Agriculture is at a critical juncture, farm leaders warn
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...
Salinas Valley Fair returns with modified livestock show, entertainment
SALINAS VALLEY — Salinas Valley Fair 2021 took place with an altered format due to Covid-19 pandemic health guidelines, but it was the first time since 2019 that fair-goers were able to show animals or pick up carnival food in person.
This year’s animal judging...
ALBA program empowers Salinas Valley farmworkers to become leaders in sustainable agriculture
SALINAS VALLEY — Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) is spotlighting its transformative Programa Educativo para Agricultores (PEPA), a comprehensive training program empowering farmworkers to transition into successful organic farmers.
This program is reshaping agriculture in the Salinas Valley, offering Latino farmworkers the tools and...
Raley’s, FirstFruits Farms deliver 30,000 pounds of apples to Food Bank for Monterey Country
MONTEREY COUNTY — Raley’s and Washington-based FirstFruits Farms donated 30,000 pounds of fresh apples on April 1 to the Food Bank for Monterey County.
The contribution was made possible by Raley’s customers who purchased select apples during January and February as part of a give-back...
Grant supports FARMS Leadership Program at Gonzales High School
GONZALES — The Center for Land-Based Learning’s Monterey/Santa Cruz FARMS Leadership Program was awarded a $5,000 grant by the Bayer Fund to support field days for the upcoming 2020-21 program year.
Participating schools include Gonzales High School and Soquel High School, and funds will go...
Arizona’s Salad Bowl becomes fertile ground for Covid-19
YUMA, Ariz. — The Rev. Emilio Chapa was delivering a homily on a recent Sunday when he paused to lament a sight that had shaken him as he entered the sacristy before Mass.
The board where his staff posted requests for funeral services was covered...
Guest Column | Food Security is Critical to Economic and National Security on California’s Central Coast
The agricultural stretch of California’s Central Coast along the Salinas Valley is often called the “Salad Bowl of the World,” and for good reason. It supplies over 60% of the nation’s lettuce and substantial portions of strawberries, spinach and broccoli. But beyond the fertile...
Fair once again brings thrills to Salinas Valley
SALINAS VALLEY — The 78th annual Salinas Valley Fair returned after two years of Covid-19 pandemic closures with crowds packing the fairgrounds in King City, living up to the theme of “Back in the Saddle.”
While total attendance numbers weren’t available yet, the four days...
Creekside Farms in Greenfield celebrates 35 years
GREENFIELD — The DNA running through Carol and Larry Umbarger’s family business reveals itself through a fabric of unity, commitment and pride.
Creekside Farms is a legacy 35 years in the making. In 1988, two American farmers transformed a humble cut flower business (designed to...
Hartnell hosts conference on ‘Culture of Food Safety’
SALINAS VALLEY — Nearly 400 people with a professional stake in the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed worldwide gathered at Hartnell College on May 4-5 for the 17th Annual Western Food Safety Conference.
The conference, held on Hartnell’s Main Campus in Salinas as...
Local News
KFC employee, aspiring pilot from Greenfield surprised with $20K
GREENFIELD — A routine afternoon shift turned into a life-changing moment for one local student when Rodrigo Velasquez, a King City KFC employee and...
