California farmers to destroy 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte collapses

Key Points:

• Central California peach farmers plan to destroy approximately 420,000 clingstone peach trees after Del Monte Foods permanently closed its canneries in Modesto and Hughson following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
• The closures have left hundreds of workers unemployed and caused growers to lose long-term contracts, potentially resulting in an estimated $550 million in lost revenue.
• Federal aid of up to $9 million has been approved to help growers remove about 3,000 acres of peach orchards, aiming to reduce oversupply and prevent an estimated $30 million in additional losses.
• Lawmakers emphasized the importance of this support for multigenerational family farms and warned that without assistance, the agricultural system could suffer lasting damage.
• Pacific Coast Producers purchased Del Monte's canned fruit business and will buy some peaches, but about 50,000 tons of the crop remain without buyers, leading to significant unused produce.