Food & Farm News
» November 24, 2008 «
Experts ponder water outlook for this winter 
A storm later this week may drop more rain on Southern California than the rest of the state. That's what a member of the Western Water Assessment team told the water managers attending the Winter Outlook Workshop Friday. He said it was too early to accurately determine the rainfall outlook for this season. However, supplies from the Colorado River should provide contracted amounts. That water supplies about 55 of the water needs of 20 million residents and 900,000 acres of farmland.
Fresno State students raise, sell Thanksgiving turkeys
Consumers will be able to buy turkeys produced by California State University, Fresno students for $1.19 a pound. The students raised the turkeys in a partnership with Zacky Farms. The birds are dressed and frozen and available at the Gibson Farm Market on the Fresno State campus. The university farm is donating 25 frozen turkeys to a local charity that provides Thanksgiving dinners to homeless people.
It's a banner year for California strawberry growers
California strawberry growers have set a new production record, with another six weeks before year's end. Growers have produced more than 38 million pounds of strawberries than they did last year. Production is at record levels in all growing regions. Growers recovered from frost early in the year to set the new mark. The California Strawberry Commission is currently surveying members to determine how much acreage will be planted next year. Demand for strawberries continues to be strong.
Waterproof rice? UC scientists develop new variety
It sounds like an oxymoron, but University of California scientists have developed a waterproof rice variety. These new plants are able to tolerate flooding, which annually reduces rice yields in developing nations by as much as 4 million tons a year. Because they were produced by precision breeding rather than genetic modification, the plants are not subject to regulatory testing that can take years. Seeds should be available in about two years. Flooding is not usually a problem in California, but the seeds could be planted here as well.
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