…commercial-scale agriculture both feasible and attractive. The Missouri River’s Prime Farmland At the time, the most desirable agricultural lands were located along the Missouri River. These fertile bottomlands offered rich…
Stephanie Moreda-Arend Warns Point Reyes Dairy Families Are Being Forced Off Generational Land
…Stephanie Moreda-Arend, a fifth-generation dairy farmer from the Point Reyes–Petaluma area. Her message was clear: small, organic dairy families are being pushed off historic land, and California agriculture cannot afford…
California Agriculture’s Champions: John Duarte on Leadership, Policy & the Future
…engagement has never been more important. A Changing Political Landscape for Agriculture One of the key themes of the discussion was leadership. California agriculture is losing some longtime champions in…
Edward Ring Says Energy Abundance Could Transform California’s Water and Agriculture Future
…that reducing logging from historic levels has contributed to catastrophic wildfires and overgrown forests. Strategic thinning and responsible land management, he said, could improve forest health and potentially increase runoff…
John Duarte Lays Out a Blueprint for Water Abundance as World Ag Expo Hits Full Swing
…the land. 🎙️ AgNet News Hour – AgNet West 🌐 Website: agnetwest.com 📱 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms 📲 Follow on social media:…
How 19th-Century Technology Transformed Corn and Wheat Farming
…By 1890, producing 100 bushels of wheat required approximately 40 to 50 labor hours and typically involved about 5 acres of land. Although wheat still demanded more land than corn…
Michigan’s Early Path to Statehood: From the Northwest Territory to Michigan Territory
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute, and the history of the state of Michigan is an interesting one. Long before Michigan became a state, its land passed…
California Walnuts Poised for Growth as Global Markets Align
…expected to stabilize as growers navigate rising costs, water constraints, and land availability. Input costs have surged sharply since COVID, making alignment between supply and demand more critical than ever….
Richard Kreps Says Pistachios, Water, and Common Sense Must Lead California Forward
…forces growers to fallow land, rely on groundwater, or abandon opportunities — all while still paying for water they never receive. From an agronomic perspective, Kreps urged pistachio growers to…
John Holmes and the Birth of Agricultural Education
…agricultural colleges and land-grant universities nationwide. A Lasting Agricultural Legacy John Holmes’s vision helped bridge the gap between traditional farming and scientific study. By championing agricultural education, he ensured that…
Early Innovations That Transformed American Agriculture
…tools offered greater consistency, reliability, and efficiency, allowing farmers to work more land with fewer laborers. This transition significantly increased productivity and encouraged the growth of commercial farming. Breakthrough Innovations…
When American Farming Shifted From Hand Power to Horsepower
…corn, requiring 2½ to 3 acres of land. Most of this work depended on hand tools and basic animal assistance, making farming both time-consuming and physically demanding. A Transformational Era:…
Rick Roberti Calls on Californians to Get Involved as Cattle Industry Faces a Crossroads
…of the episode was land conversion. Roberti said thousands of acres of productive farmland are lost every year to housing and development, and once land is paved over, it never comes…
Rick Roberti California Cattle Threats: Wolves, Water, and Workforce
…of mountain grazing areas entirely, making it impossible to sustain operations that have relied on that land for generations. That decision ripples outward — reducing county revenue, increasing wildfire risk…