Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “California Corner”
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) on Nov. 4 held its first annual meeting under new President and CEO Tom Danowski. He shared his perspective on the organization’s priorities and opportunities, emphasizing the importance of industry collaboration. “The annual meeting is an opportunity to bring our industry together, recognize those who have made meaningful contributions and reaffirm our commitment to the growers …
University of California, Riverside (UCR) citrus researcher Mikeal Roose is among 23 honorees across the University of California (UC) campuses who recently received UC Regents Innovation Awards. Roose is credited with co-developing the seedless Tango mandarin. The awards recognize UC faculty members whose research has real-world impact. Roose was among 11 honored in the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award category for …
Agriculture organizations expressed strong disapproval at the passage of a California law establishing a minimum hourly wage of at least $19.75 next year for many agricultural workers in the state. This is nearly a 17% increase from the state’s current minimum wage of $16.90. Assembly Bill 2646, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, establishes the $19.75 minimum wage for certain temporary …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced Oct. 1 that it was expanding the citrus greening (also known as huanglongbing or HLB) quarantined area in California. APHIS is adding 155 square miles to the quarantined Murrieta area of Riverside and San Diego counties. This expansion impacts 125.6 acres of commercial citrus. The agency expanded …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), recently expanded the La Mesa Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in San Diego County, California. APHIS took this action to parallel the intrastate quarantine that CDFA implemented. On June 16, CDFA established a Mexfly quarantine in response …
The 2026–27 California forecast for the Tango and W. Murcott Afourer mandarin varieties, released Sept. 11, is for 38 million 40-pound cartons. The forecast is based on the results of the 2026–27 Mandarin Objective Measurement Survey, which was conducted from June 20 to Aug. 23. The forecast was issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), cooperating with …
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has announced there is one vacancy on the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (CPDPC). The committee advises the CDFA secretary on activities associated with the statewide citrus-specific pest and disease work plan. The work plan includes but is not limited to outreach and education programs as well as programs for surveying, …
The initial 2026–27 California navel orange forecast, released Sept. 11, is 84 million cartons. The forecast is based on the results of the 2026–27 Navel Orange Objective Measurement Survey, which was conducted from June 23 to Aug. 16. The forecast was issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, cooperating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics …
Water, education of politicians and consumers, California’s next governor and farm succession were among citrus-related topics addressed recently by Jacob Villagomez, director of governmental affairs for California Citrus Mutual. WATER Water remains one of the industry’s biggest concerns, according to Villagomez. He said California’s increasingly intense heat can stress citrus trees, contribute to leaf curling, cause sunburn-related scarring and sometimes …
Trade issues and labor, both major concerns for California’s citrus industry, were among numerous topics discussed recently by Jacob Villagomez, director of governmental affairs for California Citrus Mutual. EXPORT MARKETS HARMED BY TARIFFS Villagomez said Canada is the No. 1 export market for California citrus. He described how previous tariff actions resulted in canceled orders and shipments being frozen almost overnight. …
Applications are open through Sept. 18 for University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Connect (UC ANR Connect), a grower-informed commercialization program for agriculture technology. Selected companies in the program receive commercialization support, direct feedback from California growers and agricultural professionals, industry connections and the opportunity to demonstrate technology live at a field day. UC ANR Connect is operated by …
Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it was expanding the HLB quarantined area in California. The action was made on Sept. 1 in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). APHIS is adding 1 square mile to the Santa Paula quarantined area in Ventura County, which impacts 151.7 …
Jacob Villagomez, director of governmental affairs for California Citrus Mutual, recently discussed developments that could benefit California citrus growers. Among the topics he addressed in the AgNet News Hour podcast were the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent modernization of the federal standard of identity for pasteurized orange juice (OJ) and HLB research in California. STANDARD OF IDENTITY FOR …
The California area quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS) in the Burbank, Los Angeles and Long Beach areas of Los Angeles County and the Anaheim and Garden Grove areas of Orange County has been expanded. The expansion was made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food …
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials have confirmed the detection of HLB in one tree in a residential property in the city of Calexico, Imperial County, California. This is the first HLB detection in a tree in Imperial County. In November 2025, an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) was confirmed positive in Imperial …
California has an estimated 266,300 acres of bearing citrus, up just 200 acres in the past four years. That’s according to an acreage report released Aug. 5 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The major source of the acreage data was a questionnaire mailed to all California …
A recent University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) article described five “odd and unusual” citrus varieties that can be grown in northern California. They are Nagami kumquat, yuzu hybrid citrus, Flying Dragon orange, finger lime and Buddha’s Hand citron. The article noted that Nagami, yuzu and Flying Dragon are cold tolerant to well below freezing. Finger lime …
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has expanded the huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine boundary in San Diego County following the confirmation of one HLB-positive residential citrus tree in Fallbrook. CDFA is also expanding the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) Bulk Citrus Regional Quarantine Zone 6 to reflect the HLB quarantine boundary expansion. A map of the expanded boundary can be …
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) has selected Tom Danowski as its new CEO effective Sept. 1. Danowski most recently served 13 years as president and CEO of the Oregon Wine Board and Oregon Winegrowers Association. There, he helped drive the Oregon wine industry’s total annual economic impact from $2.7 billion to $8 billion, CCM reported. Prior to working in Oregon’s wine industry, …
State, local and federal agriculture officials have eradicated a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) infestation centered in and around the City of San Jose, California. The eradication ends a 241-square-mile quarantine that began on Aug. 19, 2025. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Santa Clara County and Alameda County agricultural commissioner’s …
