Richard Smoley

The managing editor of the California Farmer--the state's oldest agriculture journal--has resigned in a controversy sparked by the magazine's report that some table grape growers illegally use a growth-enhancing chemical in their vineyards. Managing Editor Richard Smoley said he was pressured to resign. "The article was the straw that broke the camel's back," Smoley said. Smoley, who had worked at the magazine for six years, assigned and edited the article, titled "The Big Fix."

The managing editor of the California Farmer--the state's oldest agriculture journal--has resigned in a controversy sparked by the magazine's report that some table grape growers illegally use a growth-enhancing chemical in their vineyards. Managing Editor Richard Smoley said he was pressured to resign. "The article was the straw that broke the camel's back," Smoley said. Smoley, who had worked at the magazine for six years, assigned and edited the article, titled "The Big Fix."

Some California grape growers are illegally using a chemical growth stimulator to improve the size and appearance of their table grapes, according to California Farmer, the largest and oldest agricultural magazine in the state. The unusually critical article in the September issue--and a strong editorial opposing the use of illegal agricultural chemicals--caught the table grape industry by surprise.