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May 2008
Farmers Look to Congressmen to Help with Labor Shortages
Over the years, Curtis DeBerry has slowly shifted operations of his Rio Grande Valley-based Progresso Produce LTD to Mexico. The Brownsville Herald (5/9)
Bush Set to Veto $300 Billion Farm Bill
Administration officials have dashed hopes among farm-state lawmakers from both parties that President Bush will sign a nearly $300 billion farm bill that they finished Thursday. SFGate (5/9)
A Look at the Details of the Farm Bill
The five-year farm bill completed Thursday is a multibillion-dollar grab bag. Tradingmarkets.com (5/9)
Unleash the Lean, Mean Harvesting Machine Within
The founders of an urban-farming technique called SPIN are unveiling a spinoff in Portland this weekend, tweaking their nano-scaled farms down even further so their practices can be borrowed by backyard gardeners. Willamette Week (5/8)
Small Farmers Have Huge Stake in Farm Bill Debate
For the co-owner of Windrose Farm, the ideal measure includes better funding of so-called specialty crops and aid for those with a desire to work the land. Los Angeles Times (5/8)
Farmers Say State Choking off Supply of Foreign Workers
An attempt by the state Labor Department to increase the number of Puerto Ricans working on New York farms is leaving some farms short of workers and could threaten this year’s harvests, farm officials and lawmakers said Tuesday. poughkeepsiejournal.com (5/7)
Community Comes Together to Garden Organic Goods
The pleasure of tasting fresh vegetables is sweeter for Community Supported Garden members who plant them. TheTelegraph.com (5/5)
High Food Prices May Put Farmers on a Subsidy Diet
With high food prices prompting grocery-store apologies to customers and raising fears of starvation in impoverished countries, Congress suddenly faces renewed pressure to cut subsidies to the wealthiest farmers and incentives for ethanol production. Los Angeles Times (5/2)
Watering Tomato Plants with Diluted Seawater Boosts Levels of Antioxidants
Watering tomatoes with diluted seawater can boost their content of disease-fighting antioxidants and may lead to healthier salads, appetizers, and other tomato-based foods, scientists in Italy report. ScienceDaily (5/1)
April 2008
Farm Bill Debate Continues on Capitol Hill
Lawmakers continue to debate the Farm Bill, even after a tentative agreement was reached on Friday. KTIV 4 (4/30)
Farm Worker Advocates to Present Burger King With Petitions
Farm worker advocates sought to present more than 80,000 signatures to Burger King officials Monday urging the fast-food giant to join McDonald's Corp. and Taco Bell to help boost the wages of Florida tomato pickers and improve working conditions in the fields. chron.com (4/30)
Labor Shortage Sending Farmers to Mexico
Some American farmers are making their way southward, setting up shop across the border in Mexico and farther away in Brazil. FrederickNewsPost.com (4/30)
Leaf age may Contribute to Contamination of Lettuce with E. Coli and Salmonella
A new study presents the first evidence that harmful pathogens frequently linked with food-borne illnesses are more commonly found on younger inner leaves than on older outer leaves of romaine lettuce. ScienceDaily (4/30)
Few Reforms Find a Home in Farm Bill
When lawmakers began debating a new farm bill that would set the nation's agriculture policies for the next five years, a motley collection of conservation, taxpayer and nutrition groups spotted an opportunity for making major reforms to the current farm system. JS Online (4/28)
Syngenta Announces Plans to Move Some Processing Activities out of Nampa
Syngenta, a Switzerland-based agribusiness with facilities in Nampa and Twin Falls, announced Thursday plans to build a seed processing facility in Pasco, Wash., and move its sweet corn and small-seeded vegetables seed processing out of Nampa. IdahoStatesman.com (4/28)
Muck Farming has its own Unique Problems from Season to Season
It is perhaps the most fertile land to be found anywhere. The Times of Wayne County (4/22)
Troubles Aplenty Down on the Farm
Federal lawmakers need to get out of Washington more often. Perhaps a visit to an actual small farm back home would be in order for many of them. The Republican (4/21)
Fertilizer Price Hikes are Pinching Farmers
Link Leaven's fertilizer bill has been growing faster than the lemons and avocados on his Ventura County farm. MercuryNews.com (4/21)
Is it Toxic or OK for Organic?
Just exactly what is organic? The fight over who gets to use the word can get ugly. courant.com (4/21)
Saving Parks, Agriculture Department: Welcome News
The good news is that Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. have tentatively agreed not to eliminate the state Agriculture Department and close nine state parks this summer. pressofAtlanticCity.com (4/21)
Forest Farming Could Pay Big
For gourmet mushroom fans or people looking for a relatively low-labor taste of “forest farming,” a Saturday workshop offers some tips on how to get started. dailygazette.com (4/18)
Corzine Eases Plans to Cut Agriculture and Parks
Faced with irate municipal officials, besieged state legislators and tractors ringing the State House, Gov. Jon S. Corzine says he is willing to relent on his budget proposals. The New York Times (4/17)
Super Spud Steps Forward to Save Planet
It appears the global food crisis can be averted. The solution? The humble potato. CNN.com (4/17)
Letter: Don't Blame Farmers for High Food Prices
Media reports blaming farm profits and ethanol production for higher food costs are presenting a distorted view of the issue. Daily Globe (4/16)
Sheriff: There is Slavery in Florida Tomato Fields
Slavery exists in the tomato fields of Florida, a U.S. Senate committee was told today. PalmBeachPost.com (4/16)
A Tastier Tomato Grows in Jersey, Thanks to Rutgers
While the Jersey tomato is a sacred thing, a rite of summer, too often the tomatoes found in grocery stores, on fast food burgers and diner salads are pinkish, uninspired fruit that tastes like, well, almost nothing. nj.com (4/16)
Ag Secretary Schafer No Longer Optimistic About Farm Bill
House and Senate conferees met for the first farm bill conference late last week. Hoosier Ag Today (4/14)
Putting a Face on Food
The Fleischman family knows where their food comes from. Twin Cities Daily Planet (4/11)
Farm Bill May Consume Two More Years
Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a Republican leader on the U.S. Senate’s Agriculture Committee, is in his third round of writing a new farm bill. nptelegraph.com (4/10)
State Tomato Board Dissolved
The California agency's demise after an audit found financial and other improprieties draws attention to similar farm programs. Los Angeles Times (4/10)
EPA Sued Over Pesticides
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is being sued to stop the continued use of four organophosphate pesticides commonly used in California on a wide variety of fruit, vegetable and nut crops. Central Valley Business Times (4/9)
Sand Mountain Seed Bank Preserves Variety of Vegetables from Dying Out
Charlotte Hagood totes a sweet potato squash the size of a small pumpkin into her kitchen. The Birmingham News (4/8)
Farm Labor Pool all but Dried up
Greg Donaldson can't relate to Lou Dobbs' gripes about illegal immigrants taking Americans' jobs. nj.com (4/8)
Ag Industry Hit by Fuel Prices
The price of gas is starting to take a toll on the Monterey County agriculture industry, but local tourism may be immune to the bad economic times. Monterey Herald (4/7)
Farmers Find More Profit in Selling Directly to Consumers
If you're looking for locally grown sweet corn, tomatoes and zucchini this summer, the local supermarket isn't necessarily the place to go. The Eagle-Tribune (4/7)
Hispanic Worker Program Raises Questions
A work program widely praised by local farmers and managed by the U.S. government is under fire from a Blount County resident who says it keeps Americans from getting jobs. thedailytimes.com (4/7)
Farm Program Feeds Utahns and the Local Economy
On Feb. 14 of each year, organic farmer John Borski sows the seeds of some 50 tomato plants, a Valentine's Day labor of love. Daily Herald (4/7)
Taking a Break on the Farm
Spring break is usually a time to unwind and take a vacation from the pressures of school and homework. StatesmanJournal (4/4)
Bishops Call for End to 'Exploitation' of Undocumented Farm Workers
Expressing "deep concern for the men and women" who labor in the fields of southwestern Arizona and northern Mexico, the bishops of Tucson and Mexicali, Mexico, have issued a joint statement calling for legislation to end "exploitation of the undocumented farmworker." Catholic News Service (4/4)
Labor Group Protests Outside Chipotle HQ
A Florida-based farm workers' group protested outside Chipotle's headquarters Wednesday, accusing the fast-food chain of buying tomatoes from growers who pay substandard wages to workers. azcentral.com (4/4)
Returning from Recess, Congress Faces Tight Farm Bill Deadline
