State legislators closed out the legislative session and adjourned on September 1, 2026. The end-of-session actions brought new gut and amend bills to the foreground relating to warehouses and non-residential properties that could affect agriculture. Legislators also passed bills regarding wages, water and ultraprocessed food, among others. On a positive note, modest funding was included in the budget for a …

Applications are now open for UC ANR Connect, a grower-informed commercialization program operated by UC ANR Innovate, the innovation arm of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, in partnership with ag tech venture firm Farmhand Ventures. Applications will be accepted through Sept. 18. Selected companies receive commercialization support, direct feedback from California growers and agricultural professionals, industry connections and …

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service announced the participant list for its upcoming trade mission to Melbourne, Australia, Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. Participants  from California include Best Buy Grocers, Carriere Family Farms, the California Table Grape Commission, the California Milk Advisory Board, Western United Dairies, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and Valley Pride Ag Co. Through FAS agribusiness trade missions, …

This year’s UC Cooperative Extension California Agritourism Summit will be held September 23-25 in Paso Robles, CA. The summit brings together leaders, experts, and practitioners to connect, learn, and engage. This is an opportunity for you to connect colleagues from across the state to learn from each other, share your work, and discuss how to meet this exciting ear for …

UC Ag and Natural Resources and F3 are offering  free skills training courses to help California growers navigate the hurdles of planning, marketing, social media, capital access and buyer engagement. Small- to mid-size growers, ranchers, fishers, food producers and food business owners are invited to join the Business Launchpad, a free, cohort-based business development program designed to help them build …

California Citrus Mutual (CCM) announced the selection of Tom Danowski as its new CEO following a search conducted by the CCM Board of Directors. Danowski brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience spanning agriculture, advocacy, trade association management and marketing to the job. More recently, he served for 13 years as President and CEO of the Oregon Wine …

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced that all manufacturers of pesticide products containing the active ingredient paraquat-dichloride (paraquat) have voluntarily cancelled their product registrations, beginning the phase-out of the use of paraquat in California. “For years, communities have fought to end the use of paraquat, a weedkiller associated with negative impacts to human health and wildlife,” said California …

The Blueberry Convention is the largest gathering of the blueberry industry in the U.S. — and this year’s event is packed with insights, connections and experiences designed to help move the industry forward. Guests will be able to: Get the latest category data, insights and economic outlooks to guide your operations. See how the Blueberries GO BIG campaign is driving …

Small farms across the state may not be able to comply with groundwater regulations and stay in business, according to a new report analyzing the impact of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) on small-scale farms. In the first-ever assessment of small farmer consideration in California groundwater regulations, researchers at the University of California Small Farms Network and the Community …