Agriculture

DWR Director On Urban / Ag Water Cutbacks: “Not State Role to Tell Farmers What to Grow”

A 25 percent cutback in urban water use – as Gov. Jerry Brown imposed last week  – is less a hardship on California residents than an adjustment to a new reality. Droughts like the one gripping California now are inevitable, though climate change makes their frequency and severity unpredictable. We need to change the way

A Sip of Sap

It’s always been common knowledge among maple syrup producers that taking a sip of sap was a good way to quench their thirst while working in the sugarbush, but apparently the notion that it could be a marketable substance is a new one. The first impression after downing a glass of maple water is that

By |2015-04-03T15:10:32-07:00April 3rd, 2015|Agriculture|

Future of US Without CA Food…

If California were to disappear, what would the American diet be like? Expensive and grainy. California produces a sizable majority of many American fruits, vegetables, and nuts: 99 percent of artichokes, 99 percent of walnuts, 97 percent of kiwis, 97 percent of plums, 95 percent of celery, 95 percent of garlic, 89 percent of cauliflower,

By |2015-04-19T20:46:32-07:00April 3rd, 2015|Agriculture|

Water Market, Silicon Valley Style

Wall Street Journal op ed excerpt While the recent rains in California are welcome, they’ve barely made a dent in the enduring drought, now in its fourth year. Solving the state’s water problem will take radical solutions, and they can begin with “virtual water.” This concept describes water that is used to produce food or

By |2015-04-03T14:40:00-07:00April 3rd, 2015|Agriculture, Water Quality & Conservation|

Hershey Kisses GMOs Good-By

Just days after Nestlé announced it would work toward removing artificial colors and flavors from some of its products, Hershey's now says it plans to eliminate genetically-modified ingredients from its Hershey's Milk Chocolate and Kisses products by the end of 2015, according to Confectionary News. In lieu of those GMO ingredients, the company says it

By |2015-03-03T20:11:23-08:00March 3rd, 2015|Agriculture|

Nestlé USA to Remove Artificial Ingredients From Candy

From the Wall Street Journal Consumer craving for healthier and more natural ingredients is spreading even to junk food, with Nestlé SA saying it will remove artificial flavors and colors from its Crunch and Butterfinger candy bars and other chocolates in the U.S. Nestlé said it has been working for more than a year on

By |2015-02-23T13:53:57-08:00February 23rd, 2015|Agriculture|

Farm Carbon Capture Yield Higher Than Thought

Long-term research by UCANR has documented the capacity for farmland in the San Joaquin Valley managed with certain conservation practices to sequester carbon, results that could give farmers a seat at the carbon trading table. The study was published this month in the Agronomy Journal. Published research results provide evidence that farmers will need to

By |2015-02-23T13:50:44-08:00February 23rd, 2015|Agriculture, Air Quality, Climate Change|

Manure Power – Good for Groundwater, Good for the Air

Last week, while thousands of farmers and others involved in the agricultural industry attended World Ag Expo in Tulare, a much smaller group visited the Calgren Renewable Fuels plant in Pixley. Only they weren't there to see how the plant makes ethanol. Instead, the group of dairy operators, county officials and business people were there

By |2015-03-03T19:09:33-08:00February 23rd, 2015|Agriculture, Energy, Technology|

Port Labor Dispute Impacts Food & Logistics Industries

An ongoing labor dispute embroiling ports across the West Coast has taken a bite out of agricultural trade across California's Central Valley. Some in the food and logistics industry fear a permanent loss of overseas business. Since July, the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union have entered an increasingly bitter dispute

By |2015-02-09T17:38:11-08:00February 9th, 2015|Agriculture, Economy & Jobs, People and Politics|
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