Growing California Avocados

The Ventura County Resource Conservation District is offering a free Wildfire Virtual Speaker Series throughout 2022.

The California Small Farm Conference, which will be held from February 27 – March 3, will offer four days filled with more than 50 online workshops, forums and videos as well as one day with small, in-person regional sessions in communities across the state.

The UC Cooperative Extension is offering a free Organic Agriculture Seminar Series for Growers. The weekly series takes place on Tuesdays, through March 8, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. via Zoom.

The California Avocado Society, California Avocado Commission and UC Cooperative Extension are hosting a free online Grower Webinar: Avocado Disease Management session on Wednesday, February 16 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

While it is often common practice for fruit growers to apply white latex paint to the bottom 2 to 3 feet of young, newly planted trees in order to provide some protection from herbicide drift, researchers note there is little evidence to prove this practice is effective.

The UCCE’s ongoing avocado irrigation management research project aims to help develop tools and information that help growers effectively and efficiently manage their irrigation practices. As part of this effort, UCCE is conducting an Avocado Irrigation Management Survey to better understand California avocado growers’ irrigation management practices and concerns.

An Avocado Support Tool, designed to help growers optimize tree nutrition for greater yields, is available online at www.iwannagro.com. Learn more.

The University of California Integrated Pest Management department has launched an online tool to assist growers in identifying vertebrate wildlife pests.

The USDA has extended the deadline to apply for the Organic and Transitional education and Certification Program to February 4, 2022. This program provides eligible applicants with pandemic assistance to cover expenses associated with organic certification and/or transitioning to organic production during the 2020, 2021 and 2002 fiscal years.

Members of the California avocado industry can complete free food safety training, as mandated by the U.S. Federal Department of Agriculture’s new Produce Safety rule, from the comfort of their own home or business.