Resilience and Adaptation: Collaborative Efforts Secure Tomato Supply in California

Tomato planting in California for the 2024 season is nearing completion. Despite minor weather-related interruptions, most growers have managed to stay close to their planting schedules. Fortunately, California tomato growers have not faced severe weather conditions this season, allowing them to focus on other pressing issues.

This year, a new rule banning the use of neonicotinoids on flowering plants has come into effect, impacting processing tomatoes and other crops. Traditionally, many tomato growers in the southern region of the state have used this insecticide in greenhouses before transplanting to protect young plants from sugar beet leafhoppers, which are vectors for the curly top virus. This virus is lethal to tomato plants (See Figure 1).

In early April, Kern County, one of California's southernmost growing regions, declared a local emergency to protect its 8,000 to 10,000 acres of processing tomatoes by permitting the application of neonicotinoid pesticides if leafhoppers posed a significant threat. Northern counties with similar leafhopper issues have followed suit or are in the process of declaring emergencies. However, good annual grass growth from recent rains has helped minimize the spread of leafhopper host plants.

News of these emergency declarations and the use of neonicotinoids has raised concerns among some customers about supply reliability. However, these declarations are precautionary safety measures.

As summer approaches, another top priority for California growers is addressing the reemergence of the invasive branched broomrape weed. This parasitic plant attaches to roots underground and can spread rapidly. In response to a severe infestation in the Sacramento Valley in the late 1950s, an industry-led effort funded by a marketing order program, which included fumigation and intensive surveys, successfully mitigated the problem. With the weed's reemergence, ongoing research in California and other countries is focused on treatment and eradication. Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross has appointed a committee that held its first meeting in mid-May to develop a strategic plan to control or eliminate broomrape in California.

Morning Star, a prominent player in the industry, is actively involved in preventing and controlling these invasive species. It is important to note that these issues are currently isolated to specific regions. This geographical diversity in sourcing regions is one of the many reasons Morning Star can mitigate potential supply disruptions. If one growing region faces challenges, they can source raw products from other regions, ensuring a stable supply.

While growing tomatoes in California is not without its challenges, the proactive measures and collaboration among growers and industry allies provide confidence that the tomato supply in California will meet customer demand.