2 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
Publishers’ Message
F
Buckle up for the twists and turns ahead
arming in the Imperial Valley isn’t for the faint of heart. Sure, acre upon acre of carefully cultivated fields look peaceful. And fields growing lush and abundant under cloudless blue may seem idyllic. Yet not all is serene. In this edition, we are pleased to peel back the bucolic veneer and get you in touch with the rough-and-tumble reality of Imperial Valley agribusiness. Spoiler Alert: pitfalls lie ahead. You are in for unexpected twists and turns, rollercoaster-like steep slopes, often followed by gut-wrenching plummets. And that is during a typical year of farming. You should expect the unexpected because Imperial Valley is so unique it defies conventional wisdom. With a climate that supports a year-round growing season and a reliable year-round water delivery system, local growers produce a stunning variety of crops here. Imperial Irrigation District data indicate that some 70 different crops are under cultivation. With its sheer size, Imperial Valley agriculture ranks No. 9 of California’s 58 counties. It is the state’s sole producer of sugar beets. And in 2020 and 2021, Imperial County was the state’s top producer of Sudan hay (65.7 percent), sweet corn (53 percent), carrots (52 percent), vegetable and vine crop seeds (27 percent), and alfalfa
(21.5 percent). Valley agribusiness also is the state’s second-biggest producer of another seven commodities, which includes cattle, the county’s top-valued commodity. Equally important, according to economists who study such things, Imperial Valley’s crop diversity is head and shoulders above the 20 other California ag counties they reviewed. Imperial Valley’s diversity of crops, the economists say, contributes to an unprecedented level of resilience to withstand the economic, political, and environmental forces that buffet the region’s economy. And in the Imperial Valley, growers and ag scientists are never content to rest on their laurels. They know that everything can and does change in the blink of an eye, when it is least expected and most inconvenient. You will want to read about moringa, the potential super crop now being studied. The Imperial Valley is rich in individuals who work tirelessly to keep local agribusiness strong. You will meet a couple of those dedicated souls in this edition: recently retired Imperial Irrigation District Director James Hanks and grower Tom Brundy, both recently honored by the Imperial County Farm Bureau. Considering the array of issues that constantly buffet agriculture, the strength
of diversity is critical to maintaining Valley agribusiness and the economy of Imperial County. Conditions can arise or change in the blink of an eye – and frequently do. Consider the factors now in play, the market, political machinations, labor water, including the drought on the Colorado River, the environment, and food safety concerns. This magazine relies heavily on the most current data available to tell the cliffhangerlike story about Valley agribusiness. That information comes from the Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner’s 2021 Crop and Livestock Report. This year’s report starts at a high point in the ongoing saga of local agribusiness. For 2021, the county’s gross agricultural output was valued at nearly $2.9 billion, up 12.9 percent from the previous year. In addition, there were dramatic increases in almost all commodity groups. But even at a peak in the ongoing saga, challenges loom large. Concern over the drought on the Colorado River, the sole source of water for the Valley’s agricultural powerhouse, casts a pall over all else. So buckle up as you turn the pages and enjoy the ride into the heart of agribusiness in the articles we are proud to offer in this edition.
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 3
PG 13
VOLUME 6 EDITORS & PUBLISHERS Bill Gay Sue Gay Susan Giller Peggy Dale Bill Amidon
CONTRIBUTORS Antoine Abou-Diwan Cierra Allen Rachel Magos Ashley B. Romero Tina Shields Darren Simon Julie Smith-Taylor Shelby Trimm
COVER PHOTO Marshal McBroom
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Alejandra Noriega Alejandra Pereida
PG 24
PHOTOGRAPHERS Bill Amidon Charla Teeters-Stewart Alejandra Noriega
WEB DESIGNERS Jesus Uriarte Sergio Uriarte
SALES
Bill Amidon John Lovecchio
INDEX FIELD CROPS
6
BROCCOLI, LETTUCE HELP BOOST VEGETABLE PRICES, VALUE
FRUITS & NUTS
INSIDE
10 VEGETABLE GROWERS COLUMN 14 WATER IS CRUCIAL FOR FOOD PRODUCTION
ADVERTISING
12 PARASITIC WASPS ADDED TO PEST-FIGHTING ARSENAL
18 FARMERS ARE CONSERVING WATER TO HELP COLORADO RIVER
SUBSCRIPTIONS
SEEDS
27 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AMONG ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO AG COMMUNITY
bill.amidon@reliancepr.com 760-693-5330 (Includes Valley Agribusiness and quarterly Imperial Valley Alive!) Send name address and email address with $21.70, includes tax, to:
Reliance Public Relations, Inc. P.O. Box 1944 • El Centro, CA 92244 www.ValleyAgriBiz.com
22 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS ALFALFA’S ROLE
FORAGE CROPS
24 MORINGA TREE SHOWS PROMISE
OTHER STORIES
16 TOM BRUNDY IS 2022’S FARMER OF THE YEAR Valley Agribusiness is published annually by Reliance Public Relations, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical for any purpose without the written permission of Reliance Public Relations, Inc.
4 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
17 FARM BUREAU HONORS JAMES HANKS AS FRIEND OF THE FARMER COVER PHOTO: Newly harvested citrus is shown in a Bloom to Box orchard. - Photo by Marshal McBroom, Bloom to Box Crop Care, Inc.
PG 6
PG 12
PG 22
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 5
- Photos by Bill Amidon
Vegetable Crops Prices peak after big slump By Antoine Abou-Diwan
I
t has been a wild ride for Imperial Valley vegetable growers, who are seeing record-high prices after a severe slump two years ago. An early-summer heatwave in 2019 damaged some of California’s lettuce crop, pushing up prices. When Americans were stuck at home to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in 2020, and restaurants and other food service establishments were shut, the
6 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
market for lettuce and other vegetables collapsed. Farmers didn’t have a choice but to leave lettuce in the field. “This thing has been just like hitting a brick wall, and we don’t know how long it’s gonna last,” Brawley grower Larry Cox told Forbes magazine in 2020. Cox was looking at harvesting just 60 percent of what was ready, he said. Prices rebounded in 2021, whiplashed by disease that killed plants in the field elsewhere in California. Impatiens necrotic spot virus was reported in
Northern California. Transmitted by thrips, INSV stunts lettuce and causes necrotic tissue, rendering affected plants un-harvestable in the Pajaro and Salinas valleys. With the supply chain in Salinas empty, prices for broccoli and lettuce surged. In Imperial County, lettuce saw the largest increase of harvested acres from 2020 to 2021. The harvested area increased to 15,629 acres, a 181.86 percent increase. Gross value of the crop soared to more than $225 million in 2021, up from
$65 million the previous year, according to the Imperial County Agricultural Crop and Livestock Report. The increase moved head lettuce up to be the county’s third most valuable commodity in 2021, up from ninth place the prior year. Broccoli made a similar move. Its gross value jumped from $62 million in 2020 to $132 million in 2021. That moved the crop from Imperial County’s 10th most valuable crop in 2020 to the fourth most valuable crop in 2021. The total value of the vegetable and melon commodity group grown in the county was recorded at more than $1 billion in 2021, up from nearly $898 million the previous year. There were other vegetable crops with standout performances in 2021. For instance, the gross value of leaf lettuce increased from $110 million in 2020 to $124 million in 2021. And, spinach, which was ranked 15th in 2020 with a gross value of $46 million, squeezed into 10th place in 2021 with a gross value of $62 million. But not all commodities had a banner year in 2021. Sweet corn had a gross value in 2021 of $30.7 million in 2021, down from nearly $96 million in 2020, when it had the fourth highest gross value. “It’s always a supply and demand issue,” Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner Carlos Ortiz told Valley
CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
- Photos By Bill Amidon
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 7
VEGETABLES & MELONS PRODUCTION
CROP BROCCOLI (MARKET) CABBAGE (MARKET)
YEAR
HARVESTED ACRES
YIELD PER ACRE
TOTAL UNITS
UNIT
VALUE PER UNIT
GROSS VALUE
2021 2020 2021 2020
12,591 8,507 2,055 1,822
461.10 301.94 543.22 755.73
5,805,742 2,568,569 1,116,322 1,376,933
26 LBS 26 LBS 45 LBS 45 LBS
$22.78 $24.28 $11.04 $10.26
$132,228,000 $62,364,000 $12,326,000 $14,124,000
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
3,870 4,192 9,030 9,782 12,900 13,974 5,740 5,738
820.48 793.83 31.66 35.54
3,175,238 3,327,908 285,876 347,689
50 LBS 50 LBS TON TON
$5.44 $6.59 $161.29 $149.69
707.45 731.59
4,060,738 4,197,846
23 LBS 23 LBS
$14.89 $12.05
$17,282,000 $21,924,000 $46,109,000 $52,046,000 $63,391,000 $73,970,000 $60,476,000 $50,605,000
562.18 485.20
2,663,182 784,244 6,657,954 1,960,610 5,326,363 1,568,488 14,647,499 4,313,343 5,989,485 5,822,857
50 LBS 50 LBS 40 LBS 40 LBS 50 LBS 50 LBS CTN CTN 35 LBS 35 LBS
$17.27 $16.89 $13.13 $12.94 $17.27 $16.89 $15.39 $15.10 $20.72 $18.90
$45,984,000 $13,245,000 $87,441,000 $25,379,000 $91,969,000 $26,490,000 $225,394,000 $65,114,000 $124,120,000 $110,052,000
CARROTS MARKET PROCESSING & OTHERS TOTAL CARROTS CAULIFLOWER (MARKET) HEAD LETTUCE
