…out how misguided environmental regulations have crippled the state’s most productive farmland—transforming once-thriving communities into shadows of their former selves. Despite sacrifices made to protect species like Delta smelt, populations…
Minturn Nut’s Darren Rigg Talks Almond Industry
…extreme heat and reduced farm inputs. This year’s mild spring and summer should improve quality, yield, and marketability. New plantings are slowing, and water restrictions under the Sustainable Groundwater Management…
California’s Half-Billion Dollar Rodent Crisis: A Looming Threat to Tree Nut Growers
…County Farm Bureau. As Ryan explains, the rodent explosion, from rats and squirrels to ground squirrels and gophers, has escalated due to several compounding factors: two years of unusually wet…
Spotlight on California FFA: Empowering the Next Generation of Agricultural Leaders
…the passion of California’s FFA leaders comes through loud and clear. Whether it’s preparing students for careers in farming, agribusiness, ag law, or public service, this organization is growing much…
Robert McCormick and the Birth of American Agricultural Innovation
McCormick’s reaper meant that families could farm more land. USDA NRCS Texas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Robert McCormick was a successful farmer in Virginia who owned a substantial 532-acre…
Gut Health for Baby Calves: Why Prebiotics and Probiotics Matter More Than Ever
…Soderstrom, Dairy Young Animal Solution Specialist at Purina Animal Nutrition, building a healthy digestive system in early life can yield lifelong benefits for calves. “Even on the best-managed farms, baby…
Cyrus McCormick and the Reaper Revolution
The Reluctant Start of a Farming Innovation In 1834, inventor Cyrus McCormick took out a patent for a horse-drawn reaper. After several improvements to the design, he established a harvester…
California Dairy in the Spotlight: Generations of Dedication and a Future of Uncertainty
…to bring kids out to the farm, champion FFA, and foster ag literacy. Their message: support your local farmers, drink more milk, and never underestimate the power and necessity of…
New Survey Targets Farm Conservation Efforts
USDA and NRCS Partner to Collect Data from 23,000 Operations The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has…
HELP Act Would Aid Livestock Transporters
…unloaded mid-journey, and exposure to extreme heat or cold can endanger their health. However, federal mandates such as Hours of Service (HOS) limits and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) requirements often…
Land for Service: How Revolutionary Soldiers Were Paid in Acres
…between military service and American farming—a relationship that would continue through programs like the Homestead Act and post-war veteran benefits. And that’s today’s American Agriculture History Minute, with Mark Oppold….
USDA Pays Millions to California Dairies Amid Bird Flu Milk Losses
…644 payments to 359 California dairy farms, totaling $231 million in assistance. The average payout per farm was approximately $645,000, with payment amounts ranging from $2,058 to $4.4 million. More…
USDA July Cattle Report Reveals Continued Decline in Herd Size
…Averill of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, reflect a continuing trend of tight supplies that could impact the beef market in the months ahead. — Lorrie Boyer, reports for…
California Avocado Commission Praises USDA Reorganization Efforts
Strengthening USDA Services to Support Farmers and Safeguard Food Supply The California Avocado Commission is applauding a recent move by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to restructure key components…