Public News Service

Grass-fed beef is prepared for serving at an industry event called the Meat Summit. (Roots of Change)

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

'Regenerative' beef gets boost from California universities

By Naoki Nitta for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…

A proposal before the California Air Resources Board would allow fossil fuel producers in California to buy credits from factory farms that use anaerobic digesters like these to extract methane from animal waste. (Rob Thomas/Adobe Stock)

Midwest community activists slam proposed CA emissions incentives

Community groups in the Midwest are worried a change in California carbon emissions policy could hurt quality of life in the nation's heartland…

Water flows through part of Dos Rios Ranch Preserve. The former farmland now acts as a storage area for floodwaters during wet years. (Cameron Nielsen/Grist)

How can California solve its water woes? By flooding its best farmland

By Jake Bittle for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration Th…

Many school lunch programs are introducing more non-meat, non-dairy meals to normalize a healthier, more climate-friendly plant-based diet. (CivilEats)

California leads way in low-carbon school meals

By Naoki Nitta for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…

Proposition 12 requires pork producers who want to sell meat in California to give the animals larger crates. (Humane Society of the United States)

CA farm animal cruelty law takes full effect

Pork sold in California will now have to comply with Proposition 12. The law bans some types of extreme confinement of farm animals, specifically …

The Madre Tierra project is active in many communities in California, including the Oxnard, Mecca and Salinas areas. (Alianza Nacional de Campesinas)

New grant helps CA farmworker women grow sustainable gardens

Women across California who are farmworkers will get help to maintain home and community gardens using fewer pesticides. It is the goal of a grant …

Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, speaks with Andy Naja-Riese of the Agricultural Institute of Marin at the Clement Street Farmer's Market in San Francisco. (Felice Thorpe)

Anti-hunger advocates seek federal funds, honor CA lawmaker

Groups that fight hunger are calling for a fair shake in the upcoming farm bill, which provides federal matching funds for programs that help low-…

On large dairy farms or other animal operations, a slurry of manure is funneled into an anaerobic digester, where microbes produce gas, which is piped away. (Erikdegraaf/Adob Sstock)

Renewable Natural Gas: Climate Change Solution or False Hope?

By John Carey for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the…

Dairy farmers are proposing a nationwide incentive-based plan that balances milk production with market demand and pays a minimum to cover farmers' costs. (Freund)

Dairy Farmers Press for National Plan to Stabilize Milk Prices

Dairy farms have been going out of business left and right in California and across the country - in part, they say, because milk prices are so …

Hedgerows are straightforward strips of shrubs or trees roughly 15 feet wide, and they highlight nature's complex work. (Sierra Orchards)

Hedgerows: Can They Help Save the Planet?

By Anne Marshall-Chalmers for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

Some of the art to be featured at the Regenerative Gala was produced on upcycled canvas. Here we see a detail from the painting,

Regenerative Gala to Spotlight Ethical Consumerism

To kick off Earth Month in April, a Bay Area event called the Regenerative Gala will promote the concepts of ethical consumerism and fashion and art …

Mollie Englehardt started her farm four years ago to support her local vegan restaurant chain, Sage. (Sow a Heart Farms)

Healthy Soil Can Be a Climate Change Solution

By Caleigh Wells for KCRW.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News S…

Fields amid a sinking delta in California's Central Valley. (California Dept. of Water Resources)

Carbon Credits versus the Big Gulp

By Katherine Ellison for Hothouse.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publi…

A group of state attorneys general is asking the feds to enforce the antitrust provisions of the 1929 and even the playing field between meat processors and producers. (Branex/Adobestock)

Feds Move to Increase Meatpacking Competition, Lower Consumer Prices

With the election approaching, the Biden administration has announced millions of dollars in grants Wednesday to diversify the meat-processing …

Greenhouse-grown hydroponic tomatoes use 90% less water than traditional tomato crops grown outdoors, according to the U.S. National Park Service. (Caleigh Wells)

Future of Tomatoes in CA Drought: Hydroponic Farming?

By Caleigh Wells for KCRW.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KCRW-Public News Service Collaboration Wh…

In the 1920s and 1930s, agents for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power posed as ranchers and bought land and water rights in Mono County. (Jennifer Little)

Local Groups Reel after Court Rules LADWP Can Cut Irrigation

The futures of tourism, wildlife and ranching in Mono County are now at the mercy of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power - according to …

Conservation groups want to restore vegetation in coastal areas such as Elkhorn Slough near Monterey Bay, which sequesters carbon in the soil, helping to slow climate change. (Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve)

Bill Moves Forward to Lock More Carbon In the Soil

California has seen a lot of proposals to reduce carbon emissions; now a plan to scrub existing pollution is moving forward in the Legislature…

