APG January 2023 eNews

Print advertising and public relations in the U.S., Europe, China, Korea and India are helping to spread the good news that pistachios are very high in antioxidants, among the highest when compared to blueberries, pomegranates, cherries, beets, and red wine.

Full-page ads featuring APG's antioxidant message are appearing in health, fitness and lifestyle publications in the U.S., Europe, China and India.

Here's a sampling of the global publications that APG ads will appear in.

In November, APG conducted a national television and radio tour with Dr. Mike Roussell to promote the antioxidant news. He was interviewed by 34 morning news shows and radio stations across the U.S. During the media tour, he talked about the importance of consuming antioxidants and the exciting news that pistachios are very high in antioxidants. The interviews were also posted on the television and radio stations' websites. The news was viewed or heard over 10.7 million times.


To share the good news that pistachios are an antioxidant powerhouse, APG has partnered with high-profile dietitians who write articles for health and fitness publications and are regularly interviewed by the media. This partnership has resulted in 2 media placements in 1 month, which have a combined monthly viewership of 15 million.

In November, APG Nutrition Ambassador Dr. Wiebke Elsner participated in an Instagram Live talk on Eat Smarter Germany, a popular Instagram podcast in Germany dedicated to healthy eating. Dr. Wiebke's presentation, "Natural Boosters for the Immune System," highlighted the power of antioxidants in American pistachios. The Live talk announcing American pistachios' antioxidant news was viewed over 18,000 times.

On October 27, APG held a journalist event with Nutrition Expert Dr. Ramon Estruch, known as the father of the Mediterranean Diet. His presentation, "Antioxidants in American Pistachios," revealed the news that American pistachios have a high antioxidant capacity that rivals that of popular antioxidant-containing foods, including blueberries, pomegranates and red wine. Seventeen journalists from popular food and lifestyle magazines attended the event.

In September, APG collaborated with Italy's Men's Health magazine to promote American pistachios' antioxidant news, as well as their health and fitness benefits with APG Nutrition Expert Massimo Repetti and 4 popular food influencers.

Massimo Repetti explained the benefits of American pistachios as a post-workout snack, and influencers explained the importance of American pistachios in an athlete's diet as they shared their healthy pistachio recipes. The promotion was published on Men's Health magazine's website and social channels, and the influencers’ social channels.

In December, APG sponsored the 12th Annual Babbo Running Marathon, the largest run in Italy dedicated to Christmas. Over 4,700 runners participated in the Christmas marathon and received American pistachio sample packs along with literature about the benefits of American pistachios as a post-workout snack, as well as their antioxidant and complete protein benefits for active lifestyles.

In November and December, APG teamed up with Vogue, the most influential fashion magazine in South Korea, to promote the news that pistachios are an antioxidant powerhouse. Vogue posted about the antioxidant content in pistachios on their Instagram. The posts were viewed over 3.2 million times and garnered over 8,000 likes.

In October and November, APG collaborated with Sports Tak, a popular sports news YouTube channel in India, to promote American pistachios and their health benefits. The collaboration included advertisements, in-studio branding, product placements and exclusive influencer-led videos discussing the high antioxidant capacity of pistachios and their many health benefits. The promotion received more than 41 million views.

In December, APG held a journalist event with Nutrition Expert Pooja Makhija, best-selling author and renowned nutritionist of Bollywood celebrities and sports stars, who presented the many health benefits of American pistachios and the exciting news that pistachios are an antioxidant powerhouse. A special pistachio-inspired menu was curated for the event by Dhruv Oberoi, Executive Chef of Olive Bars & Kitchen. The event resulted in 15 media placements and 135 social media posts.

American pistachios were awarded the title of "Best Natural Food" at Clara magazine's Intelligent Consumption Awards Gala in Spain. Clara magazine is a popular women’s lifestyle magazine in Spain that offers a wealth of content ranging from fashion and cosmetics to diet and health.

