John Edstrom conducts the CE pomology/tree crops programs in Colusa and has cross-county responsibilities for CE almond programs in Sutter and Yuba Counties. John has been on the Colusa CE staff since 1984. He graduated from CSU, Chico, with a Masters Degree in Plant Science, emphasizing pomology. Previous work experience included ten years of commercial orchard advising and research.

The major crop responsibilities include almonds, walnuts and prunes. There is additional interest in wine grapes and pistachios. Collectively, tree crops were produced on over 31,000 acres in Colusa County in 1997, with an on-farm value of in-excess of $68 million. This was about twenty percent of the total county ag income.

The following are major issues or trends facing the Colusa tree crop industries:

• Expanding acreages. There is significant movement away from lower return crops toward almonds, walnuts or grapes. Much of this movement is taking place in the western portion of the county, on sometimes poorer soils. Recently developed technology has made this production shift feasible.
• The growth represents a combination of expansion by existing orchardists and row crop/rice "entry-level" producers. Many of the growers do not have experience growing perennial crops and require significant assistance or information.
• Environmental concerns demanding "cleaner" orchard practices, including: the minimization or elimination of dormant sprays; a movement from burning orchard pruning's toward processing wood for electrical co-generation; and reductions in almond huller dust emissions.
• A stabilization or decrease in orchard economic returns from recent high levels.