Agriculture

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...

San Benito County launched its 100th County Fair Friday under mildly warm skies mixed with the aroma of garlic fries, bacon burgers, deep fried artichokes, nachos and kettle corn. At noon sharp the gates at Bolado Park Event Center in Tres Pinos swung open and...

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...

The rainy winter has been good for reservoir levels and surface water supplies, but a number of important factors remain unknown before authorities are willing to declare an end to the statewide drought.  These factors include San Benito County’s pending allocation of imported water from...

Final counts reveal that more than 10,000 letters were submitted to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors during the public comment period for the Sargent Ranch Quarry Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) regarding a proposed open-pit mine at Juristac (Sargent Ranch) in southern...

Wildfires and climate change are locked in a vicious circle: Fires worsen climate change, and climate change worsens fires. Scientists, including those at the World Resources Institute, have been increasingly sounding the alarm about this feedback loop, warning that fires don’t burn in isolation—they produce...

Every Saturday, scores of people make the drive to Pinnacle Farms market in San Juan Bautista to buy fresh, organically grown produce. Owners Phil and Katherine Foster began farming in San Benito County in 1968. Today they grow certified organic fruit and vegetables on 295...

Have you ever thought about how you could recycle your spoiled food, food scraps, and yard waste at home? Do you want to save money and learn how to turn that material into rich organic compost for your garden? San Benito County will host a...

As the days become shorter, trees start to change their colors and the crisp of fall appears in the morning air, that means many San Benito County residents’ favorite seasonal pastimes are on the horizon. That includes the many events, activities and farmstand shopping...

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...