West Coast Nut - January 2024

WEST COAST NUT JANUARY 2024 ISSUE SPOTLIGHT:

GROWER BRET SILL FOCUSED ON ADDING VALUE THROUGH ORCHARD PRACTICES

TRUSTED

PARTNER IN AG

SEE PAGE 48

January 31st in Chico, California

For more information, see page 77

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Photo courtesy Sill Properties

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Exclusive Articles Twice a Month

TOP ARTICLES FROM PREVIOUS ISSUES

Avoid Resistance in Weed Management Programs

The months of December and January are time for winter pre/post tank mix herbicides in orchards. UC weed scientist Bran Hanson said post emergent approaches only are discouraged. To prevent resistance, multiple mode of action herbicides in tank mix or sequence or both are recommended. More broad-spectrum mode of action is available in pre-emergent products and often are mixed with post emergent materials.

Bot May Be in the Forecast

Another wet winter and spring with warm temperatures could mean another round of Botryosphaeria infections in pistachio and walnut orchards.

This fungal disease reduces crop yield as it kills fruiting buds, fruit clusters and current growth shoots and leaves in pistachio. In walnut, all green parts of the tree except the leaves can also be infected.

Critical Orchard Practices for Improved Profitability

A closer look at some critical orchard practices may reveal places for almond growers to save on input costs, increase irrigation and nitrogen use efficiency and fine-tune orchard configuration.

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Award Winning Editorial By the Industry, For the Industry Publisher: Jason Scott Email: jason@jcsmarketinginc.com Editor: Marni Katz Email: marni@jcsmarketinginc.com Associate Editor: Cecilia Parsons Email: cecilia@jcsmarketinginc.com Production: design@jcsmarketinginc.com Tel: 559.352.4456 Fax: 559.472.3113 Web: www.wcngg.com

Contributing Writers & Industry Support Vicky Boyd Contributing Writer

Theresa Kiehn President and CEO, AgSafe

Kathy Coatney Contributing Writer

Rich Kreps CCA, SSp., Contributing Writer

Surendra K. Dara Professor of Horticulture, Director, North Willamette Research and Extension Center, Oregon State University

Alden Parker Fisher & Phillips LLP

Lori Fairchild Contributing Writer Elizabeth Fichtner UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare and Kings Counties Brittney Goodrich Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension, Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis Rebecca Hause-Schultz Fisher & Phillips LLP

Kristin Platts Digital Content Writer Priscilla Rodriguez Assistant Vice President, Western Agricultural Processors Association Jason Scott CEO and Publisher, West Coast Nut Mel Thayer Staff Research Associate, UC Berkeley Robert Van Steenwyk CE Specialist Emeritus, UC Berkeley

UC Cooperative Extension Advisory Board Surendra K. Dara Director, North Willamette Research and Extension Center Kevin Day County Director/UCCE Pomology Farm Advisor, Tulare/Kings Counties Elizabeth Fichtner UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare County

Katherine Jarvis-Shean UCCE Area Orchard Systems Advisor, Yolo and Solano Steven Koike Tri-Cal Diagnostics Jhalendra Rijal UCCE Integrated Pest Management Advisor, Stanislaus County Mohammad Yaghmour UCCE Area Orchard Systems Advisor, Kern County

IN THIS ISSUE 4

Almond Pollination Season Outlook: How to Cut Pollination Expenses Other Considerations 12 Sap and Tissue Analysis: Comparing Two Different Diagnostic Tools to Help Tree Nut Growers Manage Nutrient Inputs 14 The Big 4 for 2024: Top Ag Employer Takeaways 18 Treatment Options for Management of Walnut Scale and Frosted Scale 22 Does a Warming Climate Mean Greater Pest Threats?

26 Biopesticides: Market, Use, Research and Education Needs, and Future 30 Checklist for 2024 Almond Bloom: Sanitation, Bees, Fungicides and More

33 Special Section: FACES of the Tree Nut Industry 2024 44 Top 5 Impacts to Agriculture from Climate Change 48 From the Orchard: Grower Bret Sill Focused on Adding Value

Through Orchard Practices 56 Blue Diamond Maps Out Ambitious Strategic Plan to Boost Sales, Grower Returns 60 New DPR Rules Will Impact Fumigant Efficacy and Neonicotinoid Availability in 2024 62 CARB’s Latest Proposed ZEV Forklift Regulation Expected to Go Before the Board in 2024 64 Preparing for Diseases in Cool, Wet Years 68 What’s in Store for 2024: New Employment Laws and Regulations 70 Give Your Trees a Winter Coat 72 Walnut and Pistachio Commodity Groups Explore Sustainability Efforts 76 Insights from the 2023 Almond Conference

View our ePublication on the web at www.wcngg.com

The articles, research, industry updates, company profiles, and advertisements in this publication are the professional opinions of writers and advertisers.

West Coast Nut does not assume any responsibility for the opinions given in the publication.

SPOTLIGHT: Grower Bret Sill Focused on Adding Value Through Orchard Practices In this month's From the Orchard, grower Brett Sill shares some of the cultural practices he is trying to move his family farming operation forward in today's challenging environment.

See page 48

January 2024

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Almond Pollination Season Outlook: How to Cut Pollination Expenses, Other Considerations

By BRITTNEY GOODRICH | Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension, Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis

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ith every new year comes the realization that almond orchards will be in full bloom before long.

This article summarizes some considerations for the 2024 almond pollination season, including a discussion on how to cut pollination expenses this year while maintaining in compliance with requirements for federal crop insurance.

Almond Industry Update

Many almond growers are feeling the stress of narrowing profit margins over the last couple of years. For context, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 201822 average almond price was $1.98 per pound, far lower than the previous five-year average (2013-17) of $3.05 per pound.

While almond prices have remained relatively low the last few years, input prices have increased substantially. Additionally, this year excessive pest damage rates have caused many growers to receive substantial quality-related price deductions. The current state of almond profit margins has led to increasing rates of orchard removal and abandonment over the last few years.

The Almond Board of California and Land IQ estimate the removal of around 82,958 acres of almonds by September 2023, approximately 6% of the 1.4 million bearing acres in 2023. This is up slightly from 2022, when an estimated 60,421 acres where removed. They also estimate nearly 8,000 acres have been abandoned and not yet removed, and another 11,523 acres have potentially been abandoned.

To get a better idea of what is driving these removals and abandonments, I dug a bit further into the Land IQ removals report. Typically, almond orchards are thought to

Continued on Page 6 4

West Coast Nut

January 2024

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Figure 1. Proportion of removed and abandoned almond acres less than 20 years old out of total acres removed and abandoned, county-level 2023. Source: Compiled from Land IQ 2023 Standing Acreage and 2023 Removed Acreage-Final Estimate

Figure 2. 2023 bearing almond acreage by county. Source: Compiled from Land IQ 2023 Standing Acreage and 2023 Removed Acreage-Final Estimate

Continued from Page 4 last 25 to 30 years after planting. Older orchards are the most likely candidates for removal or abandonment; however, many have speculated the additional removal or abandonment of younger orchards in the past couple of years due to water scarcity concerns and low profit margins. Table 1 shows the number of 2023 removals and long-term abandonments by the orchard age. It shows a large portion of removals (78%) were orchards less than 25 years of age, and 43% of removals occurred in orchards less than 20 years old. Roughly half of long-term abandonments occurred in orchards less than 25 years of age, and the other half occurred in older orchards.

Figure 1 shows for each county the proportion of total acres removed or abandoned in 2023 that were acres planted less than 20 years ago. It is clear the southern San Joaquin Valley has seen a relatively higher proportion of young orchards removed out of total removals. This is not surprising given the southern San Joaquin Valley is generally more water stressed than the northern San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys.

Table 1 and Figure 1 indicate water availability coupled with narrowing profit margins may be driving growers in some areas to remove or abandon orchards earlier than in the past. De6

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January 2024

Figure 3. Total U.S. colonies on January 1 and estimated demand for colonies for almond pollination, 2017-24. Sources: 2017-22 Almond Acreage Reports, USDA NASS and CDFA; Honeybee Colonies Reports, USDA NASS. Note: Estimated demand is two colonies per acre for traditional varieties and one colony per acre for self-fertile.

Table 1. 2023 almond acreage removals and abandoned long term by orchard age.

Orchard Age (Years after planting) <5 5-14 15-19 20-24 25+ Total

Acres Removed

% of Total Removed Acres

457 7,572 35,810 20,891 18,226 82,956

0.60% 9.10% 43.20% 25.20% 22.00%

spite these removals, at least 1.3 million bearing acres of almonds remain going in to 2024. Figure 2 displays bearing almond acreage by county for 2023.

Acres % of Total Acres Abandoned Abandoned LongLong-Term Term 3 0.00% 781 9.80% 1,964 24.60% 1,191 14.90% 4,044 50.70% 7,983

The counties of Kern, Kings and Tulare, which saw relatively low proportions of young acres being removed or abandoned in Figure 1, still contain signifi-

cant amounts of almond acreage (about 22% of the state’s total).

Estimated Colony Demand

Figure 3 plots the estimated demand for colonies based on bearing almond acreage each year from 2017 to 2024 as well as the total number of colonies in the U.S. on January 1. Estimated demand is calculated using two colonies per acre for traditional varieties and one colony per acre for self-fertile varieties (Shasta and Independence). For the 2023 almond bloom, roughly 1.4 has seemed self-fertile variety plantings million almond acres (6.6% in self-feras well as orchard removals have starttile varieties) required an estimated 2.6 ed leveling off the estimated demand million honeybee colonies for pollinafor colonies. However, the colonies that tion (Figure 3, see page 6). will be required for almond pollination As seen in Figure 3, see page 6, the in 2024 represents virtually 100% of estimated demand for colonies in 2024 the 2.7 million colonies in the U.S. on is 2.7 million colonies, roughly 1.3% Jan. 1, 2023, so at least in the short run, higher than the 2.6 million required in it’s unlikely this leveling-off of demand 2023. However, given the higher rates will put downward pressure on pollinaof removals of almond acreage in recent tion fees. years and the timing of USDA reporting, this 2.7-million number could be Colony Supply Issues Antles_WCN_Ad1C_101920.pdf 1 10/19/20 11:47 PM a slight overestimate. In recent years, it The primary influence on the supply

C O N T R O L L E D

of available colonies for almond pollination is colony health and populations throughout the United States. Colony health issues can impact both the strength of colonies and the total number of colonies that survive the winter.

The Bee Informed Partnership reported the 2022-2023 winter mortality rates for commercial beekeepers was 37.6%, the second highest colony loss rate since they have been conducting their survey.

This loss rate is noticeable in Figure 3,

Continued on Page 8

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Table 2. 2023 almond pollination fees by colony strength category.

Colony Strength

Number of Rentals

High Fee

Low Fee

Average Fee

3,006 58,640 5,216 9,350

$195 $220 $245 $215

$170 $185 $185 $185

$178 $198 $205 $188

4-6 Frames 7-9 Frames 10-12 Frames

Mixed/Unknown

Continued from Page 7 see page 6, where for 2023 almond pollination the demand for colonies was almost equivalent to the supply on Jan. 1, 2023.

Weather during the summer months can have an impact on honey production as well as bee health due to the availability of nutritious forage. Figure 4 shows the U.S. drought monitor as of July 25, 2023 displaying drought conditions across large swaths of the U.S. Texas and Minnesota are major honey-producing states with some of the worst drought conditions. As of July 1, 2022, 194,000 colonies were in Texas and 105,000 colonies were in Minnesota, totaling roughly 10% of the total U.S. population at that time. Beekeepers with colonies in the areas plagued by drought may suffer higher winter mortality rates and lower colony strength of surviving colonies in addition to higher costs of feeding.

Figure 4. U.S. Drought Monitor, July 25, 2023.

Almond Pollination Fees

Table 2 shows the distribution of fees reported by colony strength requirement from the California State Beekeeper’s 2023 Pollination Fee Survey. The average fee for the 2023 almond pollination season for the most common colony strength requirement (seven to nine frames) was $198 per colony, though this ranged from $185 to $220 per colony.

Smaller colony strength requirements of four to six frames received an average of $178 per colony, while higher colony strength requirements of 10 to 12 frames averaged $205 per colony. The overall projected average fee for 2024 is $209 per colony, higher than the $196 per colony overall weighted average for 2023, suggesting beekeepers expect fees to increase slightly going in to 2024.

Hive Density, Colony Strength and Crop Insurance Requirements

In 2024, growers may be looking to cut expenses this year due to low almond prices. Most almond acreage is insured through USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). To collect indemnities when a disaster occurs, growers must make sure they are adhering to the requirements of crop insurance.

Failure to use an adequate number of bee colonies and/or frames per colony is not an insurable cause of loss and will often be the first practice verified when a grower makes a claim. Thus, I touch on how to go about cutting pollination costs in the right way so that crop insurance requirements are met.

USDA and FCIC allow for substitution between colony strength and hives per acre in their almond crop insurance policy. The current policy document (Almond Loss Adjustment Standards Handbook 2019 and Succeeding Crop Years) states as a guideline that a producer should have at minimum two colonies with six active frames, or its equivalent. Technically, that means one 12-frame colony per acre or 1.5 eight-frame

Continued on Page 10

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January 2024

Table 3. Sample colony strength and hive density combinations that meet current crop insurance requirements.

Continued from Page 8 colonies per acre would satisfy this requirement. Almond growers can even deviate from this standard as long as they have consistently been using the same number of hives per acre and colony strength requirements and have had consecutive non-loss years (this flexibility in the policy allows growers to capitalize on benefits from self-fertile varieties that require fewer colonies per acre.)

I expect a large portion of growers in the past have been using the standard two hives per acre at an eight-frame average. Table 3 displays a few combinations of hive density and colony strength that satisfy two conditions: 1.) They meet the minimum standard defined by crop insurance (12 frames per acre), and 2.) they result in cost savings compared to renting two hives per acre at an eight-frame average.

The pollination fees per hive are my estimates based on those reported in Table 2, see page 8.

Table 3 shows there is flexibility when it comes to pollination expenses.

Even using the lowest colony strength category (4 frames) at 3 hives per acre can lead to cost savings at the right pollination fee per hive. The key to accessing this flexibility will be working directly with your pollination provider.

If your beekeeper has already spent a substantial amount of time and inputs to provide high-strength colonies, it may not be profitable for them to make an agreement with low colony strength and corresponding low fees, in which case reducing the hives per acre for a higher-colony strength category may be the mutually beneficial solution.

Other Pollination Contract Elements

There are other ways growers can work with their pollination provider to lower pollination expenses in return for lowering risk in some way or simply providing convenience. Growers can offer bee holding yards before bloom, reduce risk of colony theft by providing locked gates or other security measures in orchards, or improve the health of bees through planting bee-friendly cover crops or taking extra precau10

West Coast Nut

January 2024

Savings compared to Pollination 2 hives/acre Cost ($/Ac) at 8-frame average ($/ Ac)

Colony strength Category

Hives/Ac

Average Frames/Hive

Frames/Ac

Pollination Fee ($/Hive)

Low

3 2

4 6

12 12

$135 $180

$405 $360

$5 $50

Standard

1.5 1.8 2

8 8 8

12 14.4 16

$205 $205 $205

$308 $369 $410

$103 $41

$225 $245

$338 $245

$73 $165

1.5 10 15 1 12 12 Source: Author calculations based on fee estimates using Table 2 High

Table 4. Percentage of beekeepers with almond pollination agreements containing beneficial clauses.

Percentage of Responses

The grower agrees to…

Pay portion of the pollination fee in advance

44%

Compensate beekeeper if theft occurs

11%

Apply pesticides only during inactive foraging times (e.g., evening, night) Minimum notification time before applying pesticides (e.g., 48, 72 hours) Not apply specific chemicals Pay extra fees if colonies must move due to pesticide application Pay damages for colony losses due to pesticide exposure Not tank mix multiple pesticides

33% 29% 18% 12% 11% 11%

Note: Participants could select more than one, so the percentages add to over 100%.

Response rates varied by question and ranged from 82 to 91.

tions to prevent pesticide exposure. For example, Table 4 shows the percentage of respondents indicating they have beneficial clauses in their almond pollination agreements from a 2021 survey of commercial beekeepers.

Almond pollination services continues to require most of the total colonies in the U.S. Even when times are tight, make sure to communicate with your beekeeper and pollination broker, and maintain good relationships to ensure a secure supply of pollinators going forward.

I have written a number of these pollination outlook articles over the years and have archived them and other resources on the following website:

almondpollination.ucdavis.edu/.

Scan the QR code with your smartphone camera to visit the website.

Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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Sap and Tissue Analysis Comparing Two Different Diagnostic Tools to Help Tree Nut Growers Manage Nutrient Inputs

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

T

ree nut growers who want to make sure the right nutrients are available in the right form, the right rate and at the right time have a choice of diagnostic tools. In tree nuts, acquiring the correct information about the nutrient status of your trees is an important part of nutrient management.

Critical fertilization decisions are often made based on analysis of the trees’ nutritional status. Growers can also save money by not overapplying fertilizers.

The UC Davis Analytical lab notes sampling plays a critical role in accurate plant health analysis. When analyzing the nutrient status of plants, it is important to select the plant part for chemical analysis that reflects the status of the particular element of interest. Four samplings during a growing season are usually sufficient to characterize seasonal nutritional patterns. The lab recommends one sampling early in the growing season, two in mid-season and the last one just prior to harvest.

Four samples should be collected from each field or management unit. Each sample should contain material from at least 20 plants to ensure adequate, representative material for analytical testing. Separate samples should be taken from areas that appear different from the rest of the field.

Past, present and future is one way to look at the differences between two plant health diagnostic tools: leaf sap analysis and tissue analysis. Each provides information on nutrient levels in the plant but sap hones in on available nutrient levels, allowing for proactive correction of imbalances, while tissue quantifies all nutrients in the sample regardless of availability. Cost for either test is relatively inexpensive, but 12

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January 2024

running more sap tests during the year will increase total cost. Sap analysis can have a longer turnaround time as most samples are sent out of state and, in some cases, out of the country.

Sap Analysis

Having only became widely available in the last 10 to 15 years, sap analysis is a diagnostic tool that takes sap extracted from the leaf and analyzes it for its nutritive characteristics. Sap analysis shows the levels and balance of 19 macronutrients and micronutrients from old and young leaves, giving insights into nutrient movement throughout the plant.

“It’s like a blood test for plants,” said Sean Jacobs of Agro-K, a plant nutri-

As a diagnostic tool, sap analysis also helps in understanding the chemical interactions between nutrients. " tion products company.

Jacobs said the

Leaf samples are best taken during the growing season to show the status of the plants at the time of sampling (photo courtesy Almond Board of California.)

sap, the liquid portion of the leaf, is extracted from the tissue, so that analysis excludes nearly all structurally bound (and largely unavailable) nutrients. Also included in the analysis is sap sugar content, pH and Ec as well as levels for ammonium, nitrate and total nitrogen. The ability to see only the readily available nutrients offers the opportunity to proactively prepare for and address upcoming nutrient needs.

Over the growing season, the ideal concentrations of nutrients in the sap don’t change, he said, but the rate of use and uptake by the plant does. With sap analysis data, a grower or crop consultant can assess whether their nutritional program is meeting plant demands and correct imbalances before visual deficiency or toxicity symptoms occur.

As a diagnostic tool, sap analysis also helps in understanding the chemical interactions between nutrients as nutritional balance is as important to plant health as nutrient content.

“Often, deficiency or toxicity symptoms are caused by imbalances and interactions among nutrients rather than true deficiencies,” Jacobs said. An example is a crop showing a calcium deficiency. In the case of nutrient imbalances, this positively charged nutrient may be blocked by too much phosphorous, potassium, sodium, magnesium, or ammonium. Sap analysis can identify these imbalances, and rather than adding more calcium, reducing applications of a different nutrient can correct the imbalance and increase the availability and activity of calcium. In these situations, decreasing applications of competing nutrients not only can correct the deficiency, but also saves material and application costs.

Ideally samples should be taken in the early morning when leaves are at their peak hydration, allowing for greater sap extraction volumes with fewer leaves needing to be sampled. Samples for sap analysis can be taken any time the plant has viable leaves.

from around the canopy from at least eight well exposed non-fruiting spurs located 5 to 7 feet from the ground. There should be a minimum of 100 leaves per bag. Saa noted the lab should be asked to apply the UCE-ESP guidelines for interpreting April tissue values.

Jeff Carr, director of grower relations at Deerpoint Group, said plant tissue analysis detects unseen deficiencies and can confirm visual symptoms of deficiencies. Toxic levels of key nutrients, if present, are detected. Over time, trends in nutrient status of permanent crops including almond trees can be tracked with leaf tissue analysis.

Carr said the laboratory test results of leaf tissue samples can be delivered within 24 hours, allowing for faster correction in nutrient delivery.

Diagnostic Tools

Regardless of which diagnostic tool is used by a grower to determine essential nutrient concentrations in plant samples, it can provide a plan to remedy nutritional shortcomings or verify that a fertilization plan is working. Tests can eliminate guesswork when adjusting a fertilization program. The goal when using either of these methods is to prevent deficiencies and overapplication.

Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

Leaf Tissue Analysis

Leaf tissue analysis has been a standard plant nutrient testing method for many years and provides timely information that enables adjustment of fertilization programs so nutritional problems can be prevented.

This method determines if a tree has sufficient supply of essential nutrients for growth and production. It also can confirm nutritional deficiencies and helps with evaluation of a fertilizer program. Analysis of the leaf tissue shows if key macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are at optimal levels for growth and yield.

Leaf samples are best taken during the growing season to show the status of the plants at the time of sampling. Sebastian Saa, senior manager of agricultural research at Almond Board of California, said research has led to an updated tissue sampling protocol earlier in the growing season, 43 days after full bloom, to give growers time to adjust their nitrogen applications if necessary. The sampling can also present a picture of how trees reacted to nitrogen applications the prior season.

Sampling procedure notes leaves should be representative of the orchard. Leaves in the sample should be collected January 2024

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This year, California state lawmakers considered over 2,700 bills, the most in almost two decades, including some high-profile workplace-related proposals.

THE BIG 4 FOR 2024: TOP AG EMPLOYER TAKEAWAYS

By ALDEN PARKER | Fisher & Phillips LLP and REBECCA HAUSE-SCHULTZ | Fisher & Phillips LLP

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alifornia agricultural employers know the new year inevitably brings new workplace laws that

are finalized at the end of the California state’s legislative session in the fall.

This year, California state lawmakers

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considered over 2,700 bills, the most in almost two decades, including some high-profile workplace-related proposals. Governor Newsom had until October 14 to sign or veto the bills on his desk, so we now know what new compliance obligations employers will soon face. Agricultural employers will need to review the flurry of bills that were approved. To assist with this task, below is a discussion of the four major developments facing agricultural employers in 2024.

1. Card Check

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January 2024

The 2022 shock to the industry, AB 2183, commonly known as the “card check” bill, became a reality this year.

As promised, Governor Newsom signed AB 113 on May 15 of this year, removing the “Labor Peace Compact” portion of the original legislation, leaving two pathways to unionization of agricultural employers: 1) The old secret ballot method, or 2) The card check process or “Majority Support Petition.” As a result, the industry has seen attempts by the UFW to unionize California employers across the state.

Even though card check unionization has already started, the Agricul-

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Continued from Page 14 tural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), who reviews union petitions and oversees the election process, is still “in the process of developing regulations” to implement the provisions of AB 113. Given the regulations are not even written but elections are moving forward anyway, employers are at a significant disadvantage when navigating this framework. In a card check election, the very first time an employer may hear about the union is when the Petition is served, and the employee’s “cards” have already been signed. Moving into 2024, what can employers do?

Supervisor Training Now is the time to train (and retrain) supervisors and foremen on what unionization would mean to your company, how to talk to employees about a union, and how words or actions can become “Unfair Labor Practices” (ULPs) that lead to ALRB action and investigations.

AB 2183, commonly known as the “card check” bill, became a reality this year, leaving a new pathway to unionization of agricultural employers.

No Trespassing In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court said the ALRB regulation requiring union “access” to agricultural employers’ property was unconstitutional. Managers, supervisors, and foremen should know what to do if trespassers (including union organizers) show up on

company property and how to respond.

Employers should also post “No Trespassing” signs.

Build the Team In the event of a campaign, employers must move quickly (within a matter of hours) to prepare employee lists, respond to the ALRB and begin strategizing about a response. Build your team now so your first step isn’t figuring out who to call and who is in charge. Plan now and have the plan in place, just in case.

PAGA

California employers had a brief moment of celebration after the U.S. Supreme Court held that an employee’s claim under California’s Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”) is subject to arbitration if the employee signed a valid agreement in the Viking River Cruises Inc. v. Moriana case, decided in 2022. This year, the California Supreme Court responded in the Adolph v.

Uber decision, holding if an employee’s individual PAGA claim was subject to arbitration, that employee could still represent other “aggrieved employees” and pursue a PAGA claim against the employer in court on behalf of their co-workers. This decision changed the ever-evolving PAGA landscape and means PAGA cases will remain a huge threat to agricultural employers moving forward. Moving into 2024, what can employers do?

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January 2024

Arbitration Agreements Review your arbitration agreement with your counsel. The agreements are still valuable and, if written appropriately, may provide procedural clarity for both employee and employer in a PAGA case. Be sure your counsel is familiar with agriculture in particular, and if you have H-2A employees, even more reason to review your agreement now to ensure it is keeping up with the ever-changing legal landscape.

Review Wage and Hour Policies and Practices Wage and hour is extremely difficult with a seasonal workforce working in oftentimes remote field locations or packhouses. Look critically at your employee handbook and wage and hour procedures now, including a self-audit, to proactively remedy potential violations. One of the easiest targets is your paystub. Does it include everything that is required under the California Labor Code? Check now.

Workplace Violence

This year, the California Legislature passed SB 553, essentially codifying an earlier Cal/OSHA proposal pushing further workplace violence prevention requirements on California Employers.

Under the new law, by July 1, 2024, employers must 1) create and implement an individualized written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan; 2) train employees and supervisors on workplace violence matters; 3) create and maintain a violent incident log; and 4) keep records of all training and violent workplace incidents that occur.

Paid Sick Leave

Just as employers finished navigating the various COVID-19 leave rules and requirements, the California Legislature voted to expand existing Paid Sick Leave benefits. The new law, SB 616, is effective January 1, 2024 and will apply to virtually all employees who work in California for 30 days or more

in a year. Employers may still either use the “frontload” or “accrual” methods, but instead of 34 hours or three days of leave, an employer must now provide 40 hours or five days of paid sick leave.

Employers should work now to update their accrual or frontload methods including request forms, employee handbooks, written sick leave policies and training materials. Employers should train supervisors, and foremen should be updated on the policy change so they do not inadvertently give out of date information directly to employees.

Critically, employers should also check with their payroll processor to confirm the Paid Sick Leave balance is accurately reflected on the employee’s paystub given the change in the accrual/frontload requirements.

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January 2024

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17

Treatment Options for Management of Walnut Scale and Frosted Scale

By ELIZABETH FICHTNER | UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare and Kings Counties MEL THAYER | Staff Research Associate, UC Berkeley and ROBERT VAN STEENWYK | CE Specialist Emeritus, UC Berkeley

W

alnut scale (See Figure 1) is an important economic pest of walnuts in California. High populations of walnut scale may affect tree vigor as well as predispose trees to diseases caused by several plant pathogenic fungi and possibly flatheaded borer damage. Historic UC Pest Management Guidelines emphasize the efficacy of insecticide applications at the crawler stage of insect development (late April to mid-May); however, with the introduction of new pest management tools such as insect growth regulators (IGRs), new studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of these products at earlier times during the insect lifecycle. Both walnut scale and frosted scale overwinter as immature nymphs; therefore, delayed dormant application of IGRs has the potential to inhibit maturation and subsequent reproduction of these pests.

In 2023, UC ANR and UC Berkeley researchers initiated a new collaborative study investigating the efficacy of four products applied at various rates and times (Table 1). Two IGR products, Esteem® (IRAC Group 7C) and Centaur® (IRAC Group 16), were included in the study, with both delayed dormant (Feb. 8, 2023) and crawler-stage (Apr. 26, 2023) application timings. Centaur® was also investigated at two rates.

Crawler-stage applications of Senstar® (a combination of spirotetramat and

18

West Coast Nut

January 2024

Figure 1. The covering of a group of walnut scales forms a daisy shape. Removing the cover reveals the yellow adult females.

Table 1. Nine treatments were established in a Tulare County walnut block in 2023 to evaluate efficacy in management of walnut scale.

pyroxifin) and Assail 20SG® (a neonicotinoid) were also included in the study.

Delayed Dormant IGR Applications Inhibit Maturation Delayed dormant application of

Centaur WD® at either 34.5 oz/acre or 46 oz/acre reduced walnut scale survival by 81% of that of untreated control

Continued on Page 20

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Continued from Page 18 treatment by April. Both Esteem and Centaur reduced populations of mature frosted scale observed in late April by over 85% of that on untreated trees (Figure 2).

Crawler Populations Affected by IGRs and Conventional Insecticides

20

West Coast Nut

January 2024

Figure 2. 10 weeks after the delayed dormant application of IGRs, frosted scale populations were observed on untreated (A) and IGR-treated (B) trees. Photo B is from an excised branch of a Centaur® (34.5 oz/acre)-treated tree, illustrating the lack of maturation of frosted scale resulting from the delayed dormant IGR treatment.

Rate of Walnut Scale Crawler Emergence: Tulare County (2023) 12

9

Average crawlers/cm2/day

All treatments suppressed the rates of crawler emergence over time in comparison to the untreated control; however, delayed dormant applications of both IGR treatments (Centaur® and Esteem®) resulted in the highest suppression of the first-generation curve (Figure 3). Both rates of Centaur® applied during the delayed dormant period resulted in similar suppression of crawler emergence. Crawler stage application of Centaur® at the higher rate resulted in similar levels of crawler suppression as the delayed dormant IGR treatments (Figure 3). Moderate suppression of first-generation crawlers was observed with crawler stage treatments with the low Centaur® rate, Esteem® and Assail® 30SG (Figure 3).

Crawler stage application of Senstar® suppressed first-generation crawler emergence (Figure 3) and resulted in modest suppression (45%) of total crawler populations across the season as compared to the untreated control (Figure 4, see page 21). All IGR treatments, regardless of the rate or timing, performed similarly regarding total crawler populations across the season (Figure 4, see page 21). The range in total crawler suppression across treatments of similar statistical significance was 88.2% (Centaur, 46 oz/acre, delayed dormant) to 54% (Assail, crawler stage), illustrating the variability in crawler counts in the orchard system (Figure 4, see page 21).

Delayed dormant applications of Centaur® or Esteem® offer excellent suppression of walnut scale and frosted scale populations. Delayed dormant applications may offer similar efficacy at lower product rates due to the opportunity to achieve better coverage prior to leaf-out. Additionally, delayed dormant applications of these products may inhibit maturation of nymphs into adults, thus limiting sexual reproduc-

6

Centaur, Delayed Dormant, 34.5 oz Centaur, Crawler Stage, 34.5 oz Centaur, Delayed Dormant, 46 oz Centaur, Crawler Stage, 46 oz Esteem, Delayed Dormant, 16 fl. oz Esteem Crawler Stage, 16 fl. oz Senstar, Crawler Stage, 18 oz Assail 30SC, Crawler Stage, 9.6 fl. oz.

Untreated Check

3

0

5/6/2027 5/20/2027 6/3/2027 6/17/2027 7/1/2027 7/15/2027 7/29/2027 8/13/2027 8/27/2027 9/10/2027 9/23/2027

Time

Figure 3. Crawler emergence was recorded using double-sided sticky tape traps that were changed approximately weekly. Crawler emergence is reported as a rate of the average number of crawlers from two subsample traps per cm2 length of twig per day.

‘Delayed dormant application of IGRs has the potential to inhibit maturation and subsequent reproduction of these pests…Future studies are planned to further determine the value of dormant versus delayed dormant applications of IGR treatments for management of walnut scale.’

Figure 4. The average total number of crawlers emerged over the season was evaluated across treatments.

tion and subsequent laying of eggs.

In prior studies, the efficacy of crawler stage Assail® application became apparent the year following application. Based on this background information, the populations of adult walnut scale will be evaluated across all treatments in April 2024 to fully capture the efficacy of these products over time.

Additionally, future studies are planned to further determine the value of dormant versus delayed dormant applications of IGR treatments for management of walnut scale. The results of the current study, however, do demonstrate a need for updating the current UC IPM guidelines for management of walnut scale. To date, the UC IPM guidelines only recommend crawler-stage applications of IGR products while the current study demonstrates the value of IGR applications earlier in the season.

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21

Does a Warming Climate Mean Greater Pest Threats?

By KRISTIN PLATTS | Digital Content Writer

Codling moth larvae inside a walnut (photo by Jack Kelly Clark, UC Statewide IPM Program.)

Oriental Fruit Moth is a major pest in peaches but can occasionally damage almonds (photo by Jack Kelly Clark, UC Statewide IPM Program.)

S

cientists are keeping a close eye on the way a warmer planet will affect pests and California agriculture.

