…why agriculture must have a stronger voice in Sacramento. In a wide-ranging conversation, Duarte outlined her priorities on water, infrastructure, cost of living, and the future of farming in one…
California Farm Bureau 107th Annual Meeting: Highlights, Advocacy Wins, and Preparing the Next Generation
…the industry. Advocacy Wins and Challenges in 2025 Despite high input costs and volatile commodity prices, 2025 saw significant advocacy successes: Livestock Composting Bill (SB 279): Co-sponsored with the California…
California Agriculture & High-Speed Rail: Elaine Culotti on AgNet News Hour
…by PACs or special interests. She calls for leaders who offer practical solutions, including better management of labor, water, and infrastructure. Culotti also urges professionals with expertise in law, education,…
AgNet News Hour: Alexandra Duarte on California Agriculture, Water Policy, and the Future of Farming
…local business owners: high costs of water and energy, staffing shortages, and limited rural resources. Duarte argues that California doesn’t have a water shortage, but rather a “Sacramento problem”, and…
How Weather Shaped Early American Agriculture
…use, labor systems, and trade relationships both domestically and internationally. By the late 1850s, the South had achieved total dominance in cotton production, producing 100 percent of the 374 million…
How Hay Baling Began: The First Hay Presses and Early Innovations
…to reshape how farmers stored and transported one of their most essential commodities. The earliest hay presses brought new levels of efficiency, reducing labor demands and making it possible to…
Todd Burkdoll of Valent USA on Coverage, Technology, and the Future of California Agriculture
…determines efficacy. In today’s high-cost farming environment, Burkdoll said, growers cannot afford inefficiency. Labor, fuel, water, equipment wear, and crop protection inputs have all risen sharply. If a product does…
The Future of California Farming: Insights from Nick Foglio of Foglio Commodities
…parts of the interview was Foglio’s discussion of trucking economics: Freight that cost $100–$110/ton in 2020 now moves for $60–$70/ton. Meanwhile, equipment, insurance, and labor costs have all climbed. Operators…
Navigating Agriculture’s Crossroads: Insights from Nick Foglio
…Labor, Automation, and Rising Costs Labor remains a top pressure point. With California’s minimum wage increasing, more farms are turning to automation and mechanization. But Folio warns that growers must…
John Deere on Organic Farming, Automation & the Future of Agriculture
…Technology for Agricultural Efficiency Christensen highlighted the rapid adoption of technology in farming. Rising costs for chemicals, fertilizer, and labor are driving growers to leverage tools for precision farming and…
California Agriculture: Water, Crop Markets & 2025 Outlook
…transforming into a more efficient and sustainable system. In segment three, Greg Christensen analyzed current crop markets, noting continued pressure from high production costs, shifting global demand, and supply chain…
A Conversation with Nicholas “Nick” Karavidas: A Winemaker’s Journey and Today’s Global Wine Challenges
…and bottling These tools reduce costs and increase competitiveness without eliminating jobs; instead, they create higher-skill positions. The Next Phase for Vineyards and Wineries California may have removed up to…
Inside Today’s Wine Market: A Deep-Dive Conversation with Veteran Winemaker Nick Karavidas
…costs Lower production costs Easier global export models California, meanwhile, pays: Higher wages Higher regulatory costs More expensive production inputs Karavidas’s solution: Rapid mechanization and automation over the next 3–5…
The Future of California Agriculture: Water, Utilities, and Advocacy Insights from Roger Isom
…of California Agriculture: Water, Utilities, and Advocacy Insights from Roger Isom Affordability and Cost of Living Energy, housing, and food costs are impacting not just farmers but everyday Californians. Constituents…