Placer County Local News: Agriculture, Food & Gardening


All Local Agriculture, Food & Gardening News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: 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

The Williamson Act, passed in 1965, now keeps more than 16 million acres of farmland out of the hands of developers. Here's how the law puts the brakes on the development of California agricultural properties.

Image caption: Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment

Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation projects have helped to build California, but they are also damaging the state’s environment for people, plants and animals by eliminating essential wetlands.

Image caption: 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

California has used reclamation districts to turn millions of acres of unusable swamps into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush. Here’s how it happened.

Image caption: They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country

California stands as America’s agricultural powerhouse, growing half of its fruits and vegetables. Here’s how California farming has shaped the state, from the early missions to today’s “factories in the field.”

Image caption: Dairy products are California’s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance

California is a leading producer of agricultural crops. So it’s not surprising to find cutting-edge ideas taking root here.

Image caption: RCDs look after the land, whether it’s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
California Dirt

What do resource conservation districts protect? Pretty much everything that’s worth saving.

Lincoln News Messenger logo From Lincoln News Messenger...

02/11/2025
Image for display with article titled UC Master Gardener Spring 2025 Workshop Schedule

UC Master Gardener of Placer County workshops teach people how to grow food sustainably and cultivate gardens to protect California’s natural resources. They use UC research-based information to present fact-based workshops customized to the unique region. Join them this spring for a series of fun and informative workshops!

Auburn Journal logo From Auburn Journal...

01/21/2025
Image for display with article titled UC Master Gardeners of Placer County Workshops

UC Master Gardeners of Placer County have a spring schedule of Saturday workshops to interest local gardeners of all skill levels upcoming in February and March.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/21/2025
Trump apparently wants to override new Biden-Newsom rules that have widespread support among Southern California cities and some Central Valley farmers.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

01/03/2025
Those in California who’d like a latte with a side of weed have gotten their wish now that a new law goes into effect that permits licensed cannabis dispensaries to add sit-in cafes to their sites.  

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/20/2024
New operating rules for massive Delta systems will increase water deliveries to Southern California cities and some growers. Salmon numbers could drop, especially in dry years.

California Local Pin Marker From California Healthline...

12/19/2024
Keith Poulsen's jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October. A livestock veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin, Poulsen had seen sick cows before, with their noses dripping and udders slack.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/11/2024
Gov. Newsom launched an ambitious program that uses Medi-Cal to help Californians access housing, healthy food and more. Now, its fate is in the hands of President-Elect Trump.

Lincoln News Messenger logo From Lincoln News Messenger...

11/28/2024
Image for display with article titled Turkeys Fly Into Firehouse During 11th Annual Drive

The 1,112 turkeys that arrived at the Joiner Street firehouse on Thursday, Nov. 21, didn’t exactly fly in but were delivered by hundreds of Lincoln residents donating turkeys for those who need a little extra help this holiday season.

The Roseville Press Tribune logo From The Roseville Press Tribune...

11/26/2024
Image for display with article titled Weather Doesn't Stop Mandarin Festival's Roseville Debut

Neither rain nor wind nor cold weather could stop the 31st annual Mountain Mandarin Festival from enjoying a successful weekend, its first at the Grounds in Roseville following several years at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn.

Loomis News logo From Loomis News...

11/26/2024
Image for display with article titled Loomis to Host Christmas Tree Lighting Downtown Dec. 7

The 50th annual Loomis Family Christmas Tree lighting is scheduled for Dec. 7.

Presented by the Loomis Basin Chamber of Commerce, the annual holiday event will be held at the Train Depot downtown on Taylor Road from 5 to 7 p.m. Santa Claus is scheduled to make an appearance at 5:30 p.m., with the tree lighting at 6.

California Local Pin Marker From Roseville Today...

11/25/2024
Learn more about activities, food and festivities planned for the Roseville Christmas Tree Lighting on December 5 at the Vernon Street Town Square.

Auburn Journal logo From Auburn Journal...

11/19/2024
Image for display with article titled Master Gardener: Vast Acorns in a 'Mast Year'

This year in Placer County, you may have noticed a lot of acorns. This occurrence, known as a "mast year," is part of a natural cycle where oaks produce an abundance of seeds – typically every four years. This surge in acorn production can be dramatic and, for those in Placer County, it’s almost overwhelming.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

11/18/2024
Voters in California’s farm belt, stretching more than 400 miles from Kern County on the south to Tehama County on the north, delivered solid majorities for Donald Trump in this month’s presidential election.

Auburn Journal logo From Auburn Journal...

11/15/2024
Image for display with article titled Auburn Food Closet to Host 9th Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive

Auburn Interfaith Food Closet (AIFC) is offering its ninth annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive to the community.

When you shop at Auburn's Grocery Outlet or Save Mart through Nov. 22, a turkey can be purchased and the sponsoring store will keep the turkey for AIFC.

Sierra Sun logo From Sierra Sun...

11/07/2024
Image for display with article titled Sierra Senior Services: Fighting Loneliness and Food Insecurity Through Community Support

"We all get old, and sometimes we need help. Being a widow and living on one income—it has really helped, especially with the state of the economy," a client receiving food from Meals on Wheels said.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

10/30/2024
THE SALINAS VALLEY is the setting for fecund soil, labor rights movements and John Steinbeck novels.Squeezed into one 90-mile-long wedge between the Gabilan and Santa Lucia mountains, the valley’s residents constitute less than 1% of Californians but have shaped the identity of the whole state.

Loomis News logo From Loomis News...

10/29/2024
Image for display with article titled Non-Perishables Now Available at Loomis Food Pantry

Pantry users are now able to choose non-perishable food they know their families will be able to use.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

10/27/2024
Image for display with article titled From Local News Matters: Water War on the Delta

“This is a local story about a global issue, the future of water. In a three-part series of field reports and podcasts, Bay City News reporter Ruth Dusseault looks at the tunnel’s stakeholders, its engineering challenges, and explores the preindustrial Delta and its future restoration."