in the middle of the fight. Andrew just finished switching diesel
engines on almost three dozen massive water pumps to clean-running electric
motors. He hasn't burned almond prunings for years; he grinds them up
instead. And he uses stingy drip irrigation to save water and electricity,
which, in turn, reduces air pollution from fossil-fuel power plants. Andrew
says clean air protects his family and his business. "We live out here right
in the middle of the farm," he said. "We want to be on the forefront of
keeping the environment clean. We know a lot of farmers doing this."
<more> Dec. 18, 2007 Fresno Bee
Almond
Pest Management Alliance earns IPM Innovator Award - - The Almond Pest
Management Alliance (PMA), with its publication of a Seasonal Guide to
Environmentally Responsible Pest Management Practices in Almonds, has earned
an IPM Innovator Award from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation
(DPR) for 2007. Since 1994, DPR has given out more than 100 Integrated Pest
Management Innovator awards to honor California organizations that emphasize
pest prevention, favor least-hazardous pest control, and share their
successful strategies with others. The award will be presented to the Almond
PMA Jan. 17 in a ceremony at Cal EPA headquarters in Sacramento. In 1998, the
Almond PMA was initiated by the Almond Board of California with funding from
DPR to evaluate the possibility of reducing pesticide use in California
almonds. “This is the second time that the almond industry has been honored
with an Innovator Award,” said DPR Director Mary-Ann Warmerdam. “This
underscores the fact that the Almond Alliance is one of the most progressive
commodity groups in California.”
<more> Dec. 6, 2007 UC Press Release
Proposed diesel truck regulations will be costly to
agriculture - - By Gabriele Ludwig, Senior Manager, Global Technical
& Regulatory Affairs, Almond Board of California - - Newly proposed air
quality regulations could dramatically alter the fleet of heavy-duty diesel
trucks on California’s roads and highways, including those used to transport
farm inputs and harvested agricultural products. New regulations in
development by the State Air Board will require significant and expensive
retrofitting of older diesel engines to bring trucks into compliance,
including seasonal diesel trucks used to transport harvested almonds and
other agricultural commodities to and from the field and processing
facilities. It may also impact delivery costs for farm inputs if suppliers
pass on the cost of retrofitting their fleets to their customers. Air Board
staff are currently surveying diesel truck operators, including a separate
survey for agricultural vehicles, to obtain information about truck ages,
mileage, and vehicle use patterns in advance of submitting a formal proposal
to the Air Board by mid-2008.
<more> Dec. 4, 2007 Western Farm Press
Pesticide use down on California farms in 2006
- - California farmers used 10 million fewer pounds of pesticides on crops
last year, but strawberry growers increased their reliance on fumigants, which
are considered among the most dangerous pest-killing chemicals, according to a
state report released Thursday. Mirroring a three-year trend, the state's
farmers used smaller volumes of some of the most hazardous pesticides.
Compounds linked to cancer or affecting reproductive and neurological
functions declined by 2.5% to 9.3% in 2006, according to the California
Department of Pesticide Regulation report.
<more> Nov. 30, 2007 LA Times
Valley counties' use of pesticides down in 2006
- - Pesticide use in the central San Joaquin Valley dropped last year, as
farmers dealt with fewer bugs, drier weather and a decline in acreage. Fresno
County, the state's top agricultural producer, is also California's No. 1
pesticide user, applying more than 31.8 million pounds in 2006, a drop of
about 1% from 2005, according to the Department of Pesticide Regulation's
annual pesticide-use report released Thursday. Larger declines in pesticide
use were recorded in other Valley counties, including Kings County, down
nearly 2% to 6 million pounds; Tulare County, down 3% to 16.9 million pounds;
and Madera County, down 13% to 9.7 million pounds.
<more> Nov. 30, 2007 Fresno Bee
Pesticide use declined in 2006, reports DPR - -
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation today reported 2006
pesticide use statistics that showed continued progress toward safer, less
toxic pest management. Overall statewide pesticide use declined by nearly six
million pounds from 2005 to 2006 (from 195.3 million to 189.6 million). While
use increased in landscape maintenance, public health and other categories,
production agriculture saw a 10 million pound drop. Use of many high-toxicity
chemicals dropped for the third consecutive year. "DPR works hard to promote
least-toxic pest management, and our efforts are paying off," said DPR
Director Mary-Ann Warmerdam. "At the same time, we will continue to strive for
long-term success in pest management, and we have more work to do.”
<more> Nov. 29, 2007 DPR Press Release
Water leader: '08 supplies grim. Smelt protections
will leave parts of state 35 percent drier - - A Nov. 13 water seminar
presented by the Almond Board of California left no doubt about the grim
outlook for agricultural water supplies should the 2008 rainfall season be a
repeat of 2007. "There are 216,000 acres of almonds south of the delta that
rely on water deliveries. Chances are it will be tough next year unless you
can find water to buy," said seminar speaker Mike Wade. Wade, executive
director of the California Farm Water Coalition, presented a statewide
picture of surface farm water supplies. "Storage has fallen drastically
since January. We have the lowest overall storage since 2001. Without a wet
winter, 2008 will be a tough year," Wade said.
