Monthly Archives: August 2018

By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press science writer As temperatures rise in the U.S. West, so do the flames. The years with the most acres burned by wildfires have some of the hottest temperatures, an Associated Press analysis of fire and weather data found. As human-caused climate change has warmed the world over the past 35 years, the land consumed by flames has more than …

By Nan Sterman If you dream of gardening but live in an apartment or a high rise or simply don’t have the space, don’t give up. Look for a nearby community garden — a piece of land from several acres to less than an acre, divided into garden plots available to local residents. Community gardens are spaces where individuals and …

By Kevin Hecteman, Ag Alert / California Farm Bureau Federation As the Ranch Fire became California’s largest-ever wildfire during the past weekend, the county where it’s doing the most damage—Lake—continued assessing the toll on local farmers and ranchers. Keith Brandt, compliance and safety manager at Bella Vista Farming in Kelseyville and president of the Lake County Farm Bureau, said he’s …

From Morning Ag Clips DETROIT — China Agricultural University (CAU) took home top honors in the 2018 ASABE Robotics Student Design Competition, held July 31 in Detroit. CAU teams won in both the advanced and beginner divisions. Among the advanced teams, the University of Georgia, University of Florida and UC Davis finished second, third and fourth, respectively. Zhejiang University and …

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined other participants yesterday at AT&T Park in San Francisco to brief reporters on next month’s Global Climate Action Summit, and to release a Sustainability Roadmap for the event. The Roadmap lays out a plan to reduce the environmental impact of the Summit event, and to build a legacy of sustainability at event venues throughout the …

The USDA has designated the week of August 5-11 as National Farmers Market Week. California leads the nation with nearly 800 certified farmers markets – sales venues for certified agricultural producers selling healthy and high-quality produce directly to consumers. Until 1977, state regulations required farmers to properly pack, size and label their fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables in standard containers to …

Later this month the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is hosting a public workshop on Flood-MAR, an emerging water management strategy that could improve water-resources sustainability throughout the state. At CDFA, Dr. Amrith Gunasekara, Science Advisor to the Secretary and a member of the Flood-MAR Research Advisory Committee, and Josh Eddy, Executive Director of the California State Board of Food and …