Focus on Agriculture

SALINAS VALLEY — A dangerous herbicide banned immediately by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been sprayed on crops in many California counties and has contaminated groundwater in low concentrations in the Salinas Valley and Santa Barbara County. The weed-killing chemical, known as DCPA or...

SALINAS — “America’s Heartland,” the first nationally broadcast agriculture series of its kind in the United States, has returned for its 18th season with 10 new episodes featuring unique crops grown on diverse, locally-owned farms. This season, “America’s Heartland” highlights the Salinas Valley’s Agriculture and...

SOLEDAD — Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has announced that the Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association (CHISPA) will receive $1.32 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through a combination of a grant and a low-cost federal loan to rehabilitate affordable housing for...

CENTRAL COAST — Despite significant progress since the release of a landmark 2018 farmworker housing study quantifying critically overcrowded housing conditions for agricultural workers in the region, thousands more homes are needed to relieve severe overcrowding, unaffordable rents and ensure the stability of the...

SOLEDAD — U.S. Congressman Jimmy Panetta met with leaders from Braga Fresh and Farm Journal Foundation on Oct. 9 to discuss how support for agricultural research and development can benefit global food and nutrition security. The meeting included a tour of Braga Fresh’s produce farming...

SALINAS VALLEY — Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) is hosting multiple workshops this spring to provide residents and businesses of the Salinas Valley with an opportunity to learn about water use and management in the region. The “Our Water Future in the Salinas Valley:...

MONTEREY COUNTY — A Monterey County program to ensure equity in the local commercial cannabis market is sputtering but will continue on a smaller scale. The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously March 19 to continue the Growing Equity Together program, known as GET, despite...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Board Chair and Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez hosted the May 2024 RCRC Board of Directors meeting in Monterey County. The two-day event featured the RCRC Board of Directors meeting at the Monterey County Government Building...

SALINAS — The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) hosted Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Jimmy Panetta and their staff alongside agricultural leaders and stakeholders for a field day visit to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Salinas station. The Oct. 21 visit highlighted the critical organic...

SALINAS VALLEY — A documentary short film set in the Salinas Valley has been officially selected for the prestigious 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and will have its world premiere during the festival’s celebrated Short Film Program. “The Long Valley” is a 13-minute documentary showcasing the...