Tourists who like fruit will find that little grows in San Francisco, or in Yosemite National Park, for that matter. Fear not. They can stop in the San Joaquin Valley, which lies between these famous places, and find true local flavor at a produce stand. A new campaign aims to boost visitor spending in the Valley, which is a tiny part of the state’s tourism sector. It features a website, www.sjrivervalley.com, and brochures about attractions in the five-county stretch from San Joaquin to Fresno.
The choices include rivers, historical sites, state parks and other places not directly related to agriculture, but farming is central to the campaign. Hundreds of crops grow in the Valley, and it produces plenty of beef and poultry, too. Read More