May 2019 News Clips (May 16-31)

…Sudden oak death was discovered in the state in the mid-1990s and has had a devastating impact on coastal forests, killing over a million trees on the West Coast including in Humboldt County. There is no cure for trees that become infected by the water mold, which thrives in moist, temperate environments.

“We keep having to change our management strategies out there,” Brendan Twieg, research associate focused on forest health with the local University of California Cooperative Extension, told officials and community members at the North Coast sudden oak death meeting at the county Agriculture Building on Thursday. “The disease doesn't go where you think it's going to go and then you're always limited by what you can do at any given location.”

…Warmer spring rains have been associated with increased incidences of mortality related to sudden oak death, said Dan Stark, research associate at the local UC Cooperative Extension. Yana Valachovic, the local UC Cooperative Extension's county director and forest adviser, added that that spike in tree deaths typically occurs the year following those spring rains, making next year one of particular concern.

“One of the issues that becomes very apparent is that when we have these peak episodes of mortality, there isn't much funding to help us manage those impacts,” Valachovic said.

https://www.times-standard.com/2019/05/31/managing-sudden-oak-death-proves-tricky/

Dolores Huerta on the Power to Change

(Harvard Magazine) Jacob Sweet and Lydialyle Gibson, May 31

…Daniel Sumner, an economist at UC, Davis, and director of the University of California Agricultural Issues Center, recalled his childhood on his family's small fruit farm in California. “What drove the agriculture I knew was the economics,” he said. “That's what kept people working, that's what kept jobs there, that's what kept the land in production.” And despite some progress since, he said, “the fact is, farm workers are poor.” Almost all are immigrants, living at or very near poverty levels. Looking for the best way to raise wages, Sumner studied data on workers' wages as a share of the cost of production in agriculture, and the farm's share in the retail prices for various crops. His calculations have led him to the idea that it might be more feasible to ask consumers to pay slightly more for food produced by better-paid workers than to try to force farmers to pay higher wages—a demand that often pushes farmers to mechanize more of their production, or move crops offshore. He asked the audience to imagine food labels attesting that the farmworkers who'd made those products had been paid a higher wage. A 50 percent increase in American farmworker wages, he said, would likely mean an increase in price of between 1 percent and 5 percent, depending on the product. “I think people are willing to pay for that, if they got the message the right way,” he said. https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2019/05/commencement-radcliffe-dolores-huerta

Crispr gene-editing will change the way Americans eat – here's what's coming

(Guardian) Karen Weintraub, May 30, 2019

If strong government regulations are imposed, gene editing will be finished before it really begins, said Alison Van Eenennaam, a cooperative extension specialist at the University of California, Davis. “We can stop having this discussion because we'll never use it. It's just done,” she said. Van Eenennaam said she was frustrated by campaigns that unnecessarily derailed a lot of the potential of GMOs, and she sees the same thing happening again with gene editing. “It's much easier to frighten someone about something,” she said.

…On the flip side, Hanson acknowledges that gene editing could potentially be used to cut down on the need for pesticides, which put farmers and farm workers at risk. And Van Eenennaam worries that if rich countries shut down gene editing, poor countries that really need increased productivity, fewer pesticides and healthier foods won't be able to benefit.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/30/crispr-gene-edited-food-technology-us-produce

Unseasonable Rains Contribute to Weed Control Issues

(AgNet West) Brian German, May 30, 2019

The series of recent storms that swept through California could create increased weed control issues. The cooler than average temperatures and significant rainfall through Memorial Day weekend will likely require added diligence in weed management approaches.

“I think it's definitely going to impact weeds. It's probably going to stimulate germination that we might not normally see, particularly in systems that are using buried drip,” said Lynn Sosnoskie, UC Cooperative Extension Weed Science Advisor in Merced County. “The cool temperatures and the wet soil are probably also going to impact crop growth. So, you're not going to see that ability of some crops that like warmer environments to outpace weeds that they might normally be competitive with.”

http://agnetwest.com/unseasonable-rains-contribute-weed-control-issues

Fighting fire with fire: Should California burn its forests to protect against catastrophe?

By Ryan Sabalow, Dale Kasler, and Maya Miller, May 29

…“It's just the culture around fire in the West. We really have a fire-suppression culture,” said Lenya Quinn-Davidson, a UC Cooperative Extension forestry expert and director of the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council. “There is widespread recognition that we are not doing enough in the West.”

… “It's challenging to work through the permitting process,” said Quinn-Davidson, the UC forestry specialist.

