Ag News: California Winegrape Assessment and AGH Has New Name

**California winegrape growers will pay a higher assessment this year to combat a deadly crop disease and the insect that carries it.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has approved a decision by the Pierce’s Disease and Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Board to assess wine growers $1.25 per $1000 of value for their 2022 harvest, up from $1 the past three years.

Pierce’s Disease, spread by the sharpshooter pest, kills grapevines by clogging their water-conducting vessels.

**The Asian Giant Hornet has a new name.

The Entomological Society of America has adopted “Northern Giant Hornet” for the species.

While there was no official ESA common name until now, the hornet has been most often referred to as “Asian giant hornet” or “murder hornet” since its introduction in North America became widely known in 2020.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is following ESA’s recommendation.

**The Cattle Report from the USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service says U.S. farms contained 98.8 million head of cattle and calves as of July 1.

Of those, 39.8 million cows and heifers have calved.

There were 30.4 million beef cows in the U.S. as of July 1, 2% lower than 2021.

The number of U.S. milk cows dropped to 94.5 million.

The U.S. calf crop was estimated at 34.6 million head, 1% lower than in 2021.