Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Category: Laws & Regulations

  • Almond Conference Celebrates Almond Industry Safely, Uniquely and Virtually

    Almond Board of California – Logging in instead of looking for a place to sit. Walking from the coffee pot to the office chair instead of driving to Sacramento. Connecting with attendees via online chat instead of shaking hundreds of hands while walking the trade show floor. Instead of sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in session rooms, participants of The Almond Conference (TAC) 2020 connected remotely from their office, the seat of their pickup truck, or, perhaps for some, from their favorite recliner.

    The 48th annual staging of The Almond Conference on December 8-10 looked much different than past events. Still, the structure and offerings of the Conference provided an opportunity for industry members to gather and learn about the latest research, marketing efforts, and global developments impacting the industry. From the (un)usual State of the Industry to 30 educational sessions, an exhibit hall and even an online version of the Passport Game, the Conference provided many of the same features that attendees have come to expect from the premier almond industry event.

    The Almond Board of California (ABC) Industry Relations team saw the need to host a virtual event as an opportunity, not a hindrance. The online setting provided the opportunity to host a truly global event, bringing attendees and speakers from across California, the U.S. and the world. More than 3,000 attendees representing 45 countries participated in TAC 2020 and had virtual access to 149 exhibitor booths, 30 educational sessions and 14 sponsor presentations.

    “It was a pretty amazing experience. The three days just flew by,” said ABC President and CEO Richard Waycott during the live Closing Remarks. “It was a great example of the flexibility of our staff and the resilience of the industry throughout this year.”

    Amid Challenges, Industry Continues Onward & Upward

    This year’s State of the Industry address featured Waycott hosting ABC Board Chair Kent Stenderup and Vice Chair Brian Wahlbrink in a “late-night” TV show setting at the historic State Theatre in downtown Modesto. Stenderup and Wahlbrink provided an overview of key trends and marketing challenges faced by the industry throughout 2020, as well as insights into strategic ABC initiatives aimed at further supporting the industry’s profitability. From the massive responsibility of marketing a projected record 3-billion-pound crop to ongoing trade tension with China and growing advancements in production technologies, the address set the stage for the rest of the Conference.

    ABC Board Chair Kent Stenderup

    “Growers were worried about what we were going to do with all these nuts,” Stenderup noted, referencing the fact that production is up 32% (about 730 million pounds) compared to just two years ago. And yet, he said, processing facilities are working harder than ever before to get almonds out the door. “With the advent of a possible 3-billion-pound crop, I witness handlers very responsibly getting out in front of it and moving product, setting monthly shipping records.”

    Wahlbrink praised ABC’s Global Market Development Committee, of which he is a member, for building global demand in emerging markets beyond traditional export leaders like India, Spain, China and Germany.

    “Despite everything, we increased shipments by almost 5% [in the last crop year], which is a real testament to building global demand year on year,” said Wahlbrink.

    While the industry is ready to turn the page on 2020, Waycott praised the California almond community for remaining headstrong in facing each challenge. “It has been a remarkable year,” he said, “but there were a number of curveballs that came our way. COVID-19. A lockdown in India, our biggest market, fires in California, a perfect bloom, and now we’re headed to a 3-billion-pound crop. Just an awful lot to deal with.

    “Still, the resilience and the ability of this industry to handle a large crop, and to be able to ship the numbers we’ve shipped, is really admirable—congratulations to all of you.”

    Leadership Recognizing Leadership

    During the State of the Industry address, Waycott, Stenderup and Wahlbrink honored two esteemed, established industry leaders, the first being Dr. Karen Lapsley. Lapsley, who retired earlier this year after 22 years of service for the California almond industry, began her ABC career as director of Nutrition Research and then acted as the Almond Board’s Chief Scientific Officer for many years before retirement. 

    “She catapulted us into the area of super foods,” said Waycott. Stenderup referred to Lapsley as the “matriarch of nut nutrition,” crediting her with developing “a health halo” around almonds through her work with food researchers and experts in a variety of human health and nutrition specialties.

    While reflecting on Lapsley’s myriad of contributions, Waycott got a special twinkle in his eye and introduced a surprise guest to the stage – Lapsley herself! In her remarks Lapsley praised ABC’s long-term commitment to human health research and commitment to scientific excellence. When asked to share the most fun she had during her time at ABC, she said that her efforts to create the Almond Board’s biomass program over the past five years would be among the top of her experiences. 

    Waycott, Stenderup and Wahlbrink also announced the winner of the 2020 Almond Achievement Award, Jim Paiva, who sadly passed away in November before the award was announced.

    Paiva planted his first orchard in 1970 in Lost Hills and his properties grew to about 5,000 acres in the Sacramento Valley as well as Kern County. He also started Paiva Hulling and Shelling – which serves hundreds of growers in Northern California – and later co-founded Riverwest Processing in Glenn County.

    “I cannot think of one person in our industry who is more deserving of this honor,” said Stewart & Jasper CEO Jim Jasper, who was the Almond Achievement Award recipient in 2015 and, among multiple other industry members, nominated Paiva for the award.

    Paiva is survived by his wife Geraldine and sons Jim and Dan. The Almond Board is proud to recognize Paiva’s years of service and dedication to the California almond industry and sends its sincerest condolences to the Paiva family in Jim’s passing.

    Trade, Policy & Election Outcomes Highlight General Sessions

    On Wednesday morning, ABC hosted a general session featuring two nationally recognized agricultural leaders with deep experience in trade issues.

    Former U.S. Trade Representative Darci Vetter, now vice president at Edelman Communications in Washington, D.C., and former USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, who today is executive vice president of Global Environmental Strategy for Dairy Management, Inc., shared the virtual stage to discuss the global agricultural scene and how the events of 2020 may affect the future.

