Federal forestry cuts fuel wildfire, resource concerns in California
CALIFORNIA ā 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...
Taylor Farms takes 16.3% stake in Pacific Valley Bank
SALINAS VALLEY ā Pacific Valley Bank has announced that Taylor Fresh Foods, parent company of the Taylor Farms operating companies, has acquired a 16.3% ownership stake in the bank.
The investment represents a significant minority position by a locally based, family-owned company with long-standing operations...
Guest Column | Food Security is Critical to Economic and National Security on Californiaās Central Coast
The agricultural stretch of Californiaās Central Coast along the Salinas Valley is often called the āSalad Bowl of the World,ā and for good reason. It supplies over 60% of the nationās lettuce and substantial portions of strawberries, spinach and broccoli. But beyond the fertile...
Monterey County agriculture pumps more than $11B into local economy, study finds
MONTEREY COUNTY ā 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 countyās largest industry on Nov. 18,...
ALBA celebrates National Fruits and Vegetables Month by cultivating new farmersĀ and fresh food in Salinas Valley
SALINAS VALLEY ā 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 ā and the power of farming to change lives.
Located in the heart of the Salinas...
Monterey County launches cannabis equity survey
MONTEREY COUNTY ā Monterey County Cannabis Program is in the process of assessing how communities have been impacted by cannabis prohibition and the War on Drugs and exploring how to more equitably develop this new industry.
Tier 1 funding from the California Office of Business...
Women in agtech: Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos
Editorās Note: The following profile is an excerpt from Amy Wuās upcoming book, āFrom 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.
Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos was born and raised...
King City Planning Commission delays closure decision on farmworker housing
KING CITY ā King City planning commissioners have delayed a final decision on the Meyers Farmworker Housing Facility until their Oct. 7 meeting.
The 4-0 vote came during the Planning Commissionās Aug. 19 meeting, where numerous community members, business owners and farmworkers spoke out on...
Gills receive award for dedication to Salinas Valley agriculture and community
KING CITY ā In a gathering that underscored the enduring spirit of innovation and generosity in Californiaās āSalad Bowl of the World,ā David and Susan Gill of King City received the prestigious E.E. āGeneā Harden Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grower-Shipper Association of Central...
Farmers suffer losses as Salinas Valley fields flood
Salinas Valley was initially spared the worst of the damage as storms battered California last month. But then the Salinas River overflowed its banks Jan. 10, breaching berms and levees.Ā Over the ensuing hours and days, thousands of acres of some of the countryās most...


















