The pandemic proved challenging to all in various ways, and farmworkers had unique needs that had to be met in order to keep agriculture going and food from California on dinner tables all over the world. The California Farmworker Foundation was among the great organizations that rose to the occasion to meet their needs. Pandemic aside, farmworkers are essential, they …
Pumpkin Production can Benefit from Conservation Practices
Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are a common vegetable crop sold at local pumpkin patches and farmers markets, in addition to commercial production. In 2019, the value of harvested pumpkin was worth $180 million. In addition to the value of harvested pumpkins for commercial use (canned pumpkin, produce departments, etc.) pumpkins are also a staple crop in agritourism operations. In Kansas alone, …
Surendra Dara Named New Director Of The North Willamette Research & Extension Center
Following an extensive national search, Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences has named Dr. Surendra Dara as the director of the North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC). Dara joins NWREC from the University of California Cooperative Extension in San Louis Obispo. With more than 25 years of experience in research and extension, he brings expertise in IPM, microbial control, biostimulants, and …
Grower-Shipper Interests Are Intertwined During These Volatile Times
Pre-Season ground prep work was completed in late-2021, first-turn plantings have been well under way since November, and harvesting of early Cole crops have begun in earnest. For Tri-County vegetable growers their cycle of implementing their standard cultural practices for the 2022 growing season has been under way since late-2021. The standard fundamentals of “blocking and tackling” to successful growing …
Researchers Harness the Sun’s Rays to Fight Strawberry Disease
While not exactly the stuff of sci-fi movies, scientists have developed a “ray gun” that emits a light hazardous to a pestilence that devastates many types of crops. Fumiomi Takeda, a research horticulturalist, and Wojciech Janisiewicz, retired research plant pathologist, from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement, and Protection unit in Kearneysville, WV, led a team that used shortwave ultraviolent …
A Different Way of Celebrating National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month. And while we understand that the purpose is to promote enhanced nutrition and improve diets, for the Grower Shipper Association (GSA) this month is about celebrating our food supply and the farmers and farm workers who grow, nurture and harvest the nation’s fruits and vegetables. Farming is hard. There are many challenges. But farmers will tell you it …
US Ag Exports to Mexico Shatter Records, Including Fresh Fruits, Vegetables & Dairy
In 2021, U.S. agricultural and related product exports to Mexico shattered all-time records, helping to close the agricultural trade gap between the two trading partners. Mexico surpassed Canada as the number two market for U.S. agricultural product exports. The highly integrated and complimentary nature of U.S.–Mexico food and agricultural supply chains ensured that record trade was observed across all product …
Are Autonomous Self-Driving Tractors Legal in California?
As California’s agricultural industries progress towards a more sustainable future with new technologies and innovations, current Cal OSHA regulations (unless changed) may hinder their progress, particularly with regard to autonomous or self-driving tractors. Watch this brief video with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers as he explains. Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
Management of Fungal Diseases of Tomato Webinar, Feb. 23
On February 23, 2022, 3-4 pm Dr. Brenna J. Aegerter, Farm Advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension San Joaquin County will lead a zoom meeting under the UC Ag Experts webinar series discussing powdery mildew, black mold fruit rot, and various soilborne diseases in processing tomatoes. She will describe symptoms, factors that contribute to their development, and management options. …
California’s Vegetable Value Down 15% from 2020
The value of California’s 2021 utilized vegetable production dropped 15% to $7.24 billion compared to 2020’s value of $8.55 billion according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Pacific Regional Field Office. Despite the decrease in state’s overall total value of utilized production, crops showing an increase included asparagus, snap beans, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, garlic, honeydews, onions, chile peppers, pumpkins …
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