The State Water Resources Control Board has passed emergency water curtailments for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed. The impact of COVID may have turned things around for the winegrape market …
Secretary Vilsack Talks Drought, Trade, and Labor at Fresno County Farm
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited California this week, meeting with growers, industry groups, and state officials to learn about the challenges facing agriculture. During his stop at Terranova Ranch …
Project to Advance the Potential of Robotic Harvesting in Strawberries
UC Davis will be working with advanced.farm to evaluate the performance of different strawberry cultivars using robotic harvesting. The goal is to identify varieties that show potential for being planted …
Things to Do Now to Get a Head Start on the Fall Garden
The things you can do now to get a head start on the Fall garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. With another month of hot temps upon us …
Winegrape Market Poised for a Rebound Year in 2021
Last year was a tough one for growers as the winegrape market was flush with supply. President of Land Management Incorporated, Jeff Brown said they lost quite a bit of …
Monterey County Agriculture Drops Below $4 Billion in Value
Monterey County agriculture took a notable hit in 2020, largely due to the impacts of wildfire and COVID-19. The 2020 Crop & Livestock Report reflects a significant decline in production …
Week in Review: Regulatory Costs Triple, CA FAIR Plan Expanded, WHIP+ Extension Moves Forward
A study tracking regulatory costs in California between 2012 and 2018 was recently released, with striking findings. Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 11, aimed at helping producers acquire …
Committee Hearings Shine a Light on Issues Within the Food Supply Chain
Two Congressional committee hearings were held recently to examine areas of the food supply chain that need improvements. The House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture held a …
Performance Measures Updated for Multiple USDA Programs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced updates to the performance measures for several programs. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will be applying the updates moving forward beginning with …
Vegetables to Grow for Herbivore Pets and Companions
The parbest vegetables to grow for Herbivore pets and companions. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you have herbivore pets such as rabbits, small rodents, tortoises, or parakeets, …
MSOB: Biological Control of Botrytis Shows Potential
Recent research has found that biological control methods for botrytis can be as effective as a chemical approach. A trial conducted earlier this year in a commercial strawberry field in …
Winegrape Oversupply Compounds Issue of Smoke Exposure
The winegrape oversupply in 2020 had a detrimental effect on a variety of aspects of the industry, most notably prices. However, the abundant supply of winegrapes also played a role …
Pretty Plants that Repel Biting Bugs in Your Garden
Some pretty plants that repel biting bugs. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Strongly scented plants have the ability to send pesky biting bugs like mosquitoes and flies packing. …
Lack of Smoke Exposure Standards Complicate Winegrape Contracts
Smoke exposure in winegrapes has become a critical issue for the industry. Buyers have regularly been backing out of contract obligations due to assumed damage to winegrape quality. Contract agreements …