WEST

RSS

Conservation groups praised the Biden administration’s first step in conserving 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030, but the nation’s largest farm group said the initiative still lacks specifics, and a key farm-state senator said he was worried about removing too much land from production.

Democrats representing heavily agricultural districts are urging House leaders to fully exempt family-owned farms from President Joe Biden’s plan to tax appreciated assets at death.

Voluntary conservation efforts by farmers and ranchers play a central role in the Biden administration’s strategy for conserving 30% of the nation’s land and marine waters by 2030.

A Central Valley legislator is collaborating with congress members and federal, state and local agencies to fix degraded water infrastructure in the valley.

As drought grips many of California’s prime agricultural areas, its two top-grossing crops are positioned well to pull through, much as they did during the last prolonged dry spell in the mid-2010s. Grapes and almonds, which since 2004 have been the state's top sellers, both have some natural drought tolerance thanks to their origins in the Mediterranean climate where recurring aridity is expected. But in California, their success is also tied to irrigation.

In its most recent report, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation found illegal amounts of chemical residue on 4% of the samples it tested, with most violations on imported produce.

The Almond Board of California has hired Rick Kushman as the new manager of media relations and Valerie Shepler has joined the staff of Fall Creek Farm and Nursery as a commercial manager for the U.S. and Canada territories.