APG held another series of "Virtual Harvest Tour and Chef Cook-Along" events in China. The Harvest Tour consisted of a virtual Chef Cook-Along with celebrity Chef Martin Yan and a month-long chef training class with ABC Cooking Studios. Over 370 journalists and influencers participated in the cook-along. The event APG collaborated with Huaxi Dushi Newspaper, a mainstream newspaper group in Sichuan Province, to launch "Pistachio Power Your Outdoor Workout Event" in Chengdu.

The workout collaboration consisted of 4 activities (frisbee, SUP, yoga and cycling), during which participants learned about the many health benefits of American pistachios. 140 sports enthusiasts participated in the event and 4 influencers shared their participation, along with the benefits of American pistachios as a post-workout snack, on social media. The event resulted in 50 media placements and received over 200 million views. generated 313 articles and was promoted by the influencers on their social media. The articles and posts were viewed 810 million times.

APG collaborated with Huaxi Dushi Newspaper, a mainstream newspaper group in Sichuan Province, to launch "Pistachio Power Your Outdoor Workout Event" in Chengdu. The workout collaboration consisted of 4 activities (frisbee, SUP, yoga and cycling), during which participants learned about the many health benefits of American pistachios. 140 sports enthusiasts participated in the event and 4 influencers shared their participation, along with the benefits of American pistachios as a post-workout snack, on social media. The event resulted in 50 media placements and received over 200 million views.


It's not a celebration without pistachios.

For all your celebrations this year, check out our pistachio-infused cocktails from mixologists from around the world. Cheers to pistachios!

In December, APG President Richard Matoian and APG Director of Government Relations Cadee Condit met with government organizations on various issues in Washington D.C.. They met with the Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, and requested a section 32 Bonus Buy of 40 million pounds of U.S. pistachios. The 2022 pistachios carryover amount is 354,298,580 pounds, the highest in U.S. pistachio history and up to 25% from the previous year. The pistachio industry is experiencing increased costs broadly across our farming input including fertilizer, fuel, labor, chemicals, transportation, harvest and water. A 2022 Bonus Buy would benefit the entire industry.

They also met with the Republican Congressional Appropriations Committee and legislative staff members from the offices of Congressman McCarthy, Congressman Valadao and Congressman Calvert regarding funding for the Naval Orange Worm (NOW) sterile fly release program. At minimum, funding for the NOW SIT program will be increased from $8.1 to $10.3 million; however, APG is seeking an additional $2 million for full implementation of the pilot sterile fly release program. APG has been a fierce advocate for Naval Orange Worm research. To date, APG has secured $25 million for the NOW research project.

In December, APG attended Arizona's Harvest Gathering and Meeting at the Wilcox Elks Lodge. APG President Richard Matoian provided Arizona grower members with a state of the industry update and APG Director of Membership Services, Wes Wilson, spoke about APG's 2023 Annual Conference. Cadee Condit, APG Director of Government Relations, updated growers on APG's governmental relations strategy and the importance of educating elected officials on both sides of the political aisle about the legislative issues impacting APG. The meeting concluded with APG members presenting longtime APG members Shirley and Steve Seplak, who are retiring, with a Proclamation from the Arizona State Legislature, to honor them for their service and commitment to APG and the agricultural industry.

NEWLY ELECTED

Jamie Bledsoe, Golden Genes, Inc.

John Heuler, A & P Ranch

Asha Munger, Munger Farms

Joel Perkins, Double J Farms

Rudy Placencia, Touchstone Pistachio Company

Gary R. Smith, Eriksson LLC

BOARD MEMBERS CURRENTLY SERVING
Ali Amin, Primex Farms William Bourdeau, Harris Farms Mia Cohen, Setton Farms Paul Huckabay, Keenan Farming Company Raj Kahlon, RHM Farms Rich Kreps, Lark Farms	Adam Kusmak, Tularosa Pistachio Groves Kristi Robinson, K. Robinson Farms Karun Samran, Bapu Farming Company Jake Sheely, Sheely Family Farms Dennis Woods, Woods Family Farms Jim Zion, LJL Farming LLC

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California
February 27 - March 1, 2023

MAKE YOUR HOTEL RESERVATIONS TODAY
AT THE WESTIN CARLSBAD RESORT & SPA

APG secured two hotels for the Pistachio Industry 2023 Annual Conference: the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa and the Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa. The Omni, the conference host hotel, is sold out. Rooms are available at the Westin, but they’re selling fast. Don't wait, book your reservations today!

