Six astonishing women have been selected as the recipients of the prestigious Common Threads Award, which honors women in agriculture for their remarkable contributions to agriculture and philanthropic stewardship. The honorees for 2023 include: Aubrey Bettencourt, Hanford Holly Rosa, Hanford Juanita Calzadillas-Pedrozo, Merced Lucy Areias, Fresno Nanette Simonian, Fowler Sheri Kanagawa, Hanford Honorary Award – Tricia […]

The California Dairy Research Foundation and University of California, Davis CLEAR Center announced on Dec. 14 the release of a new analysis of methane reduction progress titled “Meeting the Call: How California is Pioneering a Pathway to Significant Dairy Sector Methane Reduction.” The paper, authored by researchers at UC Davis affiliated with UC Agriculture and […]

As the nation learned that the midterm election led to a change in the balance of power in the next U.S. Congress, a delegation of California Farm Bureau leaders met with representatives during an advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss pressing issues affecting agriculture. “It is a really interesting time to be in Washington, […]

After packing one of the smallest crops in years last season, California citrus growers and marketers say the current navel orange crop looks promising in volume and quality. An earlier forecast by the California Department of Food and Agriculture had navel orange production up 19% from last year. But California Citrus Mutual now estimates the […]

A European Union policy goal to exponentially increase organic farming to 30% of all agricultural production by 2030 is expected to be considered by Gov. Gavin Newsom for next year’s budget. However, a new economic analysis says such a plan would dramatically increase the price of food for many consumers and jeopardize the solvency of […]

Balancing the state’s groundwater supplies for a sustainable future may not be easy due to severe drought and ongoing economic challenges facing farmers. “We’ve got the lowest prices and highest production costs and the least-reliable water supply that we’ve had since I’ve been farming,” said Bill Diedrich of Firebaugh, who farms row crops and permanent […]

As a turkey farmer in Sacramento County, Ken Mitchell acknowledged he’s been on edge since a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza was confirmed in wild birds in the state over the summer. The virus has struck close to home: In August, Sacramento County became ground zero for the state’s first case of H5N1 avian […]

As the Colorado River water crisis deepens amid withering drought in the West, Imperial Valley growers with historic rights to water from the river are making calculations on whether to farm or fallow. This month, the Imperial Irrigation District, which supplies Colorado River water to farmers in America’s largest growing region for winter vegetables, joined […]

California’s farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses produce more than 400 commodities as America’s leading food providers. But a new economic study on lettuce production indicates that California’s farm output would shrink, and food prices would rise without commonly used pesticides. A preliminary report by ERA Economics, a Davis-based consultancy specializing in the economics of agriculture […]