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SACRAMENTO -  A growing number of California olive oil farmers, millers, industry professionals, and retailers are raising their voices in opposition to California Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry's overly restrictive olive oil labeling legislation, AB 535. As it is currently written, AB 535 criminalizes the selling of olive oil with truthful and accurate brand names containing geographical terms and establishes a concerning precedent for regulating businesses with geographic names and trademarks in other food and agriculture industries.

The proposed bill would make selling products with geographical names or trademarks a misdemeanor and risk criminal penalties for retailers and store employees selling such products.

LAS VEGAS – Thursday, December 12, 2019 - At 35,000 attendees, more than 1,300 exhibitors and over 1,250 investors, MJBizCon took over the Las Vegas Convention Center again in 2019. Now, the largest event in the U.S. hemp and cannabis industry is working with World Ag Expo®, the largest event in U.S. agriculture. 

Hemp Industry Daily is now the exclusive hemp and cannabis media partner of World Ag Expo®, focusing on the Hemp Education & Marketing Pavilion and Hemp Innovation Challenge in Tulare, CA, February 11-13, 2020. As a growing sector of agriculture, hemp will garner its own pavilion at the 53^rd Tulare farm show. With 30 exhibit spaces, a fast pitch innovation competition in cooperation with the Larta Institute and Plant Growth Group, and seminars each day of the annual show, Hemp Industry Daily is the ideal media partner to facilitate panels and share industry knowledge.

TULARE – World Ag Expo® is set to host attendees and exhibitors from across the country and around the world in just two weeks. Now they will also prepare to guard against the newest coronavirus emerging in China. “The health and safety of everyone at our show is our top priority,” said Jerry Sinift, International Agri-Center® CEO. “We’re working with the right agencies to stay up-to-date on the status of coronavirus and how we can prevent the spread.”

Show officials are working with local, state and federal officials to monitor the situation and develop a plan on the show grounds. No government entity has suggested a change to the planned schedule.

TULARE – Results are in for World Ag Expo’s® Top-10 New Products Competition, sponsored by Bank of America. The winners will be showcased February 11-13, 2020, during the World Ag Expo® in Tulare, California.

The competitive field of new products were submitted for the contest by exhibitors of the largest annual agricultural show of its kind. Products ranged from simple solutions to high tech devices. The contest judges were made up of farmers, ranchers and industry professionals. The Top-10 New Products competition is once again sponsored by Bank of America, which has an industry leading agribusiness group that delivers end-to-end banking and finance solutions to ag producers and related businesses.

TULARE - The Hemp Innovation Challenge is designed to accelerate the future of the hemp industry by supporting entrepreneurs, researchers and students who are launching the most disruptive hemp innovations in the world. Submissions will come from hemp innovators in universities, companies, research institutes, barns, and government agencies. Finalists will be invited to the World Ag Expo® in Tulare, California in February 2020 to participate in the fast pitch competition. 

Prizes will be awarded for ideas connected to technology, software, and services driving growth and innovation into food, fuel, medicine, health, fiber, waste, and sustainable development as a few examples. Submissions are open to for-profits, non-profits, and early stage concepts or impact projects including those aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

SACRAMENTO -  Blue Diamond Growers supports and is encouraged by the historic trade agreement signed with China this week. This agreement benefits all U.S. agriculture including the California almond industry. China is a very important market for California almonds and this agreement will help stabilize the trade relationship with China.

This benefits both China's consumers who want healthy almonds and California almond growers. We look forward to increased trade with China which this agreement provides. We are also looking forward to phase two agreement with China which is expected to provide additional benefits to almonds.