Everything we publish, field conditions, ag crime, commodity and fuel markets, and the water and weather that move them. Free, and on the web the day it goes out.
The new federal order lets dyed diesel run on the highway with the 24.4 cent tax deferred through Dec 31. At least 16 states have matched it. California has not, and red diesel in a road vehicle is still illegal here.
Salmon is open Pigeon Point to Point Reyes through Oct. 31, 25 days counting today. Bay boats landed 203 kings on 146 rods in four days, Bodega Bay put 10 bluefin on five rods, Pine Flat gained 6,617 AF, and the new moon is Saturday.
California diesel closed Sunday at $8.3729, a second straight weekly decline and 6.6 cents under the September 22 record. Los Angeles wholesale diesel fell 33 cents, but distillate stocks drew again and gasoline sits 4.9 cents from the all-time state record at $6.3889. Our call for October 5 through 11.
A historic El Niño is loading up, so October is the last clean window for post-harvest nutrition and fall soil sampling. Sulfur at an all-time record is pulling phosphate with it, and wheat is at its best price in years for open ground. Spotlight: KMS and Zeltec with Mycorrhizae.
Salmon closes south of Pigeon Point tonight; the Bay stays open through Oct. 31 unless the guideline fills. Pine Flat cut its release in half to 355 cfs, SoCal shallow rockfish close Oct. 1, and San Diego boats put 4,417 yellowfin on the dock in three days.
California diesel closed Sunday at $8.4160, the first weekly decline this cycle, and Los Angeles wholesale confirmed the top by rising just 13 cents. Gasoline went the other way, up 20 cents to $6.3528 and nine cents from the all-time state record. WTI fell 8% on Iran peace hopes while Brent held near $104. Our call for September 28 through October 4.
AB 2646 would set a $19.75 ag minimum wage, with a decision due September 30. Plus the H-2A back-pay window open since September 2, the January 1 payroll reset that moves the state minimum to $17.40, and two products that do not add a labor pass.
CDFW puts the fall salmon catch at 7,585 through Sept. 15, leaving 12,415 on the 20,000-fish guideline, and south of Pigeon Point closes Sept. 30. Full moon Saturday, minus tides back at the Golden Gate, and 1,885 yellowfin on San Diego boats in one day.
California diesel set another record Sunday at $8.4244 and seven of the nine Central Valley metros we track set records with it. But the Oman meeting was postponed indefinitely, which was one of the three things we said would prove us wrong, and the market topped anyway. Los Angeles wholesale slowed from 57 cents to 14, distillate built a third straight week, and Hanford and Merced already peaked midweek. We are calling the top and we tell you exactly what would break the call.
Pine Flat cut its release from 1,690 cfs to 626 and CDFW planted trout below the dam the same week. Salmon is holding near a fish a rod with a 35-pounder Monday and 46 days left north of Pigeon Point. San Diego put 940 yellowfin on the dock in a single day.
California diesel set an all-time record of $8.14 a gallon on September 14, up more than $1.50 in five weeks, and December corn has run back over $5.30 with soybean meal at $350 a ton. Cheese blocks closed $1.42 while nonfat dry milk pushed to $1.995, and the Climate Prediction Center now puts a very strong El Nino above 90 percent for October through December.
California diesel set another all-time record Sunday at $8.1367, and for the first time all nine Central Valley metros we track set records on the same day. But something changed Friday: crude fell, distillate inventories built for a second straight week, and Gulf diplomats sit down with Iran in Oman today. We think the wholesale top is close, and we say exactly what would prove us wrong.
Sunday 0.78 a rod, Monday 1.08, Tuesday 1.90, eleven of fourteen boats at full limits and a 34-pounder out of Sausalito. New moon lands Friday, the last minus tides of the cycle run this morning and tomorrow, and Pine Flat is under 16 percent.
Two Tulare County arrests that both began with a grower's own camera, plus nut-harvest cargo risk, copper at multi-year highs, and the county-by-county pressure map.
A Labor Day thank-you to the men and women of agriculture, the armed forces and our first responders. Then the market: US–Iran strikes resumed September 1, crude ran up 9%, the diesel crack set a record above $106 a barrel, and California diesel closed at an all-time high of $7.8105 with six of nine Valley metros setting records.
Eighteen of twenty-two boats came in at limits on the September 1 opener, 540 kings on 282 rods and a 33-pounder at Bodega. Pine Flat is under 18 percent, the upper Kings and the Kern both came back up, and minus tides run Sunday through Wednesday.
Almond harvest ahead of schedule and a short pistachio crop against 600–900 million lb industry estimates. The post-harvest nutrition window, and a wet-winter forecast that shortens the fall soil sampling season.
Crude fell 4 to 6% on Hormuz corridor talks and the record diesel crack came off its high, but California diesel still added 15 cents to $7.295.
Fisheries service took inseason action on August 19 and shut the area after Sunday the 23rd. Monterey has six days left, the fall season opens September 1, and the bottom went 16 for 17 at limits.
Diesel refining margins set an all-time record above $100 a barrel and California diesel jumped 20¢ in a week to $7.142.
Thirteen days left on the salmon season, only 2 of 10 trips at limits, and the fall striper run is pouring into the Delta.
Drones hit two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and diesel futures rose almost 10% in five days, but the pump still priced last week's low.
An El Niño winter may shorten the post-harvest window. Class I skim drops $2.73, CVP allocation raised, corn $4.48, wheat $6.52.
A serial copper thief arrested in Ventura County, a 500-vase metal ring broken by the Fresno ag task force, plus county briefs statewide.
The salmon fleet cooled off hard, 5 of 29 trips at limits, Fort Bragg is now closed, and Pine Flat is down 10.7 feet in six weeks.
Both crude benchmarks fell more than 7% and California pump prices finally turned lower.
The best minus tides of the month land Aug 10–12 right alongside the new moon. Fort Bragg salmon closes Aug 10.
Brent closed July at $90.12, its strongest month since March, and California diesel pushed to $6.91. We look higher again this week.
Almond harvest starts early and the pistachio off-year crop runs short. Silage corn chopping, cotton into cutout, pomegranate split, and why post-harvest soil sampling matters now.
Diesel and gasoline both moved higher again last week. Here is what it means for your fuel budget.
Global conflict is tightening sulfur supply, about $890/MT Qatar FOB, up roughly 300% year over year, with Russia's export ban running through Dec 31. If you can pre-pay and take delivery, do it now.
Corn around $4.38, wheat $6.32, Class III at $16.15, California diesel about $6.07, plus the water situation and Central Valley weather.
Land of the free, because of the brave, from the B. Mello Ag Services family.
Cotton at peak bloom, wheat harvest wrapping up, table grape harvest active. Spotlight: compost and soil/water testing while commercial nitrogen stays expensive.
Thank you for planting the seeds of hard work, values, and a strong future.
B Mello Ag Services honors the brave men and women who gave all for our freedom.
Cheese and butter mixed, corn around $4.35, wheat $5.52, and California diesel at $7.89.
The hull split window nears, pistachios are in post-bloom nut fill, corn and cotton planting are active. Spotlight: JABB SBb 2.5™ and Nitryx™.
Strong production keeps futures capped near $16.00, and California diesel hits an all-time high at $7.73.
May you be surrounded by the love of family and the sound of children's laughter.
Pistachio bloom is active, wheat prices are firming, and almond hull split is on an August target. Spotlight: Premium 97™ and Premium 95™ HA.