Wildfire update from the California Farm Bureau Federation

» Posted 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2007 «

A full accounting of damage to family farms, ranches and nurseries from firestorms and severe winds in Southern California remains days away, at the earliest. County agricultural commissioners have begun collecting damage estimates, but the continuing fires and evacuations don't allow farmers to reach their property to evaluate its condition.

Avocado growers may have to wait weeks before they know if their trees survived the fires. A University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor says it can take six to eight weeks, or longer, before avocado trees reveal whether they will regenerate after a fire. Ventura County farm advisor Ben Faber says fire damage in avocado orchards may look worse than it is, because the trees are among the best at regenerating.

But groves that have been exposed to fire will likely lose their crops for the year, because the heat ruins the fruit. And avocado trees that have lost their leaves will also have lost the potential for flowering next spring, meaning those trees won't produce fruit for at least two years. In other groves, avocados lost their leaves during the fierce windstorms.

The California Farm Bureau surveyed county agricultural commissioners Friday in the counties where fire emergencies have been declared, to update information they have heard about losses.

Los Angeles County: The agricultural commissioner's office reported earlier in the week that a popular pumpkin patch in the Saugus area suffered fire damage. The fire scorched pumpkins and also burned storage bins, hay bales, antique vehicles and one home on the property. Fire in the Malibu area killed 52 goats that had gathered in a shelter that burned. The county also reports wind damage in avocado groves.

Orange County: According to the county agricultural commissioner's office, about 20 percent of a thousand-acre grove of avocados was affected by wildfire. The extent of damage remains uncertain. One nursery reported losing a few boxed or potted plants but the deputy agricultural commissioner reports no additional damage at nurseries.

Riverside County: The county agricultural commissioner's office is in the process of compiling a report about damage caused by strong winds.

San Bernardino County: Plant nurseries located in the fire area will be surveyed to determine the extent of damages. The county agricultural commissioner's office says the nurseries are in areas affected by mandatory evacuations, so there has been no opportunity to check on them. The Chino area, a center of Southern California dairy production, was not affected by the fires.

San Diego County: The county agricultural commissioner's office lists 11,240 acres of farmland in the "footprints" of wildfires. Of the farmland in the path of the fires, most is planted in avocados (5,880 acres). Other specific crops mentioned include cut flowers (800 acres) and nursery plants (759 acres). Inspectors have not been able to get into the field to determine how many of those acres suffered damage. The executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, Eric Larson, said his observation of a few affected avocado groves indicates that some had damage in two or three rows of trees, while the rest of the grove appeared not to be damaged. He said it will likely be sometime in the coming week before officials can provide accurate loss figures.

Santa Barbara County: The county agricultural commissioner's office reports 750 acres of rangeland burned in the Sedgewick Fire, but says no barns or other farm structures were lost.

Ventura County: "These were the worst winds I've ever seen," said Earl McPhail, who has been Ventura County agricultural commissioner nearly 29 years. McPhail said all the agricultural damage in his county will be wind-related. He said the winds, combined with damage from the severe January freeze, ruined as much as 40 percent of the county's avocado crop. The winds also caused what he called "severe scarring" on lemons, but the extent of the loss won't be known until the end of harvest. He said the winds hit as farmers transplanted strawberry plants into their fields, and it's still too early to know if any of the plants have been damaged. McPhail said his office would consider all those factors and others before trying to place a dollar value on the losses.

Insurance and other relief
Claims representatives for insurance firms have begun working with farmers, ranchers and nursery owners who suffered losses. The largest insurer of California farms, Allied Insurance, encourages policyholders who must file claims to call a toll-free number, 800-282-1446, or contact their agent directly. To expedite the claims process, an Allied spokeswoman suggests that people who have regained access to their property start by making a visual assessment of damage and begin to write down information that will be useful to a claims specialist.

Farm-insurance policies can be complex, Allied says. The company encourages people to read and understand their policies as thoroughly as possible. It also urges people to wait until it's safe to return to their farms or homes.

The parent company of Allied, Nationwide Insurance, has established a temporary claims center for Allied and Nationwide policyholders at the Holiday Inn San Diego-Rancho Bernardo, 17065 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, open daily 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

For crop insurance claims, the U.S. Agriculture Department Risk Management Agency advises farmers to be well-versed with the terms of their policies and to contact their insurance company as soon as possible once it's deemed safe to return to the farm.

Gov. Schwarzenegger has activated the state Small Business Disaster Assistance Loan Guarantee Program. The program will guarantee loans for farms, agricultural businesses and other businesses in communities that suffered significant damage or economic loss from the Southern California wildfires. Under the governor's order, up to $7 million in loans will be guaranteed for farmers and small businesses that may not qualify for federal aid.

A bit of good news
A survey of Christmas tree farmers conducted by the California Christmas Tree Association indicates that most Southern California farms escaped damage from the fire. The association says some of its members were evacuated but checks of their farms indicate the fires spared them. Those growers who have returned to their farms have been brushing ash from the Christmas trees, irrigating them and shaping them for sale. Most Christmas tree farmers plan to open the day after Thanksgiving.

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 92,000 members.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

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