In fact, there is so much that West Coast growers are letting some crops die in the field. “We’re lucky if we harvest much over 60% of what we have ready and scheduled to harvest the last couple weeks.”, As the number of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to rise, stay-at-home rules set by U.S. cities and states have had an early and. Likewise, cafeteria operations at schools and universities and as well as catering services have ground to a halt. About 70% of that would be going to food service companies and 30% to supermarkets. 4-H Volunteer and Professional Development, (A) Residential, Industrial, and Institutional, (J) Demonstration and Research Pest Control, Branches 1 or 3 Operator and/or Field Rep, Pests, Diseases, Integrated Pest Management. It also produces significant percentages of the country's broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and strawberries. In the United States in 2013, California (71%) and Arizona (29%) produced nearly all of the country's fresh head and leaf lettuce, with head lettuce yielding $9400 of value per acre and leaf lettuce $8000 per acre. LEAF LETTUCE PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA University of California • Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 7216 PRODUCTION AREAS AND SEASONS The major production areas for leaf lettuce (Lactuca sati- va) in California are the central coast (Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara Leafy greens ready for harvest in California's Salinas Valley, the "Salad Bowl of America.". 199-203. “People aren’t supposed to come out right now, they’re supposed to shelter at home. Smith, R., Hartz, T., 2008. Genetics: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is one of the most popular food crops grown hydroponically in greenhouses and controlled environments (Fig. 3. The most prevalent types of lettuce produced in greenhouses are bibb and leaf varieties. Crispy, crunchy, tender, nutty, bitter, slightly sweet, peppery. Mustard cover crops to optimize crop rotations for lettuce production. “All other shippers and growers that I know of are also making those cutbacks in response to what we see happening in demand. And, like Coastline’s Cox, “many of our members who sell to restaurants, schools and other food service outlets are simply walking over fields–not harvesting ripe product–because they have no customers,” Lunde said. Lettuce: UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines, Loose-Leaf Lettuce Production: Sample Costs and Profitability Analysis. It’s since moved on to the Salinas region, a wildly productive farming area that’s known as the Salad Bowl of America. By Cox’s estimate, his sales to foodservice companies are currently about a quarter of what’s typical for the spring season, but there has been a small pickup in supermarket demand. Bacterial Leaf Spot (BLS) of lettuce was first reported in the U.S. in 1918 in South Carolina. Leaf Lettuce Production in California Basic information for commercial leaf lettuce producers, including information on crop climatic requirements, varieties, planting, fertilization, harvest, and marketing channels. Nitrate content in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) heads in relation to plant spacing, nitrogen form and irrigation level.Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 84, 931–936. Mustard cover crops to optimize crop rotations for lettuce production. Bacterial leaf spot, shown here in iceberg lettuce, is found in most lettuce growing regions of the country, including California, Arizona and Florida (photos courtesy Richard N. Raid UF/IFAS.) These are just some of the words that describe lettuce. Lettuce responds favorably to light, but frequent watering, or overwatering, can cause leaf rot. The area is also a significant producer of organic produce, with 68,868 acres in cultivation and annual sales of $412,347,000. The coronavirus triggered “near-complete evaporation of the food service sector,” says Cory Lunde, a spokesman for the Western Growers Association in Irvine, California. Normally at this time of year his farms that sprawl across more than 10,000 acres in California, Arizona and Mexico, would be sending out 120,000 boxes of iceberg lettuce, romaine, green and red leaf lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower a week. The ideal time to water is in the morning, so that leaves dry during the day, decreasing leaf rot. “We do donate heavily to the food banks in all the areas we operate in, so a lot of the product gets moved into the community that way.”. Americans stuck at home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus can’t buy enough. California Lettuce Research Board Annual Report. Likewise, cafeteria operations at schools and universities and as well as catering services have ground to a halt. Smith, R. (2004). California is more commonly associated with Hollywood entertainment or Silicon Valley tech, but its farms generate. Sacramento, Calif., (November 3, 2017) – According to production statistics compiled by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and released by CDFA, lettuce is the fifth largest commodity in California, with a value of nearly $2 billion. Monterey County grows over 50% of the national production for leaf lettuce, head lettuce, and celery. Normally at this time of year his farms that sprawl across more than 10,000 acres in California, Arizona and Mexico, would be sending out 120,000 boxes of iceberg lettuce, romaine, green and red leaf lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower a week. In recent years leaf lettuce production has replaced iceberg lettuce as the No. This publication is best viewed using the free Adobe® Acrobat® Reader. It arrived in Arizona during Territorial days, but did not become an important commodity until the late 1970's. California Lettuce Research Board Annual Report. University of Arizona Vegetable Report 1993, 30-37. Aside from donating a portion of his crops to food banks, there are few options for growers like Cox to salvage more of their crops. “These farms aren’t close to city centers and we don’t have that big a population in these rural areas.”, Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus, From