- Author: Chris M. Webb
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has nutrition information and educational resources available for individuals and organizations under their Making Your Calories Count program. Publications and shipping are free of charge.
The website provides good information for people looking to learn more about how to improve their food choices. The resources are flexible allowing people to use on their own, or as a training guide for groups. It is full of good suggestions to improve long-term eating habits and nutrition.
The Spot the Block campaign is a sub-section that is designed specifically to reach the 9-13 year-old age group.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
People who eat food grown or raised locally are called locavores. A Ventura County couple has recently launched a project intended to strengthen local food systems called Locavore Lite 2010. Participation in the project is of course not required to support local food, but joining is a way to express commitment in a powerful and collective way.
Locavore Lite 2010 participants are asked to:
- Give some consideration to where your non-local foods come from
- For a minimum of 12 times in 2010, do one, or any combination of the following: shop at a farmers market; receive produce from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmer; harvest food from a local farm, garden or yard
- eat at least 3 all-local-food meals during 2010.
Eating local provides many personal and communal benefits. To find out more, please see our previous post Local Food Systems.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Iowa State University’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and the Center for Transportation Researchand Education have designed a great tool for estimating food demand at the county level throughout the U.S. The U.S. Food Market Estimator is a flexible and expansive system allowing users to view results in a variety of ways.
The following is taken from their site:
Who might use this tool?
• Farmers and other local direct-market food producers: Useful for identifying approximate market size in nearby counties in making decisions about marketing, capacity and potential expansion
• Governmental agencies (transportation, municipal and regional planning, public works): Useful in determining approximate food market size and impact of food production/processing on roads and other infrastructure.
• Food policy councils, nonprofit organizations, university researchers, economic development groups: Useful for analyzing approximate potential markets. Data can be used in assessing economic impacts related to changes in food availability, diet and marketing. Research scenarios might include selecting local purchasing targets for schools, retail, food service and other food markets at the county, state or national level.
Our previous and cost and return post or our business and marketing post may be of further help to you.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) continues its advance through Southern California. This is an extremely destructive pest. The disease it carries is capable of destroying citrus trees, orchards, and related industries.
An ACP Task Force has been formed in Ventura County. Top priority is to reduce the spread of the psyllid, which in turn will reduce the spread of disease. Your help is needed to stop this pest. You can help in the following ways:
- Do not bring citrus trees, other plants, or fruit into the state from other counties, states, or countries.
- If you have citrus on your property, please check regularly (at least monthly) for signs of infestation. Details on what to look for can be found here.
- Encourage your friends, neighbors and relatives to do the same
- A suspected ACP infestation should be reported immediately to the CDFA hotline at 800.491.1899, or your county agricultural commissioner. The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner can be reached at 805.933.2926
The Ventura County ACP-HLB task force will be conducting a workshop on February 25, 2010 designed for growers and pest-control advisors. More information about the workshop can be found here.
Our office has outreach materials available to help spread the word. Please contact us if you would like some.
Psyllid eggs and nymphs tucked into crevices and folds.
Asian Citrus Psyllid nymph
Asian Citrus Psyllid adult
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Scientists in our office are always busy! They work to solve problems and extend knowledge. Always reaching to find better solutions, research is a large part of their work. Once a research project is completed, additional work is required to get the information out.
Two publications have recently published research from Ventura County UCCE Advisors and staff.
The American Society of Horticulture Science has published “Carbon dioxide enrichment may increase yield of field-grown red raspberry under high tunnels.”
California Agriculture has published “Nurseries surveyed in Southern California adopt best practices for water quality.”
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