…old granary. Image by veloliza/DepositPhotos Surplus Grain Sparks Innovation In the mid-1800s, America’s agricultural landscape was changing rapidly. As grain production soared, farmers across the Midwest began facing an unexpected…
Van Groningen & Sons: A Century of California Farming
…The area’s moderate climate allows them to extend watermelon production through October. “We usually start in mid-June, while growers farther south begin in late May,” Bryan explained. “The advantage we…
How Ralston Purina Revolutionized American Agriculture
…By the 1880s and 1890s, attention shifted toward improving animal production and enhancing meat quality. This era of innovation marked a pivotal moment when farmers and entrepreneurs alike began to…
How Wheat Transformed Mid-Atlantic Farming Before the American Revolution
…international demand for wheat. Colonists quickly recognized the crop’s profitability and shifted their focus toward wheat cultivation. Fields expanded, and production methods became more efficient, transforming local farms into key…
How Immigrant Farmers Shaped Early American Agriculture
…blended crop cultivation with a strong tradition of herding cattle and sheep. Their experience managing grazing animals brought valuable livestock skills to the colonies. This balance between crop production and…
Nat DiBuduo: Politics, Water & California Farming
…regulations, which cost money, and with the cost of labor in California, which affects your bottom line,” he said. “It’s almost cost-prohibitive to farm without having higher production,” he added….
Ethnic Roots of American Agriculture: How Immigrants Shaped U.S. Farming
…factories or workshops. These workers frequently came from backgrounds in agriculture or textiles. Merchants purchased wool and flax from farm families, creating a direct connection between farm production and early…
Karen Ross on Water, Workforce, and the Future of California Agriculture
…innovation to water storage and the future of food production in the Golden State. “It is a beautiful day at a beautiful campus,” Ross said, praising Reedley College for its…
Karen Ross Talks Water, Regulation, and Prop 50 Silence on AgNet News Hour
…those initiatives are key to keeping workers employed as agriculture transitions toward more technology-driven production. “We want to make sure we leave no one behind in making those transitions,” Ross…
How Railroads Transformed American Agriculture
…production, diversified crops, and fueled the growth of agribusiness across the country. Railroads also helped populate the Midwest and West, enabling settlers to move equipment, building materials, and goods needed…
How the Smith-Lever Act Created 4-H and Transformed Rural America
…directly. The Cooperative Extension Service helped rural families improve crop production, livestock health, and household management. It bridged the gap between university research and on-the-ground application, giving farmers the tools…
David Tangipa: Fighting for California Farmers and Rejecting Proposition 50
…dependent on imports from Singapore when local refineries falter. “That’s how fragile this system is,” Tangipa said. “Federal production is bailing California out right now.” Generational Burdens and the Price…
Why Prop 50 Threatens Rural Representation: California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass
…Economic Stakes: Agriculture’s $60 Billion Role California agriculture is not only a cultural cornerstone but also a massive economic engine. “We have just over $60 billion in agricultural production here…
California’s Water Puzzle: Insights from Avid Water’s Cory Broad
…Agriculture Papagni noted that federal attention on water storage projects could bring long-awaited progress, and Broad agreed, calling agriculture a matter of national security. “We can’t outsource our ag production—you…