Food Blog

The Food Blog covers our latest research and extension work to advance and optimize the production and vitality of California's abundant agricultural commodities.

Closeup of leaf being scanned by the Leaf Monitor tool

AI tool to help farmers measure real-time crop health from the field

September 24, 2025

By Emily C. Dooley

Leaf Monitor, a new mobile tool backed by artificial intelligence and predictive modeling, could revolutionize how farmers monitor crops and make decisions by providing real-time nutrition and leaf trait information in the field.

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UC ANR offers ‘Taste of California’ at Terra Madre festival Sept. 26-28

September 21, 2025

By Pamela S Kan-Rice

F3 Local, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP), Master Food Preservers, 4-H youth, and Southwest Regional Food Business Center partners will participate.

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Cover crops in the foreground with mountains in the distance

New online tool helps growers choose cover crops

September 19, 2025

By Michael Hsu

For the first time, farmers in California and throughout the West have a decision-support tool that recommends cover-crop species based on growers’ goals.

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Ngodoo Atume talks about her poster on SGMA and small farmers

UC ANR team helps small farmers understand historic, decade-old groundwater law

September 12, 2025

By Michael Hsu

To raise awareness of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act among small farmers, a UC ANR team is providing technical assistance, education and outreach.

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Gloria Allorbi stands in a kitchen holding a bottle of Ghanaian vegan chili oil

Business Builder Awards infuse $1.5M into food enterprises across Southwest

September 2, 2025

By Tracy B Celio

Southwest Regional Food Business Center awards 73 Business Builder grants to farmers and food entrepreneurs to strengthen local food systems in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah.

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