The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, California Department of Food and Agriculture and West Hills College Lemoore have partnered to host AgTechX Ed – a half-day event dedicated to developing the next generation of tech-savvy agricultural workers. The AgTechX Ed Summit at West Hills College Lemoore will be comprised of 3 panels, covering topics including: industry…
The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, California Department of Food and Agriculture and Bakersfield College have partnered to host AgTechX Ed – a half-day event dedicated to developing the next generation of tech-savvy agricultural workers. The AgTechX Ed Summit at Bakersfield College will be comprised of 3 panels, covering topics including: industry issues and skill…
By Ellie Amesse It’s a pivotal time for ag tech and automated farm equipment. This week’s Voices of the Valley episode addresses the growth of ag tech in recent years in a conversation between hosts Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson and guest Adrian Percy, the Executive Director of the North Carolina Plant Science Initiative. “I’ve been in this business for a long time and I’ve…
By Ellie Amesse University of Notre Dame professors Dr. Brandon Ashfeld and Dr. Tengfei Luo and farmer J.P. Labrucherie join the podcast this week; the trio is part of a research project focused on using technology to make desalination a sustainable water solution for all areas of American life, including agriculture. It’s no secret that desalination is a much-studied and debated topic…
By Michelle Rivera and Kara Timmins Since routine inspections of farms subject to the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) began in 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Association of Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) have worked closely with state and industry partners to prepare regulators and farms for inspections through training, technical assistance, educational visits,…
By Ellie Amesse Most people don’t think of the study of agriculture and the study of space as being related to each other, but this week’s Voices of the Valley guest, Megan Nunes, shares with hosts Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson how space and agricultural technology work together. Nunes is the founder and CEO of Bountiful— a company that uses satellite imagery to provide data-driven…
Western Growers’ Central Coast Issues Forums were such a huge success, we decided to host another round! Next up — the Central Valley. So ‘Save the Date’ because on Thursday, June 18, the Western Growers’ team will be visiting Fresno, Los Banos, and Bakersfield to hear from YOU. What issues concern you most? What would ...
Yet another area of the state has been quarantined by state agriculture officials after the detection of a single Asian citrus psyllid was discovered in Madera County. According to a press release issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, (CDFA), a 100–square-mile portion in Madera County has been quarantined. The border of the ...
The detection of three Asian citrus psyllids on the border of Tulare and Fresno Counties has prompted California agriculture officials to quarantine approximately 30-square miles in Fresno County. Fresno had not previously been on the list of counties quarantined in part or in full. A quarantine is in effect for all of Tulare County. The ...
Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued a statement today calling on President Obama to intervene in the negotiations to bring about a prompt resolution of the ongoing dispute between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshoreman and Warehouse Union (ILWU) workers. Fresh fruit and vegetable exports continue to face serious deliverability ...
President Obama has dispatched his labor secretary to engage in talks with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) in order to try to bring an end to the months-long contract dispute between both parties. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez will attempt to intervene and end the dispute ...
Western Growers regretfully announces the death of former board member and Couture Farms patriarch, Paul Couture, who passed away on February 2, 2015, at the age of 97. Paul was born in Modesto, California, on January 13, 1918, into a farming family and was raised on a small farm at the edge of town (his ...
The March 2015 edition of the WG&S magazine, which features a transportation outlook, is in the mail and should be in your mailbox soon. Many of the stories have been posted online on the Western Growers website. Follow the links below to access these stories. TRANSPORTATION OUTLOOK Low Fuel Rates are a Welcome Sight …But ...
This week, Consumer Reports released a “Buy/Don’t Buy” report on fruits and vegetables intended to provide consumers with information on how to make the “best choices” for their health and the environment. The “Shopper’s Guide” lists dozens of produce items and attaches a pesticide risk level with each. It also stipulates whether the…
California has expanded the quarantine zone in Madera County to protect against the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid after an insect was found east of Madera, in the Bonadelle Ranchos-Madera Ranchos area. The quarantine expansion adds 79 square miles, bringing the total quarantine area in Madera County to 179 square miles. The quarantine prohibits ...
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The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) issued a Pest Detection Advisory Notice (No. PD05-2015) on April 27, 2015, indicating a psyllid was trapped in Hollister, California (San Benito County), on March 3, 2015. In response to the detection, CDFA will treat nearby properties, increase trap densities and conduct visual surveys on find sites ...
In the last farm bill, Congress required that producers enact certain minimal environmental standards if they farmed on highly erodible land or wetlands. These requirements are referred to as “conservation compliance,” and while not everyone has to implement practices on their land, everyone has to fill-out a certification form. Producers who want to receive the ...
Last Friday, the State Water Resources Control Board suspended a previously approved (May 14, 2015) Temperature Management Plan for the Sacramento River due to reported increases in water temperatures by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau). The water temperature regulations are dictated by Endangered Species Act (ESA) ...
The California Department of Food Agriculture has placed an additional portion of San Luis Obispo County under quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detection of one psyllid within the City of Arroyo Grande, in the Highlands area. The quarantine expansion adds 32 square miles, bringing the total quarantine area in San Luis Obispo ...