Local

Rising costs put century-old Oceanside farm under pressure

Nagata Bros Farms says steep diesel, fertilizer, water, labor and borrowing costs are threatening its ability to keep operating.

Image credit: Chris English / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; archival April 2012 photograph of strawberry fields in Oxnard, not Nagata Bros Farms or current Oceanside conditions

Nagata Bros Farms, a third-generation Oceanside operation that traces its history to 1920, is facing mounting financial pressure as fuel and other production costs climb, NBC 7 San Diego reported September 30. Farmer Neil Nagata told the station that the family business grows strawberries, blueberries, cherimoyas and vegetables but cannot simply pass every added expense to buyers.

What it means locally

NBC 7 reported that diesel averaged $8.23 a gallon in San Diego, nearly 65% above the same time last year, and that Nagata expects fertilizer costs and availability to become additional concerns. He also cited higher water, labor and borrowing expenses as challenges for California growers competing with imported produce. The farm remains open and Nagata said the family is optimistic, but warned it needs relief soon and encouraged consumers to support San Diego County agriculture by buying locally grown products. The accompanying photograph shows strawberry fields in Oxnard in 2012 and is archival; it does not depict Nagata Bros Farms or current conditions in Oceanside.

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