Water
Modern irrigation tools move closer to automation
Growers still bear responsibility for irrigating specialty crops, but technology offers a few helping hands for the task. Sensors detect moisture in the air or soil. Weather networks record historical temperatures. And free-to-download phone apps... more »
Inslee expands drought emergency for nearly half of Washington state
Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee expanded the drought emergency declaration to cover nearly half of Washington state due to worsened, poor water supply conditions around the state and warmer and drier weather predictions through the summer. Snow... more »
Maximizing use of water stored in soil could result in grower savings
As California faces more frequent and severe droughts, agriculture, which relies on irrigation from surface water and groundwater, could become expensive and unsustainable. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, looked at using a “free”... more »
Florida Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiative forms plan to adapt to changes
Florida agricultural leaders are calling for deeper exploration of farmers, ranchers, and forest land owners as suppliers of environmental protection as well as of food and fiber. The Florida Climate-Smart Agriculture Work Group has declared... more »
Produce Safety Alliance aims to demystify agriculture water rules
In an effort to ensure the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables for consumers, Cornell’s Produce Safety Alliance is helping to explain complex federal food safety rules and develop new ways to assess agricultural water use. “Water... more »
Organizations urge Congress to address Western water infrastructure
Over 100 organizations representing water and agricultural interests in the Western U.S. urged Congress today to use any infrastructure package under consideration to help address severe hydrological conditions in the West. “As a nation we... more »
FDA publishes final rule extending compliance dates for ag water
USDA issued a rule March 15 to finalize the new compliance dates for the agricultural water requirements in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Larger farms are now required to comply... more »
Water accounting system production forecasting win Colorado tech award
SWIIM, a water accounting system with its on-farm grower dashboard, was the judge's top pick at the Second Annual Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association's (CFVGA) Tech Pitch. The competition, which featured four of the... more »