    Vetter said the pandemic is taking an “economic toll that is hugely significant in terms of unemployment, the food and beverage industry, restaurants… We should expect that while trade is really important, there are lots of things on the plate of the administration coming in that will likely take priority.”

    She also encouraged growers to become more transparent about and comfortable with communicating to consumers, trade regulators and others about what they do and how they grow their product.

    “Telling our story is important, and when that story comes from the mouths of farmers themselves, it’s even more effective,” Vetter said.

    Harden agreed, saying American growers are “very committed to the environment” even if “they don’t always know how to measure it or talk about it, and don’t want the spotlight on what they’re doing.”

    “No one can produce more than U.S. farmers, but having the best product is not enough. You have to be accountable,” Harden said. “Some farmers don’t want to have these conversations, but if they don’t, they may not be farming in a decade.”

    The following morning respected political journalist Charlie Cook, publisher of The Cook Political Report, addressed the Conference from his home in the Nation’s Capital. For more than 35 years, Cook has been highly regarded as a non-partisan observer of U.S. politics. During this general session, he provided insight into the state of our nation’s political landscape after one of the most divisive presidential elections in American history.

    “I think we are losing our fabric as a nation,” Cook warned. “We are supposed to be the United States of America, but we’re not very united right now.”

    On a positive note, Cook believes Tom Vilsack – President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to run the U.S. Agriculture Department – is a good choice for the California almond industry. Many industry members will remember Vilsack as he served in the same role for eight years under former President Barack Obama.

    “I think Biden made a good decision to pick someone from the ag side who knows the whole set of issues,” Cook said. “Vilsack knows about your sector. My guess is you’ve dodged a bullet, because if he went with a more urban-oriented person, you wouldn’t have gotten the time of day.”

    Educational Sessions, Virtual Exhibit Hall ‘Just Awesome’

    The Conference virtual exhibit hall – though missing the buzz of attendees rubbing elbows as they migrated from booth to booth – still provided a way for exhibitors and sponsors to interact with participants. “The exhibit hall was really well done – it was just awesome,” Wahlbrink said. “It made it really easy to access information and have a quick chat.”

    Similarly, the format of this year’s educational sessions allowed attendees to tune in while on the road or in the office, an element of the virtual event that was largely well received. 

    “I appreciated the ability to still work during this busy time of year while also attending the sessions. I was better able to focus on the sessions,” commented one attendee in the post-Conference survey.

    Even though the Conference is expected to return to Sacramento next year, Waycott predicts a hybrid model will be put in place to allow attendees the option to participate in at least a portion of the Conference virtually.

    Final session recordings and presentation slides are now available at Almonds.com/Conference – be sure you check out any sessions you could not attend! And be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s event, The Almond Conference 2021 is scheduled to be held Dec. 7-9 at the Sacramento Convention Center.

     
    Editor’s Note: Read more about the proceedings from the Almond Conference in the coming issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • State Farm Service Agency Director named Almond Champion of the Year

    Connie Conway, Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in California, has been honored as the Almond Alliance of California’s 2020 Almond Champion of the Year for the agency’s outstanding efforts in assisting almond growers with the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP.)

    The Almond Champion of the Year Award is presented annually to those who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in education, coalition building, partnerships and promoting legislation and policies that encourage the advancement and protection of California agriculture and the California almond industry.

    The CFAP consists of direct payments to almond growers for losses suffered as a result of COVID-19 as well as disruptions to the supply chain. The Almond Alliance advocated for federal funding for the original program and the subsequent program known as CFAP 2. To date, the California almond community has received over $125 million through the programs.

    The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers the funding and provides technical assistance to potential applicants. Almond Alliance Chair Mike Curry praised Conway for her leadership in providing access to the program. “Some of these programs can be incredibly technical and complex. Connie and her team have been very attentive and worked with our industry members above and beyond what would normally be expected,” he explained. “Her team has conducted numerous educational webinars for our members and addressed literally hundreds of questions about the program and how it works. Her leadership and commitment to excellence in providing this assistance during these unprecedented times is truly appreciated.”

    Prior to her appointment, Conway ran her own consulting business, focusing on strategic planning, business development, and government relations services. She also served as an assemblywoman for the California State Legislature where she served as Minority Leader and on the Agriculture, Transportation, Labor and Health Committees. She also served as a member of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.

    About the Almond Alliance of California

    The Almond Alliance of California (AAC) is a trusted non-profit organization dedicated to advocating on behalf of the California almond community. California almonds generate more than $21 billion in economic revenue and directly contribute more than $11 billion to the state’s total economy. California’s top agricultural export, almonds create approximately 104,000 jobs statewide, over 97,000 in the Central Valley, which suffers from chronic unemployment. The AAC is dedicated to educating state legislators, policy makers and regulatory officials about the California almond community. As a membership-based organization, our members include almond processors, hullers/shellers, growers and allied businesses. Through workshops, newsletters, conferences, social media and personal meetings, AAC works to raise awareness, knowledge and provide a better understanding about the scope, size, value and sustainability of the California almond community.


    For more information on the Almond Alliance, visit https://almondalliance.org/ or check out the Almond Alliance on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

  • Honoring Veterans Every Day at Farmer Veteran Coalition

    Many veterans return home feeling lost, without purpose. They seek that “new mission” they grew so accustomed to during their time in the military. An agricultural non-profit is helping with just that.

    When Michael O’Gorman founded Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) in the back of his pick-up truck in 2008, he thought he could help our soldiers have meaningful careers and find healing on our nation’s farms.

