Ag Alert Mar. 16, 2022

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.

Cabbage ‘looking good’ South state harvests are on track for all varieties

Corn in drought Water can be reduced, but only at right time

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www.cfbf.com • www.agalert.com MARCH 16, 2022

Field Crops ® Vegetables ®

s p e c i a l r e p o r t s

ByChing Lee As California farmers prepare to plant this year’s sunflower crop, the Russia- Ukraine crisis clouds long-termprospects for their biggest market—and for produc- tion of the oilseed. Virtually all sunflowers grown in the Golden State are harvested as planting seed used by other farmers who grow sunflowers. Most sunflowers are grown for their seeds, which are crushed to make cooking oil. Russia and Ukraine are top producers, with 55% of the world’s sunflower acreage, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The conf l ict between Russia and Ukrainehasaffectedseedcompanies’ abil- ity toget seedtothosemarkets, saidGarrett Driver, NorthAmerica supply chainman- ager for Nuseed, a global seed company that sells sunflower seeds worldwide. “They certainly were anticipating the arrival of that seed,” he said. “Then Putin invadedUkraine.” Some early shipments arrived undis- turbed. ButDriver said somewere in tran- sitas the invasionunfolded, andnowmany seed companies are trying to assess what the total impact to their business will be. Because there’s no way to move prod- uct from ports or warehouses to farmers inUkraine, he saidseedcompanies expect “a pretty significant reduction in planted acres this year.” Sanctions against Russia also will prevent seeds from being deliv- ered to Russian farmers for planting. “Of course, this is comingon theheelsof two years of COVID and all the other sup- ply chain and logistics challenges,” Driver said. “This is just another problem to put in the bucket.” The sunflower market has been “red hot since theRussian invasionofUkraine,” according to the National Sunflower Association. Traders, the group said, are worried the conflict will affect cropmove- ment and trigger “amass scramble by im- porters to seek alternative shipments.” As See SUNFLOWERS, Page 10 Ukraine invasion blurs outlook for sunflower seeds

Aaron Barcellos, who farms tree and row crops in Merced and Fresno counties, walks near a 1-megawatt fixed solar-array system that he had installed on the farm. It is one of two systems that together produce 1.4 megawatts of electricity and offset what is used on the farm.

Farmers key to renewable energy future

ByChristine Souza California is progressing toward its goal of achieving 100% renewable and carbon-neutral electricity by 2045, and agriculture may be an integral part of the solution. Farmers statewide have invested in renewable-energy technologies near vineyards, row-crop farms and

atop walnut dryers. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8% of California farms have an on-site renew- able-energy system. Aaron Barcellos, who farms row crops and trees inMerced andFresno counties, took advantage of federal tax incentives and invested in constructing two solar systems that total 1.4megawatts to offset

the farm’s energy usage. “Most farmers, if they’ve got a drip system with an electric pump on it, are probably spending between $80 and $120 an acre per year at least on just their energy costs, depending on the crop and howmuch water they’re deliv- ering,” Barcellos explained. “On-farm

See ENERGY, Page 16

n e w s p a p e r

Comment.......................................2 Field Crops...................................7 Vegetables................................. 13 Classifieds........................... 18-19 Inside

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Nutrition equity can lead to healthier communities

By TammyAnderson-Wise TheCOVID-19pandemicexposedchal- lenges at all levels of society, including for people impactedbywhat somecall the“in- equality pandemic.” Public health experts

foods fromall food groups. There are many ways to eat healthful- ly, and acknowledging and embracing cultural preferences toward food choic- es, especially in communities of color, is also critical. A s we c e l eb r a t e and emb r a c e California’s ethnic, cultural and other di- versity, it’s important to also recognize disparities in offerings of nutritious foods in different communities. By doing so, we canwork to ensure that all people can ac- cess nutritious and culturally appropriate foods regardlessof race, education, gender, employment, ability or where they live. Achieving nutrition equity will require collaboration amongmany stakeholders, including community leaders and experts in nutrition, health and education. At the Dairy Council of California, we are taking action through the Let’s Eat Healthy ini- tiative, which brings together educators, health professionals, change-makers and community leaders tochampioncommu- nity health. Let’s Eat Healthy aims to teach, support and inspirehealthy eatinghabits andhelp make healthy, wholesome foods accessi- ble and affordable to all. Leaders in food andagriculturecancollaborate inbuilding healthier communitiesby joiningLet’sEat Healthy at HealthyEating.org/Join. By inviting cross-sector collaboration and appreciating the influence of eth- nicity, culture, religion and education on food choices, the movement empowers healthier communities by finding realistic solutions toaddressdisparities inaccess to education and high-quality, wholesome foods—two areas that can impact lifelong health and success. (TammyAnderson-Wise is theCEOof the DairyCouncilofCaliforniaandmaybecon- tactedatAndersonT@dairycouncilofca.org.)

