Monthly Archives: November 2011

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-california-ag-boom-20111124,0,7022738.story By Diana Marcum, Los Angeles Times Reporting from Fresno— As Californians savor their Thanksgiving feasts, the states’ farmers are especially thankful. California’s agriculture sector is on track for a record year, a rare bright spot in the state’s economy. Prices for cotton, grapes and other crops are near all-time highs. Foreign buyers are gobbling California almonds, grapes, citrus and …

http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/more-californians-struggle-afford-food-13730 November 28, 2011 | Bernice Yeung, California Watch On a recent November afternoon, Hermelinda Hernandez, who had spent 27 years packing cauliflower and cantaloupes from the farms of the Imperial Valley, found herself fourth in line for the monthly distribution of emergency food at the New Life Assembly Church in Calexico. Hundreds of residents had lined up behind her, …

http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/study-disputes-need-conserve-farm-water-13777 November 29, 2011 | Tia Ghose, California Watch A new report suggests that California agriculture already uses water efficiently and disputes the notion that conservation could free up large amounts of water for other uses. Increasing water efficiency would generate only 330,000 acre-feet per year of new water, according to the study [PDF], which was conducted by the Center …

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/otherviews/134428783.html Article by: NICOLE WYATT Updated: November 23, 2011 – 8:20 PM Factory farming may not be pretty, but we all need to take a step back, look at how we got here and try to understand the industry on a scientific, nonemotional level. On Oct. 31, the world population hit 7 billion. Our food animal industry has had to …

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/22/world/la-fg-china-restaurant-20111123 November 22, 2011|By Barbara Demick, Los Angeles Times Reporting from Beijing — Here is a nightmare assignment for a restaurateur: Cook for 250 people using all-organic ingredients procured locally in a country infamous for its tainted food supply. Create a romantic setting in a latter-day fortress, the fluorescent-lighted U.S. Embassy. Alice Waters’ celebrated Berkeley restaurant, Chez Panisse, was transported …