    At that time no one was connecting veterans with the farming community. Today there are more than 250 organizations supporting this military-to-agriculture movement.

    Simply put, FVC helps veterans pursue careers in agriculture. For these men and women, farming has become their new mission. FVC recognizes that agriculture additionally offers purpose, opportunity, and physical and psychological benefits.

    This is the difference maker for many veterans in their civilian re-integration.

    With Veterans Day upon us, the team of Farmer Veteran Coalition is reflecting on the thousands of farmer veterans they have supported in pursuit of new agricultural endeavors, including those highlighted here.

    This year, after a decade of leading the charge, O’Gorman passed the pitchfork to newly appointed executive director Jeanette Lombardo. Raised by an Air Force veteran father, Lombardo grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, on a family dairy farm. She spent decades in agricultural banking and now is eager to carry forward the single best way that FVC assists veterans – through their Fellowship Fund.

    A small grant program, the Fellowship Fund purchases farm equipment the member has identified as crucial to their operation. The program has funded $3 million in equipment to over 600 veterans.

    Alex Jauregui – Fury Bees (Photo by Susanna Frohman)

    Veterans like Alex Jauregui. A double-amputee, Alex lost both legs when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan during his fourth deployment. Now he finds new purpose in his Fury Bees operation in Northern California. “Farming makes me feel enabled,” shares the former Staff Sergeant. “I never would have imagined beekeeping but it’s been very therapeutic.” FVC teamed up with Work Vessels for Veterans and Semper Fi Fund to purchase a Hummerbee forklift, which significantly reduces the physical impact on Alex’s body.

    Twin Sister Veterans Ladonna Avakian & Heather Paterson, now Oregon cherry and hazelnut growers

    Veterans like Ladonna Avakian & Heather Paterson. Twin sisters, both women served in the Air Force. Both returned home to Oregon with service-related disabilities. They were awarded a grant to fund an air sprayer for their Hollyaire orchard where they primarily farm sour cherries, hazelnuts, and holly under the Homegrown By Heroes label. “It’s small grants like this one that make us feel valued and supported,” Heather reflects. “Farming is all about community, and FVC really is its own community. To be physically active, outside, working with my twin, and having our family out there – it’s really an American dream.”

    Ben Misko, a Marine who suffered a brain injury during combat, has found healing in his Restless Roots farm. He grows vegetables and cut flowers in Central Pennsylvania. “Having a brain injury can be very frustrating at times, but animals provide a reprieve for me. Farming keeps me sound in my mind, and the animal and plant care keeps me on schedule,” shares the former Motor Vehicle Operator. “I asked for this equipment so I can provide for more animals without additional financial burden.”

    Michael Trost, who served a decades-long Army career, suffered gunshot wounds that resulted in the amputation of his right leg and the reconstruction of his hand using his toes. After 30 surgeries and two years of hospitalization, he turned to hop growing in Tennessee. “Starting this farm has given me a new mission, purpose and direction in my life. I feel more alive than I have been,” expressed Michael, explaining that the farm is a major part of his post-service recovery. “FVC believed in me and awarded me funds to install fencing around my hopyard. Now we are using the farm to help other wounded veterans. We were made to become farmers. We love to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.”

    Lovay Wallace-Singleton, the president of FVC’s North Carolina chapter, served 20 years in the Navy before founding Veterans Employment Base Camp and Organic Garden. VEBCOG provides temporary employment for post-war veterans transitioning back to civilian life, teaching urban farming skills. A Fellowship Fund grant helped Lovay repair her farm’s hoophouse after hurricane Florence struck and flooded her property.

    And     James Webb, whose career as an Army Ranger ended when he was hit by a drunk driver while riding his motorcycle near Fort Benning. “After my accident and getting medically retired, I lost the career I wanted and worked hard for, and lost the brotherhood unlike anything I had ever known,” lamented the veteran who comes from a long line of military service. “Once I realized I could use horses to work cattle – my whole world changed.” He now operates Conway Cattle Company in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and last year spoke at FVC’s national conference in Austin on the panel ‘Rangers on the Range’, featuring five former Army rangers all now ranching cattle.

    When FVC was first established, the plan was simple: find a way to help these veterans, and then tell their story. For Michael O’Gorman, getting to work with the men and women of FVC on their own individual journeys to becoming farmers has made it the most rewarding thing he has done. “I’m really proud of the organization that I started and watched grow,” shared the founder. “But we’re still a fairly young organization and are dedicated to helping the farmer veterans out there.”

    For as many veterans as FVC has helped, there are still more in need of support.

    And the stakes are high, as Marvin Frink – who started Briarwood Cattle Farm in North Carolina to cope with post-service PTSD – shows us. “I am just so thankful for [Michael O’Gorman] and the hard work he’s done for us. I can openly say it – [Michael] saved my life and I’m very thankful for him. He came to me when I was in a very bad, very dark place, and he pulled me out of it.”

    More About Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC)

    Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization assisting veterans and active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces to embark on careers in agriculture. With the mission of mobilizing veterans to feed America, it provides education, resources and small grants to help veterans launch their own farming operation or find employment in related agricultural professions. Established in 2008, Farmer Veteran Coalition serves more than 20,000 veteran members from all 50 states and U.S. territories while developing a new generation of farmers and food leaders.  Its in-house programs include the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund small grant program, the nationally recognized Homegrown By Heroes label for veteran-grown products, and the national Stakeholders Conference. It leverages its network of nearly 15 state chapters to facilitate peer collaboration and mentorship. FVC has been successful in getting millions of dollars of USDA funds appropriated for farmer veteran and the groups that support them.  They have built an extended community of organizations that look to them for leadership and guidance as the pioneer in this military-to-agriculture movement.

