Project Activities

Avocado Grower Seminar Series:

Educating growers and managers on improving production practices and returns; dissemination of research results and tools reaching the statewide avocado industry. Coordinated and conducted by UCANR specialists, farm advisors, the California Avocado Society and the California Avocado Commission; California Avocado Society - Seminars

Topics in Subtropics: 

 Educating growers and managers on improving production practices and returns; dissemination of research results and tools reaching the statewide subtropical crops industry. Coordinated and conducted by UCANR specialists, farm advisors; Topics for Subtropics Newsletters | Agricultural Economics

Research:

Cost of Production Studies

Investment and Production cost development and profitability analyses: Grower guidelines for production practices and costs; useful for making production decisions, determining potential returns, preparing budgets and evaluating production loans. Production costs and profitability analysis have been the fundamental tools for growers and investors to do investment analyses, conduct business transactions, and develop risk management strategies. In these studies, we provide up-to-date benchmark costs and profitability indicators for evaluating the viability and sustainability of crop production. These studies also provide guidelines for assessing government assistance during disasters and evaluating property values by assessors.

Cost studies in development for pesticide use and cost analysis (a-d): All data collection completed.

1. Lemon establishment and production in Ventura County (PI Eta: Karen and Ben)
2. Lemon establishment and production in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County (PI Eta: Karen, Matt)
3. Lemon establishment and production in the Central Valley (Pi Karen Jetter: Sandipa and Eta)
4. Mandarin establishment and production in the Central Valley (Pi Karen Jetter: Sandipa and Eta)

5. Small Farms assessment:  Mixed crops budget analysis (Karen Jetter, Alicia Kimberly Baddford and Eta Takele)

   Tools and Innovation

   1. Broadening the Utilization of the FBG and the Budget Planner: enabling user friendly or publicly utilized tool (Eta and Karen); 

   2. Development of Grower decision making tool in response to water demand, supply and pricing; Southern San Joaquin Valley SGMA Project (Karen, Khaled, Nick and Eta)