…hurdles like the roadless rule, which has long restricted forest service access. McGill noted that California media is pushing back on the changes, but he emphasized that new fire roads…
Hilton Eyes Regulatory Overhaul for California Ag
Steve Hilton Vows Agency Reform to Support California Agriculture In an exclusive interview with The Ag Meter, Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California governor, shared his vision for reforming…
Western Farmers Push for Bold Water Infrastructure
…diminished, prompting farmers to become more efficient stewards of this vital resource. Western Farmers Push for Bold Water Infrastructure Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter,” sat down with Andrew Leimgruber, a…
Legacy Barns: A Testament to 19th Century Midwest Farming
By the mid-1800s, Midwest farm families were settling in and expanding. Once their land was cleared and crops established, many pioneers shifted their focus to building newer, larger homes. It…
APHIS Expands Citrus Greening Quarantine in California
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced an immediate expansion of citrus greening (Huanglongbing/HLB) quarantines in California. This action, taken in coordination with the California Department…
Labor Crisis Still Looms Over California’s Fresh Fruit Industry
…of the most pressing issues in California agriculture: the ongoing farm labor shortage and its ties to immigration policy. Labor Crisis Still Looms Over California’s Fresh Fruit Industry Hopeful—but Realistic—Outlook…
USDA Unveils 7-Point National Farm Security Action Plan
…and domestic vulnerabilities. 1. Protecting American Farmland Ownership At the forefront of the plan is a push to prohibit foreign adversaries from purchasing U.S. farmland. Secretary Rollins emphasized the importance…
Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin Revolutionized American Agriculture
In the late 18th century, a young Massachusetts farm boy named Eli Whitney unknowingly set the stage for a major turning point in American agriculture. At just 12 years old,…
Chad Bianco: “California Is in Crisis—And Agriculture Is Paying the Price”
…AB-1156, a bill allowing solar panel development on farmland in Central California. “You’ve got to be a moron to combine solar panels and farming and think that’s okay,” he said….
California Fresh Fruit Industry Faces Crisis
…frustration over farmland being converted to solar fields due to lack of water. “Farmers don’t want to put solar on prime land—they’re forced to,” he said. He stressed that the…
AgNet News Hour: Citrus Expo Preview, USDA Snap Crackdown, and Chad Bianco’s Bold Vision for California Ag
…interview with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who’s running for Governor of California. Sheriff Bianco lays out his farmer-first agenda, takes on misguided solar development on farmland, and calls out…
California Fruit Leader Calls Out Regulations Hurting Growers
…where many politicians seem disconnected from the day-to-day realities of farming. “Asinine” Regulations Driving Up Costs Hartwig didn’t hold back in his response. “When you look at some of the…
AgNet News Hour Thursday, 07-10-25
…1156, which allows pauses on the Williamson Act and enables the conversion of ag land to solar farms. Hilton calls it “heartbreaking,” emphasizing that farmland in California, especially the Central…
Farming Innovation and Rural Sustainability: Inside The Reservoir
…on innovation and sustainability. The conversation spotlighted how this venture is working to reshape farming for long-term viability—both economically and environmentally. Farming Innovation and Rural Sustainability: Inside the Reservoir Reducing…