Plastic contamination threatens U.S. cotton industry
Cleaning equipment does a fairly good job of removing thinner mil plastic from cotton during the cotton ginning process. Thicker mil plastic is more difficult to remove, says Harrison Ashley of the National Cotton Ginners Association.
Lettuce industry abuzz over automated thinner
The automated thinner represents a total leap forward in taking a crop which has been highly dependent on hand labor and allowing the machine to do the work, says vegetable specialist Richard Smith of the University of California Cooperative Extension.
Outlook brightens for leafy greens industry
Encouraging data gathered by the California Leafy Greens Research Program (CLGRP) suggests the pendulum on U.S. leafy green consumption is swinging higher, including spinach and spring mix.
Will farm bill be a Christmas gift?
California’s top agricultural leader believes Congress could become Santa instead of Scrooge by delivering an adopted farm bill by Christmas or shortly thereafter.
Space exploration delivering solutions for agriculture
Current and future satellites in orbit around the Earth, plus rovers and other equipment examining other planets, will provide tools to help water organizations better predict and utilize water supplies and help farmers more efficiently manage water use on the farm.
Mid 70-cent cotton price expected to be around awhile
The short-term outlook for Upland cotton prices is for a continuation in the mid 70-cent range per pound, according to Jarral Neeper, president and chief executive officer of the Calcot marketing cooperative based in Bakersfield, Calif.
Biofuels essential to long-term U.S. national security
A retired U.S. Navy vice-admiral urges the continued expansion of the biofuels industry to enhance U.S. national security and help ward off threats from petroleum-exporting countries with opposing political views to the U.S.
Immigration ruling renews agriculture’s call for reliable labor law
Agricultural leaders believe the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Arizona’s controversial immigration law gives ammunition to industry organizations to further push Congress to modify existing farmworker programs to provide legal, reliable labor for farm and ranch operations nationwide.
Technology advancing agriculture to feed world
Technological advances will continue to drive crop advances as global agriculture prepares to feed and clothe another 2-3 billion people by 2050, but on less land worldwide linked to water scarcity.
New law may rekindle New Mexico chile industry
The challenges remain — cheaper foreign imports, a 73-percent crop acreage decline in the last 20 years, crop diseases, and farm labor uncertainties — which point to continued tests for the New Mexico chile pepper industry. Yet, a new piece of legislation may help rekindle prosperity for the New Mexico chile industry.
