49.3 F
King City
January 29, 2026

Dangerous herbicide used on California crops banned

Monterey County crops
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...

Women in agtech: Ellie Symes

Editor’s Note: The following profile is an excerpt from Amy Wu’s book, ā€œFrom Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown,ā€ which tells the stories of women entrepreneurs who are transforming agriculture through high technology. Ellie Symes could easily pass for the...

Salinas Valley Fair Kick-Off builds excitement for 2025 ā€˜Berry Best Fair’

KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City were buzzing last month as the annual Fair Kick-Off event drew more than 600 guests and set an enthusiastic tone for the upcoming 81st Salinas Valley Fair, scheduled for May 15-18. Organized by the Salinas Valley...

Salinas Valley Fair returns with ā€˜thrills’ this week

Salinas Valley Fair
KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair will bring ā€œGolden Hills & Fair Time Thrillsā€ for its 80th celebration taking place Thursday through Sunday at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City. ā€œWe are so excited to celebrate the 80th Annual Salinas Valley Fair, May 16-19,ā€...

Thousands of respirator masks distributed to Salinas Valley agricultural workers

SALINAS VALLEY — Numerous area leaders recently came together to distribute thousands of N95 respirators to protect agricultural workers, as ongoing air quality problems due to smoke from nearby wildfires caused essential workers in the outdoors to be in danger. Last week the Air Quality...

Monterey County crops decline in value after pandemic and fires

MONTEREY COUNTY — Crop values fell in 2020 by a total of $499 million from 2019, with 2020’s total at $3.9 billion, according to the Monterey County Crop Report issued by Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales on July 20. The 11.3% decrease in production...

District 4 Dairy Princess and alternates crowned

CENTRAL COAST — Ellie Dyt knows a lot more about the California dairy industry than most 17-year-old high schoolers. Dyt was raised on a dairy farm her whole life in the small town of Crows Landing, home to thousands of dairy cows, gaining first-hand experience...

High-tech upgrade in the works for Salinas Valley cooling facility

SALINAS VALLEY — A campus redevelopment project is underway in Salinas, which is aimed at improving agricultural technology in the Salinas Valley and advancing the nature of agriculture work. The Growers Ice Co. lot, located at the corner of Merrill and Abbott streets, was originally...

Regional drone program lands $1M grant

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...

Guest Column | All Californians Deserve Access to Healthcare, Agriculture Workers Included

As a former California State Assemblymember and Monterey County Supervisor, I am deeply concerned about the pressing issue of rising prescription drug prices and healthcare accessibility. Our state’s progress depends on the advancement and well-being of all its communities, especially those at risk. With...