…a time when home gardens were common, fostering connection to food production. Today, a generational detachment makes building public support for agriculture harder. “Until things change, a lot of people…
Freight, Labor, and Water: Roger Isom Unpacks the Big Challenges
…the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association. From labor policy to freight and water infrastructure, Isom doesn’t hold back in explaining what’s holding California agriculture back and what might just…
California’s Half-Billion Dollar Rodent Crisis: A Looming Threat to Tree Nut Growers
…Isom, CEO of both the Western Agricultural Processors Association and the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association. He weighs in on California’s regulatory pressure, labor costs, and the breaking point…
Discover the Edge: Managing Tree Fruit Harvest in the Heat
…ripening, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways. Learn how blocking ethylene production can be a game-changer during stressful growing conditions and why, even with smaller fruit sizes in some…
California Freight Industry Crisis: Trucking Leader Speaks Out on Rising Costs and Regulations
…almond, and citrus production. “You can grow the best peaches and plums, but if you can’t get them to market, what’s the point?” Wood said. Arizona: A Brief Respite from…
Cyrus McCormick and the Reaper Revolution
…and Farmer Uncertainty Faced with an uncertain future, McCormick made the bold decision to delay mass production for eight years. Even after production began, many of the machines he sold…
Almond Crop Surprise: Growers Navigate Higher Yields, Market Strategy
…Toor, owner of Valley Pride Ag Company, the industry’s early estimates significantly underestimated the actual production levels, leading to new considerations for marketing and export strategy. Report by Lorrie Boyer…
USDA Pays Millions to California Dairies Amid Bird Flu Milk Losses
…2024. The virus has infected cattle and caused severe declines in milk production across the region. Report by Lorrie Boyer for AgNet West: USDA Pays Millions to California Dairies Amid…
USDA July Cattle Report Reveals Continued Decline in Herd Size
…July report. The consistent declines across multiple weight classes suggest that the overall supply of cattle is tight, which has direct implications for beef production levels. Market Implications With overall…
Lawnmower Origins in Agriculture History
…the rich history of agricultural innovation, names like Cyrus McCormick (mechanical reaper), John Deere (steel plow), and Eli Whitney (cotton gin) are firmly etched into the collective memory. These inventors…
California Almonds & Walnuts: Sonny Toor on Markets, Tariffs, Grower Strategy
…long-term sustainability in their purchasing decisions. Global Demand Still Strong, But Tariffs Remain a Concern With 70% of California almond and walnut production destined for export, international trade relationships are…
AgNet News Hour Tuesday, 07-29-25
…American food safety and production systems. Also making waves: a major trade agreement with the European Union. With 15% tariffs still in place on European imports and zero tariffs on…
Bonsai Robotics Acquires farm-ng in AgTech Merger
…production of their VisionSteer platform and expand the reach of their autonomous technology. farm-ng’s Amiga: Modular Robots for Smaller Farms Farm-ng brings deep expertise in hardware engineering, computing systems, and…
Red Meat Production Slips in June as Beef Output Declines
…1,408 pounds. This partial offset helped moderate the overall decline in beef production. Pork Production Inches Up Despite Lighter Hog Weights In contrast to the beef sector, pork production saw…