Monthly Archives: June 2015

The USDA has introduced the Can I Bring It web site to answer questions about items that travelers may carry into the U.S. and to reduce the risk of introducing dangerous stowaways – invasive species. The U.S. has laws that prohibit or restrict the entry of certain agricultural products from other countries, including meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, soil, seeds, and some …

As communities across the Western United States struggle with one of the worst droughts in over a century, President Obama and his Administration are committed to doing everything they can to help the farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and communities facing the severe impacts. As part of that commitment, the Administration has announced new actions and investments of more than $110 …

  By Richard J. Sexton, Josué Medellín-Azuara, and Tina L. Saitone Food and beverage processing is the third largest manufacturing sector in California. In 2012 California’s food and beverage processing sector contributed $82 billion in value added to the California economy, 760,000 full- and part-time jobs, $10.5 billion in federal tax revenues, and $8.2 billion in state and local tax revenues. …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that incentives will resume this summer for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners interested in growing and harvesting biomass for renewable energy. The support comes through the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. BCAP provides financial assistance to establish and maintain new crops of energy biomass, …

By Mark Bittman Just about everyone agrees that we need more farmers. Currently, nearly 30 percent are 65 or older, and fewer than 10 percent are under 35. The number of farmers is likely to fall further with continuing consolidation and technological innovation. But displacement of farmers is neither desirable nor inevitable. We need to put more young people on …

By Nathanael Johnson There’s so much confusion about California’s drought, and a lot of my colleagues in the media, I’m sorry to say, have been amplifying that confusion. The proliferation of stories showing how much water various food products use implies that people should be eating water-thrifty foods — but that would do precisely nothing to fix the problem. The real …

By Lesley McClurg Because of California’s historic drought, the state’s rice crop will be 30 percent below normal –- at 375,000 acres. Experts say the smaller planting will hurt the economy and wildlife that depend on shallow flooded fields. Tim Johnson, the President of the California Rice Commission says the largest impact will be felt in the small towns like …

The Sand County Foundation, the California Farm Bureau Federation and Sustainable Conservation are accepting applications for the $10,000 California Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors California farmers, ranchers and other private landowners who demonstrate outstanding stewardship and management of natural resources. “The Leopold Conservation Award celebrates the people and places where innovative and creative thinking and experimentation are taking place,” …

By Foon Rhee With California stuck in a historic drought, there’s no shortage of blaming and shaming on who’s using how much water. Homeowners wag their fingers at farmers, farmers bash developers, environmentalists say fish need more water and so on. We’re all making value judgments on the best uses for precious water. Within California’s huge and important agriculture industry, distinctions are …

By Padma Nagappan California almonds and the farmers who grow them have received a lot of bad press in recent months as city dwellers facing mandatory water restrictions turn their ire on the thirsty crop. While almonds and pistachios consume 10 percent of the state’s agricultural water supply, they also generate 20,800 jobs and $4.2 billion in annual revenues, according to a new study by researchers at the …