The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently held a virtual hearing related to one of several initiatives looking to make changes to the California dairy quota program. Several …
Developing A Waiver of Liability for On-Farm Tours and Other Activities
Farmers are being encouraged to develop liability waivers for on-farm tours and other activities. Executive Director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Tawny Tesconi recommends that growers meet with legal …
Growing Better Broccoli May Involve Trial and Error
Cathy Isom fills you in during today’s This Land of Ours program how to grow better broccoli. Learning how to grow broccoli usually involves some trial and error. Most gardeners …
Avocado Marketing in China a Massive Undertaking
The California Avocado Commission was, of course, happy to hear that part of the ‘phase-one’ agreement between the U.S. and China included Hass avocados. But now the commission has to …
New Pest Control Material Becomes Available for California Growers
California producers have added another pest control material to the toolbox with the recent registration of a new insecticide from BASF. The new product, Sefina, has been shown to be …
Agricultural Statistics Review Shows Mild Improvement
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently released the latest agricultural statistics review which shows a modest improvement from the year prior. The report shows that the state’s …
Week in Review: Nighttime Lighting Rule Effective July 1, Preparing for Wildfire Smoke Requirements
Farmers will want to be prepared for the regulatory requirements that are going to be in effect this summer. New nighttime lighting rules will begin to be enforced beginning July …
Making Sense of Biologicals: Microbials Attack the Health of Pests
This episode of Making Sense of Biologicals begins to break down the biopesticide category. The Environmental Protection Agency breaks biopesticides into three areas: biochemical, microbial, and plant-incorporated-protectants. In this episode, …
Resilience 2020 Expands to Highlight Sustainability of Cattle Industry
The Resilience 2020 campaign has been expanded to also highlight other areas of the cattle industry. Launched by the California Cattle Council and the California Cattlemen’s Association, the Resilience 2020 …
June 22 Deadline to Encourage More Cotton Eligibility for CFAP
Industry groups are encouraging more cotton eligibility under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Under the guidelines for the program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined that extra-long staple …
Members Appointed to the EPA Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler is announcing the appointment of thirty-three members to the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee (FRRCC). Established in 2008, the FRRCC provides …
Details of How CFAP is Assisting Cotton Industry
Now three weeks into the application period for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, nearly 20 percent of the $16 billion in direct payments being made available …
Livestock Grazing Holds Potential Benefits in Organic Systems
Researchers are looking into the benefits that livestock grazing presents for organic farming systems. The project is being made possible by a nearly $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) …
UC Conducts Survey of COVID-19 Prevention on Farms
All California growers, ranchers, farm labor contractors, and ag supervisors are invited to complete a short survey about their experiences addressing COVID-19 in the workplace. The survey is being conducted …