…orchards, especially in water-scarce areas, have become breeding grounds for rodents. Without farmers investing in removal or replanting due to lack of water, these orchards act as safe havens for…
John Duarte on Central Valley Agriculture: Water, Prop 50, and the Future of Avocados
…led to initiatives like the Rural Roads and Markets Act and efforts to fund projects such as raising Shasta Dam. These were made possible through bipartisan cooperation, with local congressmen…
Lorenzo Rios: Valley Strong Vision for California
…Flat and Sites Reservoir, streamlining reviews by the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, and re-examining outdated Endangered Species Act interpretations. “Our farmers are contributing to national security…
Mike Harvey: Farming, Faith & Leading California’s Youth
…earlier one. The Impact of FFA and Youth Leadership While Harvey’s agricultural upbringing shaped him, another formative influence was his time in FFA at Bakersfield High School. Encouraged by his…
Mike Harvey and Lorenzo Rios Share Powerful Stories on AgNet News Hour
…Endangered Species Act, and push for a farm bill that protects family farms, not foreign corporations. For Rios, agriculture is national security, and he made clear he sees farmers as…
Don Cameron: California Ag Leadership & Challenges
…risk as housing developments expand and groundwater regulations tighten under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Farmers must achieve groundwater sustainability by 2040, a shift that will force tough decisions…
California Ag Battles: Water, Solar, and Farmland Futures
…California Land Conservation Act of 1965, better known as the Williamson Act. The act allows counties and cities to preserve farmland by restricting its use to agriculture. However, AB1156 opens…
Immigration Reform and Ag Labor: Manuel Cunha on the Dignity Act
…Ag Labor: Manuel Cunha on the Dignity Act What is the Dignity Act (H.R. 4393)? Manuel Cunha The Dignity Act, introduced by Congresswomen Salazar (R-FL) and Escobar (D-TX), is a…
Joe Del Bosque: Water, Labor, and the Fight for California Farming
…water to farms in the 1960s, but regulations beginning in 1992 drastically changed allocations. The Central Valley Project Improvement Act reallocated water toward environmental priorities, reducing supplies to agriculture. Additional…
California Agriculture: Fires, Wolves & Farm Labor Reform
…Enhancing Safety for Animals Act of 2025. The legislation would delist the Mexican wolf from the Endangered Species Act, a move supported by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Arizona…
The Roots of U.S. Forest Management
…forestry practices. The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 A decade later, Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act, giving the President the authority to designate western public lands as forest reserves….
California Agriculture at a Crossroads
…engaged and eager to find ways to sustain agriculture. Politics, Regulations, and Taxes Despite widespread political claims of “supporting farmers,” Reisinger argued that real action is rare. Farmers need policies…
USDA Extension Service: A Legacy of Education and Support
…50 years before one of its most impactful programs came to life. With the passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914, the USDA Extension Service was officially created. This initiative…
Central Valley Fight: Tangipa Stands for Farmers
…urged. “We can change California, but we have to act.” Assemblyman David Tangipa continues to fight for the people of Central Valley, advocating for farmers, maintaining accountability in Sacramento, and…




















