…and permanent crops. But despite the land’s potential, water scarcity remains a barrier. “It’s a perfect place to farm if we could get the water,” Malanca noted, highlighting ongoing challenges…
Freeman Vineyard: Organic Sonoma Wines with Global Reach
…themselves, the Freeman family has long prioritized soil and water health. Fifteen years ago, they stopped using non-organic inputs, and today their estate vineyards are certified organic. Their third vineyard,…
California Dairy Relief, Ag Policy Battles, and a Turning Point for Farmers
…deficit, mismanaged funds, and water policy failures threatening the backbone of the state’s farming economy. He criticized the state’s spending on the high-speed rail project, already more than 400% over…
Farming for the Future: Jake Barcellos and A-Bar Ag Enterprises
…unique pressures: Water availability: With land spread across five water districts, Barcellos explains that allocations often come too late to make effective planting decisions. Even in good rainfall years, much…
My Job Depends on Ag: How a Grassroots Sticker Campaign Grew Into a Movement Supporting California Agriculture
…of educating the public that food doesn’t come from grocery stores—it begins with farmers who need water, land, and support to keep producing the safest, highest-quality food in the world….
Native American Agriculture: Roots of U.S. Farming
…are revisiting Native American practices for inspiration. As farming faces the challenges of climate change, soil depletion, and water scarcity, Indigenous methods offer valuable lessons: Controlled Burns: Now used in…
Don Cameron: California Ag Leadership & Challenges
…risk as housing developments expand and groundwater regulations tighten under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Farmers must achieve groundwater sustainability by 2040, a shift that will force tough decisions…
Tariffs, Trade, and Table Grapes: Richard Matoian Shares Insights on California Farming Challenges
…efforts have forced many to confront those inequities. Regulatory Burdens and Water Policy Matoian reflected on how California’s regulatory environment has shifted over the decades, calling it “death by a…
From Olives to Almonds: Melissa Oberti Shares Her Family’s Farming Legacy and the Struggles Facing California Growers
…anymore,” Oberti explained, noting that her family’s olive legacy still sparks recognition across the Valley. Water and the High-Speed Rail Fight Today, the Oberti family farms 320 acres of wine…
California Ag Battles: Water, Solar, and Farmland Futures
Ongoing Struggles Over Land and Water California agriculture continues to face pressure from regulatory uncertainty, land use conflicts, and unresolved water projects. In a recent episode of the AgNet News…
Melissa Oberti on Grapes, Almonds, and Water Challenges
…A Critical Challenge for Central Valley Agriculture Melissa and host Nick Papagni discuss California’s ongoing water crisis. Despite a 2014 water bond approved by voters, key water infrastructure projects, such…
Joe Del Bosque: Water, Labor, and the Fight for California Farming
…Farming Water: A Man-Made Crisis Joe Del Bosque Del Bosque has long been at the forefront of California’s water battles. He recalls how the Central Valley Project once brought plentiful…
California Agriculture: Fires, Wolves & Farm Labor Reform
…current Clean Water Act requirements suffice. The National Chicken Council applauded this decision as a balanced approach to water quality regulation. Immigration Reform and the Dignity Act The program’s central…
California Agriculture at a Crossroads
…soil, water, and livestock. Meanwhile, urban development in the Central Valley continues to devour farmland, adding pressure on limited water resources. Reisinger warned that the U.S. has already lost over…