In a compelling interview on AgNet West, Nick Papagni, “the Ag Meter,” sat down with legendary ag leader Stuart Woolf of Woolf Farming and Processing to talk about the role of farmers as environmental stewards in California.
“Farming that land and tilling it… I do think the growers are kind of the proprietors of the great open spaces throughout the valley,” said Woolf. “I think we’ve been very good stewards.”
Woolf acknowledged that mistakes have happened in the past — over-spraying, runoff, and mismanagement — but emphasized that sustainable practices are not just a virtue, they’re a necessity for survival.
“You don’t stay in business if you keep making mistakes like that.”
Despite mounting challenges in recent years — from drought to regulation — California’s farmers have continued to adapt, innovate, and provide a growing bounty.
“The vast majority of the farmers in California have been very good stewards,” Woolf added, “until maybe the last decade or so, where we’ve kind of just hit a wall.”
A candid reflection from one of California’s most respected ag voices.
— Nick Papagni, reporting for AgNet West