Category Archives: Uncategorized

By Adele Peters Every February, semi trucks packed with honeybees—a fleet of around a million hives in total—heads to California’s almond orchards, where billions of rented bees fly from flower to flower to pollinate the crop. More than a half … Continue reading →

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross visited Vietnam last week as part of a delegation of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), a non-profit formed in 1980 by the 13 western state departments of agriculture as well as the territorial … Continue reading →

Legislation by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to support agricultural practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon in soil, trees and plants was approved on a 6-0 bipartisan vote of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee this week. “Agriculture is … Continue reading →

A study from Stanford University: Atmospheric patterns resembling those that appeared during the latter half of California’s ongoing multiyear drought are becoming much more common, a new study finds. “The current record-breaking drought in California has arisen from both extremely … Continue reading →

CDFA is scheduled to begin treatments this month for two Japanese beetle infestations in California, in the Carmichael-area of Sacramento County and in the Bay Area community of Sunnyvale. The following interviews are with four people with experience or knowledge … Continue reading →

By Claire Martin The Wyoming soil, iced over for eight months of the year, is not particularly hospitable to heirloom tomatoes, baby basil or lettuce plants. Instead, vegetables are trucked in from California, Mexico and other more fecund parts of … Continue reading →

Aubrey Fletcher knew she wanted to work on a dairy farm ever since she was a little girl. “I do remember my mom asking, ‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do?’” Fletcher recalls. Fletcher knew the work was … Continue reading →

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a significant increase in the number of certified organic operations, continuing the trend of double digit growth in the organic sector. According to new data, there are now 21,781 certified organic operations … Continue reading →