The decrease follows two years of drops in overall almond acreage. Courtesy of the Almond Board of California California’s bearing almond acreage decreased slightly over the past year, according to a new report from Land IQ to the Almond Board of California (ABC). It is the first time since at least 1995 that the total of bearing acres has not grown. Land IQ’s 2024 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate issued Wednesday looked at bearing acreage – orchards planted before 2022 and that have matured enough to produce a crop for the coming 2024 harvest. It estimated that bearing almond orchards a ..read more

This evening, FCFB announced the winners of its 30th annual Journalism Awards.  Serving as judges this year were: California Fresh Fruit Association Director of Government and Public Policy Adam Borchard; public relations specialist Tanya Osegueda; and FCFB President Mark Thompson.   Award winners received the coveted FCFB Tractor Trophy, which was generously donated by Fresno Equipment Company.  The criteria for the awards were: thorough and objective coverage of issues, given time and space limitations; educational element for the agriculture industry or the consumer ..read more

Courtesy of UC ANR News  Applications and nominations of outstanding students pursuing careers in agriculture will be accepted through May 13, 2024, for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources scholarships and awards. Students, faculty and colleagues are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities to honor academic excellence and provide additional support for undergraduate and graduate students.  Bill and Jane Fischer Vegetation Management Scholarship is for students enrolled at ANY accredited California university, with preference given to graduate students. The recipient of t ..read more

Courtesy of the California Dairy Innovation Center  The California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC) will be hosting Spring and Summer training programs for processors, producers, dairy industry professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, and students as well as health professionals. The courses, which have no pre-requisites, will be held at a variety of California locations and are open to all participants. The schedule of courses includes:  Dairy Foods Technology 101 will take place May 30, 2024, in Novato, Calif. This course is a free educational event open to all California dairy proce ..read more

Courtesy of the Almond Board  Almond Board of California thanks industry and government partners for helping reduce obstacles to California almond imports. The United Kingdom’s government announced it would suspend tariffs for at least two years on raw kernel and inshell almonds from all origins – including the U.S. – beginning April 11, 2024. The Almond Board of California has been working for many years with the UK’s Nut and Dried Fruit Trade Association (NDFTA), the group that represents the UK processors buying California almonds. This past year, ABC provided factual information and t ..read more

Earlier this week, presidents of California Citrus Mutual (CCM) and Citrus Research Board (CRB) issued statements applauding Congressional leaders for recently approving additional funds for the new citrus breeding program in Parlier, California. Congress is allocating an additional $500,000 in federal funding on top of the $1 million granted last year to expand the program into California. The program will now receive $1.5 million in federal funds on an annual basis along with the $500,000 that CRB provides the program with annually. “CRB was instrumental in developing the concept for the Cal ..read more

Courtesy of  Emily C. Dooley  from the UC Davis News and Media Relations  Matching Herds to Landscape Can Support Animal Growth and Ecological Needs Not all cattle are the same when it comes to grazing. Some like to wander while others prefer to stay close to water and rest areas. Recognizing those personality differences could help ranchers select herds that best meet grazing needs on rangelands, leading to better animal health and environmental conditions, according to a new paper from the University of California, Davis, published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Scien ..read more

Courtesy of  UCANR Report recommends policies, programs and tools for farm resilience Water is among the most precious resources on the planet. Some areas don’t get enough; some get too much. And climate change is driving both of those circumstances to ever-growing extremes. Two UC Merced experts in civil and environmental engineering took part in a recent report by the Environmental Defense Fund examining the issue and potential solutions. Associate Professor of Extension Tapan Pathak and Professor Josué Medellín-Azuara co-authored the report, “Scarcity and ..read more

Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) voted in support of the first Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Consolidated Appropriations Act, which provides discretionary resources for six of the twelve FY24 appropriations bills. Congressman Valadao, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, secured several wins for the Central Valley in the annual spending package, including $55 million in direct funding for community improvement projects. Community Projects direct existing federal dollars back to local communities through federal grants. “I came to Congress to deliver results for the Central Valley, and ..read more

Courtesy of the California Farm Water Coalition The California Farm Water Coalition is proud to announce the election of Greg Johnson as its president. Johnson is the owner of Far West Rice in the Sacramento Valley town of Durham. He succeeds Bill Diedrich, a San Joaquin Valley farmer who served as the organization’s president for the past eight years.    Johnson brings a wealth of experience in water management and agricultural advocacy to his new role, and the board is confident in his ability to champion the interests of California farmers and advance the Coalition’s mission of pr ..read more