    Learn more at:     www.farmvetco.org or follow along on Facebook at @FarmerVeteranCoalition, on Instagram at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and on Twitter at @FarmVetCo.  For more details on the Nov. 18-19 virtual conference or to register visit: http://conference.farmvetco.org

  • California Walnut Credit-Back Referendum

    The California Walnut Board (CWB) is pursuing credit-back authority. The USDA recently published the Secretary’s decision in this regard and has ordered a referendum vote of the growers. This authority will allow for handlers to receive a credit-back for eligible marketing expenditures of 70 cents for every dollar in spend. This important authority is one of the ways the CWB is modernizing the Order to make it work harder for industry, using every possible tool available to spur new investment in new product development/marketing initiatives to continue growing walnut consumption.

    What is Credit-Back Authority?

    • Credit-back is an authority that several agricultural commodities (almonds, prunes, etc.) use to allow handlers to conduct eligible marketing activities in return for a partial credit/rebate on assessments.
    • The CWB does not currently have this authority in the marketing order; therefore, formal rule making has been undertaken to add the authority to the order.

    Objective/Purpose of the Program

    • Objective of the program – effectively promote the sale, use and consumption of California walnuts
    • Purpose – to encourage handler market promotion in addition to the CWB’s generic marketing efforts

    Structure/Mechanics

    • The credit-back authority, once approved, will be in the Order, whether industry chooses to use or not.
    • Program authorization to spend will be determined on an annualized basis in conjunction with fiscal budgeting.
    • Determining available dollars for the crop year will be based on percent of budgeted assessment revenue.
    • Each handler’s share of available dollars to be based on prior year crop acquisitions.
    • Credit-back will be .70 cents per $1 of spend on eligible marketing & promotional activities.

    What are the rules & requirements?

    • Credit-back requires California Walnuts wording and/or handler name with the word “walnut(s)” to be eligible.
    • Credit-back is not intended for use with private label/third-party products. Activities containing other nuts and/or fruits, etc., would receive credit-back based on the proportionate share of walnuts included.
    • Walnuts used as an ingredient in manufactured food products would receive credit-back based on the proportionate share of walnuts included.
    • Complete rules, regulations and eligible/ineligible activities are defined in the Credit-back Guide.

    What are the impacts to the Board?

    • To be funded from prevailing assessments, likely reduction in domestic program, given this is the largest area of CWB spend.
    • Available dollars for the crop year to be based on percent of budgeted assessment revenue; CWB Executive Committee to make a recommendation to the Board annually.
    • Similar programs have credit-back in the range of 10%-15% of assessments.
    • Staffing implications to be determined based on the breadth and depth of the program.

    More information regarding this referendum can be found on the Federal register.

    Voting

    The voting period is November 30 – December 11, 2020. The CWB encourages grower participation in this process. Please be on the lookout for a ballot from USDA. If you do not receive a ballot, please contact Terry Vawter at (559) 487-5905 or Jeffery Rymer at (559) 987-2293.

  • Walnut Replanting Considerations in a Lean Price Year

    When prices are lean walnut farming is tough business. Farm advisors are not economists or financial advisors. However, farm advisors can be useful in providing best practices for economically sustainable production. Two key economic decisions growers face are when to replant individual trees and when to remove and replant entire orchards.

    Learn from Dying Trees to Improve Management of the Whole Orchard:

    Former Advisor Carolyn DeBuse, and Emeritus Advisor Bill Krueger wrote about the need to pause before replanting, by asking why the tree died in the first place. Saturated soils and soil borne pathogens are common culprits for tree loss. It is important to carefully evaluate recently declining trees, particularly evaluating their root systems for a possible cause. Your pest control advisor or local farm advisor can help with this diagnosis. Can changes be made to reduce the chance of additional trees declining and increase the chance of success for replanted trees? For Phytophthora and nematodes, these changes are often genetic (i.e. replant rootstock selection) but may also include a chemical approach. However, the needed action is just as often cultural, whether it is adjusting irrigation set time to prevent ponding or installing stream-splitters to keep water off trunks.

    Water logging is a common cause of walnut tree decline: sacvalleyorchards.com/blog/walnuts- blog/yellowing-collapsing-walnut-trees-pt-1-water-logging. The Howard variety appears particularly sensitive to saturated soils: sacvalleyorchards.com/blog/walnuts-blog/yellowing-collapsing-walnut-trees- pt-2-yellowing-howard-problem. In addition to tracking saturated conditions with soil moisture monitoring, a key practice to not over-watering is irrigating only when demanded by the trees, as indicated through regular pressure chamber use. Learn more at: sacvalleyorchards.com/manuals/stem-water- potential.

    Tree Replanting Decisions:

    When a tree dies and is removed, there is always a question of whether to replant in that spot. The decision of whether to replant an individual tree is a gamble that the replant will become established and produce enough to offset its associated costs by the end of the orchard’s life. A decision that is an automatic “yes” early in the orchard’s life becomes more complicated as the orchard ages.

    The shading from surrounding trees, and the ensuing low probability of successful vigorous growth weighs against the desire to replant and establish lost production. DeBuse and Krueger noted that if the orchard floor has over 75% shade at midday, the chance of a successful replant is slim. However, UC Davis Walnut Specialist Bruce Lampinen believes that a successful replant is dubious in orchards with over 60% shading. If the decision to replant has been automatic for you, pause to consider the cost of an unsuccessful replant and first evaluate how much light is available to the new tree.

