…serve as president of the California Farm Bureau, said she has enjoyed her first years leading the organization. She farms in Glenn County, where her operation includes beef cattle, walnuts…
John Duarte Discusses California Water, Agriculture and Policy
…communities. He says California needs a strategy that provides abundant surface water for both farms and communities. Another major topic is Proposition 1 and California’s investment in water infrastructure. Duarte…
From Plymouth to Plantation Agriculture: The Early Crops and Trade That Shaped American Agriculture
…many early settlers, agriculture was initially focused on producing enough food for themselves and their families. They generally consumed what they grew, making their farms largely oriented toward subsistence. Over…
Rick Roberti: California Cattle Industry Faces Major Challenges
…generation involved is important not only for individual farms and ranches but also for rural communities that depend on agriculture. Roberti said producers must find ways to make agriculture economically…
Joseph Dart and the Birth of the Grain Elevator
How Buffalo Helped Transform the Grain Trade The movement of grain from farms to markets has always depended on transportation and efficient handling systems. In the early 1840s, a major…
California Agriculture at a Crossroads: Labor, Immigration, Water and Regulation
…would take years rather than months. He argued that policymakers must consider the cumulative impact of regulations, water policy, labor costs and other requirements on the farms responsible for feeding…
California Agriculture Under Pressure: Manuel Cunha on Labor, Water and Regulation
…freight and regulatory costs. For Cunha, solving agricultural labor is essential to keeping farms operating and ensuring that food continues to reach consumers. The interview also explores what Cunha considers…
California Agriculture Faces Growing Pressure on Labor, Water and Regulations
…and make it increasingly difficult for family farms to remain viable. Water was another central concern. Cunha said California must address its groundwater crisis while also developing additional water storage…
Edward Ring: California Water Crisis Demands Action
…located. For California’s agricultural towns, losing farms could therefore mean losing an entire economic ecosystem. Ring Says California Needs a Different Approach Ring believes California’s political and regulatory systems have…
Peeling Back the Layers of Onions
…Peri & Sons Farms and a fourth-generation farmer, takes us behind the scenes of how onions are grown, harvested, cured and brought to grocery store shelves. She also shares her…
Edward Ring Outlines a Water Plan for California Agriculture
…California water, laying out the combination of projects he believes could substantially increase supplies for farms, communities and cities. Ring began with one of the issues discussed in Part 1:…
California Pilot Finds New Market for Surplus Strawberries
…and other highly perishable specialty crops, improving the connection between farms and alternative buyers could provide another avenue for fruit that might otherwise have limited market value. Listen to the…
Young Farmer Dolce Calandra Carries Family Legacy Forward
…before moving into the packing-house side of the business. Today, the Calandra operation farms about 800 acres of owned and leased ground, extending through the Kingsburg area toward Reedley and…
Danny Bernstein: Ag Tech Could Help Save California Farms
…technology can help change that trajectory. The CEO and managing partner of The Reservoir and Reservoir Farms recently joined Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter”, for a wide-ranging discussion about agricultural…