…waste that costs money to remove from the farm and turning it into value.” Ross also sees opportunity in a growing national dialogue around nutrition. “We’ve never seen this much…
How Railroads Transformed American Agriculture
…communities to urban centers and ports. Farmers could now ship crops, livestock, and other products more quickly and reliably than ever before. This access to national and international markets encouraged…
Elaine Culotti: Fighting for California’s Farmers and Future
…to many as the “Fresno Undercover Billionaire” and “The Lipstick Farmer.” From her Fallbrook farm to national television, Culotti has emerged as a bold voice for California agriculture and a…
Elaine Culotti, the “Lipstick Farmer,” Warns Farmers on Prop 50 and California’s Mismanagement
…Papagni and Josh McGill welcomed her back for a wide-ranging conversation on politics, farming, and California’s future. Culotti, who farms in Fallbrook, has become a national voice on agricultural and…
How the Smith-Lever Act Created 4-H and Transformed Rural America
…and leadership among the next generation of farmers and rural citizens. The Birth of the 4-H Movement From these early youth programs, the National 4-H Organization was born. Representing the…
David Tangipa: Fighting for California Farmers and Rejecting Proposition 50
…a gallon is because federal policy is increasing the national supply.” Yet California’s insistence on its own special fuel blend — a formula produced almost nowhere else — makes it…
Shannon Douglass Doubles Down on Prop 50 Opposition
…reminding listeners that California agriculture is a $60 billion industry that sustains jobs from the farm to the ports. “Food security is national security,” McGill added, noting that farmers cannot…
California’s Water Puzzle: Insights from Avid Water’s Cory Broad
…of California, and the Irrigation Association, a national body representing irrigated agriculture across the U.S. Through these organizations, he advocates for practical water policies and farmer-driven innovation. “We go to…
California Raisin Leaders on Trade, Water & Future
…Turkey. The Retail Pressure Point Mark McCormick, CEO of National Raisins, underscored the central challenge of balancing grower sustainability with retailer demands. National Raisins, which holds about 85% of the…
Raisin Industry Legends Warn of Challenges and Chart a Path Forward
…icons of the raisin world: Kalem Barsarian, longtime president of the Raisin Bargaining Association, Dwayne Cardoza, current vice chairman of the RBA, and Mark McCormick, CEO of National Raisins. Barsarian…
Kevin Kester on Ranching, Trade, and Ag’s Next Generation
…environment for ranching families like the Kester’s. The Struggles of Ranching in California Kevin Kester Kester, who served as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), openly acknowledges the…
Kevin Kester on Cattle, Wolves, and the Fight to Keep Family Ranches Alive
The October 1 edition of the AgNet News Hour featured a wide-ranging conversation with Kevin Kester, a fifth-generation rancher from Parkfield, California, and former president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef…
Shannon Douglas: Leading California Agriculture Through Opportunity and Challenge
…international competition grows fiercer. Regulatory compliance costs alone have increased by 1,400% in the past 15 years, according to Farm Bureau data. Many family farms, particularly small and mid-sized operations,…
Lorenzo Rios: Valley Strong Vision for California
…the Balkans, and later taught as a professor of international relations at West Point. Upon retiring from the military, Rios became CEO of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District, where he…