<more> Nov. 27, 2006 Capital Press
Nominations sought for EPA ag advisory committee -
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it is seeking
nominations for a new farm, ranch, and rural communications federal advisory
committee. This first-ever agricultural advisory committee will advise the EPA
Administrator on environmental policy issues impacting farms, ranches, and
rural communities, and is a part of EPA’s continuing effort to strengthen
relations with the agricultural community. The committee is expected to meet
approximately twice a year and will consist of approximately 25 members
representing large and small farmers, ranchers, and rural communities; rural
suppliers; marketers and processors; academics and researchers who study
environment issues affecting agriculture; tribal agriculture groups; and
environmental and conservation groups. USDA and other federal agencies have
also been invited to nominate members. Although EPA did not publish a deadline
for submitting nominations, EPA did indicate it is expected to decide on
membership by early January 2008. A copy of the Federal Register notice, which
includes instructions on submitting nominations, is available at
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-22380.pdf
Nov. 16, 2007 EPA Pres Release
Almond conference has environmental focus - -
New environmental regulations as well as marketing strategies for the
burgeoning almond industry will highlight the annual Almond Industry
Conference Dec. 5-6 at the Modesto Center Plaza. The Almond Board of
California will present a panel discussion on regulatory changes for air and
water quality and pesticides. Panelists will include Cynthia Cory, California
Farm Bureau's environmental affairs director; Parry Klassen, director of the
Center for Urban and Rural Environmental Stewardship and Mary Ann Warmerdam,
director of California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Greenhouse gas
regulation, new truck motor legislation and future regulation for agriculture
equipment motors will be reviewed by Cory. Klassen, who will speak about the
Irrigated Lands Program. Soil fumigant regulations and volatile organic
compounds will be discussed by Warmerdam.
<more> Nov. 16, 2007 Capital Press
Ag, water leaders at Almond Board water forum
discuss how to keep taps flowing - - The prospect of a dry 2008 is just
one of the threats facing farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, experts said at
a Modesto forum Tuesday. Another threat is legal -- a possible reduction in
West Side water deliveries so more can be used to sustain fish. And another
threat is seismic -- the chance that an earthquake could shatter the delta
levees that keep seawater from mixing with the state's main fresh supply.
"It seems like we move from crisis to crisis over there on the West Side,"
said Bill Harrison, general manager of the Del Puerto Water District, which
irrigates about 40,000 acres in that area. The forum, held by the Almond
Board of California, drew about 100 people to the State Theatre. It dealt
not just with the water needs of almonds, the second-highest-grossing farm
product in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, but with the state's agriculture
overall.
<more> Nov. 14, 2007 Modesto Bee
Linking research dollars to innovative products
that improve almond pollination - - By Christi Heintz, Liaison, Bee Task
Force Almond Board of California - - The Almond Board of California (ABC)
has long made research a cornerstone to provide industry-wide benefits in
production and marketing. Commitment to horticultural research by the ABC
has progressed continuously for 35 years. This research has led to the
development of new varieties and rootstocks, improvements in management
practices such as irrigation, pest and disease control, and many other
improvements that have allowed the almond industry to climb from yields of
500 pounds per acre to over 3,000 pounds per acre in some areas. The single
most important factor determining almond yield is pollination during the
bloom period. Almonds are self-incompatible and therefore require pollen
from one variety to be transported to another variety via an insect vector
in order to produce a crop. Over 1.2 million colonies of honeybees are
required to pollinate this crop alone, with California beekeepers supplying
about half that need. Thus, honeybees travel from throughout the United
States to California for almond pollination, some coming from as far away as
Florida.
<more> Nov. 7, 2007 Western Farm Press
Environmental Panel Discusses What’s New in
Environmental Regulations Dec. 6 at Almond Industry Conference in Modesto -
- The Almond Board of California is featuring a panel of
environmental experts within its annual conference being held at the Modesto
Centre Plaza on Dec. 5-6. The panel discussion entitled, “What’s New in
Environmental Regulatory Issues?” will provide attendees with an update of
the regulatory changes affecting growers in the areas of air quality, water
quality and pesticides. The expert panelists include:
• Mary-Ann Warmerdam, Director of California Department of Pesticide
Regulation. Ms. Warmerdam will speak to volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
and soil fumigant regulations.
• Cynthia Cory, California Farm Bureau’s Environmental Affairs Director.
Ms. Cory will speak on the implications of greenhouse gas regulation as well
as new truck motor legislation and the future expansion to ag equipment
motors.
• Parry Klassen, Director of the Center for Urban and Rural Environmental
Stewardship (CURES) program. Mr. Klassen is very involved in water-quality
issues relating to agriculture and will bring us up-to-date on water quality
regulations and the Irrigated Lands program.
<more>
Nov. 6, 2007 Almond Board of California Press Release
East San Joaquin Water Coalition meetings set for
December - - Three meetings of the East San Joaquin Water Quality
Coalition are scheduled to be held in December. The meeting dates and
locations are:
Tuesday, Dec. 11, 10a.m. -12 p.m. Madera County Farm Bureau, 1102 S. Pine
St., Madera. RSVP to (559) 674-8871.
Wednesday, Dec. 12, 10a.m. -12 p.m. Plus Sponsored Lunch. Merced County Ag
Commissioner's Office, 2139 Wardrobe Ave., Merced. RSVP to (209) 522-7278.
Tuesday, Dec. 18, 10 a.m. -12 p.m. Plus Sponsored Lunch. Stanislaus County
Ag Center, 3800 Cornucopia Way, Suite B, Modesto. RSVP to (209) 522-7278.
