The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its strengthened commitment to advancing research and programmatic priorities that support pollinator health by soliciting nominations for members to serve on its newly formed USDA National Pollinator Subcommittee.
The subcommittee will be part of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board, which provides feedback to the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA’s science agencies and university collaborators on food and agricultural research, education, extension and economics priorities and policies.
“USDA takes very seriously our duty to protect pollinators so that they can continue to play a critical role in our food production system,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Pollinator species help produce more than 100 crops grown in the United States. We are keenly interested in understanding the stressors that impact pollinators, including climate change, pests, pathogens and reduced forage. We strive to ensure our research and data in this area are meeting the needs of bee managers and the farmers that rely on pollinators.”
The NAREEE Advisory Board’s Pollinator Subcommittee will provide input on annual USDA strategic pollinator priorities and goals and will make pollinator health-related recommendations to strengthen USDA pollinator research efforts. USDA is both a major funder and conductor of pollinator research, with research initiatives spanning across five USDA mission areas.
NAREEE Board members play an important advisory role for USDA’s science agencies as they shape and advance the large-scale, collaborative research initiatives needed to address tough challenges that our nation’s farmers, ranchers and consumers face.
USDA is seeking nominations for subcommittee members from individuals with diverse expertise in pollinator health. USDA’s research is organized by five major study areas: Status and Trends (e.g., pollinator inventory and monitoring, economics and social sciences); Pests and Pathogens (both established and emerging); Environmental Stressors (e.g., weather stress, pesticide exposure, migratory and stocking density stress); Forage, Habitat, and Nutrition; and Genetics and Breeding.
USDA expects to appoint seven new Pollinator Subcommittee members in accordance with the federal statute. Candidates selected to the Pollinator Subcommittee may serve 1–3 years with terms anticipated to start in July 2022.
NAREEE is accepting nomination packages from now until May 31, 2022, and should be sent by email to nareee@usda.gov. The Federal Register Notice is available online. For information on how to apply visit the NAREEE website.
To learn more about USDA pollinator activities and research efforts visit USDA’s Pollinator website.
Planting a new almond orchard? Watch this brief interview with UCCE Stanislaus County Director & Farm Advisor Roger Duncan as he shares some considerations for varietal selection based on his recent presentation at the Tree & Vine Expo. Read more about in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.
Eastern Filbert Blight has historically been a curse to the Pacific Northwest hazelnut industry, that is, until Oregon State University released several blight-resistant varieties. So, with exception to some of the older orchards remaining, growers have looked at this disease as a thing of the past. But is it really? Watch this brief interview with Shawn Mehlenbacher from the Hazelnut Breeding Program at Oregon State University as he shares concern for another strain of Eastern Filbert Blight that the OSU varieties have not been strong enough to combat. Read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine. If you’re not currently receiving the print publication, subscribe for free at: https://malcolmmedia.com/subscribe/
Growers in the San Joaquin Valley are not alone in dealing with the harsh impacts of drought. The Sacramento Valley has been hit pretty hard as well, and almond growers are concerned with how this will affect the quality of their crop over the next few years. Watch this brief interview with UCCE Orchard Systems Advisor Luke Milliron as he shares his insights, based on his presentation at The Almond Conference, and read more about in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.
“On behalf of Malcolm Media and our partners at UPL, I am very excited to announce the realization of an initiative that has been in the planning stages to serve grape and nut growers for a long time,” shares Dan Malcolm, Publisher of American Vineyard and Pacific Nut Producer Magazines.
Dan Malcolm
What started as a school video project inspired Malcolm Media to create a series of videos that will tell the stories of individual growers, not just to share within the industry, but with the real purpose of sharing the stories of farmers with the general public. ““A Grower’s Story” will serve to introduce our urban neighbors to the good people who grow the food we all consume,” Malcolm reports.
As told by Emmy Award winning documentarian Joseph Malcolm, “A Grower’s Story” is part of the ongoing commitment at Malcolm Media to serve the agricultural community. By telling the stories of grape and nut growers, providing farmers a platform from which to tell their own stories, this facilitates a relationship to develop in the hearts and minds of people everywhere with their rural benefactor. It could certainly be argued that consumers need to know about the food they eat, but more importantly, if they could learn from growers themselves, getting to know more personally the good people who feed the world, we can establish bonds between farmers and consumers that will make us all friends.
