West
Strong year for plums gets boost from Japan market
As harvest of late-season plums ramps up, growers and others in the business say new market access to Japan should expand export opportunities for the crop. This comes as a bonus after what they describe... more »
California board balances farmers, fish in watershed action
A state drought curtailment regulation, adopted in early August for the Klamath River watershed, calls for minimum in-stream flows but also incorporates potential voluntary actions to achieve water savings to help fish and keep farmers... more »
California Fresh Fruit Association calls on governor to veto AB 616
On Aug. 26, the California State Senate voted 24-11 to pass AB 616 (Stone), commonly referred to as “card check.” AB 616 would alter the traditional petition and secret election process overseen by the Agricultural... more »
Western Growers unveils agtech career development pipeline
Western Growers has bolstered its workforce development efforts with the launch of five initiatives aimed at transitioning the agriculture workforce to master rapidly developing agricultural technology. The initiatives make up Western Growers' (WG) Agtech Workforce... more »
Protecting farm employees from smoke – what to do
California's hot summer growing season and an ongoing drought feeding out-of-control wildfires pose challenges for farm employers. The 700,000-acre-and-counting Dixie Fire and the devastating Caldor Fire have conspired to funnel smoke in agricultural production areas... more »
On-farm readiness reviews urged in Colorado to help food safety
The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association is encouraging all Colorado produce growers who grow, harvest, pack or hold produce that is consumed raw to take advantage of an educational opportunity offered by Colorado State... more »
California farms harvest season’s first fresh apples
Supplying the U.S. market with the first fresh-picked apples of the season remains an important niche for California growers. But competition from other production regions continues to sour prices, prompting growers to look to expand... more »
Latest California fire stirs fears of losing farm tourists
While the Dixie Fire expanded its reach in northeastern California, a newer blaze east of Sacramento put wineries and agritourism operators on edge in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Wineries in southern El Dorado County were... more »