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
15,629 5,545 10,654 12,001
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
3,483 3,636 11,394 8,840 14,877 12,476 7,701 7,027
1,742.40 1,553.80 18.84 23.32
6,068,779 5,649,617 214,634 206,154
50 LBS 50 LBS TON TON
$4.63 $3.45 $161.57 $193.96
8,365.60 8,228.00
64,423,486 57,818,156
LBS LBS
$0.97 $0.81
$28,123,000 $19,491,000 $34,679,000 $39,986,000 $62,802,000 $59,477,000 $62,362,000 $46,601,000
SWEET CORN
2021 2020
8,046 7,623
369.81 898.50
2,975,491 6,849,266
50 LBS 50 LBS
$10.32 $14.00
$30,700,000 $95,890,000
ROMAINE LETTUCE
2021 2020
8,650 9,940
759.72 840.22
6,571,590 8,351,777
35 LBS 35 LBS
$9.75 $9.10
$64,068,000 $75,977,000
MISC. VEGETABLES
2021 2020
21,404 14,928
CANTALOUPES
2021 2020
4,382 3,562
624.50 1,804.50
2,736,559 6,427,629
40 LBS 40 LBS
$10.11 $8.96
$27,672,000 $57,579,000
HONEYDEW & MISC. MELONS
2021 2020
994 804
998.60 527.50
992,608 424,110
40 LBS 40 LBS
$7.31 $10.83
$7,258,000 $4,595,000
WATERMELONS
2021 2020
* 288
* 32.91
* 9,479
* TON
* $804.76
* $7,628,000
TOTAL 2021
ACRES
125,623
VALUE
$1,039,092,000
TOTAL 2020
ACRES
104,235
VALUE
$895,978,000
NAKED PACK WRAP PACK BULK TOTAL HEAD LETTUCE LEAF LETTUCE ONIONS MARKET PROCESSING TOTAL ONIONS SPINACH
$166,295,000 $172,002,000
Misc. Vegetables may include: Arugula, Beets, Bok Choy, Celery, Cilantro, Collard, Dill, Gai Lon, Garlic, Kale, Mizuna, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Okra, Parsley, Potato, Swiss Chard, Watermelon. *
8 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
2021 Watermelons are now included in Misc. Vegetables
REDUCE WASTE AND HELP FEED THE IMPERIAL VALLEY
HOW GROWERS PARTNER WITH IMPERIAL VALLEY FOOD BANK
S
ometimes - no matter how carefully farmers plan - they are faced with surplus product. When this happens in the Imperial Valley, growers will often call on Steve Sharp to help them efficiently move fresh fruits and vegetables to those in the community who need it most. As a food solicitor for the California Association of Food Banks, Sharp works with growers to help move out product to the Imperial Valley Food Bank through the association’s Farm to Family Program. Farm to Family is a market alternative for farmers and packers with surplus crop, according to the CAFB. It is also a way to strengthen communities by getting nutritious food to those in
need. These types of partnerships are especially crucial because the local food bank feeds about 25,000 Imperial Valley residents each month, shared IVFB Executive Director Sara Griffen. Currently the food bank is purchasing truckloads of food, which can cost $25,000 to $75,000 depending on the item, Griffen explained. “Not only are our food prices high, but transportation is high,” Griffen shared. “It’s just like the perfect bad storm, not enough food and too expensive to get it.” Whether your product moved tomorrow or later in the season, contact Sharp anytime to help make a difference in the Imperial Valley today!
WHY PARTNER
HOW IT WORKS
Quick Disposal of Surplus Product With a reliable, on-time pickup from a professional carrier, growers avoid dumping fees, eliminate costs to run a cooler and recoup costs for product that would otherwise be underutilized. Strengthen Local Communities With Nutritious Food Any surplus you donate will automatically be offered to your local food bank first, which enables you to give back to your community and can generate positive publicity for your business. 10% Tax Credit California growers donating California-grown fresh fruits or fresh vegetables to a food bank in state are eligible for the 10% tax credit. The law defines an eligible grower as the person responsible for planting, managing, and harvesting the donated crop. Note that a tax credit is different than a deduction and results in greater savings to the grower than a deduction of equal amount.
1 2 3 4
Call Steve Sharp when you have produce to donate in the Valley. He will quickly send a truck - either from our fleet or a trusted carrier - to pick up the donation. Your donation will be distributed through the food bank system within the community of Imperial County. Donors can receive documentation to help secure a tax credit.
Contact CAFB Food Solicitor Steve Sharp at 760-497-4720 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 9
Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association
Importance of Imperial Valley vegetables grows By Shelby Trimm Executive Director Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association
T
he Imperial Valley, and the desert Southwest growing region, are often celebrated as the nation’s “winter salad bowl.” Thanks to our unique year-round growing season, available acreage, and efficient water use, the Valley is one of just a handful of growing regions in the nation able to grow and supply the nation’s fresh produce during the winter. Just how essential Valley produce is to the nation’s food supply was reinforced as we recently saw record-high lettuce prices. During November and December, the commodity price paid for lettuce soared to an unprecedented $100 per carton. Since the New Year, prices have returned back to the usual price of around $15 per carton. The surge in lettuce prices was caused by a perfect storm of a yield-robbing virus and unique weather challenges. According to the California Farm Bureau, impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) decimated more than 80 percent of the lettuce yield in the Salinas Valley, the largest growing region in the state. Weather challenges in the other two large growing regions, Imperial Valley and Yuma, only added to the lettuce shortage. While these were two distinct problems, their combination resulted in the highest prices of lettuce this nation has experienced in a very long time. Produce prices are notoriously volatile, based on supply and demand. The trends of the market can be challenging to predict. And the weather, pests, plant disease, costs, and other factors too numerous to list impact getting produce to market from the limited regions that can grow winter vegetables. Yet the public’s demand for fresh,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 42
10 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
- Photos courtesy of IVVGA
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 11
Tamarixia radiata, a tiny wasp, is being used in the fight against the Asian citrus psyllid. - Photos courtesy of the CDFA
Citrus Industry Tiny wasp boosts insect-fighting arsenal By Darren Simon
F
or many, the sight of wasps can strike fear, given their painful sting. However, for citrus growers in the Imperial Valley, throughout California, and beyond, one little wasp has become an ally in the fight against an invasive pest that has the potential to devastate the citrus industry. Since 2014, hundreds of thousands of these wasps have been released in the Valley to protect citrus trees from a pest known to carry a disease that has ravaged Florida’s citrus industry. The tiny Tamarixia radiata, native to Pakistan and harmless to humans, is a distant relative of the black and yellow wasp known for its powerful sting. Yet Tamarixia packs a punch against the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), which carries the citrus disease. ACP has been spotted in Imperial County since 2008. However, its population remains low. More importantly, Imperial County is unique in Southern California because the disease ACP carries has never spread to citrus trees here. That’s critical, given how much is on the line. Imperial County grows 6,850 acres of grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, tangelo, and other citrus trees. The total crop value was $75.5 million in 2021, the most recent year for which totals were available. Experts say the ACP originated in Southern Asia, spread to the
12 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
Dr. David Morgan, biological control program manager for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, speaks about Tamarixia radiata releases. Middle East, and hit Florida in 1998. Controlling the pest involves a multi-pronged, highly regulated, and collaborative approach. A key component in that control is Tamarixia radiata, the black-colored wasp smaller than a pinhead. “We have to do everything we can to keep this disease out,” said Curtis Pate, manager of the Imperial County Citrus Pest Control District. Local citrus growers fund the district that works with the
county Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to keep the pest out. “Our strategy has been to control the bug so we don’t get or spread the disease.” The disease spread by infected ACP is Huanglongbing (HLB), which translates as the yellow dragon. The bacteria impairs nutrient flow in infected trees, causing leaves to turn yellow. Fruit on infected trees remains green, sour, and unripe. Infected trees ultimately die. Experts say fighting the ACP and HLB is challenging because residential trees may harbor the bug and the disease. In addition, residential-infected trees that go unnoticed and uncontrolled can spread the disease to commercial orchards. Commercial growers use methods like spraying insecticides (organic growers use organic insecticides) to kill pests like ACP. However, spraying is often not possible in residential citrus trees. “We are doing everything we can to keep the bug from reaching our commercial trees,” said Pate. The citrus pest control district even uses trained dogs to sniff out the ACP in commercial orchards. “Biocontrol (the use of beneficial insects
Residential citrus owners urged to help in fight against pest The Imperial County Citrus Pest Control District urges everyone with a citrus tree in their yard to carefully monitor the tree for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP).