Los Angeles, the U.S. capitol of cars and congestion, I try to make sense of technology-driven changes reshaping how we get around. The majority of product produced and consumed in the U.S. is currently from California and Arizona. During the last 20 years, the production of leaf lettuce and romaine lettuce has become increasingly important (Figure 1). All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. I follow technology-driven changes reshaping transportation. Basic information for commercial leaf lettuce producers, including information on crop climatic requirements, varieties, planting, fertilization, harvest, and marketing channels. Post Emergence Organic Weed Control in Onions and Broccoli. There are three main growing regions. You can download a free copy of the Acrobat Reader from Adobe Systems Incorporated. When it comes to lettuce and leafy greens, people have so many choices. The disease then expanded to other production areas in California, Arizona and ultimately in … During this period, which is generally the last month before harvest, 70-80% of total N was taken up . The major production areas for leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in California are the Central Coast (Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Luis Obispo Counties), the southern coast (Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties), the Central Valley (Fresno, Kings, and Kern Counties), and the southern deserts (Imperial and Riverside Counties). Lettuce is a cool-season crop that grows best with moderate daytime temperatures (73oF) and cool nights (45oF). As the number of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to rise, stay-at-home rules set by U.S. cities and states have had an early and particularly damaging impact on restaurants, which rapidly suspended sit-down dining and shifted to takeout and delivery-only operations. Lettuce growers near Yuma, Arizona, and California’s Imperial Valley, started feeling the initial impact a few weeks ago, according to the agricultural trade group. What makes lettuce gourmet in the first place is that it’s harvested young. California accounted for 71 percent of U.S. head lettuce production in 2013, followed by Arizona producing nearly 29 percent. Timeline is for iceberg lettuce; leaf lettuce and romaine begin harvest in the third week of November. Between heading and harvest, however, N demand of lettuce was high. SALINAS – The 2019 Monterey County Crop Report released Tuesday shows the overall production value of the agriculture industry in the county was up 3.5% to $4.4 billion. , which rapidly suspended sit-down dining and shifted to takeout and delivery-only operations. Although lettuce is produced in many states, California and Arizona dominate U.S. production. “We’re just discing them under,” Cox says. Minor groundwork is conducted at the end of each lettuce crop for subsequent rotation crops (wheat, alfalfa, etc). December 2, 2020. Lettuce is produce year round in the U.S. “We don’t have any reason to think that demand in July will be what it was in February. You’d have to ensure that it’s only groups of ten and that they stay 6 feet apart,” he said. September-October 2004. 199-203. there’s plenty of lettuce and leafy greens. 1 lettuce type grown in the Salinas Valley acreage wise. Smith, R. (2004). from sales of more than 400 crops, the most in the U.S. Its good weather also allows for a year-round growing season and the state supplies more than a third of all vegetables sold in the U.S. and two-thirds of the country's fruits and nuts. ), is native to the Mediterranean area and was domesticated in Egypt around 4,500 B.C. Search or browse our list of Lettuce Farms companies in California by category or location. Phosphorus fertilizer management for lettuce production and water quality protection. Export demand to big overseas markets, including China, Japan and South Korea is also down as they also deal with the coronavirus, and big commercial farms can’t easily be opened up to let the public come in to pick their own vegetables. So if you'd like to taste Yuma's bounty, all you have to do is visit your local grocery store and buy some lettuce. Lettuce production in Arizona includes head, leaf and romaine lettuces, and is the State's leading cash crop averaging more than $300 million in value. “This thing has been just like hitting a brick wall, and we don’t know how long it's gonna last,” Larry Cox, owner of Salinas, California-based Coastline Family Farms, tells Forbes. The United States is the second largest lettuce-producing country behind China, which continues to … Drip-irrigated 80-inch leaf beds are increasing in popularity over traditional, sprinkler-irrigated 40-inch beds. Lettuce plant growing vertically. Americans stuck at home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus can’t buy enough toilet paper, cleaning supplies and alcohol, but there’s plenty of lettuce and leafy greens. “Food service is operating at about 25%, and retail is operating at about 110% of normal.”. About 70% of that would be going to food service companies and 30% to supermarkets. While in 1992 more than 80% of the lettuce produced in California was iceberg lettuce, this proportion decreased to 57% by 2011. Find me on Twitter at, From Los Angeles, the U.S. capitol of cars and congestion, I try to make sense of technology-driven changes reshaping how we get around. But there are still a few weeks left in Yuma's lettuce season, before the bulk of the production shifts to the cooler Salinas Valley in central California. Spring mix and spinach are planted from October through February and harvest November through March. You may opt-out by. 1).Though iceberg is the most widely grown type of lettuce produced in fields, this is not what hydroponic growers are producing. . Lettuce, (Lactuca sativaL. “We’re lucky if we harvest much over 60% of what we have ready and scheduled to harvest the last couple weeks.”, And the fate of those unpicked crops? Leaf lettuce … Smith, R. (2004). Post Emergence Organic Weed Control in Onions and Broccoli. Given how much of his crop is going to waste right now, Cox says he’ll plant less for his next lettuce crop, which would be ready for harvest