Last fall’s freezing weather will reduce walnut harvest
We have a big crop with damage to the trees that’s unbelievable,” Lauenroth said. “Some trees are loaded so much they look like they’re going to break, and then you go to the next tree and it looks dead, then thenext tree is half loaded and the next tree is loaded. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Lauenroth saidhebelieves thiswill also affect theoperationof hiscommercialwal- nut dryer, which typically runs six days a week during harvest. “The walnut dryer is affected big time,” Lauenroth said, adding that he believes
due to lackof volumehiswalnut dryermay only run one day a week. “Many affected walnut orchards do not have a crop. The crop is really light; it’smaybe 50%.” Ken Mitchell, who grows walnuts in Sacramento County, said he has ob- served only minor damage to his walnut trees this year. “Our damage is 3-5% damage. The tree dies except all of the way down to the stump, and then the tree comes back as just wild growth,” said Mitchell, adding
ByChristine Souza Farmers are walking orchards and as- sessingdamage towalnut treesandpoten- tially this year’s crop, which farmadvisors say stems from periods of extreme cold that occurred last fall. University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisors in several coun- tieswherewalnutsaregrowncommercial- ly report that “winter dieback” or “winter kill,” brought on by below-freezing tem- peratures lastNovember, has affectedwal- nut trees young and old. “Some trees are really wiped out and only had some leaf-out in spring from the bottomof the tree, and in other orchards symptoms might have some shoot die- back at the very tops of the tree,” said Luke Milliron, UCCE farm advisor for Butte, Glenn and Tehama counties. “In many orchards, damage has really delayed leaf- out and the leaves are really small, which means that these orchards are at a real risk Ag Innovation Challenge open for applications TheAmericanFarmBureauFederation’s Ag Innovation Challenge seeks rural en- trepreneurs who could win as much as $50,000 for their startupbusinesses. The challenge is intended as a show- case for rural startups seeking to ad- dress issues facing farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Emma Larson, AFBF assistant director of industry relations, said the challenge presents an opportunity for startups to get noticed. “The Ag innovation Challenge pro- vides entrepreneurs across the nation the exposure at a national level for our con- vention in January, the ability to network withagribusinesses, the rural business in- vestment community within the USDA,” Larson said. “We’re really excited to offer them those opportunities, in addition to the funds that they can invest into their businesses, into their communities, scale up and reallymake an impact.” A total of $165,000 in startup funds will be awarded to 10 businesses. “The Ag Innovation Challenge winner will be awarded $50,000 and some brag- ging rights,” Larson said. The contest has added a second-place runner-up, who will win $20,000, and the People’s Choice team, which is selected by apublic vote andwill winanadditional $5,000, she said. Entrantsmust be U.S. for-profit compa- nies andmust be FarmBureaumembers. Deadline to enter is Aug. 20. Semifinalists will be announced in October, and the top 10 will compete at the AFBF Annual Convention in January. Formore informationand to signup, go to fb.org/challenge.
of sunburnwith the extreme heat.” Organicwalnut grower Paul Lauenroth, whohasabout 50acresofwalnuts, pointed out thatdamage tocountywalnutorchards is widespread. “I’ve rode around intodifferent areas of Lake County ,and I was quite surprised. Some orchards are fair and other or- chards are definitely not worth picking.
See WALNUTS, Page 15
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July 21, 2021 Ag Alert 3
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