    After weighing the success of the replant and evaluating why the original tree died, if you do replant, follow the best practices to help nurture this investment. Root removal, possible spot fumigation, nursery product selection, and correct planting are the key steps. Of these, nursery product selection is a particularly critical step, if possible, tailor the choice of rootstock to the main source of tree loss (see rootstock table below). As part of nursery selection, choosing a bareroot over a potted tree is typically ideal because you are starting with a tree that is larger and easier to manage. Once the replant is in place, the tree stands little success without paying extra attention to the need to modify irrigation and fertilization. You can learn more in the excellent guide by DeBuse and Krueger at: sacvalleyorchards.com/walnuts/orchard-development/replanting-individual-trees.

    Orchard Replanting Decisions:

    In addition to a lack of available light, general orchard decline is a second major reason to rethink replanting individual trees. General orchard decline in old age, frequently the result of weak trees facing an onslaught of multiple pests and diseases (figure 1), means replants make little sense because of the short window remaining in the orchard’s life. Instead, the orchard should continue to be farmed without replants until it is no longer economically feasible to do so.

    Figure 1. An orchard facing general decline, with a high rate of tree loss. Extensive crown gall, trunk cankers, and high nematode counts all present in this orchard.

    Amidst lean prices, if this is the year that you slate an orchard for removal, there are several steps you should consider before removal. A critical initial step, just as with replanting individual missing trees, is to ask why the orchard is in decline, and if those problems may follow you into the next planting. In addition to assessing the risk of the replant problem, and the persistence of crown gall, a nematode sample taken while the current trees are still in the ground is a great start. You can learn more about nematode sampling at: growingthevalleypodcast.com/podcastfeed/2019/10/22/nem-sampling and result interpretation and the next steps for replanting amidst high lesion nematode counts at: sacvalleyorchards.com/walnuts/orchard- development/replanting-into-nematode-infested-soils.

    Building upon this initial diagnosis step, consider the following steps:

    1. Assess potential carry-over problems before harvest.

    2. Kill the roots of the old orchard. The established best practice for this is cutting down trees above ground during October and within 5 minutes painting the stump with Garlon3A, or a mixture of 1:3 mixture of Garlon3A and MorAct.

    3. Wait a full growing season before replanting walnuts. This is the step where there are a range of management choices, such as the decision to fumigate, the use of a spring-summer crop to dry down deep soil moisture, or even exploration of a new technique like anaerobic soil disinfestation.

      This is also the step, where you could consider whole orchard recycling (WOR), whereby the previous trees are chipped and incorporated back into the soil. In almonds, this has been successful both for the performance of the subsequent planting and for soil health. Problems and success with WOR in walnut have yet to be demonstrated, with only a single pilot demonstration of young second generation WOR trees to- date. Until we have data on the persistence of crown gall and lesion nematode in roots of a recycled orchard, this practice is not advised for orchards with heavy cases of these afflictions. You can learn more about WOR at orchardrecycling.ucdavis.edu. WOR is an expensive practice, however the practice is now recognized for potential financial support through the CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program: cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils.

      1. Fumigate, if necessary. The choice of whether to fumigate is centered around the concerns of root lesion nematodes, the replant problem, and to a lesser extent crown gall when replanting walnut orchards. Specifically, if lesion nematode is present in the old orchard, nematicide (e.g. Telone) fumigation, in addition to all the other steps may be necessary to have a successful replant to walnut. Fumigation is expensive, however the carryover problems from the previous orchard can prove far more costly. Cost savings with fumigation can be achieved by opting for strip fumigation specifically mapped for the tree rows, instead of broadcast fumigation. Adequate fumigant distribution can be problematic especially on clay-type soils. To ensure a successful fumigation, it is critical to dry down the soil to 12% moisture for optimal fumigant efficacy.

      2. Replant on an appropriate rootstock. Consider the potential benefits of clonal Paradox rootstocks, particularly against nematodes (VX211) and Phytophthora (RX1). See detailed rootstock traits in the table below.

      Find more about orchard removal and replant steps at: sacvalleyorchards.com/walnuts/diseases/considerations-for- replanting-walnut-orchards. Finally, if you are removing and planting a new walnut orchard, a key document to have on hand when financially planning is the Sacramento Valley UC Walnut Cost Study, which can be found at: coststudies.ucdavis.edu/en/current/commodity/walnuts.

      Article By:

      -Luke Milliron, UCCE Orchards Advisor Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties

      -Katherine Jarvis-Shean, Orchards Advisor Yolo, Solano & Sacramento Counties

  • Help Needed: Identifying Telone Application Sites this Fall/Late Winter

    The Almond Alliance has been meeting with Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) on their initiated 1,3-D pilot programs in three areas of the state:  Shafter, Kern County; Parlier, Fresno County; Delhi, Merced County. The objective of the pilot programs is to evaluate growers and applicators with alternative methods of achieving emission reductions of 1,3-D comparable to tarping. DPR put forth 13 proposed mitigation measures including buffer zones, TIF tarping, soil moisture depth, water seals, amended injection depths and more.

    The Almond Alliance has been engaged in numerous discussions with DPR on this issue and has mobilized our membership to provide feedback and have detailed discussions on why several of the proposed options are not procedurally and economically feasible. We have been clear that our industry needs this fumigant for treatment of nematodes during the replanting of almond trees.

    In August of this year, the Almond Alliance submitted a detailed letter to DPR summarizing the almond industry’s concern about the proposed pilot options and why several should not be considered at all.  To review letter, CLICK HERE.

    DPR has asked that we identify 2 to 3 orchards to evaluate during replanting this fall/spring and will be applying Telone as a soil fumigant. Would you be willing to have your site be a part of an assessment of some fumigant off-gassing reduction measures that DPR would like to assess? If yes, or even if you think your site might not meet the DPR criteria, you should speak with the Almond Alliance and DPR. An ideal orchard is one with no other surrounding orchards, specifically upwind/downwind as DPR needs to have space for the equipment to measure what is emitted into the air.

