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2 CapitalPress.com Friday, February 5, 2021 People & Places ‘Avocado Man’ faces foreign competition By JULIA HOLLISTER For the Capital Press EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER Established 1928 SANTA PAULA, Calif. — Organic avocado and citrus grower Will Brokaw says he is glad to see 2020 gone, but concerns remain. “The biggest challenge for me and other fruit grow- ers is foreign competition that is driving prices down,” he said. “Up until the early 1990s, domestic avocado production enjoyed com- plete protection from for- eign imports. Now different countries have been allowed to start exporting avocados into all 50 states. First was Chile, then the super-be- hemoth Mexico and then Peru.” Previously, California avocados were regularly exported throughout the world, but now Mexico pro- vides 90% of the domestic supply. Brokaw’s parents, Hank and Ellen Brokaw, started the 200-acre ranch in 1967. About 150 acres are devoted to avocados and the rest grow a wide variety of spe- cialty fruits. Most of the avocados and specialty fruit are sold in the commercial market, in direct competition with imports, and at farmers markets. While it’s true that there are a lot more avocado eat- ers today in the world, Bro- kaw said the scary thing is that there are vast acres of newly planted avocado groves in Central and South Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................... Editor & Publisher Western Innovator WILL BROKAW Hometown: Santa Paula, Calif. Occupation: Fruit grow- er, manages all farmers market and direct restau- rant sales. Gary Yost/CUESA Will Brokaw, co-owner of Brokaw Ranch in California’s Ventura County, grows 150 acres of avocados in addition to other fruits. America that haven’t even started producing. According to Lulu Meyer, CUESA’s director of oper- ations, Brokaw Ranch has had its fair share of difficul- ties over the past few years. In addition to the flood of overseas competition, wild- fires ravaged much of their orchards in 2017, forcing them to replant. CUESA operates the farmers market at the San Francisco ferry terminal, one of several Brokaw frequents. Then the global pan- demic hit in 2020 and many restaurants were shut down, causing a tremendous loss of sales for farms like Brokaw Ranch. Brokaw used the pan- demic as an opportunity to innovate. He changed his approach to direct con- sumer sales and began offer- ing a more full-service retail experience, with pre-packed boxes. Consumers can order the boxes, which cost $30 to $40 and include assortments of avocados and fruits. They can pick up the boxes at the farmers market of their choice. Brokaw says the slop- ing land and ridge tops on the ranch are perfect for his crops. The “fruit bowl” of crops grown there include avoca- dos, cherimoyas (the hardest to grow), feijoas (also called pineapple guava), grape- fruit, guava, kiwis, kum- quats, lemons, limes, lychee (the most unusual), manda- rins, mangoes, oranges and pomelos. Avocados weren’t always well-known in the U.S. It wasn’t easy selling con- sumers on the exotic fruit. The first railcar of Califor- nia avocados was shipped to New York in January of 1927. The reception was less than enthusiastic. A sales report stated, “The Eastern market doesn’t want black fruit.” Today, Brokaw’s avoca- dos and other specialty fruits are popular with the crowds at farmers markets in Santa Cruz, Berkeley and San Francisco. Quote: “Brokaw Ranch is a multi-generational ag- ricultural family business that honors the legacy of its founders, Hank and El- len Brokaw, by achieving excellence and success with innovation, integrity and leadership, including social and environmental stewardship.” Anne Long ................Advertising Manager Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor Jessica Boone ............ Production Manager Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager Entire contents copyright © 2021 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 2870 Broadway NE, Salem OR 97303. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. “Brokaw Ranch has been a staple at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market for almost three decades, and while they may be most famous for their avocados, they also have a cult following for their subtropical and cit- rus varieties,” Meyer said. “Will Brokaw, or the ‘Avo- cado Man’ as so many shop- pers refer to him, is the face of the ranch at our markets, and his stand has always been a favorite stop for so many of the restaurant chefs who shop on Saturdays.” To Reach Us Circulation ...........................800-781-3214 Email ........... Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line .............................503-364-4431 News Staff Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas ..............208-860-3898 Boise Brad Carlson .......................208-914-8264 Western Washington Don Jenkins .........................360-722-6975 Eastern Washington Matthew Weaver ................509-688-9923 Grass seed industry group honors Riggers By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press The Nezperce Prairie Grass Growers Association at its 2021 annual meeting presented the David Mos- man NPGGA Hall of Fame Award to Nathan “Nate” Rig- gers, a producer in north-cen- tral Idaho. The award “recognizes growers and leaders who have made a contribution to the success and advancement of the grass seed industry in Idaho,” Executive Director Benjamin Kelly said. The association created the award last year to honor Mos- man, who died in September 2019 at 58. Mosman was a “thinker, innovator and strong leader in the industry,” Kelly said. “He was a neighbor of ours,” Riggers said. Both had sons join their families’ farms Courtesy of Clearwater Farms From left, Steven, Stan, Nathan and Chris Riggers. around the same time. Riggers said Mos- man was instrumen- tal in get- ting the state Nathan Riggers involved in regu- lating field burning, which since 2008 has been an state Department of Environmental Quality function. “It has been pretty successful.” Riggers graduated from the University of Idaho Col- lege of Agriculture in 1987. He worked in the grain and seed industry — for Jack- lin Seed, Stegner Grain and Reed Grain and Bean — before joining father Stan and brother Steven on the family farming operation in 1992. Riggers and his wife, Christine, have three chil- dren: Katy, Jonathan and Christopher. Christopher, 28, is a fifth-generation farmer. “Christopher and his wife, Natalie, are partners in the farm,” Nate Riggers said. The Riggers’ Clearwa- ter Farms operate in the Nez- perce-Craigmont area. The dryland farm produces turf- grass seed, winter wheat, canola, peas and lentils, chickpeas, and malting and food-grade barley. Most of these commod- ities’ prices rebounded in the past six months after a roughly five-year lull, Rig- gers said. “It’s getting fun again,” he said. “It’s always fun, but it’s more fun when there is good margin.” Riggers said turfgrass seed markets — which were good for most of the past five years and tend to do well when the U.S. economy and dollar are strong — are declining. He believes in crop diversification. “When you always have a foot in each stream, you can always look at something positive,” he said. Riggers said his great-grandfather home- steaded in 1895. Four descen- dant farms including Clearwa- ter operate in close proximity. He was president of NPGGA for 10 years. He now is on the Northwest Farm Credit Services Board of Directors and is a Leadership Idaho Agriculture graduate. “As a grower, I appre- ciate Nate’s willingness to approach issues from a farmer’s perspective in lead- ership roles and his contin- ued representation of our industry across the state of Idaho and in the Pacific Northwest,” NPGGA Presi- dent Greg Branson said. Oregon George Plaven ....................406-560-1655 Mateusz Perkowski .............800-882-6789 Sierra Dawn McClain ..........503-506-8011 Designer Randy Wrighthouse .............800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Telephone (toll free) ............800-882-6789 Online ...........CapitalPress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $4 /month (direct withdrawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...........................................$55 2 years U.S. ........................................$100 1 year Canada .....................................$275 1 year other countries ...........call for quote 1 year Internet only .........................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students/teachers .......$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students/teachers ..