Avocado harvest is expected to top 300 million pounds
dos, by far the most popular variety. Lamb Hass avocados are forecast for 9 million pounds this year, while the GEM variety should come in at 5 mil- lion pounds. Other varieties wil l account for 1 million pounds, according to commis- sion figures. Separately, the commission sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week concerning the re- cent suspension of avocado imports fromMexico after a U.S. Department of
Agriculture inspector in the country re- portedly received a threat. In the letter, the commission ex- pressed support for a stable supply of av- ocados tomeet U.S. consumer demand, while also ensuring that imported fruit meets strict phytosanitary standards, so as not to introduce pests or diseases that could endanger U.S. growers. The suspension was lifted Friday after the two countries agreed on safety stan- dards for USDA inspectors, according to media reports.
California avocado farmers expect to harvest about 306million pounds of fruit this season, according to figures from the California Avocado Commission. The commission’s 2021 handler sur- vey shows the peakmonth is expected to be May, when nearly 59 million pounds of avocados are forecast to come off the
trees; of these, nearly 57million pounds are expected to be Hass avocados. The single busiest week of the year is predicted to be the week of May 8, with about 15.3 million tons of avocados go- ing to the packinghouses. The commission’s projections call for 291 million pounds of Hass avoca-
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felt more self-confident ; she was more personable with people; she was talking more,” said Bueche, who added that she has leveraged the skills she gained into a paidwork-based learningexperiencewith a local retailer. All students benefit from Esperanza’s partnership with South Coast REC, as surplus produce from the center’s fields is donated to make heal thy school lunches. In addition, students use REC- grown fruits and vegetables at their monthly pop-up restaurant, where they hone skills in preparing and serving a three-course meal. Their peers, who harvested the pro- duce, derive immense satisfaction from seeing the fruits of their labor go directly to the school. “They’re able to enjoy eating the stuff that they’re working for,” Seyler said. “And then they see everyone else enjoying it, and I think that really translates well for these guys.” The students also played a prominent role in an avocado sale last summer, for which they picked 2,000 pounds of pro- duce, bagged the fruit in 10-pound bags and then distributed preorders to the public from a stand at South Coast REC. Proceeds fromtheeventwereused topur- chase farm tools, shirts and other gear. “Itwasan incrediblesuccess—everyone loved the avocados,” Bueche said. “The students loved it; the parents came out; communitymembers supported it.” Those successes illustrate the power of a strong partnership. The South Coast REC team, in fact, received the school’s “Community Partner of the Year” Award for 2020-21, for persevering through the pandemic to deliver the beneficial pro- grams for students. Over the last two years, Suppes and Bueche—through a lot of creativity and some trial and error—have sketched a roadmap for growing productive rela- tionships between similar organiza- tions and adult transition programs. And after presenting those results to colleagues, other local school districts and nonprofits such as Goodwill and My Day Counts have contacted South Coast REC to provide similar experienc- es for community members. (This story was originally published by theUniversityofCaliforniaAgricultureand Natural Resources.)
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February 23, 2022 Ag Alert 9
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