Focus on Agriculture

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) and the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) have launched a new well registration program to better understand and protect groundwater resources in the Salinas Valley. All well owners are asked to register their wells for free...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County agriculture pumped more than $11 billion into the local economy in 2023 and supported 81,315 jobs, according to a new economic report. Assistant Agricultural Commissioner Rich Ordonez released the latest comprehensive analysis of the county’s largest industry on Nov. 18,...

SOLEDAD — Braga Fresh, the Soledad-based grower-shipper known for its fresh vegetables and packaged salads, plans to close its Salinas processing plant, resulting in the loss of about 260 jobs, according to a state WARN Act filing. The closure was disclosed in documents submitted Nov....

UPDATE — Nov. 7, 2025: Full November SNAP/CalFresh benefits have begun posting to the EBT cards of Monterey County residents, according to the County of Monterey Department of Social Services on Friday. “The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is telling us that California has initiated...

GREENFIELD — The 2025 Greenfield Harvest Festival spanned over two days earlier this month, beginning with a lively kick-off parade that set the tone for a weekend filled with community celebration, fall fun and local talent. The Oct. 18 parade, organized by the Greenfield High...

SALINAS VALLEY — California Strategic Growth Council has approved more than $8.3 million in grants to the Ag Land Trust (ALT), a nonprofit dedicated to farmland preservation along the state’s Central Coast. The funding will enable the organization to purchase conservation easements on three key...

SALINAS VALLEY — In a gathering that underscored the enduring spirit of innovation and generosity in California’s “Salad Bowl of the World,” David and Susan Gill of King City received the prestigious E.E. “Gene” Harden Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grower-Shipper Association of Central...

GREENFIELD — Lavender Creek, a family-run lavender farm and growing wellness brand near Greenfield in South Monterey County, has transformed its first Lavender Wellness Experience at the farm into a growing series of community workshops that bring calm and comfort directly to seniors and...

SALINAS VALLEY — Several dozen community members gathered for a news conference at the County Government Center in Salinas last Tuesday to release a new study that found that pregnant women in Monterey County are more likely to be exposed to far higher levels...

SOLEDAD — Monterey County’s first Tractor Supply store recently celebrated its grand opening at 447 Nestles Road in Soledad. The new retail location officially opened its doors on Sept. 20 with a well-attended ribbon-cutting ceremony, following a soft opening on Sept. 13. “We are proud to...