Monthly Archives: January 2015

The California State Fair is expanding its commercial competitions for 2015 to include a competition for extra virgin olive oil. Of all the olive oil produced in the United States, California produces 99 percent of it. Extra virgin olive oils in more than 15 different classes and divisions, including blends and flavored olive oils will be judged during the competition. …

By Mike Hornick An effort to double California grower contributions to food banks is underway. The California Association of Food Banks and the California State Board of Food and Agriculture have set a goal to increase annual contributions from 100 million pounds to 200 million in 2015, according to a news release. More than 100 California growers participate in the …

California’s Strategic Growth Council has approved final guidelines for a new program that will integrate conservation of agricultural land into the state’s efforts to mitigate climate change and prevent urban sprawl. The Sustainable Agricultural Land Conservation (SALC) Program will use cap-and-trade revenue to encourage counties, municipalities, and partner organizations to identify and protect critically threatened farmland at risk of conversion …

By Edward Ortiz A NASA satellite being launched into space Friday will measure moisture in the top layer of soil, including soil on California farm fields far below. The Soil Moisture Active Passive project is expected to provide crucial information to Central Valley farmers and water resource managers dealing with the multiyear drought. The mission, which was due to launch …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) just kicked off the Organic Survey to gather detailed data on U.S. organic agriculture production. The survey is a complete inventory of all known organic producers that are certified, exempt from certification, and transitioning to certified organic production. “Total organic product sales by farms and ranches in the United States have continued to grow …

By Mark Anderson The farm-to-fork movement has been good to many restaurants in the Sacramento region. Easy access to locally grown food has built revenue and reputations. But it’s not all about the fork. Some small farmers also are getting a boost, selling more products directly to consumers and restaurants. Growing consumer interest in how food is made has created …

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that applications are being accepted for up to $20 million in grants to facilitate the creation of new, innovative markets for carbon credits, providing additional revenue sources for producers to use to address natural resource conservation challenges. These grants are part of the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program, authorized through the 2014 Farm Bill. …

———————————————————————————————————- Story from the Modesto Bee By Jeff Jardine One of the perils left over from the Gold Rush era in the Mother Lode is the number of mine shafts still exposed. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in 2011 determined there were more than 47,000 of them statewide and began working with California’s Department of Conservation to seal as …

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined colleagues from across state government this week to honor recipients of the annual Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards (GEELA). The GEELA program is California’s highest environmental honor – recognizing individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable, voluntary contributions in conserving California’s precious resources; protecting and enhancing our environment; building …

  By Brian K. Sullivan California will reach the halfway point in its rainy season this weekend. Hopes that the three-year drought will be washed away are probably already in the past. While December brought heavy rains that put the state on pace for a normal season, there hasn’t been much precipitation since then. Since Jan. 1, Sacramento and Fresno have received too …