- Author: Chris M. Webb
UCCE Farm Advisor, Oleg Daugovish recently participated in a trip sponsored by the Partners of Americas Farmer to Farmer Program. This program is designed to improve economic opportunities of people living in rural areas of Latin America and the Carribbean.
Over nine days, Oleg helped participants in the Dominican Republic (DR ) learn how to increase food production and distribution, suggested improvements for farm operations and conserving natural resources. Most producers in this area of the world have small acreage and part of the production takes place in greenhouses or under tunnels. Most operations use drip irrigation. Greenhouses are equipped with double screen doors. Diagnostic facilities are not readily available.
Much like in Ventura County, many of the farmers Oleg worked with in DR grew strawberries and peppers. Growers in both places face many of the same challenges, but with different climates and infrastructures. While in the Dominican Republic Oleg covered many miles, visited multiple farms per day, and educated a lot of people at several meetings.
Topics covered included:
- Weed management
- Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD)
- Substrates
- Fumigation
- Quality of planting material
- Crop rotation
- Slight adjustments in production to increase yield
- Propagation
In addition to the help he provided in person, Oleg shared the following UC ANR online resources with DR farmers.
- University of California post-harvest management for fruits and vegetables (en Espanol) -- the produce facts sheets are available in several languages
- University of California IPM guidelines, available for most crops, including strawberry (en Espanol). This site has a crop –specific pest and weed management treatment table for each pest/weed/pathogen and is updated frequently
- Phytophthora spp. seem to be prevalent among soil-borne pathogens in the DR. Aside from fumigation and ASD, phosphorus acid materials can be used such as Fosfite, Alliete or others containing the same active ingredient. Details are at this page of the University of California IPM website.
- Section of web-page for Strawberry production at the UCCE-Ventura County website. The menu on the left contains presentations on various subjects and links to UC weed susceptibility chart for herbicides available in California and cost and return studies for crops
- Foundation plant Services at U. California – strawberry. The site provides info about obtaining the UC varieties of strawberries.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Across the nation food producers are turning to alternative energy to run their operations. In addition to saving money some producers are able to sell excess energy, increasing revenue.
The USDA currently operates four programs to assist in achieving energy independence.
- The Biorefinery Assistance Program provides loan guarantees for the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial-scale biorefineries.
- The Repowering Assistance Program provides payments to eligible biorefineries to replace fossil fuels used to produce hear or power to operate the biorefineries with renewable biomass.
- The Advanced Biofuel Payment Program provides payment to producers to support and expand production of advanced biofuels refined from sources other than corn kernel starch.
- The Rural Energy for America Program provides assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to complete a variety of projects, including renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy development, energy audits, and feasibility studies.
To learn more about the programs, please visit this webpage.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Our office has received an increase in calls from people wishing to visit farms and ranches. As public interest into local food systems and production continues to grow, agritourism is a way for food producers to increase revenue.
Tourism offerings are varied throughout the state. Local, Ventura County agritourism ventures include: farm and nursery tours; overnight stays; farm stands; petting zoos; picnic and play areas; u-pick produce; lectures and presentations; agriculture-related gifts and crafts; value-added food products; horseback riding and trail rides; camping; nature walks; special events; plants; and cut flowers.
UC’s California Agricultural Tourism Directory allows consumers to search for farms and ranches throughout the state. There is no cost to add a farm or ranch to this statewide directory. Easy to follow instructions for consumers and producers are included on the directory’s home page.
For more information about agritourism, please contact our office.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The recent issue of UC’s California Agriculture is packed with interesting and informative articles. Two articles help to directly connect farmers and consumers. All articles can be accessed online.
Please see topics below:
- 150 years after Morrill Act, land-grant universities are key to healthy California
- Uncertain future for California’s biomass power plants
- Community Supported Agriculture is thriving in the Central Valley
- UC Cooperative Extension explores a farm-to-WIC program
- Crop rotation and genetic resistance reduce risk of damage from Fusarium wilt in lettuce
- Citrus growers vary in their adoption of biological control (availible only in E-Edition)
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The recent LA Times article, Farm Team: Two chefs spend a year at Windrose Farm, lending labor and know-how, and learning from the ground up is an interesting and entertaining article related to the business of farming.
Farmers are busy, multi-talented people. They must have skills in a wide variety of areas for their business to survive. As the LA Times article explains slight adjustments in operations have the potential to make a profound difference on the bottom line.
UC’s Farm Business and Market Place has many resources to help food producers strengthen their business. Including:
- Customer Service and Relationships
- Building trust with consumers
- I’m right and you’re wrong: Do’s and don’ts in customer service
- Selling strategies for local food producers
- Strategies to attract and keep customers
- Promotion & Branding
- Adding value to agriculture: Branding and certification
- Building your brand
- Creating a winning display for your farm products
- Reputation as your brand
- Budgeting
- Projecting costs and returns – enterprise budgeting
- Cost and return studies
- Determining prices for CSA share boxes
- Enterprise budgets – 100 foot rows
- Partial budgeting
- Using enterprise budgets to make decisions about your farm
- Marketing Channels & Strategies
- A guide to understanding the value chain
- Adding value to farm products: An overview
- An overview of Small Farm direct marketing
- Bringing local food to local institutions
- Community supported agriculture
- Direct marketing of farm produce and home goods
- Guide to marketing channel selection: How to sell through wholesale and direct market channels
- Marketing 101
- Marketing alternatives for fresh produce
- Marketing strategies for farmers and ranchers
- New markets for your crops (available in Spanish)
- Niche market pricing and strategies for maintaining price
- Pricing for profit
- Selling directly to restaurants and retailers
- Selling to institutions: An Iowa Farmer’s guide
- Selling to Restaurants
- Strategic marketing management: Building a foundation for your future
- Value added agriculture: Is it right for me?
- What are niche markets? What advantages do they offer?