North Bay Business Journal

Permanent farm market proposed for Sonoma County Fairgrounds

SANTA ROSA – Members of the Sonoma County Fair board will hold a public meeting March 16 on plans to create a permanent public market year-round at the fairgrounds.

Feds to hold Jan. 26 hearing on Yolo, Solano rural economic development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to hear what Yolo and Solano county residents have to say on the types of programs and policies needed to support the counties’ rural areas.

Straus to move some operations to Petaluma

PETALUMA — Straus Family Creamery plans to move its offices and warehousing from the West Marin community of Marshall to a more central location in Petaluma early next year.

With housing’s collapse, site turns to ‘farmscrapers’

SANTA ROSA — In 2007, Syamak Taromi, a housing developer in the Bay Area for more than 30 years, purchased a 10-acre lot in northwest Santa Rosa with plans to build a 230-unit senior facility.

Facebook does an about-face on dairy ban

NORTH BAY — Clover Stornetta Farms and Straus Family Creamery, which have nearly 2,000 and 1,000 Facebook page fans, respectively, were surprised to hear early last week of a recent change in the giant Internet social network’s promotions policy banning dairy products.

UPDATE, Dec. 22, 2009: Facebook revised its promotions policy to remove the ban on mentioning dairy but still prohibits the offering of dairy products as prizes.

Dominican University receives $1 million to study Sudden Oak Death

SAN RAFAEL – Dominican University of California is receiving a $989,798 grant from the 2008 Farm Bill to establish the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University.

Scientists from the national and international research community will conduct studies focused on understanding and controlling Phytophthora ramorum, the plant pathogen known to cause Sudden Oak Death and ramorum blight on nursery stock.

The research site will be the first in the United States dedicated to the study of diseases of ornamental plants in a simulated nursery setting.

Saggio Hills bounty: 12,000 oak seedlings donated around county

HEALDSBURG – A year and a half ago, Saggio Hills in Healdsburg collected acorns to make seedlings to plant on the site of the proposed spa and residential development. About 5,000 acorns were collected, but the seedlings didn’t take and a year later workers went back to collect more.

North Bay counties back sustaining Williamson Act

NORTH BAY – Despite the loss of all $27 million in state reimbursements this fiscal year to counties for lowering property taxes on agricultural land, the six North Bay counties largely are continuing the programs.

Grant boosts Marin ’sustainable food’ program

MARIN – College of Marin is able to move ahead with its Sustainable Food Systems program due to a new two-year chancellor’s grant of $374,254.

Counties, ag worry about cut to Williamson Act

NORTH BAY – One of the ramifications of the $16.6 billion in cuts to the newly adopted state budget is the loss of about $2 million in annual reimbursements the six North Bay counties have received for accepting much lower taxes on agricultural land protected under conservation contacts.