Nutrition educa- tion programs can establish healthy eating

and organizations concerned about the availability of nutritious foods are shining a light on the fact that low-income popu- lations areexposed to health risks at higher rates than other populations. These challeng-

patterns for children and

influence their academic and lifelong success.

Tammy Anderson-Wise

es are often concentrated inmarginalized communities that historicallyhave less ac- cess tonutritious, culturally relevant foods, education, health care and technology. Making nutrition equity a reality across California’s varied communities relies on organizations and sectors all working to- gether to embrace cultural diversity, ac- knowledgedisparitiesandadaptapproach- es to ensure all children are supported to growhealthfully. As an organization dedi- catedtoelevatingthehealthofchildrenand families, Dairy Council of California looks forward toworking alongside our agricul- tural community in this effort. For many children, access to nutrition education, healthy food and support for optimal nutrition is severely limited. In California, food insecurity impacts one in seven children, withmany lacking essen- tial nutrientsdue tounderconsumptionof fruits, vegetables and dairy foods. Federal and state nutrition assistance programs designed to boost access to nu- tritious foods like thosegrowninCalifornia provide a critical safety net for communi- ties inCalifornia and beyond.

Access to high-quality foods including fruits,vegetables,milkanddairyproducts is especially important. Research shows that eating patterns established at an early age influence academic and lifelong success. Foodandbeveragechoicesaffect risk levels for obesity, hypertensionanddiabetes. In2021,California tookboldsteps to im- prove food access for young people when it became the first state in the nation to of- fer free school meals for all children. Gov. Gavin Newsom also expanded the state’s FarmtoSchool program, providing grants to schools to procure locally grown foods. This important programispart of the solu- tion to achieving nutrition equity. Millions of children and their fami- lies rely on federal nutrition assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Programand the School Breakfast Program. According to research, school meal participants overall consume more nutrient-dense foods such as dairy prod- ucts, vegetables, fruits andwhole grains. Identifying barriers to health and allo- cating resources to remove those barri-

ers are also a key part of nutrition equity. Addressing environmental conditions where people live, learn, work, play and gather iscritical because theyare intercon- nectedwithhealthyoutcomes forchildren, families and communities. Many underserved communities suffer froma lackof crediblenutritioneducation. Alongwithensuringaffordableandacces- sible nutrient-rich foods and beverages, nutrition education is important to sup- port the health of children and families. Children need evidence-based nutri- tion education to navigate through the large amount of information available in today’s tech-connected world. Nutrition education leads to informed eating deci- sions and establishes healthy eating pat- ternswhile increasingagricultural literacy and knowledge of how food gets from the farm to the plate. By advocating for science-based nutri- tion education that meets people where they are, food and agricultural communi- ties canenhanceknowledge, understand- ing and value for wholesome, nutritious

VOL. 49, NO. 11

March 16, 2022

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2 Ag Alert March 16, 2022

Steady markets, growing conditions favor cabbage

MarketingService.USDAlumpedImperial andCoachellavalleycabbagewithproduct fromwesternArizona andMexico. Of the markets, Howington said that “just fromthemovement, it’sbeena typical year. The harvest has gone pretty smooth- ly as far as being able to keep up with the fields and not getting behind.” This is true even though labor has “al- ways been a challenge,” he noted, “espe- cially paying for it—it’s more and more expensive, like everything else.” “Whether you’re speaking cabbage or

anyother vegetable, you’reat themercyof somanydifferent variables—(andcaught) betweenmarket conditions, demand, la- bor cost and availability, fuel cost” and material expenses, including for fertilizer, tractor parts and tires, he said. “Sometimeswe’re forcedtospendmon- ey that we shouldn’t have to spend just to make sure we have something when we need it,”Howingtonsaid. “I’mgoing tocall it a complicated year in that respect.” (Kevin Hecteman i s an ass i stant editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at khecteman@cfbf.com.)

