The Ikedas are one of three families in the Pismo Oceano Vegetable Exchange (POVE) , a co-op allowing them to consolidate their products to directly or indirectly supply large retail stores across the nation such as Walmart, Kroger, Safeway, etc. Individually, they wouldn't have the volume or consistency to fulfill those contracts.

Local leaders say the past two years have presented challenges for 4-H youth that take on the endeavor of raising an animal to show for auction at the Santa Barbara County and California Mid-State fairs.

There'll be plenty to toast to throughout the annual Distillery Trail Weekend hosted by the Distillers of SLO County from August 12-14, 2022. Over the course of the three-day event, each of the 14 members along the trail will be showcasing their craft spirits with top-shelf happenings such as distillery tours, mixology demonstrations, live music, and pairings with local eats and treats.

The Paso Robles City Council met Tuesday and discussed the cannabis governance framework in Paso Robles, as well as the city's strategic plan to address homelessness, among other topics. Highlights from the meeting, as sent by the City of Paso Robles, are as follows:

The recount process that will re-tally the votes for San Luis Obispo County District 4 Supervisor has begun, the clerk-recorder's office says. On Tuesday morning, the county resident who requested the recount brought a hefty advance deposit to the Clerk-Recorder's office. Darcia Stebbens said she requested the recount to confirm the results for herself and other concerned citizens.

A press conference in Washington, D.C. included several members of Congress and business groups calling for action on farm labor solutions. State and national agricultural leaders joined Republican lawmakers in urging the Senate to pass legislation to build on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

Background and brief history of the farm bill is provided here, as well as a title-by-title description, including the programs encompassed in each title.

This article is the first of a series of Market Intel articles that will dive deeper into farm bill programs.

American farmers struggling with the high cost of fertilizer got some good news from the International Trade Commission this week on proposed UAN tariffs. Chad Smith has more. Smith: The U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously voted to reject anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of urea ammonium nitrate, or UAN, from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Meeting to be held August 5, 2022 WASHINGTON, July 20, 2022 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages urban producers and others to attend the second public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on August 5.

In the U.S., the environmental and economic costs caused by invasive species are estimated to exceed $120 billion per year. Since invasive pests have few or no natural predators, they can quickly spread, and throw off entire ecosystems by pushing out native species and reducing biological diversity.

Growing fears of a global recession and easing concerns over world food shortages are reversing a sharp rally in grain markets, but pressure on food supplies could linger for years, executives and agricultural economists say.

This post-pandemic period, as the world has also dealt with a war in Ukraine and a tightly constrained supply of fuel, has been one for the books. It's never been more difficult to keep a family farm running, and I've watched a few long-time area farming families get out of the business.

California is acting later than many states in regulating neonicotinoids, but its rules would be among the nation's most extensive. They would change how growers kill pests on nuts, citrus and other fruit crops.

Finding the best ways to do good. Sri Lanka's economy is in free fall. Runaway inflation reached 54.6 percent last month, and the South Asian country is now headed toward bankruptcy. Nine in 10 Sri Lankan families are skipping meals, and many are standing in line for days in the hope of acquiring fuel.

PUBLISHED ON DAVIS, Calif. - Strawberry losses from Fusarium wilt could become less of a threat after researchers at the University of California, Davis, discovered genes that are resistant to the deadly soil-borne disease.

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) plays a critical role in advising USDA on the implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act. To facilitate this work, the USDA reviews and renews the NOSB Charter every two years. The 2022 NOSB Charter update process is now complete, and the new version is posted on the AMS website.

The organic certification of fruits and vegetables grown in indoors has long been a festering issue in the organic sector and was the subject of a workshop session at the recent Organic Produce Summit, held in Monterey, CA, July 13-14.

This report examines how U.S. producers of selected labor-intensive fresh fruit and vegetables are addressing the rising costs of labor. Farm labor costs increased from 2010-19 for several reasons, including fewer newly-arrived unauthorized workers, rising State minimum wages, and new requirements to pay overtime wages to some farm workers.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Truckers protesting a state labor law have effectively shut down cargo operations at the Port of Oakland, it was announced Wednesday. "The shutdown will further exacerbate the congestion of containers" and port officials are urging operations at shipping terminals to resume, a port statement said.

For one-third of the respondents to American Fruit Grower's annual State of the Industry survey, labor is not an issue. Not yet at least. Those growers are surrounded by a stable team of employees, which in 20% of those cases is comprised of family members.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is seeking public comments on a draft Request for Applications (RFA) for a new grant program, Community Resilience Centers Program (CRC). The 30-day public comment period will begin on July 25, 2022, and comments will be accepted until August 24, 2022.

Ira Hocherman remembers looking out his window in the Point Reyes area in 2020 and seeing the glow of fire a few miles away. He and his husband spent a few smoky and sleepless nights - and they don't want a future fire to get any closer.

On one panel of Organic Valley's whole milk carton, the dairy cooperative says its "commitment to the highest organic standards and animal care practices helps make all our food delicious and nutritious." Rotate the carton 90 degrees, and another panel tells consumers that Organic Valley believes "the best organic milk begins with .

Before voting to adopt California's $308 billion state budget last month, Assembly Member Ash Kalra, a Democrat from San Jose, took a tour of Upside Foods, a food technology startup in Emeryville. Inside the gleaming new $50 million facility, Kalra, who went vegan four years ago, and three other local politicians sampled Upside's prototype: lab-grown, or "cultivated," chicken meat.

Avian Influenza Virus Detected in Wild Birds in California Wildlife disease specialists have confirmed the presence of Highly Pathogenic Eurasian H5N1 Avian Influenza in three wild birds found in Colusa and Glenn counties. The birds were collected by the U.S.

The San Luis Obispo County wine industry annually comes together to honor members of the local wine community. These awards recognize dedication, stewardship, innovation, and leadership demonstrated in San Luis Obispo County.

Join us online for a virtual seminar on Phylloxera, nematodes, and other vineyard pests. This seminar qualifies for 2 hours of DPR CEUs in the "other" category. As always, this seminar is free for members and $30 for guests. SEMINAR AGENDA

The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA) recently announced that it has partnered with Wine Folly to create a Paso Robles Region Guide on their digital education platform, according to a report by Wine Industry Advisor. Through this partnership, the PRWCA has opened Wine Folly's platform for all Paso Robles wineries to reach their over 20 million wine learners.

(The Center Square) - After a high profile, decades-long battle to build a desalination plant in Huntington Beach ended in denial, all eyes will be on the California Coastal Commission as it considers whether or not to approve two smaller desalination projects this fall.