Ag Alert Jan. 26, 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.

Shrinking acreage Tomato farmers cut back over water shortages

Policy guide Read 2022 policies of California FarmBureau

Page 3

Pages 12-41

www.cfbf.com • www.agalert.com JANUARY 26, 2022

Trees & Vines ® Dairy & Livestock ®

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

ByChing Lee Impacts of California’s Proposition 12—whichsetsminimumspacingrequire- ments for breeding pigs, egg-laying hens and veal calves—have rippled from farms to fairs this year, as youngpeoplewhoraise project animals for exhibitiongrapplewith implications of the new law. The biggest impact is expected to be felt by people raising hogs as the state imple- ments the finalphaseofProposition12, ap- provedbyCaliforniavoters in2018.Specific requirements forveal calvesandegg-laying henswent intoeffect in2020.Asof Jan.1this year, additional requirements foregg layers andaminimumhousingspaceof24square feet for breedingpigswent intoeffect. Thehousing requirementsdonot apply to 4-H programs and during exhibitions such as fairs and rodeos. However, state agricultural officials say junior livestock exhibitors whowant to sell eggs or project pigs into thegeneral foodchainmust com- plywith theminimumhousing standards. Because studentswho raiseproject ani- mals spendconsiderable timeandmoney caring for their animals,Matt Patton, exec- utivedirectorof theCaliforniaAgricultural Teachers’Association, saidtheywon’thave aproblemcomplyingwithProposition12. The concern, he said, is over administra- tive costs and burdens on processors that contract with fairs for the resale hogs. “What it comes down to for us is the amount of paperwork that is going to be required that is going to keep these pro- cessing plants fromtaking these animals,” he said. “Without that outlet, these fairs will have a really difficult time marketing these animals.” TheCaliforniaDepartment of Foodand Agriculture is finalizing rules and regula- tions for implementing and enforcing the law.According todraft regulations, allmar- ket hogs sold through junior livestockauc- tions going into the “resale” channelmust have documentation showing proof they came from farms certified as Proposition 12-compliant. The rule does not apply to See LIVESTOCK, Page 42 Hog rules could impact junior livestock market

Josephine Cisneros harvests navel oranges in Tulare County. California’s navel crop is expected to be down this year by 20% and mandarins by 45%.

Citrus harvest falls in challenging year

By LisaMcEwen California’s citrus groves look remark- ablydifferent than theydid last year, when a record crop weighed down mandarin treesandnavel oranges stayedontrees late into the summer months due to shipping issues at congested ports. This season, bothmandarin and navel harvests are predicted to bemuch lighter andshorter in lengthdue todrought,water

and cost issues affecting this year’s crops.

“There were a lot of (navel) growers who still had fruit on the tree at the end of the year,” said CitrusMutual President Casey Creamer. “When your fruit is not picked at all, the following year’s crop is down significantly.” A c c o r d i n g t o t h e C a l i f o r n i a Department of Food and Agriculture’s Navel Orange Objective Measurement

On the bright side, a steady, manage- able supply of fresh citrus is ready for con- sumerswantinghealthy, vitaminC-packed fruit. Yet severalweeks into the season, the marketing committee for the California CitrusMutual trade associationpredicted the navel crop will be down 20%, and the mandarin crop will drop as much as 45% fromthe 2020-21 season.

See CITRUS, Page 10

n e w s p a p e r

Comment.......................................2 Trees & Vines...............................7 Dairy & Livestock..................... 43 Classifieds................................. 50 Inside

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When it comes to water decisions, we are all farmers

ByChris Scheuring Wendell Berry famously said that eat- ing is anagricultural act. Thatmakes all of us into farmers, andnowhere is thatmore true than in water terms. For farming is irreducibly the process of mixing dirt, water and sunshine to

the flora and fauna that are dependent upon our rivers and streams. Gone are the days in California when a grizzly bear might paw a salmon out of the Suisun Marsh, but we can work to- gether to find non-zero-sum water and habitat solutions that would take ad- vantage of opportunities to protect and rehabilitate species of concern, where it can be done without disproportionate human impact. Again and again through public enactment, Californiahas demon- strated itswill to keep the environment in mind as we move forward. Further, we must also carry forward processes to develop newwater supplies for California’s farms and growing cit- ies, whether those are storage facilities above groundor belowground, or storm- water capture and aquifer recharge, or desalination or recycling. In the face of a changing hydrology and the expected loss of snowpack, we simply cannot ac- commodate serious discussion on the demand side of water questions without working on the supply side. Otherwise, we are chasing a receding goalpost—and we will not get there. Finally, remember that farming is not a question of “if” but “where.” We’re go- ing to eat—all of us around the world— and we’re going to farm in order to do so. So we should protect California’s agricultural water supplies, because the case for California water being used on California’s farms is strong. (Chris Scheuring is senior counsel for the California Farm Bureau. He may be contacted at cscheuring@cfbf.com. This article was originally published by Cal Matters, calmatters.org/commentary/ 2022/01/the-importance-of-californias- agricultural-water-supplies/)

