Agriculture

After more than four years of devastating drought, 2017 saw California receive the wettest winter in more than 100 years.

The fifth annual Templeton Wine Festival, hosted by the Templeton Chamber of Commerce, is set to return Saturday, May 6.

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.

Nearly 250 guests recently took a journey back in time to tour the properties owned by Salinas Land Co. and California Orchard Co. — located between King City and Greenfield — in celebration of the two companies’ 100th anniversary and their profound impact on agriculture in the Salinas Valley.

Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted May 22 in favor of lowering a tax rate on cannabis industries in the area.

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.

In a joint effort to accelerate the development of agricultural technologies, Wells Fargo has awarded Western Growers a $30,000 grant for the second year in a row.

Forbes Magazine hosted the 2017 AgTech Summit June 28 and 29. This annual invitation-only gathering was hosted by some of the largest names in the industry.

On May 18, the Salinas Valley Fair returns to King City for four days of family-friendly events, exhibits and activities.

Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales has announced that the economic value of Monterey County agriculture increased by 4 percent in 2017, as compared with 2016, with crop production values of $4.4 billion.