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 […]
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that will allow unions to collect signed ballot or authorization cards to organize farm employees in lieu of holding secret ballot elections for union certification. California agricultural groups say Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 2183 last week as well as a supplemental accord with the United Farm Workers Union […]
An Agricultural Pesticide Collection and Disposal Event has been planned in the County of Tulare, in partnership with the Kings County Department of Agriculture. This disposal event will take place October 5th – 7th, 2022, with drop off times from 8:00 a.m.to 3:30 p.m. each day. The event targets pesticides specifically for agricultural use – […]
California citrus growers are on the lookout for a new disease threat to their orchards. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed findings of citrus yellow vein clearing virus, or CYVCV. It was first detected in March in residential citrus in the city of Tulare during routine tree surveys by the California Department of Food […]
California farmers and ranchers affected by a third consecutive year of drought and related emergency curtailments of water deliveries have planted fewer acres, fallowed fields or reduced livestock herds to make it through the season. Siskiyou County rancher Ryan Walker, president of the county’s Farm Bureau, said farmers affected by emergency water curtailments—readopted in July […]
Gov. Gavin Newsom sounded an alarm last week as he announced a strategy to capture and store more water while investing in infrastructure to avert catastrophic impacts of an anticipated loss of another 10% in California water supplies by 2040. Newsom’s water plan seeks to create storage space for up to 4 million acre-feet of […]
California citrus growers voted to continue their support of the Citrus Research Board (CRB) by a broad margin in a state-mandated referendum. The just-concluded referendum, which must be held every five years, was conducted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). A majority of eligible citrus producers cast their vote and their support […]
Agriculture and business groups are imploring Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to set clear goals for boosting water storage and supplies as the drought threatens to cripple California’s food, energy and housing sectors. “Our existing water system can no longer deliver the water necessary to sustain the world’s fifth-largest economy,” the California Farm Bureau […]