bring forth from the ground what we need to eat . And no ma t t e r who you are, it’s true: Somebody somewhere must devote a lot of wa- ter to the process of feeding you. Some have been sidestepping this

Chris Scheuring

fact in the ongoing policy evolutions over the way wemust capture, store andmove water inCalifornia.Yeteventhemostardent urbanenvironmentalists findthemselvesat thelocalgrocerystoreor thefarmersmarket filling their baskets withCalifornia-grown nuts, fruits andvegetables. Some of these crops can only be grown here or in one of the few similar agricul- tural climates around the world, in an irrigation-based agricultural economy. Take almonds, now and then the wh i pp i ng pos t o f Ca l i f o rn i a wa - ter use: They cannot be grown in a place where it rains in the summer. Iowa, for example, is awfully cold in February, which is precisely when almonds need mi ld Mediterranean winter weather for their blossoms to be pollinated. Mediterranean crops need a Mediterranean climate, which usually means mild winters and hot, dry summers.

The California Aqueduct flows between farm fields in Kern County. California’s irrigation-based agricultural economy has embraced water-efficiency measures and environmental stewardship.

Beyond that, the case for California ag- riculture ismade by our farming practic- es and their regulatory backdrop, what- ever natural reticence California farmers may have about being regulated. We do it more efficiently here—and with more oversight—than in most alternative ag- ricultural venues around the world. I would compare a California avocado fa- vorably to an avocado anywhere else in the world, on those terms. That’s why I have always thought that a subtle strain of NIMBYism runs through the retrograde ideas that some have about “reforming” agricultural water rights here and constraining the water projects that ultimately deliver food to the world. With nearly 8 billion people on the planet, pinching off California’s

agricultural water supplies is a game of whack-a-mole that will cause the same water issues to arise elsewhere. Without question, we must continue on our trajectory of making California farmingmorewater-efficient. If you have been watching California agriculture for a generation, you already know that much of the landscape has transitioned from old-fashioned flood and sprinkler irrigation to more efficient drip and mi- cro-sprinkler techniques—even in the case of row crops. Wemust continue this path; new technologies related to irriga- tion continue to be developed, including better monitoring of applied water and crop water use. We must also recognize inherent con- flicts between agricultural water use and

VOL. 49, NO. 4

January 26, 2022

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2 Ag Alert January 26, 2022

Water, fuel, fertilizer issues impacting tomato farmers

Unlike most years, tomato farmers al- ready have a set price for their crop this year. TheCTGAandprocessorsagreed last month on $105 per ton, up from$84.50 in 2021. Montna said inflation and farmers’ increasing costs of growing factored into the price boost, noting growers and pro- cessorsweremotivated to reach an agree- ment early. “From a processor perspective, they canmake commitments to their growers,” Montna said. “Fromagrower perspective, youcanknowwhat you’regoing togetpaid before you commit andmake the best de-

cisionwithyourwater, because that’s your limitedresource.”Havingapricenowgives everyone “the best chance to make the right decisions,” he said. Even with the price increase, “we still have tohaveareallygoodcrop, it looks like, to make money,” Barcellos said. “We just have somuch risk on the producers’ side withthis tomatocrop, andwhat yieldshave beendoing over thepast 10 years, it’s hard to justify putting a lot of acres in tomatoes right now.”

