The House Agriculture Committee met this week for a hearing to examine the consequences of Environmental Protection Agency’s actions on American agriculture. In his opening statement, Committee chair Glenn “G.T.” …
Labor Bill Passes Appropriations
There was strong debate at the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, as the full committee marked up the bill for fiscal year 2025 funding for the Departments of Labor, Health …
Insurance Options for Specialty and Organic Growers Expanded
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding crop insurance options for specialty and organic growers starting in 2025. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) will offer new coverage options, including …
U.S. Food Imports Rising
The U.S. is importing more foreign food and farm products. Gary Crawford has more coming up on This Land of Ours. Listen to Gary Crawford’s program here. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture …
Wildfire Smoke a Risk to Crews in the Field
Summer temperatures are here, bringing triple digits to several areas of California, drying up brush and grasses. Fires are anticipated to be quite common in the next few months as …
Upcoming Webinar on Communicating with Farmers Under Stress
A webinar to help with farmers under stress. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Penn State University Extension Service is holding a webinar titled “Communicating With Farmers …
New Resource to Help Facilitate Procurement Opportunities with USDA
New resources have been developed to help simplify the process for businesses looking to sell products and services to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The updates include a “Contracting …
Funding Opportunities Expanded for Specialty Crop Growers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced additional funding opportunities for specialty crop growers. USDA’s Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops program is expanding to include medium-sized businesses, in addition …
Collaboration Between Industry and Researchers at the Heart of the Salinas Biological Summit
At the second annual Salinas Biological Summit on June 25-26, industry leaders are making headway on biological inputs as a tool for improving sustainability in agriculture. Biologicals are based on …
Several Factors Contributing to Decreased Agricultural Trade Values
The U.S. is experiencing a significant shift from decades of agricultural trade surpluses to substantial trade deficits, with a projected record deficit of $32 billion for fiscal year 2024. American …
Chevron Deference Overturned by Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the Chevron deference rule, which has guided federal regulation for 40 years. This decision arose from a case involving the National Marine Fisheries Service …
Thirty Million Farm Acres Abandoned Since 1986
In 2022, a University of Wisconsin study claimed that U.S. farmers had converted several million acres of pristine grassland and other “semi-natural areas” to cropland. Researcher Tyler Lark said that …
Payroll Costs for California Farmers Increased 244 Percent in 20 Years
Total payroll costs for California farmers have increased dramatically in 20 years. Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Ag and Resource Economics at UC Berkeley, Ali Hill …
Governor Signs Private Attorneys General Act Reform
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 92 and Assembly Bill 2288 to reform the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). These reforms aim to help workers get fair compensation while …