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October 27, 2025

USDA announces new feeding program

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced March 17 a collaboration with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo and others to deliver nearly a million meals per week to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due...

California added to SNAP online pilot program

CALIFORNIA—U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced the approval of a California and Arizona request to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households.  This approval will allow these states to expedite the implementation of online purchasing with currently authorized...

Farm Credit honored for supporting FFA

CALIFORNIA—The Farm Credit Alliance was recently presented with Future Farmers of America’s (FFA) Distinguished Service Citation for its longstanding contributions to the organization and agricultural education in general. Katie Otto, development director for the California FFA Foundation, the state organization’s fundraising arm, said the California...

Ag Tech Summit returns to Hartnell College

NOTE: This article was contributed by the King City Rustler SALINAS—The Salinas Valley Ag Tech Summit returns to Hartnell College on March 17-18, promising another deep dive into the latest tactics, equipment and thinking to maximize profit and consumer satisfaction in the fresh produce industry. The...

CDFA seeks members for advisory committee

CALIFORNIA—The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is currently accepting applications from stakeholders interested in serving on a Registered Service Agency (RSA) Advisory Committee. Business and Professions Code (BPC), Division 5, Chapter 5.5, Section 12541 authorizes the RSA Advisory Committee to advise the Department...

100 years and counting

On June 22, the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau will call to order at its annual meeting for the 100th time.

Education to empower

The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) aims to give opportunities to aspiring farmers through various training programs. In the classroom and on the field, students at ALBA are taught everything from crop planning to business management.

Organic produce sales up 9%, tops $2B for the quarter

Total organic fresh produce sales for the first quarter of 2021 saw a continuation of last year’s growth, increasing by 9.3% from the same period in 2020 and topping $2.2 billion for the quarter, according to the Q1 2021 Organic Produce Performance Report released...

Paso Robles Lavender Festival returns

Far more than just a pretty face, lavender — with its tiny purple blooms and distinctive perfume — has become one of the most popular plants all across the county. To celebrate its many purposes, the Central Coast Lavender Growers Association and Paso Rob

Legacy of growth

In 1924, a man named Daniel Pieri arrived at a newly leased plot of land just south of Castroville and began to plant.
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One dead after van plunges off Santa Cruz Wharf

A Scotts Valley man died Sunday morning after his minivan plunged into the ocean from the Santa Cruz Wharf. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office...

Manuel Bersamin dies at 67