Oct. 31, 2007 ESJWC Notice
2007 almond crop - excellent quality nuts, good
yields, and no reported thefts - - In a nutshell, the 2007 California
almond season now winding down included good growing weather, minimal
disease and pest pressures, decent prices, good to superior quality nuts,
and no reported almond thefts. “It’s a good almond crop. It may not surpass
the (NASS) estimate (1.33 billion pounds) but it will still be an
exceptionally good crop,” said Don McKinney, almond grower and president of
the Kerman, Calif.-based Central California Almond Growers Association (CCAGA).
“Prices are relatively good considering the crop size. We don’t see a big
swing from $1 to $4 like what happened over the last few years. It’s good
for the industry to be stabilized. Supply and demand are in good harmony
right now.”
<more> Oct. 30, 2007 Western Farm Press
Almond Board of California Hosts Water Availability
Seminar Nov. 13 in Modesto - - The Almond Board of California on Nov. 13
in Modesto is hosting a panel of experts to discuss water availability
issues facing the Central Valley. Recent court decisions related to
protecting the endangered Delta Smelt in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River
Delta and restoring salmon to the San Joaquin River—coupled with drought and
population growth in California—are putting unprecedented strain on the
future availability of agricultural surface water. This seminar will provide
an opportunity for growers to learn from the experts just how these water
challenges will affect California agriculture and the almond industry in
particular. Speakers for this event will include: * Mike Wade, Executive
Director, CA. Farm Water Coalition, presenting the statewide perspective on
the water issues;* Todd Manley, Director, Government Relations Northern
California Water Association, discussing the Sacramento Valley perspective;
* Bill Harrison, General Manager, Del Puerto Water District, presenting the
North San Joaquin Valley perspective; * Jim Beck, General Manager, Kern
County Water Agency, discussing the issues affecting water availability for
the South San Joaquin Valley. The seminar will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 13,
2007 from 1-4 p.m. at the State Theatre of Modesto, 1307 J Street. If you
are interested in understanding how water issues affect you, please R.S.V.P.
your interest in attending by e-mailing Debye Hunter at dhunter@almondboard.com
or by calling her at 209.343.3230. Please respond by Nov. 1, 2007.
The Almond Board of California administers a grower-enacted Federal
Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of
Agriculture. Established in 1950, the Board’s charge is to promote the best
quality almonds, California’s largest tree nut crop. For more information
on the Almond Board of California or almonds, visit
www.AlmondsAreIn.com. Oct. 24,
2007 Almond Board of California Press Release
Beekeepers say things looking better after
mysterious die-off - - Very gingerly, beekeepers are predicting better
times in 2008, despite a mysterious die-off plaguing the industry. The
Almond Board of California, whose grower-members are the biggest users of
commercial honey bees for pollination in late winter, hosted a meeting this
week in Modesto to get an update on the situation. "From my own opinion and
the beekeepers I know, it does appear that bees are in a little bit better
shape this year than they were a year ago," said Gene Brandi, a beekeeper
based in Los Banos. Many beekeepers across the country reported major losses
last winter to what has been dubbed colony collapse disorder. The cause of
the die-off is not known, but researchers suspect viruses, poor weather,
pesticides and a few other possibilities.
<more> Oct. 20, 2007 Modesto Bee
Valley NRCS air quality specialist earns national
award for efforts - - John Beyer, state air quality coordinator with the
Natural resources Conservation service in Fresno, has been awarded the
USDA’s Secretary 2007 Honor Award for protecting and enhancing the nation’s
natural resources base and environment. The announcement was made by Acting
USDA Secretary Chuck Conner at a recent ceremony in Washington DC. Beyer
was cited for his work in successfully pioneering agricultural air quality
conservation measures in California that offer technical and policy models
to USDA conservationists nationwide. “John Beyer was called upon to do
something new for NRCS: find ways for California’s agricultural community to
improve air quality in a way that would satisfy federal and state regulators
and was acceptable to producer,” said NRCS State Conservationist Ed Burton.
Beyer’s efforts have been especially noteworthy in programs that have helped
farmers achieve compliance regarding PM-10 emissions. “His work has resulted
in 6,000 farmers implementing conservation measures that removed 130,000
tons of emissions from the sky,” said Burton. “His work also meant cleaner
air in a geographic location that reports one of the highest incidences of
respiratory disease in the U.S.” A resident of Madera, Beyer is retiring
this month after working for NRCS since 1971. Oct. 16, 2007 NRCS Press
Release
Dispelling myths swirling around pesticides - -
By Richard Cornett, WPHA Communications Director. It’s kind of
interesting to note the items you come across on the Internet while
searching for other things. For instance, while doing research on pesticides
I ran across an article by John Stossel of “20/20” TV fame. You might know
Stossel — he’s the in-your-face reporter who has a way of boiling down
controversies into their essential ingredients and then confronting the
interviewee with simple straight talk and direct questions. He’s also a New
York Times best-selling author who has a popular book out called “Myths,
Lies, and Downright Stupidity.” It was the excerpts from the book that I
found fascinating, especially the segment about myths dealing with
pesticides. In one portion there’s an interview with Dr. Bruce Ames, who is
a UC Berkeley professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and director
of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center. This
seemed rather odd to me because most people attending this liberal enclave
are perceived to be staunch environmentalists who would like nothing better
than to see pesticides banished entirely from Mother Earth.