Signs of the pest:
n The ACP will be located in the soft, new flesh areas of the tree. n They will feed on the leaf margins and mid-sections. n The pest in nymph form (something akin to larvae) is half the size of a grain of rice and will anchor to the trees at 45-degree angles. n You will notice the buildup of tubules that look like tiny bits of burnt candle wax on the branches. n If you see ants crawling up the tree, you may have ACP as the ants will feed on the tubules. If the pest is detected, contact the Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to determine the appropriate steps to take. Under guidelines and regulations established by the state, surveys are conducted regularly throughout California, including in the Imperial Valley. Commercial citrus growers and residential citrus tree owners are required to allow the state to conduct its surveys. If the pest is found, regulations mandate that the owners of citrus trees allow pest control officials to apply insecticides to the tree. If a tree is found to be diseased, the tree owner must allow the tree to be removed. If a tree owner does not comply, a warrant can be issued and further punitive actions can be taken. In neighborhoods where the ACP is discovered, beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps and lacewings will be released to limit the infestation and reduce the possible spread of the citrus disease.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
FRUIT & NUT CROPS PRODUCTION
CROP DATES GRAPEFRUIT LEMONS TANGELOS TANGERINES MISC. CITRUS, FRUIT & NUT CROPS CITRUS BY-PRODUCTS
TOTAL 2021 TOTAL 2020
YEAR
HARVESTED ACRES
YIELD PER ACRE
TOTAL UNITS
UNIT
VALUE PER UNIT
GROSS VALUE
2021
3,118
4.00
12,463
TON
2,099.52
$26,166,000
2020
3,096
2.50
7,727
TON
3,562.37
$27,525,000
2021
641
15.04
9,640
TON
$789.58
$7,612,000
2020
641
13.80
8,843
TON
$633.33
$5,601,000
2021
4701
11.63
54,682
TON
$564.10
$30,846,000
2020
4435
17.55
77,817
TON
$632.58
$49,225,000
2021
*
*
*
*
*
2020
842
4.26
3,584
TON
$523.26
$1,876,000
2021
444
9.82
4,359
TON
$483.58
$2,108,000
2020
737
6.48
4,774
TON
$662.88
$3,165,000
2021
1,751
$6,724,000
2020
1,093
$4,928,000
*
2021
$2,117,000
2020
$2,254,000
ACRES ACRES
10,655 10,844
VALUE VALUE
$75,573,000 $94,574,000
Misc. Fruit & Nut Crops may include: Grape, Jujube, Olive, Orange, Tangelo. *
2021 Tangelos are now included in Misc. Citrus, Fruit & Nut Crops.
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 13
Imperial County Farm Bureau Rachel Magos
What would we do without water in the West?
Cierra Allen
By Rachel Magos Executive Director and Cierra Allen Policy & Communications Director Imperial County Farm Bureau
F
or someone living in the Imperial Valley, a food supply problem is hard to imagine when looking at the green fields filled with various types of vegetables during the wintertime. The Imperial Valley and Yuma areas supply 90 percent of winter vegetables to the United States. Yuma and the surrounding area often get the title of “Winter Vegetable Capital of the World,” but did you know that the “surrounding area” is usually referring to the Imperial Valley? Yuma claims this title as it has more than 20 cooling and packaging facilities, but the Imperial Valley supplies much of the winter veggies that are processed through these facilities. It is astonishing that our little desert valley can produce food to feed so many people. It’s true – but it can only continue to be true with the help of the Colorado River. The Colorado River is the sole water source to the Imperial Valley and without it, the Imperial Valley would be a dust bowl. While many people think of the beach and Hollywood when they think of California, if they looked at their grocery store labels they would realize that California is predominantly an agricultural state. California’s agriculture accounts for 12.5 percent of the United States’ agriculture production and is the leading agriculture producing state. When compared to other states, it produces double what the second leading state does. In 2021, California boasted over $50 billion in cash receipts just from the agriculture industry. As the Imperial Valley navigates the ongoing
drought conditions on the Colorado River, the potential of an unstable food supply grows closer to a reality. Additionally, it is not just the Imperial Valley that is dealing with water issues. The large majority of California is faced with water cutbacks and a severe drought. With drought in mind, one might ask: If water disappeared and the entire state of California did not farm a single thing, where would your food come from? Well, it would be expensive, there would be less options, and it would not be nearly as fresh. California is the leading producer in crops such as almonds, artichokes, avocados, carrots, garlic, grapes, lemons, lettuce, melons, olives, and many, many more. While California has some impressive numbers when it comes to agriculture, the Imperial Valley is right there as well. The Imperial Valley is ranked No. 9 in the state with gross sales of $2.19 billion. For a small border community of 500,000 farmable acres, that number is more than impressive. The Imperial Valley leads the state in production of sugar beets, sweet corn, carrots, alfalfa hay, Sudan hay, vegetable and vinecrop seeds. We are also the No. 2 producer of cattle and calves, lettuce, cantaloupes, honeydew, dates, spinach, and onions. To replicate the warm days, rich soil, and yearround growing season of the Imperial Valley would be a feat and a half. It would take more money, more land, more fuel, and more of every other input it takes to grow the crops at the high production levels that we do in the Imperial Valley somewhere else. One crop that seems to be the highlight of discussion lately, and a crop that a large portion of the Desert Southwest grows, is alfalfa. The Imperial Valley is the No. 1 producer of it in the state of California, accounting for 21.5 percent of the state’s production. California’s alfalfa fields also yield twice as many tons per acre as the
national average. While it is true that humans do not directly consume alfalfa, we do consume the products that come from the cattle that eat it, such as meat and milk in addition to many other products. Alfalfa is the starting point for many food products — from steak to ice cream to baby formula. These products would not exist if cattle did not have access to alfalfa in the first place. Alfalfa also serves as an important rotational crop that contributes to positive benefits to the soil and the environment. The above-mentioned facts are important to keep in mind when answering the ever popular question of, “Why would we farm in the desert where there is no water?” We want people to realize that without the Colorado River water that comes to the Imperial Valley and to California, the grocery stores would look vastly different. If 2020 taught us anything, it was the importance of being self-sufficient because we never know what the world can look like. Even with an ever-changing world, national food security should be at the top of the priority list. While we do import some of our food from other countries due to cost, regulation, and the demand to have the same food available year-round, if we had to solely rely on imported food, the cost and quality of what you buy in the grocery store would be incredibly different. While farmers and ranchers continue to be innovative, increasingly efficient, and lead the way in conservation efforts, the important message is how agriculture in California and the Imperial Valley is a necessity for maintaining a stable food supply and economy. The Imperial County Farm Bureau will strive to protect and promote Imperial Valley agriculture for decades to come as we navigate the challenges we face. - Photos courtesy of IID
14 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 15
Imperial County Farm Bureau Tom Brundy named Farmer of the Year By Antoine Abou-Diwan
T
he Imperial County Farm Bureau’s Farmer of the Year for 2022 is Tom Brundy, an exceedingly polite grower from the southwest corner of Imperial Valley. “To be nominated and then awarded Farmer of Year award is an unbelievable honor,” Brundy said. The Farmer of the Year is chosen for all-around qualities, said Rachel Magos, executive director of the Imperial County Farm Bureau. “Tom Brundy is highly recognized for his innovation on water conservation. He’s a farmer that started from the ground up,” she continued. Brundy said he’s a one-and-a-half generation farmer. His parents came to the Valley in 1949. Theirs was a large family. Brundy was one of eight children, and he credits his mother for his service-minded approach. “My mother is Italian. We had a strong Catholic upbringing. I was taught to participate in the community and it continued on,” he said. Brundy is the owner and proprietor of Tom’s Hay Farm, a feed and supply business in Calexico serving locals and clients up in the mountains. He is involved in 4-H, various church and community groups, and he has served on advisory committees for the Imperial Irrigation District. Brundy worked with other growers and IID staff to fine-tune the district’s Equitable Distribution Plan, which helped reign in a projected water overrun during unprecedented drought conditions. The IID’s senior water rights protect it from planned water cuts, but they don’t cushion the Valley’s growers if the district uses more water than it is allocated during a drought. The Bureau of Reclamation could shut off the tap if the IID uses more water than it is allocated. The IID’s water canal system—the arteries that nourish the Valley’s farm fields—works really well, and assistance to help deliver that water to the fields more efficiently is welcome, Brundy said.
BURN A BALE GO TO JAIL To report suspicious activity, ty, 1. please call (442) 265-2021.
REWARD for Arrest - Conviction - Sentencing IMPERIAL COUNTY
FIRE DEPT.
16 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
The Brundy family. - Photo courtesy of Imperial County Farm Bureau “We have a system: gravity flow. To convert it to a system that requires energy would be foolish,” he said. We need to use current and new technology to improve our method of [water] application. Utilizing technology that we have at hand; we can conserve tremendous amounts of water.” “As a farmer, I don’t want a handout. if you can help me improve my system of application, I will give you what we conserve.” Mark McBroom, an Imperial County Farm Bureau board member, was effusive about Brundy. “It wasn’t this year that made him more special than any other year,” McBroom said. “He has been consistent throughout the years. His knowledge of farming, his knowledge of water, his knowledge of community—he has a heart of generosity that goes beyond description.” n
Agriculture arson is on the rise in Imperial County. Haystack fires destroy private property and negatively impact our region's economy - including jobs. You can make a difference by reporting suspicious activity. Cash rewards are available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspected arsonists. Burn a Bale, Go To Jail. - It’s as simple as that.