Time is running out for Congress to finish a new Farm Bill, as legislators returning from a two-week recess will attempt to iron out the differences in the bills passed by the House of Representatives last July and the Senate last December. Wisconsin Ag Connection (4/3)
Immigration Issues End a Pennsylvania Grower’s Season
As in politics, timing is everything in tomatoes. The New York Times (4/3)
Monsanto Acquires Hothouse Vegetable Seed Producer
Monsanto Co. on Monday announced an $860 million acquisition that takes its vegetable-seed business from open fields into the rarefied air of the greenhouse. STLtoday.com (4/1)
New Diesel Engine Rules Could Cripple Agriculture
Farmers, like most other Californians, are concerned about the economy, but they've got one more item to worry them: diesel regulations. New diesel rules are going to swamp California farmers with unbearable costs. TheCalifornian.com (4/1)
Arizona Considers a Guest Worker Program of its Own
The state already at the cutting edge of immigration reform seems poised to undertake yet another experiment: a guest worker program created and administered by a state rather than by the federal government. The Christian Science Monitor (4/1)
March 2008
Immigration Issues Endangering Agriculture's Future
Kay Hollabaugh's jaw dropped when she learned this week that the state's largest tomato grower would not plant a crop this year because there might be too few workers to harvest it. The Evening Sun (3/31)
Farmers Fear N.J. Ready to Take Garden out of Garden State
Is New Jersey taking the garden out of the Garden State? newsday.com (3/31)
Rainy Weather Delays Planting for Farmers
As the rain continues this month farmers are looking for relief. Above average rainfall is delaying the planting of several crops and that could affect shoppers looking for local produce. KSDK St. Louis (3/31)
Labor Crisis can be Solved, Salinas Panelists Say
America’s agricultural-worker shortage can be resolved, but the solution will require time, the right legislation and a whole lot of support. TheCalifornian.com (3/28)
Rising Farm Prices Splash Extra Profits Toward Sprinkler Maker
High crop prices are putting farmers in a spending mood. CNNMoney.com (3/28)
Panel Sees Ag-Labor Solution
America's agricultural-worker shortage can be resolved, but the solution will require time, the right legislation and a whole lot of support. Salinas Californian (3/27)
USDA Planting Report To Provide Clues On Outlook For Ag Cos
U.S. farmers are expected to continue boosting investment this year, but a closely-watched government report next week and rising input costs are likely to impact spending patterns. CNNMoney.com (3/27)
Farmers get More With Less While Saving Fuel
Like many motorists, California farmers are feeling a big pinch at the pump again. California Farm Bureau Federation (3/27)
Looking to Extend Your Growing Season
Your tomato plants looked great and then a frost killed your loaded plants, then the weather turned nice for three weeks. Have you experienced this scenario and been frustrated? Crookston Daily Times (3/26)
Few NAFTA Labels for Farm Chemicals
In announcing a joint label for farm pesticides and herbicides last year, regulators in the United States and Canada called it a milestone in the reduction of trade barriers. Associated Press (3/26)
Major Grower Ends Crop, Lacking Workers
Saying the nation's immigration system is broken, Pennsylvania's largest grower of fresh-to-market tomatoes announced Monday he will no longer produce the crop because he can't find enough workers to harvest it. Associated Press (3/25)
Local Farm Systems Growing in Popularity
A local food system in Iowa, in which farmers deliver fresh fruits, vegetables and other products directly to consumers, is growing in popularity. Radio Iowa (3/25)
Cows Grazing in the Rumpus Room
O.K., the planet is officially out of (or back in?) alignment: American farmers are making money hand over fist while the hedge fund guys are wishing they’d put a little more cash under the mattress. The New York Times (3/21)
Canned Fruits and Vegetables Versus Fresh and Frozen
Are canned fruits and vegetables as nutritious as fresh or frozen? Hillsdale.net (3/21)
Leafy Veggie Contamination Rate Rising
If you've gotten the feeling that there are more contaminated leafy green vegetables out there than there used to be, new numbers from federal researchers suggest you're right. CBS News (3/21)
Administration Position on Farm Bill Outlined by Schafer
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer briefed reporters Tuesday about Farm Bill deliberations. Last week the President signed an extension of current farm law until April 18 to give Congress more time to finish a bill. Schafer stressed the fact that if the final bill sent to the President contained tax increases or failed to reform farm policy it would be met with a veto. Farm Futures (3/20)
Ag Faces Diverse Issues
It was designed to showcase the county's agricultural industry. But what Tuesday's "Celebrate" breakfast at the Monterey Fairgrounds did best was to showcase the diversity of challenges facing Monterey County's largest industry. Monterey Herald (3/19)
Farm Economy
Those higher prices we’re all paying at the grocery store may be enough to make us all want to go on diets – or to at least eat less expensive foods. journalnow.com (3/18)
At Last, Some Respect for Fruits and Veggies
Since early 2007, Congress has been working to renew a sweeping farm bill that provides billions of dollars of funding for agricultural programs. U.S. News & World Report (3/18)
Foodborne Illnesses From Leafy Greens Rising
An increase in the number of foodborne illnesses caused by contaminated spinach or lettuce over the past 35 years cannot be explained by increases in salad consumption over the same period, U.S. government researchers said on Monday. msnbc (3/18)
Labor Complaint Filed Against Nation's Largest Lettuce Grower
The United Farm Workers of America have filed a complaint with the Department of Labor against the nation's largest lettuce grower. SignOnSanDiego.com (3/17)
Crop Scientists Discover Gene That Controls Fruit Shape
Crop scientists have cloned a gene that controls the shape of tomatoes, a discovery that could help unravel the mystery behind the huge morphological differences among edible fruits and vegetables, as well as provide new insight into mechanisms of plant development. GEN (3/14)
New Organic Greenhouse to Supply Plants to Meijer Stores
A Michigan company has built one of the Midwest's first federally certified organic commercial greenhouses, which will supply a variety of organic vegetable and herb potted plants to garden centers at Meijer stores starting this spring. mlive.com (3/14)
MSU-Bottineau Program
Gardeners and people with small-scale produce operations will soon have a new way to markets for the fruits and vegetables they produce. KXNet.com (3/12)
Fruit and Vegetable Juice Market News
Global fruit & vegetable juices market sets sights on 53 billion liters by 2010, according to new report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (3/11)
Soaking Potatoes in Water Before Frying Reduces Acrylamide
Good news for chips lovers everywhere -- new research in the journal Science of Food and Agriculture shows that pre-soaking potatoes in water before frying can reduce levels of acrylamide. ScienceDaily (3/10)
Michigan May Be First State to Issue Food Stamps Twice a Month
Michigan could become the first state in the nation to issue food stamps twice a month, making fresh produce and meat more available and giving grocery workers steadier hours. Detroit News (3/9)
Lowell Students Use Fresh Fruits, Vegetables to Raise Money
On Tuesday, 62 families from Lowell Elementary School received their first crate of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables — and they helped raise money for the school in the process. gazettes.com (3/6)
Jack Hedin: My Forbidden Fruits and Vegetables
If you've stood in line at a farmers' market recently, you know that the local food movement is thriving, to the point that small farmers are having a tough time keeping up with the demand. dallasnews.com (3/5)
Backyards Blossom Into Vegetable, Fruit Stands
Melvin Picking knew he was in the middle of citrus and fishing country in Lorida, but he wanted to try growing other stuff. TBO.com (3/5)
Pollution Rules Squeeze Strawberry Crop
Edgar Terry says the biggest threat to his hundreds of acres of strawberries isn't bugs or bad weather. Newsday (3/3)
Strawberry Growers Hope Hard Freeze Doesn't Damage Crop
Strawberry growers hope this week's hard freeze won't damage their crops. NBC Augusta (3/3)
February 2008
Evidence Of 'Rain-making' Bacteria Discovered In Atmosphere And Snow
Brent Christner, LSU professor of biological sciences, in partnership with colleagues in Montana and France, recently found evidence that rain-making bacteria are widely distributed in the atmosphere. These biological particles could factor heavily into the precipitation cycle, affecting climate, agricultural productivity and even global warming. Science Daily (2/29)
