Agriculture

Hundreds gathered at the AgTechx Expo last Thursday at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City to learn about the latest advances in how to better keep the public food supply safe from dangerous pathogens.

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.

Ranked 11th by last year’s U.S. food and wine festival calendar critics, the 2017 Paso Robles Wine Festival is scheduled for May 18-21.

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.

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 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.

After 30 years of making its own wine, Smith Family Wines will discontinue producing the Paraiso, Irie and Alexander-Smith labels and close the tasting room at the Paraiso Vineyards on Paraiso Springs Road in Soledad.

On March 29, the members of Watsonville Rotary and guests gathered at the Watsonville Elks Lodge for the first in a series of special monthly meetings.

The Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) held the 2017 Clean Air Leaders Awards on June 22 at Monterey Tides, 2600 Sand Dunes Drive, Monterey.