Focus on Agriculture

CALIFORNIA — As wildfire conditions across California are expected to increase steadily through the summer, state officials last month expressed concerns about cuts in staff and funding at federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, a division within the Agriculture Department that partners with...

MONTEREY COUNTY — An excessive heat warning has been issued by the U.S. National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey California beginning Thursday through early next week for Monterey County. Areas under warning include: southern Salinas Valley, Arroyo Seco, Lake San Antonio, Santa Lucia Mountains...

SALINAS VALLEY — Nearly 400 people with a professional stake in the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed worldwide gathered at Hartnell College on May 4-5 for the 17th Annual Western Food Safety Conference. The conference, held on Hartnell’s Main Campus in Salinas as...

SALINAS VALLEY — University of California Santa Cruz’s CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) along with several partners has received a $1 million, 15-month planning grant to support regional drone education and workforce development from the James Irvine Foundation. The funds will be...

KING CITY — For the 10th consecutive year, the King City High School FFA Chapter has been recognized as one of the top 20 FFA programs in California. This distinction is based on the number of State and American Degrees earned by the students, showcasing...

More than three decades ago, Cesar Chavez, founder of the first successful union for farmworkers, predicted a future in which the cities of California would be run by people who looked like him. “History and inevitability are on our side,” he said in one of his best-known...

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System’s Farmers’ Market kicked off its 2017-2018 season last Friday, May 19. The Certified Farmers’ Market offers fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers and other items.

KING CITY — Hundreds of third graders from South Monterey County schools attended the 2025 South County Farm Day last month to learn all about agriculture. The annual enrichment program, sponsored by Monterey County Agricultural Education, gives an opportunity for youth to become familiar with...

South County organic farmer Israel Morales Sr. of JV Farms Organic in Soledad will receive the Organic Farmer of the Year Award at the Organic Trade Association’s Leadership Awards set for Sept. 11 at the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore, Md.

In a joint effort to accelerate the development of agricultural technologies, Wells Fargo has awarded Western Growers a $30,000 grant for the second year in a row.