She said the air districts have limits on how much air pollution they'll allow in a given area on a given day. As a result, “prescribed burning is competing with industry, or automobile emissions, for the same air space,” she said.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article230481684.html

UC Hopland REC to reduce sheep flock

(Ukiah Daily Journal) May 29

For over 65 years, the Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) has been well known as one of the last large scale sheep ranches and research facilities in the northwest. Their woolly forms are a familiar sight against the backdrop of the 5,358 acre site, well loved by the community for school field trips during the lambing season and for the sheepdog trials during the fall. In addition, they have a long history of being on the forefront of emerging research and management strategies related to sheep for topics such as: sheep biology and management, rangeland management, livestock/predator/wildlife interactions, as well as grazing as a tool for vineyard owners, fire prevention, and noxious weed control.

This summer the HREC flock will be reduced from 500 breeding ewes to approximately 125 and their full time shepherd position will be cut. The sheep will be sold at auction on the site (4070 University Road, Hopland, CA) on June 3. The sale will allow sealed bids from 8am-11am, with a minimum lot size of 20 animals. This reduction echoes a change that can been seen across the state in flock size and management styles.

https://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/2019/05/29/uc-hopland-rec-to-reduce-sheep-flock/

Turning poop into power: California dairies appeal for more state climate change money

(Fresno Bee) Adam Ashton and Andrew Sheeler, May 29

…The newer plants creating compressed natural gas are potentially profitable because they're eligible for two kinds of incentives, one from the state and the other from the federal government, according to a December 2018 study by UC Davis agriculture professors Hyunok Lee and Daniel Sumner.

https://amp.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/article230869984.html

Research chambers to manipulate range conditions

(Feedstuffs) May 28, 2019

Scientific evidence of a changing climate in California and across the globe is clear, but the impacts on ecosystems and agriculture are still difficult to predict, according to the University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources (UCANR).

https://www.feedstuffs.com/nutrition-health/research-chambers-manipulate-range-conditions

Answers sought regarding organic lettuce aphid mystery

(Vegetable Grower) Jeannette Warnert, May 28

Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdivia started his new job as University of California Cooperative Extension entomology advisor in the Salinas Valley last year, he immediately faced an urgent problem in organic lettuce production.

…“With other types of aphids, they stay on the outer leaves. When you harvest and clean the head, you are taking the aphids out,” Del Pozo-Valdivia said. “But with the lettuce aphid, it's almost impossible to remove them. We don't want consumers to buy a lettuce with these tiny red insects inside.”

https://vegetablegrowersnews.com/news/answers-sought-regarding-organic-lettuce-aphid-mystery

Beekeeping Tips—From Bees!

(Science Friday) Ira Flatow, May 24, 2019

For the hobby beekeeper, there's much to consider when housing your first domestic honey bee colonies—what kind of hive to get, where to put them, where to get your bees, and how to help them survive the winter.

…Plus, apiculturist Elina L. Niño of the University of California Davis talks about the microbial world of bees, such as whether probiotics could benefit bee health, and how honey bees and bumblebees could be used to distribute beneficial microbes to plants, an idea called ‘apivectoring.'

https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/beekeeping-tips-from-bees/

Almond Matters: Ant Identification Critical to Management Approach

(AgNet West) May 23

In today's Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent, ant identification is an essential factor in planning any kind of ant management strategies. Monitoring for and identifying ant species that may be in almond orchards is especially important as not all ants pose a risk to almonds. Some ant species are actually considered to be more beneficial than they are harmful.

“There's really two species that you really care about: southern fire ant is the main one that's throughout most of the almond production regions, particularly in the south,” said David Haviland, Entomology Farm Advisor with UC Cooperative Extension in Kern County. “Then the other ant you want to be looking for is pavement ant. It's more common in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley.”

http://agnetwest.com/almond-matters-ant-identification-critical-to-management-approach/

Why It's So Hard to Live in California

(Slate) April Glaser and Kim-Mai Cutler, May 22

In this episode April Glaser is joined by co-host Kim-Mai Cutler, a partner at Initialized Capital, an early stage venture firm. She's also a former full-time journalist at TechCrunch.

First, April and Kim-Mai discuss the lack of affordable housing in California and the political battles that are hindering progress.

