Monthly Archives: December 2013

By Todd Fichette Could the recent cold snap in California’s San Joaquin Valley have been just what the doctor ordered for citrus industry officials worried about discoveries of the Asian citrus psyllid? Only time will tell. A study published in the Journal of Insect Science,conducted by David G. Hall, Erik J. Wenninger, and Matthew G. Hentz, sought to determine how cold …

By Reed Fujii If you keep animals and they die, state animal health experts will examine the remains and report on the cause of death. For a cow, pig or rabbit, the state laboratory charge is about $120. For small pets, the fee is higher, nearly $195 for rodents such as hamsters and gerbils and $495 for cats and dogs. …

The hyper-local food trend is really big right now. And apparently, NASA wants to make sure astronauts don’t miss out. The agency recently announced plans to grow cress, turnips and basil on the moon. And to protect the plants from the harsh cosmic radiation and the moon’s lack of atmosphere, NASA researchers will be sending them off inside a seriously high-tech terrarium. …

The next segment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “The Beneficial Bean.”

With freezing temperatures in the forecast this week for much of the Central Valley, concern is high for growers of commodities in the midst of harvest, or close to it, such as citrus and avocados. The California Department of Food and Agriculture works collaboratively with these and other commodity groups to help minimize damage and protect consumers. Citrus growers use …