Focus on Agriculture

National Agriculture Week 2026 will be observed March 15-21, with National Ag Day falling on March 24. The annual week highlights the vital role agriculture plays in the United States — providing food, jobs and economic stability — and encourages Americans to recognize the industry’s contributions...

CHUALAR — Monterey County has honored the last surviving Bracero of the 1963 Chualar train tragedy, recognizing his life story and the enduring legacy of Bracero workers during Bracero Worker History Recognition Week. During a special ceremony Sept. 16 at the Monterey County Board of...

SALINAS VALLEY — University of California Santa Cruz’s CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) along with several partners has received a $1 million, 15-month planning grant to support regional drone education and workforce development from the James Irvine Foundation. The funds will be...

GREENFIELD — South Monterey County Joint Union High School District (SMCJUHSD) will launch two farm-to-cafeteria educational programs between Greenfield High School and the district’s Food Services Department. The first-of-its-kind collaboration was made possible by a new grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s...

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...

SALINAS VALLEY — It was a packed house inside the Orradre Building at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City on April 15, as 600 supporters of the Salinas Valley Fair attended the annual Fair Kick-Off dinner, dance and auction fundraiser. Guests were served a...

GREENFIELD — Scheid Vineyards is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and recently hosted an Earth Day tour at its estate winery — just off Highway 101 between Greenfield and King City — to discuss its growing efforts with environmental responsibility in mind. During the...

The San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures has announced the release of the 2016 production statistics for the local agricultural industry. The total gross crop value for 2016 was $914,724,000.