The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is one of the oldest cultivated tree crops. It provides a staple food for many populations in the Middle East and North Africa, and also is highly valued for feed, fiber, and shelter. Beginning in the 1890s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant collectors began importing date offshoots from Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Iraq into the Salt River Valley in Arizona and then into the Coachella Valley in California, and the United States date industry was born. Date production and culture continue to challenge farmers around the world.