…beginning of September is a good time to divide irises and day lilies, fertilize fescue lawns, and start cool-season vegetable seedlings. It’s also a good time to plant cover crops,…
Updates to Whole-Farm Revenue Protection to Benefit Organic Producers
…is designed for any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue. That includes farming operations with specialty or organic commodities, covering both crops and livestock. The insurance plan…
NASS to Review Acreage Earlier for Certain Crops
The Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service announced it will review planted and harvested acreage for select crops earlier than normal. The crops under review include corn, cotton, peanuts,…
Helpful Tips for Preparing the Garden for the Cold Season Ahead
…area. Spot spray young dandelions that sprout from summer seeds. And, clean up the veggie patch by pulling spent crops. Be sure to gather all debris, including stem, leaf and…
Almond Update: 2021 Harvest Season ‘Looking Good’ So Far
The 2021 harvest season is underway, and reports indicate that things are going smoothly. With warmer temperatures and dry conditions, some of the earlier almond varieties went a little earlier…
Organic and Specialty Crop Insurance Purchases Increase Substantially
…and research. Over a 30-year period, liabilities for insured specialty crops increased from $1 billion to more than $20 billion. Liabilities for insured organic crops also increased substantially between 1990…
Specialty Crop Multi-State Program to Award $10 Million in Funding
…to state departments of agriculture to help support collaborative, multi-state projects that address issues of food safety, pests and disease, research, and marketing and promotion for specialty crops. “This program…
The Western View: September is California Wine Month
…best wines in the world created on small and large vineyards right here, among the citrus, stone fruit and row crops of California’s rich farmland. So this is the month…
Western House Members Ask for FEMA Disaster Declaration
Several members of Congress are asking President Biden to declare a drought disaster in the western United States as record temperatures and wildfires hit several states hard. Democrats Joe Neguse…
Groups Disappointed in Neonicotinoid Evaluation
Grower organizations representing a variety of crops are disappointed with the Environmental Protection Agency’s draft biological evaluation for several neonicotinoid products. The groups representing farmers across the country say that…
Contract Producers Eligible for Assistance Under Recent CFAP 2 Update
…of specialty crops and other sales-based commodities will now be eligible for assistance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has established October 12 as the deadline…
Almond Update: New Cover Crop BMPs Available for Growers
A new resource has been made available for growers, focused on the use of cover crops in almond orchards. The new Best Management Practices (BMPs) guide provides a thorough look…
Propane Prices Heading Higher
…fall. Looking ahead to the Liquid Propane market environment for grain drying in the fall, analysts are said to be using descriptions like “train wreck” and “tug-of-war.” The rising Liquid…
EPA Moves to End Chlorpyrifos Use on National Scale
…the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA). “Farmers and ranchers care deeply about the quality of our crops – nothing is more important than producing safe, nutritious food. So, we must be…