49.1 F
King City
April 29, 2026

UPDATE: Full SNAP/CalFresh benefits to be issued beginning Friday in Monterey County

UPDATE — Nov. 7, 2025: Full November SNAP/CalFresh benefits have begun posting to the EBT cards of Monterey County residents, according to the County of Monterey Department of Social Services on Friday. ā€œThe California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is telling us that California has initiated...

From dry to drenched — How local farmers deal with drastically changing conditions

After more than four years of devastating drought, 2017 saw California receive the wettest winter in more than 100 years.

Winter storms cause $600M in Monterey County ag losses

MONTEREY COUNTY — This year’s onslaught of winter storms have cumulatively impacted a total of 20,073 acres and created $600 million of damage to the Monterey County agricultural industry.  On Friday, the County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner’s Office released the results of a second survey...

Women in agtech: Martha Montoya

Editor’s Note: The following profile is an excerpt from Amy Wu’s upcoming 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. Martha Montoya never imagined that her...

Cannabis represents 10 percent of Monterey County crop production as fruits, nuts decline

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales has released the county’s 2019 Crop Report, which included an evaluation of cannabis production for the first time. ā€œThis report reflects a production value of $4,409,992,000, which is an increase of 3.5 percent from 2018,ā€ Gonzales...

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...

Salinas Valley Groundwater Agency seeks applicants for Advisory Committee to guide sustainable water management

Water Salinas Valley
SALINAS VALLEY — Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) is now accepting applications for its Advisory Committee, a crucial body responsible for guiding groundwater management strategies in the region. The committee provides valuable input and consensus-based recommendations to the SVBGSA Board of Directors, playing...

Scheid Family Wines VP winemaker retires

Scheid Family Wines
MONTEREY COUNTY — Scheid Family Wines Vice President of Winemaking Dave Nagengast has announced his retirement after 20 years with the Monterey County-based wine company. Nagengast was the creative and organizational mastermind behind the company’s portfolio of wines, an early adopter of sustainable farming and...

Newsom signs bill to protect farmworkers from wildfire smoke

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 73, Assemblymember Robert Rivas’ Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protections Act, into law on Sept. 27. California’s wildfire season, combined with heat waves and the Covid-19 pandemic, has helped shine a light on the necessary safety protocols agricultural...

ALBA celebrates National Fruits and Vegetables Month by cultivating new farmersĀ and fresh food in Salinas Valley

SALINAS VALLEY — As the country celebrates National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month this June, the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) is spotlighting the farmers behind the produce — and the power of farming to change lives. Located in the heart of the Salinas...