ByKevinHecteman I r i s h e y e s a r e s m i l i n g u p o n California cabbage growers in time for St. Patrick’s Day. “So far, everything’s looking good as far as all the varieties,” said Frankie Oliver, field supervisor at Pacific Fresh Produce inOxnard. “It’s beengoodquality, andev- erything’s coming along just right.” In Imperial County, Scott Howington started planting organic cabbage trans- plants inearlySeptember inhis fieldsnear Holtville and El Centro. “Quality-wise, it’s beenexcellent—probablyoneof ourbetter (seasons),”Howington said. In2019, themost recent yearwith state- wide figures available, California farmers planted 14,800 acres of cabbage and har- vested 14,500, according to the California Departmentof FoodandAgriculture. Yield was 410 tons of cabbage per acre, worth just north of $212.2million. Cabbage acreage in the state was rela- tivelysteady throughout the2010s, accord- ing to CDFA, trending slightly downward from 13,700 planted acres in 2010 before growing to a high of 14,900 acres in 2017. Oliverhas red, greenandsavoycabbage inhis Ventura County fields. “The stuff that we’re in right now was plantedinearlyNovember; that’s just com- ingoff rightnow,”Oliver said. “The redand savoy take a little bit longer, but the green is probably a couple weeks earlier as far as harvest.” Oliver’sbiggestheadacheso far is thedi- amondbackmoth, whichhas been vexing growers inVenturaCountyandelsewhere. “In larval form, it’s like a worm,” Oliver said. “It just goes into the head and dam- ages the crop. Sometimes, it’s unharvest- able. They have to spray a little bit more, andcosts goupbecauseof that. Therewas major pressure last summer.” The pest is dealtwiththroughadditional spraysorbug vacuums, he said. Inthe ImperialValley, thewinter vegeta- ble season is nearing its conclusion. “It’s that time of year where it’s getting warm, a lot of wind, so that’s always hard to deal with,” Howington said, explaining, it’s “pretty much a normal ending for the winter vegetable season down here.” Most of the desert vegetable crops will finish within the next couple of weeks, Howington said. Cabbage could be ex- tended another week or more depending on quality and availability. “If they’re shipping it out ofWatsonville and they have product up there, then ob- viously there’s no reason to truck it from here,” Howington said. “If they don’t have it, andwehave thequality,we’ll extendour season downhere.” Ol iver said markets have most ly bounced back from the onset of COVID restrictions inMarch 2020, when “every- thing shut down, as well as our business, and nobody bought anything,” he said. “After that, after acoupleweeksor acou- ple months, it bounced back a little bit,”

Oliver said, adding that current markets are steady. “It’s remained up and down, just almost normal, and as far as supplies, it’s remained steady as well.” As of March 11, round green cabbage from the Imperial and Coachella val- leys was selling for $14.35 to $18.55 for a 50-pound carton, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural

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March 16, 2022 Ag Alert 3

From The Fields ®

From the Fields is a firsthand report featuring insights from farmers and ranchers across the Golden State, including members of the California Farm Bureau. If you would like to be a contributor to From the Fields, submit your name, county of membership and contact information to agalert@cfbf.com.

Photo/Lodi Winegrape Commission

Photo/Rob Andrew

Bruce Fry San Joaquin County winegrape grower

David Sasuga San Diego County farmer

Labor is still tight, and it is difficult to attract and retain workers. As a conse- quence, our wages are going up even beyond the mandatory state increase. This is combined with increased costs for fuel, fertilizer and other raw materials, and is further complicated by supply-chain issues. The Omicron variant exacerbated the labor crunch, causing absences, resulting in more overtime, which was combined with California’s new 40-hour workweek for agricultural workers. Farms, nurser- ies and landscapers are competing for the same labor pool. There’s additional competition from other trades and service industries. We raised our prices, but not nearly enough to keep up with the increased costs we are experiencing. This has been incredibly challenging, and it demonstrates that being prepared for the tough times is how you survive. In our case, being prepared among other things meant maintaining a strong balance sheet with minimal debt. Fortunately, the market for herbs and vegetables (our products) and orna- mental plant products (many of our neighbors’) is very strong and the outlook is good. We are definitely beyond the recovery mode and back to a very strong growth scenario. Our product is used primarily in restaurants, so as COVID rules are relaxed, our business is trending upward because of it. With travel increasing and with trade shows and conventions back on the schedule, hotels and restaurants are filling back up, and we are doing our best to supply them.