Lawmakers Propose New National Monument Honoring Chavez

Congress is considering a new bill to establish a national historical park honoring union organizer Cesar Chavez and the farmworker movement he led…

Save the Children has partnered with farmers to make boxes of fruits and vegetables available to low-income rural families. (Cavan/Adobeststock)

Rural Kids’ Food Programs Ramp Up for Summer

One might think that food insecurity would improve as California recovers from the pandemic - but advocates say hunger remains a significant issue…

Conservation groups have launched a campaign to stop nurseries from selling pollinator-friendly plants such as milkweed that have been grown with harmful pesticides. (Pixabay)

Nurseries, Spring Gardeners Invited to Help Save Bees, Butterflies

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- As the spring gardening season gets into full swing, groups fighting to save bees and other pollinators are asking nurseries …

Bernadette Zambrano saves seeds for Sogorea Te' Land Trust, a group based in Oakland that works to return lands to indigenous peoples. (Ines Ixierda)

New "Faithlands" Toolkit Helps Religious Groups Put Land to Good Use

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Religious groups often own large properties but don't have the expertise to make them work for the community. Now, an online tool …

The Market Match program gives people who qualify for food assistance an extra $10 to spend at farmer's markets.(SEE-LA)

Pandemic Spurs Efforts to Promote "Food Justice" in California

LOS ANGELES -- The fight against "food apartheid" in California got a boost this week as the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to create a…

Housing and commercial development have degraded many of the overwintering sites for the annual migration of the Western monarch butterfly. (Pixabay)

Western Monarch Butterfly Winter Count Down 99.9%

PISMO BEACH, Calif. -- The Western Monarch butterfly population that overwinters in California has dropped to devastating levels, with only 1,914 …

El desarrollo residencial y comercial ha degradado muchos de los sitios de hibernaci�n para la migraci�n anual de la mariposa Monarca del Oeste. (Pixabay)

Cuenta regresiva de Invierno para la Mariposa Monarca del Oeste, 99.9%

PISMO BEACH, Calif. -- En California, la cuenta anual para las mariposas Monarca del Oeste (Western Monach butterfly) en California ha bajado a poco …

Los federales anunciaron el martes que la mariposa monarca no ser� inscrita como amenazada bajo la Ley de Especies en Peligro (Endangered Species Act) por al menos unos a�os m�s, aunque su poblaci�n se ha derrumbado.

Los “Feds” se Tardan en incluir a la mariposa Monarca como Especie “en Peligro de Extinción”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Los federales anunciaron el Martes que la mariposa monarca no estará en la lista de la Ley de Especies Amenazadas (…

A new report says states should prioritize higher-ed programs that support low-income students of color, a population that has suffered disproportionately in the pandemic. (A.C. Taylor, Jr.)

Report: Colleges Must Avoid Across-the-Board Cuts, Despite Pandemic

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Budget experts predict California will face multi-billion-dollar deficits in 2022 and beyond as a result of the pandemic…

Chickens are commonly kept in battery cages about the size of a large microwave that fits six to eight birds. (Colony Cages)

CA Law to Improve Conditions for Farm Animals Takes Effect

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A new California law to improve living conditions for certain farm animals goes into effect Wednesday - and it is expected to …

Farmworkers' advocates have been calling for a ban on the pesticide chlorpyrifos for at least a decade. (Californians for Pesticide Reform)

Farmworkers, Advocates Rejoice as CA Ends Sale of Chlorpyrifos

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Farmworkers' groups are celebrating the end of at least a decade-long battle to ban a toxic pesticide in California after …

The monarch butterfly, which is under consideration for endangered status, depends on milkweed, a plant being lost to crop production linked to the Renewable Fuel Standard. (Pollinators/Pixabay)

Report: Biofuels Policy Backfires, Hurts Environment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A new report on the nation's Renewable Fuel Standard shows multiple ways the policy has had major unintended consequences …

Thousands of vernal pools, such as this one in California, will lose federal protection if a new version of the

Groups Vow to Fight Rollback of Clean-Water Protections

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Negative reaction from conservation groups was swift to a Trump administration proposal on Tuesday to remove federal clean-…

The western bee, formerly one of the most widespread native bees, has lost 84 percent of its historic population. (Stephen Ausmus USDA/ARS)

Conservation Groups Seek Endangered Status for Native CA Bees

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Four types of California's native bumblebees could be wiped out if nothing is done, according to conservation groups that …

The Renewable Fuel Standard has led to an all-time high demand for corn, but also water shortages and pollution. (Bob Nichols/U.S. Department of Agriculture)

EPA Report: Renewable Fuels Standard Backfiring for Environment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. government has acknowledged that the Renewable Fuel Standard is harming the environment. In a recent report…

The EPA in the Trump administration reversed an Obama-era decision to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos.(pgiam/iStockphoto)

