…2014 Farm Bill combined the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, Grassland Reserve Program, and Wetlands Reserve Program into the ACEP program. One of the most significant changes this final…
CDFA Committee/Board Vacancies
…CA 95814 Additional information is available on the Egg Safety and Quality Management program’s web page at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/mpes/esqm.html. You may also contact Anthony Herrera, ESQM Program Supervisor at (916) 900-5062….
Industry Calls for Clearing up of Organic Marketing
…organic food products and non-food products claiming to be organic should be regulated in the same manner. The National Organic Program regulates strict organic standards for agricultural products. However, the…
Help for Low-Income Families to Purchase Fruits and Veggies
…participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The funding will be awarded to eligible nonprofits and governmental organizations through the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program, administered by…
Additional Lender Category for Small-Scale Operators
…up to 95 percent. USDA is providing a 90-day period for the public to review and comment on program improvements. To review program details, visit www.regulations.gov, reference RIN 0560-AI34 and…
Shot Hole Borers Vanish From Avocado Trees
…meeting about the concerning shot hole borer beetles that seemed to favor avocado trees, among many other landscape species. Research Program Director Tim Spann said the beetles have almost disappeared…
Rooftop Wheat
…by accidentally harvesting a wheat crop. Originally, the plan was for wildflowers like milkweed and black-eyed susan. But when some winter wheat was planted as a placeholder to keep the…
NCGA: Scholarship Opportunities to Young Farmers
…partnership with BASF Corporation. With the application period open until December 2, this program provides five $1,000 scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a degree in an agriculture-related field…
Final Rule for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a final rule on the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), the nation’s premier conservation easement program that helps landowners protect working agricultural lands…
USDA/NIFA Awards $4.7 M for Food Safety Outreach, Education
…NIFA’s Food Safety Outreach Program, will assist owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, small fresh fruit and vegetable wholesalers, food hubs, farmers…
USDA Predicts Record California Almond Harvest
…the harvest to reach 2.05 billion pounds for the 2016-17 crop year. The harvest projection represents an eight percent increase from a year ago and a slight increase from the…
Projects to Protect-Restore San Francisco Bay
…nonprofit Earth Team, Contra Costa County Clean Water Program, the City of Richmond, and community members from the City of San Pablo. “This investment in our green infrastructure will allow…
California Ag Leads Nation in Funding for Specialty Crops
State receives more than $22 million in federal grant funds from Farm Bill The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced funding for the 2016 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP)….
Applications for 2017 Borlaug Fellowships
…Science and Technology Fellowship Program. The program offers training and collaborative research opportunities to scientists, researchers, and policymakers from 32 eligible countries. Fellows will work one-on-one with a mentor at…