Strawberry Growers Say Rules on Pollution Will Choke Production
Grower Edgar Terry says the biggest threat to his hundreds of acres of strawberries isn't bugs or bad weather. MercuryNews.com (2/28)
Report: Few Fail Greens Audit
Less than 1 percent of growers participating in the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement were cited for gross violations during the food-safety program's first six months, according to an audit released Tuesday. Salinas Californian (2/27)
$10 A Week Can Help Keep Michigan's Produce Industry Thriving, Experts Say
Michigan's produce industry brings in $63.7 billion to the state's economy each year, according to Christine Lietzau, manager of the Select Michigan program at the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The program's purpose is simple: Encourage consumers to buy Michigan products. The Bay City Times (2/26)
Treasure Trove of Taters
Demand for specialty potatoes, with multi-hued skin and flesh, is booming. Toronto Star (2/20)
Ag Safety Conference Expands
Organizers of next week's Annual AgSafe Conference in Monterey are predicting one of the largest crowds in event history. The Salinas Californian (2/19)
Fresh Produce Delivery Service Expanding Reach
Mark Godley recalls a particularly pleasing part of his Connecticut boyhood: walking to a farmer's stand and buying organically grown corn or beans — "which, as I recall, were delicious." Oakland, Calif., Inside Bay Area (2/17)
Diverse 'Tidal Wave' of Investors Turns to Farmland
Although the U.S. economy appears to be cooling, the farmland market is cooking. Des Moines Register (2/16)
Bipartisan Farm-Bill Plan Offers an End to Stalemate
With the Bush administration's blessing, key lawmakers are pushing a plan that could break a logjam that has threatened an overhaul of federal farm programs. The Wall Street Journal(2/15)
Market Maker Can Connect Farmers, Food Buyers
In our complex and busy world, how can farmers and consumers with matching production systems and purchase preferences find each other? The Ann Arbor News (2/14)
Whitehouse Food Center Harvests Vegetables in Winter
The local Center for Innovative Food Technology gave a demonstration of year-round growing techniques yesterday by harvesting vegetables from a “hoop house” structure it constructed at Bittersweet Farms on Archbold-Whitehouse Road in Whitehouse. toledoblade.com(2/14)
January 2008
Wilmington Pumpkin Patch Takes it to the Top
A local pumpkin patch has received a top honor in the nation. Last year, workers at the patch sold almost $87,000 worth of pumpkins; making it the most successful patch involved in a fundraiser. WECT6 (Wilmington, N.C.)(1/31)
It's Family Affair at D'Arrigo
The family of Jesus Vasquez Jr., assistant production superintendent for D'Arrigo Bros., has a long association with the Salinas agricultural company. Salinas Californian (1/21)
Potato Growers Funded for Food Safety
Canada's potato producers can get new federal funding to pay for technical support, equipment or trips to workshops to boost their on-farm food safety regimes. Manitoba Co-operator (1/17)
Leafy-Greens Producers Intensify Efforts to Keep Crops Germ-Free
Around the lettuce and spinach fields in Yuma, growers are chopping down trees, bulldozing abandoned houses and even digging out cactuses. Detroit Free Press (1/16)
A Year After the Freeze
A brutal freeze last January devastated some California fruit farmers, destroyed their crops and damaged their trees. Pacific Coast Business Times (1/15)
Organic Event Theme is Safety
California Certified Organic Farmers - known as CCOF - will hold a conference on food safety to discuss the challenges to organic farmers and food handlers that have sprouted since an E. coli outbreak in 2006. Salinas Californian (1/14)
Farmers Ratchet Up Efforts to Keep Crops Clean
Around the lettuce and spinach fields in Yuma, growers are chopping down trees, bulldozing abandoned houses and even digging out cactuses. Arizona Republic (1/11)
Rising Fertilizer Costs Mean Struggle for Farmers
There are a number of factors that are resulting in higher prices for products needing fertilizer such as cattle feed and sweet corn. The question is, how will the higher fertilizer prices affect consumers? WKTV-Utica (1/8)
Be Wary of Biotech Lettuce Experiments
The biotechnology industry has long hoped to use plants, including common food crops, to produce high-profit new drugs .... Salinas farmers should be leery of lettuce pharming. The Salinas Californian (1/8)
Farmers Not Worried About Quick Freeze
Apparently, one or two nights of sub-freezing temperatures is not enough to kill a citrus field or blueberry farm. Hernando Today (1/4)
Farmers Scramble to Save Crops
Ann Holt calls it "our first little surprise of the winter." Put that way, the arctic-style weather that was heading Wednesday night for South Florida's vegetable farms, fruit groves and nurseries doesn't sound too threatening. Palm Beach Post (1/4)
Farm bill a win for Michigan agriculture
The importance of agriculture to (Michigan's) economy means that the farm bill that the U.S. Senate passed in December is critical for our entire state. While the final legislation remains to be completed in 2008, this Senate-passed bill is an important step forward. Hometown Life (1/4)
Cold, Flurries in Florida, Growers Worry
Florida's citrus growers reported only minor damage early Thursday from a blast of cold air, even as snow flurries fell in at least one part of the Sunshine State. Citrus crops were not the only ones at risk in Florida. (1/3)
December 2007
No Immigration Reform May Cost NY Farms
The failure of Congress to ensure that there are enough migrant workers in the nation's labor force could eventually cost New York agriculture hundreds of millions of dollars in lost crops and hundreds of thousands of acres in lost farmland, according to experts Tuesday at an agribusiness conference. Yahoo News (12/19)
Help with Farming’s Challenges
American farmers no longer have to stoically face all that Mother Nature and the economy can dish out. Lawrence Journal World (12/3)
November 2007
Family Settles Tainted-Spinach Lawsuit
More than a year after their two children were severely sickened by E. coli, a southeastern Wisconsin couple has settled their federal lawsuit with four spinach companies. Houston Chronicle (11/28)
Michigan Growers, Businesses Worry About Shrinking Migrant Labor Pool
Another harvest season for Michigan farmers has come and gone, but will future production be impaired by a continued decline of migrant workers coming to the state? The County Press (11/19)
State Tries To Clean Up Farms
Florida is enlisting the help of hundreds of farmers and nursery growers to clean up the state's polluted waterways, but environmentalists complain the environment is suffering under the partnership. The Tampa Tribune (11/19)
State Regulation of Leafy Greens Stalled
State Sen. Dean Florez is hoping a little legislative detour will help build momentum for his stalled bills seeking to regulate the lettuce and spinach industry. Appeal Democrat (11/19)
Nonfarm Proposals Stall Agriculture Bill
Senators are using the farm bill to make political points on immigration, taxes and other nonagricultural issues, potentially stalling the $286 billion legislation. Minot Daily News (11/15)
Thinking Out of Lettuce Box
Ag-friendly Monterey County isn't just the Salad Bowl of the World anymore. Salinas Californian (11/15)
A Way to Reduce Pesticides on Berries
Husein Ajwa is a different kind of soil chemist. The University of California Extension specialist has been experimenting for years on ways to reduce the use of methyl bromide in strawberry fields. MontereyHerald.com (11/13)
Growers Experiment with Planting Fall Strawberries
Louisiana strawberries in November? It's becoming more common as strawberry growers in southeast Louisiana experiment with new plants. Louisiana strawberries in the past were usually available between March and May. Telegram.com (11/13)
Farmers Get a Lesson in Market Success
Cut out the middleman and keep more of the profits. Selling direct to customers helps local growers keep more of the money circulating in the area, and that's good for everyone. Bradford County Telegraph (11/9)
Farmers Balance Rising Crop, Input Prices
’Tis the season when area farmers start deciding how many acres of corn or soybeans to plant for next year. Lawrence Journal World (11/7)
Agricultural Innovation: Young Farmer Receives Award for Farming Breakthrough
Driving around his father's 1,000-acre farm in Gonzales, Brent McKinsey points to one of the tractors leveling now-empty fields and describes the complex operation taking place. Monterey Herald (11/7)
Water Limits Bedevil Calif. Farmers
A few years ago, the math seemed simple enough for Bruce Allbright: Plant several hundred acres of pistachio trees, add water when needed, then pick the money from the trees. Yahoo News (11/7)
Will the Farm Bill be a Cash Crop for Local Growers?
