Ag Alert June 26, 2024

Ag Alert is the newspaper of the California Farm Bureau Federation, reaching Farm Bureau agricultural and collegiate members. Agricultural members are owners and decision-makers on California farms and ranches. The California Farm Bureau Federation is a non-governmental, non-profit, voluntary membership organization whose purpose is to protect and promote agricultural interests throughout the state of California and to find solutions to the problems of the farm, the farm home and the rural community. Farm Bureau is California's largest farm organization, comprised of 53 county Farm Bureaus. Farm Bureau strives to protect and improve the ability of farmers and ranchers engaged in production agriculture to provide a reliable supply of food and fiber through responsible stewardship of California's resources.

Healthy fields Farmers make progress in managing lettuce virus

Ag Alert returns July 10 Ag Alert ® publishes 46 times a year and will be on hiatus next week (July 3). Our next issue will be published July 10. In the meantime, check the Ag Alert and California Farm Bureau websites at www.agalert.com and www.cfbf.com for breaking news.

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www.cfbf.com • www.agalert.com JUNE 26, 2024

Trees & Vines Dairy & Livestock

special reports

By Ching Lee With the supply of Mexican avocados tapering off and prices rising, California growers of the buttery fruit have ramped up harvest, hoping to send the bulk of their crop to the market while it remains strong. They may see prices jump even higher if the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not immediately resume full inspections of avocados from the Mexican state of Michoacan, the global epicenter of avoca- do production. U.S. government officials confirmed late last week that USDA inspectors will “gradually” return to packing plants in Michoacan after two inspectors were at- tacked and temporarily detained while doing their jobs earlier this month. The incident halted inspections of Mexican avocados and mangos, though it did not stop fruit exports already in transit. Avocados from the state of Jalisco also are not affected. Officials said more work is needed to ensure the safety of U.S. inspectors before reaching full operations. “I think there’s a lot of excitement or inter- est in seeing what is going to happen,” Santa Barbara County grower Russell Doty said. Even though the flow of Mexican avoca- dos has slowed this time of year, the world’s leading producer can still ship consider- able volumes. In June 2023, Mexico exported more than 200 million pounds of avocados to the U.S., according to USDA. At its peak last year, Mexican avocado shipments reached nearly 300 million pounds during the month of March. That’s more than California’s entire 2023 crop of 237 mil- lion pounds, according to the California Avocado Commission. California avocado acreage stood at 52,204 in 2022, with Ventura, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Luis Obispo being the state’s largest produc- ers, respectively. Though the Golden State See AVOCADOS, Page 5 State growers eye pause to Mexican avocado imports

A crew in San Joaquin County harvests the region’s first melons of the season to meet retail demand for the Fourth of July holiday. Manteca-based Van Groningen and Sons, a grower, packer and shipper of seeded, seedless and miniature watermelons, expects harvest to continue through October.

Melon growers ready for holiday demand

By Christine Souza California watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydews and mixed melons will ar- rive in grocery stores in time for the Independence Day holiday, an import- ant marketing window melon growers and shippers strive to meet each season. “It is critical for growers to supply melons, especially watermelons, to re- tailers in time for the July Fourth holi-

day,” said Bryan Van Groningen of Van Groningen and Sons, a grower, packer and shipper of watermelons based in Manteca. “Much of the summertime watermelon demand is dependent on family consumption and people having parties and picnics.” Van Groningen, whose family grows and ships seeded, seedless and miniature watermelons to retailers in California and

other states, said crews began harvesting watermelons last week near Manteca. Melon season has shifted to the San Joaquin Valley as harvest wraps up in the Southern California desert in the Imperial Valley and in Yuma, Arizona. Harvest in the San Joaquin Valley is expected to con- tinue through October and resume in the desert from October to December.

See MELONS, Page 8

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A Farm Bureau membership is an investment in our legacy

The other night I sat down at the kitchen table with my 13-year-old to review his 4-H story for his record book. If you’ve ever been involved in 4-H, you’re intimately familiar with the vigorous and sometimes stressful process of com- pleting the record book each year. It’s not easy, but it’s important. In addition to helping 4-H’ers develop the life skill of re- cordkeeping, the iconic book gives them an opportunity to reflect on their year, measure their achievements and growth, set goals and develop plans to meet those goals. At California Farm Bureau, we are constantly evaluating and setting goals. And we do it together because every single one of us has a stake in protecting our diverse farming and ranching legacy, a stake in keeping agriculture a viable way of life for generations to come. It’s the very reason Farm Bureau exists and why—at the six-month point of my pres- idency—I’m writing this message to you. In my son’s 4-H story, he points out that one of his long- term goals is to continue the farming tradition his dad and I began. He also shares that showing cattle and competitive swimming are his two favorite activities. Their commonali- ty: “Only the hardest workers can succeed.” Hard work is an agriculturalist’s daily reality. Imagine how much more difficult it would be, how much more expensive it would be without Farm Bureau working on your behalf. Think of it this way: On our farms and in our businesses, we pay for many professional services—everyone from accountants and lawyers to veterinarians and pest control advisors. They all provide essential services, performing tasks that we either don’t have the time for or lack the expertise to tackle on our own. Similarly, Farm Bureau provides an essential service. When you consider Farm Bureau in those terms, I hope you’ll agree that the dollars you spend each year on your membership yield an excel- lent return on your investment. Your investment in Farm Bureau pays off in the near term and in the long term, and includes everything from gaining access to generic crop-protection materials to the tax-saving benefits of the Williamson Act, which helps keep farmland in production. Those are just two of Farm Bureau’s legacy

