Peach Harvest Heat and Dairy Industry Evolves
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**California clingstone peach growers are working to harvest the season’s crop before high temperatures lead to overripe fruit and bruising.
Merced County farmer Mark Cederlind says he’s starting crews at daybreak to pick his extra-early Carson variety, which is among dozens that will ripen throughout the season for the canning and frozen markets.
Growers are expected to produce over 242,000 tons of peaches for canned and frozen markets this year, up 10% from last year.
**The U.S. dairy industry has evolved during the past 20 years, with fewer dairy farms producing more milk.
The USDA’s Economic Research Service says this raised questions about how dairy farms have changed in size, location, use of advanced technology, and cost of production.
An ERS report found moderate shifts in dairy farm locations have occurred between 2020 and 22, with Texas and Idaho gaining production share while California lost some.
**The USDA’s latest Food Price Outlook says inflation for 2024 will be less than half of the pace set in 2023.
This year, the USDA says prices for all food are predicted to increase 2.2%, down from 5.8% last year.
Food-at-home prices are predicted to increase 1%, and food-away-from-home prices are expected to increase 4.3%.
2025 food prices are expected to increase slower than historical averages.
