Strawberry growers, researchers, and other industry members from around the globe are invited to attend the 10th North American Strawberry Symposium (NASS), a meeting of  to be held in conjunction with the annual North American Strawberry Growers Association (NASGA) conference, March 7-10, 2023 at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo, California, USA. California, where nearly 90% of U.S. strawberries are grown, features a unique coastal environment …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the Cash Rents and Leases survey starting Feb. 6. The survey provides the basis for estimates of the current year’s cash rents paid for irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, and permanent pasture. Over 241,000 survey recipients across the United States have been selected to complete the survey with nearly 5,400 in CA, …

The Central Coast Olive Oil Competition, hosted annually by the California Mid-State Fair and in partnership with the Lodi Grape Festival, is now accepting entries. The 15th Annual competition will take place in April 2023 and feature olive oil from across the state of California. Olive oils are separated into two categories: extra virgin and flavored. The categories are then …

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, announced the winners of the 2023 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards, sponsored by Cargill. The National BQA Awards, funded in part by the Beef Checkoff, annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers, and educators. “The 2023 winners exemplify high-quality animal care and handling principles as part of their …

Under the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has worked to assist distressed borrowers, improve land access for underserved producers and provide disaster assistance and relief for producers impacted by natural disasters. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) also gave producers and landowners tools to help with climate-smart land management and made great strides in supporting USDA’s priorities of …

The Monterey County wine and winegrape sector and the businesses that support the industry deliver a total economic contribution of $1.4 billion in annual economic activity for Monterey County’s economy, according to a new report commissioned by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG). (https://eir-api.guerrillaeconomics.net/reports/bd57d1aa-a44a-4340-a67e-c6bf768b7b21?) The Monterey County wine industry, directly and indirectly, generates 10,491 jobs …

The American Agri-Women (AAW) Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2023 Daughters of American Agriculture Scholarships. The application may be found here:  https://americanagriwomen.org/scholarships. The deadline is March 1. Late applications will not be considered. The Jean Ibendahl Scholarship (for ages 18-23) and the Sister Thomas More Bertels Scholarship (for ages 24+) honors the memory of these courageous and adventurous women who played an …

According to the newly released “Today’s Beef Consumer” report from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, demand for beef continues to remain strong. The compilation of research from 2022, outlined below, shows that despite various challenges faced by the industry, consumers have repeatedly stated that they will continue purchasing beef, both in retail and …

The UC Cooperative Extension will be hosting its 2023 Carrot Research Symposium on Tuesday, February 14th online via Zoom from 8 a.m. to noon.  Attendance is free and open to the public.  The symposium will focus on the latest information in research and activities related to carrots, with 1.5 hrs. of ‘Other’ CEUs applied for from the CA Dept. of Pesticide Regulations.  Some …