News
California bill would shift water use from farmers to state
A California state senator is proposing to use $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds to buy water rights from farmers. By doing so, according to Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, the state could avoid some of the annual battles between it and environmental... more
Reducing pesticide risk to bees during fruit crop bloom
Honey bee and bumble bee colonies are being delivered to farms, and wild bees are becoming active during the warm spring weather. These and other flower-visiting pollinators should be protected by minimizing pesticide exposure and risk, so they can c... more
MSU Extension sets blueberry pre-harvest meeting
Michigan State University researchers and other berry experts will be presenting information at the MSU Extension blueberry pre-harvest meeting. The meeting is from 5-7 p.m. June 9 at the Van Buren Intermediate School District Conference Center in... more
Edible coating extends shelf life of fresh produce
A new edible coating, NatuWrap, extends the shelf life of fresh produce, cutting down on food waste. NatuWrap keeps moisture in and oxygen and unwanted micro-organisms out, according to a news release, providing value to growers, packers, retailer... more
Florida launches Farmer Stress Awareness Initiative
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) recently launched the Farmer Stress Awareness Initiative. The FDACS initiative, announced by Florida Agricultural Secretary Nikki Fried June 2 at Plant City-based berry grower W... more
NASGA Summer Tour to visit eight farms in August
The North American Strawberry Growers Association’s Summer Tour features eight farms in the Toronto area. The farms on the Aug. 16-17 tour have unique features and most are operated by active NASGA members who are progressive, innovative growers... more
American Agri-Women share Farm Bill recommendations
American Agri-Women released the recommendations of their Farm Bill Task Force this week. AAW President Heather Hampton-Knodle said their philosophy is to focus on fundamentals of on-farm flexibility, access to capital and programs and promotion of U... more