22

West Coast Nut

January 2024

Since insect pests are highly dependent on external outside temperatures, tree and nut pests like navel orangeworm

(NOW), codling moth, peach twig borer and oriental fruit moth will likely emerge sooner and produce more generations in the coming years.

A recent study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment specifically examined codling moth, peach twig borer and oriental fruit moth, which damage walnuts, almonds and peaches. The study was conducted with scientists at UC Merced, USDA, UC ANR and the California Climate Hub at UC Davis, and is the second study of this type focusing on pests and climate change. It reports that, despite California being the leader or top producer of these specialty crops, productions of these crops are highly vulnerable to climate change due to high chill requirements and low tolerance to heat.

The researchers first conducted a study on NOW that looked at how the climate affected the population, when it begins to start activity in the springtime, how long it takes to complete generations, and whether temperature increases had any impact on each of those. Results from that study concluded that NOW will likely see a fifth generation in the southern portion of the valley as soon as 2040.

The second study, led by UC ANR assistant project scientist Prakash Jha, examined the three other pests in a similar way, according to study co-author Jhalendra Rijal, IPM advisor and entomologist for Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties.

“We found there are definitely some impacts on the population of these pests, there’s more generations that we need to think about for future effective pest management,” Rijal said.

He noted it has only been in the last

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what’s happening and what can be done in the future,” he said.

Ideal Conditions for Pests to Thrive

The authors of a recent study hope growers and PCAs will be able to use a new website called CalAgroClimate.org as a tool to mitigate the effects that climate change will have on pests in the future.

Continued from Page 22 few years that a full fourth generation of NOW has occurred, and the impact has been especially noticeable this year as some nut crops were harvested late, especially almonds.

As troubling as the issue might sound, Rijal said the impact of climate

change is a slow process, and the purpose of the study wasn’t to create panic, rather to see how these changes happen, to what extent they will happen in the future, and how they can be mitigated.

“In that case we will be more prepared in terms of doing research for the industry, creating awareness to the growers and pest control advisors, and educating the entire community about

Insect pests, which are cold blooded and cannot regulate their own body temperature, rely on the ambient temperature to control vital functions like feeding and reproduction, Rijal explained.

That’s why warmer conditions that lead to higher heat unit accumulations per calendar day can have room for more generations within the same period.

“If you think about that for the whole year perspective, that’s how there’s likelihood that an extra generation can happen,” Rijal said. “And in the case of codling moth, peach twig borer and oriental fruit moth, based on this latest study, we see that we will likely see about 1.5 generations increase by the end of the century.”

He added that while the end of the century seems far away, in terms of planning for future production and what result an increase in pest generations will have on those crops, it’s important to look several decades ahead on a tree’s entire life span.

“If you think of it in that perspective, it’s not a long time,” Rijal said. “That’s the educational part we wanted to bring with this.”

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West Coast Nut

January 2024

Another important goal of the study, according to Rijal, was to help growers and PCAs improve their IPM practices based on what the future might look like with pests and climate change. He said the study could also give scientists a push to do more applied work in the future as they develop and improve prediction models such as degree day models, which they use routinely to manage and monitor insects on a day-to-day basis. He said it could also be used to inform the industry and commodity boards about what kind of research and educational support they should provide in the future.

One tool the researchers hope will help mitigate the issue is a website they created called CalAgroClimate. org, which publishes several different models, including heat and frost

advisory models and pest phenology models. PCAs can visit the site to input temperature data or search temperature data and pest predictions of a specific location.

Dr. Tapan Pathak, a CE specialist in climate adaptation in agriculture at UC Merced, was one of the study’s co-authors and a corresponding author. He said the important thing to look at with climate change and what it means for agriculture has to do a lot with the rate of increase in the minimum temperatures, which has increased significantly higher than the rate of maximum temperatures.

The difference between the daily minimum and maximum temperatures, called diurnal temperature, is shrinking, he explained, and that’s significant.

“That means when it comes to agriculture, there are many consequences related to temperature increases,” Pathak said, noting those impacts could include negative outcomes on things like heat units and fruit quality.

It also has a bearing on pests because their life cycles start much earlier in the season.

“It used to be maybe mid-March, but because of those minimum temperatures, their cycle could start as early as mid- or late February,” Pathak said. “So, they have a longer timeframe during the growing season.”

Pathak worked on a climate model analysis for the study that focused on California climate. He said they chose a few select models relevant to the state called general circulation models, or GCM. “What they bring is expected future reality,” he said.

He said the models are a reliable gauge to how temperatures might change in the future and what that means for farmers.

“What we are trying to do, rather than just providing raw changes in temperatures, is to assess impacts on different aspects of agriculture and say how changes in temperature are going to result in changes in pest behavior that’s directly going to affect your crops,” Pathak said.

He noted the study is meant to show two important things: To provide a reality check for the agricultural commu-

nity to see what future risk might look like, and to help them better prepare for a world with more pests to contend with.

Going forward, Pathak said they will work with farmers to provide pest management guidelines and continue to drive home the importance of IPM. “These pests might be creating less issues now, but if you don’t pay attention, there could be more risk in the future,” he said.

In addition to Jha, Rijal and Pathak, the study was also co-authored by Ning

Zhang, Lauren E. Parker and Steven Ostoja of the UC Davis Institute of the Environment. The most recent study titled “Climate change impacts on insect pests for high value specialty crops in California” and the previous study titled “Impact of climate change on navel orangeworm, a major pest of tree nuts in California” can be found on www.sciencedirect.com.

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25

Biopesticides: Market, Use, Research and Education Needs, and Future

By SURENDRA K. DARA | Professor of Horticulture, Director, North Willamette Research and Extension Center, Oregon State University

Codling moth is among the pests for which there are several biologicals available.

B

iopesticides are a group of pesticides with active ingredients of biological or natural origin and contain either live or dead microorganisms, their metabolites, plant- or animal-derived materials or other such materials with pesticidal properties.

Increasing demand for non-synthetic pesticides and sustainable pest management options, related regulatory policies, pesticide residue restrictions for the export market and growing pest problems and resistance issues that require additional non-conventional options are some of the reasons that contributed to a growing demand for biopesticides in the past several years.

The U.S. biopesticide market is the largest due to the volume of agriculture, regulatory requirements and technological innovations and their adoption.

According to the U.S. EPA, there are 389 biopesticidal active ingredients registered in the country out of which 197 have been formulated into 1875 products that include 789 bioinsecticides, 642 biofungicides, 191 biorodenticides, 113 bioherbicides, 84 bionematicides, 41 bioalgaecides, 8 biobactericides and 7 biofumigants providing non-synthetic control opportunities for almost all kinds of pests.

Major categories of biopesticide active ingredients include bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses, plant extracts, 26

West Coast Nut

January 2024

Different biopesticides apply to different pests and pest types.

toxic metabolites and others such as diatomaceous earth, mineral oil and potassium salts of fatty acids. While not all these active ingredient groups are available for all categories of pests, most are available for controlling arthropod pests and plant pathogens.

The RNA interference (RNAi) tech-

nology has added a new generation of biopesticides to the arsenal. This technology involves using small molecules of double-stranded RNAs (ribonucleic acid) that interfere with a very specific target of the target pest. RNA carries

Continued on Page 28

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A GUIDE TO PROACTIVE DISEASE PREVENTION IN ALMONDS Tight Budgets and Wet Conditions Require Smart Action for 2024 Tough times demand more diligent orchard management. The challenge this year will be balancing short term, essential, spray decisions without compromising orchard longevity and health.

Last year’s rainfall and climate contributed to a build-up of over wintering disease inoculum. This year, El Niño is expected to produce above average rainfall in the Central Valley, creating environmental conditions conducive to elevated disease pressure. Now is the time to make sure you have an effective and economical disease management plan in place. By managing, monitoring and spraying at the right time, you can get ahead of yield-robbing diseases and save money in the long term.

The active ingredient in Regalia, Reynoutria sachalinensis, provides fungal and bacterial disease management through preventative systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Studies have shown Regalia increases chlorophyll production, creating a healthier plant that can protect itself from disease more effectively. Regalia is tank mix compatible and rainfast in one hour.

BIOFUNGICIDES FOR ALMONDS 12% Decrease in Brown Rot Blossom Blight (Monilinia sp.) with Regalia vs. Merivon Alone Eurofins, Sanger, CA, 2021

STARGUS ® BIOFUNGICIDE FOR ALMONDS Brown Rot Blossom Blight (Monilinia sp.)

Eurofins, Sanger, CA, 2020 • Variety: Nonpareil 54

TREATMENTS

Nut Meat Weight/g (50 Nuts)

53

A

52 51

B

Petal Fall

2/17/2020

2/27/2020

Improved Control Improved Yields

48

A

B

C

170

2/17/2021

2/24/2021

3/2/2021

Pink Bud

Full Bloom

Early PF

165 160 155 150 145 140 135 130 Untreated Control

Merivon® 6.5 fl. oz./ A BC

Regalia® 1 qt./A A | Merivon® 6.5 fl. oz./ A BC

Stargus® 1 qt. /A + Jet-Ag® 1% v/v A | Merivon® 6.5 fl. oz./A BC

MONITORING: CULTURAL PRACTICES REMAIN CRITICAL Documenting disease presence – location, severity, treatments, and results – in your orchard is another best practice that will help you treat disease fast and effectively.

Additionally, training and educating employees regularly – reviewing scouting reports, photos of what diseases look like, sanitation and spray protocols - will allow your team to be responsive when disease appears.

SPRAY PROGRAMS: MAKING AN IPM PROGRAM WORK HARDER FOR YOU Utilizing a BioUnite approach will help your disease management program work harder for you. Pro Farm recommends a bloom spray program that includes the following products at pink bud, full bloom, and early petal fall.

50 49

TREATMENTS

175

C

50% Bloom Full Bloom 2/22/2020

Diseased Flowers/1 Min. Search

180

MANAGEMENT: A BIOUNITETM APPROACH PROVIDES BETTER DISEASE CONTROL & RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT Field studies have shown that using a BioUnite integrated pest management (IPM) program, combining the power of biology with the performance of chemistry, in tank mixes or spray rotations provides growers with more effective control and improved resistance management.

“Biologicals are providing growers with active ingredients that work synergistically with traditional chemistry, increasing efficacy of IPM programs,” states Cindy Bishop, an almond industry veteran and Director of Key Accounts for Pro Farm Group, who has worked with growers of all sizes throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Bishop advises, “In trials for early season spray programs we have seen a BioUnite approach control disease more effectively, resulting in increased marketable nut weight.”

47 46 45 44 Untreated Control

Merivon® 6.5 fl. oz./A BC

PINK BUD

FULL BLOOM

• Regalia 1-2 qts./A

• Stargus 1-2 qts./A

EARLY PETAL FALL

Merivon® 6.5 fl. oz./A A | Stargus® 2 qts./A BC

Merivon® applied at 50% bloom followed by Stargus® Biofungicide at full bloom and petal fall, showed a 6% increase in marketable weight versus Merivon® alone.

Stargus® Biofungicide (FRAC: BM 02) is a unique Bacillus strain with multiple modes of action and broad-spectrum control against several early season diseases including anthracnose, bacterial blight, brown rot blossom blight, and scab. The active ingredient, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain F727, provides induced systemic response (ISR) activity that helps boost plant defenses and prevents pathogens from taking hold. The product contains living spores that colonize and form a protective barrier on the plant, thus protecting it from disease.

Stargus is tank mix compatible and rainfast in 24 hours.

Another biological to incorporate into your disease management program is Regalia® Biofungicide (FRAC: P5). It is important to note that while many fungicides have begun to show some resistance, the P5 FRAC group has not, making Regalia a great tool to incorporate for improved resistance management.

If disease is already present, tank mix with Jet-Ag as a contact fungicide for best results.

• Jet-Ag 2-4 qts./100 gal.

Do not apply Jet-Ag while bees are foraging.

• Regalia 1-2 qts./A OR • Stargus 1-2 qts./A • Jet-Ag 2-4 qts./100 gal.

Do not apply Jet-Ag while bees are foraging.

“With all the moisture we had last year, we saw a strong presence of disease. 2024 is expected to be another wet year so I would encourage growers to be proactive,” Bishop warned. “Incorporating multiple modes of action in a tank mix at key timings such as pink bud, full bloom, and petal fall, will provide the proactive defenses you need to stay ahead of what will likely be a tough disease year.”

–Cindy Bishop, Key Account Manager for Pro Farm Group To learn more about how to use a BioUnite approach in almond orchard management, visit www.ProFarmGroup.com.

©2023 Pro Farm Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Always read and follow label instructions. Please find labels and more information at www.ProFarmGroup.com. Jet-Ag®, Stargus® and Regaila® are registered trademarks of Marrone Bio Innovations. Merivon is a registerred trademark of Corteva® Agriscience.

Continued from Page 26 the genetic code from DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in the cell nucleus and translates it to make proteins that are necessary for numerous physiological processes in an organism. RNAi is a natural phenomenon interfering with protein-making as needed by the cell to regulate genetic processes or attack harmful invaders such as viruses. RANi-based pesticides block the synthesis of a specific protein in the target insect pest or pathogenic microorganism leading to its death or growth inhibition. RNAi-based pesticides will be under Group 35 of the Insecticide Resistance Action Group classification with targeted protein suppression as the mode of action. The first RNAi-based product will soon be available against the Colorado potato beetle.

During the earlier years of biopesticide development, there were only a few companies that produced them.

Later, several small companies within or outside the U.S. produced and marketed biopesticides. With their market growth, several major companies are also involved either by developing their own products or acquiring others’.

There are nearly 150 small and large companies in the U.S. that have biopesticides (www.mixingbowl.com). With such an interest, several active ingredients are being developed into products and their manufacturers are investing in improving the formulations for increased efficacy, stability and shelf life.

However, the knowledge about various biopesticides, their efficacy and use strategies is not expanding as rapidly as their market. Investing in research and education about biopesticides appears to be one of the top priorities for their effective use.

Here are a few recommendations in addressing the knowledge gaps: Efficacy One of the common concerns about biopesticides is their efficacy. It is very important to generate information on their efficacy as standalone products in combination and rotation with other products, and also as a part of an West Coast Nut

Biopesticide active ingredients

Codling moth

Bukholderia rinojensis, Cydia pomonella granulovirus, pyrethrins, and spinosad

Filbert and hazelnut aphids

Azadirachtin, Beauveria bassiana, Burkholderia rinojensis, Cordyceps fumosorosea, Metarhizium brunneum, and pyrethrins

Filbertworm

Bacillus thuringiensis, Burkholderia rinojensis, and Steinernema carpocapsae

Leafrollers

Bacillus thuringiensis and spinosad

Mealybugs

Beauveria bassiana, botanical oils, Burkholderia rinojensis, Chromobacterium subtsugae, Cordyceps fumosorosea, Metarhizium brunneum

Navel orangeworm

Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, Burkholderia rinojensis, GS-omega/ kappa-Hxtx-Hv1a (peptide), neem oil, pyrethrins, spinosad, and Steinernema carpocapsae

Scales

Azadirachtin and mineral oils

Spider mites

Beauveria bassiana, botanical oils, Burkholderia rinojensis, Chromobacterium subtsugae, Codyceps fumosorosea, Metarhizium brunneum, and potassium silicate

Stink bugs

Burkholderia rinojensis and pyrethrins

Walnut husk fly

Burkholderia rinojensis, Heterorhabditis spp., and Steinernema spp.

Table 1. Biopesticide active ingredients for common tree nut pests.

Need for More Research

28

Pest

January 2024

For more information on biological pesticides scan these two QR codes to be directed to online videos.

integrated pest management (IPM) program. Researchers, growers, crop care professionals and manufacturers and distributors of biopesticides need to work together in this effort to build the efficacy database of various pesticides and outreach.

Information Information on how each biopesticide active ingredient works, its target pests or life stages of pests, microclimatic requirements, storage and handling, compatibility with other agricultural inputs or operations, strategies for enhancing their efficacy and other related topics would be helpful for their successful use. While some of the information is available on the labels and marketing material, other details are either lacking or not easily available.

Limitations Higher cost compared to several synthetic pesticides, shorter shelf life and field stability, and special storage and handling requirements for some of the biopesticides are some limitations to be addressed. Manufacturers could explore strategies and technologies that help reduce the product cost and address the shelf life and stability of the formulations.

Education Academic institutions need to develop courses to train students in using biopesticides and other biological solutions. While agricultural science degrees generally offer courses that cover biological control concepts, there are limited or no training opportuni-

ties in other areas of biologicals such as microbial and botanical pesticides or biostimulants. For example, there are several biopesticides based on entomopathogens (i.e., pathogens of arthropods), such as bacteria, fungi, nematodes and viruses, but it appears there is only one graduate level course offered online in the U.S. College courses, workshops and other such educational opportunities are critical for continuing education and training future researchers, educators and users of biopesticides.

