The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) Foundation has awarded $34,000 in college scholarships to seven students. The scholarships are awarded annually to students whose parent or legal guardian is employed by a California winegrape grower.  “The CAWG Foundation is honored to award these scholarships and show our support for vineyard employees who are valued members of our winegrape industry …

Citing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent supply chain disruptions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to invest more than $4 billion to strengthen critical supply chains through the Build Back Better initiative. The new effort will strengthen the food system, create new market opportunities, tackle the climate crisis, help communities that have been left …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) invites stakeholders to submit project suggestions for fiscal year (FY) 2022 Plant Protection Act Section 7721 (PPA 7721) funding. In total, APHIS will allocate approximately $75 million to plant protection funding with at least $5 million going to the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN). PPA 7721’s Plant …

The North American Meat Institute (the Meat Institute) today said the State of California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12 or the law) provides no benefit to consumers and increases breeding sow mortality according to the State’s own proposed rule. “The recently proposed rule by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) admits there are no benefits to Californians as a …

The U.S. dairy industry continues to play a strong role in the U.S., supporting 3.3 million total jobs and $41.6 billion in direct wages, according to the latest economic impact report from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). IDFA’s 2021 Economic Impact Study, which measures the combined impact of the dairy products industry, showed the U.S. dairy industry’s economic impact …

Urban agriculture offers many benefits for food production but often has higher costs relative to traditional farming and is limited to only a few crops. By 2050, there will be nine billion people on the planet, but arable land is decreasing. Global food production will need to double to meet food needs, though climate change complicates the problem more. Robert …

The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) announced today the expansion of its Food Safety Zone to include a new Enteric Viruses Control Program(EVCP) aimed at preventing and controlling Norovirus and Hepatitis A throughout the global frozen fruit supply chain. Created for the international community of food safety professionals, the EVCP is a free interactive, online tool with downloadable resources for …

Western Growers (WG) has teamed with Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary, to launch a statewide initiative aimed at developing a future workforce with the skills and knowledge to navigate emerging on-farm technology. The AgTechX Ed initiative will bring together universities and colleges, farming and agricultural partners, and technology companies across California to transition the agriculture …

It is with great sadness that the family of renown winegrower, community leader and champion of regional water interests, Donald D. Galleano, announces his passing on June 2, 2021. Mr. Galleano was President of the Historic Cantu-Galleano Ranch in Mira Loma, California, a fifth-generation winery founded in 1927. Galleano is the oldest Prohibition-era winery in the Cucamonga Valley still owned …

Following a comprehensive certification process, the Blue Diamond Growers plant in Turlock, Calif., has earned distinction by becoming Green Business Certified by the Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s California Green Business Network, Stanislaus County program. The achievement marks the second such honor for the 111-year-old almond cooperative this year as the Blue Diamond Growers’ Salida facility was recognized as Green Business …