…to incorporate walnuts into appetizers, entrees, sauces, breakfast items, and countless other menu offerings. Family Farms Remain the Heart of the Industry California’s walnut industry is built upon generations of…
Midwest Barns Grew Alongside America’s Expanding Family Farms
…in the late-18th and early-20th centuries Library of Congress image Early Midwest Farms Evolved Beyond Survival As settlers established permanent farms across the American Midwest during the 1850s and 1860s,…
New Bill Aims to Address Agriculture’s Ongoing Labor Shortage
…has become increasingly important as farms continue facing rising production costs, labor shortages, and growing demand for domestic food production. While the bill must still move through the legislative process,…
John Deere’s Steel Plow Revolutionized American Farming
…farms across the Midwest. Nearly two centuries later, John Deere remains synonymous with agricultural innovation, but it all began with a simple yet revolutionary solution to one of farming’s greatest…
Farm Bureau Pushes Congress to Act on Labor and Farm Bill Priorities
…emphasized that labor represents one of the largest production costs for many farms, making wage predictability critical for long-term planning. “This is the first time during my tenure at Farm…
How Early American Farmers Drove Westward Expansion
…America’s rivers. Steamboat technology allowed farmers to move crops, livestock, and supplies more efficiently than ever before. Rivers became critical transportation corridors, connecting frontier farms with growing markets and population…
Daniel Holliday’s Windmill Revolutionized American Agriculture
…before modern engines and electricity transformed rural life. However, one innovation in the mid-19th century dramatically improved the efficiency and practicality of wind-powered equipment on American farms. In 1854, American…
The Water It Takes To Grow Your Food
…the most important and misunderstood topics in agriculture: water. From where California’s water comes from and how it reaches farms to the technologies helping growers use it more efficiently, Michelle…
From Chilled Plows to Tractors: The Legacy of Oliver Farm Equipment
…Icon For decades, Oliver tractors remained a familiar sight on farms across the United States. Known for their dependable performance and distinctive green paint, Oliver machines helped generations of farmers…
James Oliver’s Chilled Plow Revolutionized Agriculture Worldwide
…a factory near South Bend, Indiana, to farms across North America and Europe, Oliver’s innovation left a lasting mark on agricultural history. His work laid the foundation for a family…
George Washington Carver: The Innovator Who Helped Transform Southern Agriculture
…left many farms vulnerable to declining yields and economic hardship. As farmers searched for alternatives, crops such as peanuts, sweet potatoes, and soybeans began appearing across the region. While these…
Michael Kelly and the Forgotten Story of Barbed Wire
…fencing expensive and impractical. As a result, livestock often wandered away from farms and ranches. Predators also posed a constant threat, leading to losses that could severely impact a family’s…
Crops That Shaped Early America: How Native and European Agriculture Built a Nation
…European settlers established farms and communities, Native Americans introduced them to several important crops that would become staples of American agriculture. Among these were: Sweet potatoes Tomatoes Pumpkins Peanuts Tobacco…
Daniel Jackson on Family Tree Farms, Blueberries, Water, and California Agriculture’s Future
Nearly a Century of Farming Excellence Meets Modern Agricultural Challenges Daniel Jackson President of Family Tree Farms When it comes to California tree fruit and blueberries, few voices carry as…