Commodity groups, government agencies and private entities should also consider biopesticide research, outreach and education as one of their priorities, provide funding, and encourage collaborative projects that address the abovementioned needs.

When used with a good strategy, keeping both the short-term and longterm goals in mind, biopesticides make a very important part of IPM against a variety of pests on a variety of crops.

In tree nut crops, biopesticides can be

50

used against mites, lepidopteran and hemipteran pests, and various bacterial and fungal diseases. Here are a few examples of biopesticide options that can be used against some of the arthropod pests.

While using biopesticides, it is also important to remember pests develop resistance even to biopesticides. Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis and spinosad, for example, have been reported in several pest species. To minimize the risk of resistance development, some biopesticides, particularly those based on toxins or toxic metabolites, should be rotated with other options.

Biopesticides can work very well when used appropriately based on numerous research studies. The future of biopesticide use is promising, but their effective use towards sustainable crop production requires a collective effort from many individuals and entities by focusing on research, outreach and training so they can be successfully used in IPM.

References Dara, S. K. 2017. Entomopathogenic microorganisms: modes of action and role in IPM. UCANR eJournal of Entomology and Biologicals May 20, 2017. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/ postdetail.cfm?postnum=24119 Dara, S. K. 2017. Insect resistance to biopesticides. UCANR eJournal of Entomology and Biologicals December 6, 2017. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/ postdetail.cfm?postnum=25819 Dara, S. K. 2021. Biopesticides: categories and use strategies of IPM and IRM. UCANR eJournal of Entomology and Biologicals March 18, 2021. https:// ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail. cfm?postnum=46134 Lacey, L. A. and R. Georgis. 2012.

Entomopathogenic nematodes for control of insect pests above and below ground with comments on commercial production. J. Nematol. 44: 218-225.

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If there’s frost in the forecast, mow the orchard floor down to two inches and have ground wet because wet, dark ground holds more heat than dry soil (all photos by K. Coatney.)

Checklist for 2024 Almond Bloom: Sanitation, Bees, Fungicides and More

By KATHY COATNEY | Contributing Writer

H

eading into 2024, there are several things that need to be done before bloom for the best shot at a good season.

Maximum production starts with winter sanitation, good quality bees and, depending upon the weather, proper fungicide protection. “Basically, good pollination and protecting the flowers are the key for bloom,” said Franz Niederholzer,

UCCE farm advisor for Colusa, Sutter and Yuba counties.

Setting a crop and getting pollinization, particularly for the traditional varieties like Nonpareil and the pollinizers, requires cross pollinization, so it’s critical to have good bee activity in the orchard, Niederholzer said.

“Bee activity is not quite so important for the popular self-fertile variety Independence,” Niederholzer said. In recent research, Independence trees set nuts without bee activity, but yields were 20% less compared to yields from trees where bees were active. He’s not aware of similar research information on other self-fertile varieties.

Winter Sanitation

“It can’t be repeated often enough, but orchard sanitation is critical,” Niederholzer said, “especially this year because there were high, high numbers of navel orangeworm (NOW) in many orchards. The kind of numbers I haven’t seen in a long time, I’ve never seen this kind of damage before. The most important thing growers can do is to get the mummies out of the trees by February 1 and destroyed before March 1.”

How soon should growers start orchard sanitation? There is no cut and dry answer.

Research done in the Modesto area a few years ago by Wes Asai, suggests winter sanitation can go slightly into the bud swell. “In the two years of the study, years they were looking at, successful sanitation (mummy removal without harming the crop) was done as late as February 10 to 11,” Niederholzer said. “The University recommends you should be done by February 1, but, if needed, this research shows you can stretch it a bit to clean off the mummies. Some buds will be shaken off in later sanitation, but you only need to have 25% to 30% set to get a good crop. Even if 20% of the buds are removed, it shouldn’t affect yield.”

Asai’s research knocked off some buds, but yield at harvest wasn’t affected. The goal is to get the mummies off before bud swell, but if needed, the practice can be pushed an extra week or so. Because bloom timing differs from year 30

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January 2024

Good pollination and protecting the flowers are the key for successful bloom, according to UCCE’s Franz Niederholzer.

to year, growers will need to make the decision for a late mummy shake based on local conditions.

“The mummies have to be removed,” Niederholzer said, but trying to remove them early before rainfall and fog loosen the mummies might mean having to go in again, which is time-consuming and costly.

A better option might be to try a few rows, then check to see if the mummies are coming off before continuing, Niederholzer said. “If they’re coming off well, great. If they’re not, you’re wasting your time and better off waiting.”

Moisture from fog and rain help to soften up the mummies. “Growers down on the valley floor where the ground is heavier, there are tracks available for the shakers. It isn’t a slam dunk, but it certainly helps with access if their orchard floor is wet,” Niederholzer said.

Certain varieties like Winters have more problems with sticktights, which makes mummy removal more difficult.

“Some people have had trouble getting Independence to clear too. Younger orchards, where the nuts are stuck directly on the shoots and scaffolds, not on spurs, can be hard to clear. If you have high boron, that can tend to stick things on, so there are a number of factors that contribute to making it difficult to remove the mummies,” Niederholzer said.

The bottom line: If the mummies aren’t removed, there could be high NOW

It’s important to be in contact with beekeepers to discuss proposed materials and make sure there are no insecticides used.

damage in 2024, Niederholzer said.

Frost Control

Frost control is also important, particularly in cooler climates. “We’ve had two years of brutal weather, at least in the Sacramento Valley, and the frost of 2022 hit some other places as well, but

it really hit hard up here,” Niederholzer said, so he reminds growers to have their ducks in a row and be ready with frost protection.

Niederholzer recommends if there’s frost in the forecast, mow the orchard

January 2024

Continued on Page 32

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31

Continued from Page 31 floor down to two inches and have ground wet because wet, dark ground holds more heat than dry soil.

“The moisture needs to only be in the top foot of soil for frost protection. The root zone doesn’t have to be completely soaked for that passive frost protection that comes from just having moist soil soaking up heat all day and then radiating it at night,” Niederholzer said.

Bloom Sprays

Last year was an extremely wet year, making it difficult to make spray applications in some orchards. Having aerial support for spray applications should be considered, too, particularly if there is another wet year.

Depending upon the weather, moisture and temperature, there could be problems with bacterial blast, brown rot, anthracnose and jacket rot (also called green fruit rot), and at the end of full bloom, shot hole can be a problem too.

Brown rot at bloom is a big problem.

This disease prefers warm weather as does anthracnose, but other bloom diseases like jacket rot are problematic with cooler weather. If it’s wet, an aerial application is going to be critical.

“Two fungicide spray applications are recommended in wet bloom weather, one at pink bud stage and one at full bloom. If bloom is relatively dry (little to no rain), a single fungicide at 40% to 50% full bloom is recommended,” Niederholzer said.

“There are a number of organisms and pathogens that are a problem at bloom. Talk to your PCA and/or check out the university’s recommendations on efficacy for different materials because all fungicides do not, I emphasize, do not control all the pathogens out there at bloom,” Niederholzer said.

“If at all possible, avoid spraying when bees are active,” Niederholzer said.

It’s important to be in contact with beekeepers to discuss proposed materials and make sure there are no insecticides used. The exception to this is

M u lt i- S p e c t r a l C a m e r a • H ig h C a p a c it y • S t a in le s s S t e e l

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January 2024

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Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and a few others recommended by the university when bees are present. These precautions are taken to avoid contaminating the hive, Niederholzer said.

“Good, strong hives will strip the current day’s pollen out of an orchard by midafternoon. If you’re going to use a ground rig, the preferred approach is to spray late afternoon into the evening and through the night depending upon your operation to avoid contaminating the pollen,” Niederholzer said.

Scale

Scale could be problematic in some orchards in 2024 because numerous spray applications were made for navel orangeworm in 2023, especially where pyrethroids were used. This could reduce parasitoid activity and result in higher scale populations.

“It’s not something to put on the level of sanitation, but scale can sneak up on you if you’re not paying attention,” Niederholzer said, and advised taking a dormant spur sample once the leaves start to defoliate.

If scale is building, apply a dormant spray before bloom and selectively spray blocks, depending upon the scale level, late December to the first half of January, Niederholzer advised.

Using just an oil application for low to moderate scale populations is effective and won’t harm beehive health, but for higher levels of scale populations, an insecticide will need to be applied with the oil, Niederholzer said.

“With a big scale problem, it’s much better to tank mix the oil and insecticide,” Niederholzer said, adding the insecticide will impact the bees.

“Scale management is something to keep in the mix, but not to have at the top of your list, and it doesn’t have to be done every year, but it’s something that’s a good idea,” Niederholzer said.

Boron is generally applied in the fall, but if it doesn’t happen, it can be applied at early bloom before the flowers are open. Be sure to make the application late in the day and avoid spraying the bees directly, Niederholzer said.

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TOP

This photo shows collection of field data in pistachio orchards with measurement stations to show radiation balance and reflection by winter cover crops versus clean cultivated orchard floors (all photos courtesy D. Zaccaria).

Top 5 Impacts to Agriculture from Climate Change

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

E

arly frosts, late frosts, long heat waves and warm, dry or wet winters can have adverse impacts on production agriculture. There is no denying that increasingly variable weather from year to year and increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events are occurring. These weather events often result in significant and multiple impacts on production agriculture in California.

Plant health, crop yields and quality are affected, making it difficult to achieve and sustain production and profitability targets.

In an interview with Daniele Zaccaria, UC Davis associate professor and UCCE specialist in agriculture water management, and Tapan Pathak, UCCE specialist in climate adaptation in agriculture at UC Merced, they outlined the top five key effects of climate change 44

West Coast Nut

January 2024

on agriculture and presented mitigation strategies for growers. They noted development of models for disease outbreaks; integrated pest management practices; improved medium- to long-range weather forecasting; and development of varieties and rootstocks that are tolerant of weather extremes and to adverse growing conditions (i.e., water supply limitations, degraded irrigation water quality, salinity buildup) are adaptation strategies growers can implement to preserve crop production.

1. Heightened Temps and Inadequate Chill

Pathak said one of the most significant climate change impacts on agriculture would be heightened minimum temperatures during the winter. Zaccaria explained lack of cold temperatures

Painter scaffoldings used as Evapotranspiration (ET) measurement stations in pistachio orchards.

during the dormant period for tree nuts causes uneven flowering and budbreak.

This affects pistachio production, particularly in the southern growing regions, and has a negative effect on walnut and cherry production. Inadequate chill accumulation causes the non-synchronous flowering of male and female pistachio trees, and may lead to reduced fruit set and variable nut yield and maturity at harvest time.

Along with warmer winters, prolonged summer heat waves impact production and crop quality. Pathak said longer heat waves are expected to occur.

The San Joaquin Valley region typically experiences extreme heat, more than 103 degrees F for short periods. In the future, Pathak said, there could be 40 to 50 days per year of high temperatures, which would impact crop growth and produc-

tion yield and quality. An example is the severe heat wave in late summer 2022 which caused significant quality damage in walnut. On the other extreme, frosts that hit during bloom can adversely impact yields. Pathak said frosts earlier in the fall or later in the spring pose a risk to crops.

“We are in the transition phase right now; there is less risk of frost with warmer temperatures, but the risk of late frost remains,” he said.

2. Increased Frequency of Climate Extremes

impact on how soon they complete their generations. Counties in the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley have already seen a fifth generation, Pathak said, and in the coming years, that can happen in counties farther north. ‘’With more generations, the population increases exponentially with big impact on tree nuts,” he said.

Vineyards in Paso Robles were flooded and citrus in Tulare County was affected by frost.

4. Changing Rainfall Patterns

to higher temperatures and drier air are

Changes in rainfall patterns combined with increased evaporation due

California agriculture is highly sensitive to increased frequency and intensity of climate extremes.

Pathak and Zaccaria wrote in a paper published in Agronomy that tree nuts, a permanent crop that is in the ground for more than 25 years, are more vulnerable to impacts of climate change. They noted while California growers have always been affected by the natural variability of weather from year to year, the increased rate and scale of climate change is beyond the realm of experience of the agricultural community.

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3. Changing Pest and Disease Trends

Insect pests and diseases can be influenced by changes in temperature and precipitation. Warmer temperatures may allow more generations of insect pests during the growing season and migration to areas where colder temperatures previously limited their activity. Warmer temperatures are expected to create conditions conducive to the spread of fungal diseases. Pathak said for pests, including navel orangeworm (NOW), codling moth and peach twig borer, there is evidence of earlier biofix. His study showed a strong statistically significant downward trend across most California tree nut producing counties in the time it takes for NOW to complete their generations over time. This indicates the life cycle of NOW can be shortened by nearly six weeks. NOW body temperature is regulated by the ambient temperature, which has an

Continued on Page 46

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Studies by UC Davis scientists collect field data to determine effects of climate change in agriculture.

Continued from Page 45 predicted to lead to water scarcity or limitations in many growing regions.

Shifts in water availability can impact operations of irrigation infrastructures.

Pathak said globally, climate change affects precipitation in two ways: strengthening the existing precipitation patterns and by moving storms away from the equator toward the poles as atmospheric circulation changes. Climate change simulations suggest California will maintain its Mediterranean climate, but trends indicate higher annual rainfall amounts in the north while the southern part of the state is expected to be 15% to 35% drier by 2100. Snowpack critical to generate water supply for meeting crop water needs is expected to melt earlier during warmer winters and in the spring.

5. Impacts to Productivity

The cumulative effect of changes in climate will impact productivity.

Reduced yields due to higher or lower temperatures along with uncertain water supplies can affect availability of California-grown produce. Pathak noted due to the diversity of the state’s agriculture industry, each crop will respond to climate differently. Adaptation research, he added, should be locally focused and include stakeholder engagement and outreach efforts.

Adaptation Strategies

and improved weather forecasting systems to anticipate extreme weather events are some of the mitigation measures to preserve production.

Pathak said more accurate forecasting of winter chill accumulation will help growers of affected crops. Field data and modeling can help with mitigation efforts. Accurate modeling two weeks out and beyond on the magnitude and duration of weather events is critical, Zaccaria said. Accurate medium- to long-range forecasts will allow growers to prepare and plan for implementing mitigation strategies. Planting cover crops ahead of time is an example as they can help with improving soil infiltration and prevent ponding, which may allow orchard access after heavy rain and flooding events.

Pathak said the online decision support tool CalAgroClimate, sponsored

by UC Davis, UC Merced and USDA, is available to growers. Tools include a heat advisory, frost advisory, degree day calculator, pest advisory and agroclimatic indicators.

Zaccaria and Pathak will be speaking at three climate-smart agricultural production workshops in March 2024. The first is scheduled for March 7 in Tulare, Calif. at the International Agri-Center and will focus on climate-smart ag practices for fruit and nut production. Two other workshops will be held during the second week of March 2024 in Ventura, Calif. with focuses on citrus, avocado, vegetables and berries, and in Salinas, Calif. with focuses on vegetables, berries and grapevine.

Agriculture adaptation strategies to mitigate adverse effects on crop production will be necessary, both researchers agreed. Development of climate resilient varieties and rootstocks, improved Comments about this article? We want weather-adaptive water management to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com 46

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January 2024

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From the Orchard

Grower Bret Sill Focused on Adding Value Through Orchard Practices

Bret Sill (left) of Sill Properties works with his dad, Duffy, on the family farm. He credits his dad with helping him to learn what he needed to know after switching from produce sales and marketing to farming (all photos courtesy Sill Properties.)

By LORI FAIRCHILD | Contributing Writer

D

espite being born into a farming family, Bret Sill of Sill Properties came late to almond growing as a profession. After growing up on the farm, he left for college and spent a good portion of his career in the produce industry, working in sales and marketing for a fresh-cut processor.

In 2015, he returned to the farm, becoming the fourth generation to work the land, and has never looked back. While Sill comes from a long line of growers, he’s not tied to the old ways of doing things. He is exploring regenerative farming and is excited about what the future holds with autonomous machinery and off-ground harvesting.

We asked Sill to give us his thoughts about the current and future state of the almond industry.

Q. Tell us a little bit about the history of your farming operations.

We annexed our first piece of ground in 1898. My great-great grandfather when he came into town actually got started in farm implements, plows and stuff like that. Then when they annexed that ground, we got into farming and started with cotton.

When my dad took over the farm, we went from growing 2,000 acres of cotton and 160 acres of almonds and 48

West Coast Nut

January 2024

that was basically flip-flopped. So today, we actually don’t grow any cotton. We’re almonds, potatoes, garlic, carrots, corn, wheat and alfalfa.