ByKevinHecteman The supply chain’s weak links and California’s fickle winter weather are clouding the forecast for the state’s pro- cessing-tomato farmers. Aaron Barcellos, a diversified grower in Los Banos, already cut his tomato acreage by more than half last year—from 2,000 acres to 900—due to water supply short- ages. This year, he’s cuttingback further, to 530 acres, andwater’s not theonly reason. “We’ve seenour cost just skyrocket over the past six or seven years,” Barcellos said. “It used to cost us around $3,000 an acre to grow tomatoes. We’re projecting costs of over $4,000 this year coming up. We just haven’t had the revenues tomatch it.” Yieldshavebeenflator trendingdownover the past decade, he added, and “we hav- en’t been able to get those yield increases to offset the cost increases.” Bruce Rominger, who grows tomatoes in Winters and serves as board chair- man of the California Tomato Growers Association, namedfuel andfertilizercosts among his top concerns. “Primarily for us, the fuel cost hurts us inourproduction,”Rominger said. “All our tractors, all our pickups, everythingwe do outhereburns fuel.Weareveryconcerned about what that does to our cost structure when we see our prices do what they’ve done in the last sixmonths.” In January 2021, tomato processors intended to contract for 12.1 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistical Service. That figurewas lowered twice as thedrought wore on—first to11.6 million tons in May, then to 11.1 million tons inAugust. The final harvest for 2021 was 10.8 million tons, well short of what growers Water deliveries get modest hike after Dec. storms California farmers and ranchers may see some modest relief in water alloca- tions this year. The California Department of Water Resources announced last week that it is increasing allocations for the State Water Project to 15% of requested water supplies for 2022. The limited promise represents an im- provement from last year. Last March, due to a lack of precipitation and snow- pack, DWR adjusted the SWP allocation for the 2021 water year to 5%, down from an initial allocation of 10%. Two consecutive years of drought led to the state’s adopting emergency water curtailments last year, which affected

wantedandprocessorsneeded, saidMike Montna, the president of CTGA . “It puts us in a pretty low inventory position where we’re going to have right around two months, maybe a little more than twomonths,worthof inventory start- ing June 1 based on projections,” Montna said. “That’s extremely tight.”

See TOMATOES, Page 46

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January 26, 2022 Ag Alert 3

Colusa Farm Show 2022

Exhibitor List

Ag Alert.................................................... Main Bldg 455 Ag Seeds Unlimited......................................Main Bldg 422 Ag Spray...........................................Main Parking 617-622 Ag Water Chemical................................... Atwood Hall 109 AgNet West Radio Network/AgNet Media.......................... ................................................................. Etchepare Hall 304 Agra Marketing Group.................................Main Bldg 429 AgriBusiness Financial Inc.........................Main Bldg 469 Agromillora Nursery.....................................Main Bldg 443 Air-O-Fan & Chico Farm & Orchard..............................Main Parking 626, 634 Allied Storage Containers....... Front Parking 1018-1019 Alternative Energy Systems........................Main Bldg 444 American International Mfg........Etchepare Hall 305-306 Amvt LLC........................................................Main Bldg 458 Antles Pollen..................................................Main Bldg 464 Apair Inc West................................................Mall Area 728 Armstrong & Associates Insurance Services..................... ........................................................................ Outside Area G ATI Machinery Inc..................................... Festival Hall 206 Atlas Building Solutions...................... Etchepare Hall 303 Atlas Consulting LLC................................ Atwood Hall 102 Bailey’s Inc....................................................Lawn Area 768 BCM Construction Co Inc...........................Main Bldg 408 Beeler Tractor Co.....................Lawn Area 738-739, 739A Bermad Inc.....................................................Main Bldg 468 Bidcal Online Auctions................................Main Bldg 450 Big Valley Divers Inc.....................................Main Bldg 438 Big W Sales.............................................Mall Area 700-701 Blue Diamond Growers................ Festival Hall 216, 216A Bradanini & Associates............................ Festival Hall 218 Briggs Mfg.................................................... Mall Area A & B Buhler - West Link.........................................Main Bldg 409 Burchell Nursery Inc................................ Festival Hall 214 C & C Engineering..................................Outside Area I & J CA Farm Bureau................................. Festival Hall 230 CA Highway Patrol........................................Main Bldg 474 CA Industrial Rubber Co.................... Main Bldg 402-403 CA Push-Pull, Inc...................................... Atwood Hall 115 CA Sun Growers LLC/Gradient Co...................................... ................................................................. Main Bldg 461-462 CA Walnut Co, Inc................................ Etchepare Hall 309 Carriere Family Farms......................... Etchepare Hall 312 Central Valley Gas & Storage................. Atwood Hall 114 Chico Electric............................................ Festival Hall 212 Chico Truck & RV.........................................Lawn Area 767 Cleanfix North America................................Main Bldg 400 Close Lumber............................................ Festival Hall 222 Coe Orchard Equipment...............Main Parking 648-651 Coit and Hwes LLC................................. Main Parking 602

