The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent expansion of its hurricane crop insurance policy to cover tropical storms this year has already provided farmers with $85.4 million to help them recover from Hurricane Idalia. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) rolled out the new Tropical Storm Option for its Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement earlier this year after working directly with …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) have authorized policy flexibilities for key disaster assistance programs and crop insurance to aid Northeast agricultural operations that have been significantly impacted by recent flooding in 2023. “The production and physical losses to flooding have devastated farmers and ranchers in the Northeast,” said Robert Bonnie, …
Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) has launched Zinfandel Live to tell the Zinfandel story in six, short entertaining episodes beginning July 27 on the ZAP YouTube channel. Each bi-monthly episode will feature world-class wines and their winemakers who will lead the viewer to discover the joys of America’s Heritage wine—Zinfandel. Hosted by award-winning author, speaker and television personality Leslie Sbrocco, …
Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) introduced two bipartisan bills to improve the domestic specialty crop industry – the Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion Program Act and the Specialty Crop Mechanization Assistance Act. Specialty crops are a cornerstone of California agriculture – the state produces the most specialty crops in the country both in quantity and diversity, with over 400 …
The 2023 Smoke Summit will include updates and recent findings on wildfire smoke impacts from leading researchers at OSU, UC Davis, and WSU. In addition, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will provide updates on research activities and future initiatives. FORMAL AGENDA TO FOLLOW Register Today When registering, we encourage you to submit any questions you may have, as they will assist …
Grape growers and wine lovers take note: The University of Minnesota is releasing its sixth cold-hardy wine grape, Clarion. At the University’s Horticultural Research Center (HRC), where the U of M’s Grape Breeding and Enology program is based, researchers discovered that Clarion doesn’t just produce excellent vines: its grapes continually produce high-quality, dry white wines with fruity attributes of citrus, …
Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group members are invited to gather at the Sonoma County Farm Bureau office for their February meeting. Themed “There’s A Grant For That!”, attendees will hear from a panel on how to get funding for your next on-farm project. They will specifically sharing state & federal funding and partnership opportunities available for wine grape growers. EXPERT …
Grapevine trunk diseases are chronic problems in California vineyards. Dr. Kendra Baumgartner, Research Plant Pathologist at USDA-Agricultural Research Service will discuss the approaches to protecting pruning wounds, including spray applications of protectants after pruning and delayed pruning, and the timing of these different strategies. Changing weather patterns (cold, dry winters, and wet springs) and labor constraints can complicate these strategies, …
This workshop will cover topics that teach irrigators to utilize technology to minimize nutrient loss and optimize irrigation efficiency while also building soil health for long-term benefits! On-Farm Implementation of Soil and Water Conservation Paul Lum, American Farmland Trust on RCPP Nine partners in the San Joaquin Valley are working together to support producers for soil and water conservation. Conservation …
With some of the highest elevation vineyards in the United States, Colorado boasts a total economic impact of $3.9 billion (according to WineAmerica data). Home to 145 wineries, Colorado has a new Extension Viticultural Specialist at Colorado State University. Her name is Charlotte Oliver. Her educational background is in wine grape pathology, specifically in cluster rots and their control. She …