$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Mailing address: Leibsle promoted as new Idaho state veterinarian By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press Dr. Scott Leibsle is the new Idaho state veterinarian. Leibsle succeeds Dr. Bill Barton, who retired after 14 years. Leibsle has been the deputy state veterinarian since 2011. Dairy and beef cat- tle production are Idaho’s largest agricultural sectors and contribute more than half of the state’s farmgate receipts, the department said. Idaho also has a sizable sheep herd and a grow- ing goat herd, of which the Idaho State Department of Agriculture regulates some aspects. “Dr. Barton showed his deep love of agricul- ture through years of ser- vice and with stead- fast com- mitment to all Idaho- Dr. Scott ans,” ISDA Leibsle Director Celia Gould said in a release. “He will always have a special place within this agency and among producers. I was honored to work alongside Bill these many years.” ISDA said Barton and his staff achieved suc- cesses including efficiently responding to animal dis- eases, supporting service to a growing livestock sec- tor, and worked on behalf of the state’s producers to maintain a functional mar- ketplace and beyond. “As sad as I am to see Dr. Barton’s departure from the agency, I am excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Scott Leibsle as state veterinarian and admin- istrator of ISDA’s Ani- mal Industries Division,” Gould said. “I am incredi- bly grateful to have some- one with his energy, intel- lect and experience. Scott has my complete confi- dence. He will be a great fit for this important role.” The animal industries unit oversees livestock health, dairies and dairy pro- cessors, rangeland services and other aspects of ani- mal-related agriculture. “I’m very grateful Direc- tor Gould gave me the opportunity to transition into this new role,” Leibsle said in an interview. on both what the industry has accomplished to date and what lies ahead. Major U.S. corpora- tions participating in interna- tional supply chains across all sectors will join us to express their views on the science and R&D needs for the thousands of hemp-based sustainable products. Conference Ser- vices-Oregon State University, 541-737-9300, conferences@ oregonstate.edu World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., is moving online this year. It will kick off February 9-11, the original show dates. Live events and seminars will be scheduled 9 a.m.-4 p.m. PST each day, but content will be available on-demand at no charge to attendees around the clock. For more infor- mation, go to https://www. worldagexpo.com/ Leibsle in the past few years worked on building and developing Idaho’s dis- ease-traceability program, including creating an elec- tronic system and database. He said he aims to build on that progress, important in disease surveillance and in maintaining a secure food supply. “Transmittal (of data) in real time and moving at the speed of commerce is criti- cal when dealing with live- stock moving state-to-state,” he said. Industry participation in the electronic system, which can receive data from veter- inarians, is growing, Leibsle said. It can reduce costs and enable “quicker response time in the event we need to find an animal or conduct disease surveillance.” He said animal care “is always a priority, and we continue to work with local law enforcement. We have training opportunities all around the state for law enforcement. That has been going on for a number of years and we are excited to continue.” Leibsle, whose appoint- ment is effective immedi- ately, graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Med- icine in 2003. He worked in Idaho for the first time in 2005, practicing for two years at an equine facility in Bellevue. He then became the third generation of his family to practice large-an- imal medicine at the Elk- horn, Wis., Veterinary Clinic before returning to Idaho to join ISDA. of the Northwest Ag Show will be a free digital event featuring a daily lineup of pre- sentations, virtual exhibitor booths and more. The event features equipment demos, networking opportunities and a schedule of educational programming. Attendees have the opportunity to live- chat and direct message with representatives from partic- ipating companies and take advantage of show specials. For more information, go to https://northwestagshow. com/ THURSDAY, FEB. 18 CALENDAR Submit upcoming ag-related events on www.capitalpress. com or by email to news- room@capitalpress.com. TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY FEB. 9-10 National Hemp Symposium (virtual): The National Acade- mies of Sciences Board on Ag- riculture and Natural Resources and Oregon State University’s Global Hemp Innovation Cen- ter invite you to the inaugural National Hemp Symposium. This event will include a diverse program with a broad focus TUESDAY-THURSDAY FEB. 9-11 World Ag Expo (virtual): The TUESDAY-THURSDAY FEB. 16-18 Northwest Agricultural Show (virtual): The 51st edition Idaho Hay and Forage Asso- ciation Annual Conference (virtual): This is a chance for growers and others to get an update on the industry. http://www.idahohay.com THURSDAY-FRIDAY FEB. 18-19 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum (virtual): The forum includes outlooks on produc- tion, prices, trade and trends. 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