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By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
As California's farming population ages — with the average farmer nearing 60-years-old, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture — local colleges and universities are investing in the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Central Valley higher educational institutions such as Bakersfield College, Fresno State University, UC Davis, and California State University, Bakersfield have made...
By Scott Hamilton, President, Hamilton Resource Economics
Roughly every two years, the California Department of Water Resources issues its “Delivery Capability Report” for the State Water Project (SWP). Those studies estimate the amount of SWP water that can be delivered each year, based on simulations of current facilities and regulations applied to over 70 years of historic hydrology. The first...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
A little-known piece of California agriculture history is positioned off Central Valley Highway in Shafter, California. The Shafter Depot Museum, an authentically restored early 20th-century Santa Fe Railroad depot, offers a glimpse into Shafter’s agricultural heritage.
Stan Wilson, the museum’s curator, carefully selects and maintains countless artifacts and farm equipment dating back to 1915....
By Jenny Holtermann, President, Kern County Farm Bureau
‘Tis the season for being grateful, remembering what we are thankful for, and blessing others with holiday cheer. Easier said than done sometimes. I know agriculture has its ups and downs, and it seems like we have had more downs than ups lately. But during this time of year, it is important...
By Christine Johnson, Chair, Young Farmers and Ranchers
In my early 20s, I had the opportunity to live overseas. These experiences impacted me in a way I could never have anticipated. One place that became home in 2011 was the English countryside, in the Lakeside District. My residence for seven months was an old manor house built in the 1800s,...
Bilingual Workshops & Expert Insights on Ag Chemical Safety
Press release provided by Kern County Farm Bureau
BAKERSFIELD, CA– The Kern County Farm Bureau will hold its 19th Annual Spray Safe Event on Friday, January 17thfrom 7:00 AM- 1:00 PM at the Kern County Fairgrounds located at 1142 S PSt, Bakersfield, CA 93307.
Spray Safe is an educational event that promotes farmer-to-farmer...
By Austin Snedden, Ranching Contributor, Valley Ag Voice
When the government grows to the point that its tentacles are in everything, it inevitably gains the power to lay a finger on the scales of lifestyle and health. The questionable food pyramid from my youth, built on a foundation of grains and carbs with just a light topping of animal proteins...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
AgTech investment appears to be regaining momentum, with deal values increasing for two consecutive quarters, according to Pitchbook’s Q3 AgTech Report. Venture Capital deal value for agricultural technology investments recovered from lows in early 2024, with $1.6 billion invested over 159 deals.
However, while quarter-on-quarter deal value grew 15%, deal counts declined by 17.6%....
By Daniel Palla, Technical Sales Representative, Trécé
The Navel Orangeworm is a significant pest in agricultural systems due to primarily feeding on the seeds of tree nuts, including almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. It also infests other crops like figs, but its most destructive impact is on nut trees. The larvae of the Navel Orangeworm tunnel into the nuts, feeding on...
Press release provided by Water Association of Kern County
BAKERSFIELD, CA – The Water Association of Kern County proudly presented its Water Leader of the Year and Water Legacy Awards on Wednesday, November 6th, at its 2024 WAKC Annual Meeting held at Stockdale Country Club.
Board members and guests gathered for the 68th Annual Meeting and were excited to come together...
By Valley Ag Voice Staff
The State Water Resources Control Board staff released draft updates to the Bay-Delta plan on Nov. 6 for public review. The draft covers potential updates to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento San Joaquin Delta Watershed.
State law requires California’s water board to create and review plans to protect water quality in...
By Valley Ag Voice Staff
In between holiday festivities, ring in the new year with these fun and educational ag events!
ORGANIC GROWER SUMMIT
The Organic Grower Summit — a premier event for organic producers and supplies — will take place on Dec. 4-5 in Monterey, California. Attendees will explore the latest trends, techniques, and innovations in organic farming.
The summit, sponsored by...