“We want to provide growers with success in farming,” Malcolm explains. “It is so important in our current climate that there be positive buzz about growers and their endeavors so that they may be free to feed the world without misunderstandings that often occur when there is minimal or incomplete information available to those wanting to know more. We at Malcolm Media believe it is key to grower success that we invest and help share with our friends who consume the bounty which growers provide, the work and deeds of good farmers. This is what “A Grower’s Story” is all about.”
UPL, a leader in global food systems and one of the top five agricultural solutions companies worldwide, also has vision to help spread the good word of what growers do and have generously invested to assist Malcolm Media in the creation and worldwide distribution of short “A Grower’s Story” documentaries that will tell the stories of the people who grow food. “We are so grateful that our good friends at UPL are enthusiastically partnering through funding the “A Grower’s Story” initiative for 2022,” Malcolm shared.
Malcolm Media will publicize this video series utilizing their own in-house social media tools, both print and digital (American Vineyard, Pacific Nut Producer, AmericanVineyardMagazine.com, PacificNutProducer.com, CaliforniaAgNet.com), as well as new tools specifically developed for the purpose of outreach to the general public, outside their traditional ag channels. GrapeGrower.org and NutGrower.orgwere launched on April 1st for this exclusive purpose of hosting “A Grower’s Story” three to five minute non-commercial documentaries. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, Malcolm Media will use social media and other means to get viewership of many more outside of agriculture to elevate the image of growers and those who work in farming to consumers. A Grower’s Story has been launched on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn for the purpose of connecting with the community. The goal is to reach as many as possible with positive messages about grape and nut growers, the good people they are and the essential work they do.
Beginning in April, Malcolm Media will begin to distribute “A Grower’s Story” documentaries regularly through the end of 2022 to feature twelve growers this year. The plan is to continue beyond 2022 with as many stories as there are to be told, reaching as many members of the general public, making new friends for agriculture, for many years to come.
Joseph Malcolm first took an interest in video journalism as a high school student at Buchanan High School in Clovis, California, where he graduated valedictorian in 2018. As part of an advanced and award winning team of student journalists, he learned skills behind the camera, and earned the opportunity to serve as an on camera personality telling the stories of members of their campus community. Under the tutelage of Digital Filmmaking/Videography teacher Dan Pearce, Joseph learned his craft through participation in the production of regular broadcasts, commercials, music videos, and documentary storytelling, for which he won his first Emmy at the ripe young age of 18, titled “A Grower’s Story.”
Joseph Malcolm
“With the directing and camera skills of documentarian and photojournalist Joseph Malcolm, we are confident stories will be told that will bring farmers into the hearts of people everywhere,” shares Malcolm. “We are so excited to serve our grape and nut industry community in this unique and heartfelt way, and have ultimately envisioned an extensive collection of “A Grower’s Story” documentaries representing all of the industries we serve.”
As the US Pistachio industry continues to ramp up in production, global marketing efforts have never been more critical to keep demand ahead of supply. Watch this brief interview with Judy Hirigoyen from American Pistachio Growers as she shares how American Pistachio Growers is leading the charge.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.
American Pistachio Growers gathered in record numbers recently for their annual conference in Carlsbad, CA.
Watch this brief interview with Richard Matoian, President of American Pistachio Growers as he shares highlights, and how the record attendance is also a reflection of the growth of the industry and new heights in pistachio acreage and production being reached.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.
The election results for six Board seats, for the 2022 American Pistachio Growers (APG) Board of Directors, were recently announced during the Annual Membership Meeting. The newly elected board members are Adam Kusmak of Tularosa Pistachio Groves, New Mexico, and from California, William Bourdeau of Harris Farms, Paul Huckabay of Keenan Farming Company, Raj Kahlon of RHM Farms, Jim Zion of LJL Farming, and Ali Amin of Primex Farms, who has been re-elected to the board for a second term. Rudy Placencia of Touchstone Pistachio Company was appointed to the Board in November to fill a vacant seat.
The 2022 APG officers were also unanimously confirmed for the year: Dennis Woods, Chair; Vice Chair Justin Wylie; and Rich Kreps Secretary/Treasurer. As for the six who have completed their terms of service, APG offers their heartfelt gratitude to them. The invaluable leadership and the many hours of volunteering that Dominic Pitigliano, Gary Smith, Steve Moore, Steve Burcham, and Danielle Kusmak gave, on behalf of APG, is deeply appreciated.
American Pistachio Growers’ Board of Directors consists of 18-member growers who bring a diverse range of knowledge, perspective and experience to the association. Board members, elected by APG growers, serve a 3-year term, and may serve up to 2 consecutive terms.
