Welcome to Part 2 of our 2020 KSTE Farm Hour retrospective. We take a look back this week at some of the more interesting farm stories and farm people of the past year, involved with the changing face of California agriculture. And we have some feel good stories, as well.

Headline: 2020 retrospective, Part 2. Sac. Co Ag report. Wild Boar Farms. Processing walnuts.

Ample

Welcome to Part 1 of our 2020 KSTE Farm Hour retrospective. We take a look back this week at some of the more interesting farm stories and farm people of the past year, involved with the changing face of California agriculture. And we have some feel good stories, as well.

2020 retrospective, Part 1. Ample Harvest. Birds vs. Codling Moth. CA rice to China.

Weather researchers say they miscalculated: revised models show California will likely experience drier winters in the future. We have that report. The Metropolitan Water District is pumping millions of dollars more into the proposed Delta tunnels project, despite the objections of many Delta residents. Here’s a twist for Golden State farmers who must wheel and deal for irrigation water in the spring and summer: you can now hedge your bets on water supplies by buying California water futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Farm trade with China is looking good for 2021. We have the forecast. All that, a look at the weather ahead, and more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

New long range forecast says drier CA winters ahead. More money for Delta tunnels.

The State Water Project has released its first water allocation numbers for 2021…and it’s a small number. Which county is the number one county in the country for ag production? It’s here in California. There’s a record California pistachio crop this year. We have the numbers. And, it’s a great season for Christmas tree and poinsettia sales, we talk with two Northern California businesses who are deeply involved with these important seasonal commodities.

State Water Project allocations. Fresno Top Ag County in Nation.

Wine grape researchers are well aware of the damage that smoke can do to the grapes. But what about ash? Some tips about what you shouldn’t do. We do a deep dive into the Sacramento County Agriculture crop report. The 2019 edition just came out. It’s no-till November, we talk with one farm advisor about the benefits of not tilling your fields. And we have more on cover cropping. All that and more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour. Let’s get started!

Does ash effect wine grape quality? Sacramento County Crop Report.

Despite smoke damage to hundreds of thousands of Napa-Sonoma wine grapes, growers in the area say the 2020 harvest will be a very good vintage. We have the details. Despite the USDA’s efforts, a robust, high-speed Rural Broadband system is still lacking in rural California and many other areas of the country. More and more people surveyed say farmers are doing the right thing when it comes to sustainability. We talk a lot of turkey this Thanksgiving week, and we take a deep dive into the world of cover cropping here in California. All that, the extended weather outlook, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Despite smoke damage, vintners claim 2020 will be a good year for CA wines. Cover crops.

A combination of lighter yields and smoke damage is playing havoc with the California wine grape crush numbers. Hundreds of thousands of wine grapes have been rejected due to smoke exposure. A famous rice mill that towers over Kentucky Avenue near Interstate 5 in Woodland has been sold. We have the details. A bit of good news: exports are up… a bit. Is there going to be a pecan orchard in your future? Some California farmers are expecting long term growth for this minor nut crop, which is currently grown in the Golden State on a little over 3,000 acres. All that, crop reports, the extended weather outlook, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour

A combination of lighter yields and smoke damage is playing havoc with the California wine grape crush numbers. Hundreds of thousands of wine grapes have been rejected due to smoke exposure. A famous rice mill that towers over Kentucky Avenue near Interstate 5 in Woodland has been sold. We have the details. <br>A bit of good news: exports are up… a bit. Is there going to be a pecan orchard in your future? Some California farmers are expecting long term growth for this minor nut crop, which is currently grown in the Golden State on a little over 3,000 acres. All that, crop reports, the extended weather outlook, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour

Winegrapes rejected due to smoke damage. Woodland rice mill sold. All about pecans.

There is some good news this week for California farmers: more medium grain rice from the Sacramento Valley is headed to China. And, the federal government has okayed more funding to fight the 20 pound rodent that is a threat to Delta area farmland - the Nutria. The weather will be considerably colder in the days ahead. How cold? Will it get cold enough to damage young walnut trees in orchards? We talk with a farm advisor about precautions that walnut growers should now be considering. Also, we delve into the frontiers of agricultural science: the use of biologics on California farmland. That includes cutting edge products such as biostimulants for the soil and plant growth regulators for bigger crops. All that, crop reports, the extended weather, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

More California rice headed to China. Freese protection for walnut trees. Biostimulants for field crops.

Wildfires, a Pandemic, Trade Issues, an election…where do you want to start this week? How about a good old reliable topic: California’s water wars. Lawsuits are flying in Kern County, after an attempt by a local water agency down there to start charging farmers $2100 an acre foot to replenish an aquifer. We have wildfire and trade news, too, with a little good news on both fronts. China is buying more ag products from the U.S. And table grapes in the Central Valley were unaffected by smoke taint. Rural broadband grants are back in the news. And how about we pay a visit to a Sacramento Valley wildlife refuge, where rice plays a big part in supporting overwintering migratory water fowl and other creatures. All that, crop reports and more…on this week’s KSTE farm hour. Let’s get started.

