Western Farm Press News Archive

Corn yield contest deadline at hand

Jun 24, 2009

The early-entry deadline for the popular National Corn Yield Contest is next week — Wednesday, July 1 — the National Corn Growers Association reminds growers....

San Joaquin County farm advisor retires

Jun 24, 2009

Mick Canevari's love of agriculture and commitment to helping others, instilled in childhood on the family farm established 100 years ago by Italian immigrant grandparents, provided the framework for a successful 36-year career with University of California Cooperative Extension. He retires June 29....

Reaping rewards from crop residues

Jun 24, 2009

Wheat and barley producers in Washington State's Palouse region can refine crop residue management to build soil organic matter, curb soil erosion, retain soil moisture and maximize crop yields, thanks to support from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS)....

Online CEU focuses on biopesticides

Jun 23, 2009

"Biopesticides — Effective Use in Pest Management,” a new continuing education course is now available on the westernfarmpress.com Web site and will soon be offered on other Penton Media agricultural publication Web sites....

False claims about alfalfa continue

Jun 23, 2009,

By Aaron Kiess
Executive Director
California Alfalfa & Forage Association

CAFA’s 24-page booklet, “Alfalfa, Wildlife and the Environment”, is a valuable resource that has been an educational tool and an authoritative information source for defending California’s largest acreage crop. ...

USDA deputy secretary tours California rice

Jun 23, 2009

Farmers’ Rice Cooperative, with support from the California Rice Commission, recently hosted U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan for a tour of California rice....

$176 million to improve research labs

Jun 23, 2009

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA is distributing $176 million in Recovery Act funding to upgrade laboratory buildings and support facilities at research locations across the country. ...

Fish prevail over Californians, again

Jun 22, 2009,

By Harry Cline
Farm Press Editorial Staff

The latest fish-saving biological opinion from the National Marine Fisheries Service reaches far beyond the infamous Delta pumps where most of the focus lately has been in the “save the minnow (smelt)” melodrama....

Oil industry not built in a day

Jun 22, 2009,

By Forrest Laws
Farm Press Editorial Staff

The first successful attempt to drill for oil in the U.S. almost didn’t happen. According to Pulitzer-Prize winning author Daniel Yergin, the small band of drillers who accomplished the feat had already been instructed to suspend operations when they struck oil on Aug. 27, 1859....

Economist examines agricultural policy

Jun 18, 2009,

By Dan Bryant
Contributing Writer

Biofuels policy may sustain high feed prices, farm subsidies will remain but with more pressure on efficiency, and environmental regulations will persist and strengthen....

Bill expands FDA’s food safety authority

Jun 18, 2009

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved by voice vote the Food Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 2749), legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) broader regulatory and enforcement authority to keep the nation’s domestic and imported food supply safe....

Drought impact meeting, June 24

Jun 18, 2009

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will convene a meeting to discuss statewide drought impacts on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. ...

Non-infectious BF management

Jun 18, 2009,

By Joe Connell
UC Farm Advisor, Butte County

This year is shaping up to be a bad one for the expression of Non-infectious bud failure (BF) symptoms. ...

World Food Prize Laureate announced

Jun 18, 2009,

By Forrest Laws
Farm Press Editorial Staff

A Purdue University scientist who was born in a one-roomed thatched hut in Ethiopia and went on to become one of the world’s leading experts on sorghum has been named the recipient of the 2009 World Food Prize....