achievements—work done decades ago that continues to bear fruit. Did you know that Farm Bureau’s advocacy efforts with the state’s energy providers yield an average annual savings of up to $1,100 per agricultural meter? Or that farm tax saves our members an average of nearly $2,100 each year? That, in itself, more than pays for your membership and frankly keeps our families farming. Being a Farm Bureau member is an investment in your business, your way of life and, if you’re like me, your family legacy. The 70-plus employees at the state office, the team back in Washington, D.C., the staff at your local county Farm Bureau—they’re all working on your behalf, day in and day out. That work is critically important. It’s tough to do business in California. It’s tough to be a farmer in California. The challenges are huge, and they’re only growing. That’s why your investment in Farm Bureau is more important than ever, so that we can continue striving for the wins—big and small. As I said to you at last year’s Annual Meeting when I was elected as your president, I believe deeply that Farm Bureau is the critical piece of our solution moving forward. It’s not necessarily about us, because many of us will retire within the next few decades. We’ll do fine until then, but it’s about the next generation—our kids, our grandkids, our niec- es and nephews or whoever comes next to take over our farms and our businesses. It’s about their ability to farm. It’s about the challenges we’ve already battled through and the groundwork we’ve laid to equip them for the challenges to come. The huge value of Farm Bureau is our long-term benefit. The work that we do—together, now—at Farm Bureau is absolutely critical to keeping the future alive and thriving. As my son wrote in his 4-H story, “Only the hardest work- ers can succeed.” I wholeheartedly believe that the ability for him and others like him to farm in California is dependent on the work Farm Bureau does today. We’re working hard, and we are stronger together. Thank you for your continued support.

President’s Message

Shannon Douglass

VOL. 51, NO. 24

June 26, 2024

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2 Ag Alert June 26, 2024

Weeding, weather aid battle in controlling lettuce virus

By Natalie Hanson California lettuce growers are so far breathing a sigh of relief that the dread- ed impatiens necrotic spot virus that has devastated Salinas Valley lettuce crops in recent years seems to have receded. But agricultural researchers warn that it will take extensive work and vigilance to prevent a future outbreak that could be costly for affected crops. For Monterey County farmer Ryan Kelly, that vigilance includes weeding every day early in the morning. Kelly, farm manag- er at Boutonnet Farms in Castroville, said weeding is essential to keep tabs on dis- ease spreading thrips and area plants on which the virus, or INSV, can live. “We try to be as preventative as possible and keep things as clean as possible,” Kelly said. “Occasionally, we get the people that let things go a little longer than you might want, but for the most part, things have been better.” Kelly is among the growers who are working again this season to avoid anoth- er outbreak of INSV, an obligate parasite that finds hosts in plants, including winter weeds, and is vectored through western flower thrips. It can wreak havoc on lettuce crops

during the growing season. Salinas Valley farmers in 2022 suffered an estimated $150 million in crop losses, more than tripling the damages from 2021. Last year, exceptionally wet and cold conditions from atmospheric river storms resulted in a dramatic reduction in INSV infections. This year, farmers, agricultural officials and scientists are working to keep infection levels from rising anew through monitoring and aggressively targeting po- tential weed hosts for the disease. “It is hard to evaluate whether or not the weed abatement program is working, but the industry is optimistic that it has made a difference,” said Jennifer Clarke, execu- tive director of the California Leafy Greens Research Board. “I think that is something that time will help us evaluate.” Growers in the Salinas Valley are getting help through county weed abatement ef- forts and from California Department of Transportation crews that clean up weeds along Highway 101 on the southern end of the valley. “Hopefully, they’re getting to it sooner rather than later, because it’s still pretty plugged up along that stretch of Highway 101, along the northern end of the corri- dor,” Kelly said.

Weed control near farms is a critical part of prevention efforts for impatiens necrotic spot virus. The disease, which can be devastating to lettuce crops, finds hosts in weeds and is spread by thrips.

