Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1383 (D-Jackson), which expands employee job-protected leave. Under current law, employers with more than 50 employees are subject to the California Family Rights Act and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. CFRA and FMLA time off can be taken in increments as small as one hour and provide employees with 12 weeks ... Read More »
california
California cotton farmers look for market stability
• By Christine Souza • About halfway through their harvest, California cotton farmers say the market may be stabilizing amid trade challenges, water shortages and market conditions unsettled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kern County farmer Jake Cauzza, who is growing about 500 acres of mostly Pima cotton and some Acala, said things are starting to turn around. “In the last ... Read More »
Consumers Drive Move To More Sustainable California Cotton Farming
• By Jeannette E. Warnert • Consumers who purchase luxury cotton textiles want more than cool, soft, absorbent fabric. Increasingly, they demand clothing made from fiber grown using ecologically sound practices and they’re willing to pay for it, said speakers representing the textile industry at a University of California Cooperative Extension webinar on Healthy Soils for Healthy Profits. At the ... Read More »
In Memorium
Remembering Jack Woolf California Central Valley agricultural legend Jack Woolf passed away July 28 at the age of 102. He was born Sept 6, 1917, along with his unexpected identical twin, Leyton, at the Pima Maricopa Indian Medical Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, to John Leroy (Roy) Woolf and Anna Louise Stuart Woolf. Siblings Peggy and Robert followed. After graduating from ... Read More »
Consumers are driving move to more sustainable cotton in California
Consumers who purchase luxury cotton textiles want more than cool, soft, absorbent fabric. Increasingly, they demand clothing made from fiber grown using ecologically sound practices and they’re willing to pay for it, said speakers representing the textile industry at a University of California Cooperative Extension webinar on Healthy Soils for Healthy Profits. A recording of the three-hour Sept. 17 webinar ... Read More »
World Ag Expo cancels 2021 show, reschedules for 2022
Organizers of the 2021 World Ag Expo in Tulare, California, have canceled the event, originally planned for Feb. 9-11, 2021, in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The event, which boasts 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space and more than 1,400 exhibitors, will return Feb. 8-10, 2022, to the International Agri-Center in Tulare. “After working with the Tulare County ... Read More »
UCCE webinar focuses on raising the value of California cotton
Well-known appellations, powerful marketing and excellent products make California wines valuable. Could the same be done for California’s cotton crop? California farmers produce high-quality cotton but currently take in only 62 cents per pound, a price that makes turning a profit challenging. UC Cooperative Extension is working with a team of soil health and fiber sustainability experts to offer an ... Read More »