Western Farm Press News Archive

Farmland values decline

Aug 6, 2009

Farm real estate values, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $2,100 per acre on Jan. 1, 2009, down 3.2 percent from 2008....

CALF hires Bob Gray as CEO

Aug 6, 2009

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation, provider of the nation’s premier agricultural leadership program, announced that it has hired Bob Gray as its new president and CEO. ...

Franzia shakes up wine industry again

Aug 5, 2009,

By Harry Cline, Farm Press Editorial Staff

The Franzia boys are at it again. John, Joseph and the terrible tormenter Fred Franzia will forever be the talk of the U.S. wine industry with their Two-Buck Chuck....

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced that the Obama administration is taking immediate action to support struggling dairy farmers by increasing the amount paid for dairy products through the Dairy Product Price Support Program (DPPSP). ...

Comment period opens for LBAM report

Aug 4, 2009

The draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Light Brown Apple Moth Program has been released for 60-day public review. ...

$58 million for water quality, quantity

Aug 4, 2009

U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White announced nearly $58 million for water conservation and water quality improvements on agricultural working lands. ...

California's largest biodiesel plant opens

Aug 4, 2009

Crimson Renewable Energy (Crimson), of Denver, Colo., announced the completion of its biodiesel and glycerin production facility. ...

Expanded quarantine for LBAM

Aug 3, 2009

New and expanded quarantine boundaries are in effect in several California communities due to recent detections of the light brown apple moth (LBAM)....

WSFF infestation in Los Angeles County

Aug 3, 2009

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has detected an infestation of the white striped fruit fly (WSFF) in the La Verne area of Los Angeles County....

USA Rice releases Usage Report

Aug 3, 2009

USA Rice Federation’s annual survey of milled rice shipments to the U.S. domestic market is now available. ...

New E85 station opens in Arizona

Aug 3, 2009

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has announced the opening of the first E85 station in Coolidge, Ariz....

Alliance, UT group to study climate change

Aug 3, 2009,

By Forrest Laws, Farm Press Editorial Staff

With the debate over climate change seeming to heat up daily, the 25x’25 Alliance and a team of University of Tennessee economists have announced they will conduct an in-depth analysis of the impacts of global warming on U.S. agriculture and forestry....

Lower limb dieback of almond

Jul 30, 2009,

By David Doll, UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor, Merced County

Lower limb dieback (LLDB) is an emerging problem within many almond orchards throughout California. Observations of orchards with LLDB occur independent of soil types, irrigation systems, varieties planted, and planting spacings, while typically affecting orchards that are in their eighth leaf or older....

Gopher control — better late than never

Jul 30, 2009,

By Joe Connell, UC Farm Advisor, Butte County

If you have an orchard where individual trees are yellowing, have thin canopies with small leaves, or lack of new growth, gopher damage is a possible cause. ...