California has allocated $10 million to begin the development of a statewide system the provides information to the public about pesticides used around them. DPR is working in partnership with several agricultural commissioners on local pilot projects as part of the development of the system this year. Watch this brief interview with Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner Ruben Arroyo as he …
Preparing Your Orchards for 2022 in the Face of Drought
Plan for the worst, hope for the best. That’s a tough, solid, strategy as the 2021 season winds down and almond growers and PCAs look to 2022. The following are some considerations when following this strategy. Every operation is different, and growers must decide what works best for their business. Final decisions may not need to be made until early …
Washington Issues Rules to Protect Farm Workers from Wildfire Smoke
Washington is under a state of emergency, with more than 600 wildfires reported already this year. That’s about double the normal rate, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. Where there’s fire, there’s smoke that can expose outdoor workers in construction, agriculture, and other jobs to health risks from breathing particulate matter in the air. To help these and other …
Protecting Workers from Unhealthy Air Due to Wildfire Smoke
Cal/OSHA is reminding employers that California’s protection from wildfire smoke standard is still in effect, and they must take steps to protect their workers from harmful exposure to unhealthy air due to wildfire smoke. “Employers are obligated to protect their outdoor workers and must evaluate the health hazards posed by wildfire smoke,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Doug Parker. “If employers cannot …
USDA-NASS Predicts Third Straight Record-Breaking Almond Crop
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting a record California almond crop for the third straight year. The USDA-NASS 2020 California Almond Subjective Forecast estimates California almond orchards will produce 3.0 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 17.6 percent from last year’s 2.55 billion-pound crop. Forecasted yield is expected to reach 2,380 pounds per acre, …
Flower Losses Due to Shrinking Habitats and Climate Change Hurt Prime Pollinators
Without enough sugar in their diets, bumblebee queens can experience difficulty reproducing and shorter lifespans. Hollis Woodard, assistant professor of entomology at UCR, has conducted multiple studies showing how loss of plant availability negatively affects the prolific pollinators. Previous research indicates a queen’s diet can impact how quickly her brood develops, or whether she’s able to live through hibernation. In …
Get Funding for On-Farm Conservation Projects with the USDA-NRCS
From floods to drought, fire to hurricanes, NRCS provides disaster recovery assistance to farmers, ranchers and landowners through a variety of USDA programs. Watch this brief interview with Brooke Pippi to find out how NRCS can support you. Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support and see them at their booth at Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, …
Five Ways USDA Farm Service Agency Can Support Farmers Impacted by Wildfires
Whether you’ve experienced wildfire damage on the farm or other disasters, disease outbreaks on your trees and vines — the USDA-Farm Service Agency has a program to support you. Watch this brief interview with Farm Service Agency California representative Lisa Velasquez as she explains some of these programs to get involved in. Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support …
Want a Strong Start to the Crop Year? You Need To Mummy Shake
Even though growers are just completing this year’s harvest, it’s never too early to start thinking about winter sanitation. Winter is the time to remove and destroy mummy nuts that harbor navel orangeworm (NOW) larvae, which can hatch in the spring and wreak havoc in the orchard. By removing the nuts, growers are eliminating both a shelter and food source …
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