James Hanks Named Friend of the Farmers By Antoine Abou-Diwan
T
he Imperial County Farm Bureau bestowed upon James Hanks its Betty Young Memorial Friend of the Farmers award for 2022 in October, capping an extraordinary career in public service for Imperial Valley. “Jim Hanks is a tremendous man in his commitment to his community. He believes in his heart that every decision he makes is for the betterment of Imperial County. He does not do it for self-gain. For the amount of time he spent all these years of making Imperial County a better place, there is no finer man than Jim Hanks,” Tom Brundy said. As president of the Imperial Irrigation District board, Hanks steered the district through some contentious periods, which included lawsuits from other water users, lawsuits from growers attempting to claim a “property right” to the IID’s Colorado River water entitlement, attempts to add a seat to the board representing Riverside, and infighting between directors. Hanks’ work with the Valley’s growers, particularly on contentious water issues, made him an invaluable voice for agriculture, said Rachel Magos, executive director of the Imperial County Farm Bureau. “We worked collaboratively with him for years. He spent so much time and had so
much dedication to make sure our industry has the water and resources we need, so we wanted to recognize him,” Magos said. Hanks’ 16 years as an Imperial Irrigation District director came to an end last year after he opted to sit out the elections. Hanks’ family came to the Imperial Valley from the South during the Great Depression and initially lived in a tent on the bank of a canal. He was born in Brawley and grew up James Hanks. - Photo courtesy of Imperial County on the east side. Hanks made his first mark in education. Farm Bureau He was the superintendent for the Calipatria “With director Hanks it’s either his way or Unified School District for 20 years, and is widely credited with turning the district the highway,” said a former IID director. “He understood the issues. He was thorough around. He shifted his focus to the IID after he about thinking things through. But when it came down to it, you weren’t sure where retired from education. He was elected to the IID Division 3 chair he was going to vote. He was pretty nonin 2006, and began serving as director committal until the green or red light went following the death of incumbent director off.” Growers, whose livelihoods depend on Lloyd Allen that year. He was re-elected in 2010, 2014 and 2018. Division 3 includes the IID’s most valuable resource, its water rights, were effusive. Brawley, Calipatria and Niland. “Jim Hanks represents everything that Hanks was a tireless champion of the Valley’s ag community and efforts service represents,” Brawley grower Mark addressing the Salton Sea. He consistently McBroom said. “He’s always striving on called on the state and federal governments behalf of the community to make the entity to fulfill their obligations to the troubled he’s working with – whether the Calipat body of water, earning admiration in School district or the Imperial Irrigation the Valley and grudging respect of his District – better. The loss of his leadership detractors, who accused him of micro- at the district will represent a loss to all of Imperial Valley.” n managing IID staff.
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 17
Our farmers are conserving to help Colorado River By Tina Shields, PE
T
he Imperial Irrigation District, the largest irrigation district in the U.S., announced last October that it is preparing to undertake substantial water conservation measures from 2023 through 2026 as a part of California’s voluntary proposal to create 400,000 acre-feet in water savings per year to address drought impacts on the Colorado River. IID’s 250,000-acre-feet contribution accounts for more than 62 percent of the California water agencies’ proposal to help prevent Lake Mead in Nevada and Lake Powell in Utah and Arizona from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production in the near term. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is working with stakeholders in the seven states that depend on Colorado River water to develop longer-term operating guidelines to replace those expiring in 2025, but in the near-term, has initiated a process to reduce releases from Glen Canyon Dam that could result in significant reductions to Lower Basin water users.
18 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
- Photos courtesy of IID The overall sustainability of the Colorado River is essential for IID as it is our community’s only water supply and enables a robust, yearround agricultural industry that grows food and fiber to sustain millions of people. IID growers in Imperial County produce much of the nation’s winter vegetables, and in 2021 they maintained their status as leaders in the forage-crop industry, harvesting nearly
540,000 acres with a gross value estimated at $2.3 billion. With a harsh desert climate fed only by a river more than 80 miles away, water conservation is always on the minds of our Imperial Valley farmers, who demonstrate on a daily basis how to maximize water-use
CONTINUED ON PAGE 38
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT Protecting the valley’s water rights and energy balancing authority while maintaining affordable rates and providing the highest level of customer service.
IID A century of service.
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 19
2021 Crop Rank & Acreage
Imperial Irrigation District Water Department
2021 2020 CROP CROP ACRES % CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE 2021 2020 CROP RANK RANK TYPE* DESCRIPTION ACRES % RANK RANK TYPE* I I F ALFALFA (ALL) 147,405 31.8% 147,405 31.8% 45 50 P 46 53 F F BERMUDAGRASS (ALL) 74,737 16.1% 222,142 47.9% 2 2 F 47 75 3 3 F SUDANGRASS (ALL) 39,406 8.5% 261,548 56.4% G 48 31 4 4 G LETTUCE (ALL) 25,279 5.5% 286,827 61.8% 49 54 G F SUGARBEETS 25,212 5.4% 312,039 67.3% 5 5 50 43 G 6 6 F KLEINGRASS 19,691 4.2% 331,730 71.5% 51 66 G F WHEAT 16,599 3.6% 348,329 75.1% 7 9 52 56 F 8 8 G ONIONS (ALL) 14,326 3.1% 362,655 78.2% 53 52 P 9 7 G CARROTS (ALL) 12,988 2.8% 375,643 81.0% 54 55 F P DUCK PONDS 9,888 2.1% 385,531 83.1% 10 11 55 42 F 11 10 G BROCCOLI (ALL) 9,540 2.1% 395,071 85.2% 56 23 F 87.1% 12 14 G VEGETABLES, MIXED (ALL) 9,014 1.9% 404,085 G 57 59 13 12 G CORN, SWEET 8,046 1.7% 412,131 88.9% 58 57 G 14 13 P CITRUS (ALL) 7,046 1.5% 419,177 90.4% 59 62 F 15 15 G SPINACH 6,104 1.3% 425,281 91.7% G 60 0 16 17 F CORN, FIELD 5,391 1.2% 430,672 92.9% G 61 49 17 16 G MELONS, SPRING (ALL) 5,306 1.1% 435,978 94.0% 62 65 F 18 0 P SMALLACREAGE 4,059 0.9% 440,037 94.9% P 63 61 19 18 G CAULIFLOWER 3,938 0.8% 443,975 95.7% G 64 25 20 19 G CABBAGE 1,942 0.4% 445,917 96.1% 65 60 P 21 20 G POTATOES 1,782 0.4% 447,699 96.5% F 66 76 22 29 F OATS 1,723 0.4% 449,422 96.9% F 67 0 23 22 G RAPINI 1,651 0.4% 451,073 97.3% 68 45 G 24 21 P DATES 1,603 0.3% 452,676 97.6% F 69 71 25 26 F GRASS, MIXED 1,187 0.3% 453,863 97.9% 70 67 F 26 24 F RYEGRASS (ALL) 1,111 0.2% 454,974 98.1% F 71 78 27 27 G CELERY (ALL) 883 0.2% 455,857 98.3% 72 69 P 28 28 G CILANTRO 762 0.2% 456,619 98.4% 73 64 G 29 38 G CORIANDER SEED 692 0.1% 457,311 98.6% 74 73 P 30 30 P OLIVES 667 0.1% 457,978 98.7% F 75 74 31 33 G OKRA 522 0.1% 458,500 98.9% 76 70 F 32 32 P FISH FARMS 485 0.1% 458,985 99.0% F 77 77 33 40 G MUSTARD (ALL) 449 0.1% 459,434 99.1% F 78 51 34 34 G KALE 407 0.1% 459,841 99.1% 79 79 G 35 37 G WATERMELONS (ALL) 386 0.1% 460,227 99.2% 80 80 G 36 36 P PASTURE, PERMANENT 295 0.1% 460,522 99.3% 81 58 G 37 0 G TOMATOES, SPRING 291 0.1% 460,813 99.4% 82 81 G 38 46 G PARSLEY (ALL) 289 0.1% 461,102 99.4% 83 72 G 39 35 F SUGARCANE 252 0.1% 461,354 99.5% 84 82 G 40 39 P PALMS 179 0.0% 461,533 99.5% 85 63 G 41 44 F RAPESEED 167 0.0% 461,700 99.5% 86 83 G 42 47 P JUJUBE 163 0.0% 461,863 99.6% 87 68 G 43 48 G HERBS, MIXED 147 0.0% 462,010 99.6% 88 84 G 44 41 G FLOWERS 140 0.0% 462,150 99.6% 89 85 P * Crop Types: F = Field G = Garden P = Permanent Source: www.iid.com
20 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
CROP DESCRIPTION NURSERY TEFF GRASS CORN, SILAGE ROCKETT CABBAGE, CHINESE SWEET BASIL SQUASH SPIRULINA ALGAE ORNAMENTAL TREES FLAX RED BEETS HEMP GARLIC ALOE VERA SORGHUM GRAIN BEANS ARTICHOKE (ALL) SORGHUM SILAGE ASPARAGUS SUNFLOWERS (ALL) MANGOS COTTON KENAF SWISS CHARD (ALL) QUINOA SAFFLOWER TRITICALE GRAIN EUCALYPTUS SESAME FRUIT, MIXED BAMBOO BARLEY DUNALIELLA SESBANIA BRUSSELS SPROUTS COLLARDS DILL EGGPLANT FENNEL GARBANZO BEANS MELONS, FALL (ALL) PEPPERS, HOT RADISHES THYME FIGS
ACRES 137 130 112 105 102 94 93 85 67 65 62 61 58 55 51 51 50 45 39 38 36 35 24 24 19 13 10 7 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
% CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE ACRES % 0.0% 462,287 99.7% 0.0% 462,417 99.7% 0.0% 462,529 99.7% 0.0% 462,634 99.7% 0.0% 462,736 99.8% 0.0% 462,830 99.8% 0.0% 462,923 99.8% 0.0% 463,008 99.8% 0.0% 463,075 99.8% 0.0% 463,140 99.9% 0.0% 463,202 99.9% 0.0% 463,263 99.9% 0.0% 463,321 99.9% 0.0% 463,376 99.9% 0.0% 463,427 99.9% 0.0% 463,478 99.9% 0.0% 463,528 99.9% 0.0% 463,573 99.9% 0.0% 463,612 100.0% 0.0% 463,650 100.0% 0.0% 463,686 100.0% 0.0% 463,721 100.0% 0.0% 463,745 100.0% 0.0% 463,769 100.0% 0.0% 463,788 100.0% 0.0% 463,801 100.0% 0.0% 463,811 100.0% 0.0% 463,818 100.0% 0.0% 463,823 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0% 0.0% 463,824 100.0%
Total Acres of Crops: 463,824
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 21
Seed runs through a conveyor at Top Notch Seeds’ processing facility. - Photos By Bill Amidon
Alfalfa and the Food Chain Imperial Valley is major contributor
By Bill Gay
C
alifornia is one of the top producers of alfalfa hay in the United States. It has held that distinction for more than a century and today has a worldwide reach, thanks in part to the alfalfa fields of Imperial Valley. “It is pertinent to point out not only California’s leadership in the utilization of the (alfalfa) plant, but the effect which California’s demonstration has exerted elsewhere,” noted an article in the March 5, 1914, edition of the Imperial Valley Press. That article also revealed there were 484,134 acres of alfalfa grown in the U.S. in 1909. Today, that number is 16 million acres nationwide. The worldwide expansion of alfalfa crops
22 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
- Photos by Bill Amidon
in the 109 years since that article was written was reflected late last year in San Diego with the convening of the 2022 World Alfalfa Congress. “Alfalfa is one of the most important forage crops in the world and the fourth most valuable field crop in the United States as of 2022,” a press release announcing the Congress noted. “World trade in alfalfa hay has increased in recent years, with a strong interest in Asia, Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East,” it added. Imperial County agriculture has been a major contributor to the dominance of alfalfa in California; in fact, the Valley was the top producer of alfalfa in California in 2020, the most recent year for which the figures are available. Imperial Valley alfalfa accounts for 21.5 percent of the state’s production. It also is ranked as the No. 1 crop in the Valley in terms of acreage. The 147,405 acres represent about one
CONTINUED ON PAGE 40
Visitors examine seed at the Top Notch facility.