Northstate Powersports.............................Lawn Area 753 Northtree Fire Intl..........................................Barn Area 809 Northwest Tillers..........................Outside Youth Bldg 747 NVB Equipment.................................... Barn Area 814-815 OMC & Wesco................................Main Parking 609-611, ................................................................... 628-629, 631-633 Omega Walnut Inc........................................Main Bldg 472 On Site Safety Services..............................Main Bldg 449 Orchard Carriers....................... Front Parking 1011-1012 Orchard Solutions.................................Mall Area 830-831 Pacific Distributing/Orchard Rite.......................................... .........................................Front Parking 1003-1004, 1004a Pacific Laser Inc.................................. Main Bldg 466-467 Pacific Southwest Irrigation............................ Atwood 106 Pape Machinery........... Main Parking 635-638, 645, 647 ......................................................../Mall Area 823, 832-833 PBM Supply & Mfg Inc............................................................ ...............................Main Parking/Etchepare Hall 618-619 Pearl Crop Inc................................................Main Bldg 451 Phytech...............................................Festival Hall 226-227 Poindexter Nut Co.........................................Main Bldg 419 Poly Riser & Pipe LLC.............................. Festival Hall 213 Porters Welding....................................... Main Parking 616 Premier Solar Energy............................... Atwood Hall 113 Premier Trailer Mfg. Inc......................Lawn Area 780, 787 Premier Water Cleaning Systems.............Outside Area D Progressive Ag Inc.................................. Main Parking 603 PureCrop1............................................. Etchepare Hall 318 Putman Auctioneers, Inc..............................Mall Area 724 Quality Scales Unlimited.................... Etchepare Hall 307 R.B. Spencer Inc...........................................Main Bldg 426 Ramos Oil Co.................................................Main Bldg 432 Rear’s Mfg.......................................................Mall Area 720 Riebes Auto Parts................................ Main Bldg 423-424 Rimrock Mfg.....................................Main Parking 659-660 Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers....................... Festival Hall 228 River Partners................................................Main Bldg 454 River Pursuit Guide Service.................... Atwood Hall 104 River Valley Community Bank....................Main Bldg 435 Roberson & Sons Insurance Services, Inc......................... ...................................................................... Atwood Hall 105 Rural Counties ESJPA........................ Main Bldg 414-415 RUSH Personnel Services................. Etchepare Hall 308 S & A Mfg........................................................Barn Area 817 Sacramento Valley Walnut Growers LLC............................ ...................................................................... Festival Hall 202 Schaeffer........................................................Main Bldg 412 Setton Pistachio........................................ Festival Hall 201 Sierra Gold Nurseries.............................. Atwood Hall 108 Sierra Valley Almonds, LLC.................... Festival Hall 231 Simplot........................................................ Atwood Hall 116 Sitech NorCal....................................... Main Bldg 427-428 Smith Power Products............. Front Parking 1015-1017 Soil Basics Corp...........................................Main Bldg 434 Solex.................................................................Mall Area 702 Steam Cleaners Inc.....................Outside Youth Bldg 733 SunWize Power & Battery...........................Main Bldg 404 Sunworks........................................................Main Bldg 413 Superior Tire Service............................. Main Parking 623 Surplus City....................................................Mall Area 710 Sutton Agricultural Enterprises..................Main Bldg 425 SWECO............................................. Pavilion 794, 797-798 T.M. Duche Nut Co.............................. Etchepare Hall 301 Thomas Mfg. Co..............................Main Parking 652-654 Truckers Choice Products.........................Outside Area H Twin Rivers Polaris...........................Stagehands Area 824 Twister Sprayers USA LLC.........................Lawn Area 765 UC Cooperative Extension..........................Main Bldg 456 Unruh Mfg................................................. Main Parking 640 USDA.............................................. Community Center TBD Valdez Eazy Tow Trailers MFG............. Main Parking 605 Valley Power Systems North................ Main Parking 612 Valley Tool & Mfg..........................................Lawn Area 781 Vantage- Sierra Cascade/Laserman Inc............................ ..............................................................Festival Hall 203-205 Water Labs.....................................................Main Bldg 436 WECO The Science of Optical Sorting............................... ...................................................................... Atwood Hall 110 Weiss McNair LLC.................................. Main Parking 604 ................................................................./Mall Area 834-835 Weldcraft Industries.......................Main Parking 606-608 ................................................................/Front Parking 1008 Western Nut Co/Anderson & Son Shelling......................... ...................................................................... Festival Hall 209 Western Power Products Inc................ Main Parking 646 Weston Buildings, Inc.............................. Festival Hall 229 Westside Spreading LLC............................Main Bldg 410 Wizard Mfg............................................... Main Parking 627 Woodland Draper Mfg......................... Front Parking 1014 Work & Play Powersports...............Lawn Area 738A, 741 Zenith Insurance...........................................Main Bldg 447

