The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) indicated plans to impose tariffs on goods coming from the European Union (EU) which are scheduled to take effect beginning October 18. …
Shasta Dam Project Hits Another Roadblock
The effort to move the Shasta dam project forward has encountered another setback after the Westlands Water District (WWD) announced it would no longer be pursuing an environmental impact report …
Fresno County Leads California as Top Agricultural County
Fresno County has now officially become the top agricultural county in California and the U.S. for the first since 2013 after the release of Tulare County’s 2018 Crop and Livestock …
Efforts to Modernize Endangered Species Act
Members of the Congressional Western Caucus as well as other industry stakeholders recently held a roundtable discussion in Washington to address some potential changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). …
The Changing Demographics of Farming
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service recently released more information from the 2017 Census of Agriculture that is broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender. The national, state, …
President Trump Signs U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement. Ag Groups Respond
American Farm Bureau Federation Farmers and Ranchers Celebrate Japanese Trade Deal, Look Forward to More (AFBF-Oct. 7, 2019) — President Trump signed the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, which is an important step …
USDA Announces Support for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
WASHINGTON (USDA-Oct. 7, 2019) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will issue $16.2 million in grants (PDF) to provide training, outreach, and technical assistance to underserved and …
Highlighting the Value of Pistachios Through Community Engagement
Participating in community events such as farmers’ markets offer an opportunity to engage with consumers on a more personal basis. The American Pistachio Growers (APG) recently met with community members …
President Trump Signs Stopgap Spending Bill to Fund Farm Payments
The stopgap spending bill that was overwhelmingly passed by the House last week progressed through the Senate on Thursday by a vote of 85 to 15. President Donald Trump signed …
California Producers Set for Success with Better Access to Japan
California farmers and ranchers should see some noticeable benefits from the latest trade deal that has been agreed to with Japan. President Donald Trump recently signed the new trade deal …
Senate Bill 1 Veto Official, Governor Praised
Last Friday Governor Gavin Newsom made good on his word by vetoing Senate Bill 1 (SB 1). The news was celebrated by several agricultural, water, and business groups, as being …
Water Year 2019 Ends with Strong Storage Supplies
With water year 2019 officially coming to an end yesterday, many farmers and ranchers are looking ahead with hope for another wet year. The latest storage summary from the California …
Japan Deal Confirms Wine Tariff Elimination
Japanese reports claimed current tariffs on U.S. wine would be ‘phased out’ in the new trade deal and a top official confirmed those claims with AgNet West. Deputy Secretary of …
New 2020 Requirements for Reporting Injuries
Assembly Bill 1804 has updated the requirements for reporting injuries to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). The changes are being implemented in an effort to simplify …