Summertime is fresh strawberry time, and like is the case with so many other crops, California leads the nation in strawberry production.
A few amazing facts about strawberry production in California:
- 400+ growers, shippers and processors, grow 90% of U.S.-grown strawberries, many on multi-generational family-owned farms.
- 70,000 jobs created.
- Jobs in upwards of 30 different sectors — from on the farm to manufacturing, delivery, distribution, even research & education.
- 97 cents of every farm dollar goes back into the community.
Strawberries also are a significant contributor to California’s $50 billion in annual agriculture revenue. They’re the third highest grossing crop in the Golden State, bringing in $3.2 billion annually.
Science and technology have played a major role in growing the strawberry industry, from farm to fork, in California. For example, today strawberries are harvested throughout the year in what has become an extended season. Depending on the weather, peak California strawberry season begins in early spring and runs all the way through fall.
This year has been a challenge for growers but they aren’t letting that keep them – or their strawberry crops – down. The heavy atmospheric river-caused rain this winter and spring flooded the state’s strawberry fields, which put a damper on part of the strawberry season. The California Strawberry Commission says about $100 million in crop loss damage was done.
The heavy rains and unseasonably cool weather in the state resulted in a slow recovery for strawberry growers. It’s also resulted in larger-sized California strawberries than normally is the case – at least up until June – that some people say don’t taste quite as good as famous California strawberries are famous for tasting.
Here’s what happened in a nutshell: Damaged plants had smaller leaves to absorb sunlight and photosynthesize. And with more cloud cover and less sunlight, the plants retained excess water and stored energy in starch reserves, affecting both their size and their flavor.
As of mid-June though the California strawberries being harvested, truckloads of which I recently viewed at the San Francisco Produce Market, look no different than previous year’s crops – and they taste delicious.
I also keep in contact with a number of supermarket produce department retail buyers who said they and their customers are happy with the California strawberries available in their stores throughout the state.
Like agriculture in general, California strawberry growers will have to adapt to climate change. The drought over the last few years and the excessive rains this winter and spring have made it pretty clear that the climate is warming and that farming will be affected significantly.
Sustainability also is a major issue for the California strawberry industry, particularly the use of pesticides in conventional growing.
Organic has been a fast-growing segment in California strawberries largely because of the pesticide issue. In addition to being the major producer of conventional strawberries in the nation, California also is the leading producer of organic strawberries. California strawberry farmers grow more organic strawberries than anywhere else in the world, including the other 49 U.S. states combined. One in four strawberry farmers in California grow both conventional and organic strawberries.
The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization, publishes a list annually, the “Dirty Dozen” list, of the top 12 fresh produce items it says its research shows have the highest measurable levels of pesticide residue. Strawberries top that list most years.
The “Dirty Dozen” list gets widespread publicity in the media and although it hasn’t caused a decrease in strawberry sales overall it has pushed many consumers to purchase organic strawberries rather than conventional. The industry has complied with the increased demand by expanding organic strawberry acreage.
The industry and growers are addressing the pesticide issue though as a key priority as part of its sustainability initiative.
For example, many conventional growers have adopted various sustainable practices to reduce the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. These practices include: hand weeding, which reduces chemical herbicide use; using mechanical bug vacuums, which suck up harmful insects and reduce pesticide use; releasing ladybugs and other beneficial insects into strawberry fields as the first line of defense; the use of fish emulsion and other more “natural” compounds in order to reduce the use of chemical fertilizer.
Water conservation also is at the top of the sustainability and resource conservation agenda for California strawberry growers. The industry and growers were one of the earliest adopters of drip irrigation, which “drips” over the root ball of the strawberry plant instead of spraying water in the air like spray-watering does. Much of the water from sprinklers evaporates before hitting the ground. Water drops (drip irrigation) also land in a larger pattern on leaves and dirt in the alleys between rows where the precious resource evaporates before it can nourish the crop. Plastic mulch is placed over the beds which prevents direct evaporation from the soil. The blanket also absorbs the sun’s energy which warms the top layers of soil and keeps pests under control. The insulated soil stays warm at night which enables young plants to establish quickly.
Strawberries are becoming increasingly popular not only because they taste delicious but also because of their health benefits. Strawberries are high in vitamin C and contain fiber, folate, and potassium. Clinical research suggests that strawberries have numerous health benefits for people, including potentially improved heart and brain health, reduced risk of some cancers, and better management of type 2 diabetes.
The California Strawberry Commission’s “8-A–Day” program – eat just 8 strawberries a day to improve your health – is one of the better commodity programs out there and has gained support from physicians, dieticians and eaters alike. It’s also helping to increase sales of California strawberries and strawberries in general.
Strawberries are now available year-round because Mexico, like neighboring California, has become a major producer. This hasn’t hurt sales of California strawberries though. The brand is strong, including not just in the U.S. but in neighboring countries like Canada, which is a huge importer of California strawberries.
I expect the $3.2 billion annual California strawberry crop to continue growing in both dollar sales and popularity. The challenges are great but the opportunity is even greater.
My Job Depends on Ag Magazine columnist and contributing editor Victor Martino is an agrifood industry consultant, entrepreneur and writer. One of his passions and current projects is working with farmers who want to develop their own branded food products. You can contact him at: victormartino415@gmail.com.