Colusa County Resource Conservation District....................................Main Bldg 431 Colusa Farm Credit......................................Main Bldg 420 Contour Motion/Cone Drive.......................Barn Area 801 Cortina Hulling and Shelling Group..........Main Bldg 407 Crain of CA............................................ Main Bldg 405-406 Cummins Inc............................................ Main Parking 630 Dave Wilson Nursery....................................Main Bldg 416 Davis Machine Shop Inc/Poly Riser & Pipe........................ .................................................Mall Area 703-705, 713-716 Deerpoint Group Inc................................. Atwood Hall 103 Denele Analytical Inc...................................Main Bldg 445 DeRuosi Nut...................................................Main Bldg 417 Diamond Foods LLC....................................Main Bldg 430 Diamond K Gypsum, Inc..................... Etchepare Hall 310 Driveline Service...........................................Main Bldg 421 Duarte Nursery, Inc............................. Etchepare Hall 311 Durham Pump, Inc............................Festival Hall 224-225 E and L Custom Ag Services................................................. ...............................................Lawn Area 661-662, 657-658 Elite Tire Service..........................................Lawn Area 759 Emcor Services Mesa Energy Systems.............................. ...................................................................... Festival Hall 220 Erick Nielsen Enterprises...................... Main Parking 614 Escalera Inc.....................................Main Parking 642-644 Exact Corp........................................... Lawn Area 751-752 Express Employment Professionals.........Main Bldg 437 EZ-On Lights.................................................Outside Area A Family Water Alliance...................................Main Bldg 457 Farmers Business Network.................... Festival Hall 223 Farmers Grain Services........................... Festival Hall 221 Farmers International Inc............................Main Bldg 418 Farmers Rice Cooperative...................... Festival Hall 232 Fastenal...........................................................Main Bldg 442 Feather River Electric Motors................. Festival Hall 215 Fieldin Inc.......................................................Main Bldg 440 Firman Pollen Co Inc........................... Etchepare Hall 317 Fisher Nut Co.................................................Main Bldg 465 Fleet Tracker, Inc...........................................Main Bldg 401 Flory Industries.....................Main Parking 615, 624, 625 Flynn’s Welding Machine Shop........... Main Parking 620 Four Seasons Gutter Filter.........................Outside Area B Fowler Nurseries...........................................Main Bldg 433 Frontier Performance Lubricants, Inc......Lawn Area 756 Fulcher Paint & Supply Inc...................... Atwood Hall 107 Garton Tractor.....................................Lawn Area 755, 766 GCI Insurance....................................... Etchepare Hall 302 Gearmore Inc......................Lawn Area 757-758, 763-764 George Peterson Insurance Agency........Barn Area 807 Gerlinger Steel..................................... Front Parking 1010

Gillison’s Variety Fab.......................... Lawn Area 760-761 Gizmo Enterprises........................................Barn Area 818 Glenn Engineering Inc....................Lawn Area 786, 786A Golden State Farm Credit....................... Festival Hall 219 Green Tree Nursery.................................. Atwood Hall 117 Growing with Biology...................................Main Bldg 470 Heat Tech Ind.................................................Barn Area 802 Heat Transfer Systems.........................Main Parking 1013 Heritage Ag Insurance Agency..................Main Bldg 446 Hilbers Inc............................................. Etchepare Hall 319 Hoblit Chevrolet Buick GMC................Mall Area 717-719 Hoblit Motors....................................... Lawn Area 773-775 Hoblit, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep................ Lawn Area 772A Holt Ag Solutions..................................................................... .......... Lawn Area 782-785, 795-796, 799, Livestock Off. Holt of CA................................... Front Parking 1005-1007 Hunt & Sons, Inc....................... Front Parking 1000-1001 Hutson Insurance Agency Inc....................Main Bldg 441 I-5 Rentals............................................Lawn Area 737, 743 Industrial Equipment Inc..................Festival Hall 210-211 Industrial Power Products....................Mall Area 726-727 Iron Tree Solutions.......................................Main Bldg 463 Jessee Equipment Mfg................................Main Bldg 452 Jessee Machine Works.................Main Parking 655-656 Jones & Dyer, A Professional Corp..........Outside Area C JP’s Arborshop.............................................Outside Area E Kaman Industrial Technologies..................Main Bldg 460 Kimball-Midwest............................................Main Bldg 411 Knotty Wood BBQ................................Main Parking 1002 Kraemer & Co Mfg Inc............................ Main Parking 601 Lane Tractor Sales Inc................................Lawn Area 754 Les Schwab Tire Center........................ Main Parking 600 Lidco Inc..................................................... Lawn Area 786B Live Wire Products, LLC..............................Barn Area 808 Lodi Pump & Irrigation.....................Atwood Hall 111-112 Lopez Ag Service..........................................Main Bldg 448 Mathews Powersports................................Lawn Area 740 Mechanical Irrigation Solutions, Inc.................................... ............................................................Main Parking 663-666 MJB Welding Supply................... Mall Area 721-723, 725 Morgan MFG. INC..................................... Festival Hall 208 Morning Star..................................................Main Bldg 439 Motion & Flow Control Products, Inc.......Outside Area F Munnell & Sherrill Inc...................................Barn Area 810 Myre Distributing..........................Etchepare Hall 314-316 N & S Tractor.................Stagehands Area/Mall Area 729, .................................................................. 734-736, 746, 822 Nelson Mfg Co Inc.................................. Main Parking 613 North State Solar Energy............................Main Bldg 453 North Valley Building Systems............... Festival Hall 217