The Westin is a quick 10-minute drive to the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa where the conference is being held. Transportation will be provided to the Omni for conference attendees who are guests at the Westin.

Robert H. Beede
UC Farm Advisor, Emeritus

Hallelujah!!! We have been abundantly blessed with LOTS of rain! I wish not to turn the Orchard Tips into a political platform, but the fact that there have been multiple flooding events statewide is more a reflection of man's poor judgment and failures of our state government to upgrade our water management infrastructure instead of building a super train to nowhere! Agriculturists have been after state leadership for DECADES to create new water storage facilities to capture heavy rainfall in years such as this! This was the very purpose of Pine Flat Dam in the Central Valley constructed in 1947 when America was rebuilding after WWII. On average, over 60% of the water used by cities and farms comes from rivers, and dams play a key role in REGULATING its supply. Two-thirds of California's dams are at least 50 years old. More than 90 dams need major upgrades to handle rainfall events such as the current one. Construction of Sites and Temperance Flat dams, and expansion of Pacheco and Los Vaqueros would boost reservoir storage by about 9%. These infrastructure improvements become increasingly important as our existing reservoirs lose storage capacity from siltation. ALL Californians, especially farmers, should use these flooding events to showcase the failed management by our state government in capturing as much water as possible during these high rainfall years. Had it not rained as hard as it has thus far, there would not be enough water to flush the toilets of our 39 million citizens! Our water struggles are NOT over! The state isn't going to lift groundwater overdraft restrictions! This current rain event will be forgotten in July when it's 1050F!

Northern California has received from 130 to 215% of their normal rainfall as of January 15, 2023, depending upon location. The Central Valley has received 145 to 243%. These very promising amounts still only represent about 60% and 80% of each region's TOTAL annual rainfall based on a 30-year average. So, there is no question it's wet-wet now, but if the atmospheric rivers were to stop, we would find ourselves surprisingly short of normal rainfall. A halt to the rain would also put the SEASONAL snowpack and water content, which the media presently describes as twice normal, at only slightly above AVERAGE. The Water Resources Department presently reports that our major reservoirs are only at 50% capacity. Thus, the idea suggested by the misinformed, that we should stop praying for rain, has no basis in fact!

As of January 9, many locations report 43-47 chill portions. This is slightly greater than last year at this time. Winters with excellent rest satisfaction have 62 chill portions by February 1; years with marginal rest have about 52. Chill accumulation is much like my rainfall comments; it ain't over until it's over! On December 27, 2022, we had 35-40 chill portions, depending upon location. This reflected the foggy days when daytime temperatures were not getting much above 450F. Those cold days accumulated chill portions at a rate 12-19% greater than last year. Since then, the rains have warmed up the daytime temperatures such that on January 9, we are only about 5% above 2022 in accumulation rate. Thus, if the rain stops and the sun shines for the latter half of January and early February, all the happy faces about this being a great chill year could turn to frowns! I am praying that does not happen because we have a tremendous flower bud count in all the orchards I have been in that would potentially provide lots of economic recovery for growers with a poor crop last year. More cold weather would also preserve the stored food in the trees to feed bud break, bloom, and shoot growth.

