In the heart of Madera County, California, “The Ag Meter” Nick Papagni recently sat down with fourth-generation farmer and entrepreneur Darren Schmall at the popular ApCal Rock and Ranch. What …
California Water, Energy, and Policy: Duarte, Vanden Heuvel Break It Down
California agriculture sits at the center of some of the state’s most important policy debates—water supply, infrastructure, energy, and the future of farming. Those issues took center stage on the …
Steve Hilton: “Help Is on the Way” for California Agriculture
California is at a crossroads — and according to gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, the state’s farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and energy producers are carrying the heaviest burden. In a wide-ranging interview, …
From Fresno Legend to Propane Pioneer: Lance Shebelut on Farming Smarter
At the World Ag Expo, Ag Meter caught up with Lance Shebelut — Fresno State baseball standout, Tenaya Park local legend, and now a leading grower in California’s Central Valley. …
John Duarte on California’s Future: Agriculture, Leadership & Change
California’s Crossroads: John Duarte Talks Leadership, Agriculture, and the Future of the Golden State On a special Thanksgiving edition of the AgNet News Hour, host Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter,” …
Building the Future of Ag Education at Merced College
A Leader in Agriculture and Industrial Technology At the heart of California’s Central Valley, Merced College stands as a beacon for agricultural innovation and workforce development. Dean Cody Jacobsen, who …
Bill Jones: Fixing California’s Water and Future
A Voice for Fair Elections and California’s Future Former California Secretary of State Bill Jones, a lifelong farmer from Firebaugh, has spent decades balancing agriculture and politics in the Golden …
Karen Ross on Water, Workforce, and the Future of California Agriculture
A Visit to Reedley: California’s Ag Secretary Engages with the Valley California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross joined The Ag Meter host Nick Papagni at Reedley College to discuss the challenges …
Melissa Oberti on Grapes, Almonds, and Water Challenges
The Oberti Family Legacy in Central Valley Agriculture Melissa Oberti, a third-generation (nearly fourth) farmer from Madera, California, continues her family’s agricultural tradition. The Oberti family, once famous for Oberti …
Dairy, Family, and Football: Joseph Bakker’s Life in the Central Valley
Carrying the Family Legacy In Tulare County, where agriculture and community are woven together, Joseph Bakker stands as the third generation in a long line of dairy farmers. His family …