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It's no secret that Amer- icans eat a lot of pizza. In fact, around 13 percent of the country is eating a slice or two on any given day, according to a recent report from the Agriculture Department. It all adds up to a lot of calories: On an average day, the report notes, pizza provides 6 percent of the total caloric intake for American children and 4 percent for American adults. But there's also a subtle policy angle here. Pizza is popular because it's deli- cious. But the roaring suc- cess of pizza isn't entirely a free-market story. "In recent years, [the USDA] has spent many millions of dollars to increase pizza consumption among U.S. children and adults," Parke Wilde of Tufts University wrote on his U.S. Food Policy blog. He's referring to the USDA's "dairy checkoff program," which levies a small fee on milk (15 cents for every hundredweight of milk sold or used in dairy products) and raised about $202 million in 2011. The agency uses that money to promote products such as milk and cheese. And, it turns out, pizza. The USDA claims its checkoff program has been well worth it: For every $1 it spends on increasing cheese demand, it esti- mates that farmers get $4.43 in additional rev- enue. But the results have been mixed. Milk con- sumption has declined in recent decades, while cheese consumption has soared. The program also helps pizzamakers, which use one-quarter of the nation's cheese. A 2010 USDA report detailed how Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), a corporation funded by these government checkoff fees, spent $35 million in a partnership with Domino's to boost pizza sales. "According to Patrick Doyle, President and CEO of Domino's Pizza, 'DMI support has allowed us to focus some advertising dollars on areas we would not have considered other- wise. The Wisconsin 6 Cheese pizza has twice the cheese of a regular pizza, but we had neither devel- oped nor advertised such a product. DMI helped fund the research and media to launch this product," according to the 2010 USDA report. That report also chroni- cled how the dairy check- off program also worked with McDonald's to launch McCafe specialty coffees and three new burgers with two slices of cheese on them. It also helped Yoplait develop new yogurt-chip technology. The program was renewed in the most recent farm bill. So what's the problem? Critics of this program often note that efforts to promote fruits and vegeta- bles haven't received near- ly the same level of support as dairy and meat products (a few fruits do have their own checkoff programs, including blueberries and watermelons, but not many). That imbalance doesn't explain the popu- larity of pizza, obviously, but it's one extra unseen force at work. Band Canker Confirmed band canker infections are on the rise in California Almonds in recent years and can be particularly damaging to 1- to 5-year- old trees. While there is no known chemical cure, growers can take steps to protect young trees from infection through cultural practices. Canker is a disease caused by eight species o f B o t r y o s p h a e r i a t h a t infect young trees under 5 years old through pruning wounds and growth cracks. Infections can also be caused by shaker injury or wind cracks at the base of scaffolds, which can cause them to break. UC plant pathologist Themis Michailides says growers should check orchards for signs of infection. Blackened gumming on trunks indi- cates previous infections of canker, while new infections will produce amber-colored balls of gumming in trunks or scaffolds of trees. Michailides said since there are no chemical controls for canker, focus should be on preventing infections from starting, and when you see signs of infection, removing infected limbs. A simple prevention strategy in young orchards is to make sure sprinklers do not wet trunks of trees. "If you have sprin- klers, installing a splitter that prevents wetting trunks can reduce infec- tion by 50%," Michailides said. "Infect- ed limbs should be removed, and when you decide to remove an infected tree, you should remove the entire tree; don't leave stumps or dis- eased wood in the orchard, as these are a source of spore inocula." He also recommends avoiding shaker wounds and pruning when condi- tions are dry, and avoid- ing pruning near a rain event. Disease occurs more near riparian areas such as rivers, canals and sloughs. Pruning here first provides an opportu- nity to spot initial infec- tions. Generally, Michailides said, when canker infec- tions appear in the trunk of 1- to 5-year-old trees, the tree has a 50-50 chance of survival. If the foliage of an infected tree looks green and healthy, the tree will survive; if the foliage looks chlorot- ic, it is likely the tree will not survive. Growers will have to decide whether to remove the infected tree or wait and see. Bacterial Spot Bacterial spot, caused by a bacterium (Xan- t h o m o n a s arboricola pv. pruni), is another spring disease showing up with a high incidence in many Cali- fornia Almond orchards. Last year, the disease cre- ated a critical situation in some orchards in Colusa, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties, leading to significant fruit loss. The Fritz variety of almonds is very suscepti- ble, but isolations have been made on a number of other varieties, which are not as severely affect- ed. A high degree of wet- ness from rainfall or sprinkler irrigation is favorable for infections. In-season symptoms include numerous fruit lesions that develop amber gumming and result in excessive fruit drop. Leaf spots and defoliation are also symp- toms of the disease. February is a good time to observe if the dis- ease was present in orchards last year. Look for infections on blos- soms. Unusual lesions on blossoms can be attrib- uted to several things, but if brown rot sprays have been made and there are still unusual lesions, con- tact your local farm advi- sor. Symptoms of the dis- ease from the previous season can also be found as raised, circular bumps on fruit