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Tag: agriculture

California fruit farm workers (Donna Sutton / Flickr / CC / Cropped)

California Wine, Farming Sectors Support TPP

California’s wineries have come out strongly in support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement–known to critics as “Obamatrade”–agreed upon by the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations and awaiting ratification by the Senate.

INDIA-RELIGION-HINDU

Jerry Brown Limits Antibiotics in Livestock

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a controversial law making California the nation’s strictest regulator of the use of livestock antibiotics, limiting use only to sick animals directly under the care of a veterinarian.

Almonds (HealthAliciousNess / Flickr / CC)

El Niño: Party Time for California Almond Growers

The raging El Niño Southern Oscillation, a band of warm ocean water in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific, is about to cause droughts in southern Asia–and to bring enough rain to boost California almond production after years of drought-induced decline.

Richard Simmons and California Raisin (Ezio Petersen / UPI)

California Raisins Beat Feds at U.S. Supreme Court

You may have heard it through the grapevine: the California raisin farmers who challenged the federal government’s power to seize a substantial portion of each year’s crop as part of a New Deal price-floor scheme had a very strong case under

Pistachios (THOR / Flickr / CC / Cropped)

Iran Deal Could Impact California Pistachio Farmers

Pistachios are undoubtedly one of America’s favorite nuts, and a staple export for the Golden State. However, the pending nuclear deal with Iran has created growing concern within the industry that the crop’s otherwise relentless expansion and success in the marketplace could be stifled, should the United Nations end trade sanctions against Iran.

GMO label march (Daniel Lobo / Flickr / CC)

Organic Food Growth Stalls on 47% Higher Cost

Grocery stores are responding to the massive loss of consumer dollars by going all-in for organic foods, which Consumer Reports estimates cost 47% more. Despite clever marketing, most health experts doubt organics are worth the premium price.

AP Photo

FAA Moves Toward Approving Commercial Drone Use

Californians could soon see drones irrigating or dusting crops. Amazon and Google told the Wall Street Journal they have recently seen a major shift in the attitude of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding critical issues to accelerate commercial drone test flights that extend beyond the sight of the operator.

Drought farm (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

Farmland Prices Down 9%, Predicted to Drop Another 25%

Breitbart News reported in January that farmland prices were estimated to have fallen 3 percent, for their first fall since 1986. But the Chicago Federal Reserve just upped the decline to 8.9 percent, and “Grant’s Interest Rate Observer” warns that farmland

AP Photo

SCOTUSblog: Cal Raisin Farmers Had a Good Day at the U.S. Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court held oral arguments on April 22 regarding the constitutionality of a federal law that requires raisin farmers to transfer a portion of any raisin crop surplus to the federal government at a severe discount, or pay a fine. The law was passed during the Great Depression as a “New Deal” for agriculture to keep prices up. But the farmers call the law an “illegal taking” under the Fifth Amendment–and they appeared to have a very good day in Court, according to the SCOTUSblog.

AP Photo

Report: Drought Will Have Little Impact on California Economy

There has been lots of hubbub in the last two weeks about California’s economy drying up and blowing away like sagebrush after four years of drought. But the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), which provides budget advice to state lawmakers, announced that “We currently do not expect the drought to have a significant effect” on the state’s budget or overall economy. The reason: agriculture is only a small piece of the economy.

AP

San Diego Farmers Want Same Treatment as Farmers in Central Valley

San Diego farmers are calling a foul on Governor Jerry Brown’s new and unprecedented 25% mandatory water regulations, accusing the governor of favoring Central Valley farmers with exemptions and pressing for similar allowances for other California farming regions, including those in San Diego County.