West

Governor’s support of Proposition 15 denounced by ag groups

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement of support for Proposition 15, the split-roll property tax initiative, California Farm Bureau Federation President Jamie Johansson said the endorsement ignores the measure’s harmful impact on the state’s rural communities.... more »

10 things being done to ensure leafy greens safety this fall

In a year of unparalleled tragedies stemming from the pandemic to California wildfires, lettuce farmers in California and Arizona are taking action to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. As we approach the fall transition when patterns... more »

Cash receipts in 2019 for California farms and ranchers tops $50B

In 2019, California’s farms and ranches received more than $50 billion in cash receipts for their output. This represents a slight increase over reported cash receipts for 2018. According to a news release, California’s agricultural... more »

USDA Agricultural Research Center set in Salinas with groundbreaking

Construction of the USDA Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) new Agricultural Research Technology Center in Salinas, California, kicked off Aug. 26 with a virtual and live groundbreaking ceremony. The cutting-edge research facility, which will include new... more »

After the LNU Fires: What should farmers and landowners do?

Farmers and small-acreage landowners affected by the LNU Lightning Complex Fires are invited to an online webinar, Thursday, Sept. 10, to discuss what to do on the land and what to avoid. Speakers will cover... more »

YouTube channel sheds light on importance of California soil health

University of California Cooperative Extension and the Colusa County Resource Conservation District announce the launch of the Soil Health Connection, an informative outreach YouTube channel. The channel hosts virtual discussions and interviews with leading soil science researchers and farmers... more »

Housing for Harvest program includes Santa Barbara County

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) on Sept. 3 announced that Santa Barbara County has joined Housing for the Harvest, a new program announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August to provide temporary... more »

Masks distributed to California agricultural employees

The state of California recently shipped 1.4 million N-95 masks to agricultural commissioners in 35 counties for wildfire smoke protection for farmworkers. This is part of that effort. From a joint news release by the... more »