mummies still attached to the tree. These lesions have high levels of the pathogenic bacteri- um; in fact, mummy sani- tation is a key component of control. Twig lesions and contaminated buds are also overwintering sites. UC plant pathologists Jim Adaskaveg and Themis Michailides and UC farm advisors Brent Holtz (San Joaquin), David Doll (Merced) and Roger Duncan (Stanis- laus) have done much to characterize the extent and nature of this disease in California Almonds; however, management strategies used on other crops in some areas of the U.S., as well as on almonds in Australia, need to be investigated and adapted for Califor- nia. UC Riverside plant pathologist Adaskaveg is leading Almond Board–funded research investigating dormant and springtime applications with bactericides. This work should soon offer California-specific rec- ommendations, but for now, UC personnel are basing their advice on experiences in Australia, where bacterial spot was first confirmed in 1994–95, and on informa- tion from stone fruit crops in the southeastern United States, where the disease has been endemic for many years. As this is a relatively new, emerging disease, questions should be directed to UC farm advi- sors. Brown Rot With the broad effica- cy and reachback of today's fungicides, grow- ers can hold off on brown rot bloom sprays until full bloom in drier weather, and get by with a single — or perhaps no applica- tion — depending on weather conditions and location. Delaying fungicide treatments to when 40% to 80% of the flowers are open under drier condi- tions can save on fungi- cide applications and also help reduce exposure to foraging bees during pol- lination, while still get- ting excellent brown rot blossom blight control and coverage for other spring diseases, says Adaskaveg. Growers can minimize exposure of bees and pollen to sprays by avoid- ing applications when pollen is available and bees are foraging. This normal- ly is best accomplished by spraying after mid-after- noon and at night. "We have reviewed fungicide efficacy data, and with today's efficacy in both pre- and post- infection activity, we can be more discriminatory about our applications," Adaskaveg said. "If rain is not in the forecast, you can hold off on your sprays until 40% to 80% bloom in the northern part of the state, and get by with a single spray, and in the south, get by with per- haps no spray at all." Adaskaveg said that given the excellent effica- cy of today's fungicides, recommendations are moving away from an early pink-bud applica- tion at 5% bloom toward a delayed single applica- tion under less favorable conditions for disease. 8A Daily News – Saturday, February 15, 2014 www.redbluff.mercy.org /veincare Get a Leg up on Your Health With the St. Elizabeth Center for Vein Care. Call anytime 888-628-1948 for a referral for varicose vein treatment options redbluff.mercy.org/veincare 900 Jackson St. • 527-1833 Lic. #0530362 Home Auto Farm Commercial www.andy4ins.com ANDY HOUGHTON Insurance Agency Motorcycle Boat RV Life www.tehamafamilyfitness.com Tehama Family Fitness Center 2498 South Main St. Red Bluff • 528-8656 Single $ 199 Couple $ 299 Family of 3 only $ 349 Don't let your refund go to waist! 5 Month Membership Specials One month unlimited tanning only $ 25+tax *2 month tan limit per person * must be 18 to tan. *Standard monthly rate option available upon promo expiration. Saigon Bistro NEW BUFFET Lunch Express American & International Food Lunch Buffet Wed-Sat 11 - 2:30 DINNER BUFFET Fri-Sat 5pm-8pm Biscuits & Gravy, Meatloaf, Salad Bar, Sushi, Gumbo, Cajun Shrimp, Sandwiches, Fruit Salad and more Wine & Beer - Catering available 723 Walnut St. Red Bluff • 528-9670 100 Jackson Street, Red Bluff (530) 529-1220 First 50 new members $ 25 .00 month Call or Come In for details Lassen House 705 Luther Road, Red Bluff (530) 529-2900 www.Emeritus.com Respite Care There are serveral reasons to take advantage of short term respite care From Emeritus Three almond diseases to watch out for this spring USDA looks to add more slices to your life CSU, Chico and Butte College Field Day The California State University, Chico College of Agriculture and the Butte College Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources will host their annual FFA Field Day on March 1, at the CSU, Chico University Farm, Butte College campus and CSU, Chico main campus. The field day will give more than a thousand high school students from across California and into Ore- gon an opportunity to demonstrate their communica- tion skills, technical competence and leadership skills through various competitions. More than 2,300 stu- dents are currently registered to compete in 22 differ- ent contests. Contests that the students will compete in include livestock judging, agriculture mechanics, agriculture sales, agriculture pest control and many more. Field Day is facilitated by college staff and facul- ty, volunteers, and students. CSU, Chico student and 2014 field day co-chairwoman Ashley Pipkin is excit- ed to see the event come together. "This year we have a leadership team of 27 stu- dents that have been meeting all semester to pull this event together," Pipkin said. "Aside from our team, hundreds of students, staff, and volunteers dedicate their time and energy to putting on these contests for FFA students every year. Contests like these help mold high school students into hardworking, dedicat- ed, and responsible individuals. That alone will make all our hard work worth it." At the end of the day after the completion of the contests, the competitors will move into the Universi- ty Farm Pavilion to await the announcement of the results. Many FFA chapters will go on to state finals based on their placings at these contests. Awards and the overall event are made possible through sponsors who will receive recognition in the field day program, on the sponsorship board in the pavilion, and in our advertisement in the Chico Enterprise Record. For more information on how to become a sponsor, send an email to Sarah DeForest at sdeforest@csuchico.edu.