There is another benefit of preventive weeding: It costs less to do so preemptively than to face the potential high costs of crop damage if any crops are impacted by INSV, Kelly added. “Even if it costs a little bit more money, I think it’s worth more to me in the long run than if I let it go,” he said. Yu-Chen Wang, plant pathologist

advisor at the University of California Cooperative Extension in Monterey County, said things are finally looking up in the state’s INSV hotspot thanks to efforts by Salinas Valley growers. “So far, we have seen a low population of thrips and a low incidence of INSV,”

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Virus Continued from Page 3

said it is too early to know the impacts of INSV from weedy thrips. “We still have plenty of time left in the season for incidents to get worse in fields,” Grettenberger said. “Warm weather helps generate thrips and build populations among crops and non-crops, creating more vectors moving around in the landscape.” Zischke said growers must also do their part by monitoring weeds on neighbors’ nearby land. “The growers are looking at areas that they don’t have control over in adjacent ar- eas, and they’re working with the ag com- missioner on weed abatement,” she said. “I get calls all the time (about) weeds in an abandoned area or an industrial property. “We’re all pulling together,” she added. “You can’t just think it’s just your neigh- bor’s problem.” Mark Mason of Salinas-based vegetable and strawberry grower Nature’s Reward, agreed this is no time to slow on abatement. “We’re very aggressive on weed abate- ment—hoeing and thinning, keeping the ditches clean, the roadsides,” Mason said. “We’re all in it together.” (Natalie Hanson is a reporter in Alameda County. She may be contacted at natalie. hanson96@gmail.com. Bob Johnson, a reporter in Monterey County, contribut- ed to this report and may be contacted at bjohn11135@gmail.com.)

Wang said. “This is a good start for the rest of the season, because the virus level may continue building up along with the thrips population increasing in the summer.” Wang said part of the reason for success this time around lies with growers’ weed management. Even when a grower con- trols winter weeds in or near their own fields, the virus can find a home in weeds growing in nearby fields and survive. One INSV infestation in 2022 was traced back to weeds on an industrial site as far as 100 yards away. That’s why abatement must continue, es- pecially in known hotspots such as Soledad, Gonzales and Castroville, Wang said. Mary Zischke of the Grower-Shipper Association, who manages the organiza- tion’s INSV Task Force, said she has been keeping a close eye on abatement and oth- er INSV prevention efforts. The task force has been active since fall 2020, during the first of a series of “disas- trous” INSV infections in lettuce crops. A group of growers organized to address impacts of INSV meets biweekly to stay on top of the issue. “During the worst of the epidemic, we were meeting on a weekly basis with grow- ers, the research community, farm advi- sors—whoever might be able to help with the problem,” Zischke said. “It’s a chance

This Salinas Valley lettuce field in late 2022 shows damage from impatiens necrotic spot virus, or INSV. Scientists continue to work on finding lettuce varieties with potential resistance to the disease.

Researchers have identified the 10 top weeds that serve as hosts for INSV and have set up traps throughout the Salinas Valley to monitor populations of thrips. They caution that the disease is usually more severe later in the year, meaning there’s no relaxing for farmers. “Fall is the time when thrips pres- sure and INSV would be the highest,” Clarke said. Ian Grettenberger, a UCCE entomologist,

for growers and pest management to in- terface with scientists and keep that di- alogue going.” Scientists continue to look for ge- netic remedies for the disease. Kelley Richardson, a U.S. Department of Agriculture research geneticist based in Salinas, said two greenhouse trials are un- derway in the hopes of screening lettuce varieties for potential resistance to INSV and another disease, Pythium wilt.

4 Ag Alert June 26, 2024

Avocados Continued from Page 1

it’s June, and we still have bloom and very foggy mornings,” Ferro said. “That pushes us a little farther into the year.” Even so, he said he’s “very grateful” for the amount of rain the region received the past two years, as “it really helps to clean all the salts out of the soil.” “With the cost of water being so high, it’s like money falling out of the sky,” Ferro said. That the market has improved this year is another plus, he said, noting how prices last year dropped to around $1 a pound.

When prices finally did move up in July, “a lot of people were already done harvest- ing,” he said. San Diego County farmers who don’t have access to groundwater and must buy higher-priced municipal water may need at least $1.50 a pound to break even, Ferro estimated. With the price of water set to increase by another 20%, he said, “there’s worry that that’s going to really make it im- possible (for farms) to keep going.” For Santa Barbara County’s Doty, who

does have his own groundwater, $1.30 a pound can still be profitable, he said. With a “good crop still on the trees,” Ferro said he’s encouraged by the price increase, especially if Michoacan avocados continue to be held up. Improved bloom conditions this year should deliver a large crop for next year, he said. “After 20 years of being here,” he said, “thing are finally looking up.” (Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@cfbf.com.)

