– Overall, the week was very wet and chilly across the State. Temperatures were fairly steady early in the week, with a gradual warm-up as the weekend arrived. Most of the State was soggy through the week, with most areas in the central/northern valley receiving three to five inches of rain, coastal areas north of Monterey saw two to four …

Featured Image Credit: (Karin Higgins/UC Davis photo) – Increasing wheat yield rapidly enough to meet population growth has been a challenge for wheat breeders. An international research project, headed by plant geneticist Jorge Dubcovsky, professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, is using new technology to identify the wheat genes that impact yield. “Grain yield is one of the most …

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images The same weather radar technology used to predict rain is now giving UC researchers the ability to track wild birds that could carry the avian influenza virus. Avian influenza, which kills chickens, turkeys and other birds, can take a significant economic toll on the poultry industry. In 2014-15, the United States experienced its worst bird flu …

The USDA has released the 2015 Expenditures on Children by Families report, also known as “The Cost of Raising a Child.” The report, developed by economists at USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), estimates that for a child born in 2015, a middle-income* married-couple family will spend between $12,350 and $13,900 annually (in 2015 dollars) – or $233,610 …

The recent rains have fueled good growth in the barley, oats, and wheat plantings. Planting of these grains continued and herbicides were applied to control weeds as needed. Straw shipments were on going. With the cold weather alfalfa fields have gone dormant, and have either had herbicides applied or sheep added to graze. All cotton growers have completed the shredding …

Most of the 5 million cattle that graze on California’s rangelands like to dine in the valleys and hang out by creeks. This can lead to overgrazing in riparian areas and let perfectly good forage on hillsides go to waste. But some cows are different. They prefer to climb hills and mountains and eat along the way. If more cattle …

Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner released the current status today of major crops in the second most valued county in the California Ag portfolio. They report that Fields continue to be prepared and planted to winter wheat and barley forage. The growth of planted grains and field crops continue grow at an excellent rate, reaping the benefit from this past week’s …

[wpdevart_youtube]uwcw6Crc2lg[/wpdevart_youtube] At a vegetable crop pest meeting in Five Points, beet curly top virus in tomatoes was a key topic of discussion. In order to stop the spread of this disease, Farm Advisor Joe Nunez is going after the vector, beet leafhopper. Watch his video interview as he shares his approach to repel the pests by coloring the soil, and …