San Joaquin 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.

California Local Pin Marker From LodiNews...

03/13/2025
Get ready to raise a toast to spring at the Lodi Grapoe festival, starting on April 5 at the Grape Festival Grounds. Read on for details.

California Local Pin Marker From Manteca Bulletin...

03/11/2025
121 years ago, Benjamin Holt had a bright idea. Read on to learn more about the history of the first Caterpillar tractor, invented and built in Stockton.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

02/24/2025
The governor vowed to clear the way for more groundwater recharge. Has it worked? “We’re still tinkering around with small numbers,” one expert says.

California Local Pin Marker From Manteca Bulletin...

01/24/2025
Read on to learn how fifty-one months after the Manteca City Council began considerations for legal retail sales of cannabis, the first dispensary has opened for business.

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.

Local News Matters Stockton logo From Local News Matters Stockton...

01/17/2025
Image for display with article titled Where Are All the Eggs? Bird Flu’s Spread Not the Only Culprit in Crisis of Global Proportions

IF YOU HAVE tried to bake a cake recently, you might have had a hard time finding eggs. The empty shelves are a sign of the devastating impact of avian influenza, H5N1 or HPAI, on commercial poultry flocks in California.

California Local Pin Marker From Stocktonia...

01/17/2025
Make plans to enjoy some yum during Stockton Restaurant Week running through January 26. Stocktonia has the details.

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 Manteca Bulletin...

01/02/2025
The first of three permitted cannabis dispensaries is set to open in Manteca within weeks. Read on to learn more.

California Local Pin Marker From Stocktonia...

12/23/2024
Read on to learn more about the growing impact of H5N1 bird flu on San Joaquin County poultry farmers and the local agriculture sector.

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.

California Local Pin Marker From CapPublicRadio...

12/04/2024
Learn more about the expanding recall of raw milk products following detection of bird flu in tested samples.

California Local Pin Marker From Stocktonia...

12/02/2024
Excessive groundwater pumping is behind the sinking of the ground level in the San Joaquin Valley. Read on to learn more about the Stanford University research behind this startling finding.

California Local Pin Marker From Stocktonia...

11/27/2024
Volunteers with the Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/San Joaquin annual Thanksgiving Food Giveaway passed out Thanksgiving meals to 2,801 families on November 26. Read on to learn more.

California Local Pin Marker From Stocktonia...

11/21/2024
Bird flu has been detected in chickens at a San Joaquin County farm. Read on to learn more about where and about this highly pathogenic virus.

California Local Pin Marker From Escalon Times...

11/19/2024
Read on for details about the Escalon Holiday Parade on December and the vendor booths, food, activities and music around Main Street Park.