produces nearly 90% of U.S.-grown avoca- dos, it represents less than 10% of what’s on the U.S. market, which is dominated by Mexico. Last year, the U.S. imported a re- cord 2.78 billion pounds of fresh avocados, with 89% coming from Mexico. Peru, the Dominican Republic, Chile and Colombia supplied the rest. This year, California is expected to pro- duce more than 250 million pounds of av- ocados, the commission estimated. About 60% of the crop has been harvested, with the remaining fruit still sizing on trees, the commission reported last week. Harvest began in January and is expected to run through September, with peak volumes from April through July. The commission declined to comment on the potential market impact of the dis- rupted imports of Michoacan avocados. Doty said he has already seen an uptick in price, with quotes last week as high as $1.90 to $2.10 a pound compared to $1.75 to $1.80 before the pause. He said he thinks packing- houses are taking a wait-and-see approach, as “they don’t want to get out over their skis” by offering too high a price before knowing how long the situation will last. USDA said it is “committed to resuming inspections of avocados and mangos in Michoacan as swiftly as possible,” though federal officials did not provide details on when that will be. A threat to a USDA plant inspector in 2022 led the U.S. to suspend avocado im- ports from Michoacan for about a week. An import ban in December 2020 involving avocados from one region in Michoacan lasted for a month after an armed group burned avocado shipments. For the longer import ban, Doty said he remembers hiring a second harvest crew that year so he could pick twice the amount of fruit to take advantage of the rising mar- ket. But with the current situation, he said the speculation is that the disruption will not last as long and that trying to hire an- other crew may not be beneficial. He described his crop as small in vol- ume but with big-sized fruit. He attribut- ed the smaller crop to cool weather in the spring of 2023, which did not allow much fruit to set. In contrast, conditions this past spring were more favorable, producing “a very nice set of fruit.” He began picking in April and said he expects to finish by the end of July. San Diego County grower Enrico Ferro described his crop as “a decent size” and said he considers himself lucky, noting a lot of growers in his region are struggling with lower yields this year due to poor fruit set last year. In addition to not getting enough warm and sunny days in March and April of 2023 to set the fruit, he said trees also did not get pollinated very well due to a lack of wind during bloom. Like Doty, Ferro started harvesting in April, picking his largest fruit first to allow the rest of the crop to size. He usually fin- ishes his season by July after two picks. But with a lot of smaller fruit this year, he said he plans to stretch his season into August for a third pick to allow more fruit to size. “We’re having an unusual year where

June 26, 2024 Ag Alert 5

A SPECIAL GROWERS’ REPORT OF AG ALERT ® CALIFORNIA Trees & Vines Table olive growers can cut cost with mechanization

By Robyn Rominger Changes in table-olive production practices are boost- ing yields and the bottom line for California growers through mechanization and improved harvest efficiency. “We’re trying to reduce costs,” said olive grower Dennis Burreson of Orland, who serves as vice president of field operations and industry affairs for Tracy-based Musco Family Olive Co., one of two major table-olive processors left in the state. Burreson uses mechanical pruning and harvesting to cut labor costs. “That’s what this whole concept is about— being able to eliminate the picking labor,” he said. “Also, the mechanical pruning—the hedging and the skirting—does a lot to eliminate the pruning labor.” California’s table-olive production has shrunk through the years. Twenty-five years ago, some 35,300 bearing acres produced table olives, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Last year, state bearing acreage stood at 12,400. Burreson said most of the state’s table olives are still hand-picked, with an estimated 1,000 acres using me- chanical harvesting. “The future—and that’s what the modern acreage is about—will be transitioning to mechanically harvested instead of hand-harvested,” he said. Hand-harvesting, which can be 50% to 60% of a grow- er’s revenue, has become “cost-prohibitive,” he added. Mechanization can reduce labor costs by nearly 67%, Burreson estimated. “That’s a big difference,” he said. State table-olive acreage continues to decline due to sev- eral factors, including labor shortages, higher production costs, competition from imports, including Greece, Italy and Spain, and farmers planting more profitable crops such as tree nuts. As a result, growers in recent years have slowly begun to pivot to higher-density plantings of table-olive trees, which can be mechanically pruned and harvested. Whereas more traditional table-olive orchards are plant- ed with about 80 trees per acre, the modern higher-density plantings accommodate 242 trees per acre, Burreson said. “You’re getting three times as many trees per acre, and now you’re getting greater yields, and you’re getting them cheaper,” he added. Burreson has some trees that are 100 years old that need to be hand-harvested because their trunks are too large for the tree-shakers. His son Heath, a second-generation farmer at Burreson Orchards in Glenn County, manages the modern table-olive acreage, which includes trees that are mechanically harvested beginning at 5 years old. Becky Wheeler-Dykes, University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor in Glenn, Tehama and Colusa counties, said many table-olive operations are small family farms with 5 to 60 acres, most of which are hand-harvested. Traditional table-olive varieties include Manzanillo and Sevillano. Wheeler-Dykes said all modern orchards are planted to Manzanillo olives. In such a system, after the trees are planted with uniform spacing, they are typically shaped See OLIVES, Page 7

Glenn County farmer Dennis Burreson, vice president of field operations for Musco Family Olive Co., left, inspects an orchard of table-olive trees with son Heath Burreson. 6 Ag Alert June 26, 2024

Olives Continued from Page 6

with mechanical pruners, followed by hand-pruning. In the fall, when olives are ready for harvest, commercial tree-shakers are used. In contrast, olive-oil producers plant trees in hedgerows and use an over-the- row harvester that contacts the canopy. “There’s not much of a problem of bruis- ing on oil olives since they are crushed, but it’s not acceptable on table olives,” Wheeler-Dykes said. When harvesting table olives by ma- chine, it can be hard to remove the fruit, resulting in about 50% yield loss, Wheeler- Dyke said. “That leaves a lot of money on the tree,” she said. Researchers at the Nickels Soil Laboratory in Arbuckle are studying a product called Accede by Valent. The loos- ening agent has shown positive results in boosting yields. The research trial is an “effort to find a perfect storm of treatments to increase that efficiency, because 50% isn’t high enough to get the industry to convert and transition over,” Wheeler-Dykes said. Research on Accede showed the loos- ening agent reduced fruit-removal force, increasing harvest efficiency, she said. Georgia Drakakaki, a UC Davis plant sci- ence professor, is part of the olive research

