West

Tech event features a robot parade, drone pavilion

From weed control to fertilizer application, harvesting, picking and seeding, FIRA USA is showcasing more than two dozen ag robots with field demonstrations. Over the three-day event, Sept. 19-21, in Salinas, California, robots will be... more »

California water rights rules opposed by coalition

As California experiences wild swings in climate from drought to floods, critics of the state’s water rights system seek to overhaul rules that date back to California’s founding in 1850. Three water rights bills are... more »

Farm Robotics Challenge winners named

A robot designed to reduce farmworker injuries and streamline harvest took the top prize in the Farm Robotics Challenge 2023. The challenge spotlighted the exceptional innovation and technical prowess of students from universities across the... more »

AgSharks competition opens to startups

Western Growers and S2G Ventures are accepting applications for the 2023 AgSharks Competition. During the event, agtech startups pitch their innovations in front of an audience of the world’s largest specialty crop producers to win... more »

Water, farm bill drive California food, ag summit

The outlook for California’s agricultural economy shows some signs of improvement after several years of supply-chain constraints, high input costs and a multiyear drought that forced farmers to fallow acres and remove orchards. The June... more »

California grants available for sustainable pest management

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is accepting grant applications for a program promoting sustainable pest control practices. The CDFA’s Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis (OPCA) is accepting applications for the Biologically... more »

California approves Certis Biologicals nematicide

California farmers have a new product for controlling the threat of nematodes in their fields, orchards and vineyards with the approval of MeloCon LC by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. MeloCon LC, from Certis... more »

GrubMarket supports organic initiative with CCOF partnership

GrubMarket has formed a multi-year partnership with California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), a nonprofit organization that advances organic agriculture through organic certification, education, advocacy, and promotion. This partnership, part of GrubMarket's Sustainable California initiative, aims... more »