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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.”
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Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor
Jessica Boone ............ Production Manager
Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager
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“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.”
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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.
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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.
Website: https://www.usda.
gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum
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Index
Dairy .....................................................10
Markets .................................................12
Opinion ...................................................6
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