    While some wanted DPR to move to additional regulation of Telone right away based on the air monitoring data, DPR decided to do some “pilot studies”, partially buying a bit of time. In the process, DPR realized that they needed additional field monitoring data on the off gassing of Telone under different conditions to improve their models, as well to assess the off-gassing if some new mitigation measures were employed. Thus, the hunt for appropriate sites with good grower cooperators.  However, if additional sites with growers willing to cooperate cannot be found, DPR will move forward regulating based on the limited data they already have. That will lead to a significant increase in locations where Telone cannot be used and/or only with the use expensive TIF tarps.

    The proposed emissions mitigation measures include:

    • Getting soil moisture in the top 6-9 inches to 70% water holding capacity as a water seal.
    • Injection the fumigant at 24-28 inches rather than at 18 inches.
    • Mixture of one of the above and strip TIF tarps.

    ​​​​​​​If your site meets the desired conditions – particularly no orchard immediately adjacent to the location and you are willing, we are asking that you discuss the possibility with your soil fumigant applicator company and contact Elaine Trevino at 209-300-7140.

  • American Farmland Trust Shares Tool Kit to Quantify Soil Health Benefits

    Today, American Farmland Trust, the organization that for 40 years has been saving the land that sustains us and advancing the principles of regenerative agriculture has launched online access to the methods, tools, and training resources it used in developing case studies featuring soil health successful farmers in its Quantifying the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Soil Health project funded by a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant.

    Becoming all the more evident this year, farmers face enormous challenges. Extreme weather, a trade war and pandemic-related market disruptions have made it difficult for many to make a living. In a normal season, farmers work just to maintain yield, keep costs under control and try to improve the profitability of their operations. And, now we are asking farmers to respond to society’s call to improve environmental outcomes like water quality and help to mitigate climate change.  Soil health practices like cover crops, no-till and nutrient management can help address these challenges.  However, despite farmers’ belief in the science underpinning the practices, they are often reluctant to change management techniques without knowing how much the practices will cost and what the financial benefits will be.

    “AFT encourages our fellow conservationists to use this suite of tools and training resources to produce their own case studies demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of soil health,” said Michelle Perez, AFT water director. “Our hope is that farmers, who have been considering adopting soil health practices, will find the economic evidence quantified for a farmer in their area, sufficiently compelling, to get them to “say yes” to trying the soil health practices.

    Specifically, partners will be able to use  AFT’s Retrospective Soil Health Economic Calculator (R-SHEC) Tool, an 11-tab Excel-spreadsheet tool, to evaluate the costs and benefits of soil health conservation practices including no-till or reduced tillage, cover cropping, nutrient management and conservation crop rotation on row crop farms that have adopted any combination of the practices, ideally for more than four years and within the last 10 years. The tool presents the net economic benefits in a partial budget analysis table and an estimate of the Return on Investment, or ROI, in the soil health practices. The R-SHEC Tool and the case studies that AFT published underwent a review by five NRCS Economists, five NRCS Soil Health Specialists, three university economists, among other experts.

    Materials explain how to use the R-SHEC and how to identify and interview a soil health successful farmer to obtain the data needed to run the tool.  Additional resources are provided to instruct conservationists how to estimate the water quality and climate benefits associated with the already adopted soil health practices using USDA’s Nutrient Tracking Tool and USDA’s COMET-Farm Tool, and then how to assemble all the findings and present them in a compelling two-page case study. A six-part series of training videos provides instructions on each aspect of the process. To access the methods, tools and videos, go to link.

    In spring and summer 2021, AFT will release several new tools:

    • An almond version of the R-SHEC tool that aids estimation of the economic effects of almond-specific soil health practices such as conservation cover, nutrient management, mulching, and compost application.
    • A Predictive Soil Health Economic Calculator (P-SHEC) Tool that will enable conservationists to partner with farmers who are “on the fence” about soil health practices to estimate the potential short-term and long-term economic effects of an investment in practices which will hopefully give the farmers the information they need to overcome their apprehension.
    • An online, user-friendly, web-based version of the R-SHEC Tool.American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.

     

  • Five Steps for Ag Processors to Adapt their COVID-19 Incident Response Approach

    COVID-19 is a health crisis in the United States but major industries, like agriculture, chemical manufacturing, oil and gas exploration and production, all need to keep functioning as essential businesses in the midst of the crisis.  The response to COVID-19 has core parallels to major industrial accident response, which involves deploying the right resources for the task.  Every incident, be it a fire, explosion, or a government inspection and citation for regulatory compliance failures involves four key elements of response:  (1) the immediate response; (2) the extended response; (3) compliance and prevention; and (4) preparedness/lessons learned to improve.  This lifecycle of an incident applies equally to a COVID-19 contact among your employees or customers.  Make no mistake.  The stakes are high.  Recently, Cal/OSHA issued COVID-19 related citations to two companies of over $200,000 each, one to a frozen food manufacturer and the other to a temporary employment agency.  New legislation that becomes effective next year gives Cal/OSHA expanded authority to issue Orders Prohibiting Use for workplaces that pose risk of an “imminent hazard” relating to COVID-19.  In other words, they can shut your plant down if you don’t have the right procedures in place to respond to a COVID-19 incident.

    Processing plant managers are accustomed to incidents, such as injuries, agency inspections, or citations (hopefully not too frequently with respect to citations); applying the process in the context of COVID-19 can work extremely well, even where handling these situations requires adjustment for the particular crisis at hand.  In every crisis, the approach needs to be tailored, and COVID-19 incidents are no different.

