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Monterey County Agriculture, Food & Gardening Articles



Image caption: The legislature's own analysts blasted new state water conservation rules as too strict and largely unjustified.
California’s New Water-Saving Regs Lack 'Compelling Justifications'

Even though California faces serious water shortages, the Legislature’s analysts recommend weaker outdoor conservation requirements and longer deadlines for urban water agencies.

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The Monterey County Fair Board is seeking $1 million for a new cattle barn and restrooms.

At 88 years old, the Monterey County Fair and Event Center in Monterey has seen a lot of history. Fairs, of course, but also major national and international musical and cultural events – think Jimi Hendrix and other greats performing…

Image caption: Almost half of all low-income Black adults in California experience food insecurity.
Hunger and Food Insecurity in California: What It Is, What to Do About It

Hunger and food insecurity have become persistent problems in California. With the world’s fifth-largest economy, what steps can we take to make sure that everyone has enough to eat?

Image caption: Second Harvest CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez (at right) with a group of local Rotary members who helped wrap Holiday Food & Fund Drive barrels.
Setting the Table for Social Change

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez looks at food insecurity as a symptom of an underlying disorder—one that can be cured.

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Monterey and Pacific Grove are getting closer to allowing retail cannabis stores.

The city councils of Monterey and Pacific Grove have each approved ordinances allowing retail cannabis in the past few weeks, with Monterey best poised to issue business licenses on a faster timeline than its neighbor. Monterey could begin reviewing cannabis…

Image caption: Farm workers had argued that reforms now in place in California would reduce employer retaliation for unionization efforts.
Farmworkers in Stanislaus County Win Union Vote Under New Law

The United Farm Workers, which represents nearly 7,000 workers, won a unionization vote in Stanislaus County. It’s the first such win in six years and first under a law that went into effect in May.

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Local advocates push state and local regulators harder on pesticide restrictions.

Local pesticide reform advocates are ramping up pressure on regulators over what they deem “environmentally racist” policies that leave Monterey County’s agricultural communities at risk of health hazards.

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Salinas weighs a tax district to fund infrastructure at Ag Industrial Center project.

Salinas city officials are exploring the formation of a new tax district to fund infrastructure improvements that would help develop the long-gestating Salinas Ag Industrial Center.

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Salinas Valley cities urge more flexible ag mitigation terms to allow annexation, development.

As Salinas Valley cities like Soledad and Gonzales look to expand their footprints by annexing surrounding farmland and converting it into housing and other uses, there’s an ongoing debate over the rules requiring that cities and developers make up for…

Image caption: California is considering an end to a program that gives tax credits for cow poop–based biofuels.
Climate Credits for Cow Manure: Program May End Soon

California grants climate credits for fuel made from cow manure, but there’s a paradox: The state’s program encourages collection of methane yet promotes natural gas.

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Monterey County Cattlewomen to host inaugural Western Art Show

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Cattlewomen are hosting their first-ever Western Art Show this Saturday. The scholarship fundraiser will be held in the Seaside Room at the Monterey County Fairgrounds on Oct. 21 from noon to 8 p.m. Twenty local …

Salinas Valley Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Gonzales annexation makes room for future agriculture industrial development

GONZALES — Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County (LAFCO) has approved the annexation of about 49 acres east of Highway 101 and north of Gloria Road to the City of Gonzales for future agriculture industrial development. The annexation, which …

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Cafe Carmel's embrace of pumpkin spice treats is a very good thing.

Lest you think the proliferation of pumpkin spice is part of a devious marketing scheme, there is evidence that the autumnal onslaught is actually a response to public demand.

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Other Brother Beer Co. opens its new kitchen, featuring a classic brewery menu of 'greatest hits.'

“Yes!” bartender Justin Dimauro exclaims when I put in an early afternoon order for a classic caesar salad with fried chicken on top. “I always get so excited when people order that.”

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Residents protest Ron DeSantis’ fundraiser visit and call out agricultural leaders.

The loud, continuous sound of horns disrupted the daily routine on Main Street in downtown Salinas on Sunday, Sept. 24, as a caravan of about a dozen cars carrying colorful anti-Ron DeSantis signs stopped outside Taylor Farms’ headquarters. They were…

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The State Water Board seeks to weaken regulation on fertilizer application. Lives are at risk.

In 2021, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued an order, after years of public hearings and review, calling for a limitation on runoff from agricultural fields.

Featured

RCDs look after the land, whether it’s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
California Dirt
RCDs were created to avoid a repeat of the Dust Bowl. Now they work with landowners to preserve the air, water and natural habitats that sustain us all.
Dairy products are California’s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance
Greener ways to feed the world’s growing population
Fresh and dried fruit, wine, nuts and more can be found at Casa De Fruta, a venerable stop for drivers traversing Pacheco Pass.
Roadside Attractions
Apples and berries, steaks and dairy...and much more
They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country
California, a state known for high-tech and show business glitz, is also America’s farming powerhouse.
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment
The hidden price tag of “reclaiming” swamps and marshes as usable land.
The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.
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