By Joshua Stevens, Faith Contributor, Valley Ag Voice
A common argument against using Sola Scriptura as a methodology for authority in the modern church is the formation of the canon. The argument goes something like this, “So Sola Scriptura ends up being self-defeating after all, just in a different way from how most people might think. The conclusion in the above reasoning—that...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
As agricultural employers in California prepare for a new set of regulations set to take effect in January, developments in the leadership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture will inform broader policy discussions in the new year.
AG EMPLOYER REGULATIONS
Two laws impacting California’s agriculture industry will take effect on January 1. The agricultural overtime...
By Valley Ag Voice Staff
In Kern County, where agriculture is not just an industry but a way of life, few names carried as much weight as Robert William “Bill” Tracy. As a fourth-generation farmer from Buttonwillow, Tracy was a steadfast advocate for the land and the people who worked it. On Nov. 7, the Central Valley lost a giant...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
Kern County is requesting letters of interest for proposed projects or activities at the Shafter Cotton Research Station — a California Historical Landmark. The station was built in 1922 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop the state’s cotton industry.
In a tour of the facility, Jim Damian, Chief Economic Development Officer for...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
The 2018 Farm Bill expired, for the first time, over 400 days ago. After a year-long extension, the bill expired again on Sept. 30, 2024, due to budget constraints and differing policy priorities.
While the House Agriculture Committee released a bipartisan-supported version of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 in May,...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
California’s regulatory environment often advances ahead of practical solutions, creating significant challenges for those it claims to benefit.
For instance, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which passed in 2014, requires local agencies to develop and implement plans to reach sustainable groundwater management by 2040. Thus, immediate limitations were placed on water usage before alternative...
By Scott Hamilton, President, Hamilton Resource Economics
Delta smelt has cost valley farmers, rural communities, and residents in Southern California significant quantities of water. Since water supplies have been restricted to protect delta smelt starting in 2008, no estimate of the water cost has been produced, but it is very likely that the total number exceeds 10-million-acre feet. The cost...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
Recent activity in California’s groundwater management landscape is marked by critical developments across Central Valley subbasins. Regulatory hearings, court rulings, and ongoing challenges highlight the pressures on groundwater users.
The Tule Subbasin has become the second basin to be placed on probation by the State Water Resources Control Board at its hearing on Sept....
By Jenny Holtermann, President, Kern County Farm Bureau
By the time you are reading this, I hope you have all heard the good news. Kern County agriculture has again regained its title as the top agriculture-producing county in the state and nation.
The 2023 Crop Report was released in early October by the Agriculture Commissioner, and Kern County's gross value of...
By Erin Pruitt, Intern, Kern County Farm Bureau
As the granddaughter of a migrant farm worker, and a student who grew up next to one of Grimmway Farm’s carrot fields, agriculture has been a constant in my life. I remember traveling around Kern County — and throughout California — being fascinated by the various types of crops and animals surrounding...
By Brian Milne, Vice President, Director of Marketing & Communications, The Holloway Group
Harvest season is coming to a close for many California farming operations, and the holidays will be here before we know it, allowing us to finally kick back and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
In the meantime, there’s still plenty of work to be done in the...
By Christine Johnson, Chair, Young Farmers and Ranchers
Since January, the Kern Young Farmers and Ranchers have donated over 600 pounds of food, $10,300 to local scholarships or charity work, and volunteered a combination of almost 400 hours of our time to the community. We’ve hosted four socials, toured five different agriculture locations around Kern County, and planned two significant...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
The recent outbreak of H5N1— more commonly referred to as the avian or bird flu — in Central Valley dairies has led to significant concern and uncertainty among farmers. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the first detection of avian flu in dairy cattle was found in March 2024 — the first detection...
Economic analysis highlights how much more Hereford and heterosis contribute to the bottom line of commercial cow-calf operations.
By Wes Ishmael, Guest Contributor, Valley Ag Voice
Using Hereford bulls rather than Angus bulls in commercial Angus herds significantly increases an operation’s net worth per cow and the average income generated per cow over time, according to an economic analysis conducted by...
