Growing California Avocados

The California Irrigation Management Information System is seeking a grower cooperator for a new weather station in the Temecula area. The current station in Temecula, CIMIS Station 62, has been taken offline due to nearby construction and lack of grass surrounding the existing weather station.

On July 30, the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture announced the Queensland Fruit Fly Eradication Program in Thousand Oaks, Ventura County had been completed.

On August 22, the California Avocado Society will host a “Planting Density/technique, Entomology, Pathology, New Rootstocks/Scions” field day at Pine Tree Ranch. The field day will cover root rot, pollination, new avocado varieties, avocado sunblotch viroid and avocado leaf roller/miner. 

As California avocado harvest rates continue to exceed early and mid-season projections, the California Avocado Commission has engaged with industry stakeholders to better understand the volume of fruit that remains to be harvested. The consensus from these discussions is that the total 2024 California crop volume will exceed 300 million pounds.

On September 10, the Farm Bureau of Ventura County will host the Agri-Tech Fair. The day-long event will take place at the Oxnard Courtyard Marriott located at 600 Esplanade Drive in Oxnard, CA from 8:00 a.m. –  5:00 p.m.

Microirrigation systems — microsprinklers, drip emitters and drip tape — tend to provide better distribution/emission uniformity than other irrigation methods. However, there are key maintenance tasks that should be routinely completed. Learn more.

The University of California Cooperative Extension of San Diego County offers a Farm Labor Management Training Program designed to help agricultural employers better understand and mitigate labor related risks. As part of this program, two ag labor management seminars are being hosted in August.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded funding assistance to both small- and medium-sized agricultural operations seeking to renew or obtain a food safety certification through the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops program. In addition, the program will include assistance for 2024 and 2025 expenses.

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the CCOF Foundation provides grants, mentorship and technical assistance to growers making the transition to organic production. The $10,000 grants are awarded annually for three years to assist producers as they wait the three years before achieving organic certification. 

The University of California Cooperative Extension’s Agriculture and Natural Resources department is hosting an Avocado Irrigation Workshops in Escondido, California. Registration is available online.