Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Senate Bill 559 (SB 559) after two years of effort to garner funding support to repair areas of the Friant-Kern Canal. The bipartisan bill was …
Farm Groups Encourage Continued WTO Membership
A large group of agricultural organizations is encouraging the U.S. to remain members of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In a letter to U.S. trade officials and congressional leaders, the …
Continuing Resolution Signed, CCC To Be Replenished
President Donald Trump has signed the continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded through December 11. The Senate approved the stopgap funding measure hours before the deadline by a …
California Production Costs Making Other States More Attractive for Growers
The increasing cost of production in California is pushing some farmers to try their luck in other states. Costs for labor, regulatory compliance, and fuel are all substantially cheaper in …
OpenET Project Seeks to Transform Water Management in the West
The OpenET project is a collaboration between the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), and Google. The project is centered on …
NRCS Funds Innovation Through On-Farm Trials of Conservation Systems
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is awarding $25 million in grants designed to help partners implement and evaluate innovative conservation practices that have demonstrated benefits on farmland. The funding is …
Gasoline-Powered Vehicle Sales to End by 2035 Under Executive Order
Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed an executive order that will prohibit the sales of gasoline-powered vehicles. Under the order, all new passenger vehicles will have to be zero-emission by 2035. …
Making Sense of Biologicals: Nematode’s High Level of Peachtree Borer Control
Peachtree borer can wreak havoc on several stone fruit crops such as peach, cherry, and plum trees. Controlling the insect can be challenging because, as their name describes, the pest …
Stopgap Funding Bill with Farming Support Moves Forward
A stopgap funding bill that will prevent a government shutdown was recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 359 to 57. The bill will keep …
FDA Proposes Food Traceability Rule as Part of FSMA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new food traceability rule to improve recordkeeping standards for multiple commodities. The rule is being proposed as part of the …
Third Round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program Announced
The third round of contracts was recently announced for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. An additional $1 billion has been made …
California Conservation Project Receive $3.5 Million in Funding
A California conservation project is receiving significant funding support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conversation Service (NRCS). The project is being supported by the Regional Conservation Partnership …
WIFIA Improvement Act Looks to Assist Public Water Projects
The WIFIA Improvement Act of 2020 was recently introduced as a means for helping provide support for public water projects. The bipartisan legislation would make changes to the Water Infrastructure …
GAO Report Details How Trade Aid Payments Were Distributed
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) details how trade aid payments were administered through the 2019 Market Facilitation Program (MFP) in a recent report. The program was established in 2018 …