Gill’s mealybug has become an increasing concern for California pistachio growers, with the potential to impact both yield and crop quality if left unmanaged. Todd Burkdoll, Field Market Development Manager…
Todd Burkdoll Highlights Tools for Ants, Plant Bugs, and Weed Control
California growers face a wide range of pest and weed challenges each season, and having the right tools in place can make a significant difference in protecting yield and crop…
From Failed Crops to the Wheat State: Early Kansas Agriculture
…or from their home countries, hoping to recreate the crops and farming systems they already knew. Many of these early settlers planted corn, which was a familiar staple crop throughout…
Inside Agriculture’s Turning Point: Mike Johanns on Policy, Profitability, and the Future
…Row crop producers are battling tight margins as input costs continue to climb, often offsetting any gains in commodity prices. Meanwhile, specialty sectors like California’s wine industry are facing serious…
Fire Ant Control and Farm Policy Take Center Stage; Mike Johanns Shares Insight for Growers
…while many growers rely on spot treatments, the most effective control comes from broadcast applications that cover entire orchard floors. This method helps eliminate colonies more thoroughly, protecting both yields…
Broadcast Applications Improve Fire Ant Control in Almond Orchards
Fire ants remain a persistent challenge for California almond growers, impacting both crop quality and worker safety. John Mays, Senior Director of Specialty Agriculture with Central Life Sciences, says choosing…
Mike Johanns Talks Farm Profitability, Policy, and the Future of California Agriculture
…wine, where demand has shifted in recent years. Beyond market challenges, Johanns highlighted the importance of recognizing the work farmers are already doing to innovate. From improving crop practices to…
Early American Farmers and the Cycle of Moving West
…strong harvests without much effort. But over time, that natural fertility began to decline. Without crop rotation, soil conservation, or other practices that modern farmers now consider essential, the productivity…
From Water Challenges to Agave Innovation: The Woolf Farming Story
…fall behind. The Woolf family has chosen to adapt—constantly pushing boundaries and exploring new opportunities. Diversification and the Reality of Water Scarcity Woolf Farming produces a wide range of crops,…
Agave Opportunity Grows in California; Wolf Family Pushes Innovation Amid Water Challenges
…limited water allocations—currently around 15 percent. That uncertainty is forcing farmers to rethink how they use their land and what crops can realistically be sustained in the future. For Stuart…
The Hard Lessons of the Great Plains: Early Settler Struggles
…farmers. Settlers faced extreme weather conditions, including tornadoes, blizzards, droughts, hailstorms, and floods. To make matters worse, swarms of grasshoppers regularly swept through crops, devastating entire harvests. These natural hardships…
Agave Innovation on the West Side; Stuart Wolf and Family Look Toward Farming’s Future
…explained that early allocation decisions are critical because farmers must plan crops, financing, and planting schedules months in advance. One potential solution gaining attention is agave, a desert crop traditionally…
The Homestead Act: How Free Land Transformed North American Agriculture
…heavily on crop production and livestock agriculture. Railroads Help Drive Settlement While federal land programs encouraged settlement, the rapid expansion of railroads also played a major role in bringing farmers…
The Rise of Open Range Ranching on the Great Plains
…cattle were loaded onto railcars and shipped east to growing urban markets where demand for beef was rapidly increasing. The cattle drives themselves could cover hundreds of miles and take…