<more> Oct. 16, 2007 Western Farm Press
The Almond and the Bee. A global biological process
begins with Joe Traynor and his brokering of bees for California's most
valuable horticultural export - - Every year about mid-January, Joe
Traynor says goodbye to his wife, moves out of his house and sets up shop in
a second-floor apartment on the other side of Bakersfield. In a small room
with a rumpled bed, he manages to get a few hours of sleep most nights.
Three phones ring persistently. Traynor is a bee broker for apiarists and
almond growers. For six weeks every year Traynor - under the auspices of
Scientific Ag Co., the company he founded in 1973 - concentrates on honeybee
pollination of California almond trees. This unassuming man has become the
best-known middleman in the business, a respected intermediary in the
largest managed pollination event in the history of the world.
<more> Oct. 15, 2007 SF Chronicle
Grower
input is critical on proposed new soil fumigant restrictions
- - By Gabriele
Ludwig,
Senior Manager, Global
Technical & Regulatory Affairs, Almond Board of California.
Proposed new state and
federal regulations could have immediate and far-reaching effects on how and
to what extent preplant soil fumigants are used in almonds and other
California crops.
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and California Department of Pesticide Regulation are
currently seeking public comment on two separate proposed soil fumigant
regulations. These rules are likely to limit fumigant use during certain
periods and require new application methods and mitigation measures.
Most critical in the short
term, DPR has proposed rules to sharply reduce soil fumigant air emissions
that are thought to contribute to smog-forming ozone in areas with poor air
quality, which includes the San Joaquin Valley, Southeast Desert and Ventura
County. The regulations must be issued by Jan. 1, 2008 to bring DPR in
compliance with a federal judge’s ruling last fall.
<more> Oct. 12,2007 Western Farm Press
Mixed nuts. 2007 almond crop high on quality, but
small size a problem - - California’s 2007 almond harvest is a mix of big
and small. Growers are bringing in a record 1.33 billion-pound crop, but
individual nut sizes are running smaller than normal. Dave Baker, director of
member relations for Blue Diamond, said this year's harvest started about two
weeks earlier than last year. The crop "looks good" and the nonpareil crop
appears on track to meet estimates.
<more> Oct. 11, 2007 Capital Press
State air board approves new air-quality measures.
Plan should help farmers meet future emissions deadlines - - The
California Air Resources Board has approved its 2007 State Implementation Plan
to improve air quality and announced new measures that should work to help
farmers meet future deadlines in cutting emissions. At a Sept. 27 meeting in
Diamond Bar, the board approved two regional plans to help meet federal
mandates for emissions standards for the South Coast and the San Joaquin
Valley. Both plans focus on ground-level ozone and particulate matter
emissions. Target dates for compliance are 2014 for PM 2.5 and 2023 for
ground-level ozone in areas like the San Joaquin Valley that are federally
designated as "extreme" for air pollution. The federal ozone attainment
deadline remains at 2023 for the San Joaquin Valley, but new Air Resources
Board proposals will fast-track efforts to reach 90 percent compliance by 2018.
<more> Oct. 11, 2007 Capital Press
Less Pesticide Runoff From Almonds with Vegetation
- - A new study in dormant almonds set for this winter intends to
verify what is strongly suggested by University of California and industry
research: resident vegetation during winter decreases storm runoff of dormant
season insecticides, according to the latest newsletter published by the
Coalition for Urban Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES).
<more> Oct. 5, 2007 CURES Newsletter
Ludwig Selected to CURES Board - - The Almond
Board of California's Gabriele Ludwig has been
selected to serve on the Board of Trustees for
the Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES). CURES
is a non-profit organization founded in 1997 to support educational efforts
focusing on the proper and judicious use of pest control products. The group’s
mission includes education and implementation of practical measures in the
field and home to reduce the impact of inputs on water quality. The Almond
Board has been a long-time supporter of CURES and its activities. October
2007 California Almonds Newsletter
New Lab Methods Speed Testing of Fumigant Emissions
- - A simpler, quicker way to track pesticide emissions from agricultural
fields has been devised by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists.
Using low-cost laboratory tests and mathematical models, research leader Scott
Yates and colleagues at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory in Riverside, Calif., are
able to evaluate--and even predict--fumigant emissions. With a ban looming on
methyl bromide, a pre-plant soil fumigant widely used by fruit and vegetable
growers, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulators are evaluating
various emissions-lowering fumigation alternatives. Each potential methyl
bromide replacement will require its own set of regulations, based on findings
from complex field studies.
<more>
Oct. 4, 2007 ARS Press Release
Air Quality Regulations in Development for On-Road
Diesel Trucks - - Newly proposed air quality regulations could
dramatically alter the fleet of heavy-duty diesel trucks on California’s roads
and highways, including those used to transport harvested agricultural
products such as almonds. The California Air Resources Board is proposing new
regulations on diesel-powered on-road heavy duty trucks in California to
reduce air pollution causing emissions. The new regulations would move the Air
Board toward achieving mandates in the California Diesel Risk Reduction Plan
to reduce emissions of diesel particulate matter (<PM2.5) and ozone forming
nitrogen oxide (NOx). The plan was adopted in 2000 and calls for a
75-percent reduction in particulate matter emissions by 2010, and an 85
percent reduction by 2020.