Cliffhaven Jersey Farm in Stanwood almost went under two years ago when milk prices plummeted. HeraldNet (11/5)
Bush Names New Agriculture Secretary
President Bush on Wednesday nominated Edward Schafer, a former two-term Republican governor from North Dakota, to head the Agriculture Department. Associated Press (11/2)
October 2007
Farm Bill Could Plow Market for Growers - In the Schools
Produce growers hope a provision in the $290 billion farm bill now under debate in Washington, D.C., will boost sales of their products. Salinas Californian (10/30)
Nature: Silence of the Bees
In the winter of 2006, a strange phenomenon fell upon honeybee hives across the country. Without a trace, millions of bees vanished from their hives. PBS.org (10/29)
Immigration Bill Dies in Senate
Demonstrating yet again the potency of the immigration issue, the Senate fell short yesterday of the 60 votes needed to debate the Dream Act, a bill that would give young, undocumented immigrants the possibility of citizenship if they were brought illegally to the United States as children. Baltimore Sun (10/26)
Officials Look into Pesticide Chemical Leak
High temperatures and calm winds may have led to a chloropicrin leak Tuesday evening near San Juan Grade Road. Salinas Californian (10/25)
Wal-Mart Hails Gourd Grower
San Joaquin County produces more pumpkins than any other region of California, and Wal-Mart will help focus attention on this industry as it features Van Groningen & Sons of Manteca in its national Salute to America's Farmers program. Recordnet.com (10/24)
Harkin Calls for Commission on Food Safety
In announcing the Senate Agriculture Committee's markup of the Farm Bill this past week, the committee chairman, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said he will mandate a presidential commission on food safety as part of the bill. Grand Island Independent (10/22)
Web Site Illuminates Farm-Worker Hazards
For more than 40 years, California Rural Legal Assistance has been an advocate and legal resource for farm workers. Last week, it took that mission online. Salinas Californian (10/22)
After Last Year's E. Coli Spinach Scare, Farmers Are Adding Rules to Ensure Cleaner Crops
The nation's farming industry, led by California, is doing the unexpected: creating regulations for itself at a time when federal regulators aren't. Ventura County Star (10/21)
Organic Food Consumers Also Big on Wine and Imported Beer
According to a recent analysis from Scarborough Research, the West Coast is a stronghold for organics consumers. MediaPost (10/18)
More Steps Being Taken to Stop Spread of Medfly in San Jose
State officials are taking additional steps in trying to stop the Mediterranean fruit fly from spreading in San Jose. San Jose Mercury News (10/18)
Disney to Sell Mickey-Themed Vegetables
A unit of The Walt Disney Co. plans to begin selling a new line of fruits and vegetables this fall with a bit of sales help from Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. BusinessWeek (10/15)
Thefts Plague Some Roadside Stands that Use Honor System
Some sellers of locally grown cherries, peaches and other produce who use the honor system to offer their wares at roadside stands say they're being hit by thieves who are swiping cash. Grand Rapids Press (10/13)
Romney Favors More Visas for Foreign Seasonal Workers
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Saturday he favored issuing more seasonal visas to foreign workers in industries such as agriculture and tourism while cracking down on illegal immigration. Grand Rapids Press (10/13)
Immigration Spills Into Farm Bill Politics
The U.S. Senate has had enough trouble trying to write a farm bill as it stands, but there's one issue that could complicate matters further - immigration. Salinas Californian (10/13)
After Last Year's E. Coli Outbreak, Produce Testing Diverged at Border
Early last month, Dole Food sent thousands of pounds of lettuce, picked mostly in California, through its processing plant in Springfield, Ohio, where a company inspector looked for defects before sending it along a conveyer belt. Washington Post (10/12)
Ask Your PCA: What Vegetable Pests Are You Expecting this Fall?
Our big fall pests in the Santa Maria area are the worms--beet armyworm, corn earworm, and cabbage looper. California FBF (10/10)
New Fumigant Draws Praise
Salinas-area strawberry farmers and agricultural researchers Monday praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approval of the fumigant methyl iodide, which, if it gets the state's OK for use, could replace ozone-layer-depleting methyl bromide. Salinas Californian (10/9)
Calderon Says Mexican Immigration to U.S. Can't Be Stopped
Mexican President Felipe Calderon said the illegal immigration of Mexicans to the U.S. can't be stopped because of the strong demand for inexpensive labor there. Bloomberg (10/9)
Local Farm's Pumpkin Crop is Good
Despite reported pumpkin shortages throughout many areas of Ohio and the United States, this growing season has proven to be a good pumpkin crop for local farmers Brad and Marcia Bergefurd and their family. Wilmington News Journal (10/9)
China Hopes to Become World's Potato Power
China will step up potato production and related industries to improve the world's most populous nation's grain security and help boost income for its millions farmers. The Hindu Business Line (10/8)
Pumpkin Growers Say Drought Hurt Crops
A weak pumpkin crop this year has prompted Wisconsin pumpkin growers to urge jack o’ lantern fans to get to the fields early. Appleton Post-Crescent (10/8)
Local Farmers React to Proposed Food Safety Law
A virulent strain of E. coli in fresh bagged spinach sickened more than 200 people and killed three nationwide in October 2006. As a result, the national Fresh Produce Safety Act was introduced Tuesday in the Senate. The Frederick News-Post (10/8)
U.S. Farm Worker Visas Being Relaxed
The Bush administration is quickly and quietly relaxing visa regulations to rescue U.S. farmers faced with a worker shortage and rotting crops. Science Daily (10/8)
Agriculture Schools Struggle to Remake Image
How do you make farming hip? It's a question that agriculture schools in California and throughout the nation are hoping marketing firms will be able to answer. Monterey Herald (10/4)
Candidate in Va. Took Subsidies for Farm
Gary H. Baise, the Republican candidate for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairman, who tells audiences that he stands for "lower taxes, limited government and less spending," collected nearly $300,000 in federal subsidies for his southern Illinois farm between 1995 and 2005, U.S. Department of Agriculture records show. Washington Post (10/4)
Newmarket Man Grows Giant Pumpkin
Thursday evening a big yellow backhoe gently lifted a 917-pound pale orange pumpkin, secured by straps, out of its patch in Newmarket. Seacoast Online (10/4)
Point/Counterpoint: Real Reform Can Fix Immigration
We can't close our eyes and hope illegal immigration goes away. ABC News (10/4)
Food Safety May Stall Farm Bill
Safety of the nation's food supply has become a point of contention as Congress considers a new farm bill, as a massive recall of beef highlights doubts about the government's attempt to change the rules governing federal meat inspections. Associated Press (10/3)
Group Brings Fair Trade Concept to Local Farms
It happened with coffee, tea and chocolate. Now, a pilot group of farmers and co-ops hopes to bring to the Midwest the international fair trade movement that lobbied for worker equity, environmentalism and production standards. Winona Daily News (10/3)
Pumpkin Heist was a Professional job, Farmer Says
If there is a Great Pumpkin out there, he certainly hasn’t been watching over Gerry Lynn’s field. The London Free Press (10/3)
Judge Delays Ruling on Illegal Labor
A U.S. government plan to crack down employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants was delayed again on Monday as a federal judge said he needed more time to issue a ruling. Associated Press (10/2)
Pumpkin Harvest Scary This Year
Produce farmer Steve Heiderscheit said, "My pumpkin crop has been awful. We didn't have any rain. Only 6/10 of an inch in July so we never set on good and when they did they were half the size and about a third of the crop." KHQA (10/1)