Kern County farmers file lawsuits to stop groundwater recharging fees. Wildfires and generators.

Winegrape growers in the Napa Sonoma area are getting a better handle on the damage estimates to their fields and facilities. We have the staggering numbers. Another staggering number: 10 million acres burned due to wildfires this year. We’re not there yet, but we are approaching it…for the third time in five years.  Farmers are looking for estate tax relief, we have that report. And, an update on the U.S. Mexico Canada trade agreement. All that, crop reports, a look at the extended weather…and we celebrate Bat Week. It’s all on this edition of the KSTE Farm Hour.

Damage figures soar due to Napa Sonoma wine country fires. USMCA trade update. Bat houses.

Farm shows used to be regular and vital. Good to see that the KSTE farm Hour is continuing that tradition of helping the farming community and the consumer understand the intricacies of getting food to our table today, thank you.

Some interesting agricultural news, much of it Canned by the USDA. Far too much anti-trump propaganda. I don’t think “farmer“ Fred is really in tune with the political leanings of most of the rural communities in California or the rest of the nation.

AG News now w/ Trump Hate

KSTE Farm Hour

The controversial Waters of the United States rules have been modified, much to the relief of California’s farmers. Congress passes the new farm bill, which includes Senator Mitch McConnells’ pet project: the legalization of hemp production in the United States. Does hemp production have a future in California? We have an in-depth report. Another hitch in the progress of California WaterFix, also known as the Delta Tunnels. Is it enough to derail that project? Also: advances in trade negotiations and a story about an ad looking for American-born farm workers. 12,000 applications were received…only 12 showed up for work. Guess how many stuck around. It’s all coming up on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour. Let’s get started!

New Farm Bill legalizes hemp growing. Clean Water Act revisions. Delta Tunnels delay.

The deadly chicken sickness, Virulent Newcastle Disease, is spreading in California. And now it has has been found in several commercial chicken operations. We have that report. The FCC paid a visit to some local ag operations here, to find out more about what rural California needs the most: higher internet speeds. The wet but warmer weather of early spring means more problems with mosquitoes for homeowners, ranchers and farmers. We have some control tips. And we take a peek into the magic 8 ball to foretell the ten year farm and livestock outlook. It’s all coming up, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

KSTE Farm Hour. Newcastle Disease spreads in CA. Mosquito control tips.

The atmospheric rivers of rain that have inundated California recently have area almond growers concerned about the 2019 crop. On the other hand, all that precipitation has raised water allocations for California farmers who contract with the Central Valley Project or the State Water Project. We chat with a fifth generation Yolo County farmer, Bruce Rominger, about his efforts at sustainable farming on his 6,500 acres of crops. And, why California is buzzing with bees right now in the state’s orchards. All that, and more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Headline: Wet weather worries almond growers. CVP water allocations. Rominger Brothers Farms.

Hey, thanks for the big bucks, but all in all, we would rather have trade, not aid. That’s the message from California’s agricultural community to the Trump Administration regarding mitigation payments to America’s farmers totaling 16 billion dollars in lieu of sales to China, in that ongoing tariff battle. The fear of many California almond growers, though:if this tariff war continues, there could be a permanant loss of the Chinese market to other almond producers, especially Australia. Also, farmers are playing catch-up after all that rain in May. Some good news, the Oriental Fruit Fly has been eradicated from Sacramento and Yolo counties…for now, at least. All that, crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

CA almond growers fear permanent loss of Chinese market. Oriental Fruit Fly eradicated in Sacramento.

NAFTA negotiations open this week; will farmers be treated fairly? Conservation agriculture demonstration shows water-saving abilities of no-till and cover cropping. Sacramento Valley tomato harvest picks up speed. CA rice for China? The ongoing battle for dominance in the bee hives.

Aug. 13: NAFTA talks worry farmers. How healthy soil can cut water use.

Sacramento County farmers had a banner year in 2018, we have the numbers. San Joaquin Valley farmers in need of more surface water received a double dose of bad news recently; less water will be flowing southward from the Delta, and the plan to increase the capacity of Shasta Dam was put on hold. Many rural residents are familiar with how to safely operate a generator, but just in case you purchased your first one to deal with planned power outages, we have some tips for you. And, we pay a visit to Apple Hill, near Placerville, autumn’s hotbed of agritourism. All that, extended weather forecasts, crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Record year for Sacramento Co. agricultural production. Generator safety. Apple Hill.

The increasingly expensive tariff war with China is heating up to an all time high, and many farmers are fearing for their very livelihood. If you’re a rancher in PG&amp;E Territory, how are you going to get water to your livestock in the event of a mandatory power shutdown during wind events? We talk with one Placer County rancher about that worry. Have you heard about the Produce Safety Rule? Many California growers who sell to farmers markets have big concerns about that. But there will be exemptions. We talk with the CDFA’s project supervisor about the implementation of that portion of the Food Safety Modernization Act. A record number of bee hives were decimated this past winter. However, the USDA has decided not to continue their honeybee survey research, citing budget cuts. All that, crop reports, the week ahead in weather, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Farmers vent about tariffs to USDA Ag Secretary. Produce Safety Rule explained.

