“We had exactly 100 entries – 32 more than last year – in the second annual Sealpro® Forage Contest. Lab results of three categories were placed by an independent nutrition consultant: Alfalfa Haylage, Winter Forage, and Corn Silage. Complete contest results were based 60% on the Rock River Laboratory, Inc. complete lab analysis, 30% on actual sample inspection, and 10% …
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs. USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new …
As the pandemic precluded an in-person UC Tri-County Walnut Day this year, we’d like to share this informative video from Walnut Days past, as Thousand Cankers Disease continues to be an issue for California walnut growers. If your walnut orchard is suffering from Thousand Cankers Disease, chances are that you may have other pathogens infecting your trees as well. Watch …
Sonoma County farmers have been outstanding examples of moving towards new and innovative sustainable practices on their farms. Sustainability takes many forms though, and accounts for the health and prosperity of both the land and the steward. There are costs with implementing sustainable practices on the farm, but many of these can return savings to the farmers as well, such …
Americans are buying more beef, pork, poultry, and lamb than ever as increased time at home during the pandemic sent meat grocery sales soaring by 20% (IRI) from 2019 to 2020. The national analysis released today shows that three out of every four Americans agree meat belongs in healthy, balanced diets (up by nearly 20% since 2020), and 94% say …
The USDA-NASS Pacific Regional Office surveyed California’s tomato processors for their final acreage and tonnage for the 2020 season. The reported data is summarized by county and listed with final 2019 acres, yield and production for comparison. In 2020, there were 234,000 acres of processing tomatoes planted in California, a decrease of 1,000 acres compared to 2019. An estimated 228,000 …
A recent report of viral disease on lettuce from our neighbor (Yuma, Arizona) caught our attention since this is highly relevant to our production system (please find information on the first link below). The name of the virus is “Impatient Necrotic Sport Virus” (INSV), which is a tospovirus, similar to the virus that attacks tomato to cause tomato spotted wilt …
Apurba Barman joined UC Cooperative Extension as low desert integrated pest management advisor on Jan. 11, 2021. He will be headquartered at the UCCE Imperial County office, which adjoins the UC Desert Research and Extension Center in Holtville. “I am very excited for my new role as an IPM advisor based in Southern California and for the opportunity to serve …
To bring awareness to the importance of seeds, the Crop Science Society of America is celebrating Seed Week March 22-28, 2021. Anyone who plants a seed is investing in hope. That’s one of the attractions of seeds. For the gardener, it could be hope for a beautiful flower, or perhaps a delicious zucchini squash. For our farmers, seeds are the hope of this year’s …
Biopesticides contain active ingredients of natural or biological origin that include plant extracts, microorganisms, microbial metabolites, organic molecules, minerals, or other such natural materials that have pesticidal properties. Pests such as herbivorous arthropods, pathogens, parasitic nematodes, mollusks, rodents, and weeds cause significant crop damage when they are not managed. Pest suppression is a critical part of crop production to maintain …
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Rex Dufour: Mustard cover crops have been effective against Pratylenchus sp in walnuts, and...