SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California officials say they will sue the Trump administration over its rules governing water in the fragile San Joaquin Delta. The federal government released the new rules last month, which would govern the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. The new rules committed to sending more water to…… MORE
Farmers and ranchers take home just 12.1 cents from every dollar that consumers spend on their Thanksgiving dinner meals, according to the National Farmers Union. NFU’s annual Farmer’s Share publication compares the retail food price of traditional holiday dinner items to the amount the farmer receives for each item they grow or raise. On…… MORE
The Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will mail letters with survey codes this December to more than 22,000 organic producers. Specifically, the surveys target producers involved in certified or transitioning to certified organic farming for the 2019 Organic Survey. Each producer who self-reported organic farming in the 2017 Census of Agriculture will…… MORE
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The U.S. Drought Monitor is now categorizing two-thirds of California as abnormally dry. The monitor reports Thursday that more than 81% of the state is considered dry, including a small percentage in the first stages of drought. That’s up from less than 18% last week. The monitor says that while reservoirs…… MORE
DALLAS (AP) – Dean Foods, America’s biggest milk processor, has filed for bankruptcy amid a steep, decades-long drop-off in U.S. milk consumption blamed on soda, juices and, more recently, nondairy substitutes. The Dallas company said it may sell itself to the Dairy Farmers of America, a marketing cooperative owned by thousands of farmers. Dean Foods…… MORE
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is hoping that a third round of trade aid payments to farmers will be unnecessary in 2020 because of a new trade deal with China. The Hagstrom Report says Perdue spoke with reporters last week shortly after returning from a “successful” trade mission to Mexico. Farmers “would rather have trade…… MORE
The U.S. and China will roll back tariffs if they strike a preliminary deal, a move requested by China before signing a phase one trade agreement. The signing of the agreement may be now delayed until next month, but the two sides continue to wrap up the talks, according to the South China Morning…… MORE
The Fresno Chamber of Commerce honors the 2019 Agriculturalist of the Year Mark Borba today at the Fresno Convention Center. According to the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Mark is a fourth-generation farmer who grows almonds, tomatoes, garlic and several other crops. He co-owns Borba Farms, with his brother, Ross. Mark continues to devote much of…… MORE
Legislation introduced would create a new research agency in the Department of Agriculture. Introduced by Senator Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, and Representative Cindy Axne, an Iowa Democrat, the legislation would create the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Terra (Latin for land) to invest in innovative technologies that increase economic opportunity for farmers. ARPA–Terra would provide…… MORE
The Wonderful Company is releasing a naturally seedless non-GMO project verified variety of lemon to grocery stores across the nation according to a company news release. The announcement also says the seedless lemons will be in limited numbers from now through May 2020 and will be packaged in one and two-pound bags. A third-party study…… MORE
