Focus on Agriculture

GREENFIELD — The Ripley family celebrated seven years of their Flora’s Farm stand outside Greenfield on Aug. 29. The business started as a small canopy closer to the creek, but has since expanded as the family attended local farmer’s markets and David Ripley built a...

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 — CRU Winery’s tasting room has been designated a Blue Zones Project Participating Organization — the first of its kind to join the health initiative in Monterey County. The acknowledgment recognizes CRU Winery for actively implementing lifestyle changes and environmental modifications to promote longevity...

CALIFORNIA — Grappling with higher costs and challenges related to water, labor, regulations and trade, some California farm leaders question whether the nation’s No. 1 agriculture state has reached a tipping point. California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass discussed the high cost of operating a...

SOLEDAD — Leaders in the local agriculture industry were honored last Saturday at the 16th Annual Valley of the World Awards, presented by the National Steinbeck Center. The Oct. 1 ceremony took place at the Braga Family Farm in Soledad, featuring a dinner by...

SALINAS VALLEY — More than 75 food leaders, farmers, advocates and policymakers from across California gathered in November for Growing the Future Together, the first in-person statewide convening of the California Food Policy Council (CAFPC) since the pandemic. Hosted in Salinas — the “Salad Bowl...

SOLEDAD — CRU Winery’s Sierra Madre Vineyard Pinot Noir has won Best Pinot Noir of Show at the 2022 Toast of the Coast Wine Competition. Planted in 1971, the Sierra Madre Vineyard is located in Santa Maria Valley and is known for producing high quality...

GONZALES — Registered and vocational nursing students from Hartnell College recently went to Taylor Farms in Gonzales to present information about Covid-19 vaccines and answer questions regarding the process of getting immunized. “The purpose is to be here to give presentations on the importance of...

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 73, Assemblymember Robert Rivas’ Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protections Act, into law on Sept. 27. California’s wildfire season, combined with heat waves and the Covid-19 pandemic, has helped shine a light on the necessary safety protocols agricultural...