California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Housing for the Harvest is underway in Fresno and other Central Valley counties. This is a new program designed to provide temporary hotel housing options for farm and food-processing employees to self-isolate if they are COVID-19 positive and do not require hospitalization. The state is securing hotel rooms in participating counties like Fresno and …
Infected ACP Found in California Commercial Grove Is No Surprise
For the first time, an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) carrying the bacteria which causes huanglongbing (HLB) was found in a commercial grove in Riverside County. While the discovery has prompted concern, University of California Riverside Extension Specialist Monique Rivera said that the find has been expected and is not all that surprising. “We’ve had positive trees removed here in Riverside, …
California Citrus Movement Rules Amended
The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program, an agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), has revised the rules governing shipment of citrus within the state. The rules are in place to protect commercial citrus groves from the threat of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Effective July 31, 2020, bulk citrus fruit may be shipped directly to a packinghouse …
California Ag Responds to COVID-19 Pressure
Now a COVID-19 hot spot, California agriculture has been working to protect its labor force from the pandemic. However, COVID-19 exposures have occurred and illness reports are on the rise. “Rising rates in the Central Valley are concerning. California is making $52M available to increase testing, contact tracing and quarantine efforts, and sending strike teams to four counties with increased …
First CLas-Positive ACP Found in California Grove
An Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample has been confirmed positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the bacteria that causes huanglongbing (HLB). The sample was collected from a commercial citrus grove in the Woodcrest area of Riverside County. Confirmed by Citrus Research Board’s Jerry Dimitman Laboratory, this single adult psyllid is the first CLas-positive ACP found in a commercial citrus grove …
California Budget Includes HLB Funding
Funding for Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)/huanglongbing (HLB) programs and the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD), an agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), were included in the 2020-2021 California budget. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the budget on June 29. The CPDPD, known also as the Citrus Division, utilizes state, federal and grower-generated funds to prevent …
New California Face Mask Rules and Availability
In addition to California Division of Occupational Safety and Health face mask regulations, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has issued new mandates regarding face mask use in certain settings. WHEN TO WEAR A MASKFace masks are required whether or not members of the public are present in workplaces. The CDPH guidance also specifies that individuals engaged in work, …
New Lighting Rules for California Agriculture
New nighttime lighting requirements have been set by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) and take effect on July 1, 2020. The new standard, “Outdoor Agricultural Operations During Hours of Darkness,” was heavily modified from the original proposal based on information provided by the agricultural industry throughout the course of the rulemaking process. It applies to all …
California Citrus Research Center to Get New Director
Ashraf El-kereamy will be the new director of the University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ (UC ANR) Lindcove Research and Extension Center (REC), starting on July 1. He will continue to serve as a UC cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at UC Riverside. “Elizabeth Grafton-Cardwell retires this year after 13 years …
Deadline Coming Up for California Citrus Mutual Scholarships
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) awards three scholarships to students who are pursuing an education and future in the agricultural industry. The deadline to apply for the scholarships has been extended to June 30. The CCM High School Scholarship is given to a a qualified high school senior pursuing a continued education in an agriculture-related field. An eligible candidate must be …
Cover Crops Benefit California Citrus Grower
A California citrus grower says he has substantially increased water retention and decreased irrigation usage by planting cover crops. Chris Sayer, of Petty Ranch, says he has added about 3 percent organic content to his soil, which has reduced irrigation water usage from 2 acre feet to 1.25 to 1.5 acre feet. Sayer is a fifth-generation Ventura County farmer. He …
California Citrus and Chinese Tariff Exemptions
The latest development in the Chinese market came as welcome news for the California citrus industry, as China moved to implement tariff exemptions. California Citrus Mutual President Casey Creamer explained that the tariff reduction is coming at an important time for the industry. “It’s probably the break we’ve been looking for when it comes to citrus movement to China,” Creamer …
Prepare for California Wildfire Smoke Rules
With fire season on the horizon, employers should prepare now to be in compliance with wildfire smoke regulations. Bryan Little, director of employment policy for the California Farm Bureau Federation and chief operating officer for the Farm Employers Labor Service, highlighted the things agricultural employers will need to do to get ready for the coming fire season. “Make sure you’ve …
California Lawsuit Over Water for Farmers
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit to stop the federal government from increasing water deliveries to California farmers, including growers in the citrus regions of Central and Southern California. The increased deliveries are needed to comply with new state requirements to improve groundwater recharge efforts. The increased deliveries came about by changes in biological opinions. Biological opinions are …
New HLB Find in California
A new finding of huanglongbing (HLB) has been reported in a residential citrus tree in the city of San Bernardino, California. This is the first confirmed find of the citrus disease in the city and follows the recent detections of several HLB-positive trees located in Colton, Montclair and Ontario. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is working with …
How to Donate Citrus to California Food Banks
In California as well as nationally, food banks are experiencing a significant increase in demand due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The California Association of Food Banks (CAFB) Farm to Family (F2F) program accepts donations of fresh produce year-round. CAFB will coordinate the distribution to 41 food banks across the state, which then supply local community food banks and other …
California Citrus Market: A Wild Ride
It’s been a wild up-and-down season for California citrus, and pandemic shopping waves are making the market even less predictable than usual. California Citrus Mutual President Casey Creamer spoke about this year’s market. “We’re getting some unpredictable orders and sales,” he said. “And I don’t quite know how this market’s going to shape up, but down in the field, everybody …
California Agricultural Commissioners Declare Bloom
California agricultural commissioners declared the citrus bloom is now underway in Tulare, Fresno and Kern counties. This establishes the beginning of a time when the use of insecticides is greatly restricted in citrus groves. These restrictions enable bees to work the citrus blossoms while reducing the potential of serious pesticide damage to the bees. Kern County Agricultural Commissioner Glenn Fankhauser …
California Citrus Mutual Recommends Letters for Essential Business Workers
As part of the state effort to control the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a statewide stay-at-home order that went into effect immediately. The order does not apply to workers in essential businesses, which includes agriculture. In some parts of the state, the order is being aggressively enforced by local law enforcement. Reports are circulating that some …
Seeking California Citrus Growers With Roof Rat Problems
Researchers from the University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension and UC Davis are beginning a two-year study to develop an effective management program for removing roof rats from orchards. The researchers are looking for growers who will allow the UC to work in their orchards to test methods for monitoring roof rat activity. Roof rats can run rampant and cause …