After olive trees are shaped by machine, an employee finishes pruning the trees by hand in this modern table-olive orchard planted for mechanical harvesting. The California Olive Committee has sponsored research to introduce more mechanization to table-olive orchards, including new harvesting equipment.

team. She has studied the effects of loosen- ing agents in multiple crops. “We are going down to the nitty-gritty of the abscission-zone formation and how it is accelerated by the application of this loosening agent,” Drakakaki said. “What we are using is a naturally occurring hor- mone; it’s a compound found in nature.“ She said ongoing research seeks to help farmers “to time their harvest to

have better efficiency.” During a field day at the Nickels Soil Lab, Wheeler-Dykes and UC research scientist Minmin Wang demonstrated the use of a hand-held pull-force tester to measure the force needed for fruit removal. Table-olive research is also underway on using a canopy-contact harvester instead of a tree-trunk shaker, said UC Davis plant sci- ence professor Louise Ferguson, who is part

of the research team. The research is spon- sored by the California Olive Committee. “I feel like people are really energized, excited and looking forward to a new way of growing table olives that might open up more options for the industry,” Wheeler- Dykes said. (Robyn Rominger is a reporter in Winters. She may be contacted at robynrominger.com.)

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June 26, 2024 Ag Alert 7

Melons Continued from Page 1

In mid-March, when planting typical- ly begins in the San Joaquin Valley, Van Groningen said wet weather and soggy field conditions interrupted ground prepa- ration and delayed planting. “This year, we had to wait to plant until the third week of March because it was too wet and cold,” he said. “Due to the delay, we only got a chance to plant about two- thirds of our acres for the early marketing window, so our volume is probably going to be down a little.” Because the late-season melon market is usually not as lucractive, Van Groningen said he was concerned that he would not be able to supply the volume of watermel- ons he initially planned for June and July. With the supply of watermelons short right now, he noted, “the price and the demand are very good.” “I’m kind of afraid for that August to September market, but we’ll see what hap- pens,” he said, adding he hopes the market will continue to be strong in July. “August is when demand starts to slow because there are more watermelons available.” Producing some 100 million pounds of watermelons annually, Van Groningen said about 80% of the family’s watermelons is shipped to retailers in California, with additional volume distributed in Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Colorado. He said he anticipates a grower price of $450 to $500 per ton, which he described as about average for watermelons. While figures are not yet available for the San Joaquin Valley watermelon crop, prices for the Southern California des- ert region are running below last year’s pace, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service. As of mid-June, a 45-count carton of seedless watermelons was selling for $154 to $189, while the 60-count carton went for $105 to $155. This was a slight drop from the 2023 price, according to USDA. Brawley-based farmer Joe Colace of Five Crowns Marketing, which grows, packs and ships watermelons, cantaloupes, hon- eydews and specialty melon varieties, said he expects to finish melon harvest in the Imperial Valley in about a week. “There’s just a little bit of an oversupply here in the desert, but it has been a very nice year for quality,” Colace said. “Our sugar, or soluble solid levels, seem to be above average.” When harvest began in the desert region in early May, Colace said many cantaloupe and honeydew growers reported smaller sizes and less production due to wind and below-average temperatures through late February and into April. He noted that he “saw size and production pick up in the middle part of June.” “One thing about cooler-than-normal temperatures: Quality typically tends to be a little better because you don’t have nearly the stress on the plant,” he said. Colace said he is pleased with two new specialty melons—the Picasso and Picasso Sunrise, available from late May to early July. The Japanese-origin Picasso variety

San Joaquin County farmer Bryan Van Groningen, inset, kicked off melon season in the San Joaquin Valley last week. Early-season miniature watermelons are packed under the Yosemite Fresh label and sold in supermarkets in California and across the West.

is a white-flesh melon with a high level of sugar. The Picasso Sunrise has similar traits but with salmon-color flesh. Colace said he worked with seed company breed- ers to develop the new varieties that are exclusive to Five Crowns Marketing. “We try and develop varieties that check off all of the critical boxes for delivered product to the stores, and Picasso and Picasso Sunrise, right now, are checking all the boxes,” Colace said. In the Imperial Valley, Colace relies 100% on water supplied by the Colorado River. “There seems to be not an abun- dance of water, but water is available, and that has taken some of the pressure off all the respective growing areas,” he said. Growers in all regions tend to agree that costs to grow, pack and ship melon crops have escalated. This includes Stanislaus County farmer Matt Maring, a partner in Patterson-based T&M Farms, which grows watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydews and mixed mel- on varieties. He estimated the cost to grow watermelons is about $4,000 an acre, while growing and packing can run about $12,000 an acre. “If you don’t have historical sales and relationships with chain stores, you are crazy to go plant and pray that you have a market,” he said. Maring said he expects to harvest mel- ons from early July to November. The west- side region had good growing conditions this spring with mild temperatures, Maring said, noting he observed no pest or disease issues. In addition, the region had more

water this year. Much of Maring’s water is supplied by the federal Central Valley Project, which received 40% of requested supplies this year. The number of acres he planted this year was not based on water availability but demand from the company that mar- kets his crop. As the season progresses, Maring said there may be a surplus of melons on the market. “It’s definitely setting up that way,” he said.