September 2007
Judith Redmond: Family Farms May Wilt Under Leafy-Green Law
California's bountiful vegetable industry has long been known as the nation's salad bowl. But over the past 20 years, a revolution has occurred, planting the seeds for the current crisis of consumer confidence in food safety. Sacramento Bee (9/30)
No Resolution for Produce Haulers
Still reeling from the 2006 E. coli outbreak that rocked California’s leafy green produce industry, two more voluntary recalls in the industry in less than a month have triggered growing concerns as to whether self-regulation is working. Land Line Magazine (9/27)
Summer Heat Carves Into Pumpkin Yield
Hold onto your blanket, Linus. There may not be a Great Pumpkin this year. Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press (9/26)
Culprits in a Produce Scare
E. coli bacteria, like those in this electron microscope image, were in the news again last week when contamination fears led Dole Food Co. to pull 4,530 bags of lettuce from grocery store shelves. Washington Post (9/26)
Socking It to Strawberry Root Rot
Strawberry plants grown in compost-filled mesh tubes, or “socks,” had significantly less chance of getting black root rot, a severe threat to yields, than plants grown directly in infested soils in an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study. Agricultural Research Service (9/25)
Land Use Proposal a Not-so-Clear Choice Between 'Apples or Asphalt'
With one foot on the gas pedal and one ear tuned into backseat conversation, I powered up the hill on the morning school commute. StatesmanJournal (9/24)
Peri & Sons Touts Lettuce Grown in Mason Valley
Peri & Sons' Farms, well-known for its local onion production, is in its second year growing baby greens, and the future is looking nothing but up. Reno-Gazette Journal (9/21)
Five Die from Spinach: 1 Year Later
Since early this year, USA TODAY has interviewed dozens of key government officials, food producers, survivors who ate contaminated spinach and relatives of those who died. ABC News (9/20)
Congress Quietly Returns to Immigration
Three months after Congress failed to pass a broad immigration overhaul, lawmakers are quietly returning to the hot-button issue, discussing narrower measures that address illegal immigrants and low-skilled laborers. Los Angeles Times (9/17)
Machine Takes a Little off top of Carrot Crop
Take a little off the top and you’ll have a healthier carrot crop. The Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia) (9/17)
Survey Shows Americans Like Buying Local
A new poll released by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University shows that Americans feel better buying local food, believing it's safer and healthier. KCCI Des Moines (9/16)
Climate Change Threatens World Food Production, Says New Study
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) www.fao.org held a special session in Rome, Italy, to discuss the impact of climate change on world food security. Voice of Agriculture (9/14)
Raising Vegetables and Fish in a Greenhouse
It's called "aquaponics" ... and will be tried out in the Osler area, north of Saskatoon. Saskatoon Homepage (9/14)
U of R Buying Local Foods
Buying locally grown foods, that's what the University of Rochester is doing and they're being recognized for it. WHEC (9/14)
U.S. Failed to Boost Produce Inspections
Government regulators never acted on calls for stepped-up inspections of leafy greens after last year's deadly E. coli spinach outbreak, leaving the safety of America's salads to a patchwork of largely unenforceable rules and the industry itself, an Associated Press investigation has found. Associated Press (9/13)
'It Became Very Real, Very Fast'
Hollister - Richard Silva, whose Top Flavor Farms grows produce in the San Juan Valley, said the E. coli outbreak traced to spinach a year ago was the most devastating event in his farming career. Hollister FreeLance (9/13)
Spinach Industry Struggles
A year after an E. coli outbreak traced to San Benito County spinach cost local growers up to $6 million in lost revenue, the industry is fighting hard to win back consumer confidence. GilroyDispatch.com (9/12)
Pumpkin Harvest Down Because of Drought
Fall is almost here and people are already getting in the spirit by purchasing a pumpkin or two. WOWK-TV (9/11)
Will the Immigration Crackdown Work?
Bliss Nicholson flies to Mexico every year, not to soak up the sun in Cancún but to recruit legal migrant workers for his landscaping business in Middleton, Wis. CNNMoney (9/10)
Vegetable Growers Watch Farm Bill Proceedings
Colquitt County holds the top spot in production of vegetables in the state of Georgia, so it stands to reason local farmers will have an eye on the U.S. Senate next week as the farm bill, already passed in the House, goes to mark-up. Moultrie Observer (9/8)
Spraying Foes Vent Anger
Some came wearing white painters' coveralls and masks and others huddled under plastic tarps to make their point at Monterey's Window on the Bay Park on Thursday evening that they don't want to be sprayed from the air this weekend by pheromones targeting the Australian light brown apple moth. Monterey Herald (9/7)
UFW Rallies for Organizing Bill
Farm workers rallying on the Capitol lawn Wednesday for a bill on union organizing got an unexpected visitor: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Salinas Californian (9/6)
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Says CAFTA More Successful than Expected
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Wednesday that trade with Central America grew more than expected since an agreement with the region went into effect a year ago. International Herald Tribune (9/6)
Virus Called Chief Suspect in Bee Deaths
Scientists have found a virus that is associated with the destruction of a large fraction of American commercial bee colonies, but they have not been able to prove that it is the cause of the mysterious disease that has wreaked havoc on the bee industry. Los Angeles Times (9/6)
Short on Labor, Farmers in U.S. Shift to Mexico
Steve Scaroni, a farmer from California, looked across a luxuriant field of lettuce here in central Mexico and liked what he saw: full-strength crews of Mexican farm workers with no immigration problems. New York Times (9/5)
The School Cafeteria, on a Diet
As students return to school this week, some are finding unusual entries on the list of class rules: fewer fried foods, smaller servings and no cupcakes. New York Times (9/5)
The Immigration Debate Ripens
Ray Polseno stands in the cool air of his farm stand, one irritated apple grower. The Providence Journal (9/2)
August 2007
Sweet Onion Producers in Washington's Walla Walla Valley and Oregon Vote
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that sweet onion producers in the Walla Walla Valley of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon voted to continue their federal marketing order program. News Blaze (8/31)
Salinas Valley Leaders Show Mixed Reaction
News of Wednesday’s recall of bagged fresh spinach by Metz Fresh Foods of King City left Salinas Valley agricultural leaders with mixed feelings. Salinas Californian (8/30)
Salinas Farming Mogul Makes Way for the Next Generation
Bill Ramsey has witnessed almost every major change in Salinas Valley agriculture over the past 50 years, from the advent of field packing to the development of bagged salads. Salinas Californian (8/29)
Farmer Seeks Perfection in Corn Crop
Darren Wright is a stickler for quality. Really.Walking amid wispy tassels and jaunty green leaves in one of his cornfields, he is a man on a mission. HeraldNet (8/29)
Agriculture Secretary Johanns Presents Bush Administration Views on Farm Bill, Free Trade Agreements
The 2007 Farm Bill and the importance of free trade agreements were the topics addressed by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today during the 2007 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill. Grainnet(8/29)
Fidelity Investing in Mass.-Based Tomato Company
Fidelity Investments is betting that tomatoes will help ripen their profits. Eyewitness News(8/28)
Plenty of Pumpkins?