    Examples of how a COVID-19 response needs to be tailored include determining work-relatedness to a positive test to COVID-19, identifying close contacts, identifying the agencies to whom notifications must be provided, and contact tracing for potentially exposed employees, testing, and implementing isolation protocols.  In the context of COVID-19, agriculture companies need to be keenly aware of increased Cal/OSHA oversight, as the agency has identified agricultural processing as a priority for enforcement because agricultural processing facility workers have been disproportionately impacted.

    When confronting a COVID-19 incident, follow these useful tips to help minimize liability and potential for citation by the government.

    1. Familiarize yourself with the Extensive Government Guidance Issued, Especially that Tailored to Your Industry

    There’s a saying in incident response:  your greatest exposure is not the incident itself but whether you follow the regulations for reporting and responding to the incident.  That’s true for a major chemical release from your operations and a COVID-19 incident, alike.  When the crisis emerged, several federal and state agencies provided guidance documents to companies on how to address potential cases of COVID-19.  Like the crisis, the guidance is evolving.  The government continues to update its approach and has even offered tailored to specific industries.  Following the agency guidance will put a facility in a much stronger compliance position when faced with a compliance inspection or determination of work-relatedness.

    Some key recent government guidance specific to the agricultural processing industry is listed below:

    • September 18, 2020, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated Guidelines intended for use by employers experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 in their workplace.  It emphasizes that employers should be proactive and keep in mind that identification of even a single positive case among employees may quickly develop into an outbreak.
    • July 29, 2020, California COVID-19 Guidance for the agriculture and livestock industry to support a safe, clean environment for workers.  Recommendations include that an employer investigate any COVID-19 illness and determine if any work-related factors could have contributed to risk of infection;    identify close contacts (within six feet for fifteen minutes or more) of an infected worker and take steps to isolate COVID-19 positive worker(s) and close contacts; implement the necessary processes and protocols when a workplace has an outbreak, in accordance with the CDPH guidelines.
    • July 21, 2020, Cal/OSHA updated Guidance for the agriculture industry.  This provides:
    • COVID-19 Daily Checklist for Agricultural Employers
    • COVID-19 General Checklist for Agricultural Employers
    • Infection Prevention for Agricultural Employees and Employers
    1. Make Required Government Notifications

    Understand requirements for reporting employee cases to Cal/OSHA.  Any serious injury, illness, or death occurring in any place of employment or in connection with any employment must be reported by the employer to the local Cal/OSHA district office immediately.  For COVID-19, this includes inpatient hospitalizations and deaths among employees.

    On September 17, 2020, Governor Newsom also signed into law AB 685 which enhances reporting requirements to local health authorities in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak in the worksite.  The law takes effect on January 1, 2021.

    Employers should also check local guidance to determine if there are other investigation, reporting, or recording obligations triggered by a positive COVID-19 case.

    Finally, recognize that if an employee is out with COVID-19 or quarantined, other government obligations, like environmental reporting may fall by the wayside in their absence.  Develop a plan to ensure your ongoing government reporting obligations are being met, even those not COVID-19-related.  Having an employee out due to COVID-19 is likely not going to serve as an acceptable excuse for environmental noncompliance.

    1. Do the Investigation

    To comply with Cal/OSHA requirements, plant managers should ensure their companies are investigating positive COVID-19 determinations in a timely manner to identify any work-related factors and to identify close contacts.  This will protect employees, comply with Cal/OSHA requirements, and provide information that may be needed to in regards to the “disputable presumption” that exists in California for an employee who suffers illness or death resulting from COVID-19 on or after July 6, 2020 through January 1, 2023.

    COVID-19 related citations recently issued by Cal/OSHA included a failure to investigate about 20 COVID-19 illnesses and one death for a food manufacturer. Cal/OSHA’s news release highlighted that Cal/OSHA created guidance for many industries in multiple languages including videos, daily checklists and detailed guidelines on how to protect workers from the virus. This guidance is meant to provide a roadmap for employers on their existing obligations to protect workers from COVID-19.  If you don’t conduct required investigations, you will be placing your company at risk of being shut down through Cal/OSHA’s expanded authority to issue Orders Prohibiting Use for workplaces that pose a risks of an “imminent hazard” relating to COVID-19.

    1. Meet Requirements for Identifying and Notifying Potentially Affected Employees

    As part of the investigation, additional employee cases and close contacts (within six feet for fifteen minutes or more) should be identified in accordance with the regulations and guidance.  The facility will then need to conduct testing or alternative methods (e.g., contact tracing or quarantining) in consultation with the local health department to control the outbreak.

    All potentially exposed employees must be notified and employers must meet obligations regarding confidentiality of employees with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”).

    1. Review and Update the Facility COVID-19 Plan to Apply Lessons Learned and Improve

    In the July 29, 2020 COVID-19 Guidance for agriculture and livestock, the state of California  recommended that each facility establish a written, workplace-specific COVID-19 prevention plan, perform a comprehensive risk assessment of all work areas and work tasks, and designate a person at each facility to implement the plan. The plan should include sanitation practices, physical distancing, individual control measures, screening, and other incidental practices to prevent the spread amongst workers. Upon completion of the incident investigation, the facility should update the plan as needed to prevent further cases.