SEED & NURSERY PRODUCTS PRODUCTION
CROP
YEAR
HARVESTED ACRES
YIELD PER ACRE
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
8,041 7,146 16,491 13,840 24,532 20,986
666.41 787.20 877.29 735.50 808.16 753.10
5,358,573 5,625,331 14,467,319 10,179,320 19,825,891 15,804,651
LBS LBS LBS LBS LBS LBS
$2.66 $1.87 $3.04 $2.86 $2.93 $2.50
$14,267,000 $10,505,000 $43,919,000 $29,062,000 $58,186,000 $39,567,000
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
10,255 6,373 4,264 4,288 14,519 10,661
563.75 964.14 641.67 634.12 586.63 831.40
5,781,256 6,144,482 2,736,067 2,719,121 8,517,323 8,863,603
LBS LBS LBS LBS LBS LBS
$2.50 $2.30 $4.75 $3.91 $3.22 $2.80
$14,453,000 $14,159,000 $12,996,000 $10,620,000 $27,449,000 $24,779,000
2021 2020
639 544
413.30 396.20
264,101 215,535
LBS LBS
$5.63 $11.94
$1,486,000 $2,575,000
TOTAL UNITS
UNIT
VALUE PER UNIT
GROSS VALUE
ALFALFA SEED NON-CERTIFIED CERTIFIED TOTAL ALFALFA SEED BERMUDA GRASS SEED NON-CERTIFIED CERTIFIED TOTAL BERMUDA GRASS SEED ONION SEED
MISC. SEED CROPS AND NURSERY PRODUCTS MISC. SEED
2021 2020
14,737 15,727
$14,801,000 $20,409,000
MISC. NURSERY PRODUCTS
2021 2020
371 509
$15,728,000 $8,000,000
TOTAL 2021 TOTAL 2020
ACRES ACRES
54,798 48,427
VALUE VALUE
$117,650,000 $95,330,000
Misc. Seed Crops and Nursery Products may include: Aloe Vera, Bean Dried, Broccoli Seed, Coriander Seed, Cut Flowers, Grass Seed, Mustard Seed, Palms, Sunflower Seed, Vegetable Seed, Vegetable Transplants.
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 23
Moringa Tree Future Valley super crop? By Julie Smith-Taylor
T
he moringa tree, also known as the “miracle” tree because of its multiple benefits for humans and animals, and “drumstick” tree because of the shape of its pods, has piqued the interest of Imperial Valley growers as a potential new super crop for the region. Fast-growing and droughtresistant, moringa is chock-full of high levels of protein, amino acids, vitamins A & C (7 times more than oranges), and
The leaves and bark of the moringa tree are highly digestible. Its roots, branches, sap, seeds, flowers and pods can be used for both humans and livestock nutrition. For Imperial Valley farmers, the trees’ potential as a rich forage and feed option for livestock is of key interest. Livestock is Imperial County’s top ag commodity.
24 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
minerals such as calcium, potassium (15 times more than bananas) and zinc. Oli Bachie, Ph.D., is the county director and Agronomy and Weed Management Advisor at the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Holtville, where he and Brooke Latack, a livestock advisor, are researching the feasibility of growing and harvesting moringa in the Valley. In October, the Cooperative Extension held the first Moringa Awareness and Production Workshop. About 15 growers
A moringa tree grows in an El Centro neighborhood. - Photos by Alejandra Noriega attended the workshop that featured researchers who gave presentations about the history of moringa and its potential production in the low desert; its use as a livestock feed, and its benefits in human nutrition. “We were very pleased with the results and it has encouraged us to keep moving
forward,” Latack said. “We determined that moringa is ideal for small producers right now who can go grab or cut off some branches and feed it to livestock as needed.” Moringa, native to Southeast Asia, is now widely grown in India, Africa, South America and elsewhere in the world. It
is also now being grown in California’s Central Valley. Its leaves and bark are highly digestible and the tree in its entirety, including the root, branches, sap, seeds, flowers and pods can be used for both humans and livestock nutrition.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 36
LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS PRODUCTION
COMMODITY
YEAR
HEAD
UNIT GAIN
TOTAL GAIN
UNIT
VALUE PER UNIT
GROSS VALUE
CATTLE (FEEDLOT)
2021
382,590
10.34
3,956,208
CWT
$117.38
$464,397,000
2020
382,065
10.39
3,968,128
CWT
$107.63
$427,087,000
AQUATIC PRODUCTS (FISH & ALGAE) MISC. LIVESTOCK*
2021
$22,172,000
2020
$19,980,000
2021
$40,921,000
2020
$43,566,000
TOTAL 2021
$527,490,000
TOTAL 2020
$490,633,000
Misc. Livestock may include: Calves, Replacement Cattle, Dairy Animals, Milk, Manure/Compost, Sheep, Wool. *California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta Show Animals sales not reported for 2021 Cwt = 100 Pounds
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 25
FIELD CROPS PRODUCTION
CROP ALFALFA HAY BERMUDA GRASS HAY COTTON (LINT)1/ COTTON (SEED) KLEIN GRASS HAY PASTURED CROPS 2/ STRAW (BALED) SUDAN GRASS HAY SUGAR BEETS WHEAT MISC. FIELD CROPS TOTAL 2021 TOTAL 2020
YEAR
HARVESTED ACRES
YIELD PER ACRE
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
150,984 143,963 74,892 71,918 2,829 2,971
8.17 7.89 8.49 8.49 2.90 3.31
19,691 21,585 28,826 30,969
8.50 7.06
1,234,043 1,135,494 635,724 610,721 8,217 9,842 2,794 3,201 167,374 152,354
3.93 4.89 46.61 49.25 3.77 3.16
148,189 122,267 172,047 230,136 1,089,568 1,181,064 87,558 36,072
ACRES ACRES
43,764 47,032 23,376 23,981 23,196 11,432 9,821 8,291
348,553 331,173
TOTAL UNITS
UNIT
VALUE PER UNIT
GROSS VALUE
TON TON TON TON BALE BALE TON TON TON TON ACRE ACRE TON TON TON TON TON TON TON TON
$203.95 $176.52 $156.25 $139.45 $497.22 $359.41 $421.25 $325.00 $144.86 $125.21 $38.82 $39.49 $37.00 $35.14 $192.50 $152.00 $48.04 $55.56 $284.21 $201.21
$251,683,000 $200,441,000 $99,329,000 $85,163,000 $4,085,000 $3,537,000 $1,177,000 $1,040,000 $24,246,000 $19,076,000 $1,119,000 $1,223,000 $5,482,000 $4,297,000 $33,119,000 $34,981,000 $52,343,000 $65,620,000 $24,885,000 $7,258,000 $25,034,000 $22,057,000
VALUE VALUE
$522,502,000 $444,693,000
Misc. Field Crops may include: Barley, Field Corn, Flax, Mixed Grasses, Oats, Rye Grass, Safflower, Sorghum Grain, Sorghum Silage, Sugar Beet Pulp, Sugar Beet Molasses, Sugarcane. Cotton Bales = 500 Pounds
1/
26 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
2/
Pastured Crops are pastured once, the acreage is not included in the total, and may include: Alfalfa, Bermuda Grass, Permanent Pasture.
Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office
Ag Commissioner Weighing the goods Ashley B. Romero Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office
A
ccurate measurement is crucial in agriculture, as it helps farmers and other industry professionals ensure they are using the right amount of seed, water, and fertilizer, and that they are producing, selling, and buying goods at the correct weight and quantity. There are a variety of weights and measures devices used in agriculture to help with these tasks. For example, farmers might use the weight of a load of hay or weight of cattle at slaughter. Accurate weight measurements are important for various reasons, including determining the value of a product, ensuring proper dosage of chemicals and other inputs, and tracking the growth and development of animals. The Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer Livestock Scale inspection by Antonio Venegas. - Photos courtesy of the Imperial of Weights & Measures office provides essential services to the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. agricultural community that includes ensuring the accuracy of devices such as hanging scales, counter scales, platform/dormant scales, hopper and tanks, livestock scales, railway scales, vehicle scales, and wholesale meters. One of the more common types of devices used in local agriculture is the scale. Scales are used to weigh a variety of items locally, including field crops, livestock, vegetables, fruit, seed and other materials. There are many different types of scales available Office of the for agricultural use, including bench scales, floor scales, and hanging Agricultural Commissioner scales. Some scales are designed to be portable, making it easy to Sealer of Weights and Measures take them out to the field or to other locations on the farm. Imperial County Weights and Measures officials ensure the Crop Statistics accuracy of commercial weighing and measuring devices by using The annual Crop Report is a valuable tool. certified equipment to test devices annually. The office serves The information is used by growers, financial all businesses and consumers in the county by enforcing the institutions, and goverment agencies that California Business & Professions Code and the California Code of issue farms assistance Regulations pertaining to issues of “Equity in the Market Place.” The Imperial County Weighing and Measuring Devices ordinance (Chapter 5.68) requires commercial businesses to register with the Imperial County Sealer of Weights and Measures Department and to all the growers and businesses that pay an annual registration fee. Although registration of commercial participate in our annual survey. devices is mandatory, our office also provides testing services to non-commercial devices to determine the accuracy. Overall, weights and measures are essential tools for farmers and other agricultural professionals. Accurate measurements Visit our website to learn more about the Crop Report and other help farmers optimize their operations and improve efficiency, services that we offer to industry and the public. productivity, and profitability of their farms. Whether it is measuring agcom.imperialcounty.org the weight of a load of hay or the weight of commodities for export, (442) 265-1500 agcom@co.imperial.ca.us these measurements are critical for ensuring fairness for consumers 852 Broadway, El Centro, CA 92243 and the success of agricultural ventures. n
Thank you
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 27
K
Two locations serve local customers
C Welding and Rentals first opened its doors to serve the people of the Imperial Valley in 1954. Founder Casey Mostrong brought his mechanical skills and ingenuity to the Imperial Valley and opened up shop on Fourth Street, laying the foundation for what is now KC Welding and Rentals. KC Welding and Rentals later relocated to its current main location at 1549 Dogwood Road, El Centro, in 1963. KC was founded with the vision of producing and supplying top quality agricultural tools and equipment. Casey Mostrong invented and patented various original agricultural tools including vegetable planters, tillage equipment, sled shapes, and cultivators, among other farming products. The company’s agricultural products are a key component in the process that puts fresh, American-grown produce on dinner tables across the nation. It
28 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
offers equipment rentals for large-scale commercial applications and small-scale homeowner needs, as well as being an extensive welding and fabrication shop that manufactures custom and original agricultural implements and undertakes any custom fabrication jobs customers
bring in. KC stocks a wide variety of products in its industrial/agricultural parts supply store. As a provider for industrial applications it also carries and provides commercialgrade steel. The retail store carries popular brand names like Carhartt, Yeti, Traeger, and more. In 2015, KC expanded, opening a second location in Brawley. A small-scale version of the main facility in El Centro, the Brawley location offers rentals, a retail store, and fabrication services. n
KC Welding team at their main location on Dogwood Rd, El Centro. - Photos Courtesy of KC Welding
Upcoming Agricultural Shows World Ag Expo 2023
Feb. 14-16, 2023 Website: Worldagexpo.com Contact: info@farmshow.org Location: 4500 S. Laspina St., Tulare 93274 Ph: 800-999-9186
Southwest Ag Summit
Feb. 21-23, 2023 Website: Yumafreshveg.com Location: AWC College, Yuma. Mailing: PO Box 1647, Yuma, AZ 85366 Ph: 928-783-9355
Agrobaja 2023
March 2-4, 2023 Website: www.agrobaja.com/AGGG-4/ PAGINA Contact: hello@neventum.co m Location: Expo AgroBaja (Campo) Carretera a San Felipe Km 7.5, Col. Colorado 2, 21700 Mexicali, B.C., Mexico Ph: 686-592-1186 n
PROVIDING
EXCEEDING
SOLUTIONS. EXPECTATIONS. 101 W Carey Rd Brawley, CA 760-344-6400
60995 Pierce St Thermal, CA 760-399-5400
3905 Wentworth Dr Hemet, CA 951-766-6060
Helena and People...Products...Knowledge... are registered trademarks of Helena Holding Company. © 2021 Helena Holding Company. HPG1221W
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 29
R
Rockwood Ag Services
ockwood Ag Services, formerly known as Rockwood Chemical Company, was established in 1960 as a leading independent supplier of crop protection products in the Imperial Valley. The new name better represents the expansion of service the firm offers to Imperial Valley growers and to the whole Southwest desert growing market. From its inception, Rockwood, a locally owned corporation, has built strong and long-lasting relationships with the growers and the chemical manufacturers that service them. In 2022, Rockwood Ag Services merged with Imperial Grain Growers, a co-op founded in 1922 that maintained 100 years of continuous service in the Valley. With the merger, Rockwood adds fertilizer sales to the suite of services it offers Valley growers. This addition increases the value and provides an even broader agronomic approach to the services it offers growers – and it provided a good reason to change our name to Rockwood Ag Services. Rockwood Ag Services provides up-to-date crop consulting with knowledgeable licensed pest control advisors and certified crop advisors. Our team maintains close relationships with manufacturers, universities, private researchers and regulatory agencies to access current information on crop protection methods. Our PCAs are knowledgeable about farming both conventional and organic crops with sustainable practices. And our crop advisors help create crop nutrition programs for your field, including plant nutrition to help your fields thrive.
30 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
Rockwood Ag Services is an owner-member of Integrated Agribusiness Professionals, which is made up of more than 30 independent companies nationally and more recently it joined the CNI group of companies. These affiliations help us maintain a competitive advantage in the retail market. And we hope you will check out our new website, rockwoodagservices.com. The website provides a chance for you to meet our team, learn more about our services and peruse a whole host of resources and links to connect you to helpful information. Rockwood Ag Services works hard to meet the needs of the growers. The firm also is proud to be part of and support the community of Imperial County. That is why you will find us in the stands at the Imperial Valley Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta’s annual livestock auction supporting local 4H and Future Farmers of America participants. Rockwood Ag Services awards two scholarships to county students pursuing a career in agriculture. Our staff can also be found participating in California Association of Pest Control Advisors, California Weed Science Society, Rotary and sponsoring local events around the Imperial Valley. Let Rockwood Ag Services provide all your pesticide, herbicide, fungicide and now, fertilizer needs in the Imperial Valley.
AGRONOMIC SOLUTIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE ESTABLISHED 1960
Rockwood AG Services Company is a leading independent supplier of crop protection and crop nutrition products in Imperial Valley, providing up-to-date crop consulting with knowledgeable licensed pest control advisors and certified crop advisors. Rockwood AG Services, formerly known as Rockwood Chemical, has been serving the Imperial Valley for over 60 years Leading independent supplier of crop protection products Owner-member of Independent Agribusiness Professionals Crop nutritional programs custom tailored to your crop Specializing in the right blends of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers Knowledgeable licensed pest control advisors All fertilizer product lines and blends, conventional and organic
47 West Rutherford Road, Brawley, CA • (760) 344-0916 WWW.ROCKWOODAGSERVICES.COM VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 31
CITRUS... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Tamarixia radiata, tiny wasps being used to combat Asian citrus psyllid, are released on a citrus tree. - Photo courtesy of the CDFA such as lacewings) is one important tool, but it isn’t a silver bullet,” he said. According to the state’s Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD), an arm of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the ACP is endemic in Southern California. And vigilance has protected the state’s commercial orchards so far.