<more>
Oct. 4, 2007 California Almonds Newsletter
Almond crop trades size for quantity - -
Erasing worries about whether the nation's ailing honeybees successfully
pollinated California's 65 million almond trees last winter, crews are now
bringing in a record harvest. But the huge tonnage -- predicted to be as
high as 1.33 billion pounds -- comes from numbers, not size. This year's
almonds, it turns out, are puny -- perhaps 15 percent smaller, on average,
than in a typical year. "Many of us are debating the reasons for that," said
John Edstrom, a University of California Cooperative Extension farm adviser
in Colusa. The main variables are weather, water and bees, Edstrom said, but
it's difficult to say just how they interact.
<more> Oct. 1, 2007 Sacramento Bee
Farmers don't have 'waiver' to 'pollute freely'.
Water policies in the Valley mean tight regulation - - When Record
columnist Michael Fitzgerald wrote in August about the Regional Water Quality
Control Board letting agriculture "pollute" the water, I chalked it up to
someone who didn't have enough information. His Sept. 9 column about the
Irrigated Lands Program ("Pollution law soft on ag industry") showed he is
misinformed and trying to sway public opinion with conjecture and innuendo.
California agriculture is under a program that regulates discharge of water
from irrigated land. It doesn't have "a waiver from laws" and isn't able to
"pollute freely."
<more> Sept. 28, 2007 Stockton Record
Almond Natural -- Students at Yale University might be munching this morning on granola made with organic almonds grown in and near Stanislaus County. The Ivy League school is among the customers of Big Tree Organic Farms, a grower cooperative that serves a niche in the almond market. Big Tree, made up of 24 growers mainly in Stanislaus and Merced counties, gets a premium price because the buyers like the idea of farming without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Organic nuts are less than 1 percent of the total almond crop in California, which provides about 80 percent of the world's supply. But they could be ready for a boom, thanks to positive health reports on almonds in general, and to the growing interest in sustainable farming. <more> Sept. 15, 2007 Modesto Bee
Pesticide pollution deliberated. Those at Clovis
meeting seek to protect ground water. - - Within a couple of years, state
regulators can be expected to train their sights on pesticides from farms and
ranches seeping into ground water.
That was the one clear message that emerged from a meeting in Clovis on
Thursday where growers defended their approaches to curbing pollution and
community activists emphasized a need to step up efforts to stop ground-water
contamination. For the past four years, regulators have focused on runoff from
irrigated farmland into rivers, streams and canals or lakes and ponds. A
standing-room-only crowd filled the Clovis City Council meeting room where a
joint meeting was held by the state's Water Control Board and the Central
Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board to gather comments on the
Irrigated Lands Program.
<more> Sept. 14, 2007 Fresno Bee
Farmers,
Residents Debate Valley Water Pollution Regulations -- Small-town
residents sick of finding chemicals in their wells and farmers wary of costly
new regulations crowded a meeting hall Thursday in Clovis to give water
regulators an earful on their attempt to monitor pollution streaming from
farms. Growers argued they've spent more than $9 million dollars and much
effort to comply with the four-year-old Irrigated Lands Program, which asked
them to monitor runoff from their land that potentially carried chemicals or
animals waste into rivers. But rural residents who rely on groundwater said
the program doesn't go far enough. The monitoring needs to expand to include
the water that sinks from farm fields into the ground, leaving their drinking
water with unhealthy levels of chemicals, they said.
<more> Sept. 14, 2007 AP
Cost-Share Opportunities Help Almond Growers Reduce
Environmental Impacts - - California almond growers should act now to secure
technical and financial assistance for integrating sustainable conservation
practices into their operations and facilities in 2008. USDA’s Natural Resources
Conservation Service provides incentives to help growers reduce environmental
impacts from their farming practices through the Environmental Quality
Improvement Program (EQIP). As it works through finalizing a 2007 Farm Bill,
Congress has extended funding and guidelines for the EQIP program for upcoming
fiscal year 2008 similar to previous year’s, but growers must act quickly to
secure funds while they are available. Applications for 2008 are due no later
than Nov. 2. <more>
Sept. 13, 2007 California Almonds
Almond Industry Looks at Climate Change Regulations
- - New regulations are likely to drive agriculture toward sustainable farming
practices focused on reducing the impacts of energy and fertilizer use on
greenhouse gas emissions. AB 32, passed by the state legislature in 2007,
mandates a 25-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, reducing
current emissions to pre-1990 levels. Production agriculture has been identified
as the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the state.
While 80 percent of current statewide greenhouse gasses come from energy
consumption, researchers and regulators believe production agriculture
contributes 8.4 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in California. Already,
grower groups are looking for ways to develop and incorporate sustainable
farming practices that may have a positive impact on those estimated greenhouse
gasses.
<more>
Sept. 6, 2007 California Almond News
Clean almonds, clean air is growers' goal. Advances
in harvesting techniques make almonds cleaner and healthier - - As we speak,
California almond growers and their processors and handlers are bringing in what
is expected to be the largest crop in the state's history. But what might
distinguish the crop even further is what it does not include - dust and
contaminants. Scraping almonds off dry orchard floors from the northern end of
the Sacramento Valley to the extreme southern end of the San Joaquin Valley is
bound to be a dusty job. Advances in equipment, grower diligence and improved
understanding of harvesting techniques are reducing the amount of dust created
significantly.
<more> Sept. 13, 2007 Capital Press
EQIP air quality cost-share program deadline is Nov.
