Ellington Peek, of Cottonwood, Calif., was recognized as the recipient of the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) Industry Icon Award at the 2021 LMA Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn. “LMA is blessed to have members like Ellington, who have a devout passion for livestock marketing, inspiring others and advancing competition in all that they do” LMA President Larry Schnell said. “Ellington …

More than $1 billion in payments will be released over the next several weeks starting June 15 for agricultural producers with approved applications for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program and for producers who have already received payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). These U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs provide disaster assistance to producers who …

California Avocado Commission — The National Weather Service has issued warnings concerning an extended period of excessive heat, gusty winds and critical fire weather conditions beginning Monday, June 14 and lasting throughout the entire next week for the Los Angeles/Oxnard region. Beginning Monday, the region will experience higher temperatures and gusty winds, peaking Tuesday through Friday, June 18. The combination …

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak in Peaches. The FDA and multiple state and federal partners investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections that were linked to the consumption of peaches during the summer of 2020. In total, the outbreak caused 101 reported illnesses across 17 states, including 28 hospitalizations. This appears to …

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and the California Walnut Board (CWB) and U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) are collaborating with a select group of retailers, including Coborn’s, Rouses Markets and Weis Markets, to encourage consumers to “grab a boost of blue and walnuts, too!” Activations will include unique opportunities such as local TV segments, e-newsletter features, Facebook Lives, and …

It is no secret that the American West is in the midst of an alarming water shortage. Data from April shows that almost 80% of the West is in at least moderate drought, while 61% is in severe drought, 42% is in extreme drought and 21% is in exceptional drought. This dry spell has created water stress for farmers across …

Piglets born to heat-stressed sows may carry the burden of their mom’s discomfort later in life in the form of health complications and diminished performance. Now, this so-called “in utero heat stress” may also hypersensitize the piglet’s immune system, potentially doing more harm than good to the young animals, a team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university scientists has …

It is a privilege for the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) to administer a scholarship program to ensure that the next generation of African-American/Black and Hispanic farmers receive the training and skills that will enable them to thrive in the agricultural industry. “Higher education provides essential tools, knowledge, and resources that will allow these scholars to continue their family farm legacy for …

As Californians brace themselves for the impacts of drought, an advisory group of irrigation experts and farmers recently released some timely recommendations to update the state’s sole on-farm water and energy efficiency program, the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP). Created to assist farmers during the previous drought and address climate change, SWEEP funds on-farm water and energy efficiency projects like micro irrigation, …

California Prune orchards put on a beautiful show this spring as the trees bloomed with white blossoms and shifted to a changing color palette as new fruit formed. Growers across the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys reported a nice extended bloom with excellent quality. With an estimated 75,000 tons in volume for the 2021 crop, California Prune growers have been …