32 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
However, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Orange counties have HLB-infected citrus trees in residential areas. Imperial County has not had the problem. That’s not to say Imperial County is free of the ACP. Mark McBroom, owner of the Bloom to Box citrus operation in Calipatria, said periodically, the ACP is found in local orchards, including his. He also farms in
Coachella. McBroom’s operation came under state quarantine in 2008 when the ACP pest was found in a residential area 18 miles from his operation. He is now a leader in the fight against ACP. He is chairman of the local citrus pest control district and the CDFA’s Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee, which supports a statewide effort to control the pest. The state committee oversees the state department with an annual $40 million budget. The money comes from California citrus growers and federal and state funding. That funding, which supports ACP and HLB surveys, detection, and statewide also supports, in part, the breeding and release of the parasitic wasps, a program managed by the CDFA. Since 2011, CDFA’s parasitic wasp breeding and release program has been led by Dr. David Morgan, a biological control specialist and environmental program manager for CDFA. He oversees three breeding laboratories in California, with the primary facility in Riverside. According to Morgan, Dr. Mark Hoddle, director of the University of California, Riverside’s Center for Invasive Species Research, found the parasitic wasps in
Pakistan during 2010 and 2011 expeditions. He brought them back to the U.S. and launched a breeding program. The tiny wasps lay their eggs under ACP nymphs. The wasp larvae grow by eating the host. The first large-scale release of the wasps came in 2014, covering some 4,000 square miles of urban California landscape. The releases have included cities in the Imperial Valley, areas along the border, and Mexicali. Since then, 26 million wasps have been released in California. Of those, Imperial County got 600,000 wasps. Over the past year alone, the program released 68,200 wasps locally. “When the pest arrives in an urban area, it can build up in numbers before it is detected,” Morgan said. “It’s our group’s responsibility to keep ACP numbers low in urban areas so that the movement of ACP to commercial citrus is minimized.” McBroom said, “I appreciate the efforts of Dr. Morgan. It’s a tremendous help and another tool in our toolbox to manage the population of the ACP in areas we cannot treat for the ACP through commercial methods.” The use of beneficial insects like wasps and lacewings, which the local citrus pest control
district manages, makes for an integrated approach to combat the ACP. In addition, the method includes strict shipping regulations for the movement of citrus trees. McBroom said all the efforts are critical because if the HLB disease were to take hold in the Valley, “it would be game over.” Additionally, efforts are afoot to develop pest-resistant citrus trees. “People are working diligently to develop these resistant tree varieties,” Morgan said. Pate agreed. He considers using beneficial insects “Plan B” to fight the ACP. “Plan A,” he said, is “to make your commercial citrus a non-suitable host for the bug in the first place.” He added, “We have a challenge to control and hold off this disease and this pest until we get there.” Pate credited the efforts of local citrus growers for their ongoing success in producing citrus. However, he urged Imperial Valley residents with citrus plants in their yards to stay vigilant and take proactive steps to prevent the spread of the ACP. A citrus tree bought from a nursery, Pate said, is already protected by an insecticide. However, he noted that the chemical runs its course within 30 days. After that, the owner must take proper care of the tree,
More than 26 million wasps such as this Tamarixia radiata, have been released in urban California landscapes since 2014 to halt the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid, an invasive pest that is devastating to citrus trees.. - Photo courtesy of the CDFA including steps to safeguard against pests by consistently utilizing pesticides. “Be on the watch,” he said, “and if you have questions, call the Ag Commissioner’s Office.” The Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office can be reached at 442265-1500. The state also has a pest hotline, 1-800-491-1899. n
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 33
VEGETABLE CROPS... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 Agribusiness in December. “For head lettuce, the value per unit was $16.89 in 2020 and $17.27 in 2021. Three weeks ago, it was around $100. There is a shortage.” Unfortunately, growers in Imperial Valley have not been able to capitalize on the surge in prices. An early winter slowed growth, which pushed down yields. “Right now, prices are at historic highs. It started up in Salinas Valley,” Brawley grower Alex Jack said. “Right before the harvest, fields were collapsing; broccoli, cauliflower, iceberg – everything.” Extreme heat in September hurt yields, Jack noted. “The supply chain was very empty in Salinas. Our yields in Imperial Valley were below normal. We have not been able to fill the supply chain,” Jack continued. Growers plant and harvest their crops in staggered blocks, so that by the time the first block is harvested, the next block is ready to be harvested and so on. “Right now we’re in Block 1. Block 2 is not ready,” Jack said. “Not only are stands lower, what’s there isn’t growing.” The open market price, which gets - Photos By Bill Amidon
34 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
most of the attention, is “fake,” Jack said, as many growers have contracts with supermarkets and other large buyers at fixed prices. In a typical year they would fulfill those contracts and sell what is left on the open market. But with yields so low, growers are not able to take advantage of the open market. “It’s taking everything we have to fill boxes for those contracts,” Jack said. n
- Photos By Bill Amidon
INNOVATIVE SEED SOLUTIONS • PRODUCTION FIELD SEED • SALES • CUSTOM SEED CLEANING ABOUT TOP NOTCH SEEDS INC: A leader in the Western United States seed industry, Top Notch Seeds is located in Brawley, California and specializes in innovative seed
solutions including processing, sales and marketing both domestically and internationally. While the company has grown tremendously since it’s founding
760-344-9700 • www.topnotchseed.com 530 Malan St., Brawley, CA 92227 Mailing: P.O. Box 4, Brawley, CA 92227
in 2007, its family owned grower-first customer-focused service has remained the cornerstone of their operation.
INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC SALES: Scott Emanuelli 760-587-3556
scott@topnotchseed.com
Steve Ullrich 530-681-8963
sullrich@topnotchseed.com
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 35
MORINGA... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Over the last few years, interest and sales of Moringa oleifera oil, tea, powder, capsules, soaps and more have grown dramatically due to its medicinal and antioxidant qualities. Moringa is also being used to treat diabetes, lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and reduce inflammation. For Imperial Valley farmers, the trees’ potential as a rich forage and feed option for livestock is of key interest. Livestock is Imperial County’s top ag commodity. In terms of growing moringa locally, Latack said, “We still have a lot of questions in terms of its value and economic viability. We’re also comparing how well moringa stands up to the three largest crops and popular forages grown in the Valley — alfalfa, Bermuda, and Sudan grass. Bermuda and Sudan grasses are high in fiber, but lower in nutrients. Nutrient-dense alfalfa is more similar to moringa in terms of its nutritional value.” Although Moringa oleifera has not been extensively studied as a feed supplement in animal nutrition in U.S. production systems, existing scientific studies confirm its potential nutritive and protective value for the animals. Improved health, reduced disease instances and higher protein uptake promoted growth and productivity of the studied animals, resulting in higher financial gains, an important factor for the smallholder farmers. In a study conducted in Africa, scientists determined that an important advantage to moringa is that it can grow in dry, nutrient-deprived areas and in the periods when other green fodder is not available. Cattle, goats and sheep, rabbits and pigs can easily eat green leaves and stems of moringa, greatly
Hay & Seed Exporter Full service hay processor & exporter Double pressed strapped Single pressed Big Bale sleeved Domestic Hay sales
Domestic seed sales International seed sales Custom seed cleaning Seed coating
We Cultivate Relationships
2015 Silsbee Rd. | El Centro, CA 92243 | Office (760) 482-9400
www.abatti.com
36 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
reducing the costs of their meals. “At the moment, there is very little to no information yet on its adaptability, potential complicity with weeds and what resources may be needed for growing it successfully in the low desert,” Bachie said. “We need to better understand the growing cycle, which is typically six months from planting to harvesting, what fertilizers may be needed, how much water is required, and the best ways to harvest it to ensure that we glean the highest level of nutrients to benefit the animals.” According to Bachie, the moringa tree can grow as tall as 7 feet, but it’s best to harvest it earlier when leaves and branches are still tender. There’s also concern about how to address major pests that affect the Moringa plants — pod fly, budworm, hairy caterpillars, red mites, etc. The tree can also suffer from fruit rots, stem rots, root rot, twig canker, etc. However, Bachie said more research is needed and that requires funding. “We’re in the process of putting together proposals to justify our needs and identifying new funding sources to help us with our research,” he said. “We really see this as a team effort,” Bachie said. “For moringa to become a viable crop for the Imperial Valley it will require the combined effort of a variety of county departments with an emphasis on increasing awareness of its benefits and marketing it effectively. The potential is there. We just need to ensure everything is in place to make moringa an attractive option for low-desert growers and farmers.” n
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 37
CONSERVING WATER ... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 efficiencies while increasing their yields. Since 2003, IID has implemented and managed large-scale conservation programs that have yielded over 7.2 million acre-feet of conserved water to fulfill the obligations of the nation’s largest agriculture-to-urban water conservation and transfer program. In the Imperial Valley, our growers are experts at not only growing food but conserving water. They are to be commended for their participation in IID’s on-farm efficiency conservation program that has generated over 1.3 million acre-feet of conserved water in the last decade alone. This was particularly evident in 2022, as growers worked to supply surging agricultural markets and meet voluntary conservation targets, all while managing their field apportionments and farm unit water budgets. IID will continue to rely upon voluntary water-user participation as it works to expand its on-farm conservation program provided additional funding is made available to IID as a result of its November 2022 application for Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Conservation and Efficiency
Program 1B Funding Opportunity. As IID works with its growers to develop additional conservation opportunities, its priority will be to streamline and grow the efficiency-based conservation programs already in place. However, IID acknowledges it will have to consider seasonal or rotational fallowing programs to increase its total annual conservation yields from 500,000 acre-feet to an unprecedented 750,000 acrefeet, or 24 percent of its entitlement. The economy of the Imperial Valley is driven by agricultural production, with one in every six local jobs directly related to agriculture. Fallowing has long been considered a last option due to the negative impacts it can have on communities. IID would only consider this if absolutely necessary to stabilize the Colorado River system so it can remain a viable long-term water supply for our area. IID’s proposal to increase its conservation program by 50 percent for four years has additional contingencies besides funding and voluntary participation. However, no other proposals are as vital to our community as a firm state and federal commitment
to address and fund additional Salton Sea impacts from IID conservation activities. In December, significant progress was made on the Salton Sea front, as California’s Natural Resource Agency, the Bureau of Reclamation, IID and the Coachella Valley Water District signed an agreement that would provide up to $250 million in federal funding to address potential public health and environmental impacts of the accelerated playa exposure created by the new water conservation proposed by California water agencies. This funding, from the Inflation Reduction Act, was referred to as “money in the bank” by Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton, who was instrumental in securing these monies after having worked on Salton Sea issues with IID for more than a decade. The inextricable linkage between the Colorado River and the Salton Sea is now well established. If IID’s water conservation efforts increase, there will be direct reductions in agricultural return flows that drain to California’s largest inland lake. Over the past 20 years, the elevation of the Salton Sea has declined more than 10 feet,
Valley Home Inspections
Certified & Insured Available Weekends
(760) 442-3173 | IVhomeinspections.com
Rene Peinado | Home Inspector | peinadorene24@gmail.com
38 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
exacerbating salinity levels and exposing more than 27,000 acres of playa that was previously underwater. The exposed playa now contributes to environmental and public health concerns in adjacent disadvantaged communities. Much work has been done to address these issues, but more work remains. IID believes that the key to accomplishing Reclamation’s call for 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of Colorado River reductions to protect critical reservoir elevations is to develop cooperative solutions that respect the Law of the River, existing agreements and the water-rights priority system. IID supports Reclamation’s interest in a collaborative solution to forestall regulatory actions and likely litigation. It is hopeful that California’s proposal to develop up to 1.6 million acre-feet of conservation over four years will be the first of the seven state plans to work toward this end with our agricultural growers, other river stakeholders and the Bureau of Reclamation and Department of the Interior. (Tina Shields is the water department manager for the Imperial Irrigation District. She may be contacted at tlshields@iid.com.) n
- Photo courtesy of IID
Go.Simplot.com/75 El Centro, CA • (760) 352-8931 © 2021 Simplot is a registered trademark of the J.R. Simplot Company
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 39
ALFALFA... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
Visiting Alfalfa Congress participants watch the seed-packing process. - Photos By Bill Amidon
Visitors examine seed in the holding bins.