Then they talk about the upcoming wildfire season with Faith Kearns, from the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Lizzie Johnson from the San Francisco Chronicle.

https://slate.com/technology/2019/05/wildfires-and-politics-are-endangering-california-housing.html

Learning the A, Bee, C's of Beekeeping

(North County Daily Star)José Eli Villanueva, County of San Diego Communications, May 21

This pilot program is an extension of the Master Beekeeper Program at UC Davis, and was funded by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. It allows local beekeepers the chance to get training in beekeeping without traveling to Northern California.

https://ncdailystar.com/learning-the-a-bee-cs-of-beekeeping-video/

Almond exports drop after more than a year of Chinese tariff hikes

(Sac Biz Journal) Emily Hamann, May 21

…“Among the commodities that are most vulnerable for California, I would say tree nuts are way up there,” said Daniel Sumner, director of the University of California Davis' Agricultural Issues Center.

Almonds, walnuts and pistachios have all been targets of the retaliatory tariffs, some of the effects of which are just beginning to be seen.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2019/05/21/almond-exports-drop-after-more-than-a-year-of.html

UC Cooperative Extension hosts prescribed fire workshop

(BenitoLink) Devii Rao, May 20

UC Cooperative Extension is considering applying for a Cal Fire grant to increase our capacity to develop a Prescribed Burn Association and do more education around fire prevention and prescribed burning in San Benito and Monterey counties. The organization will move forward on the grant proposal if there is enough interest from local ranchers, landowners and land managers.

If you would like to see more prescribed fire on the ground, please join us on June 5 and 6 for a prescribed fire workshop to show your support. June 5 will be at the Hollister Vets Building and will focus on burn plans, burn unit preparation, permitting, fire safety, fire ecology, how to develop a Prescribed Burn Association, and much more. On June 6, workshop participants will have the opportunity to participate in a live-fire training in Bitterwater (weather permitting).

https://benitolink.com/news/uc-cooperative-extension-hosts-prescribed-fire-workshop

Can small-scale farmers grow a healthier California?

(High Country News) Jessica Kutz May 20, 2019

…Given this blind spot, in 2016 Guzman designed a research project with Fresno-based small farm advisor Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, from the University of California cooperative extension program. Guzman surveyed 30 small-scale farms run by refugee and immigrant farmers like Her, and took over 400 soil samples. She hopes to determine whether the soils and beneficial organisms that live there, known as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, are healthier in these highly diversified cropping systems. She is also looking at pollinator numbers to see how they vary between small-scale diversified systems and monoculture farms. Preliminary results indicate that the smaller and diversified farms are attracting a greater number of native pollinators, an important factor in a region where monocultures and pesticide sprays have been detrimental to bee populations.

https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.9/agriculture-can-small-scale-farmers-grow-a-healthier-california

The radio station connecting California farmers

(High Country News) Jessica Kutz May 20, 2019

From a one-story stucco building in Fresno, California, Michael Yang's voice travels through the airwaves across the Central Valley, where hundreds of Hmong farmers are preparing their fields for their summer crops, radios on.

On this particular day, Yang's voice is a little wobbly. He's been sick for nearly a week and has a cough. Yang is a small farms and specialty crops agricultural assistant with the University of California's Cooperative Extension program, a statewide program that engages with researchers and locals in finding solutions to rural challenges. And he is one of the only connections that exist between Hmong farmers and agricultural services in the Central Valley in their native language. So even when he isn't feeling well, he rarely misses his weekly slot at KBIF radio, a station that also broadcasts to Punjabi/Hindi, Vietnamese and Japanese listeners. “His voice is really important,” Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, a small farm advisor, told me. Crucial even.

https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.9/agriculture-the-radio-station-connecting-california-farmers

VIDEO: Learning the A, Bee, C's of Beekeeping

(San Diegon) May 18

Here's a class where the top grade is a B, so to speak. The County's Agriculture, Weights and Measures department and the University of California Cooperative Extension in San Diego have joined forces to host a six-month program for apprentice beekeepers looking to become Master Beekeepers. That's one class a month for six months.
This pilot program is an extension of the Master Beekeeper Program at UC Davis, and was funded by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. It allows local beekeepers the chance to get training in beekeeping without traveling to Northern California.

http://www.sandiegon.com/agriculture-2/video-learning-the-a-bee-cs-of-beekeeping/

Farmers of Color May Soon Get More Support in California

(Civil Eats) May 16

…Daniel A. Sumner, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of California, Davis, called the REEAL Act well-intentioned legislation. However, he also expressed some concerns about the bill. He questioned the idea that land ownership should be the ultimate goal of farmers.

“Most people who own farmland aren't farmers, and being a farmer doesn't necessarily have to do with land ownership,” he said. “Farming is a really tough business. A lot of farmers end up bankrupt and feeling like failures, so the last thing I want to encourage is telling people, ‘Come on in, the water is fine.'”

https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/133630/farmers-of-color-may-soon-get-more-support-in-california