Hearing Set Challenging EPA's Refusal to Ban Controversial Pesticide

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The battle to ban a pesticide that the State of California has linked to reproductive harm continues to play out in court …

Advocates say doctors diagnose thousands of cases of pesticide poisoning among farm workers each year. (Wasan_Gredpree/iStockphoto)

Groups Sue Feds for Farm-Worker Pesticide Training

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The nonprofit law firm Earthjustice filed suit against the EPA in federal court on Wednesday, asking the judge to force …

Advocates of changing the way biofuels are made say current standards encourage rampant deforestation in places like Argentina, where farmers are clearing land illegally to grow soybeans. (Jim Wickens/Ecostorm)

New Biofuels Bill Aims to Protect Water, Wildlife and Climate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Conservation groups are speaking out in favor of a new bill in Congress on biofuels, to reform the nation's renewable …

Roundup is the most common pesticide in the world. Some studies have linked it to cancer, while many others have declared it safe. (Chris Thomas)

Hearings This Week on Landmark Case Against Pesticide

SAN FRANCISCO – A landmark …

A new report says the conversion of wildlife habitat to cropland from 2008 to 2012 released carbon into the atmosphere equivalent to six coal-fired power plants per year. (belfasteileen/iStockphoto)

Report: Ethanol Mandate Worsens Climate Change

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The federal mandate to blend corn ethanol into gasoline has contributed greatly to climate change, according to a new report…

A 2011 UC Berkeley study of mothers and children in Salinas linked chlorpyrifos exposure to lower IQ scores and developmental delays. (Wasan Gredpree/iStockphoto)

California May Restrict Pesticide After Feds Refuse to Ban It

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California regulators have moved one step closer to placing big restrictions on the use of a pesticide that President Donald …

Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, has undergone some long and expensive legal battles to challenge those who say its weed killer is dangerous to human health. (Chris Thomas)

Calif. Declares Main Ingredient in Roundup a Carcinogen

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The main ingredient in Roundup, the most commonly used weed killer in the world, has been declared a carcinogen by the state of …

Migrant workers harvest broccoli near Santa Maria. Some California business owners aren't happy about the new president's crackdown on undocumented workers. (Beth Golden)

CA Business Owners' Reaction to Executive Orders: Not Happy

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In the past week, President Trump signed executive orders to build a wall along the Mexican border and to cut off federal funds …

Many of California's immigrant farm workers, and their employers, hope the immigrants will be able to remain in the U.S. after the White House changes hands. (Igor Trepeshchenok/BarnImages)

Calif. Immigrants Scramble to File Documents by Jan. 20

LOS ANGELES – Some people in California are scrambling to get their identification and work documents in order by January. They are immigrants…

Conservation groups say more Northern California water could be diverted for farm use with changes added to the Water Resources Development Act in Congress. (Ron Kroetz)

Congress' Water Resources Bill: Fighting Over CA Water

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congress is expected to vote by Friday on the Water Resources Development Act to improve cities' water infrastructure and …

A new report questions the safety of using oilfield wastewater on crops. (BelfastEileen/iStockphoto)

Report Questions Safety of Oil Field Wastewater on Food Crops

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The aquifer and food crops in California's Central Valley may be tainted with chemicals from nearby oil fields, according …

One priority for the National Rural Assembly is better Internet access in rural America. (Max Kohler/iStockphoto)

Rural Advocates Push for Better Internet, More Opportunity for Kids

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – More than half of rural America doesn't have broadband service, and often, little or no access to the Internet at all…

Farmworker advocates are petitioning the EPA to ban the use of a widely used toxic pesticide in the fields.(Wasan Gredpee/iStockphoto)

Farmworker Advocates Urge Suspension of Highly Toxic Pesticide

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Advocates say the nation's two million farmworkers deserve a safe place to work, free of hazardous chemicals, so they petitioned …

Advocates for farmworkers, some seen here at a workshop on pesticides in June 2015, say CalEPA hasn't done enough to regulate pesticide spraying near schools. (Californians for Pesticide Reform)

CA Farmworkers' Advocates Rally Against Pesticides Near Schools

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - About 150 farmworkers' families and their advocates plan to rally tomorrow in front of the California state PEA office in …

Workers from Taylor Farms, a supplier for Chipotle, protested Thursday at two of the chain's California restaurants. (Teamsters Joint Council 7)

Workers Picket Two Calif. Eateries Over Choice of Produce Supplier

SACRAMENTO - Adding to Chipotle's woes, workers from one of its suppliers protested at two California restaurant locations on Thursday, alleging food …

Dr. Carolina Quezada treats a patient at a community health center in Visalia, Calif. (Family Healthcare Network)

Report: Community Health Centers Struggle to Recruit, Retain Physicians

About 24 million Americans get their medical care from a Community Health Center, but 95 percent of those clinics are affected by one or more …

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