…opened with encouraging news for cattle producers: USDA released a multifaceted plan aimed at stabilizing the beef sector and easing price pressure on consumers. The framework focuses on three pillars—strengthening…
How the Cargill Brothers Built an Agricultural Empire in Iowa
…A Legacy Rooted in American Agriculture From a single grain flat house to a worldwide operation, the Cargill story embodies the resilience and ingenuity that define American farmers. The company’s…
California Ag Tech on Display: TK, Bayer Crop Science, and John Deere’s GUSS Steal the Show
…said. Javid urged PCAs and retailers to plan early for next season. “Spray at bloom and post-petal fall,” he advised. “Once Red Leaf Blotch sets in, it’s too late.” He…
The Birth of the FFA Blue Jacket: A Proud Tradition Since 1933
Courtesy of National FFA Organization The Beginning of a National Legacy I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The history of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) is…
George Washington and Slavery: A Complex Legacy
…supported both his personal wealth and the early American economy. George Washington and Slavery: A Complex Legacy Presidential Actions on Slavery As president, Washington navigated the tensions of a young…
Van Groningen & Sons: A Century of California Farming
…while we’re still harvesting this year’s crops.” For the Van Groningen family, farming is an ongoing cycle of planning, planting, harvesting, and improvement. “You always have to think one, two,…
How Ralston Purina Revolutionized American Agriculture
…Impact on American Agriculture Today, the story of Ralston Purina stands as a cornerstone in the history of American agricultural innovation. From its humble beginnings in the 1890s to its…
Pumpkin Power and Precision Tech: California Agriculture Shines on AgNet News Hour
…the heart of American farming. Van Groningen, dubbed the “Pumpkin King of California,” joined the show from Manteca, where his family farm grows over 60 varieties of pumpkins ranging from…
How Wheat Transformed Mid-Atlantic Farming Before the American Revolution
…grow. As Mark Oppold notes in his American Agriculture History Minute, the mid-Atlantic’s agricultural story before the American Revolution is one of adaptation, opportunity, and global connection. What began as…
Bill Jones: Fixing California’s Water and Future
…and environmental politics have eroded the foundation of the state’s water system. “The drought isn’t caused by climate change—it’s caused by a failure to plan,” he said. “We’ve ignored the…
Verdant Robotics and Van Groningen & Sons Showcase Innovation and Tradition on AgNet News Hour
…Sharpshooter’s smart system can perform multiple actions simultaneously — such as weeding, fertilizing, and thinning — all while tracking every spray or drop in real time. “It’s not just automation,”…
Early 19th-Century American Farming and Westward Expansion
Photo by Tom Fisk/Pexels image America’s Agricultural Roots In the early 1800s, American agriculture was the backbone of the national economy. As Mark Oppold explains in An American Agriculture History…
How Immigrant Farmers Shaped Early American Agriculture
Photo by Matt Richmond/Pexels image Ethnic Traditions and the Roots of American Farming In the early days of the United States, immigrant farmers played a defining role in shaping American…
Nat DiBuduo: Politics, Water & California Farming
…“There’s a program called SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Act) that limits how much groundwater you can pump,” he said. “If we don’t activate the water projects that voters approved, there…