Due to his location, Maring said it is not always easy to supply melons to customers by July 4. But he said he is impressed with melon quality this year, adding flavor is “ri- diculously good.” “I do a lot of shopping at my house,” he said, “and when stores have six pallets of watermelons at the store entrance at $6 or $7 each, that sparks interest.” (Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)

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*This vehicle's HP was measured according to ISO standard 4106. This ISO standard measures HP dierently than the SAE standards by which the horsepower of many cars is measured, and as a result the referenced HP measurement may be higher than if it were measured by an SAE standard. WARN® VRX 45, the WARN logo and THE RED HOOK STRAP are registered trademarks of Warn Industries, Inc. *This vehicle's HP was measured according to ISO standard 4106. This ISO standard measures HP dierently than the SAE standards by which the horsepower of many cars is measured, and as a result the referenced HP measurement may be higher than if it were measured by an SAE standard. WARN® VRX 45, the WARN logo and THE RED HOOK STRAP are registered trademarks of Warn Industries, Inc. • New Kawasaki-Built 999cc, 92 HP*, In-Line Four-Cylinder Engine • Factory Standard Full Cab w/ Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC Models) • On-The-Fly Electrically Selectable 4WD & Rear Differential Lock RIDGE®side x sides are built for advanced work and play. Experience off-roading like never before with game-changing performance and premium automotive-inspired features. • New Kawasaki-Built 999cc, 92 HP*, In-Line Four-Cylinder Engine • Factory Standard Full Cab w/ Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC Models) • On-The-Fly Electrically Selectable 4WD & Rear Differential Lock RIDGE®side x sides are built for advanced work and play. Experience off-roading like never before with game-changing performance and premium automotive-inspired features.

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8 Ag Alert June 26, 2024

Farm Bureau at work California Farm Bureau’s government affairs team is advocating for farmers, ranchers and agriculture’s future. Here are issues Farm Bureau is focused on.

TRG Job NUMBER: RAM22_073267 Ag Season Print Ad CLIENT: RAM JOB NAME: California Region Ad TRIM: 4.75" x 5" LIVE: N/A BLEED: N/A COLOR(S): 4C QUESTIONS CALL: Karen Newman @ 214-891-5875

CHA L L ENGE

Taxation The California Supreme Court last week removed the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act from the November 2024 ballot. Endorsed by the California Farm Bureau, the measure sought to require voter approval for state tax increases. The court ruled the initiative wasn’t a proper means for changing the state Constitution. “We are disappointed that the California Supreme Court has put politics ahead of the Constitution, disregarding long-stand- ing precedent that they should not inter- vene in an election before voters decide qualified initiatives,” the initiative commit- tee said in a statement. Pesticides The state Senate Environmental Quality Committee last week advanced four bills that deal with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, including efforts to increase the mill tax levied on pesticides to address the agency’s budget deficit. The bills include: Assembly Bill 2113 by Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, which would impose a mill tax increase; AB 1963 by Assembly Member Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, which would ban the use of the herbicide paraquat; AB 2552, also by Friedman, which would

prohibit the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides within 2,500 feet of wildlife habitat areas; and AB 1864 by AssemblyMemberDamonConnolly,D-San Rafael, which would require notification before using certain pesticides near schools. California Farm Bureau continues to be engaged in discussions on AB 2113 with the governor’s office and legislative leadership, and will work with the Senate Agriculture Committee to amend or hold California Farm Bureau-supported legislation to expedite state contract- ing for prescribed burns has passed in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources with bipartisan support. Senate Bill 1101 by state Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, previously passed in the state Senate. The bill now moves to the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management. the other bills in committee. Forestry and wildfire Another Farm Bureau-backed bill, SB 1159 by state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, also passed in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources. The bill would require the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research to consider an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act for roadside projects for wildfire risk re- duction within 5 miles of a municipality.

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12/19/22 4:37 PM

CIMIS REPORT | www.cimis.water.ca.gov

CALIFORNIA IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

For the week of June 13 - June 19, 2024 ETO (INCHES/WEEK)

YEAR

3.0

THIS YEAR

2.5

LAST YEAR AVERAGE YEAR

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

MACDOEL II (236)

BIGGS (244)

DAVIS (06)

MANTECA (70)

FRESNO (80)

SALINAS-SOUTH (214)

FIVE POINTS (2)

IMPERIAL (87)

THIS YEAR LAST YEAR AVG. YEAR % FROM AVG.

