As the offshore lemon season ends, with Argentina finishing shipments and Chile continuing until October, Mexico’s production has dropped due to tough growing conditions. Fresh Plaza reports that this opens a window …
California Harvest Season Well Underway
California harvest season is well underway, according to a recent crop progress report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The report shows that late-season peaches, plums, and nectarines are still …
California Processing Tomato Production Down from 2023
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), California’s contracted processing tomato production is forecast at 11.3 million tons, a 12 percent decrease from last year and two percent below …
California Citrus Industry Holding Steady with Some Growth in Key Areas
The 2024 California Citrus Acreage Report shows that overall, the state’s citrus industry is steady, with some ups and downs. The report is based on a survey sent to about …
Harvest Expectations for Apples and Cranberries
How is harvest looking for two fall favorites? That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Does this year’s harvest indicate plenty of fruit from two fall-time favorites … apples …
Larger California Peach Crop Expected Despite A Warm Winter
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 …