The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a long-term approval for the insecticide sulfoxaflor— an effective tool to control challenging pests with fewer environmental impacts. After conducting an extensive risk analysis, including the review of one of the agency’s largest datasets on the effects of a pesticide on bees, EPA is approving the use of sulfoxaflor on alfalfa, corn, …

Botrytis fruit rot or gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea, is common fruit disease in California strawberries. Botrytis cinerea has a wide host range infecting several commercially important crops including blueberry, grapes and tomato.  Fungal infection can cause flower or fruit rot.  Fruit can be infected directly or through a latent infection in the flowers.  Moist and cool conditions favor fungal …

SMALL GRAINS, OTHER FIELD CROPS: Recently planted corn for silage continues to mature. Black-eyed beans continue to mature. Cotton continues to be irrigated and cultivated. Alfalfa continues to be cut and baled. DECIDUOUS TREE FRUITS, NUTS, AND GRAPES: The stone fruit season is in full swing. Peaches are being exported to Canada, Brazil, Mexico,Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Australia. …

UC Riverside scientists have decoded the genome of black-eyed peas, offering hope for feeding Earth’s expanding Understanding the genes responsible for the peas’ drought and heat tolerance eventually could help make other crops tougher too. Black-eyed peas are small beans with dark midsections. They’ve been a global dietary staple for centuries due to their environmental toughness and exceptional nutritional qualities, …

A little over a month ago, I visited some contiguous garbanzo bean fields in southern San Joaquin County, at the request of the grower. The grower observed that plants were yellowing and dying (Fig. 1) and wondered what might be causing the problem. The grower did not figure that he would be able to do anything about the problem in …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has selected four students to serve as interns in the second year of the international dairy leadership program. Jessica Brown, Stefani Christieson, KayCee Hartwig-Dittman and Makayla Toste will serve as dairy representatives working with marketing teams representing CMAB during the summer in Mexico, South Korea and Taiwan. The interns, selected from students enrolled in agriculture-related programs at …

California Dairies, Inc. (CDI) and Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) today announced the creation of a marketing agency in common to benefit and bring efficiency to both cooperatives’ customers and members. “Given the significant marketing and regulatory challenges that we’ve seen in California over the last few years, there was a mutual desire to reduce supply chain costs and create …

WEATHER Temperature highs ranged from the low 60s to low 90s in the mountains, mid 60s to mid 90s along the coast, low 70s to high 90s in the valley, and mid 80s to low 110s in the desert.  Temperature lows ranged from the high 30s to mid 60s in the mountains, high 40s to low 60s along the coast, …

Brady Whitlow of Corto Olive Company was elected by the OOCC Board to serve as its new Chairman. Whitlow formerly served as the OOCC’s Secretary/Treasurer and he replaces Jeff Colombini, Lodi Farming Company, who has served as Chairman since the OOCC’s inception in 2014. Colombini will continue to serve on the Board and Executive Committee as the Board’s Treasurer/Secretary. Meanwhile, …