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 Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) is pleased to be selected as a 1% for the Planet Environmental Partner. 1% for the Planet is a global movement, created by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Files, that provides organizations with support for solving the planet’s problems. The carefully vetted approval process reviewed the NVG for …

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 …

Are you a California farmer, rancher, or forestland owner who improves soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on your working land? Apply for the 2023 California Leopold Conservation Award®. Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 25 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In California the $10,000 …

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 …

Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) applauds Congressmen Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) for introducing the Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States (A-PLUS) Act. If enacted, the bill would remove an outdated regulatory barrier and allow livestock auction market owners to own or invest in small and regional meatpackers. The Administration, Congress, and the livestock industry …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reminds California farmers and ranchers that the deadline to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture is next week, Feb. 6. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. Last month, NASS mailed the Census of Agriculture questionnaires to every known ag producer in California, the U.S., and Puerto Rico. Conducted …

There were 89.3 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of Jan. 1, 2023, according to the Cattle report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Other key findings in the report were: Of the 89.3 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.3 million. There are 28.9 …

The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) is pleased to announce the release of a new scholarship program. With the goal of investing in the next generation, the program is designed to award five (5), $2500 scholarships to individuals that are interested in or display knowledge of the importance of the agriculture industry and its supporting entities, with plans to use their …