Bud break in the winegrapes hasn’t happened yet. There might be a little bit starting to show up, but from what I see, it is likely five to seven days later than last year. Everyone in the Lodi area is finishing up pruning. The labor situation is short and shorter than last year. A lot of growers are doing piece work instead of hourly work, because of the cost of the hourly wage, and are trying to keep the pruning cost down. Irrigation is going to start early. Water is a huge concern. Here we are in the third year of drought. In the Lodi area, we got more rain this year than last year or the year before, but we’re still not at normal supplies. We’re still lacking a lot of rainfall. We got some good, deep moisture, but the top (soil) moisture is dissi- pating. The forecast is dry, so there’s nothing coming. It is very concerning, but as a farmer, you have to deal with Mother Nature. Related to the 2021 wine crop, every block seemed to be a little bit different. Some were average and some were a little bit above average, so it was a mixed bag. Wineries are looking to buy grapes, but there’s not a lot available due to those who got a couple-year contract last year, so there’s not a lot of open fruit. Hopefully, that will keep the market strong. It depends on the sales, but many are saying that the market outlook for winegrapes seems to be positive.

Ritta Martin Glenn County rancher

After an optimistic amount of rain late last year, the winter and spring in Glenn County have been extremely dry and warmer than usual, with the exception of the late-February freeze that devastated the almonds. Here on the ranch, we’ve only re- ceived a quarter-inch of rain since Jan. 1. That moisture was quickly eliminated with days and days of north wind. The rangeland feed conditions are more like early May rather than mid-March. At this point, a “Miracle March” will almost be too late, as the desirable native grasses have already gone to seed. Future moisture will drive a strong crop of yellow starthistle. Local ranchers are already making the tough decisions to destock their ranches be- cause the feed and water are gone. The cattle market volatility continues, and we can as- sume the prices will be driven down as dry conditions cause continued sell-off of herds. We’re about a week away from branding spring calves. The native feed has been short, but what we have has been strong; the calves are looking robust. I have a small group of Boer nannies that should kid any time. The rest of the nannies kidded in October and November. I would normally hold on to those kids and market them at around 65 pounds. With the feed conditions this year, though, I will probably have to sell early. This will lighten the feed needed for them, plus make it easier for the nannies to maintain body condition and breed back, without a lot of supplemental feed.

Photo/Ariella Marie Photography

4 Ag Alert March 16, 2022

Daniel Bays Stanislaus County farmer

It’s sunny and dry. The almonds look pretty good. Bloom is finished on those, and the apricot bloom was a little spotty, but overall, it looks like there will be a potential for a decent crop. We had good weather for the bee flight, so there were lots of hours of bees out in the field working. We’ve had a little bit of wind lately. Most of the pollination was done by then, so what that wind did was just sped up petal fall. We had a cold spell like the rest of the state, and it looks like on most of our fields, there was minimal frost damage. We’ve been doing some groundwork for some of our tomatoes, beans and other row crops. I think this year we’re going to have some tomatoes depending on what water district we’re in, but a lot of our open ground, es- pecially (ground) that is dependent on Central Valley Project water, is going to be fallowed just because of the 0% allotment. We’re using wells in a lot of places already. We’re getting pipelines and pumps and everything serviced and in working order because we’ll be depending on wells throughout the rest of the year. The recycled water that Del Puerto Water District is getting from the city of Modesto and the city of Turlock is a lifesaver this year. It comes out to about 6 inches per acre in the district, which is not enough to grow a crop with, but that’s why we’ll fallow some ground. We have groundwater, but we’ll take that recycled water allotment and use that on fields where we don’t have access to groundwater.

