…Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation, said the initiative addresses a long-standing challenge for the livestock industry: ensuring smaller processing facilities have the resources they need to remain…
California Walnuts Eye Strong 2026 After Global Success
…California Continues to Lead the World California produces approximately 99% of all U.S. walnuts, with production stretching from Bakersfield through the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, and north toward Redding….
California Walnut Industry Looks Ahead to Strong Export Opportunities
…into the new season. California remains the dominant producer of walnuts in the United States, accounting for approximately 99% of the nation’s commercial walnut production. The industry includes roughly 3,700…
USDA Launches FIELDS Program to Expand Domestic Fertilizer Production
Tractor spray fertilize with insecticide herbicide chemicals in agriculture field. Image by alisbalb2/DepositPhotos The new FIELDS program is designed to strengthen America’s fertilizer supply chain by increasing domestic production and…
Early Harvest Raises Questions About Organic Stone Fruit Supply
…reshape production timelines for specialty crops. Growers and shippers will continue evaluating crop movement in the coming weeks as they work to balance harvest timing with market demand. Hear more…
How Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin Revolutionized American Agriculture
…but cleaning the harvested cotton by hand was incredibly slow and labor-intensive. Separating cotton fibers from their sticky seeds required countless hours of painstaking manual work, making large-scale cotton production…
Fresh Fruit Prices Expected to Remain Stable Despite Lower Farm Prices
…pricing environment despite fluctuations in production costs and seasonal supplies. For retailers, stable pricing may help maintain steady consumer demand for fresh fruit while supporting continued sales throughout the year….
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,…
California Commercial Fishing at a Crossroads: Lori French Shares the Challenges Facing Morro Bay’s Fleet
…food production, or California’s coastal economy, this conversation between “The Ag Meter” Nick Papagni and Lori French is well worth listening to in its entirety. Contact Lori French Lori French…
John Deere’s Steel Plow Revolutionized American Farming
…patented steel plow helped transform American agriculture during one of the nation’s most important periods of expansion. His innovation enabled farmers to increase productivity, improve crop production, and establish successful…
Kern Oil Documentary Explores California’s Energy Future
…no one’s told… until now. KERN OIL is a raw and powerful documentary about the fight to keep California’s energy production local — and the human cost of policies that…
Rickey Bird Says California Should Produce More of Its Own Oil
…on energy production for stable employment and local business activity. Bird also challenged the perception that importing foreign oil provides environmental benefits. He argued California’s oil producers operate under some…
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…
USDA’s Fordyce Highlights SPUR Initiative, Screwworm Fight, and Historic Farm Support
During an interview with “The Ag Meter” Nick Papagni, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce provided an in-depth update on several major initiatives shaping American agriculture. From…