Windstorms cause damage in avocado, citrus groves ByKevinHecteman
moresecond-grade fruit,more third-grade fruit as a percentage than normal.” That means lower prices for farmers already buffeted by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on food service. “Therewill be somedrop, but thebigger damage is the cosmeticquality, because it beats the fruit aroundandcauses scarring,” Miller said. “If it’s a small amount, we might be able to sell them as third grade,” he said. “But if they’re beyond that, then we have to put them into byproducts, which is not the best—that doesn’t make us much. It doesn’tmake us anymoney, actually.” Miller saidsometimes thepackinghouse will see “fresh injuries,” inwhich the lem- ons are scraped enough to penetrate the albedo, the white layer between the sur- TheCaliforniaCanningPeachAssociation expressed optimism after President Joe Biden signed an executive order intended to strengthen federal Buy Americanpolicy andmandatethattaxpayerfundsbespentto purchaseU.S. productsgrownbyAmerican farmersandsupportAmerican jobs. “WeapplaudPresidentBiden’scommit- ment to the Buy American requirement and look forward to working with U.S.
face and the fruit. “When it penetrates the surface of the fruit into that albedo, then it breaks down the protective barrier that the citrus fruit has on keeping things out,” he said. “As it sitson the tree, then it’s very likely that that will heal over. If it does, then it becomes a scar, which becomes a cosmetic issue.” Inmost cases, the best course of action is to leave the fruit on the tree to heal, Miller said. “When we get it here at the packing- house, it’s been healed over, and then we can judge how badly damaged it is as to whetherwe can try to sell it, orwhetherwe need to go to products with it,” he said. More severe weather was predicted for thisweek.Melban said significant rain is in theforecastforVenturaCounty,whichcould DepartmentofAgricultureofficials regard- ing implementation,”CCPAPresident and CEORichHudgins said. The executiveorder, issuedMonday, di- rects agencies toutilize theManufacturing ExtensionPartnershiptohelpconnectwith newdomestic suppliers that can produce and supply the products they need, and establishes a transparent process where all waiver requests to the Buy American
furtheraffecttheupcomingavocadoseason. “Depending on how spread out that rainfall is, that could really be another factor,” he said. “If it’s spread out, that’ll be great. If it’s an outright downpour, that could have some impacts, too.” InSanDiegoCounty, avocadoandcitrus growers reportedlosses fromdroppedfruit anddamagedtrees, andsomenurseriesre- porteddamage togreenhousesandplants, according to the SanDiego County Office of Agriculture, Weights andMeasures. EnricoFerro, president of theSanDiego County Farm Bureau, said some avoca- do growers had reported fruit drop of as much as 20%.
Highwinds along the hills and coasts of SouthernCalifornia left avocadoandcitrus farmers tallying damage—and watching the forecast for a potential repeat. “Wedefinitelyknowsomeofourgrowers gothitprettygood”bylastweek’swinds,said KenMelban, vice president of industry af- fairsat theCaliforniaAvocadoCommission. “We’restill tryingtoground-truththingsand get a real feel forwhat theoverall impact is.” John Krist, chief executive of the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, said avocado growersinhisregionhadreportedfruit-drop ratesof 25-50%, dependingon location. “I can report that the winds knocked an awful lot of fruit off the trees,” Krist said. “This was among the worst wind events I can remember ever occurring at this time of year: gustsof 40mph-plus acrossmost of thecounty. Ican’tquantifyityet,butI’msure thedamageand the losseswereextensive.” Winds of asmuchas 46mph, withgusts to 59 mph, were recorded in Camarillo on Jan. 19, according to the National Weather Service. Glenn Miller, president of the Saticoy LemonAssociation inVentura, singledout that day as oneof theworst he’s seen inhis years in the packing business. Though it’s early yet to know the extent of the damage, he said, he’s been inform- ing customers that “there’s going to be
(Kevin Hecteman i s an ass i stant editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at khecteman@cfbf.com.) Peach growers welcome Buy American order
requirements are published on a website, to allowU.S. bidders to viewand respond. A Buy American requirement for direct school food purchases has been a part of federal law since 1988, but Hudgins said currentUSDAregulationsallowindividual school districts topurchase imported food products if they believe there is a signifi- cant cost differential between domestic and imported food products.
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8 Ag Alert January 27, 2021
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