…past. The barn stands as a lasting reminder of the ingenuity, labor, and vision that shaped farming communities across the heartland. Preserving America’s Agricultural Legacy Today, the Cooper Barn continues…
Corn Shelling Bees: How Community and Early Technology Shaped American Agriculture
…kernels from the cob—proved to be one of the most demanding tasks for farm families. The Labor-Intensive Process of Hand Shelling For generations, shelling corn was done almost entirely by…
Milk Is Back: Health Benefits, Kids, and California Dairy
…whole milk leading the resurgence. Shoppers are prioritizing foods that are high in protein, affordable, and minimally processed. Milk and dairy foods provide high-quality protein at a lower cost per…
AI, Robotics, and Innovation in California Agriculture – AgNet News Hour Christmas Special
…Sharpshooter system delivers fertilizers, herbicides, and pollen with millimeter-level precision, helping growers cut labor costs by up to 85% while increasing yields. Shannon Douglass, President of the California Farm Bureau,…
Corn Shelling Bees: How Early Americans Processed Corn by Hand
…farming. It is a reminder of how agriculture once relied heavily on cooperation, physical labor, and shared traditions—and how innovation gradually reshaped the rural landscape. Corn’s journey from hand labor…
National Corn Husking Association: Preserving the Tradition of Hand-Harvested Corn
…the United States. Before modern machinery, families relied on hand-harvesting techniques to gather one of the nation’s most important crops. This labor-intensive process required not only endurance and speed but…
Alexandra Duarte Talks Water, Agriculture, and Rural California in State Senate District 4 Race
…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…