…hard for all of us and the fruits of their labor bring us together, at Thanksgiving and all year long. By Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture…
Former Ag Secretaries Urge Congress to Pass TPP
…U.S. economy. The letter from the former secretaries follows: As former Secretaries of Agriculture, we have been personally invested in the negotiation of every major U.S. trade agreement of the…
Sustainable Ag Expo Has Something for Everyone
This slideshow requires JavaScript. The Vineyard Team held its 11th annual Sustainable Ag Expo this week in San Luis Obispo. Organizers aim to bring together all aspects of sustainable production…
New Raisin Variety Being Tested in Central Valley
…reducing labor costs and drying expenses. USDA is having the Kearney Agriculture and Research Extension Center test the new variety. Center Director Jeff Dahlberg says they are excited about the…
Latino Farmers Conference Offers Templates for Success, Exceeds Expectations
…managing limited water resources. The conference response so exceeded expectations that many agency and agribusiness attendees agreed to stand, giving limited seating space to farmers. “USDA’s Latino Farmers Conference was…
Fig Grower Discusses Labor Needs in California Agriculture
…and talked about California agriculture issues ranging from the drought to the dire need for adequate labor in agriculture. Robert Steinacher on California Agriculture Robert Steinacher and his wife, Karen,…
National Manufacturing Month – Recognizing Where the Harvest Leads
…intermediate or final consumption by applying labor, machinery, energy, and scientific knowledge.” Did you know that California, in addition to being far-and-away the nation’s leading agricultural producer, packs just as…
Federal Pesticide Changes Mirror California Rules
…relates to the minimum age of employees who work with or around agricultural chemicals. For years in California, a handler or applicator had to be 18 years of age. The…
Ag Sec. Vilsack Talks TPP
…agreement and its removal of unfair trade barriers, American agricultural exports to the region will expand even further. The agreement would eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs on agriculture products and…
Statement by the President on the Trans-Pacific Partnership
…first by establishing the highest labor standards of any trade agreement in history, requiring all countries to meet core, enforceable labor standards as stated in the International Labor Organization’s (ILO)…
Farmers Report Shortage of Help to Harvest Crops
…also a challenge for Tom Ikeda, a vegetable grower, packer and shipper in Arroyo Grande. “Labor again is very tight this year. We are using one H-2A crew, which has…
Citrus Industry This Week: Federal Promotion Program; Acreage Decline
Today’s issue of Citrus Industry This Week includes news from the Florida Citrus Commission, a grower’s view on declining acreage and training opportunities for farm labor supervisors. Want to learn…
State Legislative Session Ends in Flurry of Votes
…Bills addressing labor issues also received mixed results during the legislative session that ended last week, said Bryan Little, CFBF employment policy director and CEO of Farm Employers Labor Service….
State Pear Growers Report Quality Crop
…about 440 employees, about half for packing fresh pears and the remainder for harvest. But even with needing about 240 employees to harvest pears, labor was so tight that five…