Food & Farm News

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Comments about the agricultural trade conference in Prague

Navel-orange harvest gets off to early start

Consumers can expect to find California-grown navel oranges in retail stores later this week. A government crop report says picking of early varieties has just begun. The California Citrus Growers Association says the harvest is about two weeks ahead of average. The report predicts that California navel orange production will increase 26 percent compared to last season, when it was curtailed by the January freeze.

Crews combat a second Medfly infestation

More sterile Medflies have been released, to combat a second Northern California infestation of the pest. The state Department of Food and Agriculture started releasing sterile flies in eastern San Jose Friday, after finding five Mediterranean fruit flies. Authorities are already working to quell a separate Medfly infestation in Dixon. The sterile male flies mate with wild females, leading populations to die out. The Medfly threatens dozens of California crops.

Research tackles invasive pests, weeds

Effective ways of fighting pest invaders … and keeping them out of California altogether … will be the focus of research to be conducted by two University of California campuses. The U.S. Agriculture Department said (Friday) it has provided a grant to UC Riverside, to study different ways to encourage foreign exporters to keep pests out of cargo. UC Davis will conduct separate studies on regional pest management and on control of invasive weeds.

International conference discusses farm issues

With world trade talks appearing stuck on agricultural issues, farmers from across North America and Europe will gather in the Czech Republic beginning today (Monday) to discuss trade policies and other matters. A four-person delegation from the California Farm Bureau will join the conference of farm-group representatives from Canada, Mexico and European Union nations, in Prague. Topics will include ways to stabilize farmers' incomes and food supplies without distorting trade.

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