California Grapes in the Heat and FFA State Officers Summit
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**Summer heat has slowed the supply of California table grapes, with vines shutting down and picking crews working fewer hours just as the state’s main growing region ramps up harvest.
San Joaquin Valley growers, who produce most of the nation’s fresh-market grapes, say excessive heat has begun to damage some varieties while inhibiting growth of others.
But less fruit on the market has helped prices.
**The FFA State Officer Summit brought leaders from all 50 states and territories to Washington D.C. last month.
State Officers met with their representatives to share the importance of agriculture and ag education while advocating for the extension of FFA funding through the farm bill.
They also asked for the reauthorization of a grant that supports youth groups like FFA, 4-H, Boy Scouts, and Girls Scouts through the Farm Bill.
**Elected officials from New Mexico, Oregon, and Colorado welcomed USDA’s announcement of $400 million to address drought through investments at the irrigation district level in 12 Western states.
Colorado Senator Michael Bennet says family farmers, water users, and communities across the American West are facing the effects of a historic drought.
Bennet says with the investment, they answered our call for resources that will help producers become more resilient to drought.