Halloween is only a couple of months away, but this summer's heat and drought may mean fewer jack-o-lanterns in Region 8. KAIT - Jonesboro, Ark. (8/28)
Agritourism Scholarships Available from State
The Kansas Department of Commerce is in its second round of accepting applications for $25,000 in agritourism scholarships. Lawrence Journal World (8/27)
Farmers Hail the Rain
After being a no-show for most of the summer, rain finally decided to drop in and make an appearance in Simcoe County last week. The Barrie Examiner (8/27)
Drought Shrivels State Pumpkin Crop
The severe drought and high temperatures that have pummeled Tennessee re cent ly may mean a shortage of pumpkins come Halloween. Tennessean.com (8/27)
Farms Along Long Lake Road Offer Makings for Dinner
Just a few minutes west of Traverse City along a busy roadside, dozens of black Angus beef cows dot the hillside, their heads down in the dew-covered grass. Traverse City Record Eagle (8/27)
New Scrutiny on Ag Workers
For more than a decade, the Social Security Administration has sent letters telling employers when they found discrepancies in Social Security numbers they reported. Monterey Herald (8/24)
Family, Friends Flock to Corn Harvest
It's 10:30 on a Saturday morning, and the Carter Tyndall family is hard at work. Grand Rapids Press (8/24)
Organic Looks Easy, if You’ve Got a Royal Staff
Ordinary people don’t get invited to Highgrove much. Like many things associated with British royals, the place is extremely private. The home of Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, it is where he has spent 26 mucky years creating what must be the finest garden anywhere based on strict organic principles. New York Times (8/23)
Food Fighters: Parents Take Aim at Unhealthy Food Choices
As parents take up the battle cry against school lunches they say promote obesity and don't foster health, lunch fare is beginning to change. Salinas Californian (8/22)
FDA Program Assesses Virginia Tomatoes
Ponder food safety, as we tend to these days, and tomatoes don't readily come to mind -- unless you are at the Food and Drug Administration, which launched a Tomato Safety Initiative in Virginia in July. The program will move to Florida during the fall growing season, with plans to reach other locales. Washington Post (8/22)
Family is Farming for the Future
Dale Koehler turned the engine key, sending a plume of blue diesel smoke into the early-morning sky. The Morning Call (8/21)
U.S. Agriculture Exports May Top $78.5B
U.S. agriculture exports likely will be $1 billion more than the record $77.5 billion the U.S. government forecast, an agricultural economist said Monday. UPI (8/21)
Warming Will Exacerbate Global Water Conflicts
Steve Johnson scans the hot, translucent sky. He wants to make rain -- needs to make rain for the parched farms and desperate hydro companies in this California valley. Washington Post (8/20)
Water Worries Affect Farmers' Plan for 2008
Tight water supplies complicate both short-term and longer-term plans for farmers in the western Central Valley. Central Valley Business Times (8/20)
For Some Farmers, Harvest is all About Finding Workers
It's been a typical farming year, some good and some bad. But for farmers who grow crops that need intense labor, there's been more bad than good -- but even the bad wasn't as bad has it could have been. The Tribune (8/19)
In Pursuit of Farm Fresh Flavor
My church is a farm. Give me a few chickens, a long row of carrots and the smell of dirt, and I’ll find the open heart and inner peace others might seek from a prayer book or a pew. New York Times (8/19)
Storm Damages Sweet Corn Crop
The Weeks Farm was a victim of Mother Nature Thursday night as high winds from passing thunderstorms tore through the middle of the farm's sweet corn crop, causing an estimated $2,000 worth of damage. The Citizen of Laconia (8/18)
Food-Safety Policies in Place
Seed, water and sun — vital elements in the growing cycle for spinach and other leafy greens in the Salinas Valley. Monterey Herald (8/18)
Immigration Authorities Conceding Crackdown not as Tough as Expected
A week after unveiling a major crackdown on businesses that hire illegal immigrants, the Bush administration is now conceding that its most heavily touted weapon in pursuing employers - an assault against Social Security fraud - will be nearly useless. San Jose Mercury News (8/16)
A New Twist on Fresh Corn
The first corn of the season appeared at the local farmers’ market last week. West Central Tribune (8/13)
Local v. Imported - How Do We Decide?
Conventional wisdom says that we should seek out food that is seasonal, minimally processed, and produced within our local foodshed. World Changing (8/13)
One Year Later, Progress on Spinach Safety
Earthbound, the nation’s largest producer of gourmet salad greens, and Natural Selection Foods, have gone through great lengths to improve the safety of bagged salad greens since last year’s E. coli outbreak killed two and sickened at least 200. The Daily Green (8/13)
Food Straight Off the Farm
The food recalls involving tainted spinach, lettuce, onions, peanut butter and other products in the last year or so have some americans looking for ways to buy safer foods. WGRZ
(8/13)
Tomato ... Strawberry ... of Straw-Mato
Gardeners and scientists alike are scratching their heads, trying to figure out how a Sandy woman says she found a strawberry growing inside her tomato. ABC4 (8/13)
He Lives off Fruits, Vegetables of his Labor
Squash and pumpkin vines stretch across a 56-by-32-foot plot of land in Cha Cleveland's backyard. PhillyBurbs (8/13)
Farm Programs Produce Offbeat Vegetables
Dewey heads of lettuce are being delivered to shareholders of community supported farms this summer, along with fresh tomatoes for sauces, squash for sauteing and mizuna for ... ummm, what's that for? Forbes (8/13)
Most Local Farms Having a Bountiful Season
"Oh my god, are they gorgeous?" said Alice Fitzgerald, looking over a blood-red sweet pepper, on her town of Cochecton organic farm near the Delaware River in western Sullivan County. Recordonline.com (8/11)
Is Food Safety a Draw to Farm Market?
Shoppers at the Downtown Saginaw Farmers Market will have a chance Friday to shape the market's future. Saginaw News (8/10)
Small Biz and the New Immigration Rules
Last year the Social Security Administration sent 138,000 letters to employers notifying them that certain Social Security numbers their workers submitted on their W-2 forms did not match the agency's records. Business Week (8/10)
E. Coli Outbreak Traced to Lettuce
State health officials conducted a months-long investigation to find the cause of an E. coli bacterial infection that hospitalized four tourists and sickened four others on Kaua'i in March. The Honolulu Advertiser (8/10)
Farmer Can Use Pesticides
A judge Tuesday gave the go-ahead to a farmer to apply pesticides to fields next to a Moss Landing neighborhood where residents sought to block use of the chemicals near their homes. Monterey Herald (8/8)
Government Set for a Crackdown on Illegal Hiring
In a new effort to crack down on illegal immigrants, federal authorities are expected to announce tough rules this week that would require employers to fire workers who use false Social Security numbers. New York Times (8/8)
Ethanol Is Feeding Hot Market for Farmland
While much of the nation worries about a slumping real estate market, people in Midwestern farm country are experiencing exactly the opposite. New York Times (8/8)
Crops Are Wilting in Bone-Dry Fields
Dean Edgecomb's 62nd birthday afforded him no time for cake and ice cream. He was too busy hooking up an irrigation system to save acres of parched, wilting corn in a field just north of Hammond Road. Traverse City Record-Eagle (8/5)
Keeping Greens Clean: Industry-Run Program to Improve Food Safety
When California vegetable grower Jack Vessey surveyed one of his late-winter spinach fields several months ago, he knew he'd never raise the crop the same way again. Bend Weekly(8/3)
Three Area Firms Get Agriculture Innovation Grants
From the feasibility of growing curly-leaf spinach in Wisconsin to research into manure-handling technology, three area businesses with agricultural-based projects in the works are being funded by a state program aimed at fostering innovation and development in the ag sector. Oshkosh Northwestern (8/2)
Traveling Light
Most of the food that we eat travels at least 1,500 miles before it reaches our dinner plates, according to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. Lawrence Journal World (8/1)
GM Refutes that Ethanol Raises the Price of Food
There's only about a nickel's worth of corn in a box of corn flakes, explains the spokesman in a video GM released last week. The rising cost of corn flakes is actually attributed to packaging, marketing and the rising cost of fuel to get those corn flakes to the grocery store. Wired (8/1)
July 2007
Gila Valley Land Could Grow Houses Instead of Lettuce
A major housing development planned for the Gila Valley has been likened to "the camel's nose under the tent" by those who fear it will set a precedent for other inroads on what is considered prime farm land. Yuma Sun (7/31)
House Approves Farm Bill
The House approved a $286 billion farm bill Friday that would boost federal spending for conservation, food stamps and specialty crops such as lettuce, artichokes and broccoli grown on the Central Coast. Salinas Californian (7/30)
Produce Industry Struggles to Improve Safety
The North American produce industry is facing a massive uphill battle to prevent future outbreaks and food scares because it still doesn’t know the source of many problems and what needs to be fixed, say top officials from the United States produce industry and government. Canada.com (7/30)
State Growers Hope to Reap Federal Funds
Making a profit growing apples is no easy feat, says farmer David Rabe, who owns a 175-acre orchard with his two brothers in western Michigan. Detroit News (7/26)
