The California Lettuce Research Board (formed as the iceberg Lettuce Advisory Board in 1973) operates under the authority of the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and is financed from assessments upon all "Handlers" of California Lettuce (i.e., iceberg, romaine, butterhead, green leaf and red leaf) pursuant to the California Marketing Act of 1937. Assessments are collected, on a per carton basis under the taxing power of the state, and funds are transferred to the Board for disbursement in accordance with strict accounting procedures.
The PROGRAM IS AUTHORIZED --- "To Undertake Or Cause To Be Conducted" --- research in production, harvesting, handling, and distribution of lettuce produced in California. The funds collected are, with the exception of state fees, assessment collection, and office management, used solely for these purposes, and approximately 75-80% of annual Board income is allocated for research projects on lettuce.
The original goals of the California Lettuce Research Board (Board) were as follows:
· Reduce unit cost
· Improve efficiency of operations
· Provide the consumer with a better product
· Keep California growers competitive
The Board is comprised of 15 members and 15 alternates with two Board meetings each year, a mid-year meeting in October and an annual meeting in March. Eight Board members comprise the Executive Committee which meets approximately 6 times per year. District representation is apportioned on the basis of volume of shipments, and Board members serve a two-year term, with nomination meetings usually held in each district in January of odd numbered years.
The Board reviews its research programs on an annual basis, and modifies priorities to meet the needs of the California lettuce industry. Research proposals are received in the fall of the year and are reviewed by both the members of the Board and by a team of University of California (UC) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists. Board funds are directed to research aimed at solving both short and long term lettuce production problems in all areas of California. In recent years, approximately 55-60% of the annual funds have been allocated for plant breeding and related activities and 40-45% for weed, insect, and disease management, nutrient research and cultural production related activities. The primary emphasis of the plant breeding programs is related to the development of varieties with multiple resistance to pests and diseases such as downy mildew, corky root, lettuce drop, leafminers, aphids, and various lettuce viruses. Nutrient and cultural research is aimed at exploring the use and uptake of nutrients along with the impact of cover crops, compost use, and modified tillage practices on nutrient and irrigation requirements. Insect control research has focused on the management of leafminers, aphids, whiteflies, and various worms. The primary emphasis of the disease research is related to the development of management techniques for downy mildew, lettuce drop, corky root, bottom rot, anthracnose, and bacterial leafspot.
Over the years, research programs have addressed every avenue of lettuce research including: plant breeding; weed, insect, and disease management; nutrient use; cultural production practices: and harvesting, storage, and shipping. Specific examples of Board funded research that have benefited the California lettuce industry are 1) Release of the iceberg lettuce cultivars Salinas and Tiber; 2) Release of UC and USDA germplasm that form the basis for many commercial iceberg and leaf lettuce cultivars; 3) Development of shipping containers and standardized procedures for cooling and shipping; 4) Development of efficacy data that assisted in the registration of a number of individual pesticides; 5) Formation of a cooperative project on downy mildew between the Board, UC researchers, and private industry aimed at combining field scouting with weather information, irrigation schedules, and leaf wetness data to provide a mechanism for predicting disease development and optimum treatment schedules for this disease; and 6) Formation of a cooperative project on leaf miners and aphids between the Board, the Center for Agricultural Partnerships, the Pew Charitable Trust, the California Celery Research Advisory Board, UC researchers, and private industry, to develop an IPM program for the management of leaf miners and aphids on iceberg lettuce, leaf lettuce, and celery.
Funds for research are generated from an assessment on each carton, or carton equivalent, of iceberg and leaf lettuce harvested in California. The assessment rate is reviewed on an annual basis, and the maximum assessment rate allowed, as of 1991, is $0.01 per carton. The assessment rate for 1991-92 through 1993-94 was $0.006 per carton, while the assessment rate from 1994-95 through 1999-2000 was maintained at $0.00575. The rate approved for the 2000-2001 fiscal year was $0.005, and that same rate will apply in 2001-2002.
California is the leading producer of lettuce with an estimated 75% of the total U.S production. The research programs funded by your contributions have allowed the lettuce industry to continue to provide high quality lettuce to the consumer.
Board members feel that the long term viability of the California lettuce industry requires a continued commitment to fund non-proprietary research that will benefit all California lettuce growers, and have worked together to insure that the problems of the lettuce industry are being met through strong, scientifically based, research programs.
We hope that the information provided on this web site will provide you an indication of the commitment of the Board, the accomplishments of the researchers, and the value of grower contributions to the California lettuce industry.
The Board developed "Crop Profiles" for both iceberg and leaf lettuce in 1998/99 as a part of the federal Pesticide Impact Assessment Program. These profiles were developed to address all aspects of lettuce production in California and are available on the web at http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/opmppiap/proinde.htm.
The Board funded the development of sample production costs for wrapped iceberg and romaine lettuce in 2000-2001. These data are available on the web at http://www.agecon.ucdavis.edu/outreach/outreach.