Research estimates Kerman requires about 60 chill portions by February 15 for complete rest; Peters, the most common male cultivar in Kerman orchards, has a higher chill requirement of about 65 chill portions. The higher requirement causes delayed Peters leaf out and bloom in marginal chill years, and reduces the probability of good set in the early Kerman bloom. Horticultural mineral oil (aka dormant oil) has been demonstrated in over 10 years of UC research trials to overcome inadequate winter chilling to some degree. Between February 15-21, application of 6 gallons of 470 oil in a spray solution of 100 gallons or more at 2mph will advance bud break and bloom by 7 to 10 days over untreated trees. The use of oil as a rest-breaking agent is not advised when chill portions are about 50 or less on February 15. This low chill level would suggest there has been sufficient warm weather to reduce the tree's stored carbohydrates to near "critical levels," which theoretically are further compromised by oil treatment due to increases in plant respiration. This discussion may seem overly technical to you, but the process of rest and manipulation of it in years of inadequate chill is complicated. Growers, who applied rest-breaking oil during the 2014-15 winter, suffered lower yields than those who did not. Subsequent discussions over the cause of this focused on the possible effect oil had on depleting stored carbohydrates below that of untreated trees from increased respiration. Observations of leaf out and bloom relative to chill accumulation patterns in the past 10 years suggests that chill portions occurring after February 15 are likely effective in satisfying pistachio rest because of its late leafing date. No research has been conducted to verify this hypothesis.

Dormex (hydrogen cyanamide, referenced as HC in this discussion) has received registration for use as a rest-breaking agent for pistachios. This is a Category One product that requires STRICT adherence to the label instructions to avoid worker safety problems. Individuals involved in its application CANNOT consume alcohol 24 hours BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER applying it. It also must be mixed and loaded using a closed system and applied with an enclosed cab tractor with an air filtration system. The decision to apply HC over oil will be driven by how inadequate your chill accumulation is on February 7. You may also find HC availability limited due to supply chain issues or demand. Those interested in possibly using HC should contact their crop consultant for pricing and availability.

We have no chill accumulation index to guide your decision on when to apply a rest-breaking agent. Research I conducted with David Demkey, formerly with Tejon Farming, in an 8-year-old Kerman orchard near the base of the Grapevine showed very positive effects with oil after only 550 chill hours; the untreated trees were almost 3 weeks behind the oil treated in leaf out and fruit development. Obviously, there is work to be done in assessing the effect of HC on pistachio performance after the accumulation of various chill portions, since a chill portion cannot be converted to chill hours using a simple factor; the actual temperature data must be used to calculate the chill portions. The Dormex brand of HC states not to apply it less than four weeks prior to natural bud break. My limited research with HC provided good results when applied in mid-February. By the way, I am NOT advising you to do anything! I am just telling you what I know. Application of rest-breaking agents is your call. Dormex is registered as a rest-breaking agent; oil is applied for soft scale management.

Recent research led by Dr. Barbara Blanco at UC Davis in conjunction with her graduate student, Jaclyn Adaskaveg, and Dr. Giulia Marino, UC Cooperative Extension Specialist at UC Kearney, supports my comments over the years about the importance of the date of bloom and spring temperatures on fruit set, nut development, and harvest ability. Insufficient chilling delays and extends pistachio bloom. It often results in reduced fruit set due to poor overlap between the males and females, as well as pollination of flowers past their peak period of pollen receptivity, which can end in failed fertilization.

Survey for gills mealy bug nymphs and soft scale. Learn more about these two pests and their treatment at the pistachio UCIPM website. Treat soft scale before the rubber stage!

You still have time to windrow the mummy nuts and destroy them by flail mowing or disking.

Now is a good time for your pre-emergent herbicide application in combination with contact materials if you did not do it earlier or perform split treatments for longer residual.

February is the time to perform BUDMON sampling for Botryospheria if infection levels are rising or problematic. This involves randomly collecting 100 flower buds from each quadrant of the orchard, placing them in a paper or plastic bag, and submitting them to a pathology laboratory. David Morgan, former research assistant to Dr. Michailiades, performs these tests on a fee for service basis. His phone number is: (559) 999-3029.

Happy Farming!