Right now, I have two cousins that are involved in the farm. Nika, who’s in the office, is our controller, and then Ben, a PCA, handles daily activities on the ranch, runs the GUSSs (global unmanned spray systems) and all the contract to grow. My dad’s still involved as well. He’s the president and loves selling alfalfa.

Q. What made you want to get involved in the family farm?

I worked out here on and off as a kid.

I first started hoeing weeds in the cotton field for $1.25 an hour. So, let’s just say I wasn’t enticed to come back, but I’d work some summers here and there at the farm.

In high school, I was working for an uncle doing some real estate stuff, so when I went to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, I got an ag business degree with finance and appraisal. When I graduated Cal Poly, I actually went to work for a grower-shipper in Oxnard, and they were doing fresh-cut greens like collard, mustard, turnip and kale. They started a processing facility there in Oxnard then we ended up expanding to Atlanta.

I opened up a processing plant and was there doing the sales and marketing for them.

I lived out in Atlanta for 15 years.

They ended up selling that portion of the business out to Del Monte, and I worked for them for a few years then started my own produce brokerage business. In 2012, we decided to move to California.

I still was doing produce when I moved back to California, then in 2015 I started on the farm. I’ve really kind of been around ag my whole life because out in Georgia, I was working with growers from Florida to Georgia all the way up to Wisconsin, so I’ve been involved in the growing side, but not actually in the farm doing it boots on the ground until 2015.

Q. Which job do you like better?

I love farming. I like it a lot better.

I mean, I do miss some of the social things that we did in sales and marketing, but it changed so much in the produce industry with food safety and the retailers getting larger. Retailers have consolidated so much the past several years, and a lot of those smaller retailers have gone away or been bought out by the big box stores and it kind of took

Continued on Page 50

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Bret Sill is using sheep to cycle the nutrients from the cover crops back into the ground. Sill Properties has been using sheep in their alfalfa fields for years but just recently started adding them to the almond orchards.

Continued from Page 48 some of the fun out of it.

But I love being outside, and I love growing. And then just really looking at new ways that we can do to make it better.

Not just better quality or not solely focused on yields, but what can we do to produce a healthier plant that will produce healthier soil, so that we can produce a more nutrient-dense almond that will then produce healthier people. That’s kind of my big focus now.

Q. Talk a little bit about what you’re doing to accomplish that goal with regenerative farming.

We started a few years ago just trying to back off on our synthetic fertilizers. We’ve taken 300 acres of almonds, and this was the first year with no synthetic fertilizer. We tried to limit some of the fungicide sprays. Some of it was the economics of almond markets and some of it was like, “Hey, let’s just try it.”

So, we tried several rows where we put on the nutritional spray instead of a fungicide spray, and did we see a difference?

No, not really. It’s just easy for us to say, “Ok. We can take out the synthetic fertilizer. Now, let’s try and minimize the tillage in our wheat to corn plantings.”

We’re doing cover crops. We’ve done them in the past but not intentionally. Now, we’re intentional on, “We’re going to put in a cover crop,” and we’re just not going to put in oats

or wheat or just a barley or rye. We’re going to put in 10 to 12 different species.

So, we got some of the Seed for Bees seeds that they had through the Almond Board then just blended it up with different species. We wanted to complement the blend with some nitrogen fixation.

Last year, we planted a lot of cover crops in the almonds.

This year, our goal is to plant every almond orchard that we have in cover crops then also bring in sheep to help cycle those nutrients instead of just mowing it down. A lot of people will terminate it with the spray, but let’s bring in sheep and they can forage on those cover crops and cycle the nutrients and put that back on the soil.

There’s a lot of benefits to having animals on the ground.

We’ve had sheep in our alfalfa field for years. So, that’s where it really pushed us to try sheep in the almonds.

Having the cover crops in there helps not only with the nutritional value but then also brings in pests. If we allow nature to take its course, then theoretically you would have those good pests outcompete the bad pests, so you could limit some of those sprays that you do for pests. You can control the natural predators we have out there.

This year, we’re actually trying to get some funding to do pollinator habitat strips in a couple of the orchards as well to be able to have that after those cover crops are terminated.

Then you still have flowering plants and brushes and shrubs that will bring in some of the pests that help control some of the ones we don’t want in there.

Q. When did you get interested in regenerative farming?

Probably a couple of years ago. I’ve really just started listening to a lot of podcasts on it and doing some research.

I’ve listened to people like John Kemp. I’ve listened a lot to his podcast, and to me, it just made sense. I mean, it made sense that we can reduce some of our cost, that we can really start to focus on plant health and soil health, that we can let nature take its course and let that plant or let that tree actually build up the defense mechanisms to fight some of the diseases and pests.

It’s not going to happen overnight. I know it’s a process, but if that works and we can produce a more nutrient-dense product, then I think there’s value to that. As a grower, there’s only so much cost that we can cut cost out of what we do to 50

West Coast Nut

January 2024

Q. What are you most hopeful for in the future when it comes to almonds?

Well, I think as far as almonds go, I’m really excited about off-ground harvesters, and I think there’s a lot of opportunities to save a ton on labor and equipment. For us, we have five shakers and Bret Sill is experimenting with regenerative farming in his almond orchards including four sweepers, three conditioners, three the use of cover crops to add nutrients to the soil and attract beneficial pests. harvesters. If we can go to off-ground harvesters and go from say 20 engines be profitable. And right now, it doesn’t mind. plus all the labor to one or two machines, matter how much cost you cut off; it’s And then two, just where do we go that’s a huge savings on our farm. very difficult to be profitable when the from here as far as the future and planI believe if we can get to it, I think almond market is $1.50 to $2.00. ning and stuff with the cost. To develop we’re still a long ways off, but if we can So, how can we add value to that an orchard is so expensive. When do we get to drying and make that feasible, I product? To me, it’s like, “Ok, if we can say, “OK, it’s time to start planting again” believe what we could do in the orchard indeed show and test and prove these because we’ve just been taking out old would produce healthier soils, that it practices will help with more nutrients orchards and really scaling back there. would almost offset the cost of drying in the products that we grow, then we’ve Some of the row crops have been a them. added value.” Now, we must find out little bit better. I think they maybe have Also, what’s my savings if I eliminate how we’re going to take that to marpeaked at this point in time, so we have all these machines and all this labor? ket. And that’s a whole other difficult to see if now it is time to start planning Because we know labor’s not getting problem that we’re going to have to more almonds. By the time these are any cheaper, and these machines are solve: taking this to market and telling ready in 2025 or 2026, is the market definitely on the rise. It’s like everythat story and figuring out the supply going to be turned around? chain because I believe our supply chain Continued on Page 52 is thoroughly messed up. It rewards everyone in the middle, and the retailers are so competitive it keeps pushing back until it lands on the grower.

When they’re so competitive, they start to beat down the brokers and the marketers, then it comes down to the growers. We’re like, “What have we got?”

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Q. What keeps you up at night related to growing almonds?

Well, I think I just said it. I think it’s the supply chain and really trying to figure out how to add value. We’re farmers.

We’re not marketers. I have that in my background, but it’s not something that we’re set up to do, but that’s what kind of keeps me up is trying to figure it out.

How are we going to add value? I know there’s value to it, but then it’s very competitive. What are those products that we need to come up with and how are we going to market that and how are we going to add value to that so that we can get premiums? It is definitely on my

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51

on the best possible path?

Bret Sill says he is excited about what the future holds for the almond industry with innovations like off-ground harvesters.

Continued from Page 51 thing that goes up, it rarely comes down.

We’re probably seeing these pieces of equipment not going the other way in our favor, so I think if we could get to the off-ground and make it so that we’re saving but also improving the soil health because we’re not so much worried about floating the middles and mowing

so much and we’re allowing those cover crops to grow. We can bring sheep in longer to cycle those nutrients in April and even into May. Then I think there’s just going to be some huge benefits for that.

Q. What do you think needs to happen to put the tree nut industry

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West Coast Nut

January 2024

It’s going to be a lot of education.

We’re going to have to educate a lot of growers that here are some of the benefits of what we’re doing if we do go to off-ground. Obviously, I believe the air board’s going to have to step in huge because they’re showing like 98% less dust if you don’t allow those nuts to touch the ground. What kind of incentives are going to be for the grower to then move to this type of equipment?

So you need the Almond Board, you need the Almond Alliance, you need the air board, you need all of them to start pushing for these policies to get put in place to make it advantageous for the grower to say, “Ok, I’m going to go buy a couple $500k machines and hey, some larger growers may need three or four,” because then you’re relying on that one machine. If it goes down, well, you got problems.

If your harvest is shut down, it shuts down everything, where if I just lose a shaker, if I just lose a sweeper, I’ve got other ones that are working. So, when you have one machine doing the whole thing, then you better have multiples of them.

Q. And what do you think are the biggest assets of the tree nut industry in California right now?

Coming from the produce industry and going to the PMAs and those big trade shows, when I first came into the almond industry and came to The Almond Conference, I was like, “Man, these guys were organized.” I mean, this is really just focused on this one variety.

We’re not talking about apples to zucchinis and everything in between. This is all about almonds.

Going through some of their leadership programs, their Almond Leadership Program was really good for me because it was a fast track for me, too; get in and meet some people, figure out all the different aspects of the industry. That was a huge benefit.

I like the way they are focused and then just learning more about what they’re doing. As you know, we’re paying 3 cents and then, at the time, it got bumped up to 4 cents. And it’s like, “Ok, where’s that money going?”

It’s great to be able to get involved in

the Almond Leadership Program to say, “Ok, yeah, look at their spending. They’re developing these markets, they’re doing these tests, they’re putting these funds together to help, and they’re doing these different things.” Just to be able to know that as a farmer and be able to share that with other farmers, I think, is a big benefit. It does come down to marketing.

What the Almond Board does is marketing. You know, they hit a home run with Deion [Sanders]. Great timing and good forethought on that.

People need to know the Almond Board was behind it, and it’s helping promote almonds as a whole. So now we’re not so competitive, right? We’re almonds as a whole. We’re collaborating together. If we can collaborate together, we’re much better off than trying to compete. I think we need to collaborate more because if we can collaborate more and work together, then we’re going to benefit as a whole.

Q. What would you say has been the most beneficial thing or the thing

that you’re proudest of as it relates to your professional development?

I say that is to be determined. I think if this regenerative ag can really pan out, and I am testing it, but I’m not saying that it is the way yet. I think we have a lot to prove, but if some of the statistics are true that we can produce more nutrient-dense almonds with these practices, then I think that is something that’s going to be a breakthrough for farmers to look at and go, “Ok. Hey, there’s different ways of doing this. We can improve our soil.”

The way we’re going right now, we’ve got 60 years left of topsoil. As a farmer, your ground, your soil is your biggest asset. So, what are you going to do to protect it? We need to take care of our soil so our soil can take care of us.

I think if some of these things that we’re doing on our farm with the regenerative ag lets us show that we’re going to have a more nutrient-dense product, then I think that’s going to be really big for our farm and for our industry and for the people that are eating our nuts.

Q. How do you give back to the community both in agriculture and in the community where your operation is based?

I think it’s important. Here in Bakersfield, we have so many farm workers that are in here for three to four months and working during harvest, whether it’s in almonds or pistachios or in grapes or in all the different row crops we grow here.

They’re here for a while, and they have a job and then they don’t. I think it’s important that we give back to our community, so in 2013, my wife and I started Morning Star Fresh Food ministry. It’s a ministry where we get meat from local butchers, fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers, and we deliver it to needy families with the love and hope of Jesus. I believe every person has the right to eat healthy food, not just people that can afford it. That has been one of our goals to make sure we have healthy, nutritious food, and we use

Continued on Page 54

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53

Bret Sill and his dog, Beau, check out one of Sill Properties’ almond orchards.

Continued from Page 53 that to get into the door so that we can then show the love and hope that Jesus would bring.

It has really been a passion of mine to do that, and with my background in the produce industry and now in almonds, I just know so many different growers that are so generous that it’s no big deal for them to give me a pallet of grapes or give me 40 boxes of potatoes or a 1,500 pound of yams. That’s not something that’s rejected, it’s not something that I’m picking up that had been there for three weeks. This is stuff I’m picking right up from the shipping docks of these produce houses. It’s fresh and it’s healthy and it’s nutritious.

Q. What advice do you have to a young person getting into farming tree nuts today?

Especially coming out of college or whatever, just try to get an internship with someone. There are so many aspects of the almond industry. Just go learn, try to get in with a good company that you know you can find someone that would mentor you.

There are opportunities. There are a lot of programs out there that could

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January 2024

help a young farmer get established.

Some young farmers start off with 40 acres. Is it going to be their full-time job at 40 acres? No. You’re going to have to have another job, but it will help you get started. As you grow and learn more, the more opportunities you can find.

There are a lot of programs out there like this community solar going on where you can put 5 to 10 to 15 acres of solar in there. You can go buy a piece of land and have some of that revenue on the solar to help pay some of your mortgage.

It’s pretty tough right now to be able to buy land. It’s so expensive, and some of the returns on some of the products that we’re growing are below the cost to produce. It’s going to make it tough, but with all the different trials and tribulations that are going on right now in our state of economy, there’s always going to be some opportunities to buy.

Just look for those and look at the different programs that are out there that will help new farmers and young farmers, and you never know what’s going to happen.

Q. Did you have a mentor, somebody that helped you as you were making the transition to almonds?

My dad was really great. He just kind of took me in. Even though I didn’t have a lot of that experience in the field, he was able to teach me some of that. My dad’s just been a great mentor of mine, and really showed me the ways and the path. He’s built a successful company here, so he’s been doing things right and is very respected in the industry.

Q. What do you think the biggest advancement has been in tree nuts during your time in the industry?

I think we’re seeing some of that come along right now with some of the autonomous advancements. I think that’s a huge win for the industry because you’re reducing quite a bit of labor.

Like for us, with the GUSSs, we’re going from an eight-man crew to a two-man crew and pretty much getting close to the same number of acres done at night.

Now, we’re seeing things with the autonomous shakers coming along, and I think those are going to be big as well as off-ground harvest. I think that’s

going to be something that’s going to really change the industry and what we’re doing.

Q. Talk a little bit about the water situation in California and how that affects tree nut growing.

SGMA is really a huge thing right now, and it’s a policy that’s in place that’s not going to go away. Even though we had tremendous wet weather last year and hopefully recharged a lot of water into the ground, it’s not going away, so you need to get involved in your local irrigation districts. You need to get involved in some of those policies that are getting put in place because if we allow all the consultants and all the attorneys to do that with no input from the farmers, then we’re going to wake up one day and go, “What the heck has happened?”

It’s important to know what’s going on because water is not something that we can change. Water is our lifeline, and it takes a lot of water to grow every crop we grow.

It’s really just attending some of those meetings that are going on and paying attention to the policies that are getting put in place and talking with your irrigation manager and even some of the attorneys I have to deal with, just having relationships with them, trying to figure out what can we do to make this work?

What kind of technology can we [use] to help recharge?

We have a pilot program going on right now, or that’s going to be started, that we’re going to use some of the technology in the oil industry to do some horizontal drilling on ground that is under an easement. Just thinking outside the box and trying to figure out different technologies of what we can do to recharge the water under the ground because that’s our biggest aquifer, and we need to take advantage of that because we’re going to have dry years and we’re going to need to pump.

Just get involved, go to those meetings, get involved with the irrigation districts and know what’s going on.

Don’t wait because by the time you get involved, it’s going to be too late. Do something now.

Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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Blue Diamond Maps Out Ambitious Strategic Plan to Boost Sales, Grower Returns

By VICKY BOYD | Contributing Writer

F

aced with decreased sales and lingering inflationary costs the past marketing year, Blue Diamond Growers leaders took a deep look inward and developed a new strategic plan to guide the almond co-op.

“The challenges we face are the same as growers face,” said Blue Diamond President and CEO Kai Bockmann as he addressed about 1,200 growers attending the recent annual meeting in Modesto. “Costs, significant weather events and depressed market prices have created the perfect storm. What helped us get to where we are today isn’t necessarily going to help us in the future.”

Blue Diamond Growers Vice President of Member Relations Mel Machado (left) leads a panel discussion about the co-op’s strategic growth initiative during their recent annual meeting. To his right are President and CEO Kai Bockmann, Chief Operating Officer Dean LaVallee and Chief Growth Officer Raj Joshi (all photos by V. Boyd.)

Calling the plan “ambitious,” he said it comprises five pillars designed to strengthen growth of consumer products, accelerate international marketing efforts, build the relatively untapped food service sector, continue to innovate and increase efficiency internally.

In the 12 months since Bockmann was hired to lead Blue Diamond, he traveled the state and met with grower-members to hear their concerns.

He and the executive committee also tapped experts in consumer-packaged goods, food service, and international product development and sales to help develop the strategic plan.

