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...
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...
Federal forestry cuts fuel wildfire, resource concerns in California
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...
Lavender Creek Co. partners with quilters to bring comfort to local patients
MONTEREY COUNTY — Lavender Creek Co., Monterey County’s local family-run lavender wellness brand, has announced a new partnership with the Monterey Peninsula Quilters Guild, providing locally grown lavender for the handcrafted eye pillows donated to CHOMP, Salinas Valley Health, Natividad and the VNA.
The eye...
FDA recalls onions from California suppliers after salmonella outbreak
CALIFORNIA — A nationwide onion recall was expanded by the Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 10 to include red, yellow, white and sweet yellow onions linked to California suppliers after more than 600 people in 43 states have been sickened with salmonella.
The original...
King City High School’s new agriculture facility beginning to take shape
KING CITY — Construction crews recently finished pouring the foundation for King City High School’s new Future Farmers of America facility, which is taking shape at the former Mildred Street parking lot on the east end of the campus.
The facility will feature new areas...
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...
Monterey County crops fall 6.1% in value last year
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo has announced the release of the 2023 Annual Crop and Livestock Report, which recorded a production gross value of just over $4.35 billion, reflecting a 6.1% decrease from 2022.
“The values represented here reflect gross values...
Salinas Valley Ag Tech Summit promotes importance of workforce education
SALINAS VALLEY — A panel of experts discussed current challenges in agriculture, such as the future of the workforce and the role of education, during the eighth annual Salinas Valley Ag Tech Summit.
The two-day session spanned more than eight and a half hours of...