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4 Ag Alert January 26, 2022

Show News Colusa Farm Show 2022 Fabled farm expo is back in action in Colusa County

After a year ’s absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Colusa Farm Show comes back to life Feb. 1-3 at the Colusa County Fairgrounds. This year’s showwill be the56thedition, welcoming farmers, ranchers and other agricultural professionals to learn about the latest in farming equipment and tech- niques.Hours are9a.m. to4p.m., Feb. 1-2, and9a.m. to3p.m., Feb. 3. Admissionand parking are free. The fairgrounds are at 1303 10th St., off Highway 20 inColusa. “Fordecades, theColusaFarmShowhas hosted numerous vendors from all over the state, even a few from neighboring states,” Colusa Farm Show Chairman Joe Steidlmayer saidinastatement. “Withover 300 vendors, there will be plenty of new and time-proven equipment to look over. Technology is one of the fastest-growing fields in the agricultural industry, and the Farm Show will have all of your needs in one area. So, if you are looking to improve your farm, ranch, or even your yard, it will be at the show.” Also at the show will be the California FarmBureau and Ag Alert® . While ambling about the fairgrounds, visitors are invited to stop by the Ag Alert® booth (Main Exhibit Building, No. 455) and chat with Brock Tessandori, the pub- lication’sbusinessdevelopmentmanager. The FarmBureau itself will be at Festival Hall,No. 230,wherestateandcountyFarm Bureaumembersandstafferswill bemeet-

The 55th Colusa Farm Show is back Feb. 1-3, after the annual Colusa County Fairgrounds event was interrupted last year by the pandemic. More than 300 vendors are participating this year.

ing FarmShowattendees. Hungry?FarmShowguestsmayriseearly andbringtheirappetitestotheColusaFarm ShowRabo AgriFinance Breakfast, which starts at 7 a.m., Feb. 2, at Saint Bernadette’s Hall, directlybehind the fairgrounds. This year’s breakfast, the 20th annu- al event, will be hosted by alumni from California StateUniversity, Chico, College of Agriculture, California Agriculture Leadership Foundat ion and Alpha Gamma Rho. Over the past two decades, thebreakfasthas raised$500,000 for schol- arship and leadership programs.

Rabo AgroFinance will present its an- nual economic outlook at the breakfast. Also appearing will be David Guy of the NorthernCaliforniaWaterAssociationand Roger Isom of the Western Agricultural Processors Association, who will discuss water and logistics issues.

Breakfast tickets are$50 inadvanceand $75at thedoor. Tobuy inadvance, call 530- 898-3737 or visit agleaders.org/Colusa- farm-show-breakfast. Formore information about theColusa FarmShow, see www.colusafairgrounds. com/farm-show/.

Saving Farms Saving Profits Saving Futures

CDFA seeks grant proposals TheCaliforniaDepartment of Foodand Agriculture is acceptinggrant proposals to support veterinary facilities.

Licence Plate program, including license platepurchasesor renewalsatDepartment of Motor Vehicles offices or through the DMVonline. The program, sponsored by the VeterinaryMedical Board, helps curb pet overpopulation inCalifornia by providing funding for spay and neuter services by municipalities and nonprofit groups.

