Dairy farmers have failed to keep pace with a 3 percent increase in annual milk consumption, according to Rabobank Groep in the Netherlands, the world's biggest agricultural lender. candy maker, and Dean Foods co., parent of Reiter Dairy of Akron and the nation's largest milk processor, said this month that higher dairy costs will hinder profit growth. Production needed to bring prices down ''takes at least several months, usually a year to two years, to come. Raghuveera Reddy, agriculture...

Locals won't be surprised to learn that the Santa Cruz market was one of the original seven in the state to jump-start the revolution now occuring in American eating habits. While Parsons isn't bold enough to name a favorite fruit or vegetable, he does admit that he looks forward to strawberries and sugar snap peas in the spring; tomatoes and peaches in the summer; pears, apples and bell peppers in the fall and citrus, mandarins and greens in the winter. The ultimate guide for cooks who...

For some delicious comfort food, try the macaroni and cheese ($17), which is elevated by bits of confit duck that work their way into the shells and a creamy cheese sauce. These are English pea tendrils, not the sweet snap-pea tendrils favored in Chinatown, which means they have a grassy fresh flavor but enough pea sweetness to set off the crunchy assortment of wild mushrooms. Following a change of ownership, this cozy Cambridge spot has been reborn as an upscale gastro-pub with an...

While that might seem like a good thing, agriculture officials say it is the biggest threat to the future of farming in the state. Maryland is one of the hottest real estate development markets in the country, and farmers in some parts of the state are being offered as much as $500,000 for lots. During the first two weeks of June, survey workers will visit properties throughout the state and interview owners and operators of farms and ranches. They will be counting the number of farms in...

Land being used for agriculture is down only 6 percent in the same time period, from 42 million acres to 39. From a lack of moisture to the skyrocketing prices of fertilizer, fuel and land, many producers could be facing a tipping point. In 15 years, the county lost 20 percent of its farms, and those that were left grew in size by nearly a quarter of their previous acreage. In a few cafes in the southwestern part of the state, farm-auction bills have been plastered up this year like...