2 - - The 2008 Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) cost-share program
for air quality emission reductions is currently available for sign-up by
growers. Each county office is accepting applications. The deadline for making
applications is Nov. 2. The Conservation Practices to be cost-shared on for Air
Quality are: Dust control on roads; Conservation tillage; Chipping of almonds
and walnuts (Annual prunings); Chipping of orchard removal (Any orchard or
vineyard); Older stationary diesel engine replacement; Disposal of treated wood
stakes; Soil injection of dairy waste; precision spray technology, and
establishment of shelterbelt for Confined Animal Feeding Operations. The cost
share rates for the 2008 EQIP program may be different from last year’s rates.
Visit with your local county NRCS office to obtain the 2008 EQIP cost share
rates. Contact your local NRCS county office for details or contact the Fresno
Air Quality office at 559-252-2191 Ext. 121. Sept. 6, 2007 NRCS Notice
USDA nixes almond pasteurization delay - - There
will be no delay of the pasteurization plan for the 2007 California almond crop.
The mandatory program developed by the industry is still set to begin on Sept.
1. The Almond Board of California asked the USDA on Aug. 1 to wait until
capacity of processors and handlers to treat the nuts during peak movement of
the crop was verified. The USDA nixed the request to delay pasteurization until
March 1, 2008 and advised the board on Aug. 16 that the original date would be
enforced. "They put concern for food safety first rather than delay the
requirement. They took the safe route," said almond grower and Almond Board
alternate Dave Phippen of Turlock.Phippen said that, although the board was
disappointed, they were not surprised by the decision.
<more> Aug. 29, 2007 Western Farm Press
EPA Updates Website on Pesticides and Endangered
Species Protection Program - - U.S. EPA has updated and redesigned its
Pesticides and Endangered Species Protection Program website to make it easier
for visitors to find relevant information about the program and to reflect
enforceable limitations on pesticides that will be put in place through its
Endangered Species Protection Program (ESPP). Visit
http://www.epa.gov/espp/ to view the
website that now includes a more streamlined interface and more visible and
useful links on the homepage, allowing the user to quickly navigate through the
many different topics. Topics include: Endangered Species Protection Bulletins;
Risk Assessment; Effects Determinations, and Species Information Aug. 28,
2007 EPA Press Release
Commentary: Legislation results in expanding options
for pest management - - By Mary-Ann Warmerdam , Director, California
Department of Pesticide Regulation. Thanks to a law enacted by Gov.
Schwarzenegger, the Department of Pesticide Regulation's registration process is
introducing new, more nature-friendly products that benefit both the environment
and the farm community. A new DPR report finds a 36 percent increase in new
pesticide product registration and a 43 percent decrease in the time needed to
process submissions in 2006, the first year since the governor signed Assembly
Bill 1011. (Find the report online at
www.cdpr.ca.gov ) Carried by former Assemblymember Barbara Matthews of
Tracy, AB 1011 allowed the department to focus its limited resources on
reviewing new pesticide products containing new active ingredients and major new
uses not currently registered in California.
<more> Aug. 27, 2007 AgAlert
DPR has little choice but to move ahead with fumigant
reductions - - The debate swirling around California’s plans to limit the
amount of fumigants used on farm fields continues to gain momentum, with
industry experts arguing that reductions will make little difference to the
state’s air quality. State officials are countering that they are under court
order to make it happen by the end of this year. The latest round of talks on
fumigant emissions took place recently during a day and a half regulatory
conference hosted by Western Plant Health Association (WPHA). Speakers were
featured from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), industry
and university experts, as well as keynote speaker George Gomes, undersecretary
of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
<more> Aug. 24, 2007 Western Farm Press
Pyrethroid reevaluation will reach far beyond
California - - Fair warning American agriculture: When California leads, the
nation bleeds. Golden State regulators are in the beginning stages of the most
extensive pesticide reevaluation in the state’s history. It focuses on widely
used pyrethroid pesticides. It will impact the use of the pesticide class — not
only in California, but nationwide, where it has been used for more than three
decades without any major biological/environmental impact until now. The
California Department of Pesticide Regulations placed 20 synthetic pyrethroids
in 608 products from 123 registrants under review, after the active ingredient
was discovered in sediments — not the water — of California urban and rural
waterways.
<more> Aug. 23, 2007 Western Farm Press
Watershed Coalition newsletter available on-line
- - The Summer 2007 Issue of Watershed Coalition News (WCN), a publication
developed by the Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES)
with a grant from the Almond Board of California, is now available on-line at
http://www.curesworks.org/newsletter.asp. The goal of the project is to link
growers to the watershed coalitions. The PDF version is a combined North and
South Valley issue. Aug. 14, 2007 CURES Press Release
Simple steps can reduce almond harvest dust - -
By Gabriele Ludwig, Senior
Manager, Global Technical & Regulatory Affairs Almond Board of
California. Mounting air quality regulations and pressure from urban neighbors in the San
Joaquin Valley continue to place pressure on growers to find ways to reduce the
amount of dust and fine particulates emitted from their farming operations. The
valley has been in narrow compliance with federal PM10 (particulates 10 microns
or less in size) standards in recent years. While the ag industry can certainly
feel good about the voluntary efforts they are making to help meet PM10
standards, growers still need to pay attention to dust, and find ways to further
reduce their emissions at harvest.