Photo/Christine Souza

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March 16, 2022 Ag Alert 5

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C A L I F O R N I A

FieldCrops A SPECIAL GROWERS’ REPORT OF AG ALERT ®

Water decisions for corn get new urgency in drought

ByKathyCoatney California’s third consecutive year of drought means continued challenges for growing corn. Konrad Mathesius, a Universi ty of Cal i fornia Cooperat i ve Ex t ens ion agronomy adv i sor for Sacramento, Solano andYolo counties, has some advice. Mathesius suggests two strategies for successful irrigation management in corn. First, determine how much water will actually be available during the growing season and at what time, he said. Second, it is important to manage the environment around the corn. Growers should know that any reduction in water will reduce yields, Mathesius said. He offers this strong caution: There are times during the growth cycle when irrigation should never be reduced. “The twoweeks leading up to and the twoweeks after silking is the most critical time, and that’s when you’re not going to reduce anything,”Mathesius said. “No defi- cit irrigation. Keep watering with crop evapotranspira- tive demand, and avoidmoisture stress.” The time to consider reducing irrigation is after all the pollination has occurred and the kernels have set, he said. Then, it is possible to slightly reduce water during this period, but only if the soil has enough moisture. “At that point, you’re coasting to the finish line, right? In silage corn, you’re coasting to 50%milk line; in grain corn, you’re coasting to black line,” Mathesius said. “In both cases, you still need to make sure that your crop has the water that it needs. But you can monitor your soil moisture and scale back if it seems like the corn will have enough as it’s approaching its maturity.” He said the corn crop “is going to be able tomine that soil moisture, continue to create carbohydrates, push those carbohydrates into the seed, and fill up the actual kernels.” But he said growers are “going to take a hit” no matter when irrigation is reduced. “The question is howmuch of a hit (growers will face), and stress in the final stages of maturity is relatively less of a hit,” Mathesius said. He warned against skimping on water at the begin- ning, and he said tomake sure that roots have a place to explore, because they don’t go where there is no water. “People think that roots will go down and will push through dry areas to hone in on water,” Mathesius said. “That’s not actually what happens. What happens with roots is that they continue to explore wet areas and die off if they run into dry areas. They’re like probes being sent out in deep space, and the ones that send signals back like, ‘Oh, there’s water here,’ they’re the ones that get maintained and continue to explore.” In short, according toMathesius, the cropdoesn’t have a sixth sense. It doesn’t know where water is before it encounters it, so it just continues to explorewherewater has been found. “So, if you have water in your profile, at a reasonable depth, the roots are going to be able to follow that as

With another drought year, farmers who grow corn may need to focus on varieties that require a shorter season and less water.

See CORN, Page 8

March 16, 2022 Ag Alert 7

Corn Continued from Page 7

of their life cycle, which canprevent them from taking some really big yield hits.” Furthermore, a shorter season will re- quire less water simply because the over- all number of growing dayswill be fewer,” Mathesius said. “The worst thing that can happen is that you get blanks in that reproductive phase,” he said. “It’s just too hot, there’s not enough water, the plant can’t cool itself off, so the pollen dies and doesn’t fertilize and create that seed. And that’s reallywhat you’re trying to avoid ... stress during that period.” Us ing late-season var i et i es i s a risk-management strategy because growers may not know exactly how much water they’ll have ahead of time, Mathesius said. Having at least some of the acreage planted later, with short-sea- son varieties, helps spread the risk. Later planting dates will also give growers more time to determine how much wa- ter they will have available. Many growers don’t want to plant short-season varieties because they result in lower yields. But in a drought year, Mathesius said, having a low- yield outcome versus no yield at all may be a compel l ing argument for changing varieties. (Kathy Coatne y i s a repor t e r in Bend, Oregon. She may be contacted at kacoatney@gmail.com.)

they mature and get established,” he said. “They’re essentially setting up the logistical networks for later in the season, which your cropwill be able to draw from as it matures.” Mathesius’ No. 1message is to keep the plant fromstressing during reproductive phase, when it’s leading up to tassel and silking, because that’s the one time not to stress the plant. The second strategy is to control the environment around the corn by reduc- ing competition for water and taking steps tomaintainwhatever water is avail- able within the soil profile. Weeds will take upmoisture, so it’s im- portant to control them early on to pre- serve water for the corn, Mathesius said. “Corn is very, very water dependent. In a year where water is the problem, you have to invest in your corn if you’re going to grow any at all,” he said. “Grain corn prices are going to be impacted by commodity markets. But in silage corn, the idea would be that any corn that you do grow is probably going to be pretty valuable, because there’s not going to be a lot of it.” So, if growers plant corn, he said, com- mit to it, and spend the time upfront con- trolling the weeds. “It’s going to be less of a fight with

Konrad Mathesius, a University of California Cooperative Extension agronomy advisor, says water management will be critical for corn this year. The crop must get full irrigation during critical weeks.

