California Ag Network

Tag: agricultural research

  • Fourth Annual Organic Field Day Returning to Cal Poly on July 23

    The Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research at California Polytechnic State University will host its Fourth Annual Organic Field Day on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Cal Poly’s Organic Sandbox on Highland Ave. The free event is open to the public and designed for farmers, agricultural professionals, students, and anyone interested in organic agriculture.

    The Organic Field Day offers attendees hands-on access to ongoing student-led research in organic nutrient and pest management, a workshop with the Coalition for Food Safety and Sustainability, and a discussion of trap crops for flea beetles and cucumber beetles. Participants can expect guided field tours, live demonstrations, and direct conversations with Cal Poly researchers and faculty working on practical solutions for organic producers.

    “The Grimm Organic Center Field Day is an opportunity to see the next generation of

    agricultural innovation in action. Attendees will hear directly from Cal Poly students researching soil health and pest management while engaging with experts on practical topics, including trap cropping, food safety, and sustainability. Whether you’re a grower, advisor, student, or industry professional, you’ll leave with ideas and connections that can be applied immediately.” — Matthew Grieshop, Director of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research (mgriesho@calpoly.edu)

    “The Grimm Organic Center Field Day is a great event with educational sessions on key topics that are critical for organic farming – organic nutrient management, organic pest and disease management, and understanding soil health. These sessions are all presented by Cal Poly students involved in conducting the research. I believe the information presented will be of interest to the whole organic farming community.” — Ramy Colfer, True Organic Products (rcolfer@true.ag)

    The event follows the Strawberry Center Field Day, also held on July 23 at Cal Poly. Attendees should register for each event separately.

    Registration is free and open to all. Registration and sponsorship links can be found at

    organic.calpoly.edu/field-day-2026

    Event Details

    Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026

    Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, immediately following the Strawberry Center Field Day.

    Location: Cal Poly Organic Sandbox, Highland Ave., Cal Poly campus.

    Free Event Parking: H1 Lot, Mount Bishop Rd.

    Cost: Free and open to the public.

    For more information, please email Matthew Grieshop, director of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research, at mgriesho@calpoly.edu, or visit organic.calpoly.edu/field-day-2026. — Story contributed by the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research

  • Farm Security Action Plan to Protect U.S. Farmland and Federal Programs from Foreign Adversaries

    As committed to under USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced a number of coordinated actions to continue to emphasize American agricultural research and innovation by ensuring ideas stay in America or among our allies, not with hostile nations and that we are putting American farmers and ranchers first in every USDA program, period.

    These historic actions strengthen transparency around foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land and ensure federal programs and purchasing preferences do not support supply chains controlled by foreign adversaries. The actions include opening up an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) to allow the public an opportunity to comment as USDA moves to improve the regulation and strengthening the implementation of USDA’s BioPreferred Program to ensure federal programs and purchasing preferences prioritize American producers and manufacturers and rid out foreign adversaries.

    “Strengthening national security starts with knowing who owns our farmland and where federal dollars are flowing,” said Secretary Rollins. “These actions close long-standing gaps in oversight and enforcement by improving transparency around foreign land ownership and ensuring USDA programs support American farmers and manufacturers, while prioritizing domestic supply chains – not foreign adversaries.”

    AFIDA Modernization

    AFIDA requires foreign investors who acquire, transfer, or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land to report such holdings and transactions to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan(PDF, 1.2 MB) calls for aggressive implementation of reforms to the AFIDA process including improved verification and monitoring of collected AFIDA data.

    USDA seeks input on potential regulatory or other changes that may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its AFIDA reporting and filing requirements which will result in improved tracking of foreign adversary agricultural land purchases to the public and will further enhance USDA’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (PDF, 164 KB) with Treasury which memorializes cooperation on CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) cases involving the transfer of agricultural land.

    Foreign adversary linked entities currently control at least 277,000 acres of agricultural land in the United States. Each acre represents a threat to our food supply chains, a vector for agroterrorism, and a potential platform for surveillance and sabotage of our military bases and critical infrastructure.

    BioPreferred Program Updates

    USDA will advance the Administration’s efforts to end market-distorting subsidies for unreliable, foreign-controlled energy sources and strengthen domestic supply chains by updating the BioPreferred and Guaranteed Lending Programs, consistent with USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan, to protect the integrity of federal purchasing and ensure American producers come first.

    The BioPreferred Program supports domestic manufacturing, increases the purchase and use of U.S. biobased products to spur economic development, create new jobs and open new domestic markets for crops grown by American farmers and producers. Moving forward and effective immediately entities and products from foreign adversary countries are no longer eligible for the BioPreferred Program or USDA guaranteed lending programs. Current participants must comply with audits or risk removal.

    The USDA BioPreferred Program is currently funded through September 30, 2026.

    Taken together, these actions reiterate USDA’s historic commitment to American agriculture as a key element of our nation’s national security, addressing urgent threats from foreign adversaries and strengthening the resilience of our nation’s food and agricultural systems.

  • Inaugural $100,000 Grant Program to Advance Honey Bee Health and Beekeeping Innovation

    Sweet Harvest Foods, the largest producer of raw, unfiltered honey and parent company of Nate’s Honey and Nate’s Hives, today announced the launch of Nate’s Hives Research Grant Program, reinforcing its commitment to advance the long-term success and sustainability of honey bees and the honey industry through science, innovation and collaboration.

    The program will provide up to $100,000 in annual funding for research projects that strengthen honey bee health, improve sustainable beekeeping practices, and drive innovation in pollination practices and across the honey supply chain. Proposals may be submitted by academic institutions, nonprofit organizations and industry researchers, with funding available for projects up to three years in duration.

    “As the industry leader in honey and a top apiary, we believe scale brings both responsibility and opportunity, and the honey industry’s future depends on science and collaboration,” said Michael Carle, Chief Executive Officer of Sweet Harvest Foods. “Through the Nate’s Hives Research Grant Program, we’re investing in the kind of research that will strengthen honey bee health, advance sustainable beekeeping practices and support pollination, a more resilient food ecosystem and the honey industry. Innovation has always been central to how we operate and it’s more important now than ever to fuel continued progress.”

    Proposals may address one or more of the following areas of focus: honey bee health, sustainable beekeeping practices, environmental impacts, supply chain innovation, consumer demand and nutritional impacts, or trade policy and production economics. Each submission will be evaluated by a volunteer review board composed of Sweet Harvest Foods employees and external experts from academia and the beekeeping industry.

    “At Nate’s Hives, we believe science can and should shape the future of beekeeping,” said Matt Halbgewachs, president of Nate’s Hives. “This grant program puts that belief into action and empowers researchers to uncover solutions that help honey bees and beekeepers everywhere. By linking researched insights with on-the-ground experience, we accelerate progress for honey bees, beekeepers, farmers and consumers alike.”

    Applications are due March 1, 2026, with awards announced on April 15, 2026. For full eligibility details, proposal requirements and submission instructions, visit nateshives.com/research-grant-program.

    About Sweet Harvest Foods

    We believe in making life a little sweeter. As the leading procurer of honey in the U.S., Sweet Harvest Foods provides the highest-quality ingredients for some of the most iconic brands and beloved products. That’s a serious responsibility, which is why we keep innovating and setting higher standards in quality, taste and reliability. Sweet Harvest Foods is bolstered by its ownership of Nate’s Honey, the number-one branded honey, and Nate’s Hives, a top U.S. apiary. Join us on our mission to lead the honey industry by innovating from the hive to beyond the kitchen. For more information, visit www.sweetharvestfoods.com.