California’s 2024 peach crop forecast is looking good with a six percent increase from last year, hitting 510,000 tons. According to the USDA Fruit and Nut Outlook report, freestone peaches …
Unique Pumpkin Varieties Mark the Beginning of the Fall Season
As the summer heat wanes, pumpkin varieties of all shapes and sizes start to appear on store shelves. Van Groningen & Sons Incorporated is gearing up for fall pumpkins, squash, …
Quarantines Updated for Invasive Pests and Diseases
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has announced updates to multiple quarantines for invasive pests. The Mediterranean and Queensland fruit fly quarantines in Southern California have now ended, …
Watermelon Production Progressing Well Despite Rough Start
Bryan Van Groningen, Vice-President of Crops and Soils at Van Groningen & Sons Incorporated, shared insight into the company’s watermelon production this year. Typically planted in March, the cool, wet …
Citricola Scale Continues to Be A Challenge for Growers
There have been increasing reports of significant numbers of citricola scale in the San Joaquin Valley. UC Cooperative Extension Citrus Farm Advisor, Sandipa Gautam said populations can build up quickly …
Michigan Cherry Production Keeps National Totals Up
It’s cherry pie season, and Michigan is the nation’s top grower of tart cherries – the favorite pick for those pies. Nationally, the outlook for production this year is 222,000,000 …
Sweet Cherry Production Report
There’s good news for cherry lovers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. How does the addition of a state impact this season’s sweet cherry production forecast from USDA? …
California Avocado Crop Forecast Higher Than Initially Projected
The California avocado crop is expected to be larger than initially anticipated. The California Avocado Commission announced at its June 6 Board meeting that the 2024 avocado crop is estimated …
Farm Bill Proposals Support Citrus Industry with HLB Funding
The farm bill frameworks from the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees include specific funding for combating Huanglongbing (HLB). Both frameworks continue funding the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension …
Particular Soil Treatment Helps Organic Strawberry Production
Organic strawberry growers in California can enhance yields and plant health through anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a technique pioneered through UC Cooperative Extension research. Initially developed to combat soil-borne pathogens …
Additional Funding to Support Citrus Breeding Program
Congress has allocated an additional $500,000 to help support a new citrus breeding program in Parlier. Both the Citrus Research Board (CRB) and California Citrus Mutual (CCM) praised congressional leaders …
Citrus Industry Hoping to Avoid Another Bad Thrip Damage Year
The citrus industry is making preparations to hopefully avoid another bad year for citrus thrips. General Manager of Cobblestone Fruit, Colby Campbell said damage last year was some of the …
New Prune Varieties Improve Prospects for Growers and Processors Alike
California prune growers will soon have new prune varieties in orchards as the UC Davis Prune Breeding Program announced its latest developments. The UC Yolo Gold and J2N varieties offer …
Production Challenges and Opportunities for California Prune Growers
California prune growers anticipate new production opportunities as the UC Davis Prune Breeding Program announced its latest cultivars have the potential to extend the production season. Program Manager Sarah Castro …