…agricultural workers while ensuring accountability and legal pathways for employment. Water policy, regulatory burdens, and the widening gap between production costs and farm income are also highlighted as critical challenges,…
George Zhuang on Raisins, Innovation, and Fresno Grapes
George Zhuang Fresno County Viticulture Advisor A New Year and Renewed Optimism for Grapes As California’s grape industry faces ongoing economic and labor pressures, cautious optimism is beginning to surface….
California Raisins & Grape Innovation: AgNet News Hour Highlights
…Advocacy, Policy, and Consumer Awareness The show addressed broader agricultural challenges, including water shortages in the Westland’s Water District, labor pressures from rising minimum wages, and global competition in raisin…
Food Dyes, Fraud, and the Future of Agriculture in 2026
…priorities. The episode closed with discussion on livestock trucking regulations, water storage challenges after another strong snowpack year, and the need for common-sense infrastructure solutions to support farmers. Throughout the…
California Water Solutions: Inside Turlock Irrigation District
…Josh Weimer Founded in 1887, Turlock Irrigation District is the oldest irrigation district in California. Today, it delivers surface water to roughly 150,000 acres, serving about 4,700 growers—many of them…
AgNet News Hour Podcast: Water, Policy, and the Future of California Agriculture
…the Turlock Irrigation District (TID), highlights how local control, reliable surface water, and investment in technology can stabilize farming communities. Weimer explains how TID’s proactive management, floodwater capture efforts, groundwater…
AgNet News Hour Podcast: 2025 Ag Review & 2026 Outlook
…for 2026. The episode covers trade and tariff shifts, California water and SGMA challenges, labor and immigration pressures, freight and regulation costs, and record-setting years for pistachios and other commodities….
California Wine Looks Ahead After an Exceptional 2025 Harvest
…From vineyard practices to packaging innovations, sustainability is deeply integrated across the industry. Automation and precision technology are also helping growers manage water, soil health, and labor challenges more effectively,…
AgNet News Hour: Regenerative Ag & Dairy Insights for 2026
…soil and water quality using NRCS tools like EQIP and CSP. Learn how partnerships with corporations, technical service providers, and urban communities are scaling regenerative practices to improve crop yields,…
How the Great Depression Transformed American Farmland
…of postwar American agriculture. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts To make conservation practical and accessible, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and federal programs created the Soil and Water Conservation…
AI, Robotics, and Innovation in California Agriculture – AgNet News Hour Christmas Special
…discusses regulatory challenges, water management, and ways farmers can engage in local and state policy through initiatives like Campaign School. Todd Burkdoll of Valent USA shares decades of crop science…
AgNet News Hour: Farming, Freight & Market Reality
…to stay afloat. The discussion also dives into water uncertainty, land conversion, generational farming pressures, and why automation must deliver immediate returns to work for family farms. One of the…
AgNet News Hour Podcast Recap: Agriculture Policy, Rodeo Ambassadors, and Holiday Cheer
…examine the broader pressures facing California agriculture, including water uncertainty, pest management challenges, regulatory burdens, and the steady loss of productive farmland. Despite these obstacles, the episode highlights the resilience…
Alexandra Duarte Talks Water, Agriculture, and Rural California in State Senate District 4 Race
…these costs. Duarte argues that Sacramento policies have left rural areas under-resourced and overburdened. Water Policy, SGMA, and a “Sacramento Problem” Water remains one of Duarte’s top priorities. She expressed…















