The Metropolitan Water District in Southern California took exception to my recent Western View about water. Their first reaction, in an email to AgNet management, seemed to say the whole …
Largest June Snowpack Since 2011
The exceptionally wet spring brought with it record levels of rain and snow for the month of May. Storm systems that touched the Sierra Nevada’s brought enough snow to allow …
Secretary Perdue Statement on Disaster and Trade-Related Assistance
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement on disaster and trade-related assistance: “Whether it’s because of natural disasters or unfair retaliatory tariffs, farmers across the country are …
Additional Tariffs Still on the Table Despite Latest Agreement with Mexico
The United States and Mexico were able to reach an agreement last week that prevented additional tariffs from going into effect on June 10. The potential for a five percent …
Addressing the Financial Challenges of Small Farms
California’s regulatory environment can be challenging for the agricultural industry, particularly for smaller sized farming operations. Administrator of the California Farm Bureau Federation, Jim Houston recently spoke during a State …
Reaction from Industry on President Signing Disaster Relief Package
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall “The disaster relief measure signed by President Trump today is an important lifeline for farmers and ranchers whose greatest desire is to keep …
AB 555 Has Legs and Needs Attention
A possible change to paid sick leave is gaining momentum and needs attention from California’s agriculture industry. Assembly Bill 555 is an act to amend current paid sick leave requirements …
Nearly Half of Annual Water Use Reports Still Need to be Filed
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is warning water rights holders that failure to file their annual reports will result in significant fines. Annual water use reports for all …
New Mexican Goods Tariff Tied to Immigration Issue
The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) issued a statement about the President’s threat. PMA stated in a press release, “While there have recently been promising signs that both Mexico and the …
Agriculture industry Responds to Progress of USMCA
American Farm Bureau Federation The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “The administration’s submitting the Statement of Administration Action on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement …
USDA Expecting the Most Cotton Exports in a Decade
The Department of Agriculture recently released the first production estimate for the 2019 U.S. cotton crop, with expectations of reaching levels that have not been seen in more than a …
California Highlights in 2017 Census of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service recently released summarized reports for the 2017 Census of Agriculture, focusing on state and county information. The California State and …
USDA Opens Signup for National Conservation Innovation Grants
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are competitive grants that drive public and private sector innovation in resource conservation. CIG projects inspire creative problem-solving that boosts production on farms, ranches, and private forests …
Still No Disaster Relief from the U.S. House
Twice this week an attempt was made to pass the long-stalled federal disaster relief bill, but the latest attempt late Thursday afternoon failed again. In the brief pro forma session, …