(weeds) in the seedling stage,”Mathesius continued. He said weed management early on is important, but it’s critical in a tight water year. Maintaining residues and avoiding or minimizing tillage may help soil mois- ture. If weed seeds aren’t stirred up, that can help reduce weeds in a field,

Mathesius said, acknowledging that a lot of growers don’t have no-till drills. Another option in a drought is to plant short-season varieties later in the year. “You can still get a crop all the way to the end if you plant it a little later,” Mathesius said. “Those varieties will spend less time in the vulnerable periods

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8 Ag Alert March 16, 2022

State allocates $49 million to help local water systems

help replenish diminishing supplies. Program funding wi l l a l so he lp California tribal communities with water systemupgrades inDelNorte,Mendocino and Sonoma counties. Since the program’s inception, the pro- gramhas awardedmore than$142million in funding to 68 projects in 25 counties. Those who submitted project proposals are seeking a total of $374million. The Small Community Drought Relief Programhas received a total of $190 mil- lion in state grants, authorized by the California Legislature in 2021.

DWR announced the first round of pro- gramfunding inAugust. Some$48million in funding remains. Eligible projects must be designed to provideinterimor immediaterelief tosmall communitiesthatarenotservedbyapublic or private urban water supplier. Agencies thatqualifyare those thatprovideservice to more than3,000 customers or supplymore than3,000acre-feet ofwater inayear. Formore informationabout otherDWR and state drought response efforts and funding programs, go to drought.ca.gov.

EighteenCaliforniacommunities,water districts and tribes will receive about $49 million in water system funding from the CaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResources. Financial and technical assistance for communities facing water-supply chal- lenges are being distributed through the agency’sSmallCommunityDroughtRelief Program. As California faces a third con- secutive year of drought, the allocation marks the sixth round of local funding through the program. “As California’s drought continues, we cannot let our guard downwhen it comes to preparing vulnerable communities for the drymonths ahead,” said Kris Tjernell, DWR deputy director of integrated wa- tershed management. “We will continue working with the State Water Resources Control Board to invest in long-termsolu- tions tobolsterdrought resilienceandhelp ensure that everyCalifornianhas access to safe, cleanwater.” DWRofficials coordinatedwith thestate water board to target financial assistance topay forwater infrastructure ineconom- ically disadvantaged communities. Funding recipients included water districts in need of system repairs and other assistance. In Lake County, Konocti CountyWater District will receive $4.3million to replace leaky pipelines and expand the distribu- tion system to consolidate service and buildwater lines connecting to the neigh- boring Lower Lake CountyWater District andHighlandsMutualWater Company. In Mono County, the Lundy Mutual WaterCompanywill receive$2.6millionto repair water system leaks that have added to challenges of water shortages. In Mendocino County, the Redwood Valley County Water District will re- ceive $1.8 million to help pay for drill- ing a new well. The district’s service area lacks a reliable water source and must purchase surplus water from

neighboring districts to meet demands. In Kings County, the Kettleman City Community Services District received $165,200 to purchasewater for health and safety needs . In Santa Cruz County, the commu- ni ty of Waterman Gap is receiving $113,200 to improve its water system and start a hauled-water program to

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March 16, 2022 Ag Alert 9

such, U.S. andCanadiangrowers “stand to gain fromtheBlackSea tradedisruptions,” the association said, adding it expects “plenty of volatility in the coming days.” With strong demand for sunflower oil even before Russia attacked Ukraine, Driver said he expects American farmers will pick up some of the slack by planting more sunflowers this year and potentially next year. But he said the increased acre- agewon’tbesubstantial becauseof limited milling capacity in theU.S. for the oilseed. “You’renot going to see traditional corn growers stop growing corn and grow sun- flowers instead,” he said. The Dakotas are the nation’s leading producer of sunflowers, with 78% of U.S. acreage. Together, the two states planted a littlemore than 1million acres last year. That’s compared to 16.8 million acres in Ukraine and 15.4million acres inRussia. InCalifornia, farmers areon track tobe- ginplantingsunflowersnextweek.Acreage here reached 46,000 in 2021, up from 44,100 acres in 2020, according to USDA. But with the state’s ongoing drought and curtailments onwater for farming, people in the business say competition for land and water to grow sunflowers and other annual crops remains fierce. Sutter County farmerDavidRichter has been growing sunflowers for 18 years. He said his cropping plans remain “up in the Sunflowers Continued from Page 1

