Agriculture

Ken Griffin is San Benito County’s first agricultural commissioner since 2021, following a recent interview and vote by the board of supervisors.  Griffin has served as the county’s Acting Agricultural Commissioner for about five years. The board voted to remove “acting” from his title on...

Authorities arrested a man and woman this week who broke into the Hollister High School Ag Barn and killed two animals that students had fostered and raised for a local educational program.  The suspects allegedly killed a goat and a pig, and carried the pig...

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a drought emergency in San Benito County on May 10, pointing to early warm temperatures that have hardened soils and depleted runoff water from the Sierra snowpack. San Benito was one of 39 counties statewide that Newsom added to the emergency...

A multitude of elected officials, workers and law enforcement officials from Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties gathered at the Government Center in Salinas last week to send a message to the community and the federal government. “Today we stand together, locally, statewide and...

A coalition of local, state and national groups will host a pollinator habitat planting community action volunteer event May 2 and 3 at the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos. Volunteers will be encouraged to spend the morning helping to prepare the soil...

A federal committee last week approved a program that includes about $63 million in funding for the improvement and expansion of water infrastructure. If approved by Congress, more than $15 million in upgrades could be dedicated to San Juan Bautista and Hollister, according to...

California lawmakers announced Aug. 1 the introduction of a bill that would create a permanent structure to provide relief for farmers impacted by natural disasters.  The Agricultural Emergency Relief Act aims to streamline the process for seeking and receiving relief.   While Congress has previously provided aid...

Santa Clara County planning officials have released the draft Environmental Impact Report for the 403-acre Sargent Ranch quarry project that is proposed south of Gilroy. The public comment period on the EIR began July 25 and will continue until Sept. 26, according to county staff. Representatives...

To celebrate Earth Day, Performance Food Group on April 22 held an open house event in Gilroy to show how they have created a sustainable distribution model at the company’s local facility. In collaboration with a number of vendors in the transportation and distribution industries,...