…regulations is not equivalent to homegrown production. Ference highlighted that California farmers comply with more regulations than any growers in the world—and they still produce top-quality food. Without local farmers,…
Kings County Farm Bureau Takes on Sacramento Over Groundwater Rights
…the issue extends far beyond county lines. “Agriculture is a billion-dollar industry here, supporting 15% of our jobs,” he said. “If we can’t keep farmers farming, this county turns into…
California Walnut Harvest 2025: Quality, Volume & Market Outlook
…including Fresno, Stockton, Lodi, and Linden caused minor external quality issues. “The shell will get staining, which decreases the amount of production suitable for in-shell markets like Turkey, Italy, Dubai,…
The Rise of Plantation Agriculture in Early America
Photo by Thomas Konings on Unsplash How Plantation Agriculture Shaped America’s Farming Roots Plantation agriculture stands as one of the most significant chapters in the history of American farming. Emerging…
California Agriculture at a Crossroads: Insights from Fresno County Farm Bureau President Ryan Jacobsen
…people understand this better than Ryan Jacobsen, President and CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau and a fourth-generation California farmer. In a recent conversation on the Ag Meter, Jacobsen…
Ryan Jacobsen on Farming Through Storms, Labor, and the Future of California Agriculture
The November 11 edition of the AgNet News Hour featured an in-depth conversation with Ryan Jacobsen, President and CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, who joined hosts Nick Papagni…
How Radio Transformed American Agriculture History
…laid the foundation for the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) and the USDA’s Agricultural Communications Network, which still serve farmers today. What started as five minutes of market news…
From Barley to Cotton: How America’s Early Crops Shaped Agriculture
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash The Roots of American Farming In the early days of American settlement, the first colonists arriving in Plymouth Colony faced unfamiliar soil, weather, and…
Ethnic Roots of Early American Agriculture
…continent. German-American Farming Traditions Among the most influential immigrant groups in early American agriculture were German settlers, whose farming practices were rooted in centuries of European tradition. When they arrived…
Edward Ring on California’s Water Crisis: Fixing a Broken System
…of Farming As discussions turned to the potential impact of Proposition 50, Ring didn’t hesitate to share his concern. “It probably will [hurt farming],” he said. “Hopefully not too much,…
Nanette Simonian: Championing California Agriculture & Women in Ag
…to national politics. She expressed concern about inexperienced decision-makers impacting California’s complex and labor-intensive farming industry. “Farming is such an intimate topic for me. I grew up on a family…
Nanette Simonian and California Women for Agriculture Take a Stand on Prop 50
…control to people who don’t understand agriculture — people from the coast making decisions for farmers in the Valley.” Simonian, who comes from a multi-generational farm family, said her agricultural…
AI and Automation Drive Florida’s AgTech Revolution
…agricultural states. Both states grow specialty crops such as strawberries and tomatoes, but Florida’s growing season differs significantly. Florida farmers primarily grow during the winter months, focusing on fresh-market production…
Don Wagner on Restoring Integrity, Water, and Common Sense to California
…country.” He described how both Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom—“two Bay Area liberals,” as he put it—have sidelined farming in state policy. “Farming isn’t even on their radar,” Wagner said….