As industry members prepare for the start of a new year, there had been a number of significant 2019 trade developments with a significant impact on agriculture. Many agricultural groups …
Voices Of The Valley Podcast: Leveraging Worldwide Data to Stay Competitive in Markets, Part 1
This episode of the Voices of the Valley podcast is made possible by HarvestPort, an innovation hub and marketplace for better agricultural products, practices, and ideas. Find out more at …
U.S. Poultry Companies Poised for Success in China
After a long ban on poultry products, U.S. poultry companies are preparing to meet substantial demand in China. Expectations are for chicken products to begin entering the Chinese market in …
Wage Increases to Begin on January 1
The latest installment of minimum wage increases is set to take effect beginning on January 1, 2020, marking only one aspect of the wage changes coming for the year. For …
Sterile NOW Project Gets Major Funding in Appropriations Bill
The project looking at sterile technology to help combat navel orangeworm gets a big boost. Navel orangeworm is a continuing issue for almond and pistachio producers. Research is looking into …
More Hemp Insurance Options Available from USDA
Another type of hemp insurance is being made available from the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), which will cover growers in certain counties of 21 states including California. The recent …
Voices Of The Valley Podcast: Helping Plants Absorb CO2
This episode of the Voices of the Valley podcast is made possible by HarvestPort, an innovation hub and marketplace for better agricultural products, practices, and ideas. Find out more at …
Workshop to Address New Climate Reality for Farmers
A new workshop will be exploring how farming operations can adapt and thrive in a new climate reality. Hosted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and several organizing partners, …
Confronting the Challenges of the Organic Sector
While the organic sector has been expanding in value and acreage in recent years, there are still numerous challenges involved in organic production. There are concerns related to acquiring organic …
Farm System Reform Act Looks to Overhaul Animal Agriculture
Legislation was recently unveiled that would significantly alter the landscape of animal agriculture in the United States, particularly livestock production. The Farm System Reform Act of 2019 would establish a …
Strong Year for U.S. Cotton Exports
While the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made a significant reduction to its production estimate for the 2019-2020 domestic cotton crop, the export market appears to remain strong for U.S. cotton. …
USMCA Vote Moves Deal Closer to Ratification
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) continues forward progress with the House of Representatives passing the trade deal by a large margin. The USMCA vote was 385 to 41 in favor of …
Almond Update: China Dispute Impact and Overall Picture
The announcement of the ‘phase-one’ agreement with China was good news for industries across California. However, the dispute has been going on long enough to show effects on supply chains and …
USDA Encourages Input for EQIP Rule
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is asking for input on its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). NRCS will make more than $1 billion available for producers in fiscal …