West
California winegrape growers expected to suffer $437M in losses due to COVID-19
California winegrape growers could suffer at least $437 million in lost sales from this year’s grape harvest due to COVID-19 related economic disruptions. According to an analysis by Jon Moramarco, managing partner of bw166 and... more »
New line of table grape varieties designed to capture marketers, consumers
International Fruit Genetics (IFG), a fruit breeder, is adding six new table grape varieties the company says are poised to further disrupt the produce industry and lead the table grape world with unique shapes and flavors... more »
Report: COVID-19 hitting California agriculture hard
California farms, ranches and agricultural businesses will suffer billions of dollars in COVID-19-related losses this year. According to an economic study released June 24, the state’s agricultural sector already has lost $2 billion and could... more »
El-kereamy named director of UC Lindcove REC
Ashraf El-kereamy will be the new director of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Lindcove Research & Extension Center, starting on July 1. He will continue to serve as a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the... more »
Colorado building statewide Soil Health Program, welcomes farm participation
June 23 marked the second annual National Soil Health Day, and the one year anniversary of the Colorado Collaborative for Healthy Soils (CCHS), a farmer- and rancher-led coalition, created in part to maximize participation by... more »
University of California Extension academics, including pear expert, retiring
Ten University of California Cooperative Extension academics, including noted pear expert Rachel Elkins, are set to retire July 1. Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension pomology farm advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties, plans to retire July 1 after 36 years... more »
Colorado finalizes state guidance for keeping ag workers safe
In an effort to protect Colorado’s essential workers within the agriculture industry and to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has finalized state guidance for the agriculture... more »
Western Growers: Specialty crops not accessing USDA direct payments
As of June 15, USDA had allocated nearly $2.9 billion of $16 billion in direct payments as part of its Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Specialty crops continue to lag other sectors of the agriculture industry,... more »