CDFA ismakingup to $488,000 in fund- ing available to veterinary facilities that are in good standing with the California Veterinary Medical Board and operated bynonprofit groups or local governments. Themoney comes from the Pet Lover’s

CHAPTER 12

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KAWASAKI CARES: Read Owner’s Manual and all on-product warnings. Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this ʽơǠǫƃȍơࡳ¥ơʽơɭȶɢơɭŔʋơʠȥƎơɭʋǠơǫȥ˫ʠơȥƃơȶǉƎɭʠǌɽȶɭŔȍƃȶǠȶȍࡳáɭȶʋơƃʋʋǠơơȥʽǫɭȶȥȟơȥʋࡳþǠơŔˁŔɽŔȇǫ¡čFॾɽǫƎơˉɽǫƎơǫɽŔȥȶǉǉ࢛ ǠǫǌǠˁŔˊʽơǠǫƃȍơȶȥȍˊ࡬ŔȥƎǫɽȥȶʋƎơɽǫǌȥơƎ࡬ơɩʠǫɢɢơƎȶɭȟŔȥʠǉŔƃʋʠɭơƎǉȶɭʠɽơȶȥɢʠŹȍǫƃɽʋɭơơʋɽ࡬ɭȶŔƎɽȶɭǠǫǌǠˁŔˊɽࡳ¶ŹơˊʋǠơȍŔˁɽ ŔȥƎɭơǌʠȍŔʋǫȶȥɽʋǠŔʋƃȶȥʋɭȶȍʋǠơʠɽơȶǉˊȶʠɭʽơǠǫƃȍơࡳॼ ࠁ ߿ ࠀࠁ ŔˁŔɽŔȇǫ¡ȶʋȶɭɽ-ȶɭɢࡳ࡬čࡳòࡳࡳ CHICO CHICO FARM & ORCHARD 866-903-9060 chicofarmandorchard.com MODESTO KAWASAKI OF MODESTO 209-529-5424 www.hkmodesto.com

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KAWASAKI CARES: Read Owner’s Manual and all on-product warnings. Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off-highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped or manufactured for use on public streets, roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. ©2021 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

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January 26, 2022 Ag Alert 5

Make your next move your best move.

Winning seasons start with strong openings. To beat opponents that are constantly evolving, like bloom diseases, you need a strategic game plan: • Make the rst move with Scala ® at pink bud • Followed by Luna Sensation ® at bloom/petal fall • And close with Luna Experience ® at two weeks post petal fall That’s check and mate.

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ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Not all products are registered in all states and may be subject to use restrictions. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local dealer or representative for the product registration status in your state. Bayer, Bayer Cross, Luna Experience, ® Luna Sensation, ® and Scala ® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us. Bayer CropScience LP, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63167. ©2022 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

A SPECIAL GROWERS’ REPORT OF AG ALERT ® C A L I F O R N I A Trees & Vines ®

Farm advisors say nitrogen deficiency can limit berry size in table grape varieties, and applying too much nitrogen may delay maturity. But proper applications can enhance taste and appearance.

For grape growers, nitrogen can be an ally or enemy ByDennis Pollock Nitrogen can be a friend or foe to growers of wine or table grapes. Too much of it can delay maturity. Too little limits berry size and can affect berry chemistry and color.

in the vineyard after harvest. Nitrogen deficiency limits berry size and can also affect berry chemistry and color, Fidelibus said. Applying more nitrogen than is needed does not further improve fruit quality, he said, andmay delaymaturity. It can, however, increase berry size. Analysis of tissue samples is helpful for confirming vine nutrient status andmay help evaluate nitrogen fertilization programefficacy. Petioles are standard tissues, but some people prefer blades.Mineral content of plant tissues can change rapidly over the course of the season, Fidelibus said, especially around bloom. Standard sampling times are bloomand veraison. Inone study, itwas found that excessnitrogendelayedmaturity inaCrimsonvineyard. Fertilizingmade the fruit less red. Fidelibus said researchers areusingadroneandseeking tocomeupwith“smartmaps” that show likely levels of nitrogen, while sampling leaves to corroborate inferences. Postharvest isnot agood time toapplynitrogen, becausevines arenot activelygrowing, he said. Nitrogen in the leaves is being reallocated to other parts of the vine at that time. Vines should fill the trellis fully without excessive shading, Fidelibus said. Severely

