…runoff annually. Beyond forestry, California has untapped natural resources: lithium for EV batteries, quarrying, and asphalt production. Local production could reduce reliance on countries with poor labor and environmental standards,…
Jamie Johansson: A Farmer Running to Fix California
…law’s cumulative impact on cost of living and farming viability. On his own farm, he manages 17 to 19 separate permits. He argues that rising regulatory costs push production out…
Carbon Robotics Brings Laser Weeding and Autonomous Tractors to Center Stage
…farming problems — specifically herbicide resistance, rising labor costs, and environmental concerns. The LaserWeeder uses AI-powered cameras and high-precision lasers to identify and eliminate weeds without chemicals. According to Mikesell,…
Bee Season in Full Swing, Highlighting Pollination Urgency for Almond Growers
…without bees, there is no almond crop. As Papagni put it, water, labor, freight, and regulations matter — but without healthy hives in the orchard right now, nothing else counts….
California Agriculture’s Champions: John Duarte on Leadership, Policy & the Future
Screenshot California agriculture is at a pivotal moment. From water regulations and labor challenges to shifting political leadership in Sacramento, farmers and ranchers across the state are facing unprecedented uncertainty….
Fertigation vs. Foliar Sprays: Choosing the Right Nutrition Strategy
…is typically more cost-effective. By adding compatible nutrients to the spray tank, growers can address deficiencies without increasing labor or equipment costs. Fertigation, on the other hand, remains a primary…
Record Pistachio Crop, Global Demand, and California’s Water Reality
…by both convenience and confidence in California farming practices. Water Allocations and the Cost of Uncertainty The conversation turned blunt when discussing California water policy. Despite above-average reservoirs after multiple…
John Duarte Lays Out a Blueprint for Water Abundance as World Ag Expo Hits Full Swing
…Duarte said a roughly 50-mile extension could move millions of acre-feet of water south of the Delta each year at a cost far lower than most proposed storage projects. “These…
How 19th-Century Technology Transformed Corn and Wheat Farming
Labor, Land, and Innovation: How 19th-Century Farming Became More Efficient American agriculture in the 19th century underwent a profound transformation as new tools and techniques reshaped how crops were planted,…
California Walnuts Gain Momentum as Robert Verloop Sees a Turning Point for Growers
…plant-based nutrition. On the production side, Verloop said California has about 380,000 producing acres of walnuts, with acreage beginning to stabilize after recent declines. Rising input costs, labor challenges, and…
Early Innovations That Transformed American Agriculture
…and varied widely in quality and effectiveness. Farming during this period was labor-intensive, limited in scale, and largely focused on meeting immediate needs rather than producing surplus for broader markets….
Zone-Based Nutrition Helps Tree Crop Growers Fine-Tune Fertility Programs
As California growers look for ways to improve efficiency and manage input costs, zone-based nutrition is becoming an increasingly valuable tool in permanent crops. In today’s Agronomic Minute, Dylan Rogers,…
When American Farming Shifted From Hand Power to Horsepower
From Hand Labor to Heavy Work: Early American Farming Agricultural production in the United States continued to expand in the early 1800s, but farming remained an intensely labor-driven endeavor. Despite…
Rick Roberti Calls on Californians to Get Involved as Cattle Industry Faces a Crossroads
…requiring constant care, daily labor, and long-term financial risk. “You don’t just flip a switch,” Roberti said. “Every animal represents years of work before it ever reaches a plate.” Despite…