On Eve of Vote, Farm Bill Draws Threat of a Veto
A huge multiyear farm bill ran into a White House veto threat and a sudden flurry of objections from Republicans yesterday on the eve of a vote on the House floor. Washington Post (7/26)
Farm Subsidies Seem Immune to an Overhaul
For the many critics of farm subsidies, including President Bush and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, this seemed like the ideal year for Congress to tackle the federal payments long criticized as enriching big farm interests, violating trade agreements and neglecting small family farms. New York Times (7/26)
Farmers Grapple With Drought
With little rainfall this spring and summer, Mehrl Mayne has lost almost half of his 34 acres of field corn — for cattle — to save the sweet corn he sells — for people — at the edge of his driveway. Gazette.net (7/26)
Senate Presses Border Security
After a day of partisan feuding over illegal immigration, Senate Republicans and Democrats agreed Thursday to commit $3 billion to gain "operational control" over the southern U.S. border within two years. LA Times (7/26)
Leafy Green Inspections Under Way In Salinas Valley
More than 100 produce companies are on board for a voluntary food safety plan, and now inspections are under way. KSBW (7/25)
Farmers Find no Methyl Bromide Alternative
Ventura County farmers aren't overstating the situation when they say there are no viable, cost-effective alternatives to the fumigants they're using to treat locally grown strawberries, experts say. Ventura County Star (7/24)
A Sweet Job with High Yields
Kevin Delaney, 17, has a sweet summer job. He sells sweet corn for $4 a dozen and by the time the crop is complete in three-and-a-half weeks, he's expecting some sweet returns. HeraldNewsOnline (7/20)
Residents Lash Out Against Pesticides Use
Moss Landing residents are fighting to keep pesticides from being used on a nearby farm, saying their health is in danger. Salinas Californian (7/19)
Bush Creates Food Safety Panel
President Bush announced Wednesday he has created a Cabinet-level panel to recommend ways to ensure the safety of food and other products imported from other countries. Monterey Herald (7/19)
Rural Couple Seek Permit for Theater
John and Sharon Vesecky say they are looking for ways to expand their farm income while providing a rural entertainment venue for visitors. Lawrence Journal World (7/18)
Urban Farming Tour Sprouts
More than 400 people are expected to sign on for one of the biggest annual events of the city's underground culture: a behind-the-scenes tour of Detroit's urban gardens, slated for Aug. 1. Detroit News (7/18)
FDA Chief: Food Safety Needs Changes
The Food and Drug Administration needs a major reorganization to meet the food-safety needs of the future, FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach told a House committee Tuesday. USA Today (7/18)
Strawberry Prof Shares his Seeds of Knowledge
Some days, Harry Swartz eats 500 strawberries. Others, it's more like 2,000. The Daily News (7/18)
Selling Sweet Corn is a Johanns Family Tradition
The sweet corn sign went up this week at the Johanns farm just north of Mason City on U.S. Highway 65. Globe Gazette (7/17)
Brussels Paves Way for GM Potato
Brussels on Monday paved the way for approval of the first commercial cultivation of a genetically modified crop in the European Union since 2001. MSNBC (7/17)
Storms Destroy Crops; Could Cost County Millions
An hour and a half storm on Friday, July 6, could cost the county about $10 million in money that would have come from strawberry crops this year. Siskiyou Daily News (7/17)
Sweet Corn Profits Could Sour if Dry Weather Continues
The pump in the Magee's sweet corn field works twenty-four hours a day this hot, dry summer. WBOC-TV (7/15)
Immigration Reform is a Pipe Dream
Earlier this year when the immigration-reform debate heated up, I bet a colleague five bucks that no immigration-reform bill would be sent to the president by Labor Day. The Columbian (7/15)
A Better Farm Policy
The June 24 editorial "The Fat of the Land" evoked a collective "amen" among farmers across the nation who have been advocating a fresh approach to reauthorizing the farm bill. Washington Post (7/15)
Bumper Crop Ahead for County Favorite
There are several signs that signal the arrival of the hot summer months — singing cicadas in the trees, afternoon thunderstorms appearing out of thick air and the ubiquitous Lancaster County sweet corn. Lancaster Online (7/11)
Lettuce Most Likely Source for E. Coli?
Lettuce was the likely source of an E. coli bacteria outbreak that has now sickened 18 people, the Huntsville-Madison County Health Department's assistant director said Tuesday. Alabama Live (7/11)
This FDA Official Is Your Stomach's Best Friend
Climbing the ranks in public health can be a frustrating business. Cincinnati Post (7/10)
Residents Prefer Produce that's Grown Locally
With a wide variety of goods to choose from, Heather Coen of Zanesville never misses a chance to purchase food grown right in her own backyard. Zanesville Times Recorder (7/9)
Field Study Could Bring Sweet Smell of Success Back for Garlic Growers
The Department of Pesticide Regulation will fund research that could provide California's onion and garlic industry with a natural fungus fighter. YubaNet.com (7/9)
Senator's Ambitions Put Him in Spotlight
State Sen. Dean Florez's fight to regulate the leafy green vegetable industry has all the makings of a personal crusade. Contra Costa Times(7/8)
Leafy Greens Audits Start July 23
After months of preparation, mandatory food-safety audits will begin July 23 for leafy greens handlers and their growers participating in a special marketing agreement. Salinas Californian (7/7)
Drought Helping Small Farms?
Rain is on the minds of many us with backyard gardens, but especially for farmers whose livelihood depends on Mother Nature's showers. WVLT (7/6)
Training Helps Farm Workers Become Farmers
Hunched over rows of parsley, Maria Luz Reyes swiftly gathers, slices and binds the fragrant bunches. Salinas Californian (7/2)
Strawberry Harvest Disappointing
The unseasonably warm weather at the start of April may have been welcomed by the general public, but don't include the county’s strawberry growers in that group. Leelanau Enterprise (Michigan)(7/2)
Labels Lack Food’s Origin Despite Law
In every American supermarket, labels tell shoppers where their seafood came from. But there are no such labels for meat, produce or nuts. New York Times (7/2)
June 2007
Imperial Valley Grower Linked to Onion Recall
Investigators are working to determine whether an Imperial Valley farm was the source of onions recalled last week. San Diego Union-Tribune (6/29)
Officials Lament Demise of Immigration Bill
Yuma officials and local activists voiced disappointment at the failure of President Bush's immigration bill in the U.S. Senate. U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., Yuma's congressional representative, said he did not support every aspect of the bill. However, he had hoped it would at least make it to the House for a vote. Yuma Sun (6/29)
Panel Shuns Leafy Bills
Amid sharp verbal jabs, the campaign to put state health officials in charge of a mandatory food safety program for leafy greens stalled Wednesday in its first Assembly review. Salinas Californian (6/29)
Scenes from the Market
Saturday morning at the Alemany Farmers' Market. A man spotting an acquaintance: "I didn't know you shopped here."
The answer: "Well, you know, we're supposed to eat locally." San Francisco Chronicle (6/28)
Food Conscious: The Shopper's GMO Guide
I could hear my mother's voice in my head as I leafed through Andrew Kimbrell's new quick-guide to genetically engineered foods. San Francisco Chronicle (6/28)
Immigration Measure Appears Imperiled Again
The Senate yesterday turned back a series of amendments from both parties aimed at substantially altering controversial immigration legislation, but the bill shed supporters as it became mired in procedural problems that left backers concerned about its prospects. Washington Post (6/28)
Season's Sweet Corn Harvest OK
Although the current drought threatened this year’s crop of sweet corn, local farmers weren’t about to let a little dry weather get in their way. Marrietta Times (6/28)
Immigration Bill, President Suffer Significant Setback
The Senate fell 14 votes short of the 60 needed to end debate on immigration overhaul, dealing a near-fatal blow to the landmark bill and one that could very well dash President Bush's hopes of ever achieving this goal before leaving the White House. Wall Street Journal (6/28)
Pumpkins Still Growing in Drought
There won't be a Pumpkin Fest at Double Stink Hog Farm this fall, but pumpkin festival lovers still have a choice here in Scott County, despite fears that the current drought would hamper planting of the pumpkins and their growth. Georgetown News-Graphic (6/28)
Ag Fences Could Line Salinas Valley
Monterey County officials Tuesday will likely make it easier for growers to build 8-foot-high fencing around fields to protect crops. Salinas Californian (6/27)
Onion Firm Linked to Recall has Local Ties
Gills Onions, an Oxnard-based company with operations in Monterey County, said none of the onions it voluntarily recalled last week were grown in the Salinas area. The Salinas Californian (6/27)
Assembly Panel Fails to Act on Bills Guarding Against E. coli
Pressure from the farm industry on Wednesday derailed a package of bills designed to protect consumers against the kind of contamination in leafy vegetables that led to a nationwide health scare last year. San Francisco Chronicle (6/27)
Hall urges USDA loan forgiveness for black dirt onion growers
