Guest Column | Food Security is Critical to Economic and National Security on California’s Central Coast
The agricultural stretch of California’s Central Coast along the Salinas Valley is often called the “Salad Bowl of the World,” and for good reason. It supplies over 60% of the nation’s lettuce and substantial portions of strawberries, spinach and broccoli. But beyond the fertile...
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...
Salinas Valley farmers seek rebound after floods, virus hit lettuce crops
SALINAS VALLEY — Things were challenging enough for lettuce growers in Monterey County’s Salinas Valley before Mother Nature dealt a one-two punch in this year’s storms.
Farmers in 2022 had suffered an estimated $150 million in crop losses as impatiens necrotic spot virus — a...
Guest Column | Protecting Migrant Education Is a Moral Imperative for America’s Farmworker Children
At the heart of California’s $59 billion agricultural industry are the hardworking migrant farmworkers who harvest the food that feeds our nation. Their labor sustains our economy, but their children, who face extraordinary educational barriers due to the migratory nature of their parents’ work,...
CHISPA receives $680,000 loan for King City housing development
KING CITY — Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association Inc. (CHISPA) has received a $680,000 acquisition loan to purchase property in King City and create 40 affordable homes aimed toward farmworkers in the region.
The funding is being made available through the Monterey Bay...
King City mural dedication ceremony reflects on agriculture’s impact
KING CITY — King City in Bloom hosted a dedication ceremony on June 24 for the recently completed mural, “A Tribute to Cattle Ranching and the Salinas Valley Fair,” which is the organization’s third historic mural in the town.
Project co-chair Steve Schmidt spoke...
Salinas schools to close as Taylor Farms fire, evacuation order continues
SALINAS — A fire in a Salinas food processing plant that has prompted authorities to evacuate surrounding neighborhoods has now closed four nearby elementary schools as sunrise approaches Thursday.
City officials announced the closure shortly after 5:30 a.m. Thursday for Lincoln Elementary, Monterey Park Elementary, Sherwood...
Hartnell offers ag tech training to Monterey County veterans
SALINAS VALLEY — Hartnell College and its partner, the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, are reaching out to veterans and family members with an immediate opportunity for free courses in agricultural technology and paid on-the-job training at some of the largest Salinas Valley ag...
Monterey County’s crop values increase in 2021
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County agriculture’s gross production value bounced back by 4.8% in 2021 to just over $4.1 billion, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic that also resulted in supply chain shortages.
This increase represents a $190 million rise from 2020, when the gross production...
Ag Commissioner’s Office hosts PPE distribution in King City
KING CITY — Dozens of vehicles lined up to receive supplies during a PPE distribution event on Feb. 3, hosted by the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office in King City.
More than 60 agricultural companies, including growers, pest control businesses and farm labor contractors,...
