…Nellis and Michelle Rivera talk to special guest Chelsea Ketelsen, Vice President of Marketing from HMC Farms. Based out of Kingsburg, California, HMC Farms is a leading grower, packer and…
California Processing Tomato Production Down from 2023
…the May forecast. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports the expected harvested acreage as being 226,000, down 11 percent from 2023. While favorable spring conditions helped the processing tomato crop…
Preliminary Injunction Against DOL Rule Allowing H-2A Workers to Unionize
A federal court in Georgia has temporarily blocked the Department of Labor (DOL) from enforcing a new regulation that would allow H-2A visa farmworkers to unionize. The preliminary injunction, requested…
AgNet News Hour, Wednesday, 09-04-24
…agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour. She was recently named the 2024 Farm Broadcaster of the Year by the National Association of Farm…
HPAI Spreads to Three California Dairy Herds
Three of California’s dairy farms report cattle infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. California is the nation’s top milk-producing state and the 14th in the nation to report bird flu…
Grapevine Insurance Coverage for 2025 Expanded and Enhanced
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making some changes to its grapevine insurance program for the 2025 crop year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is shortening the required grafting…
Restraining Order Against the State Water Resources Control Board Extended
…meters, and $20 per acre-foot extraction fees. The Kings County Farm Bureau (KCFB) challenged these measures, arguing they are costly and redundant. “While we would have liked to have gotten…
More Than 2.2 Million Acres Accepted Through Continuous Conservation Reserve
…Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), the CRP is nearing its 27 million-acre limit, showing how popular these programs are. “It’s through all FSA’s conservation programs that we are…
USDA Releases Updated Guidance on Labeling
…improve the environment. The Food Safety and Inspection Service reviews the evidence to support these claims that can only be included on meat and poultry labels once they’ve been approved…
New Smoke Exposure Insurance Protection for California Grapes
…Index (FIP-SI) is set to launch as a pilot program for the 2025 crop year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is offering the protection option for grapes insured under the…
Lawmakers Call for Improvements to Foreign Land Ownership Disclosure Process
…and correcting errors in the current database? How often is the Farm Service Agency reviewing data for accuracy? What mechanisms are available for stakeholders to report inaccuracies? “We believe it…
A Good Year for California Beef Industry, But Challenges Remain
…trucking,” he said. With regard to groundwater regulations, cattlemen are finding themselves beholden to sustainability agency fees for grazing land. “They’re de minimis extractors in trying to water their cattle,”…
California Officials Enforcing EPA Order Banning Dacthal
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned the herbicide Dacthal, commonly known as DCPA. It is the first time in 40 years that EPA has issued an emergency ban,…
Input Sought on How NRCS Will Administer SUSTAINS Act
…implementation of conservation practices. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is playing a key role in the process, as the agency will be handling the funds and making sure they…