- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A story in the Sacramento Bee paints a lovely picture of local food production in a story under the title "Think globally, eat locally."
"The sun is coming up. Geese fly overhead. Wild turkeys meander amid the fruit trees, as (farmer Lisa) Tollefson picks sunflowers in the golden glow of dawn," goes the story, written by Stuart Leavenworth.
The article's vision of local farming wasn't entirely rose-colored. Indeed, it mentioned that Tollefson's partner, Steve Pilz, disrupted a yellow jacket nest while clearing brush and had to set traps for voracious gophers with his eye swollen by insect stings.
But the real juxtaposition comes in...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The cyclical nature of blogs is intriguing. A story in the Freakonomics blog that featured UC Agricultural Issues Center director Dan Sumner’s expertise, and reported on in this ANR news blog entry, takes another turn in the media and technology blog of Alternet.org.
Eating Liberally writer Kerry Trueman asks what the New York Times has against local food and green living in a post focused...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The director of UC Cooperative Extension in Stanislaus County, Ed Perry, provided information to the county board of supervisors about agriculture's multiplier effect and its impact on the local economy, according to a Modesto Bee story by reporter Tim Moran
Moran's story was based on the presentation to the board of the county's 2007 Agricultural Crop Report, which says agriculture has a $2.4 billion commodity value, up more than 10 percent from the previous year.
According to the article, Perry said that agriculture's "multiplier effect" is more than three. Doing the math, that means the total impact of agriculture on the county's economy is more...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Agricultural economics has prompted a lively online discussion on Steven Dubner's New York Times blog "Freakonomics." As of this morning, 71 comments had been posted, which combined with a lengthy Q & A add up to more than 13,000 words, some heated.
This post had its beginnings a week or so ago when Dubner invited his blog readers to send questions for the director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, Dan Sumner. The blog post included 23 questions and answers touching on such hot topics as organic agriculture, local food production, obesity and farm subsidies. Dubner titled the...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The University of California was called in to help settle a dispute between neighbors in Rail Road Flat over hen and roosters' cackles and crows. According to an article in today's Stockton Record, three rural families have met in court twice to argue the case of the vociferous farm animals, only to come back with split decisions.
"I want to be a good neighbor. But at the same time, this place is zoned ag," the story quotes chicken owner Dave Redmond.
"I have to cover my ears or wear earplugs," Terry Baker was quoted.
The UC Cooperative Extension...