agriculture – Monterey Bay Matters

– Martinelli’s no-contract: crisis for SC County apple farmers and their trees

Santa Cruz County is famous for its apple orchards, including heirloom species. Some of these orchards are 100+ years old. The land is fertile, and the water isn’t contaminated with industrial waste such as in other areas. County residents are well aware of the rich and long agricultural legacy of this community, and much of it is organic.

Martinelli’s is a well-known family-owned company selling apple juice and cider. Who hasn’t seen its sparkling apple cider at parties? And it’s based right here in the Monterey Bay area. It is a monopoly, however, which has reportedly been an issue for many years in pricing and contracts, limiting the options of local farmers.

But now, Martinelli’s has refused to renew contracts with local apple farmers, transferring focus to out-of-the area farms with “cheaper” apples. The company and its family have become distant from the farmers and trees that built its brand, and disconnected from the well-being of this community, its land, and its economy.

Faced with no market for their premium apples and no income, farmers have an emergency and are scrambling for solutions. Some have done the drastic, horrifying measure of cutting down their apple trees, and leasing the land to berry farmers. Others are investigating options, including Pick-Your-Own, and farmers markets.

The battery storage facility proposed on Minto Road would be on an apple orchard. Are urban sprawl, data storage centers, and lithium ion battery facilities the destructive future for this paradise?

Support your local farmers and support these beautiful, life-giving trees. Eat local apples. Contact the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the Farm Bureau. Ask what you can do to help. Don’t buy Martinelli’s. Make your voice heard. Preserve your community.

Also see “As Martinelli’s cancels contracts, Watsonville apple farmers lose their biggest buyer – and a way of life”, Lookout Santa Cruz, June 1, 2026
https://lookout.co/as-martinellis-cancels-contracts-watsonville-apple-farmers-lose-their-biggest-buyer-and-a-way-of-life/story

Interview with farmer Freddy Menge, Community Matters, KSCO, July 17, 2026
http://shows.zbsradio.com/20260717/404e7a78316823e.mp3

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors
BoardOfSupervisors@santacruzcountyca.gov

Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau
sccfb@sbcglobal.net

EcoFarm Alliance
info@eco-farm.org

– Guest Freddy Menge: Growing Tree Fruit in Santa Cruz County…What’s in the Future? KSCO 2 pm, July 17

See https://lookout.co/as-martinellis-cancels-contracts-watsonville-apple-farmers-lose-their-biggest-buyer-and-a-way-of-life/story

From Becky Steinbruner, Community Matters
July 17, 2026

http://shows.zbsradio.com/20260717/404e7a78316823e.mp3

Today’s Guest on “Community Matters” (2pm-3pm Pacific Time) on KSCO Radio is Mr. Freddy Menge, a well-known local fruit farmer who, with his partner Ellen Baker, have been growing a wide array of apples and other tree fruits, and operate Epicenter Farm. https://santacruzfarmersmarket.org/vendors/epicenter/

Freddy and Ellen have for years organized an Annual Apple Tasting event for the public to explore and enjoy tasting about 100 varieties of apples. they also are active in the local chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers.

The overall agricultural sector in the county is valued at approximately $1.6 billion, with apples being one of the keynote crops.

However, with the recent news of Martinelli not renewing contracts with apple farmers in the Pajaro Valley, what will the future hold for Santa Cruz County farmers?

Listen in on your radio AM 1080 or to the live stream from http://www.ksco.com/
Calls from the audience will be at Freddy’s discretion as the Guest.

– Monterey County fails to protect the public from cancer-causing pesticides and banned fumigants – recent expert comments

More than a fifth of organophosphate use by pounds in California is concentrated in Monterey County

On May 12, 2026, members of the public and the coalition Safe Ag Safe Schools provided detailed information to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors about very high toxic pesticide use by the ag industry in Monterey County, school and neighborhood exposures, contamination of farmworkers, children, and the communities including Salinas, the cancer risk, and inaction by county Agriculture Commissioner Juan Hidalgo. This follows Safe Ag Safe Schools’s April 30 letter to Hidalgo about the organophosphate and fumigant threats (excerpts below).

Video of the hearing:
https://monterey.granicus.com/player/clip/6128?view_id=21&redirect=true
Public comments begin at 1:00:35, comments on pesticides begin at 1:07:22 (transcript of comments by Beverly Bean is below)

– April 26, Watsonville – Information meeting on SC New Leaf BESS proposal and draft county ordinance; Spanish translation provided

Sunday, April 26
2:30pm
Pinto Lake City Park, Watsonville

Information on the New Leaf lithium ion battery energy storage facility (BESS) proposal on Minto Road, the draft Santa Cruz County ordinance, and ways to take action.

Question: Why haven’t any of the Santa Cruz County Supervisors held a town hall meeting about the critical BESS issue??

https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/
https://www.change.org/p/stop-lithium-bess-at-90-minto-road-watsonville-detengan-la-bess-de-litio-en-90-minto-rd/u/34437424

Article on meeting February 28, 2026
https://pajaronian.com/meeting-highlights-downsides-of-bess-facilities/