“It’s more than just volume; it’s about

Alison Riddell (left) and Jennifer Sattler prepare samples of Thin Dipped Almonds.

56

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driving growth and returns to our growers,” Bockmann said.

For the marketing year ending Aug. 25, 2023, Blue Diamond had net sales of about $1.33 billion compared to $1.6 billion for 2022. Grower returns for 2022 crop-year Nonpareil and Supareil meats averaged $1.65 per pound, maxing out at $1.74 including quality premiums. A year earlier, 2021 crop-year Nonpareil and Supareil meats averaged $2.20 per pound, with $2.30 per pound including premiums.

Returns for Independence, Carmel, Butte, Padre, Monterey, California, Fritz, Price and Wood Colony for the 2022 crop year averaged between $1.38 to $1.40 per meat pound, topping out at $1.44 per pound with quality payments.

Compare that to $1.86 to $1.90 per meat pound average for those varieties for the 2021 crop year, maxing out between $1.90 to $1.95 per meat pound with quality incentives.

Bockmann attributed much of the drop in returns to an industrywide oversupply. The state’s almond industry began the 2023-24 marketing year with roughly an 800-million-pound carry-in.

A more desirable carryover is between 300 million and 400 million pounds.

Several Blue Diamond growers attending the annual meeting described the current economic situation as “bad” as production costs exceeded returns the past few seasons. During the 2022 growing season, an April freeze, reduced irrigation supplies in many counties and a late summer hot spell

Kai Bockmann, who joined Blue Diamond in early 2023, addresses members during his first annual meeting as co-op president and CEO.

exacerbated the situation.

Although winter and spring rains brought much-needed drought relief to 2023, they also delayed everything from bloom to hull split to harvest. The 2023 season also was marked by historically high reject levels caused mainly by navel orangeworm.

Plans to Build Consumer Growth

Within the consumer segment, Blue Diamond continued to lead both the non-dairy milk and snack nut categories despite a challenging marketing environment. Inflationary pressures were felt by consumers, many of whom shifted their buying habits and either traded down to smaller package sizes of snack nuts or stopped buying almonds altogether.

Even with a decrease in overall almond snack consumption, Blue Diamond grew its market share of the almond segment by 2.5 points for the marketing year ending Aug. 25.

Andrea Chavez of Blue Diamond (right) pours samples of the Almond Breeze Nog, a holiday beverage based on the co-op’s almond milk.

Almond Breeze increased its lead over rival Silk as the No. 1 selling branded almond milk. Within the competitive non-dairy milk segment, Almond Breeze gained 0.8 points of market share while within the almond milk segment it gained 2.3 points.

Raj Joshi, Blue Diamond chief growth officer, said the co-op plans to build on the momentum in those two segments as part of its strategic efforts.

“It’s important to bring new people into our brand but equally important is keeping them with the brand,” he said.

To do that, Blue Diamond continues to lean heavily on its innovation center opened in 2013 in Sacramento. At the time, it was billed as the only developing and testing center focused entirely on bringing new almond products to market.

Two of the more recent launches are Korean BBQ and elote Mexican street corn-flavored snack almonds. Chilé ‘n Lime, which was a limited-edition

release, has joined the regular offerings.

In fact, People magazine’s Food Awards 2023 named the flavor “best nuts.”

Blue Diamond recently introduced Thin Dipped Almonds with limited distribution at its grower stores and Walmart. Beginning in 2024, the co-op plans nationwide distribution of the two sweet flavors.

Yet despite market-leading standings, less than 20% of U.S. consumers buy Blue Diamond almonds, Bockmann said.

“It’s surprising that eight out of 10 houses in the U.S. do not have our product,” he said.

To that end, the co-op has already begun delivering what it believes are compelling messages with its “Gimme Me Blue Diamond” and “Almond Milk It” advertising campaigns.

A relatively untapped opportu-

Continued on Page 58

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Continued from Page 57 nity for almonds is food service, a $1 trillion-plus market that covers any meal eaten outside the home, Bockmann said. Among potential uses for almonds are as baked good ingredients, in ethnic dishes and as salad toppers.

International markets also are ripe for expansion, Bockmann said, noting the strategic approach the co-op plans to take.

Dean LaVallee, chief operating officer/chief financial officer who came onboard after 20 years in Canada with Kraft Foods, pointed to Canada as an example. The country has about 10% of the U.S. population. Using that as a rule of thumb, he said Blue Diamond should sell about 7 million pounds annually in Canadian markets. Yet the co-op sells less than 1 million pounds, which DeVallee said it needs to grow.

Among the bright points is a cult-like following of its spicy dill pickle almonds by Canadian Costco shoppers.

“It will take time to build it, but Canada has shown a love for almonds,” he said.

Among other successes on the international side, Blue Diamond introduced an almond-based cooking cream in Brazil and vitamin- and mineral-fortified almonds in South Korea.

Expanding Sustainability Efforts

Since its launch in 2018, Blue Diamond’s Orchard Sustainability Incentive Program has provided financial incentives to members who participate in the Almond Board’s California Almond Sustainability Program. Blue Diamond growers can earn additional premiums if they become Bee Friendly certified and complete a carbon footprint assessment to reach the triple diamond level. Those in the top tier receive a base payment of $1,000 plus 1 cent per pound.

In 2022, the last year for which figures are available, the co-op paid $1.74 million in OSIP incentives.

The program has already begun to resonate with customers, particularly those in the European Union where sustainability is a critical part of food production.

Thanks to a five-year $45 million 58

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January 2024

James Yako of Blue Diamond pours samples of Thin Dipped almonds to a line of grower-members anxious to try the new sweet treat.

“It’s more than just volume; it’s about driving growth and returns to our growers.” – Kai Bockmann, Blue Diamond Growers

Thin Dipped Almonds were one of Blue Diamond’s new offerings in 2023 with a limited roll-out in its grower stores and Walmart. The co-op plans to introduce them nationwide this year.

USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant awarded in early 2023, Blue Diamond expanded the financial support provided by OSIP. Through a partnership with Project Aphis m., growers can receive free seeds and/or plant material for “conservation cover,” also known as pollinator habitat. In addition, they can receive direct grower payments to offset the cost of implementing cover cropping, conservation cover, hedgerows and whole orchard recycling.

During the first year, grower-members representing more than 10,000 acres of cover crops signed up, exceeding Blue Diamond’s goals for FY23.

mann said growers have experienced similar inflationary pressures. Since 2020, grower input costs have risen an average of 20%.

To address that, Blue Diamond has partnered with non-competing co-ops like Land O’Lakes and Ocean Spray Cranberries to create Grower Connect Market Place. The exclusive e-commerce website for goods and services lets users comparison shop and place and track orders. By leveraging the collective group’s buying power, Bockmann said the goal is to reduce member input costs.

New Grower Buying Group

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Much like the rising costs the coop’s processing side has faced, Bock-

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NEW DPR RULES WILL IMPACT FUMIGANT EFFICACY AND NEONICOTINOID AVAILABILITY IN 2024

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

O

ne year after California Department of Pesticide Regulation introduced a proposal to further restrict use of the valuable soil fumigant Telone (1,3-dichloropropene), a new revised rule goes into effect January 1, 2024.

The DPR states the 2024 rule will reduce human health risks from agricultural fumigation operations. The state’s reasoning for the added restrictions is based on their formula that assumes a person remains in one location for multiple years (70 years, to be exact) and is being continuously exposed to the fumigant.

The new rules will increase costs and make applications more complicated, said Mike Stanghellini, director of research for the fumigation company Tri-Cal. Trial work in perennial crops takes a few years to really know the net effects on tree health, he added.

Setbacks from occupied structures are expanded, application rates and total treated acreage are limited under the new rules. There are also new requirements for lower emission

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January 2024

application methods for use in tree and vine crops, which DPR reports have the highest application rates for Telone.

The new regulations will require the use of totally impermeable film (TIF) or alternative means of emissions reduction, including deeper soil injections.

One of the biggest challenges will be the new soil moisture requirements.

Stanghellini said growers will have to decide if they want to use rainfall in the winter months when setbacks are higher or spend money on supplemental irrigation to prepare the soil to DPR’s new moisture requirement for fumigation. To meet the new moisture requirement for 100 acres, three acre-inches per acre, or a total of 8.15 million gallons, of water must be applied before a fumigation operation. There are also questions about the efficacy of the fumigant in higher soil moisture levels.

These new rules, which were proposed by DPR in 2022, will mainly impact walnut growers’ efforts to manage root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus vulnus), a primary plant parasitic

nematode that affects walnut trees. This soilborne pest infests 85% of California walnut acreage according to the Walnut Scion and Rootstock Improvement Working Group. Within a single season, root lesion nematode can reach damage thresholds, and within two years can result in 20% reduction of tree growth.

Root damage by root lesion nematode results in lower yields, limb dieback in trees of bearing age and root stunting in replant sites which can kill young trees.

To reduce fugitive emissions of the fumigant, soil moisture at 50% of field capacity at the 3- to 9-inch depth is now required for a Telone application.

Soil moisture at that level has been projected to be less effective in controlling root lesion nematode. Deeper injection of the fumigant and limits on the acreage for an application are also required. Stanghellini said when the DPR proposals were made last year, it was noted that applying an effective dose of the fumigant over a large area in a timely manner will be complicated.

Applicators may be able to break up

larger application sites into smaller blocks, but that would mean additional trips to the site, and added labor and fuel costs. Tarping costs are increased, including the installation cost and disposal cost.

Tarp availability is presently good, but Stanghellini said it will depend on national and global resin markets. Tarping costs now range from $600 per acre for only where tree rows will be (strip tarped) or up to $1500 an acre for a broadcast tarp fumigation. Tarping also has the added expense of glue and labor. Growers can opt to make deeper injections.

Blending Telone with the fumigant chloropicrin, which is effective against fungi as well as nematodes, is one strategy being considered for preplant fumigation. Stanghellini said field trials of blends have achieved results similar to Telone-only applications, but chloropicrin also comes with additional regulatory restrictions from Cal-EPA. Chloropicrin is currently under reevaluation at DPR, which is a comprehensive regulatory review similar to what the U.S. EPA completed in 2008.

More Water Needed

Josh Rahm, director of technical and regulatory affairs for California Walnut Board and Commission, said allocation of water for fumigation will require a decision by walnut growers looking to fumigate an orchard site prior to planting.

“In a drought year or with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, that will place further constraints. They have to choose not to reallocate water for fumigation or wait for rain,” Rahm said. “Walnuts are sensitive to root lesion nematode, and there are no viable products with the same efficacy of this fumigant. This new rule will affect decisions to plant new orchards. Even more concerning, it is not clear what effects such soil moisture levels may have on efficacy of treatments. Most likely efficacy in suppressing nematodes will be reduced, as previous research has identified levels that are required for efficacious treatments.”

There are not a lot of new orchards being planted due to market conditions, Rahm noted, but at some point, when new orchards are developed, there will be a need for an effective tool against nematodes.

Andreas Westphal, associate CE specialist/associate nematologist at UC Riverside, said alternatives to Telone and other fumigants are being field tested but are not yet registered for use in California. One fumigant alternative, Dominus, is no longer considered a biopesticide and is now considered a conventional pesticide by the U.S. EPA. The other, Salibro, is a postplant treatment while Dominus is a preplant product.

Neonicotinoid Restrictions

Effective January 1, neonicotinoid pesticides used in walnut and almond production are now limited due to concerns with pollinator health. The new DPR regulations apply to soil and foliar applications of products containing clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. Soil application of products containing these active ingredients is now banned. Application of these products is prohibited during bloom, the period from the onset of flowering to petal fall.

If both soil and foliar application methods are used at the

Deeper injection of the fumigant and limits on the acreage for an application are also required.

same site, or if multiple neonicotinoid active ingredients are applied, the total maximum combined application rate must not exceed 0.2 pounds per season.

Walnut growers use two of these targeted insecticides, clothianidin and imidacloprid, against aphids and walnut husk fly with minor use against scale. DPR has estimated cost and application of alternative active ingredients would increase crop protection costs. Clothianidin is the only neonicotinoid registered for use in almonds, mainly targeting leaffooted bugs, stink bugs and San Jose scale.

Pistachios and pecans are exempt from the regulations.

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61

Compliance to replace existing forklift fleets begins in 2026 should the new phaseout schedule go through.

CARB’s Latest Proposed ZEV Forklift Regulation Expected to Go Before the Board in 2024

By PRISCILLA RODRIGUEZ | Assistant Vice President, Western Agricultural Processors Association

I

n November, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released the latest draft of the proposed Zero-Emission (ZEV) Forklift Regulation.

It subsequently announced the Board will conduct a public hearing on June 27, 2024 to consider the proposed regulation, which would eliminate the use of Class 4 and Class 5 internal combustion forklifts and convert fleets over to ZEV forklifts. Certain types of forklifts like rough-terrain forklifts and diesel forklifts are not addressed by the proposed regulation.

Our Efforts

Since the initial draft proposal in 2020, Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) has led a coalition against the State’s effort to 62

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eliminate propane forklifts. In the past couple years, we have held multiple full day facility tour visits and meetings to educate CARB staff on the consequences this regulation could have on agriculture and supporting businesses.

These site visits have been the turning point for some of the requirements and caused CARB staff to pause and make necessary adjustments. Through our efforts, rough terrain forklifts were excluded from the regulation and agricultural operations have a longer and delayed timeline for compliance for the remaining forklifts that will begin Jan. 1, 2029 and conclude in 2038.

We have a statewide system constraint when it comes to electrical infrastructure. Our current system does not provide for today’s needs in certain

parts of the state, especially rural areas, and certainly is not prepared for the incoming load with the conversion to electric forklifts, trucks, commercial vehicles, etc. These site visits highlighted this very issue. We visited facilities who are currently running entire operations on natural gas generators because their utility provider simply cannot provide power. Another tree nut facility estimated it would need to devote $2 to $3 million in facility/substation upgrades to support the conversion of their 75-forklift fleet to electric.

CARB has recognized this barrier and is allowing for an initial 3-year infrastructure extension and consequent yearly extensions up to 2038 if the utility provided is not able to provide power for EV fleet charging. Other de-

lay extensions included in the proposed regulation are equipment delays and construction delays among others. If you are unable to secure a ZEV forklift prior to your compliance date, you can request a one-year delay until 2038 if needed.

Proposed Regulation in a Nutshell

Applies to Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) forklifts (with a few exceptions) •

Compliance begins in 2026 for large fleets (Small Ag Operations in 2029)

• Low-use exemption for forklift operated less than 200 hours per calendar year (Sunsets in 2031) • Microbusiness can operate a low-use LSI forklift past 2031 • New Class 4 LSI forklifts cannot be manufactured or sold in CA after Jan. 1, 2026 • New Class 5 LSI forklifts cannot be manufactured or sold in CA after Jan. 1, 2029

Next Steps

by CARB

Outstanding Issues

There are many sections of the proposed regulation we strongly oppose such as the reporting requirements.

The information requested to be reported is onerous, unnecessary and will become public record once submitted. All information submitted can be accessed through a records request through the Freedom of Information Act. We strongly feel for security reasons this information should be kept private.

As proposed, the phaseout schedule could require a fleet to convert over many of their forklifts depending on the model years of the fleet, which can cause an overburden on any business.

CARB released the Standardized Regulatory Impact Assessment, which uses data that is not reflective of our businesses. They suggest the cost of electricity to be an average of $0.17 kwh and expect it to decrease over time. We highly disagree as PG&E and SCE have recently requested a 45% increase in the lates general rate case.

CARB stated, “The Proposed Regulation has been identified in the 2016 State Strategy for the State Implementation Plan, the 2016 Mobile Source Strategy (MSS), the 2020 MSS and the Sustainable Freight Action Plan as one of several measures necessary for California to achieve its established air quality and climate goals.” The public comment period for the regulatory action began on Nov. 10, 2023. Written comments are due by Dec. 26, 2023.

The Association is coordinating a joint effort with other agricultural organizations to compile joint comments against the proposed regulation. The Notice, Initial Statement of Reason and all subsequent regulatory documents are available on CARB’s Rulemaking page.

We will continue to fight this regulation.

Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

• Rental of LSI model year forklifts that have been phased out is prohibited • Initiate conversation with utility provider of potential electrical service installation or upgrades by April 2026 for large facilities Extensions due to the following: • Delivery delay • Infrastructure/construction delay • Infrastructure site electrification delay • Technical infeasibility delay • Initial reporting requirements

by April 2026 for large fleets and yearly thereafter. Small fleets and Ag Operations will be by September 2023.

