Sustainable Organic Farming, Water Supply & Ranching, Hollister Farm to Table Food System, Rural Ag Development | BenitoLink, Hollister, San Juan Bautista, San Benito County, California

Agriculture

University of California Cooperative Extension establishing tri-county Prescribed Burn Association

Published 10/17/2020
Community Contributor, Devii Rao

In partnership with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County, UCCE of San Benito County recently received a Cal Fire grant to promote the use of prescribed fire in San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Agriculture

BL Special Report: What is prime agricultural land, and who keeps track of it?

Published 10/17/2020
BenitoLink Reporter, Matthew Koller

The precise definition depends on the regulatory agency, and the context in which it’s used.

Haze and burned shrubs from the CZU fire. Photo taken on Sept. 14, provided by Devii Rao.

Agriculture

New study to investigate influence of cattle grazing on particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions from wildfires

Published 10/10/2020
Community Contributor, Devii Rao

Preliminary results expected by the end of August 2021.

Site visit with SBALT and funder at Phil Foster Ranch in San Juan Bautista. Left to right: Landowner Phil Foster (with shovel), Paul Hain, SBALT Board member, Karminder Brown, SBALT contractor, and Elizabeth Palmer, USDA NRCS (funder). Photo by Cathy Summa-Wolfe.

Agriculture

San Benito Agricultural Land Trust on path toward accreditation

Published 10/06/2020
Community Contributor, San Benito Agricultural Land Trust

SBALT will submit a pre-application for LTA accreditation in March 2021.

News Release

Gov. Newsom signs legislation from Farmworker COVID-19 Relief Package

Published 09/29/2020
BenitoLink Staff

State Assemblyman Robert Rivas said AB 2043 and AB 2165 will ensure farmworkers have access to workplace safety information and essential state services.

Farmworkers in San Juan Bautista. Photo by Robert Eliason.

Agriculture

Panetta pushes for farmworker funding in next COVID-19 Relief Package

Published 09/26/2020
BenitoLink Staff

Letter sent to House leadership requesting $1 million toward improving housing conditions.

Rivas at a farmworker food drive in Salinas. Photo provided by the office of Robert Rivas.

Government / Politics

State Assemblyman Rivas named chair of Assembly Agriculture Committee

Published 09/12/2020
BenitoLink Staff

Launching statewide agriculture tour in October.

Photo courtesy of San Benito Farm Housing.

Health

Farmworkers face COVID, heat wave and wildfire smoke

Published 09/03/2020
BenitoLink Reporter, Noe Magaña

SBC Office of Emergency Services provides N95 masks to guard against unhealthy air quality.

Agriculture

The benefits of cattle grazing for reducing fire fuels and hazard

Published 09/02/2020
Community Contributor, Devii Rao

The California Cattle Council recently funded a UC Cooperative Extension project to evaluate how much fine fuel (grasses and other plants) are eaten by cattle on rangelands, and how this may affect wildfire behavior.