Ag Alert

By Chris Boisseranc Southwest Ag Consulting Inc., Redlands Four different homopteran insects—piercing, sucking bugs—damage citrus: red scale, black scale, citricola scale and citrus mealybug. Black scale is primarily a Southern California pest, and citricola scale, which is very similar, is more common in the Central Valley. These pests establish within citrus canopies throughout the growing season.

Summer is a busy time on California farms and ranches as crops move into peak growing season and field activity intensifies across the state. With drier conditions and longer days, farmers are focused on irrigation system maintenance, harvesting early-season crops, managing orchards and vineyards, and completing a variety of field improvement projects. Amid this increased activity, it’s important to remember a critical safety step: Always call 811 before you dig.

June 17, 2026 Jose Ramirez, a Western Region CCA board member and director of agronomy for Impello Biosciences, discusses how biostimulants can boost soil health and help crops use water and nutrients more efficiently. By Jose Ramirez Biostimulants have become an increasingly important tool for improving soil health, which is a key factor in agricultural productivity.

New World screwworm The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 12 cases of New World screwworm, or NWS, within the United States as of June 15. Confirmed detections include eight cattle cases, two goat herds and one sheep flock in Texas, and a dog in southeastern New Mexico. USDA, along with state animal health officials, continues surveillance, detection and mitigation efforts to limit further spread. The risk to California remains low. However, producers should remain informed and vigilant.

By Charles Burt What if you’ve done everything right with your irrigation system, but you still see water running off your fields—and maybe even signs of calcium deficiency? When the soil surface becomes sealed, water can’t soak in properly, and air can’t move through the soil. This means plants may not get enough water even though you’re irrigating. The extra runoff can also spread diseases across the field and cause weeds to pop up where they shouldn’t.

June 17, 2026 The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency will host a workshop for California farmers and ranchers to discuss Stage 2 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program.

In 2017, as dozens of wildfires ravaged California’s wine country, University of California, Davis, researcher Natalia Pinzón witnessed the devastation firsthand. The fires underscored a critical gap: Farmers and ranchers needed to be more actively included in the state’s wildfire preparedness and mitigation efforts. Pinzón spoke with Ag Alert® about her research on wildfire impacts to agriculture and the role farmers and ranchers can play in fighting them.

New World screwworm The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 12 cases of New World screwworm, or NWS, within the United States as of June 15. Confirmed detections include eight cattle cases, two goat herds and one sheep flock in Texas, and a dog in southeastern New Mexico. USDA, along with state animal health officials, continues surveillance, detection and mitigation efforts to limit further spread. The risk to California remains low. However, producers should remain informed and vigilant.

June 17, 2026 A moderator, left, discusses farming and affordability with farmers Josh Pippitt, from right, Tara Beaver Coronado and Matthew Vosseler at the 2026 Agri-Pulse Food & Ag Issues Summit on June 2, 2026. Photo/Courtesy of Agri-Pulse By Manola Secaira Labor shortages, rising costs and water access emerged as key concerns for California farmers during discussions at the 2026 Agri-Pulse Food & Ag Issues Summit.

June 17, 2026 Different kiln-drying times for malted barley give beer different flavors and colors. Photo/Vicky Boyd By Vicky Boyd Not all barley is created equal, as Ron Silberstein, co-founder of Admiral Maltings in Alameda, will quickly tell you. The barley he seeks to malt for distilling, beer brewing and food production is lower in protein and has only two grain rows, yielding less than higher-protein six-row varieties grown for grain.