- Author: Diane Nelson

“When first-generation ranchers succeed, we all succeed,” says Kate Munden-Dixon, a Ph.D. student...

Native wildflowers in California are losing species diversity after multiple years of drier winters, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, which provides the first direct evidence of climate change impacts in the state's grassland communities.
The study, covered in TIME, LA Times, and elsewhere, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National...
- Contributor: Trina Wood

Long before Governor Brown declared an official drought for the state, many of California's ranchers knew this would be a tough year. Drought can increase the risks of animal poisonings and nutritional imbalances, and necessitate additional vigilance to assure cattle health and productivity. Veterinary toxicologists Robert H. Poppenga and Birgit Puschner, with the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, provide this critical information to dairy and beef producers to keep their livestock healthy during the drought. Key threats to cattle include:
Water quality — Water is the most critical factor in the...
- Author: Melissa G. Womack

Help the California Department of Fish and Wildlife celebrate their first annual California Invasive Species Action Week, Aug. 2 – 10, and protect California's diverse landscapes. Hundreds of invasive plants and animals have already established themselves in California's landscapes and populations are quickly expanding each year.
Invasive species are organisms that are not native to an environment. Once they are introduced, they establish themselves quickly and spread - causing harm to the environment. Invasive species threaten our waters, native plants, animals, agriculture, economy and popular recreational sites.
Prevention is the most effective...
- Author: Rachael Freeman Long

California consumers may not “know beans about beans,” but they should.
Dry beans are a big business in California. In 2011, growers harvested 45,000 acres of dry beans valued at $58 million. Lima beans accounted for about 40 percent of this total acreage, with California producing nearly 99 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of dry lima beans.
Why should we be so interested in beans? From a nutritional standpoint, dry beans are a healthy food choice - an excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, plus they’re very low in fat. Organizations such as the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the USDA’s My Plate...