Agriculture & Pest Management

Continuing coverage of UC Cooperative Extension

University of California Cooperative Extension made several appearances in California newspapers in recent days.

For last Friday's paper, the Contra Costa Times sought the comments of UCCE urban horticulturist Bethallyn Black about what appears to be a glut of acorns in local oak trees.

Black told the paper the acorn glut is part of a natural cycle. Once every few years when conditions are right, oak trees produce acorns in abundance, a botanical phenomenon known as a "mast."

"And is this ever a mast year," reporter Joan Morris wrote.

UCCE livestock advisor Glen Nader and UC Davis specialist Jim Oltjen were consulted for a story that appeared in the Sacramento Bee's business section today. The story, by Jim Downing, covers livestock producers' desire to improve "feed efficiency."

Downing wrote that Susanville rancher John Barnum is trying to build a herd of cattle that "sounds like something out a dieter's nightmare."
They eat less, but they still get fat.

"We started realizing that there's . . . the issue of how much feed does it take to get all those pounds, and maybe big isn't better," Downing quoted Nader.

Jim Oltjen told Downing a typical steer will eat 20 to 25 pounds of feed -- mostly corn -- and gain 3 to 4 pounds during each day of the typical three- to four-month stay at a feedlot. UC researchers have found that some steers beat the average by nearly 30 percent, though others have found improvements closer to 10 percent, Downing wrote.

The Monterey Herald ran a story today about the fact that the discovery of Light Brown Apple Moth in California has raised the profile for all the state's moths. Reporter Kevin Howe spoke to UCCE Monterey County staff research associate Frankie Lam about oak moths. The number of oak moths is usually linked to the number of nearby oak trees, he told the paper. Heavy hatchings usually occur about every five to 10 years, though the moths and their larvae are almost always present.

Yesterday the Modesto Bee reported on an honor for Stanislaus County UCCE director Ed Perry. Modesto Junior College agriculture students presented him the Honorary Young Farmer Degree. The notice goes on to say that Perry is an expert on environmental horticulture, helps with MJC's program in this area and writes a weekly column for home gardeners in The Modesto Bee.

Disappearing bees all the buzz on Sacramento TV

The CBS television affiliate in Sacramento, KOVR, sent reporter Tony Lopez to a meeting at UC Davis yesterday, where UC entomologist Eric Mussen spoke about "colony collapse disorder," recent unexplained bee deaths in California. The story included a brief interview with a Woodland bee producer, who said she considered the issue an "agricultural emergency." The story also featured sound bites from Mussen.

Mussen attributed colony collapse disorder to a combination of factors -- malnutrition, viruses and chemicals, according to the report.

Lopez opened the piece saying a theory about cell phone signals being responsible has been "ruled out," but he did float another theory, that the bees are dying from a virus imported with bees from Australia.

Since everybody loves a mystery, the intriguing case of the disappearing bees is sure to continue to receive media attention.

Stockton Record reports on resource list

The agriculture reporter for the Stockton Record, Reed Fujii, pointed out the incongruence of Hollywood's image of agriculture and the real California industry in an article published today.

"If you think farming is the simple life, have another thought," Fujii wrote. "A new listing of federal, state and local agencies that farmers in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties may have to deal with runs 46 pages."

The listing he refers to was created by UCCE ag labor advisor Gregory Billikopf. Agencies and Agriculture 2007 (pdf) serves as a directory of public agencies involved with farming. It was last updated in 1993.

"It is not as bad as it looks," Reed quoted Billikopf. The farm advisor pointed out that many of the listings include university agricultural programs and nonprofit groups, such as the California Farm Bureau Federation, Community Alliance with Family Farmers and National Farm Worker Ministry.

Reed wrote that a quick scan of the document provides some idea of the regulatory burden faced by farmers.

"Employment issues might be addressed by the Hour and Wage Division of U.S. Department of Labor, its Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Cal-OSHA (the state version) and California Employment Development Department, not mention the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service and state Franchise Tax Board.

"Environmental issues might fall to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state Department of Pesticide Regulation, Department of Water Resources and regional San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, just to name a few."

Other ANR stories pubished today:

Campbell Soup donates to UCD ag institute  Sacramento Bee

New fumigant draws praise  The Salinas Californian

Gregory Billikopf

Los Angeles Times covers CoyoteBytes

Under the heading "modern life," the Los Angeles Time today covered a UC Web site created by wildlife specialist Robert Timm to track coyotes in urbanizing areas. Here's a synopsis from the article, by Nancy Yoshihara:

"A new website, CoyoteBytes.org, was launched two weeks ago by the University of California Cooperative Extension to gather reports of coyote sightings and attacks from residents of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties and to share information. The goal is to prevent conflict between humans and coyotes."

The development of CoyoteBytes was shared with the media in a Sept. 25 news release by Pam Kan-Rice, assistant director of Governmental and External Relations.

Not only did the the L.A. Times reporter mention "UC Cooperative Extension" in her piece, she also noted "the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources" in describing Timm's role with UC.

The bulk of the article is presented as a Q&A with Timm, including Why does UC care about coyotes? and Is a single coyote or a pack more worrisome?

Coyote

Sacto Bee reports on huge almond crop

Jim Downing of the Sacramento Bee wrote a story for today's newspaper about the 2007 almond crop. In a nutshell, he wrote that this year's huge almond harvest is erasing fears about disappearing honey bees.

The article says 1.33 billion pounds are expected to be harvested, but that the almonds themselves are about 15 percent smaller. For an explanation, he turned to John Edstrom, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor in Colusa County.

"Many of us are debating the reasons for (the small amond size)," Downing quoted Edstrom.

Edstrom told Downing that the main variables are weather, water and bees, but it's difficult to say how they interact.

Downing also talked to UC Davis entomologist Eric Mussen, who said California beekeepers are "cautiously optimistic" about the coming year, as most of the state's hives have remained healthy despite the dry spring and summer, which made natural food supplies scarce.

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