West

Urban farmers also hurt by drought, study finds

Extreme drought is changing agriculture across California – and urban farming is no exception. Many community farms and gardens cultivate land owned by city or county departments, schools and private landowners. Lucy Diekmann, a University of... more »

PlantTape announces promotions in bid to bring automation to forefront

PlantTape, an automated transplanting system, has promoted Lance Portman to president and Hunter Smith to vice president of agriculture and sales. The two promotions provide the company with ample support for continued growth within the... more »

California climate woes tackled by ARS scientists

A team of USDA agricultural scientists in the Golden State are helping farmers make the most out of a natural resource that is becoming ever more precious – water. California produces two-thirds of the nation’s... more »

UC Davis breeders eye strawberry cultivar traits that work with robotics

University of California, Davis, has plans in place to put together a test agreement with advanced.farm to trial strawberry cultivars with robotic harvesting this fall. The cultivars put into the trial will be a combination... more »

2021 Farm Fresh Directory is a guide to Colorado-grown products

As Coloradans look forward to returning to typical summer activities, farmers’ markets and fresh produce stands are once again becoming the top destinations for outdoor excursions. The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s 37th annual Colorado Farm... more »

Drought magnifies critical water needs in California

Severe drought highlights the need for greater investment to improve aging California water facilities, and increases calls for allocation of federal and state resources to tackle the problem. A national coalition that includes the California... more »

Farmers get help bringing COVID-19 vaccines to California fields

Farmers and agricultural employers can protect their business and their employees by supporting workers’ access to COVID-19 vaccines. It’s now faster and easier for farmers to help their workers get vaccinated, thanks to a new... more »

Can agriculture become a major Hawaii industry again?

After the demise of the pineapple and sugar industries in Hawaii, could agriculture be revived as a major economic driver for the state? University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) experts say this is possible, but the state will... more »