…than 300,000 tons of raisins. Last season, that number dropped to roughly 170,000 tons. Barserian attributes the decline to changing consumer habits since COVID, a lack of domestic advertising, and…
Potter Valley Water Fight Intensifies: Todd Lands Warns “This Could Happen Anywhere in California”
…in the name of “free-flowing rivers” would devastate the region. If the dams are removed, Potter Valley becomes a dry basin, farmland values collapse, and farming and ranching communities could…
Anna Baldwin and the First Milking Machine
…vacuum-based device connected to a hand pump, allowing milk to be extracted mechanically. While simple by today’s standards, the concept was revolutionary for its era. Baldwin’s patent is considered one…
California Pears vs. Argentina Imports: Chris Zanobini Sounds the Alarm on a Market Under Pressure
…of its impact on eating quality. The competitive imbalance comes down to cost. Zanobini said California growers face the highest production standards in the world—labor, chemical restrictions, water requirements, and…
California Pear Growers Sound the Alarm on Argentine Imports
…in storage for months. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1paEVSJAVPr44LV3nXMLDt1v4kBbm5RJV/view?usp=drive_web Rising Costs, Falling Opportunities California pear growers face some of the highest production standards in the world, from labor and water regulations to chemical use…
California Farmers in Focus at Farm Bureau Convention
…stressed that California farmers are exceptionally resilient—adapting, innovating, and surviving under conditions few others face. That resilience is increasingly tested by high production standards that raise costs, while imported products…
AgNet News Hour: Health, Water, and California’s Crossroads
…calls out what he describes as a “nonprofit industrial complex,” where billions of dollars flow into programs such as homelessness and infrastructure with little accountability or measurable results. He urges…
David Tangipa on Prop 50, High-Speed Rail, and the Fight for California’s Central Valley
…force candidates into overlapping special elections across completely different districts, creating uncertainty and weakening rural representation. He argues the maps were drawn using race rather than neutral geographic standards, violating…
Milk Is Back: Health Benefits, Kids, and California Dairy
…in schools, giving students more choice while maintaining nutritional standards. These changes aim to increase participation in school meal programs and ensure students consume the nutrients they need. Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025Download Beyond…
Elaine Culotti: Why California’s Farmers, Cities, and Future Are at a Breaking Point
…her view, the failure to complete the rail system has left behind unfinished infrastructure and squandered economic opportunity for an entire region. Budget Deficits, COVID Funds, and Accountability The conversation…
The Louisiana Purchase: How Thomas Jefferson Secured America’s Agricultural Future
…and interior states flowed downriver to New Orleans, where they were shipped to international markets. Control of this port meant economic security for American growers—and vulnerability if that access was…
How Hay Baling Began: The First Hay Presses and Early Innovations
…a horse-drawn screw mechanism or a dropped-weight system to compress the hay. Although primitive by today’s standards, these designs were crucial steps in agricultural mechanization. The First Patents and Early…
Inside Butte County Agriculture: Education, Community, and Critical Issues
…role in shaping policy and public understanding. Colleen agreed that none of this work happens alone. In her 19 years at the Butte County Farm Bureau, she has depended on…
California Agriculture News: Labor, Automation, and Policy Updates – AgNet News Hour
…sustainability. Bryan Little stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue with policymakers to ensure farmers can meet regulatory standards while sustaining operations. Rising minimum wages and labor shortages are driving increased…
