Xochitl Torres Small has officially been confirmed as the new Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Industry groups and lawmakers have expressed considerable support for the confirmation …
Biologicals Represent an ‘Interesting Option’ for Sustainable Pest Management
California is transitioning to more sustainable pest management and the elimination of prioritized, high-risk pesticides by 2050. Details of the effort are outlined in the Accelerating Sustainable Pest Management: A …
AB 402 Seeks Decisive Action Against Broomrape Threat
A second effort is underway, seeking legislative action to help address the threat that broomrape represents in California. Assembly Bill 402 (AB 402) would establish a coordinated approach to mitigate …
FAA Rule Change for Farm Drones
There’s an FAA rule change for some farming operations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is making it easier to use drones for spraying crops. Arthur Erickson is the CEO and …
Federal Funding to Support Automating the Strawberry Industry
The California strawberry industry is getting some federal support to help advance automation efforts. The Cal Poly Strawberry Center, in partnership with the California Strawberry Commission and the U.S. Department …
USDA: SNAP Payment Error Rates Rise
The USDA is seeing more errors in SNAP payments. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The combined payment error rate for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments …
Reliable Rail Service Act Reintroduced
The Reliable Rail Service Act has been reintroduced in Congress by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Roger Marshall. The legislation seeks to address the ongoing challenges related to unreliable service …
Challenges for House Ag Labor Working Group
Congress is looking into farm labor needs around the nation, but it is a challenging task. The House Agriculture Committee recently announced the creation of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working …
Farmers’ Share of July Fourth Food Dollar Continues to Shrink
That meal you enjoyed on the Fourth isn’t paying farmers what it used to. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The National Farmers Union (NFU) released the 2023 …
California Crop Conditions Heading into July
A recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that temperatures are heating up. The California Crop Progress and Condition report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service also …
Tides Turning at Tulare Lake, But Water to Remain for Some Time
After months of concerted efforts to mitigate flooding in the Tulare Lake region, state officials announced that the lake’s water levels have begun to recede. The positive results come as …
What’s Next for Biden’s WOTUS Rule?
Questions linger as federal officials try to rework the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has indicated that it will update the WOTUS rule …
Bureau of Reclamation Supports Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley
The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley and the California Water Institute (CWI) will be getting additional financial support from the Bureau of Reclamation. In a step towards sustainable …
India Trade Agreement Good for Producers Around U.S.
The U.S. and India have agreed to resolve six trade disputes including the removal of retaliatory tariffs on American ag exports. The two countries agreed to terminate six outstanding disputes …