Monthly Archives: January 2016

At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, a coalition of 30 leaders – Champions 12.3 – launched a new effort to inspire ambition and mobilize action to reduce food loss and waste globally. This leadership group aims to accelerate progress toward meeting Target 12.3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which seeks to halve per capita food waste and …

Farmers and ranchers are a self-reliant group. They can tune and service tractor engines, repair irrigation systems, and find a way to fix all kinds of broken farm equipment. But there are other kinds of problems they face where they can use some outside assistance – issues with loans, creditors, and USDA agencies. The California Agricultural Mediation Program (CALAMP) is …

By Charmayne Hefley Animals have been known to be able to use their senses to detect things that humans require extensive technology to detect. Mary Palm, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) national coordinator for citrus pest programs, said dogs have been successfully trained to detect canker disease, and now Huanglongbing disease (HLB), in citrus. “Over the past four to five years,” …

By Natasha Geiling Though it’s just an hour south of California’s Silicon Valley, the Salinas Valley — better known for churning out lettuce and tomatoes than the world’s newest tech devices — might as well be a world away. In Silicon Valley, companies like Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, and Google reign supreme. In Salinas, the biggest names are those of fruit …

By David Boule’ This winter growing season marks the 140th anniversary since the Washington navel orange was first picked and enjoyed in California. Its success and heritage – by way of Goa, Portugal and Brazil – is one of the Golden State’s great stories. The introduction of this especially large and flavorful orange transformed just about everything in California – …

External video – no longer available Visit the California Water Fix web site

Each year Governor Brown sponsors GEELA, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations for exceptional achievements in conservation and environmental stewardship. It is the state’s highest environmental honor. GEELA is a partnership with Cal-EPA, CDFA, the Natural Resources Agency, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the Health and Human Services Agency, the State Transportation Agency, …

California air quality should get a boost from farmers using lower emission harvesting equipment, according to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in California.  Beginning in 2016, the agency is offering a new incentive option for almond and walnut farmers (and potentially others) to use cleaner harvesting technology. According to Carlos Suarez, State Conservationist for NRCS in California, eligible farmers may …