…pushing hard for improvements to water storage and infrastructure. “If we lose Prop 50,” Duarte warned, “the Central Valley will have only minimal representation from people like Vince Fong in…
Shannon Douglas: Leading California Agriculture Through Opportunity and Challenge
…fuel. Entire communities rely on farms as their economic driver.” When farms close, small towns feel the impact first—local businesses shrink, jobs disappear, and rural infrastructure suffers. What the California…
Illinois River History: Gateway to Agriculture and Trade
…Grafton, Illinois. Illinois River History: Gateway to Agriculture and Trade Importance to Native Americans and Early Trade Before modern infrastructure, waterways were the lifeblood of transportation and trade. For Native…
California Trucking: Costs, Rules & Roadblocks
…boxes, bins—there’s no infrastructure to support electric trucks in those conditions.” Even if the infrastructure existed, the costs are staggering. Electric trucks run $450,000 each, weigh up to 10,000 pounds…
California Farmers Face Policy, Energy, and Innovation Challenges
…for electric 18-wheelers. Kerr points out that these vehicles are far too expensive, charging infrastructure is insufficient, and the risks—including fire hazards—are often overlooked. Her experience with Advanced Air Mobility…
Freight Crisis, Regulations, and the Future of Trucking in California
…the demands of hauling irrigation pipe, bins, and other farm essentials into the field. With limited charging infrastructure and heavy batteries reducing payload, he argued that California’s push toward all-electric…
The Origins of Conveyor Grain Elevators in 19th Century America
…and capacity of grain storage and transport, Joseph Dart’s innovation helped shape the nation’s grain trade and laid the groundwork for modern agricultural infrastructure. Sponsored Content CIR Agriculture Harvester Products…
Edward Ring Brings Water Solutions to the AgNet News Hour
…pointing out that California received $7 billion from a past water bond yet failed to build meaningful infrastructure. He believes federal investment, combined with private-sector innovation from Silicon Valley, could…
California’s Water Crisis: Edward Ring Calls for Abundance Over Scarcity
…Hetchy and still meet its water needs. But this requires more than incremental projects—it demands large-scale infrastructure built with urgency and political will. The Cost of Water Infrastructure: A Manageable…
Innovation, Water, and Politics Take Center Stage in California Ag
…business. He made water his top campaign issue, calling California’s shortages a “manmade problem” caused by poor storage and infrastructure. Zacky argued the state must invest in reservoirs, desalinization, and…
Fighting for California Agriculture and Values: David Tangipa on Water, Farmers, and Policy
…how gross it is.” He also criticized the prioritization of projects like the high-speed rail over critical water infrastructure. “All that money…could have gone to the water and storage in…
California Ag Battles: Water, Solar, and Farmland Futures
…Hour, hosts Nick Papagni and Lorrie Boyer broke down some of the most pressing challenges farmers are up against, from stalled water infrastructure to the growing debate over solar development…
Melissa Oberti on Grapes, Almonds, and Water Challenges
…A Critical Challenge for Central Valley Agriculture Melissa and host Nick Papagni discuss California’s ongoing water crisis. Despite a 2014 water bond approved by voters, key water infrastructure projects, such…
Joe Del Bosque: Water, Labor, and the Fight for California Farming
…allocations—even during wet years. Despite public approval of new storage projects, political delays have kept critical water infrastructure from moving forward, leaving farmers to shoulder the burden. Urban Politics and…