    Conclusion

    COVID-19 presents unique challenges to processing plant managers responding to incidents because of the difficulty in determining the source of infection, agency notification and attention, contact tracing, employee notification, testing, control measures, and return to work. Like any incident, COVID-19 incident response should focus on:  (1) the immediate response by making required agency notifications and dealing with the immediate employee concerns including contact tracing; (2) the extended response by conducting an incident investigation; (3) compliance and prevention by conducting testing or implement isolation protocols; and (4) preparedness/lessons learned to improve by reviewing and updating the facility COVID-19 plan. Processing plant managers who work quickly and diligently to respond to a COVID-19 incident will reap the benefit of minimizing regulatory scrutiny protecting employees and comply with legal reporting and notification requirements. They should also regularly check local, state, and federal guidance to determine if there are new or revised investigation, reporting, or recording obligations triggered by a positive COVID-19.   – By Daniel J. Grucza & Shannon S. Broome

    Dan Grucza is Counsel with Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. He regularly advises companies on health and safety issues and has been a speaker and author on COVID-19 response issues and is a lead member of the firm’s incident response practice.

    Shannon S. Broome is the Managing Partner of Hunton Andrews Kurth’s San Francisco office and leads its environmental practice in California.  She routinely advises clients on Cal/OSHA compliance issues and on major accident and other incident response for industrial facilities.

  • Wildfire Impact on CA Almond Harvest & Crop Update

    Are California almond growers really going to reach their record 3 billion pound crop this year? How have the wildfires impacted the harvest season? What kind of pest pressure levels are growers experiencing this year? What should almond growers expect at the virtual Almond Board Conference this year?  Watch this brief interview with Richard Waycott from the Almond Board of California to find out and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Round II Begins Sept. 21 (What’s Included)

    President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced up to an additional $14 billion for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) will begin September 21 and run through December 11, 2020.

    “America’s agriculture communities are resilient, but still face many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump is once again demonstrating his commitment to ensure America’s farmers and ranchers remain in business to produce the food, fuel, and fiber America needs to thrive,” said Secretary Perdue. “We listened to feedback received from farmers, ranchers and agricultural organizations about the impact of the pandemic on our nations’ farms and ranches, and we developed a program to better meet the needs of those impacted.”

    Background:

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will use funds being made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and CARES Act to support row crops, livestock, specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture and many additional commodities. USDA has incorporated improvements in CFAP 2 based from stakeholder engagement and public feedback to better meet the needs of impacted farmers and ranchers.

    Producers can apply for CFAP 2 at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices. This program provides financial assistance that gives producers the ability to absorb increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Producers will be compensated for ongoing market disruptions and assisted with the associated marketing costs.

    CFAP 2 payments will be made for three categories of commodities – Price Trigger Commodities, Flat-rate Crops and Sales Commodities.

    Price Trigger Commodities

    Price trigger commodities are major commodities that meet a minimum 5-percent price decline over a specified period of time. Eligible price trigger crops include barley, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, upland cotton, and all classes of wheat. Payments will be based on 2020 planted acres of the crop, excluding prevented planting and experimental acres. Payments for price trigger crops will be the greater of: 1) the eligible acres multiplied by a payment rate of $15 per acre; or 2) the eligible acres multiplied by a nationwide crop marketing percentage, multiplied by a crop-specific payment rate, and then by the producer’s weighted 2020 Actual Production History (APH) approved yield. If the APH is not available, 85 percent of the 2019 Agriculture Risk Coverage-County Option (ARC-CO) benchmark yield for that crop will be used.

    For broilers and eggs, payments will be based on 75 percent of the producers’ 2019 production.

    Dairy (cow’s milk) payments will be based on actual milk production from April 1 to Aug. 31, 2020. The milk production for Sept. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2020, will be estimated by FSA.

    Eligible beef cattle, hogs and pigs, and lambs and sheep payments will be based on the maximum owned inventory of eligible livestock, excluding breeding stock, on a date selected by the producer, between Apr. 16, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2020.

    Flat-rate Crops

    Crops that either do not meet the 5-percent price decline trigger or do not have data available to calculate a price change will have payments calculated based on eligible 2020 acres multiplied by $15 per acre. These crops include alfalfa, extra long staple (ELS) cotton, oats, peanuts, rice, hemp, millet, mustard, safflower, sesame, triticale, rapeseed, and several others.

    Sales Commodities

    Sales commodities include specialty crops; aquaculture; nursery crops and floriculture; other commodities not included in the price trigger and flat-rate categories, including tobacco; goat milk; mink (including pelts); mohair; wool; and other livestock (excluding breeding stock) not included under the price trigger category that were grown for food, fiber, fur, or feathers. Payment calculations will use a sales-based approach, where producers are paid based on five payment gradations associated with their 2019 sales.

    Additional commodities are eligible in CFAP 2 that weren’t eligible in the first iteration of the program. If your agricultural operation has been impacted by the pandemic since April 2020, we encourage you to apply for CFAP 2. A complete list of eligible commodities, payment rates and calculations can be found on farmers.gov/cfap.

    Eligibility

    There is a payment limitation of $250,000 per person or entity for all commodities combined. Applicants who are corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships may qualify for additional payment limits when members actively provide personal labor or personal management for the farming operation. In addition, this special payment limitation provision has been expanded to include trusts and estates for both CFAP 1 and 2.

    Producers will also have to certify they meet the Adjusted Gross Income limitation of $900,000 unless at least 75 percent or more of their income is derived from farming, ranching or forestry-related activities. Producers must also be in compliance with Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions.

    Applying for Assistance

    Producers can apply for assistance beginning Sept. 21, 2020. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 11, 2020.

    Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested. All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap/apply. For existing FSA customers, including those who participated in CFAP 1, many documents are likely already on file. Producers should check with FSA county office to see if any of the forms need to be updated.

    Customers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP 2 application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance. This is a recommended first step before a producer engages with the team at the FSA county office.

    All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors are also required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in the office, by phone and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.