Agriculture

Winemaker, winegrower and ornithologist, Nat Wong, has made San Benito County home since shortly after experiencing the allure of wine on a trip to France. While drinking Cabernet Franc in a vineyard in Bourgeil, something stirred his soul.  Fascinated by wine, he began apprenticing in...

The Amah Mutsun Land Trust board of directors appointed Noelle Chambers as its new executive director.  Chambers is the former Vice President of Conservation at Peninsula Open Space Trust, where she worked for 20 years and helped execute the successful protection and transfer of 30,000...

The total value of San Benito County’s crop production surpassed $405 million in 2024, with vegetables and row crops generating the most sales among all local agricultural production categories.  The county’s annual crop report this year says the total value of local agricultural production last...

The Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field Office is easing seasonal fire restrictions as of Nov. 19 for about 300,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands in Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and...

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...

San Benito High School District recently received a $200,000 Farm To School Incubator Grant to procure fresh produce and meat that is locally grown and organically farmed in San Benito County, according to a press release from the district.  Additionally, the funding from the California...

Rachael Gallagher wears the crown as the 2026 Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen, winning the distinction at the festival’s annual scholarship pageant on April 19. Gallagher, 25, is a Gilroy native and a graduate of Gilroy High School’s Class of 2018, according to the Gilroy...

California’s severe drought continues, and mandatory water conservation measures are in place. These climate conditions, along with our limited long-term water supplies, mean it is in our best interest to use water as efficiently as possible. Not just when we’re in drought, but ALWAYS! On...

Pumpkin giveaway event set in Hollister Gonzalez and Jones Law is hosting a community event on Oct. 7 to give away pumpkins to families in need in Hollister. The event will be held at 905 San Benito St. in Hollister from 1-4pm. All families who are in...

Although farm and food production workers were considered essential workers during the pandemic, many of California's food employers endangered those workers, violating Cal/OSHA's Covid-19 guidelines more often than most industries, a new report said. The California Institute for Rural Studies’ report said farm and food...