Food & Farm News
» February 6, 2008 «
Senate names Farm Bill conferees 
With a mid-March deadline facing them, members of a House-Senate conference committee must resolve differences in their two versions of federal farm legislation. Senate members of the conference committee were named this week. The current Farm Bill will expire March 15th … and the bill faces a veto threat from the Bush administration. A California Farm Bureau spokesman says the organization urged Congress to finalize the bill quickly, when members visited Washington last week.
State sets new cheese-production mark
Rapid growth in California cheese production yielded another record. Year-end government figures indicate that the state's total cheese production reached nearly 2.3 billion pounds last year, up more than 3 percent from the previous year's record pace. The California Milk Advisory Board says the state now produces nearly one of every four pounds of cheese made in the U.S., and will soon overtake Wisconsin as the number-one cheese-producing state.
Crews remove downed almond trees
More than a month after severe winds bowled over thousands of almond trees in the northern Sacramento Valley, farmers have work crews cutting and removing trees destroyed by the storm. Farm advisors say farmers have discovered interesting patterns in the downed trees. Some were blown over by south winds, some by north winds, and in some orchards the trees just appeared to collapse.
Program to help farmers learn about exports
About one-quarter of the farm goods produced in California end up being sold in other countries, and new training has been announced for people who want to learn about farm export opportunities. The California Centers for International Trade Development sponsors the program for farmers, ranchers and food processors. Training topics include how to find foreign buyers and how to be paid. Classes will be held at several locations around the state.
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