CDFA Releases New Rat Damage Estimate

This past month, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) released an updated estimate of yield loss, damage to trees and equipment and tree replacement.  The new estimate now puts economic damage to almonds at $118 million to $297.7 million, and $48.1 million to $ 275.5 million for pistachios.  Damage includes destroyed irrigation systems and chewed wiring on farm trucks, tractors and harvest equipment.  It did not include any cost for control such as trapping fumigation, baiting or owl boxes.  This estimate is limited to an area in western Fresno County covering approximately 112,000 acres of almonds and 116,000 of pistachios.