<more> Aug. 8, 2007 Western Farm Press
Water board gets report on water-monitoring program
- - Coalition groups representing 21,000 Central Valley farmers reported to
the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board Thursday that progress
is being made to analyze and enhance water quality under a three-year-old
Irrigated Lands Program. The regional board was presented water-monitoring data
collected by nine coalitions in four geographic zones in the Central Valley.
Monitoring of rivers, streams, creeks and sloughs from Redding to Bakersfield
was mandated by the board in 2003 in lieu of imposing waste discharge permits on
individual landowners. Margie Read, a senior environmental scientist for the
regional board, presented the first region-wide results in a series of zone
maps, charts and tables. The report includes some 96,000 data points that were
collected during the three years of monitoring. Read said the data provide a
baseline for water quality conditions.
<more> Aug. 8, 2007 Capital Press
Bee deaths hurt almond growers - - Standing in a
sun-dappled orchard surrounded by almond trees almost ready to harvest, Scott
Hunter held an empty honeycomb in his hands. "I just can't farm without bees,"
the Livingston almond grower said quietly. Those honeybees, the fuzzy insects
that fly from tree to tree pollinating the crop in late winter and early spring,
can make or break an almond farmer. But the bees are dying. And no one knows
why. On Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., stood with Hunter in
his family's orchard and promised to push for $86.5 million in funding to find
out why beehives are being devastated by colony collapse disorder (CCD). The
funding would be part of farm bill legislation wending its way through Congress.
<more> Aug. 8, 2007 Merced Sun-Star
USDA listening session on research needs set for
Modesto Aug. 29 - - A high-level USDA advisory board will hold a
“listening session” in Modesto on Aug. 29 to hear from local farmers,
producers, community and state leaders, scientists, educators, and
environmentalists on issues relating to studying the scope and effectiveness
of the research, extension, data and economics programs affecting the U.S.
specialty crop industry. The National Agricultural Research, Extension,
Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board Specialty Crop Committee
was created by Congress and approved by President Bush in 2004 to review
Federal agriculture research, education and economics initiatives and make
recommendations for the purpose of increasing fruit, vegetable, and nut
consumption and improving the competitiveness of United States specialty
crop producers. The Specialty Crop Committee reports to the NAREEE Advisory
Board, which reports to both the Secretary of Agriculture and to the House
and Senate Committees on Agriculture and Appropriations. This event is open
to the public, and time will be set aside for comments from the audience.
The Listening Session will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug.
29 at the Double Tree Hotel, 1150 Ninth Street, Modesto. For more
information and to indicate your intent to present an oral statement not to
exceed three minutes in length, you may call Shirley Morgan Jordan, (202)
720-6012 or Kari Severe, (209) 341-7760). Aug. 8, 2007 USDA Press
Release
Social networks influence growers' water-quality
management -- Growers are most likely to trust their county's agricultural
commissioner, Farm Bureau and UC Cooperative Extension office for information
about water-quality management, according to a peer-reviewed study published in
the July-September 2007 issue of the University of California’s California
Agriculture journal. Mark Lubell, UC Davis associate professor, and Allan
Fulton, UC Cooperative Extension advisor, surveyed more than 1,200 growers in
the Sacramento River Valley about how they make production decisions regarding
water-quality management. The surveyed growers had the lowest levels of trust in
the U.S. and California environmental protection agencies, and the state water
board. The survey also found that Sacramento River Valley orchard growers need
an average of nine contacts with a "diffusion network" of peers, private
advocacy groups and public agencies before they will adopt a new best management
practice (BMP) to protect water quality. The authors define a diffusion network
as a social system for communicating information about agricultural practices,
through both formal and informal connections and interactions
<more>
July 20, 2007 UC ANR News
Farm Bureau indicates concerns over fumigant use
rules - - In the continuing effort to improve California's air quality, the
Department of Pesticide Regulation is proposing to sharply reduce and cap the
use of certain soil fumigants. The regulatory effort is aimed at cutting
volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions that are a component of smog. "While
we continue to review the proposed regulations, our preliminary analysis
indicates, however, that DPR's methodology seriously overestimates VOC emissions
from fumigants," said Cynthia Cory, California Farm Bureau Federation
governmental affairs division. "Application methods proposed for elimination are
critical to growers and the economic impacts are significantly greater than DPR
has previously indicated."
<more> July 16, 2007 Ag Alert
Simple Steps to Reduce Dust at Harvest - - Almond
growers in the San Joaquin Valley continue to face pressure from air quality
regulators and the public to reduce dust emissions from their harvesting
operation. The Almond Board of California for the past four years has been
supporting research to help better understand and reduce PM10 dust emissions at
harvest. The Valley has been narrowly in compliance with federal PM10 standards
in recent years, but growers still need to pay attention to dust and find ways
to further reduce their emissions at harvest. A careful look at the different
stages of almond harvest by Flocchini and Cassel at UC-Davis reveals that
pick-up at harvesting emits the most dust, followed by sweeping and then
shaking. Pickup machines typically emit four times more dust than sweeping,
which is about 10 times dustier than shaking. Research efforts, as a result,
have focused more on reducing PM10 and other dust emissions from pickup
harvesting and sweeping. Downey & Giles at UC-Davis have measured relative
amounts of dust from sweepers and pick-up machines with various set ups.