1.69 1.69 1.68 1

1.95 1.90 1.84 6

2.08 1.83 1.96 5

1.65 1.35 1.78 -7

2.17 2.02 1.98 9

1.73 1.35 1.47 18

2.28 1.91 2.1 9

2.50 2.40 2.23 13

W eekly reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is the rate of water use (evapotranspiration—the sum of soil evaporation and crop transpiration) for healthy pasture grass. Multiplying ETo by the appropriate crop coefficient gives estimates of the ET for other crops. For example, assume ETo on June 15 is 0.267 inches and the crop coefficient for corn on that day is 1.1. Multiplying ETo by the coefficient (0.26 inches x 1.1) results in a corn ET of 0.29 inches. This information is

useful in determining the amount and timing of irrigation water. Contact Richard Snyder at the University of California, Davis, for information on coefficients, 530-752-4628. The 10 graphs provide weekly ETo rates for selected areas for average year, last year and this year. ETo information is provided by the California Irrigation Man- agement Information System (CIMIS) of the California Department of Water Resources.

For information contact the DWR district office or DWR state headquarters:

SACRAMENTO HEADQUARTERS: 916-651-9679 • 916-651-7218

NORTHERN REGION: Red Bluff 530-529-7301

NORTH CENTRAL REGION: West Sacramento 916-376-9630

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION:

SOUTHERN REGION:

Fresno 559-230-3334

Glendale 818-500-1645 x247 or x243

June 26, 2024 Ag Alert 9

A SPECIAL PRODUCERS’ REPORT OF AG ALERT ® CALIFORNIA Dairy & Livestock

Photo/DeJager Farms

At DeJager Farms in Chowchilla, manure water from its dairy operations is treated and filtered, then delivered through drip irrigation to crops including silage corn. Such efforts are supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture grants awarded to dairy producers. DeJager Farms said the system benefits dairy and farming operations by reducing greenhouse emissions and curbing water use.

Climate-smart practices help dairies, nourish crops By Vicky Boyd

Department of Food and Agriculture and several dairy industry groups to secure an $85 million U.S. Department of Agriculture Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant. Known as the Dairy Plus Program, it is designed to provide additional incentives during the next five years to dairy farmers who adopt advanced climate-smart manure manage- ment practices. Under such efforts, not only has DeJager Farms experienced significant water savings compared to the farm’s former use of flood irrigation, but Mayo said the farm has also improved its water- and nutrient-use efficiency and uniformity while reducing overall nitrogen applications. At the same time, yields have improved. The buried drip systems allowed the farm to get through the 2021-22 drought without fallowing fields even with 18% lower pump capacity than it had in the 2014 drought. Ten years ago, it had to fallow considerable acreage. In addition, preliminary University of California research found that applying manure water through subsurface drip irrigation, also known as SDI, significantly reduces green- house gas emissions. Over the years, DeJager Farms worked with Domonic Rossini and his team at Netafim USA to design and build the systems. All the components, including sand media filters, are standard to the Netafim product lineup except for the mixing valves.

Prompted by drought-induced water allocation cutbacks in 2014, the diversified DeJager Farms began looking at buried drip irrigation and manure water from its dairy operations to try to help its farming operations survive. Since then, the Chowchilla-based producer of milk, beef, row crops and specialty crops has embraced the system. It has installed seven irrigation systems that treat and filter ma- nure water from nearby dairy operations to support crop production. Two more systems are in the works for DeJager Farms, which produces forage feed for dairy cattle and crops such as processing tomatoes, wheat and almonds. “The benefits we’ve found have just been enormous,” DeJager Farms Chief Financial Officer Richie Mayo said during a recent farm tour. DeJager Farms was one of three operations in 2014 participating in pilot programs led by Sustainable Conservation, a nonprofit that promotes collaborative stewardship of natural resources, and Netafim USA. The nonprofit wanted to ensure that application of dairy effluent, as the nutrient-rich liquid is often called, saved water, protected groundwater and increased crop yields. What was learned during the pilot has been applied to newer projects, which currently total 34 in the Central Valley, said John Cardoza, Sustainable Conservation senior project manager. Many state and federal programs are now available to help underwrite the cost of such projects. In 2022, the California Dairy Research Foundation partnered with the California

See CLIMATE, Page 11

10 Ag Alert June 26, 2024

Climate Continued from Page 10

For corn, he begins the season using fresh water to fill the soil profile before planting. As the plants begin to grow, he starts with a 15% manure-water concen- tration and slowly increases it to 40% when the corn is tasseling and has the highest nitrogen demand. Because he is using SDI and making applications only when the plant needs it, Mayo said the farm has increased its water-use efficiency by 36% and its nitro- gen-use efficiency by 45% compared to flood irrigation. Depending on the variety, Mayo said, the farm harvests 32 to 33 tons per acre of corn silage using 220 total pounds of nitro- gen per acre, with the nitrogn coming from the manure water. When he used to flood irrigate, he would apply 300 to 380 pounds of nitrogen per acre and harvest about 26 tons of corn si- lage per acre. In alfalfa, he said he has seen yields increase by about 40% and stand life nearly double. An added benefit appears to be en- hanced air quality. Preliminary research by a team led by UC Davis soil science pro- fessor William Horwath found using SDI to apply manure water significantly reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides, a greenhouse gas precursor. (Vicky Boyd is a reporter in Modesto. She may be contacted at vlboyd@att.net.)

