Agriculture

There are three policy areas President-elect Donald Trump wants to change that are particularly important to California farmers. If he does what he has promised, one might benefit the industry and two might hurt it.

As California confronts a bird flu outbreak, it is also time to take a hard look at the food production system that puts farm workers in close contact with sick animals, the standard American diet that demands it, and the health ramifications of both.

California dairies have utilized the Low Carbon Fuel Standard climate program to reduce emissions and adopt cleaner fuels. A key upcoming vote to amend the program would hurt sustainable dairies, a farm manager argues.

A judge slaps the state with an injunction, saying the water board overstepped its authority in Kings County: “There has been no review, analysis, or ability to challenge their conduct.”

Gov. Newsom signs a bill that will make California the first state to ban the sale of farmed octopus. Animal rights activists say the practice is inhumane.

The chemical, used for decades, can harm babies’ developing brains. Farmworkers and people living near fields are most at risk. The EPA issued a rare emergency order.

Many California farmers have embraced sustainability and strive to curb their climate impact. Instead of casting blame over controversial programs, a Merced farmer says industry peers should be working together.

California water regulators are cracking down on the overuse of groundwater by farmers. Enforcement could prompt them to idle thousands of acres of farmland and poses larger questions about what will happen to the affected fields.

State officials, for the first time, put a local groundwater basin on probation to stop overuse. The order triggers hefty fees and mandatory reporting of well use.

California farms could use 93% less water but less-thirsty crops, such as grains and hay, are much less lucrative than nuts and fruits. Fallowing a small fraction of the thirstiest crops would save 9%.