Experts say local crops seem to be doing well
Extent of negative effects due to pandemic not yet known
Despite a pandemic, a very active wildfire season filling the sky with smoke and ash and temperatures sometimes wellabove normal, experts say most local crops seem to be doing well this year.
“With the exception of the smoke it has been a fairly normal year weather-wise,” said Stephen Scheer, Yuba County Agricultural Commissioner. “I have not heard of any major crop effects due to the year’s weather.”
Scheer said officials are expecting some negative effects on agriculture production due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year but to what extent has yet to be determined.
“So far, I’ve mostly heard of COVID causing labor shortages, which has led to challenges in general,” said Sarah Light, University of California Cooperative Extension agronomy advisor for Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties. “Field crops are generally mechanically harvested so I haven’t heard of specific issues related to field crops.”
Whitney Brim-deforest, rice and wild rice advisor and local director of the UCCE branch, said rice – the highest grossing crop in the Yuba-sutter region – is in the middle of harvest and should be completed by the end
of the month.
“Early yields in rice, harvested in August, appeared to be lower than normal, but current yields seem to be consistent with average, and up from last year,” said Brim-deforest.
Wild rice yields appear to be right on average as well, said Brim-deforest.
According to BrimDeforest, the smoke from local wildfires did not affect local rice and wild rice crops this year because it came later in the season – but the heat had a slight impact.
“The effects of the heat in July and August may have impacted flowering in fields where rice was in the flowering stage, causing some minor yield losses,” said Brim-deforest.
The rice market doesn’t appear to have any major disruptions this year, said Brim-deforest, and exports are up slightly overall.
According to BrimDeforest, growers that sell direct-to-consumer had to adapt early in the season due to the pandemic to find new markets but have since recovered.
Janine Hasey, UCCE tree crops and environmental horticulture advisor emeritus for Sutter and Yuba counties and walnuts advisor for Colusa County, said the average yield for cling peaches – which were harvested in July and August – was down 10 percent from 2019 and was at the lowest tons per acre since 2006.
According to Hasey, Chinese canned peach imports were up 90 percent this year and cost less than they did in 2019 despite a 25 percent U.S. retaliatory tariff.
“For product quality and safety, Americans should buy California products,” said Hasey. “Although 41 percent of Americans say they won’t buy products made in China, many consumers are unaware that many store brands and Dole often source fruit from Chinese suppliers. A quick check of the label will tell you where the product came from.”
Hasey said while walnuts are still being harvested
in the area, officials are expecting the largest crop in California history.
“The walnut crop is big, perhaps a record at the state level due to good growing conditions (and) increased acreage,” said Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor for Colusa, Sutter and Yuba counties.
Although officials are expecting a large walnut harvest, Niederholzer said walnut prices are off significantly from
2019 due to big the crop, international competition and COVID-19 impacts on shipping in late spring and summer.
Scheer said with the start of walnut harvest, it is important to note that Yuba County has a Nut Theft Ordinance that limits the buying of walnuts to processors until the buying period is declared.
“This generally affects people with backyard trees and gleaning operations,” said Scheer.
Lisa Herbert, Sutter County Agricultural Commissioner said the ordinance is also in effect in Sutter County, meaning that open buying of walnuts is illegal until the conclusion of walnut harvest has been declared.
Niederholzer said this year’s almond crop, which is the highest grossing commodity in Colusa County, is expected to set a record this year, as well.
“Local production should be very high due to excellent bloom weather with good bee flying, (and) no cold or rain and low insect pressure on top of increased acreage,” said Niederholzer.
According to Niederholzer, the price of almonds dropped sharply this spring, down to around 40 percent of 2019 prices, with COVID-19 interfering with shipping and receiving for exports but prices have since recovered and are now around 25 percent off 2019 prices.
Light said the smoke from area wildfire reduced sun intensity and affected the dry down of some field crops, specifically corn and beans.
“Beans can be turned after cutting to increase aeration and help dry down, but care must be taken to prevent shattering,” said Light. “For corn there aren’t any easy solutions. There are dryers available to get corn and other crops down to proper storage moisture, but this can be expensive and affect the bottom line.”
According to Herbert, industrial hemp is also starting harvest for the second year ever within the region at this time.
Light said since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shortage of laborers for hand harvest this year, she has wondered how hand-harvested hemp
fields will be affected but said she hasn’t heard of any specific issues yet.
The only crop to report lower than average yields
and prices this year was prunes, which Niederholzer said was due to warm weather at bloom.
After harvest wraps up
for the remaining crops, Niederholzer said growers in the area are hoping for a good winter to fill the reservoirs.