Farmers look to tech to keep county’s ag competitive
The times are changing for farmers in Ventura County. Heavy government regulations, environmental restraints and competition from south of the border have led farmers in the county’s $2 billion agricultural industry to change the way they operate. Like their counterparts across the state, growers in Ventura County are increasingly reliant on technology to speed up Read More →
Dole earnings beat outlook
Fruit producer Dole Food Co. reported an adjusted loss of $2 million, or 2 cents per share, from continuing operations, beating the 12-cent loss predicted by analysts on average. The recent loss compares to a $31 million, or 35 cent per-share, loss a year earlier. CEO David DeLorenzo said strong sales and a cost-reduction program Read More →
Calavo Q1 earnings up 16%
Avocado marketer Calavo Growers reported March 5 that first-quarter profits were up 16 percent to $2.7 million as revenues climbed almost a third to $117.4 million. The Santa Paula-based company said the first-quarter results set the stage for a potentially record-breaking year for the firm, which last year made a major acquisition of Renaissance Food Read More →
Ventura County ag leaders push for ‘buy local’ movement
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Ceres delays again, warns of Brazilian drought
Ceres, the Thousand Oaks-based energy crop firm, has delayed its initial public offering again. It also said Friday that its existing investors might buy as many as a fifth of the shares slated to hit the market and that a drought in Brazil could hurt it sweet sorghum yields. The pushed back its planned initial Read More →
Ceres delays its IPO, slashes price
Thousand Oaks-based energy crop maker Ceres has drastically lowered expectations for its initial public offering and delayed it for a week, according to regulatory filings and investment banking sources. The company was set to raise as much as $132 million on the Nasdaq when shares hit the markets under the name CERE on Feb. 9. Read More →
Hot commodities: Greenhouse tomato growers eye competition
Houweling’s Tomatoes in Camarillo and Windset Farms in Santa Maria view Mexican farmers as their biggest competition.
