Friday, November 8, 2024
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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...
Few delta smelt remain in the wild
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....
winegrape harvest
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...
tractors harvesting field
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...
hereford cow in the sunset
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...
By Valley Ag Voice Staff  Dairy Management Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes the sale of American dairy products, launched a new Dairy Checkoff website to effectively communicate the impact of the dairy checkoff for farmers and importers.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Dairy Checkoff Program, otherwise known as the National Dairy Promotion and Research Program, is a...
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice  Bakersfield College Athletics will celebrate Kern County’s vital industries at Energy & Ag Night on Saturday, Nov. 2. This year’s event builds on the traditional Oil & Ag Night football game by expanding to include all energy sectors, highlighting the role these industries play in the local economy.  According to Matt Riley, managing and...
By Mike McCoy, Executive Director, Kern County Museum   For the first time in many years, the Kern County Museum moved a new building onto its 16-acre property. An 800 square foot house built by John Bugni in 1940 in Pumpkin Center, was moved into Pioneer Village a year ago September. Thanks to Rick Ellison of Dinuba House Movers and Juarez...
By Joshua Stevens, Faith Contributor, Valley Ag Voice  Do Protestants have an infallible list of doctrines that one must agree on to be saved? If not, does this mean one shouldn’t be Protestant? Popular Catholic apologist, Trent Horn posited, “And so my thesis in the video was Protestants do not agree on the essentials of the Christian faith, or Protestants...
potato field being irrigated
By Valley Ag Voice Staff  As the agricultural landscape continues to evolve, staying informed and proactive is essential for success. This November, three important events are designed to enhance your knowledge and skills in food safety and pest management.   From hands-on workshops to expert-led webinars and an expansive expo, these opportunities will equip you with the latest insights and strategies to...
U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorses David Valadao for Congress. By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice On Oct. 22, Congressman David Valadao held a press conference at an almond orchard in Wasco to discuss his reelection campaign for the 22nd District. Jenny Holtermann, President of the Kern County Farm Bureau, hosted the conference at her fourth-generation almond farm. During the press conference,...
California Governor Gavin Newsom
By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice  Governor Gavin Newsom finalized decisions on key agricultural bills on Sept. 30, bringing a fresh wave of regulation to Central Valley farmers. Newsom signed 1,017 bills and vetoed 189. Of these bills, several with a direct impact on California agriculture were considered and many were signed by the governor.   WISHY-WASHY ON WATER   Newsom signed Assembly...
Friant-Kern Canal
Local Farmers Challenge Authority of Unelected Bureaucrats. By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice  While the affairs of California’s governance should not hinder the work of those feeding the nation, the Central Valley’s agriculture sector finds itself increasingly entangled in politics — with both elected officials and unelected regulators holding substantial influence over the industry.  Regulators not subject to direct electoral accountability,...
By Scott Hamilton, President, Hamilton Resource Economics  Last month, a front-page story on Valley Ag Voice drew attention to the lack of common sense when managing Central Valley water supplies flowing into the Delta. That article concluded with the following paragraph: “Reasonable efforts should be made to recover endangered species. Those efforts should be informed by the best available scientific...

President’s Message 

cotton field
By Jenny Holtermann, President, Kern County Farm Bureau  For a few years now, my family has enjoyed going to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Thousand Oaks. At least once a year, or when there is a new exhibit, we enjoy strolling through the library and museum. We seem to always notice something new or find a previously unnoticed plaque...
grape vines
By Rachel Nettleton, Executive Director, Kern County Farm Bureau  As I prepare to take maternity leave until the new year, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated members and partners in the Kern County agricultural community. Working with you to advance the mission of the Kern County Farm Bureau has been incredibly rewarding, and I am confident...
By Christine Johnson, Chair, Young Farmers and Ranchers  The Young Farmers and Ranchers group had the pleasure of touring the Pandol Cold Storage in early August. You might recognize the Pandol brand if you shop in grocery stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, Sprouts, or Albertsons. Their signature grape varieties, such as Sugar Crunch and Sweet Celebration, are recognized all over...
water
By Austin Snedden, Ranching Contributor, Valley Ag Voice  A human’s survival instinct is a powerful force — that survival instinct causes us to be acutely aware of threats and potential threats. However, the downside of this powerful instinct is that it makes us susceptible to overreacting to false threats. Almost as powerful as the survival instinct is human nature’s desire...
County fairs limit FFA/4H dairy cattle exhibits as a precaution.   By Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice  The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s eradication efforts on the 2023 invasive fruit fly outbreak have proven effective as CDFA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture officially declared California free of the invasive species at the end of August.   The eradicated invasive fruit fly...
By Ashlie Whitaker, Guest Contributor, Valley Ag Voice   As the crisp air of fall settles in, Rooster’s Honky Tonk invites the Bakersfield community to celebrate its one-year anniversary with its Cluckin’ Block Party. This lively downtown event is set to honor a year of success at the modern honky tonk that pays tribute to the iconic Bakersfield sound.   The festivities begin...
pistachios
By Valley Ag Voice Staff  Oxbo, a leader in specialty harvesting and controlled application equipment, announced its partnership with the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State. As the official pistachio equipment partner, Oxbo will support Fresno State’s pistachio harvest for the 2024 season.  Fresno State’s 1,000-acre farm includes 97 acres of pistachio orchards, with 25 acres ready...
By Bryan Little, Director of Employment Policy, California Farm Bureau   Reprinted with permission from the California Farm Bureau Federated  The California Legislature’s 2024 session yielded a small number of bills that stand to exacerbate the legal and regulatory challenges faced by California farm employers.  Senate Bill 399, by state Sen. Aisha Wahab, D-Hayward, is California’s version of legislation Big Labor has been...