The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting a record California almond crop for the third straight year. The USDA-NASS 2020 California Almond Subjective Forecast estimates California almond orchards will produce 3.0 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 17.6 percent from last year’s 2.55 billion-pound crop. Forecasted yield is expected to reach 2,380 pounds per acre, …

UnitedAg announced the 2020 recipients of the Agribusiness Education Foundation’s educational scholarship. The member-owned agricultural trade association awarded sixty students from agricultural communities across California and Arizona a combined $75,000. Each year, the association’s Board of Directors and the Foundation’s Education Committee spotlight two outstanding applicants with top awards. Karli Lundberg (affiliated with Babe Farms, Inc.) earned the Maurice McMillan …

Guiding Principles At the heart of our work, we believe that farming within natural systems nurtures healthy people and flourishing ecosystems. Farming is dependent on ecological interactions among many kinds of species. Farms can be safer and more resilient because diversity encourages a wide array of beneficial organisms and processes. Farms are more cost effective with reduced outside inputs, and …

Notice is hereby given that the California Department of Food and Agriculture is calling a public hearing to consider the suspension of Chapter 3.5 of the Food and Agricultural Code (62750 et seq).  This hearing is being called pursuant to Division 21, Part 3, Chapter 3.5, section 62752 of the Food and Agricultural Code, as implemented by the procedure described …

Blue Diamond Growers, a nonprofit grower-owned cooperative and the world’s leading processor and marketer of almonds, marked its 110-year anniversary today with announcements about the completion of two key infrastructure expansions.The company also was recently recognized by Boston Consulting Group & IRI as one of the Top 10 Fastest Growing Mid-Size CPGs for the fourth consecutive year.As part of Blue …

Why is milk being dumped and produce left to rot in fields while grocery store shelves go empty during the COVID-19 pandemic? Why are grocery stores running out of meat, and eggs becoming so expensive? The head of California’s Department of Food and Agriculture, researchers from the University of California, Davis, and food purveyors will tackle these and other questions in …

  Pick Safety is a new effort from the California Strawberry Commission to highlight farmworker safety and industry-leading training and safety practices by emphasizing that everybody is responsible to always pick safety. “Our new I Pick Safety logo reminds people to be safe and healthy, and it highlights why this is important,” said Carolyn O’Donnell, communications director of the Commission. …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started making payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program – Plus (WHIP+) to agricultural producers who suffered eligible losses because of drought or excess moisture in 2018 and 2019. Signup for these causes of loss opened March 23, and producers who suffered losses from drought (in counties designated D3 or above), excess …

American Farmland Trust’s Farmer Relief Fund started sending out $1,000 grant checks to 1,000 farmers across the country as Americans witnessed unprecedented disruptions to the food system. A huge thanks goes out to our donors, members and the host of corporate contributors who stepped up when farmers needed it most. The funds are going to help small to mid-size producers …

Strawberry planted acreage in California is up YOY in 2020 from its lowest level in almost 15 years, and increased plantings in the Santa Maria producing region continue. Florida’s acreage remains flat, while strawberry plantings in Mexico continue to expand. Updated estimates, based on our proprietary analytical tool, show that weekly strawberry shipments will increase in 2020, especially during California …