…Van Groningen & Sons, one of the most respected multi-generational farming families in the Central Valley. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill called it a “perfect Friday show,” blending cutting-edge…
Bill Jones: “California Will Come Back Stronger Than Ever”
…political figures in Central Valley history. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill continued their “Hall of Fame Week” series with Jones, who offered rare perspective on the intersection of agriculture,…
Nat DiBuduo: Politics, Water & California Farming
…his concern. “I think it’d be a disaster in the Central Valley, and it’d be a disaster for California,” he said. “We need balance—and we obviously do not have balance.”…
Nat DiBuduo, the “Godfather of Grapes,” on the Future of California Wine and Farming
…who also served 16 years on the Fresno City Planning Commission, explained how housing demand has transformed the Central Valley landscape. What was once prime farmland has become subdivisions, a…
Ag Innovation and PCA Leadership: Priscilla Koepke and Mando Perez on AgNet News Hour
…from technology and education to leadership in the field. Koepke began the program by outlining F3 Innovate’s mission: to transform the Central Valley into a world-class hub for agricultural technology…
Celebrating the Valley’s Bounty: The Whole Vine Festival Returns to Fresno State
A Tribute to the Central Valley’s Grape, Raisin, and Wine Legacy The Central Valley’s proud agricultural spirit will be on full display once again at the third annual Whole Vine…
Karen Ross on Water, Workforce, and the Future of California Agriculture
…the Central Valley Papagni asked how Ross bridges the gap between farmers in the Central Valley and policymakers in Sacramento. Ross said that regional collaboration is key. “The state’s first-ever…
Karen Ross Talks Water, Regulation, and Prop 50 Silence on AgNet News Hour
…Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. The discussion, recorded at Reedley College, covered water storage, regulation, labor, and the growing tension between Sacramento and Central Valley agriculture. Ross acknowledged that California farmers…
Elaine Culotti: Fighting for California’s Farmers and Future
…ballot measure, she warned, could have devastating consequences for the Central Valley and rural California. “Don’t be fooled,” she said. “Democrats, don’t be fooled, people in cosmopolitan areas—this takes away…
Elaine Culotti, the “Lipstick Farmer,” Warns Farmers on Prop 50 and California’s Mismanagement
…representation. “This takes away the voice of our farmers in the Central Valley,” she said. “It’s a sleight of hand, a land grab. If you think it doesn’t affect you,…
David Tangipa: Fighting for California Farmers and Rejecting Proposition 50
…what he calls “dereliction and negligence” have put California’s future at risk — and why rejecting Proposition 50 has become a defining fight for the Central Valley. The Real Cause…
How Rural Electrification Transformed U.S. Farms
…Everything began to change in May 1933 with the passage of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Act, part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s sweeping New Deal. The TVA’s goals went…
Gage A. Kent and the Birth of Kent Feeds
Revolutionizing Cattle Feeding in the 1920s In the mid-1920s, central Iowa cattle feeder Gage A. Kent recognized that raising superior cattle required more than care—it required proper nutrition. While most…
Mando Perez: Innovation & Leadership in California Ag
…extreme heat until late August or early September, providing optimal conditions for the Central Valley’s diverse crops. Weather and Its Impact on Pest Management Cooler weather has practical benefits for…

