<more>
July 2007 California Almonds Newsletter
Federal government will pay growers to up the
precision in pesticide application. - - Machinery that can zap weeds and
apply pesticides more efficiently is at the center of a plan unveiled Thursday
to help farmers do their part for clean air. The federal government will spend
nearly half a million dollars over the next three years to make use of
precision spray equipment available to more farmers. "This should help to keep
agriculture competitive and productive while ... providing environmental
benefits," said Mark Rey, U.S. Department of Agriculture deputy undersecretary
for natural resources and the environment.
<more> July 13, 2007 Fresno Bee
Hearing on state's pesticide rules set. Farmers,
anti-fumigant groups split over ideas to be discussed today. - - Proposed
state rules aimed at cutting nearly 40% of smog-forming gases from pesticides in
the San Joaquin Valley will be the subject of a public hearing in Parlier today,
with growers and anti-pesticide activists divided over whether the rules go too
far or not far enough. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation will
hold its hearing on the proposed rules at 5 p.m. today in the Nectarine Room of
the University of California Kearney Agricultural Center at 9240 S. Riverbend
Ave. in Parlier. At that hearing, growers concerned with the rules' expected $40
million-plus price tag are likely to contrast with anti-pesticide groups calling
for a more aggressive stance to reduce pesticide use in the Valley and other
areas in the state.<more>
July 12, 2007 Fresno Bee
EPA Holds
First-Ever Dialogue with Agriculture Leaders
- -
As part of a new and closer
relationship EPA seeks with the farm community, Administrator Stephen L. Johnson
today in Washington presided over the agency's first-ever dialogue with leaders
of the agriculture industry. Johnson discussed three primary issues with
attendees: (1) environmental issues facing agriculture in the next 10 years; (2)
how the changing face of agriculture will impact the environment; and, (3) how
EPA can improve its relationship with agricultural producers and get them more
involved in environmental protection. Participants offered support for EPA's
idea of establishing a permanent advisory group to advise the administrator on
regulations and policy from a rural perspective.
<more> July 12, 2007 EPA Press Release
USDA Official to Unveil Air Quality Initiative for
San Joaquin Valley Farmers - - USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural
Resources and Environment, Mark Rey, will visit Fresno on Thursday to announce a
new initiative to help San Joaquin Valley farmers adopt on-farm practices to
improve air quality. The new Air Quality Initiative will assist producers in
adopting technologies that lower smog-producing emissions. The new three-year
proposal combines technical and cost share assistance through the USDA’s Natural
Resources Conservation Service. NRCS would oversee the initiative using both
conservation technical assistance as well as its Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP), which shares the cost of structures and practices
that farmers undertake to protect natural resources. Additionally, Rey will make
some money available immediately to fund a portion of California’s backlog of
eligible applications to voluntarily improve air quality. Since the California
Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District will soon be requiring agricultural growers to reduce
on-farm emissions of smog-producing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s), there is
a heightened need to help producers now to meet the mandate. July 11, 2007
NRCS Press Release
Boxer's push to protect honeybees -- In addition
to representing her 36 million human California constituents, Sen. Barbara Boxer
wants to serve the nation's billions and billions of hardworking honeybees. U.S.
populations of pollinating honeybees are mysteriously collapsing, and that could
cause irreparable damage to crops worth billions of dollars a year across the
nation. That in turn could mean higher food prices, and because all kinds of
wildlife depend on pollinated plants for food, the decline of pollinators could
spell trouble for other animals. "California's almond crop alone is worth $2
billion per year and requires nearly one-half of all the honeybees in the
country," Boxer said in introducing her bill recently. "The future of that crop
and other important crops such as avocados, apples, berries and soybeans is in
jeopardy if there aren't enough bees to pollinate them for harvest."
<more> July 6, 2007 SF Chronicle
2007 Almond Forecast: 1.330 billion pounds - -
The June 29, 2007 objective almond forecast for the 2007-2008 crop year is 1.330
billion meat pounds, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics
Service – California Field Office (NASS/CFO). This forecast is based on 615,000
bearing acres. Doug Flohr, statistician for USDA-NASS, California field office,
said the forecast is up 1.5 percent from the May 9, 2007 subjective forecast of
1.310 billion pounds and up 19 percent from this year’s crop to date of 1.113
billion pounds as of May 31, 2007. The official announcement was made today at
the Modesto office of the Almond Board of California, which funds the forecast.
The average nut set per tree is 7,413, up 10 percent from the 2006 almond crop.
The Nonpareil average nut set of 7,067 represents a 3 percent increase from last
year’s set. The average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.47 grams,
down 6 percent from last year. To view the NASS report,
please click here (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
June 29, 2007 Almond Board of California Press Release.
Almond Board of California urges growers to comment
on soil fumigant issues - - State and federal agencies are seeking public
comments on two separate proposed soil fumigant regulations. The regulations
could have immediate and far-reaching effects on how, and to what extent,
current pre-plant soil fumigants are used on almonds and other California crops,
according to the Almond Board of California (ABC). Critical to almond and other
specialty crop growers is a California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
proposal to cap soil fumigant use in the San Joaquin Valley to reduce pesticide
volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. While the caps currently would only
affect growers in certain air quality districts, parts of the regulations are to
be implemented statewide, the ABC says.
<more> June 20, 2007 Western Farm Press
Bracero program opened the door for retiring Kern County farm advisor - - His immigrant path to the United States was a typical story, says University of California Cooperative Extension Kern County farm advisor Mario Viveros. For him, it led to a distinguished academic career that helped the county's almond gro