Several agricultural industry groups are issuing their support for Representative Jim Costa to take over as Chair of the House Agriculture Committee. The position became available after Representative Collin Peterson …
Comment Period Open Until November 24 for Organic Cannabis
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has regulatory information for the certification of cannabis that is comparable to the National Organic Program. The OCal Program is a statewide certification …
Shipping Container Shortages Causing Problems for Ag Exporters
Increased levels of international trade are creating shipping container shortages. The upcoming holiday season is expected to exacerbate the problem even further. Traditional trade flows have also been significantly altered …
USTR Calls for Trade Investigation for Imported Produce
The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) is being asked to investigate imported produce. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer sent a letter to ITC requesting that the agency monitor imports …
FDA Extends Comment Period for Food Safety Rule Exemption
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the comment period for provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. The FDA initially issued a request for information back …
Biden Transition Team Performing Agency Reviews of USDA and EPA
President-elect Joe Biden is working to address important positions within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A series of agency review teams have …
EU Moves Forward with Increased Tariffs on American Goods
The European Union (EU) has announced that it will be moving forward with increased tariffs on U.S. goods. Tariffs will be imposed on nearly $4 billion worth of American imports. …
FDA Reviews Rollout of New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently provided a progress report on the rollout of the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint. FDA hosted a webinar in October …
Nearly 60 Conservation Practice Standards Revised by USDA
Conservation practice standards have been updated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The revisions to the standards were done in accordance with the 2018 …
UCCE Offering Water Measurement and Reporting Course November 18
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is offering a water measurement and reporting course on Wednesday, November 18. Water-rights holders are required to report any water diverted from surface …
Making Sense of Biologicals: Biological Delivering Targeted Ant Bait Sustainably
Ants can be a compounding issue for growers. Although the pest doesn’t always directly impact the crop or quality, they do hinder protective measures. UC Riverside Biological Control Specialist Dr. …
Proposition 15 Defeated: ‘Farmers Can Breathe A Little Easier’
Two weeks after the election, results show that Proposition 15 has officially been defeated. The ballot measure was defeated by a margin of more than 550,000 votes. A broad array …
Federal Officials Moving Forward on Friant-Kern Canal Repairs
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is moving forward on critically important Friant-Kern Canal repairs. A Record of Decision was signed last month authorizing repairs to a 33-mile portion of the …
Proposed Neonicotinoid Mitigations Are Moving Forward
The proposed neonicotinoids mitigations from that the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) are moving forward. It has been a lengthy process for DPR to address the material. The comment …