Based on trial and error, Rossini said they’ve found what appears to be the sweet spot of drip tape with 14-inch emitter spac- ing and 0.16 gallon-per-hour output, in- stalled in 40-inch rows and buried about 12 inches deep. DeJager Farms also has adopted 100% conservation tillage on its crops, except for processing tomatoes, al- lowing the drip tape to remain untouched below the soil surface for the roughly 12- year lifespan. Manure from dairy barns first goes through a solids separator, where the larg- er material is removed. The resulting liquid then goes through preliminary treatment to further remove solids before it goes into a holding lagoon. Producers don’t necessarily need a sol- ids separator, but Mayo said the goal is to remove as much particulate matter as pos- sible to reduce potential system clogging. “The whole principle is to get the water as clean as we can and still hold the nutri- ents,” Mayo said. DeJager pairs a manure-water lagoon with a fresh-water lagoon to allow blend- ing or the option of using fresh water alone. An EC meter measures the manure water’s real-time EC, or electrical con- ductivity, which is a measure of salts and loosely correlates to nitrogen content. This can vary widely throughout the sea- son depending on temperature, weather

At DeJager Farms, manure from dairy barns is processed before reaching a holding lagoon. A high-tech system blends in fresh water and calibrates nitrogen levels to meet crop nutrient needs.

and the cows’ diet. Based on the readings, a computerized controller blends the fresh and manure water to obtain the proper nitrogen con- centration. Mayo can monitor the activities remotely from his smartphone as well as turn the system on and off. In addition, the system sends him alerts should something go wrong. He bases his water and nitrogen appli- cations on crop coefficients. Developed

by the University of California, they factor in the crop, weather, planting date, growth stage and irrigation method to predict the plant’s optimum water and nitrogen needs at specific points in the season. Mayo’s standard rotation is seven to eight years of alfalfa. After the stand is removed, he may move into processing tomatoes, silage corn and wheat for the remaining four to five years of the drip tape’s life.

Entry deadline is June 28 for 2024 Farm Dog competition

2024 Health & Safety on the Farm and Ranch

Entries will be accepted through June 28 for the California Farm Bureau’s fifth annual Farm Dog of the Year contest. Open to Farm Bureau members in California, with support from Nationwide, the contest asks farmers and ranchers to submit a brief story about their dog, plus up to five accompanying photos. The Grand Prize winner will earn $1,000, with First Place receiving $500, Second Place, $250 and Third Place, $100. In the story submitted with the entry, farmers and ranchers have the opportu- nity to describe how the dog enriches their

lives while supporting them in doing their jobs. Entrants can list any special skills their dog has, tricks it can perform and nonfarm-work activities the dog and its owners enjoy. Tulare County farmer Zack Stuller submitted the winning entry in last year’s Farm Dog of the Year contest. His 150-pound mixed-breed dogs Waylon and Willie shared the spotlight for their roles in deterring crime on his Exeter ranch. Stuller adopted the brothers in 2022. Since then, his property has been crime-free. For full contest information or to enter, see www.cfbf.com/farmdog.

California Farm Bureau is pleased to offer this year-long program of training sessions presented by Nationwide. Select topics will be presented in both English and Spanish. Trainings will be presented via Zoom. The Hazardous Agricultural Materials (HAM) training must be attended in person at a participating County Farm Bureau office or at the California Farm Bureau office in Sacramento. For a detailed list of classes and to register, visit cfbf.com/FBE or call (800) 698-FARM for assistance. You will receive a Zoom link and details prior to your selected webinar date. Members, enjoy access to free classes! Register for the upcoming training webinars.

Foundation seeks proposals for research funding awards

July 2 .........................Hazard Communication July 16 .......................OSHA Top 10 Violations August 6 ....................Fleet Management September 3 .............Fall Protection

modern agricultural tools. The 2024 request for proposal is focused on gathering economic impact analysis data on the cost of mitigation measures to California agriculture as a result of pesti- cide regulations and economic benefits of treated seeds. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. July 26. For more information, visit www. californiabountifulfoundation.com/ research-studies. June 26, 2024 Ag Alert 11

The California Bountiful Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit science and re- search organization of the California Farm Bureau, has released a request for propos- als for economic research studies related to agriculture. Up to $125,000 in funding is being of- fered in coordination with Californians for Smart Pesticide Policy, a coalition of agricultural associations focused on ed- ucating policymakers on the benefits of

September 24 ..........Basic Inspection of Terminals (BIT) Training October 1 ..................Hazardous Ag Materials (HAM) Training November 5 .............Farm Equipment Safety November 19 ...........Rural Road Safety

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