Congressman John Hall of Dover Plains Tuesday called on the United States Department of Agriculture to forgive any balances on outstanding federal loans that were taken out by onion growers in New York's black dirt region in Orange County following severe weather and crop damage that occurred in the summer of 1996. Mid-Hudson News Network (6/27)
Strawberry Farm Hit Hard
A west Colchester farmer is hoping to salvage something from his strawberry fields damaged by last week’s freak hail storm. The Truro Daily News (6/27)
Feds Tap MSU to Develop Ethanol
Federal officials today will announce a $50 million research grant for Michigan State University aimed at turning ethanol into a realistic part of the nation's energy future. Detroit News (6/26)
GOP Backers Offer Immigration Bill Change
With a crucial test vote scheduled for today, Republican supporters of a sweeping immigration bill threw their weight yesterday behind a significant change to the legislation that would force illegal immigrants to return to their home countries to apply for legal status. Washington Post (6/26)
U of M Recognizes 2007 Farm Families of the Year
Sixty-eight families from around the state, one from each participating county, have been named a “2007 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota (6/25)
Watchdogs Sue Water Board Over Farm Waivers
A cooperative agency sponsored by Central Coast farmers is keeping tabs on agriculture's effect on water quality, and that effort is expected to hold off environmental lawsuits over farm pollution like those emanating from the Central Valley. Monterey Herald (6/25)
Illegal Immigrants Targeted By States
Frustrated with Congress's inability to pass an immigration overhaul bill, state legislatures are considering or enacting a record number of strongly worded proposals targeting illegal immigrants. Washington Post (6/25)
Diversity of Crops Absorbs Hardships
Even though spinach sales dropped by 41 percent in 2006, Salinas Valley growers managed to increase total gross crop value by nearly $1.5 million last year, according to the annual Monterey County Crop Report. Salinas Californian (6/21)
New Crop Art Features Butterfly from Stamp
Rain has put Stan Herd behind about a week, but the world-famous crop artist from Lawrence will unveil another work at 11 a.m. Monday at Pendleton’s Country Market, 1446 E. 1858 Road. Lawrence Journal World (6/21)
Imperial Board: Water Supply Short
The Imperial Irrigation and Drainage District board declared that there is an insufficient water supply to maintain the current level of use in Imperial County in 2008. Yuma Sun (6/21)
Big Ag Enlists Robots to Pick High-Hanging Fruit
As if the debate over immigration and guest worker programs wasn't complicated enough, now a couple of robots are rolling into the middle of it. Wired.com (6/21)
Onion Recall for Contamination
A warning has been issued for a certain type of onion Trader Joe's. KEYT3 (6/21)
No Charges in Outbreak Linked to Spinach
Federal prosecutors have decided that criminal charges are not warranted in last year's nationwide E. coli outbreak linked to fresh California spinach, the U.S. attorney in San Francisco said Thursday. Forbes (6/21)
Lettuce Crop is Tops
At Springdale Farms in Cherry Hill, military rows of greens -- red leaf, green leaf, romaine and Boston -- sprout from the earth like petaled, emerald heads. Courier Post (6/13)
Bush Vows to Get Immigration Bill Passed
As he heads home from an eight-day European swing to face a hostile Congress, President Bush today lashed out at Democrats for holding a vote of no confidence on his attorney general, and vowed to get his stalled immigration legislation passed, saying, “I’ll see you at the bill signing.” The New York Times (6/11)
Bush Vows to Revive Immigration Plan, Backs Gonzales
President Bush vowed Monday to do all he can to revive his plan to overhaul the nation's immigration laws, while dismissing as meaningless a planned Senate vote of no-confidence in his embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Washington Post (6/11)
Despite Drought, Sweet Corn Harvest Excellent
Mark Daniel says his Sweet corn harvest is busy, thanks to a good crop. WALB News (6/11)
Immigration Overhaul Bill Stalls in Senate
A tenuous compromise to overhaul the nation's immigration laws collapsed last night when senators from both parties refused to cut off debate and move to a final vote, handing the unlikely alliance of Democratic leaders and President Bush a setback on a major domestic priority. Washington Post (6/8)
Drought: A New Norm Across the Nation?
Drought, a fixture in much of the West for nearly a decade, now covers more than one-third of the continental United States. And it's spreading. Palm Springs Desert Sun (6/8)
Michigan Is Short on Hands for Its Harvests
In June, asparagus is king in Oceana County along Lake Michigan. Detroit Free Press (6/8)
State Budget Woes Spoiling Fresh Start
For just 10 cents a day per child, California public school kids are getting to eat fresh apples, oranges and strawberries along with their Pop-Tarts and doughnuts at school breakfast. San Francisco Chronicle (6/7)
Farm's Fates Hinge on Immigration Bill
Rick Bradford, a pepper and watermelon grower from La Quinta says not even the bonuses he's offering this season have attracted enough farmworkers to harvest his crops. Palm Springs Desert Sun (6/7)
Immigrant Measure Survives Challenges
The plan to overhaul the nation's immigration system survived its most serious challenges yesterday, when the Senate defeated amendments to disqualify hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from legalization and to extend visas to hundreds of thousands more relatives of U.S. citizens and green-card holders. Washington Post (6/7)
Growers to Tighten Spinach Security
California farmers are expected Friday to approve tighter standards for growing and processing leafy greens such as spinach, hoping to prevent another E. coli outbreak like one last fall that sickened almost 200 people nationwide and devastated the industry. San Mateo County Times (6/7)
McCain Sets Self Apart in Debate
Senator at odds with GOP rivals on immigration bill. Washington Post (6/6)
Reid Says He Will Seek to End Debate on Immigration Bill
The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, said Tuesday that he would try to force an end to debate on a comprehensive immigration bill, leaving the fate of the legislation in question. New York Times (6/6)
Imperial Valley Agriculture Grows
Imperial County's $1.36 billion agricultural industry grew in 2006 despite setbacks from food recalls. Monterey Herald (6/6)
To Contain Virus, Farmers, Gardners Being Asked to Destory Melon Crop
The only thing that may save the area's melon crops, whether grown commercially or in backyard gardens, is to not grow any melons, squash or cucumbers for a month. Yuma Sun (6/6)
Immigration Reform Deal Under Threat
A broad bipartisan immigration deal is under threat Tuesday, as the Senate prepares to vote on a GOP proposal to make it harder for millions of illegal immigrants to qualify for green cards. KWTX (6/5)
Fungal Disease Showing Up On Watermelon, Cantaloupe
Powdery mildew is showing up on watermelon and cantaloupe plants in south Georgia and is expected to move into South Carolina, according to Anthony Keinath, Clemson University plant pathologist. Greenville News (6/4)
Backers of Immigration Bill More Optimistic
After a week at home with their constituents, the Senate architects of a delicate immigration compromise are increasingly convinced that they will hold together this week to pass an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, with momentum building behind one unifying theme: Today's immigration system is too broken to go unaddressed. Washington Post (6/4)
ABCs of Fresh Food
Schools join with farmers to bring produce to students. Traverse City Record-Eagle (6/4)
McCain Pushes Immigration Reform Bill
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) today offered a robust argument for the immigration reform legislation pending in Congress while directing scorn at his rivals, especially former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, for what he said was pandering to Republican Party conservatives who oppose the measure without offering alternatives. Washington Post (6/4)
USDA Offers Farmers Relief from Freeze, Drought
Two weather-related disasters have made agricultural producers in 25 Florida counties eligible for low-interest loans, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency said Friday. Palm Beach Post (6/2)
Government Comes to Aid of Asparagus Growers
Struggling farmers in West Michigan will receive a "shot in the arm" from the federal government's decision to buy 3 million pounds of asparagus this spring. Muskegon Chronicle (6/1)
Abandoned Beehives Are a Scientific Mystery and a Metaphor for Our Tenuous Times
In "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," just before Earth is destroyed to make way for a hyperspatial express route, all the dolphins in the world disappear, leaving behind just the message: "So long, and thanks for all the fish." Washington Post(6/1)
Bush Addresses Immigration Reform
First, I thank you very much for your hard work on a comprehensive immigration bill and your concern about our country. Washington Post (6/1)
May 2007
California Leafy Greens Will Need Documentation to Go to Canada Starting Friday
Canada will require all shipments of leafy green produce grown in California to be accompanied by a confirmation of sale document confirming the origin of the goods beginning June 1, the Farm Bureau is warning its members. San Luis Obispo Tribune (5/31)
Perchlorate Levels in Food Safe for Most, FDA Says
Levels of a chemical used to make rocket fuel found in commonly consumed food are not high enough to pose a health risk to most people, including children and pregnant women, U.S. regulators said. Washington Post (5/31)
Upstate Farmers Feeling the Drought
Area farmers already are paying a price for sunny skies over the Upstate, and consumers also are likely to feel the pinch | 