Even though there has been no impact so far to thecropCaliforniagrowerswill be planting this year—the seeds ofwhichwill be sold to farmers worldwide to produce the 2023 crop—Howe said some of those seedsmay endup sitting inawarehouse if the Russia-Ukrainewar continues. “This ripple effect—where does it go? How long does it last?” he asked. Becausemost sunflower seeds are bred tobe sown for a specific region,Howe said certified seed to be grown in Russia and Ukraine are not typically sold to other re- gions such as the United States. If they’re stored properly, seeds that haven’t been treated with fungicides or insecticides couldbe sold for two to three years. He es- timates about 75%to85%of the sunflower seeds produced in the state are exported, with the restmarketed toU.S. farmers. DriverofNuseedsaidhe thinks sunflow- er seedproduction inCaliforniacould rise as seedcompanies that hadproduction in Ukraine and Russia now look for alterna- tive locations. “The demand that was forecasted pri- or to this invasion and conflict was pretty strong for sunflowers globally,” he said. “We are seeing an uptick in overall acre- age around the world. I think both of those are driving more production here inCalifornia.” (ChingLeeisanassistanteditorofAgAlert. Shemaybe contactedat clee@cfbf.com.)

Market dis- ruptions from the Russia- Ukraine war have added uncertainty for California sun- flower grow- ers and seed producers.

air” because he doesn’t know howmuch water he will get on his Sacramento River Settlement contract. But he saidhe’s going to try toplant sunflowersbecause theyuse the leastamountofwatercomparedtooth- er field crops he usually grows. “I’mstretchinga limitedsupplyofwater the best I can with crops that don’t take a lot of water, such as sunflowers,” he said. Compared to corn, wheat or safflower, sunflowers historically have been a high- er-value rotational crop for California farmers, saidDanHowe, locationmanag- er for Remington Seeds inColusaCounty. The company works with farmers to pro- duce seeds for seed companies, and in recent years, he said there has been an upward trend in the company’s sunflower acreage in the state. But this year, landand water availability has reduced plantings. D.J. Ehresman, aRemingtonagronomist

and fieldrepresentative, said thecompany is on the verge of finalizing contracts with growers, withabout 90%of its acreage “set in stone.” Those contracted fields stretch from Chico to Stockton. Due to reduced surface-water allocations, he saidgrowers with access to wells will “play a pretty big role” in producing sunflowers this year. Howe said he is not aware of any seed companiesmakingmajorcroppingchang- es to the current growing season, as most of them are moving forward as though “wehavea relativelynormal sales season.” However, he said he also thinks “a good chunk” of Russia and Ukraine’s 2022 crop won’t beplantedand that seedcompanies are positioning themselves for that. “You can’t have a conflict between the two largest sunflower-growingcountries in the world and there not being an impact,” he said. “Thequestion is howbig andhow long. That’s the uncertainty of it all.”

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10 Ag Alert March 16, 2022

Pest management research efforts get new state funding

leaching; and increase populations of beneficial insects, fishes, birds and game—all of which are very important in creating sustainable, climate-smart agricultural operations.” University of California, Riverside, grant project collaborators will receive $994,551 in BIFS grants to develop eco- logically based pest management prac- tices for hemp. Nearly $500,000 in funding will go to targeting eggs of the Arizona spotted lan- tern fly. The invasive pest was established in Pennsylvania in 2014, causing man-

agement challenges for grape, fruit trees and native forests. If it were to establish in California, it could pose a significant threat tomany California crops. The goal of the BIFS grant program is to fund biologically based farming sys- tems that employ integrated pest man- agement strategies. The IPM Solutions Program devel- ops management strategies to target exotic pests that are expected to arrive in California. The program seeks alter- native remedies to the use of harsher, broad-spectrum insecticides.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has awarded nearly $1.5 million for pest management research. In a statement, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said the funds distributed this month will combat potentially danger- ous agricultural pests and support the state’s Biologically Integrated Farming Systems and Proactive Integrated Pest

Management programs. “These projects will support farmers in California providing additional and lower risk tools to combat pests while maintaining food and crop production,” Ross said. “Both the BIFS and Proactive IPM programs have been found to re- duce pesticide use; improve soil fer- tility; decrease erosion and nitrogen

