Crop Progress Report – August 31, 2026

August 31, 2026 in Crop Progress Reports

This report covers the conditions and activities observed from Monday, August 3, through Sunday, August 30, 2026. The next report is scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2026. In the event of any significant occurrences prior to that date, this site will be updated as soon as possible.

Following the brief heatwave experienced in the final week of July, daytime temperatures exhibited a more variable pattern during much of August. Daily maximum temperatures ranged from lower 80’s to just over 100 degrees in the northern San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, with higher values reported in the southern San Joaquin, reaching as high as 108 degrees.

Growers dealt with a few waves of monsoonal moisture that increased humidity and brought locally heavy rain to the Central Valley’s orchards. Rain fell in eastern Fresno, Merced and Stanislaus counties at mid-month when a brief but very intense overnight thunderstorm dropped heavy rain in the Reedley area of Fresno County and just over one inch in the Hughson area of Stanislaus County. Trace amounts were also reported in the final days of the period in many areas of the valley. As shown in the photo accompanying this report, harvest operations in areas receiving the greatest amount of rainfall were modified briefly as growers conditioned the crop to remove leaves and debris and promote drying in the orchards prior to picking the crop up for hulling, shelling or stockpiling.

Harvest operations spread rapidly across California’s Central Valley during August as growers sent shakers, sweepers and harvesters through their orchards. As this report is being prepared, observers are reporting that much of the early harvesting Nonpareil and Independence varieties have been shaken and removed from the orchards, particularly along the west side of the valley. For those with plantings of self-fertile varieties, the harvest is done, and growers can move into a post-harvest mindset, with replenishing root zone moisture levels high on the list. For those with conventional plantings, the next move is determined by which pollinator variety they are dealing with. Observers are reporting that all varieties are well into hull split, with the Sonora, Aldrich and Price varieties trailing the Nonpareil very closely, allowing little time for irrigation between varieties. For those with late harvesting Monterey or Fritz, the choice to irrigate is obvious as the hulls on these varieties are just beginning to split. In any event, growers want to reduce or eliminate water stress on their orchards, balancing need to manage orchard floors for harvest with the desire to support developing flower buds that are differentiating for the next crop.

Growers throughout the Central Valley are fighting spider mite infestations. Once established, populations of these very small plant feeding spiders can grower explosively. The combination of the high temperatures over the past weeks and water stress endured during the harvest has created ideal conditions for mite development. As shown in the photo accompanying this report, web-spinning species can literally cover the trees in web. Observers are reporting severe levels of defoliation in many orchards across the valley. With that, defoliation is exacerbated by the fungal diseases rust and red blotch, which was described in our previous report.

While quality levels of the crop sent to stockpiles for later hulling and shelling will not be determined until receipt, reject levels within the Nonpareil received and tested thus far have registered at the lowest levels in several years. However, rejects have registered a slight increase in deliveries received over the past week, most likely due to the third flight or generation of navel orangeworm. Damage to the Independence variety is running at higher levels, with the greatest level of damage caused by brown spot and gum due to feeding by leaf-footed plant bugs and stink bugs. As in the past few years, evidence of damage from the beetle, Carpophilus truncatus has been noted. However, significant damage has not yet been observed.

Growers are reporting varying yields on the crop harvested thus far. Many have noted a reduced number of loads of in-hull product coming from the orchards and lower “turnouts,” the weight of finished kernels produced from each load of in-hull. Small kernel sizes have also been widely reported in all areas. This was predicted by University of California researchers as a result of the elevated temperatures experienced in the weeks following the 2026 bloom.

Much of the crop has yet to be harvested and recorded. And while yields vary widely depending on the local conditions experienced during the bloom, regional yields of the crop harvested thus far are matching industry forecasts, falling short of 2025 production.

Harvest operations will continue over the coming weeks as growers complete the Nonpareil and begin moving to the later harvesting varieties. Growers have begun shaking Carmel and California types, as well as advanced blocks of Butte and Padre as the period ended.

By Mel Machado

Photo Credits: KC Clendenin, Anthony Scudder, Justin Elam, Austin Jackson and Mel Machado