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Results of the survey of winemakers and growers

Wine producers optimistic

Winemakers are optimistic about the future. That's what the director of UC Davis Wine Studies Graduate School of Management director Robert Smiley found from a survey. He will share his findings this morning during the Wine Industry Financial Symposium. He said farmers are switching to different varietals. Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are not new, but are being planted extensively to meet increasing consumer demand. The survey also shows that a crop shortfall is expected this season, especially along the Central Coast where weather has been less than optimal.

New snacks available

Research scientists have developed a method to preserve all-fruit snack bars without artificial preservatives. The bars are made from organically grown apples and berries and stay fresh for up to 24 months. The snack bars are marketed under the Bear Fruit Bar name. The research work that led to the development of the techniques used to produce the snack bars was done at the Albany Calif. laboratory of the Agricultural Research Service. The product is now available in apple, apple-blueberry, apple-cherry and apple-raspberry.

Date growers report fruit quality good

Date growers are harvesting the majool variety now. It's about the usual start time for the early variety. Growers will be picking dates from now until December. This is the light year for the alternate bearing crop. The crop size has been estimated at about 20 million pounds, but that number may not be reached. Landscaping firms have been buying mature date trees, which takes them out of production, and there is no record of how many trees may have been sold. Farmers say the fruit quality this year is excellent as the growing season has been ideal, hot and dry.

California leads in floriculture production

California growers continue leading the nation in floriculture production, according to a government report. The value of the crops last year was $1.2 billion, about the same as in 2005. That amounts to about 26 percent of the nation's total floricultural production. Florida ranks second, Michigan third, Texas fourth and North Carolina fifth.

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