Focus on Agriculture

SALINAS VALLEY — A dangerous herbicide banned immediately by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been sprayed on crops in many California counties and has contaminated groundwater in low concentrations in the Salinas Valley and Santa Barbara County. The weed-killing chemical, known as DCPA or...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County agriculture pumped more than $11 billion into the local economy in 2023 and supported 81,315 jobs, according to a new economic report. Assistant Agricultural Commissioner Rich Ordonez released the latest comprehensive analysis of the county’s largest industry on Nov. 18,...

KING CITY — This year’s South County Farm Day brought about 650 third- and fourth-graders to the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City on Jan. 27. The South Monterey County students, stemming from Gonzales to King City schools, attended the free educational enrichment program taught...

SALINAS VALLEY — A new exhibition at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas highlights a diverse generation of women innovators and their contribution to agriculture by way of technology. “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators in California Agtech,” which premiered last month, uses multimedia to...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s agriculture industry saw a major rebound in 2024, with overall crop and livestock production reaching nearly $5 billion in gross value — a 14.7% increase from the previous year. And, for the first time in county history, a single crop...

National Agriculture Week 2026 will be observed March 15-21, with National Ag Day falling on March 24. The annual week highlights the vital role agriculture plays in the United States — providing food, jobs and economic stability — and encourages Americans to recognize the industry’s contributions...

SALINAS VALLEY — The 2023 Monterey County wine grape harvest has begun with Scheid Family Wines’ Isabelle’s Vineyard located in the Salinas Valley along River Road, west of Chualar, on the Monterey Wine Trail, announced Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association last week. Cool weather delayed the...

KING CITY — Celebration Nation is continuing to host food banks for local farmworkers in the Salinas Valley, with the next two events planned for King City and Greenfield on upcoming Saturdays. The nonprofit, launched in 2020 to support farm-working communities in California, currently schedules food...