As crop protection materials continue to get regulated out of circulation, California farmers are struggling to have sufficient tools to maintain plant health and combat the major pests and diseases that afflict this region of the world.  The good news is that new and innovative crop protection tools are being developed and receiving registration for use on specialty crops in …

Vine mealybug has never been more widespread across the grape growing regions of California than it is now.  Watch this video interview with Nathan Mercer from the Kent Daane Lab at UC Berkeley, who shares a more effective and collaborative way to control this pest in vineyards.  Read more about vineyard pest management in American Vineyard Magazine. Please thank this …

As California wine grape growers continue dealing with warmer, drier conditions, new UCCE North Coast Integrated Vineyard Systems Advisor Christopher Chen suggests growers think outside the box when planning for the vineyard of the future. Watch his interview and read more about improving grape growing practices in American Vineyard Magazine. Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

As grape growers strive to continue minimizing herbicide drift and residue on their vines/fruit, watch this brief video with Emeritus UCCE Weed Science Advisor John Roncoroni on best practices that can also save money on spray applications. Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine. Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

As almond growers were preparing for harvest this year, there were major concerns as to whether their crop would have a home overseas, due to port and logistical issues (both locally and worldwide).  The Almond Alliance of California quickly worked to bring authorities together to address this issue and do whatever it takes to get product onboard ships destined to …

Amidst the current drought, growers can use all the water they can get, and recycling winery wastewater back into the vineyard would seem like a nice idea — except that water from the wineries are generally high in salts/chlorides, which would prove detrimental to soil health… unless certain cover crops planted down vineyard rows could remove the unwanted additives. Watch …

There is not always sufficient time and labor to accomplish all the tasks that need to be taken care of in the vineyard.  Fortunately researchers and allied industry stakeholders have collaborated and innovated to provide an economical way for the full automation of winter pruning in wine grape vineyards.  Watch this brief video with Kaan Kurtural from UC Davis as …

At Fresno State Grape Day, Cliff Yu from the department of viticulture and enology reminded growers of the value of measuring the bulk electrical conductivity (EC) of their vineyard soils to better meet their grapevine water needs.  Watch this brief video as he explains, and read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine. Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry …

Viticulture and enology researchers from multiple universities have been feverishly working with the western wine grape industry to learn more about how wildfire smoke impacts developing wine grapes. The hope is to develop some form of industry standard threshold for smoke taint, so that wine grapes will not be rejected at the winery unless they have truly been compromised.  Watch …

There are a lot of risks involved in farming, such as weather, insect/disease pressure and a tightening labor force; and a crop finally getting harvested is generally accompanied by a sigh of relief.  However, the risks aren’t completely over yet, especially with the threat of postharvest crop theft in California. Watch this brief interview with Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux …