Focus on Agriculture

The 2016 Monterey County Crop Report reflects a decrease of 9.5 percent from the previous year, with the crop production valued at $4.25 billion for 2016.

The San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures has announced the release of the 2016 production statistics for the local agricultural industry. The total gross crop value for 2016 was $914,724,000.

Future Farmers of America members from King City to Watsonville gathered at Soledad High School for the annual interview contest on Jan. 31.

The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) will host a Family Farm Day on Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1700 Old Stage Road near Salinas.

South County organic farmer Israel Morales Sr. of JV Farms Organic in Soledad will receive the Organic Farmer of the Year Award at the Organic Trade Association’s Leadership Awards set for Sept. 11 at the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore, Md.

The California State Fair has announced the recipients of the prestigious 2017 agriculture awards, which will be presented at the annual Friends of the California State Fair Gala.

The 41st Annual South County Ag Tour is set for Aug. 25, hosted by Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum, and will visit several agricultural destinations in South Monterey County.

In celebration of National Salad Month and in recognition of the great agriculture bounty of the Central Coast, the California Welcome Center Salinas and the Soledad Visitors and Gateway Center will be giving out free samples of fruits and vegetables.

A sold-out South County Ag Tour, presented by Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum, allowed participants to visit a few agricultural businesses in the area last Saturday.

Nicolaus “Nicky” Hahn, founder of Hahn Family Wines and pioneer of California’s Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, died last Friday at his home in Zurich, Switzerland. He was 81 years old.