The California grape breeding program, part of the USDA's Agriculture Research Service, faces jeopardy due to federal budget cuts resulting from the Trump Administration's downsizing efforts. This program has contributed to developing popular grape varieties for over a century, including red seedless grapes and innovative raisin varieties. The San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, which houses essential research on crop diseases, new fruit varieties, and germplasm preservation, has seen its critical four-person research team largely dismantled amid broader nationwide layoffs numbering over 20,000.
The recent federal budget cuts have jeopardized the California grape breeding program, crucial for producing popular grape varieties and combating crop diseases.
Since February 13, at least 20,000 federal employees have been laid off, deeply affecting critical agricultural research, especially in the San Joaquin Valley.
Collection
[
|
...
]