• ZEV and LSI forklifts must be labeled with EIN number assigned January 2024

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63

Preparing for Diseases in Cool, Wet Years

By KRISTIN PLATTS | Digital Content Writer

D

iseases in nut crops can be affected by both cooler and warmer weather and intense weather changes can propel infections. Preparing for variations in weather patterns before a disease occurs might be helpful in preventing a problem, but there are also a number of established methods to controlling diseases brought on by wet weather once they occur.

UC Davis plant pathologist at the Kearney Ag Research and Extension Center, Themis Michailides, presented findings from research done on diseases in walnuts and pistachios during a presentation at the 2023 Crop Consultant Conference in Visalia, Calif. in September. He shared a history of the most likely diseases to occur in wet weather and tips on how to manage them.

Michailides focused on Botryosphaeria panicle and shoot blight, which first decimated pistachio crops in California’s San Joaquin Valley in 1998 and 1999, and can also cause major problems in almonds and walnuts.

According to information published

by UCCE, Botryosphaeria fungi can cause many symptoms, but typically produce cankers on woody plants. These pathogens cause disease by growing around, along, or through the stem until the plant is girdled, killing the tissue. It usually kills the bark and cambium but can also enter the wood. However, the blight phase of the disease is the most destructive in pistachio and walnut.

Botryosphaeria’s Destructive History

Going back 44 years in his research, Michailides studied the total rainfall in California from 1979 to 2023, highlighting the years that had the largest increases in rainfall. One of those seasons, 1982 to 1983, saw nearly 14 inches more rainfall than average, which led into the first 64

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Of the 11 different species that cause Botryosphaeria canker blight, there are seven species that move from one nut crop to another.

year that California saw Botryosphaeria panicle and shoot blight in pistachios, which results in blight of the panicle clusters and shoots of pistachios.

“That doesn’t mean the Botryosphaeria was not there, but that wet year was the year it became obvious and very destructive,” Michailides said.

By 1985, the first publication of the disease was printed in the UCCE journal California Agriculture. At that time, California’s 45,000 acres of pistachios had just one species of Botryosphaeria to contend with. However, today, there are eight more species causing this disease and there are now more than 453,000 acres of bearing pistachios in the state.

The next most damaging wet season for the disease came in the 1997 to 1998 season, when nearly 20 inches of additional rainfall drove a surge of the disease, spurring a major epidemic in California by 1999. Michailides said growers during that time didn’t have any control over the disease, and trees were damaged so badly, growers had no choice but to remove them, while those who chose to keep their trees, faced

an uncertain dilemma of what would become of their orchards.

He went on to explain that normal rainfall conditions that take place when the disease occurs can be very misleading to growers, because symptoms don’t appear on the fruit, even though an infection has occurred. This is known as latent infection. If a spring occurs when rain is above normal, he noted that severe infections will occur even in green fruit, known as quiescent infections.

“These infections will develop as the fruit matures later in the season, end of July, August, and so forth. So, all the green parts of the pistachio can be infected, and all these parts can remain on the tree,” Michailides said.

In these cases, he explained, infections from clusters will lead to cankers that will remain on the shoots, while infected shoots remain on the tree, even rachises of clusters and infected buds, and each of those will then have the inoculum of the pathogen, pycnidia, where spores develop.

“So, when you have rains, these spores will spread around, but year after year,

Themis Michailides, UC Davis plant pathologist at the Kearney Ag Research and Extension Center, presented research on diseases in walnuts and pistachios in cool, wet years and how to treat them at the Crop Consultant Conference in Visalia, Calif. in September 2023.

we’ll have an accumulation of these inocula on the trees,” he said, of the spores in the pycnidia, also called conidia. “Conidia are water-splashed spores; they will spread and cause new infections.”

He added that ascospores aren’t found in pistachios, but will enter a pistachio orchard arriving from walnuts, almonds, and riparian trees and bushes where Botryosphaeria fungi are plentiful.

A Cool, Wet 2023

Following Hurricane Hilary in August 2023, excessive rains caused severe outbreaks of another disease in pistachios, Alternaria late blight, according to Michailides. Typically, the Alternaria develops so late on the leaves of the pistachios that by the time harvest comes around, the fruit is clean, but that wasn’t the case this year, he said.

“This year, we saw it not only on the leaves, but also we saw Alternaria developing and causing mold on the nuts,” he said.

In previous research, he said it was recommended to not spray after July; however, these types of rain events could lead to additional research in order to revise previous information to see if later sprays will have an effect in reducing Alternaria developing on fruit.

Severe cases of Botryosphaeria were also seen in Tulare County orchards where growers didn’t spray in the spring due to long drought, he said.

“Botryosphaeria usually doesn’t show in drought years, but if inoculum were present in the orchard and you didn’t spray with this type of rain late in the season, you would see very severe Botryosphaeria on clusters causing major damage for the growers,” Michailides said.

Another disease that thrives in cool and wet weather and affects both male

Shepherd’s hook symptom of a pistachio shoot infected by Botrytis blight caused

by Botrytis cinerea.

and female pistachio trees, is Botrytis blossom and shoot blight.

“Botrytis on pistachio develops only when you have wet and cool weather during bloom time, it kills the developing shoot and it kills the developing clusters,” Michailides said.

Botrytis symptoms, which start at the base of the shoot, typically become obvious by summer, causing the tender shoots to whither and bend like a shepherd’s hook, and also developing lesions and cankers. But Botrytis can be easy to control if there is a prediction of rain and the temperatures are predicted to be

cool, he explained.

“One or two sprays in the spring will control the Botrytis,” he said, plus these sprays will also protect green parts of the tree from Botryosphaeria infections.

Walnuts can be affected by Botryosphaeria canker blight in wet years also, and was found in some valley orchards this past fall.

“Initially we found the disease in orchards where sprinkler irrigation occurs,” he said. “It can blight fruit and shoots without infecting the leaves directly.”

Continued on Page 66

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65

Botryosphaeria blight on walnut.

Continued from Page 65 11 different species cause Botryosphaeria canker and blight of walnuts in California, Michailides said, while almonds and pistachios are each affected by eight species. Comparing the three, he said there are seven species that move from one nut crop to another.

“And we do know that these fungi are widespread throughout the walnut industry or also throughout the pistachio industry,” he said.

The way the disease presents itself in walnuts is similar to the way it presents in pistachios, he explained.

“There are latent infections that we don’t see any symptoms,” he said. “The fruit looks clean with no symptoms and that may confuse the growers.”

He noted that those infections begin to express disease

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around August or September as fruit matures. The infection will decay one fruit, and will move to the next, until eventually the infection will move into the spur, killing buds for the next year’s crop.

“And that’s why this disease is very destructive, very yield reducing, because it not only blights fruit during the season, but also kills the buds for the next season,” Michailides said.

Infected spurs remaining on the trees create yet another problem, because blighted shoots and spurs and even branches will sometimes have large amounts of pycnidia full of conidia (spores) of the fungus, which will spread once the rains come.

How to Manage

The best control measures for these diseases come down to cultural and chemical controls, says Michailides, with irrigation management, sanitation, and chemical application being the most effective.

Referring to an orchard that had a severe infection of Botryosphaeria, he said that making a simple adjustment to sprinkler head angles alleviated much of the problem.

“We noticed that the trajectory angle of sprinklers was 23 degrees, and we changed to sprinklers with 12 degrees and were able to get a 75% reduction of the disease by just doing that cultural control of irrigation management,” he said.

Other cultural control methods include pruning dead branches or blighted shoots to reduce inoculum in the orchard, as well as avoiding sprinkler irrigation that wets the canopy.

Chemical control of these diseases is very important because the chemicals available now are very effective, Michailides said.

Spraying is done to prevent infections in the spring, he explained. In pistachio in a wet year sprays start in April and end at the end of July in an approximately 20 to 30 day interval. If a grower chooses to apply only one spray, the critical (optimal) timing is the first part of June. For walnuts, calendar sprays are done in mid-May, mid-June, and mid-July. If the grower decides for one spray only, the best time is the second part of June to early July.

“So, a combination of pruning and controlling the scale and the fungicide applications in the spring will manage the disease,” he said, “but a fungicide program should be definitely implemented in rainy years, and some growers forget that.”

In general, Michailides said, watch for rain events; if there is high probabily of rain, spray before the rain. In this way, you get the best protection of your trees from Botryosphaeria diseases.

For more information on efficacy of fungicides for controlling Botryosphaeria canker and blight of walnut, Michailides directs growers and PCAs to the UCANR website: https:// ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/pdf/pmg/fungicideefficacytiming. pdf Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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What’s in Store for 2024: New Employment Laws and Regulations

By THERESA KIEHN | President/CEO, AgSafe

A

s we enter 2024, the agricultural sector will need to gear up for new employment laws and regulations. It’s a routine occurrence at the start of each year, and this time is no different.

These regulations span various aspects of employment within agriculture, from labor standards to adjustments in health and safety protocols. The goal is to break down these complexities, allowing you to navigate these changes easily while staying compliant. You will need to take action to safeguard your operation, so we aim to equip you with the necessary knowledge and tools to adapt to these modifications effectively.

Minimum Wage Increase

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, California’s minimum wage increased to $16 per hour for all employers. Minimum wage increases also trigger a salary increase for exempt employees. Exempt employees are required to earn twice the minimum wage rates, which means these employees will make $32 per hour for a 40-hour work week. This equates to $1,280 per week or $66,560 annually.

Please note several cities and counties have implemented higher minimum wage rates. Sonoma, Petaluma, Santa Rosa and San Diego all have higher rates ranging from $16.85 to $17.45 an hour. It is essential to check these rates with the local municipalities in the areas in which you work to ensure compliance.

Under the law, California’s minimum wages are evaluated annually to adjust for inflation. The minimum wage will never be lowered; however, the most it will increase is by 3.5%. Employers can expect an adjustment to be announced by September 1, and the new rates will be effective January 1 in the new year.

Employers must post the Minimum Wage Order poster and the Wage Order applicable to their workplace at a worksite area accessible to employees. The wage orders can be downloaded and printed from the California Department of Industrial Relations website. Additionally, employers must ensure that the wage rate is documented on the employee’s pay stub and that employees are paid at least the minimum wage even when employees are paid at piece rate compensation.

Overtime for Agricultural Workers

Under Assembly Bill 1066, California has gradually reduced the industry’s workday from 10 to 8 hours per day. Beginning in 2023, large employers with 26 or more employees were required to pay employees overtime if they worked more than eight hours in a day or more than 40 hours in a week.

Small employers, those with 25 or fewer, are still in Ag employers should review and update their employee handbooks and safety programs and policies to be ready for the new year (photo courtesy AgSafe.)

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the process of gradually reducing regular hours to get to the eight-hour workday. In 2024, this category of employers will be required to pay overtime to workers with more than 8.5 hours per day or 45 hours per workweek. In 2025, all agricultural employers will be subject to the law and be required to implement an eight-hour workday and a 40-hour workweek.

tain a drug-alcohol-free workplace.

Also, effective beginning Jan. 1, 2024, is SB 700, which makes it unlawful for an employer to request an applicant to provide information regarding prior cannabis use. The employer is also not permitted to use criminal history to uncover prior use of cannabis.

Expansion of Paid Sick Leave

Workplace Violence Prevention Program

This past fall, Governor Newsom signed SB 616, which amended California’s paid sick leave requirement under the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014. This law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, increases the number of paid sick leave days an employer is required to provide from three days or 24 hours to five days or 40 hours for eligible employees. Under this law, employers can allocate all sick time at the beginning of the year or have employees accrue paid sick leave. Under the accrual method, employees shall have all five days or 40 hours made available by the 200th calendar day of employment. Additionally, employers can limit the employee’s use of paid sick leave or paid time off to 40 hours in a calendar year and cap paid sick leave or paid time off accrual at 80 hours or 10 days.

Reproductive Leave Loss for Employees

Under SB 848, employers with five or more employees must allow eligible employees (who have been employed for at least 30 days) to take up to five days of unpaid reproductive loss leave. This law defines a reproductive loss leave event to be a failed adoption, failed surrogacy, miscarriage, stillbirth or an unsuccessful assisted reproduction. The leave must be used within three months of the event and limited to 20 days within a 12-month period. Additionally, the employee is not required to take consecutive days off and can spread them out within the three-month period.

Cannabis Protections

In 2023, two new laws were passed to add protections to those who use cannabis, which will ultimately impact employment practices.

Off-Duty Cannabis Use AB 2188, which will be effective Jan. 1, 2024, makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against a person in hiring, termination or any term or condition of employment or otherwise penalize a person if the discrimination is based upon the person’s use of cannabis off the job and away from the workplace. The law still allows employers to conduct preemployment drug screening or an employer-required drug screening test. It is important to note the drug test must not screen for nonpsychoactive cannabis metabolites. Be sure to work closely with your drug screening providers to ensure they are not including this in their tests.

While on duty, it is still unlawful for an employee to possess, be impaired by, or use cannabis on the job. This law does not release an employer from their obligation to main-

This past fall, SB 553 was passed, which requires all California employers to create and implement workplace violence prevention, train employees and maintain proper program documentation. This can be a standalone program or included in your Injury and Illness Prevention Program. This will not go into effect until July 1, 2024; however, we recommend employers to begin the process of developing a program and determining their training needs.

As you begin to prepare for the kickoff of 2024, it is essential to review and update your employee handbook to include these new regulations. Additionally, schedule time with your employees to discuss the changes made and ensure you are available for any questions they may have. If you need assistance with creating a handbook, developing your injury and illness prevention program or any updates, please do not hesitate to reach out to the AgSafe team via email at safeinfo@agsafe.org.

The information provided in this article was based upon the Employment Law Bulletin – New Laws for 2024 authored by the Law Offices of Charley M. Stoll, a Professional Corporation in December 2023.

AgSafe is a 501c3 nonprofit providing training, education, outreach and tools in safety, labor relations, pesticide compliance and human resources for the agricultural community. Since 1991, AgSafe has educated over 100,000 employers, supervisors and workers about these critical issues.

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69

Give Your Trees a Winter Coat

By RICH KREPS | CCA, SSp., Contributing Writer

A refractant that disperses light or even a clay that reflects light can help cool surface temps 5 to 10 degrees in the bright sun of an afternoon.

A

s we roll into another year of farming here in the Central Valley, many of us pray for the fog to roll in as well. Hopefully, since you’re probably reading this article a week or so after ringing in the new year, the fog we’re wishing for is more of an atmospheric phenomenon than the physiological event that happens after a night of too much champagne. It’s funny that both events have a relationship with carbon. One will help the trees store more carbon in carbohydrates over winter getting ready for spring, while the other happened because we don’t process alcohol very well with that much carbon dioxide (those pretty little, tiny bubbles in the glass your hosts toast) in what many call a rite of passage to destroy a day or two recovering in the new year.

So, let’s get this year off to a better start now that the brain fog has worn off.

Having those dense, foggy mornings we used to have more often here in the valley helped us give a much-needed rest to our orchards and vineyards.

When flood irrigation was more prevalent and we didn’t waste our water stores straight to the ocean to clean up the bay area’s wastes, we had more atmospheric moisture in the air. It was much easier to match the temperature and dew point spread where fog accumulates. That blanket reduced the amount of solar radiation that penetrated the lowest 10 to 50 feet of the valley’s air mass. Trees were allowed to go dormant sooner, stay dormant longer and recover. The colder it was, the more nature suppressed biological and physiological activity. Trees rested, root flushes slowed and soil biology slowed its activity and needed less feeding for root exudates to manage the symbiotic 70

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relationship that is critical for optimal plant health.

Now in 2024, we as farmers have gotten way more efficient with our irrigation and have very little flood ground left in our crops. As we get better, we still need some help with the system. Luckily, Mother Nature gave us an abundance of rain in 2023, and we were able to store a little more water going into winter. We have progressed through a few more recharge projects that make it affordable to flood in some areas if not free. If we get more rain and they lift the 10% allocation they were so quick to strap us with, we may see more of that. Flying over the delta and wetlands, it seems we should have ample moisture to get the temp and dew point to merge and enough moisture to see more fog this winter.

But what if we don’t? Coat your trees. That’s my recommendation.

Spray them with a reflectant, or better yet a refractant, and add a little nutrition to the mix to hedge your bet against energy insufficiencies. The trees can warm up significantly with solar radiation. It may be 50 degrees F outside, and the normal formula says we aren’t losing our chilling portions. I don’t agree with straight math as more is happening physiologically. If it’s sunny, there’s more to the picture. I believe we can lose more chilling portions in that full sun as the bark and buds heat up.

Do yourself a favor to prove it: Buy a thermal gun at your local hardware store for about $20. Go outside on a bright sunny day when the temps hit 55 degrees F or more and sun has hit them for a couple hours. Point that thermal gun at the southern sunny side for the

trees and compare the temps to the ambient air temp. I bet they are quite a bit off. Now put that in your formula and see if you aren’t losing your chill calculations. The old model may have been a great new assessment compared to old data back in the day. But we are missing a piece of the puzzle if it’s bright and sunny for a few weeks or months.

