…cotton fibers from seeds, it made large-scale cotton production far more efficient and profitable. Cotton soon became the South’s leading export crop, earning it the nickname “King Cotton.” However, this…
The Rise of Plantation Agriculture in Early America
…sustain a growing and diverse rural population. The Cotton Revolution After 1800 Following 1800, the discovery of new cotton varieties and the invention of the cotton gin transformed the Southern…
From Barley to Cotton: How America’s Early Crops Shaped Agriculture
…social and political history of the growing nation. Cotton: The Crop That Changed Everything By the early 19th century, cotton had risen to dominance as a major plantation crop. Its…
Farming the Frontier: How Early Settlers Built America
…couldn’t be produced on the homestead, such as sugar, coffee, thread, and cotton cloth. Growth, Profit, and Taxes When goods were sold rather than traded, the income often went toward…
California’s Water Puzzle: Insights from Avid Water’s Cory Broad
…it’s been used in row crops like cotton, corn, tomatoes, and melons—but now we’re exploring its long-term potential for orchards. If we can make buried drip efficient and durable for…
Fighting for California Agriculture and Values: David Tangipa on Water, Farmers, and Policy
…advocacy. He noted the decline in California’s cotton industry as an example of legislative impact on agriculture: “In 2006, there were over 200 cotton ginners in the state…we are down…
Farming for the Future: Jake Barcellos and A-Bar Ag Enterprises
…Stability Jake Barcellos At A-Bar Ag, diversification is key. The farm produces multiple tree and row crops including: Almonds and pistachios Pomegranates and olives (for oil) Pima cotton, processing tomatoes,…
Roger Isom on California Farming Challenges in 2025
…nation’s leading cotton-producing region, water cutbacks reduced the number of cotton gins from 26 in 2005 to just six by 2009. An estimated 10,000 jobs were lost in cotton alone….
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…
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…
Cotton Acreage Drops Significantly Across the Belt
Cotton Acreage Drops Significantly Across the Belt The U.S. cotton industry is experiencing a notable reduction in planted acreage in 2025, with declines ranging from 25% to 30% in various…
EPA Region 9 Administrator Meets with Ag Leaders on Air Quality
…Meets with Ag Leaders on Air Quality Meeting Hosted by Key Agricultural Associations The meeting was co-hosted by the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and the Western Agricultural Processors…
U.S.-Indonesia Trade Deal Boosts Agriculture and Energy Exports
…and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) are likely to benefit directly. While exact figures haven’t been disclosed, soybean, corn, and cotton exports are also expected to grow under the new trade…