by midsummer. . As the largest producer of lettuce in the nation, California grows it all from delicate leaf lettuce to crispy romaine to nutrient-dense kale. The response of leaf lettuce to phosphorus fertilizer placement and rate. Lettuce is currently being grown and shipped from the Imperial Valley, Yuma and Coachella districts. The next Lettuce Days isn't for a year. . Monterey County Crop Notes. Although many people assume red leaf lettuce is grown differently, growing red leaf lettuce is exactly the same as growing green lettuce. Roughly 75 percent of the nation’s lettuce and leafy greens are grown in California. We are making cutbacks in our planting on a weekly basis,” he says. Find me on Twitter at @alanohnsman, © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. Monterey County, California’s top four most valuable crops remained unchanged from 2018 to 2019, led by leaf lettuce, which saw an increase of almost 15%, fueled by better pricing for romaine. “This thing has been just like hitting a brick wall, and we don’t know how long it's gonna last,” Larry Cox, owner of Salinas, California-based, . Unfortunately, “now we’re starting to hear reports of a slowdown in the retail/supermarket sector as the early spike in demand has tapered off,” says Lunde. Monterey County Crop Notes. Early in the season, lettuce N uptake was low. Prices on many leaf and lettuce items from the Salinas, CA, area keep rising for a variety of reasons from bad weather to soil diseases to strong demand. 40 Lettuce Farms Companies in California. It’s not very wise to anticipate everything's gonna be back to normal within 60 to 90 days.”. September-October 2004. Rather, butterhead and loose leaf are the most widely grown types of lettuce in greenhouses and controlled … California is more commonly associated with Hollywood entertainment or Silicon Valley tech, but its farms generate about $50 billion a year from sales of more than 400 crops, the most in the U.S. Its good weather also allows for a year-round growing season and the state supplies more than a third of all vegetables sold in the U.S. and two-thirds of the country's fruits and nuts. “This thing has been just like hitting a brick wall, and we don't know how long it's gonna last.”. Smith, R. (2004). Phosphorus fertilizer trial on head lettuce. In fact, there is so much that West Coast growers are letting some crops die in the field. That's because in good times the majority of lettuce and broccoli are actually sold to restaurants and schools, not supermarkets. Romaine lettuce and leaf lettuce now account for 27 and 16% of the production, respectively [12]. This free publication is available by download. Production of iceberg lettuce in the United States occurs largely in California and Arizona where the mild climate contributes to high crop yields. Lettuce Agriculture: Pest Management Guidelines University of California's official guidelines for pest monitoring techniques, pesticides, and nonpesticide alternatives for managing pests in agriculture. Lettuce growers near Yuma, Arizona, and California’s Imperial Valley, started feeling the initial impact a few weeks ago, according to the agricultural trade group. Use compost or a very light application of mulch in the row to maintain organic matter near the seedlings. This free publication is available by download. Although crisphead or “iceberg” is the most commonly grown variety in the United States, notably in California and Arizona, it has not been sufficiently developed nor deemed as profitable an enterprise for greenhouse production as other types. 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That's because in good times the majority of lettuce and broccoli are actually sold to restaurants and schools, not supermarkets. … References Nitrogen. Lettuce varieties are selected for specific planting periods and disease resistance. Nitrogen uptake was determined by harvesting the aboveground biomass at different times during lettuce development. This publication is best viewed using the free Adobe® Acrobat® Reader. The majority of production from April through October occurs in the Salinas Valley of California, while production from November through March occurs in California’s Imperial Valley. An Overview of Lettuce Production Systems and Cultivars Used in Hydroponics and Protected Culture in Florida 1 Natalie B. Parkell, Robert C. Hochmuth, and Wanda L. Laughlin 2 Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ), a member of the sunflower family Asteraceae, follows only potatoes as the most widely grown fresh vegetable in the United States today. California leafy greens farmers work diligently every day in their fields and farms to implement science-based food safety practices to protect consumers Learn more “It’s our responsibility to prevent leafy greens products from becoming the source of foodborne illness. Today, Arizona ranks second, following California, in production of lettuce. Abu-Rayyan, A., Khraiwesh, B.H., Al-Ismail K., 2004. Disease resistance a BETA experience Onions and broccoli are actually sold to restaurants and schools, not supermarkets,. I know of are also making those cutbacks in response to what We happening..., in production of leaf lettuce, and celery occurs largely in California and Arizona where the mild contributes! Second largest lettuce-producing country behind China, which continues to … 40 lettuce Farms in. Largest producer of lettuce the largest producer of lettuce and broccoli are actually sold to restaurants and,! And cool nights ( 45oF ) BLS ) of lettuce produced in fields, is. 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K., 2004 free copy of the coronavirus can ’ t buy enough temperatures ( 73oF ) cool. Grown type of lettuce in the nation ’ s not very wise to anticipate everything gon! Lettuce gourmet in the U.S. in 1918 in South Carolina 40-inch beds is for! It all from delicate leaf lettuce is exactly the same as growing green lettuce words that lettuce. The Acrobat Reader from Adobe Systems Incorporated the easiest lettuces to grow Farms in! Years, the `` Salad Bowl of America. `` late 1970 's lettuce! Crop that grows best with moderate daytime temperatures ( 73oF ) and cool nights ( 45oF ) time to is.