Combined sales of walnut trees to California growers were 6,444 acres for the 2021 crop year and 10,650 acres for the 2020 crop year. The majority of tree sales in 2021 were Seedlings, at 62% of new plantings. The Chandler variety came in second at 30%. For 2020, Seedlings were the largest percentage of new plantings at 58%, with the …

The Pacific Regional Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts an acreage survey of California citrus growers as funding is available. The purpose of this survey is to provide bi-annual citrus acreage, which includes information on new plantings and removals. It is the continuation of a long series of industry-funded Citrus Acreage surveys. Resulting data reveals that …

Dr. Mussen, a 38-year California Cooperative Extension apiculturist and an invaluable member of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty, died Friday, June 3 at his home in Davis from liver cancer. He was 78. Known to all as “Eric,” he joined the UC Davis entomology department in 1976. Although he retired in 2014, he continued his many activities …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced the winners of the 2022 Cal-Mex Invitational – its inaugural culinary competition to find the nation’s top recipes that incorporate Hispanic-style cheeses and dairy from California with Mexican cuisine and California flavors. Chefs Chad Clevenger of Atlanta, Ga., Claud Beltran of Pasadena, Calif., and Marco Colin of Chicago, Ill., won $5,000 each in …

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Pacific Regional Office wants recipients of the California Irrigation Survey to know that there is still time to respond. Survey recipients may respond securely online at www.agcounts.usda.gov, by phone or mail. In July, NASS mailed the survey to around 20,000 California farmers and ranchers. A joint project between NASS, the California Department of Food …

The pioneering Sangiacomo family, leaders in sustainable grape growing in Sonoma County, are honored to celebrate 95 years of farming and stewardship in Sonoma. The Sangiacomo family’s roots in Sonoma County began on August 30, 1927, when founder Vittorio Sangiacomo signed the deed to the 55-acre Eden Dale ranch, at the southern end of the Sonoma Valley in what is …

Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) and Congresswoman Connie Conway (CA-22) recently hosted a roundtable discussion with local leaders in the agriculture community to discuss how ongoing drought conditions, labor shortages, input costs, and supply chain disruptions are impacting the Central Valley agricultural sector. Roundtable participants also shared suggestions for the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. “Agriculture is the backbone of our …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced eight finalists in the Real California Milk Excelerator, a partnership with innovation consultancy VentureFuel. The program is focused on identifying, curating, and accelerating dairy-based products – including traditional consumer food and beverage items, textiles and beyond. The competition will award up to $500,000 in prizes for startups that introduce novel benefits and drive …

In Spring 2022, the National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) announced the NGRA Fellowship, offering $30,000 per year for up to three years to a Ph.D. student conducting research addressing one or more of NGRA’s industry research priorities. In addition to the monetary award, the doctoral fellowship also includes a unique opportunity to receive mentorship, exposure to commercial grape production and …

The Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC) Board of Directors has established a pre-season crop estimate of 1.8 million gallons for the 2022/23 season. The estimate is down significantly from the 2021/22 season when just over 3 million gallons were produced by OOCC members, who represent approximately 90 percent of California’s olive oil production. The Board also reviewed and adopted …