Toomuchcanalso result inadense canopy that enhances diseasepressure and impair quality. Feeding grapes certain amounts of nitrogen at the right time—whether in the winery or the vineyard—can enhance the taste, appearance and other qualities of the finishedwine. Those are insights of Matthew Fidelibus, a University of California Cooperative Extension specialist in viticulture, and Tian Tian, a UCCE viticulture farm advisor in Kern County. At a recent UCDavis Viticulture and Enology Winter Grape Day, Fidelibus discussed vineyardmonitoring that includes tissue sampling. He described current research on Flame Seedless, a table grape variety on Freedom rootstock that showed very low petiole nitrate levels. Nitrates in the groundwater were low, and there was a sparse canopy. In most studies, the average was 3 pounds of nitrogen per ton of fruit harvested, Fidelibus said. The aimwas to replace the nitrogen in the fruit. Fruit uses 40% of nitro- gen that is accumulated, he said, and the rest is used in leaves and stems, which remain

See NITROGEN, Page 8

January 26, 2022 Ag Alert 7

Nitrogen Continued from Page 7

Tianconductedresearchonvineyardand winery additions of nitrogen in Oregon’s WillametteValley,acool regionwherevines with low to moderate vigor are preferred and leading varieties include pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris andpinot blanc. In chardonnay, adding nitrogen to the soil improved vine nitrogen status, but applying it to the foliage did not have the same effect. Soil nitrogen increased yield in chardonnay; foliar nitrogen did not. There was no increase in berry size. Nitrogen applied at 40 to 50 pounds per acrebroughta1-tonperacreyieldincrease. Soil treatment increased the tropical notes of the wine so that the chardonnay was more “sauvignon blanc-like,” Tian said. It also increased vine growth, yield and fruit YAN in a low nitrogen chardon- nay vineyard. Tian said spraying foliar nitrogen is an effective method to boost fruit YAN without stimulating vine vigor. She said viticulturists and winemak- ers can manage nitrogen differently in the vineyard and winery to achieve a desirable wine style. (Denni s Pol lock i s a repor t er in F r e s no . He ma y b e c on t a c t e d a t agcompollock@yahoo.com.) California State University campuses, California community colleges, and state and federally recognized tribes are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in funding toprovide technical assistance to California farmers. Supported activities include one-on-one assistance, on-site pump and irrigation systemevaluations, and training in irrigation efficiency and nutrient management. For more information about the pro- gram and to access the application, visit www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/technical/ weta.html.

deficient vines are chlorotic, with smaller leaves and reduced shoot growth. Fidelibus said therecanbeconsiderable variability in rootstocks and their ability to take up nitrogen and other nutrients. “You can use the rootstocks to include or exclude varying nutrients, depending on the needs of your site,” he said. Tian said nitrogen should be used to balance vegetative and reproductive growth in winegrape vineyards. If grow- ers use too little nitrogen, he said, they end up with a diminished canopy, with yellow leaves and low yield and fruit development. On the other hand, if growers have excessive nitrogen, there may be higher costs to manage the canopy and higher disease pressure. “What we want is to find the balance between vegetative growth and repro- ductive growth,” Tian said. She said good light penetration through the canopy is important for fruit quality. She said low nitrogen can bring more tannins, better color andmore floral notes. She said nitrogen can be added to the soil in a vineyard or to the foliage, resulting

Researchers say low-nitrogen levels can bring increased tannins and improved color to wine- grapes, but nitrogen applications can result in heightened toxicity if added to vineyard foliage at a high rate.

in different effects on the canopy. She warned thatwhennitrogen is added to the foliage, it can result in toxicity if it’s added at a high rate. Tian emphasized sufficient yeast as- similable nitrogen, or YAN, is critical for fermentation. She said YAN at 140 milli- grams is considered theminimum, and it

affects fermentationkinetics and fermen- tation-derived aroma. She pointed out nitrogen can beman- aged in the vineyard or in the winery. In the winery, diammoniumphosphate can be added or it can be supplemented with an organic nitrogen such as auto- lyzed yeast.

CDFA extends grant period The California Department of Food and Agriculture has extended its appli- cation period for a water efficiency grant program for farming.

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CDFA’s Of f ice of Envi ronmental Farming and Innovation is extending the application period for the Water Efficiency Technical Assistance pro- gram until 5 p.m. Feb. 3. It said it will not accept applications beyond the new deadline. Under the grant program, resource conservation districts, nonprofit orga- nizations, the University of California,

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8 Ag Alert January 26, 2022

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