“Asian citrus psyllid is a huge concern,” Blakely concurs, and says it is partly due to the latency period. “From the time the tree is infected, it shows up three to five years later. By that time, if there are psyllids in the area, they continue to spread it before we even identify the tree.”
The psyllid is not as big of a problem in drier parts of the state according to Sutherland Produce’s Ford. “Our fruit primarily comes from the desert at this point, so right now it hasn’t been an issue for us. Dry climate foils the psyllid, but no zone is completely safe from it,” he says.
The current solution, Blakely posits, is to spray for the bugs. “We have products we’re using for other pests that also control psyllids. We’ve also begun organizing area-wide psyllid treatment programs where we organize the growers into small groups in a geographic area, and ask them to communicate with each other and coordinate their sprays at the same time. This prevents psyllids from just moving from grove to grove, gives a much better chance of impacting overall populations, and reducing total numbers.” Further, Blakely says there are some effective predators, such as the Tamarixia radiate, a tiny wasp, which “is being released in urban areas of Southern California.”
PEST MANAGEMENT: California has seen a sharp decline in the use of biopesticides.
False: According to Blakely, “California has a very aggressive integrated pest management (IPM) program.” The state uses a combination of predators and insecticides to minimize the number of sprays and chemicals applied to trees, particularly citrus. “California citrus growers only spray a fraction of the time that they do in Texas and Florida,” Blakely notes, partly due to climate differences.
Means says biopesticides have certainly been successful, but stresses that traditional pesticides have also become better in recent years. “Companies continue to develop new pesticides that go in, hit the target, and disintegrate into nothing,” she explains.
Kolb mentions that there are also growers who subscribe to organic agricultural practices and requirements, but are still conventional on paper. “They’re about as organic as an organic grower, but just lack the verification,” he says. “Natural forms of pesticides are on the rise. It’s 95 percent consumer-driven. The public wants to know how their food is grown,” he explains, “and more about pathogens. They want to know about the certification of food plants and farms.”
PROSPERING PORT: The Port of Long Beach is the third busiest port in North America.
False: According to the most recent figures we could find, Long Beach has leapt ahead of New York/New Jersey to become North America’s second busiest port. Tonnage grew by over 11 percent from 2012 to 2013, putting Long Beach a smidge under reigning champ Los Angeles.
