Food & Farm News

» July 5, 2005 «

Study: Air freight to carry more California crops

Things are looking up, literally, for overseas shipments of California farm goods. A study predicts that airplanes will carry a larger share of the state's farm exports. The report, issued by California State University, Fresno, says the value of airborne farm exports has increased sharply the past four years. Most of those shipments head to Asia. But one of the study's authors predicts that inland airports will begin non-stop, passenger and freight service to European cities.

Government to conduct horse-health survey

The situation has changed since the government last surveyed horse owners about how they protect their animals' health. In the seven years since the last nationwide survey, West Nile virus began striking horses. The disease killed more than 200 California horses last year, and sickened hundreds more. Horses can be vaccinated against the disease. About 200 Californians who own horses and other equines will be asked to participate in the health-management survey.

Advisors help livestock ranchers aid water quality

Modified management of grazing lands improves water quality while providing ranchers with economic benefits, according to rangeland specialists. University of California farm advisors say ranchers can reduce runoff into streams by slowing irrigation rates on hillside pastures. They say that moving cattle from pasture to pasture at certain times also benefits grazing lands and the streams that flow through them.

Report gauges high spring flows through delta

To avoid flooding this spring, a study says reservoir operators released enough water to accommodate more than 1 million Californians. That water flowed through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, unused, into the Pacific Ocean. The California Farm Water Coalition says the released water was above that needed to serve environmental needs in the delta. It urged the state to consider additional storage for water that's available during similar high flows.