Trees and vines heat up. We need fog and clouds to really exacerbate chill.

Here’s another analogy: Think of those bluebird days on the slopes. It may be 30 degrees F outside, but we sure as hell need sunscreen on our faces or we get burnt. Our trees need that love as well.

A refractant like a metallic nanoparticle that disperses light or even a clay that reflects light can help keep the surface temps 5 to 10 degrees cooler in the bright sun of an afternoon. That can make or break a marginal chill year. If there’s nutrition present with it, all those nooks and crannies of the bud sheaths and even the bark of wood less than two years old can absorb some of it and have it closer to where it’s needed at bud break. If we do get some rain, but it’s followed by long periods of sunshine, don’t be afraid to just fly it on top. You can cover the orchards more quickly, without applying any compaction to your floors. And if you have planted any cover crops, any overspray will only help them thrive if there’s a little nutrition involved. I’m a big fan of getting more bang for my buck. Do yourself and your trees a favor and add a little sunscreen this winter, and don’t get burnt by a lack of chill.

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Walnut and Pistachio Commodity Groups Explore Sustainability Efforts

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

The walnut industry will be introcucing a sustainability framework and working with growers and handlers to further expand on key areas.

Some of those areas include water use efficiency, nitrogen use, soil health, integrated pest management, energy use and by products/biomass utilization (photo by Taylor Chalstrom.)

I

f a grower is irrigating and fertilizing trees according to tree needs, using integrated pest management practices and treating employees and neighbors with respect (and still turning a profit), they are the definition of sustainable.

UC’s Sustainable Research and Education Program (SAREP) notes the goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s food and textile needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Both above descriptions of sustainability leave room for interpretation by growers as many management practices are suited for their unique operations and environment. Industry’s frameworks for sustainability programs are intended to provide evidence for buyers and consumers that tree nuts are grown and processed with sustainable practices while protecting the environment.

Growers can also use the framework to compare their management practices.

Generations of almond, pistachio and walnut growers have employed

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a variety of input saving practices in their orchards because they understand the importance of stewardship. Industry organizations stress sustainable farming practices are also important to buyers and consumers. Industry organizations have developed or are in the process of developing sustainability programs to assess their growers’ stewardship practices. The efforts are not limited to growers as huller/shellers and handlers are also responding to market concerns.

“We know consumers have concerns. So do food companies, retailers and regulators. Sustainability is market-driven but, at the same time, using responsible practices helps farms’ bottom lines. This work supports the industry’s economic viability and is helping ensure we’re able to pass down our farms to next generation,” Danielle Veenstra, senior manager for global stewardship for ABC, said.

“Our California Almond Stewardship Platform (CASP) is a tool farmers

Orchard sanitation is the cornerstone of an IPM program (photo by C. Parsons.)

use to assess their growing practices and the data helps us to communicate with confidence and answer questions from buyers,” he said.

CASP is one of the oldest stewardship programs for growers and it continues to evolve to engage more

growers in self assessments to add data for market information.

The walnut industry includes many multi-generation family operations and is now working to define key areas in

Continued on Page 74

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Leaving native vegetation as a cover crop during winter and spring, then mowing can help with water infiltration and prevent erosion (photo by C. Parsons.)

Continued from Page 73

Generations of almond growers have employed a variety of input saving practices in their orchards because they understand the importance of stewardship (photo by T. Chalstrom.)

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in CASP has grown since it was established in 2009. Data as of September 2023 shows 46% of almond acreage sustainability efforts. is fully assessed. Some handlers and Josh Rahm, director of technical processors are also joining CASP, she and regulatory affairs at the Califorsaid, to demonstrate their sustainable nia Walnut Board & Commission, said practices used by their growers. a working group of walnut growers CASP participation involves a growand handlers met in December to kick er self-assessment of their management off the development of a walnut ‘suspractices. The 320 questions asked of tainability roadmap’ to define and fur- growers covers management practices ther enact sustainability as an industry. and as well as their efforts to protect “We are going to analyze what we the environment and employee welfare. know, fill in the gaps, connect the dots The information is used to demonstrate and develop a sustainability framethe sustainability of the almond induswork. We will be sharing our stories try to stakeholders, including buyers, with buyers and other key stakeholders regulators and consumers. The platacross the supply chain to proactively form also helps growers find new ways get the message out about our sustain- to improve efficiencies, including cost able practices,” Rahm said. effective, environmentally and socially Wesley Wilson, director of memresponsible practices. ber services and communications Participation in the programs allows at American Pistachio Growers, said growers to compare their practices to growers recognize the value in susa statewide average of almond growers, tainable orchard management practic- find information on improving orchard es, not only for crop health but what management including calculating nithey mean for marketing efforts. This trogen needs and irrigation scheduling. grower association is taking steps into That has the added benefit of generatthe sustainability arena in 2024 with a ing important information needed to focus on water use and soil health. meet regulatory requirements for the “Europe is our No. 1 market and Irrigated Lands Program and Nitrogen sustainability is a huge issue with buy- Management Plan. The online system ers there,” Wilson said. In response, includes tools to help with crop input the organization is forming an ad hoc decisions. committee of growers and processors Veenstra said the sustainability to determine how their sustainability platform has evolved since 2009. The program will look. original 620 questions took about five Veenstra said grower participation hours to complete, but now the process

only takes about an hour and a half to complete. There are also additional orchard practices and more efficient engagement on the CASP portal.

Michael Roots, a senior specialist in field outreach and education for ABC, said other refinements address groundwater recharge, whole orchard recycling and bee health and pollination. There are now benchmarks for pollinator protection with the Bee Friendly program and participation in CASP allows for Pollinator Partnership certification.

Roots said growers are looking at sustainability approaches that affect more than one management practice.

An example would be planting cover crops that provide pollinator forage prior to bloom but also have the added benefit of improving soil health.

He also noted use of the word ‘stewardship’, rather than ‘sustainable,’ has a different connotation and resonates with growers.

“Growers are starting to realize stewardship practices can be both practical and have returns. Our almond growers have been doing many of these prac-

tices included in the CASP program for years. It is really telling the story of what we are already doing.”

Rahm said understanding customer demands and analysis of where the walnut industry stands in use of sustainable practices will be one of the first deliverables by the working group.

The group will tackle priority items and demonstrate practices that create a sustainable roadmap for the industry. The next step will be introducing a sustainability framework and working with growers and handlers to further expand on key areas. Some of those areas include water use efficiency, nitrogen use, soil health, integrated pest management, energy use and byproducts/biomass utilization.

Rahm said the walnut industry will share their sustainability efforts with consumers, policy makers and NGOs and other key stakeholders across the supply chain to get the message out about growers’ sustainability efforts.

“We have a great story and will bring the data to life and quantify what the walnut industry is doing to ensure a

sustainable future,” Rahm said.

Wilson said the American Pistachio Growers’ ad hoc committee would be identifying sustainable practices in pistachio production. He expects a Healthy Soils grant from California Department of Food and Agriculture to have an impact on sustainability efforts by pistachio growers. APG was recently awarded a $5 million grant to provide financial assistance for growers to adopt identified sustainable practices in their orchards. The grant is for growers in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties.

“This is an important step for us, and we will be looking at how to reduce inputs, avoid MRL issues to expand export markets.”

“Water use, healthy soils, reducing inputs and residues will be our primary focus,” Wilson said.

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INSIGHTS FROM THE 2023 ALMOND CONFERENCE

By JASON SCOTT | CEO and Publisher, West Coast Nut and adaptability inherent within the ag industry and the tree nut industry in particular.

Investment and Exhibition: Indicators of Opportunity

The conference witnessed the participation of over 200 exhibitors, a testament to the sustained interest and investment in the almond industry.

These exhibitors, committing substantial financial resources, reflect the underlying opportunities still ripe for exploration. The scale of investment and exhibition at the conference is a clear indicator that despite economic variances, the almond industry remains a fertile ground for growth and innovation.

Leadership from the Almond Industry Conference gave a state of the industry presentation focused on innovation and marketing (photo by M. Katz.)

Competitive Edge: The Importance of Marketing in the Tree Industry

In the context of the tree nut industry, which still reigns as a leader in both acreage and purchasing decisions, maintaining a competitive edge is crucial. To achieve this, continuous investment in marketing and advertisInternational Interest: ing is non-negotiable. Companies that A Global Perspective understand and adapt to this dynamic s the Publisher of West Coast One notable observation was the are more likely to sustain and grow Nut, attending The 2023 Almond various foreign languages I heard their market presence. This approach is Board Conference offered an inspoken at the conference. This linparticularly vital in an industry where valuable perspective on the current state guistic diversity signifies the global consumer preferences and trends are and future directions of the almond ininterest in California’s almond industry. constantly evolving. dustry. This conference, a convergence International stakeholders continue to The 2023 Almond Conference point for industry leaders, provided a view California as a pivotal market, an served as a microcosm of the larger rich tapestry of information, trends and aspect that bodes well for the industry’s almond industry, reflecting its commarket insights. Here, I share my comglobal outreach and potential for inter- plexities, challenges and opportunities. prehensive analysis and observations at national collaborations.

The diverse economic performance of this important flux point in the industry. companies, significant investments in Marketing and Advertising: exhibitions, global interest and the pivEconomic Trends in the The Growth Catalysts otal role of marketing and advertising Almond Industry Through numerous interactions and emerged as key themes. As we move The almond industry, mirroring the analyses, it became evident that comforward, it is clear that adaptability, complexity of global markets, prepanies proactive in marketing and adstrategic marketing and an eye on globsented a mixed economic landscape. A vertising are poised for growth. These al trends will be essential for companotable segment of companies experifirms, leveraging strategic marketing nies aspiring to thrive in the dynamic enced economic downturns compared efforts, are likely to see an expansion almond industry. to 2022, highlighting the challenges in their business operations. On the faced in the ag sector. Conversely, contrary, companies that allow market others have maintained a stable footing, fluctuations such as price declines to and remarkably, some have even seen negatively impact their marketing strat- Comments about this article? We want an upsurge. This diverse economic egies are at risk of experiencing sales to hear from you. Feel free to email us at performance underscores the resilience declines in 2024. article@jcsmarketinginc.com

A

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NORTH VALLEY Nut Conference

January 31, 2024 Silver Dollar Fairgrounds

2357 Fair St, Chico, CA 95928

REGISTER at myaglife.com/events

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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CEU Credit: DPR: 2.0 Hours CCA: 4.0 Hours

AGENDA

- 1.5 OTHER - 0.5 LAWS AND REGS

- 0.5 SOIL AND WATER - 2.5 PROF. DEV. - 1.0 PEST MGMT.

PENDING FINAL APPROVALS

7:00am 8:00am

Registration and Trade Show Butte and Glenn County Ag Commissioners Updates Katharine Quist, Butte County Ag Commissioner's Office Jason Beauchamp, Glenn County Ag Commissioner's Office

8:30am

Advances in Walnut and Almond Irrigation Management

9:00am

Josette Lewis, Almond Board of California and Robert Verloop, California Walnut Board and California Walnut Commission

9:30am

Trade Show Break

10:30am

Economics of Tree Nut Production

11:00am

Managing Almond Blast and Walnut Blight

11:30am

Update on Navel Orangeworm and Carpophilus Beetle in Almonds

12:00pm

Industry Talk and Lunch

Ken Shackel, UC Davis

Almond and Walnut Board Flash Updates

Brittney Goodrich, UC Davis

Jim Adaskaveg, UC Riverside

Houston Wilson, UC Riverside

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January 2024

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77

ADVERTORIAL

April Showers Bring May Fungus:

HOW TO FIGHT OFF ALTERNARIA LEAF SPOT DURING SEASONAL CHANGE Scott Ockey, Field Development Manager, Certis Biologicals

As the rainy season transitions to warmer growing conditions, tree nut orchards face an increased risk of Alternaria leaf spot, threatening plant health. Growers can turn to biofungicides as effective and sustainable solutions to protect their orchards and ensure a fruitful and resilient harvest for seasons to come. Alternaria spp., commonly known as Alternaria leaf spot, is a fungus that thrives in wet and humid conditions. Spores live dormant on plant surfaces and can be spread through orchard equipment, wind and water sources, including irrigation, runoff, rain and flood water.

As humidity increases and temperatures begin to rise, plant surfaces become a breeding ground for the fungus. The spores begin to attack the leafy foliage of healthy plants, causing infections and triggering defoliation and a potential decline in tree health and productivity that can persist for years.

Identifying Alternaria Leaf Spot

Recognizing the symptoms is key to early intervention. Infections typically coincide with the seasonal change from spring to summer, when increased humidity increases and dew lingers on leaves while temperatures rise, creating ideal conditions for the fungus. Though infections occur during this timeframe, symptoms may not begin to appear for a few weeks.

Plants affected by Alternaria leaf spot show dark brown, circular lesions, wilting leaves and unhealthy color changes to foliage. The necrotic lesions may appear as targets with multiple rings. Symptoms may initially manifest on one branch or

tree and later spread to the entire tree or multiple trees, causing defoliation. The progression varies depending on exposure level and airflow through the foliage and orchard.

Prevention Strategies

Alternaria leaf spot infections can cause defoliation and lead to a decrease in long-term tree productivity and yields. It can also leave trees more susceptible to other ailments and diseases. Addressing Alternaria leaf spot requires a strategic approach. Poor circulation, high humidity and excess moisture in the orchard become the breeding ground for the fungus. Irrigation management, informed planting density and direction decisions and adequate airflow can help ward off the fungus. While other environmental factors that lead to Alternaria leaf spot, like temperatures and humidity, are beyond our control, growers can fight off the fungus and optimize orchard growth by incorporating a biofungicide into an integrated pest management (IPM) program.

Spraying early and often with biofungicides as part of an integrated pest management program empowers growers to achieve higher yields without succumbing to the pressures of this unpredictable disease. Monitoring for first signs of Alternaria leaf spot and spraying the orchard with an effective biofungicide, like Certis’ Double Nickel® LC, creates a robust defense against fungal and bacterial pathogens, protecting the plant in two important ways. First, by delivering antimicrobial components contained in

the formulation that are produced during fermentation that directly kill Alternaria spp. Second, Double Nickel LC features a naturally occurring bacterium, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain D747, that colonizes the plant surface, acting as a shield and suppressing pathogens through competition for space and resources.

The advantages of using biofungicides like Double Nickel LC extend beyond Alternaria leaf spot, offering broad-spectrum control against a variety of disease-causing fungi and bacteria. Biofungicides like Double Nickel LC present no risk to the environment or beneficial species, enabling growth through improved nutrient uptake and providing reliable tank-mix compatibility with a variety of other products. This makes Double Nickel LC a versatile tool for growers, especially when employed as part of an integrated approach, enhancing overall soil health and plant productivity.

Fostering Resilience

Proper plant care, strategic fertilization and a vigilant and integrated pest management strategy throughout the seasons contribute to the overall health and resilience of tree nut orchards. Utilizing biofungicides as part of an IPM program is not just about treating the symptoms but addressing the cause. In the battle against Alternaria leaf spot, biofungicides emerge as the grower’s ally, offering a sustainable and effective means of protection. As growers prioritize plant health, the lifeblood of any orchard, and embrace preventive measures, they equip their orchards with a robust defense mechanism.

THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE. 5 MODES OF ACTION. PROVEN TO PREVENT OR TREAT 90 FUNGAL AND BACTERIAL DISEASES. 700+ LAB AND FIELD TRIALS. ACROSS 74 CROPS AND ORNAMENTALS.

Double Nickel biofungicide has the numbers to prove it’s a smart choice for your IPM program. Learn more about how this effective, broad-spectrum fungicide can protect your crops in the orchard, greenhouse or field.

VISIT YOUR RETAILER OR CERTISBIO.COM/DOUBLE-NICKLE TO LEARN MORE. ©Certis Biologicals LLC. All Rights Reserved. Double Nickel is a trademark of Certis Biologicals.

Results that speak for themselves.

When it comes to being weather tested, we’re top of the class. Merivon® fungicide delivers longer-lasting disease control and more consistent performance — but there’s more. Our Advanced Plant Health benefits help protect your crop and strengthen the resilience of your trees through the extremes of the season. And, once you see what Merivon fungicide yields, you’ll agree that the results speak for themselves. That’s why we’re the #1 chosen almond fungicide, used on more acres than any other brand.

Kynetic Cal AgriScene, 2023 Almond Fungicide Product Use Reports, Treated Acres, California.

Always read and follow label directions. Merivon and Xemium are registered trademarks of BASF. © 2024 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.