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March 16, 2022 Ag Alert 11

Applications open for 2023 Ag Innovation Challenge

Applications areopen for the2023Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, an en- trepreneurial competition sponsored by the American FarmBureau Federation in partnershipwith FarmCredit. Now in its ninthyear, this national busi- ness competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solu- tions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Farm Bureau is offering $165,000 in startup funds throughout the course of the competition. The Innovation Challenge will culmi- nate in the top10 semifinalists competing ina livepitchcompetition in front of Farm Bureaumembers, investors and industry representatives at the AFBF Convention in January in San Juan, Puerto Rico. “Innovation is at the heart of every- thing farmers and ranchers do,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a state- ment. “TheAg InnovationChallenge is an outstanding avenue for identifying and supporting startup businesses striving to solve the problems facing rural America. I look forward to seeing the innovative, resourceful and creative solutions that Challenge applicants submit.” Applications remain open through April 29, and the 10 semifinalist teams will be announced Sept. 13. Each of the semifinalist teams will be award-

ed $10,000 and a chance to compete to advance to the final round, where four teams will receive an additional $5,000 each. The final four teams will compete for these awards: • Fa rm Bu reau Ag Innova t i on Challenge Winner, for a total of $50,000. • FarmBureauAg InnovationChallenge Runner-up, for a total of $20,000. • People’s Choice Team selected by public vote, for an additional $5,000. All 10 semifinalist teams compete for this honor. Prior to the live pitch competition, the top 10 semifinalist teams will par- ticipate in pitch training and men- torship from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business faculty, and network with representatives from the Agriculture Department’s Rural Business Investment Companies. Entrepreneurs must be members of a county or parish Farm Bureau with- in their state of residence to qualify as a semifinalist. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members can visit www. fb.org/about/join to learn about becom- ing a member. Applications must be received by 8:59 p.m. April 29.

Agricultural Market Review

Quotations are the latest available for the week ending March 11, 2022 Year Ago Week Ago Latest Week Livestock Slaughter Steers – 5-Area Average Select & Choice, 1050–1150 lbs., $ per cwt. 114 138-142 140 Hogs – Average hog, 51-52% lean, Iowa-Minn. market, $ per cwt. 87.81 97.71 99.57 Slaughter Lambs – $ per cwt. 125–175 lbs. National weekly live sales 159-168 185-226 188-400 Field crops – basis prompt shipment Barley – U.S. No. 2, $ per cwt. Truck, Stockton-Modesto-Oakdale-Turlock No Quote No Quote No Quote Cotton – ¢ per lb., Middling 1 3/32” Fresno spot market 77.22 90.92 88.75 Corn – U.S. No. 2 yellow $ per cwt. trucked 6.74 9.10 9.18 Alfalfa Hay – $ per ton, quality*, FOB Region 1, Northern Inter-mountain 190-240 (F/G/P) 295 (G/P) 295 (G/P) Region 2, Sacramento Valley No Quote No Quote No Quote Region 3, Northern San Joaquin Valley 250-285 (P/S) No Quote 400-415 (S) Region 4, Central San Joaquin Valley No Quote No Quote No Quote Region 5, Southern California 259 (P) 340 (P) 18.95-19.95 (per bale) Region 6, Southeast Interior 225-240 (S) 275-321 (G/P) 310-355 (P/S) Oat Hay – $ per ton, quality*, FOB Northern California, dairy No Quote No Quote No Quote Oats – U.S. No. 2 white, $ per cwt. Statewide, trucked price No Quote No Quote No Quote

Dry Beans – Grower FOB prices Baby Limas, $ per cwt, (sacked) Large Limas, $ per cwt. (sacked) Blackeye, $ per cwt. (sacked)

No Quote No Quote No Quote

Rice – Milled No. 1 Head, FOB No. Calif. mills Medium grain, $ per cwt. Wheat – U.S. No. 2 or better, winter, $ per cwt. 13% protein, Los Angeles, trucked price

38-41

49-52

11.75 (No. 3) No Quote Provided by the California Farm Bureau as a service to Farm Bureau members. Information supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market News Branch. * ADF=Acid detergent fiber; (S) = Supreme/<27%ADF; (P) = Premium/27-29; (G) = Good/29-32; (F) = Fair/32-35. No Quote

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