40 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
third of the cumulative irrigated acres in the Valley, according to the most recent Imperial Irrigation District Crop Rank and Acreage Report. Elsewhere in this edition of Valley Agribusiness, Imperial County Farm Bureau Executive Director Rachel Magos and Policy & Communications Director Cierra Allen write that “Alfalfa is the starting point for many food products — from steak to ice cream to baby formula. These products would not exist if cattle did not have access to alfalfa in the first place. Alfalfa also serves as an important rotational crop that contributes to positive benefits to the soil and the environment.” Through on-farm water conservation as well as seeds designed for desert areas, Valley alfalfa producers hope to continue their major contributions to the world’s food chain. The Valley’s key role in production of alfalfa was highlighted in November by the San Diego World Alfalfa Congress. Alfalfa scientists, farmers, students, and businesses from around the world met at the Town and Country Hotel to learn from each other about production technology, economics, genetics, and environmental interactions of the crop. The last full day of the four-day event was a field tour of Imperial Valley farming operations. One of the hosts was Top Notch Seeds of Brawley, which produces specially designed proprietary alfalfa seeds to thrive in drought and high heat climates. The tour was designed to feature the Valley’s year-round alfalfa production, irrigation methods, research plots, hay and seed exports, environmental issues, winter vegetable production, and equipment displays. Several busloads of agriculture specialists from all over the world spent the day learning about local farming with stops at the All-American Canal, Leimgruber and Vessey Farms in Holtville as well as Top Notch and Eight Star Commodities. The audience included representatives from all over the United States as well as people representing at least 15 regions of the world, from South America, Europe, and Africa to Australia and Kazakhstan. During a luncheon at Del Rio Country Club, presentations were made by Jeff Plourd of El Toro Farms as well as county Agriculture Commissioner Carlos Ortiz, Scott Emanuelli of Top Notch and Charlie Brummer, director of plant breeding at the University of California, Davis. The Congress is co-sponsored by a wide range of organizations from around the world: National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance
(NAFA-US), California Alfalfa & Forage Association (CAFA-US); UC Davis (US); USDA-ARS (US); Chinese Grassland Society (China); China Grassland Industry Association (China); INRAE (France); INTA (Argentina); CIDE (EU); China Agricultural University (Beijing); and AEFA (Spain). The November San Diego Congress was organized by an international committee. This meeting followed the first World Alfalfa Congress in Bengbu, China in 2015 and the second Alfalfa Congress in Cordoba, Argentina in 2018. That 1914 Imperial Valley Press article reflected upon “California’s gift of alfalfa in the development of animal industries throughout the North American Continent.” Today, that gift goes throughout the world. n
MORE CROP IN EVERY BALE HIGHER RETURNS IN EVERY PASS The Case IH LB436 HD large square baler builds extremely dense, wellshaped bales to maximize efficiency and improve profitability. Engineered with innovation, the LB436 HD baler features an award-winning gearbox that provides more speed to hammer out rock-hard bales. The five-bar pickup provides 25% more teeth to engage the crop for a clean sweep of the field, even at higher speeds. And the industry-first hydraulic axle suspension ensures ideal weight distribution for minimal soil disturbance and low rolling resistance. Bring density to your operation with the Case IH LB436 HD large square baler. Charlie Brummer, director of plant breeding at the University of California Davis, speaks at a luncheon at Del Rio Country Club.. - Photos By Bill Amidon
For more information visit caseih.com or contact your local Case IH dealer.
THE IMPERIAL VALLEY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED EQUIPMENT DEALER.
1280 E. Main St. Brawley, CA 92227 760-344-3322
950 South Dogwood 212 North Carlton Ave. El Centro, CA 92243 Blythe, CA 92225 760-352-3215 760-922-7232
All rights reserved. Case IH is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or aff iliates. www.caseih.com
Visitors gather for a tour at Top Notch.
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 41
IMPORTANCE OF IV VEG... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 wholesome winter produce is undeniable and growing. The process of growing produce is complicated and expensive. The Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association (IVVGA) works with our members to navigate such issues as labor, food safety, water conservation, and environmental protection. Valley vegetable growers’ priority is to provide the nation with the safest, freshest, most nutritious produce. The singular importance of Imperial Valley lettuce and its winter produce crops is impossible to ignore. Yet, Valley agriculture and all water users face increasing pressure to cut back in response to the continuing drought on the Colorado River system. IVVGA members are as concerned as anyone about the
- Photos courtesy of IVVGA
42 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
longstanding drought and the need to conserve. We are working with the Imperial Irrigation District and other interested water parties to find solutions and protect our water rights. Our growers are dedicated to implementing the most effective on-farm water conservation methods. That is why our growers’ water efficiency record is second to none. At the same time, IVVGA and our members remain dedicated to ensuring that we continue to meet the nation’s demand for safe, fresh winter produce. n
- Photos courtesy of IVVGA
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 43
PRODUCTION SUMMARY HARVESTED ACRES 2020
2021
CHANGE IN ACRES
LIVESTOCK
GROSS VALUE
CHANGE IN VALUE
2020
2021
$490,633,000
$527,490,000
7.51%
FIELD CROPS
331,173
348,553
5.25%
$444,693,000
$522,502,000
17.50%
VEGETABLES & MELON CROPS
104,235
125,623
20.52%
$895,978,000
$1,039,092,000
15.97%
FRUIT & NUT CROPS
10,844
10,655
-1.74%
$94,574,000
$75,573,000
-20.09%
SEED CROPS & NURSERY PRODUCTS
48,427
54,798
13.16%
$95,330,000
$117,650,000
23.41%
$5,219,000
$5,005,000
-4.10%
$2,026,427,000
$2,287,312,000
12.87%
APIARY PRODUCTS
TOTAL
494,679
539,629
9.09%
Total harvested acres include multiple cropping on individual fields throughout the year.
44 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
TOP 10 COMMODITIES 2021 RANK
2020 2021 RANK RANK
2020 RANK
1
CATTLE
$464,397,000
1
6
BERMUDA
$99,329,000
5
2
ALFALFA
$251,683,000
2
7
ROMAINE LETTUCE
$64,068,000
6
3
HEAD LETTUCE
$225,394,000
9
8
CARROTS
$63,391,000
7
4
BROCCOLI
$132,228,000 10
9
ONIONS
$62,802,000 11
5
LEAF LETTUCE
$124,120,000
10 SPINACH
$62,362,000 15
3
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 45
ADVERTISING INDEX #
N
5 CROWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 8 STAR & ALL STAR SEEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
NUTRIEN AG SOLUTIONS/ICL GROUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
A
OJEDA INDUSTRIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
AG PRODUCT RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 ALL AMERICAN GRAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
B
BAJA FARMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 BLOOM TO BOX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 BROCK ASPARAGUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
F
FARM CREDIT WEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
H
HELENA CHEMICAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
I
IMPERIAL COUNTY AG COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE. . . . . . . . . . . . 27 IMPERIAL COUNTY FARM BUREAU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15, 16 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 19 IMPERIAL VALLEY FAIRGROUNDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 IMPERIAL VALLEY FOOD BANK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 IMPERIAL VALLEY MILLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 IMPERIAL VALLEY VEGETABLE GROWERS ASSOCIATION . . 10, 11
J
JORDAN IMPLEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
K
KC WELDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 KLICKA-PARKER INSURANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 KRONE, AMERICA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
46 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
O
R RDO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 ROCKWOOD AG SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 31 RUBIN SEEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
S
SIMPLOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 SMITH-KANDAL INSURANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 SPRECKELS SUGAR CO.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 SUN VALLEY APPLICATORS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
T
THE DAHM TEAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 TOP NOTCH SEEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
V
VALLEY AG SUPPLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 VALLEY HOME INSPECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
W
WINGATE COMPANY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 WYMORE INC. INDUSTRIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Z
ZENDEJAS HARDWARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST 47
Equipment for all your needs:
RDO does that.
Whether it’s sales, service, or parts, RDO Equipment Co. is your one-stop shop for all your John Deere equipment needs. Call or visit us for more information. RDO Equipment Co. 1620 Jones St. Brawley, CA 92227 760-344-8000
3275 Hwy 86 Imperial, CA 92251 760-355-7800
48 VALLEY AGRIBUSINESS & DESERT GROWING DIGEST
ASK US ABOUT THE