California farms are bearing the brunt of this year’s short water supply and have been forced to reduce the acreage of popular California crops, such as asparagus, melons, lettuce, rice, tomatoes, sweet corn, and others. Water supply reductions mean fewer fresh fruits and vegetables for consumers, massive farm-related job losses, and billions in lost economic activity, impacts that go beyond …

Western Growers (WG) is spearheading a Global Harvest Automation Initiative (GHAI) to accelerate harvest automation across the fresh produce industry, with a goal of automating 50 percent of harvest within 10 years. “For well over a decade, our members have struggled with a dwindling number of available workers. If we don’t come together as an industry to quickly and efficiently …

Next month, starting May 4, the Almond Board of California’s Field Outreach and Education team will be embarking on our previously postponed, long-awaited Industry Roadshow! The team is loading up Fritz, the almond van, with 3,000 informational packets featuring the latest ABC resources and traveling to 20 locations throughout the state with the purpose of:   Handing out new ABC resources, …

Building on their mission to promote the benefits and many ways walnuts can play a role in the overall health of consumers in the U.S. and around the world, the California Walnut Commission (CWC) published results from their recent multimedia campaign in India. The campaign focused on educating consumers on how walnuts add valuable plant-based omega-3, protein and fiber to their diet. Here are the highlights: …

The Lodi Winegrape Commission is pleased to announce its continued partnership with SommFoundation, one of the industry’s most progressive nonprofit organizations dedicated to the enrichment of wine and spirits professionals through travel, scholarships, and education. In partnership, the Lodi Winegrape Commission will provide a virtual masterclass on sustainable viticulture and LODI RULES – the first comprehensive and, arguably, most rigorous …

California Farm Water Coalition – Taking a look back at a similar water year can help us understand what might be in store for us through the rest of this year and possibly beyond. California is in a critically dry year, the same as in 2015. Water will be extremely tight for thousands of farmers around the state, and many …

Today, the Assembly Agriculture Committee passed Assembly Bill 125, the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms and Worker Protection Bond Act with a bipartisan 10-0 vote. AB 125 is a groundbreaking proposal to give voters the chance to approve a $3.302 billion effort to accelerate California’s economic recovery and build a healthier, more equitable and resilient food and …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announced yesterday that it will soon implement the $400 million Dairy Donation Program established by Congress in December 2020. The department provided details on program participation to dairy processors and cooperatives in order to ensure donations of nutritious dairy products continue to make their way to Americans struggling with hunger while USDA finalizes the program. …

California tree nut growers harvested record crops of almonds, walnuts and pistachios in 2020, following a year of ideal growing conditions on expanded bearing acreage. The abundance of supply led to lower tree nut prices which, combined with a weaker U.S. dollar, have pushed exports to record high volumes. The surge in exports comes despite ongoing retaliatory tariffs in importing …

An estimated 334,000 COVID-19 cases are attributable to meatpacking plants, resulting in $11.2 billion in economic damage, according to a new study led by a researcher at the University of California, Davis. The study was published in the journal Food Policy. It found that beef- and pork-processing plants more than doubled per capita infection rates in counties that had them. …