Growers of walnuts, pistachios and prunes, along with many other California farmers, got some good news this past week: the trade pact between the United States and Japan has been ratified. Although not much different than the language in the old Trans Pacific Partnership, at least now California farmers can get back to the business of selling their products to the state’s fourth largest export market for agricultural commodities. It’s good news and bad news for California grape growers. There’s plenty of grapes to harvest this year. The bad news? There’s now too many grapes and not enough customers. We have updates on the rice and pistachio harvests. And we explore the benefits of cover cropping. All that, crop reports, the weather in the week ahead, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

US-Japan trade accord good news for CA farmers. Rice, pistachio harvest details. Cover cropping.

Once again, the battle for water between Central Valley farmers and Delta area fish is heating up, due to a recently released biological opinion from federal water officials. But it involves much more than that. We’ll hear from all sides in that dispute. We do a deep dive into the 2018 Sacramento County Crop Report. Who are the winners and losers? We will find out. Another reason California must redouble its efforts to control the state’s wild pig population. They’ve been implicated as a possible vector of African Swine Fever due to confiscations at U.S. airports of illegally imported pork products…and the dumping of those products in landfills outside of the airports, where the wild pigs might be rummaging. All that, crop reports, extended weather, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Feds to divert more Delta water to Central Valley farmers. African Swine Fever threat.

Welcome to Part Two of our 2019 retrospective here on the KSTE Farm Hour. This week, we delve into a growing segment on the California farming scene: the rise of urban agriculture and the young farmers who are implementing changes and increasing the flexibility of land use in the Golden State.  Last week, we looked at the ongoing issues that faced California’s farmers in 2019: water availability issues, complicated by the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act; trade issues, especially with countries that are large importers of California agricultural products such as Canada, Mexico and China; and how the future of agriculture is changing here based on the tighter availability of farm labor. You can hear that report by going to your favorite podcast aggregator, including IHeart, and doing a search for the KSTE Farm Hour.

The rise of urban agriculture in California in 2019.

California’s farmers are taking a major hit this year in tariff battles with China, Mexico, Canada, and several other countries. However, the Trump Administration is about to release funds, about 14.5 billion dollars worth of direct payments, to aid farmers across the U.S. because of those lost sales, but the dollars will be rolled out very slowly. We have the details. Farmers in California and across the nation are eagerly looking to the USDA for guidance about the rules for growing hemp, a commodity with hopefully high profits.The USDA plans to finalize its hemp regulations sometime this fall, but, it too, will be rolled out slowly.  How is California’s wine grape crop faring this summer? We have an update. All that, crop reports, the weekly weather outlook, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

USDA to begin sending out tariff relief checks to farmers. The hurdles of growing hemp.

October is a scary month in Northern California. The warm, dry windy weather puts our area in high fire danger, especially rural farms and ranches. And that threat is compounded with PG&amp;E’s new policy of shutting down electrical power to many areas of rural Northern California for days at a time whenever it gets dry and windy. We have that report. Milk production is up, but prices are uncertain. Thinking of putting in a new crop or starting a farm from scratch? We talk about a great University of California website that lets you know the actual costs, along with the potential returns. And we visit with a Northern California explorer, seeking out Gold Rush era fruit and nut trees, plants that may hold the keys for the future of California agriculture. All that, crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Headline: PG&E power shutoff rankles farmers, ranchers. Heirloom fruits.

How are 2020’s surface water supplies faring for California agriculture so far? We’ll take a walk in snow country to find out. Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies are on the rise. We talk with an expert about the reasons why. The outbreak of coronavirus in China is having ramifications for California’s farmers. We talk about this wildcard for ag exports from the Golden State. Is UC Davis going to become a wine merchant? There’s a move afoot to legalize the sale of the wine produced at that university’s world-renowned viticulture department. Also, an analysis of a little-known aspect of the newly signed United States Mexico Canada trade agreement. It’s all on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Farm bankruptcies increase. Sierra snow water content: good, but not great. UC Davis to sell wine?

California’s farmers demand it. Democrats in congress are voting on it. And the President says he wants it, too. What is it? A plan for immigrant farm labor. It’s called the Agricultural Worker Program Act, and its currently working its way through Congress. We have an update. Farm Service Agency offices are reopening…but during this federal worker shutdown, how long will they remain open to aid the nation’s farmers? We take a look. Also, the labor-intensive process of developing hybrid fruit and nut varieties. We take a tour of one such facility. All that, and a lot more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Agricultural Worker Program Act proposed by Congress. Creating hybrid fruit, nut varieties.

Many California farmers are jubilant this week. The long awaited trade agreement with two of this state’s biggest agricultural customers, Canada and Mexico, is much closer to passage. We have that report and the reaction to it. There’s another big award for one of California’s top conservationist farming families - the Romingers of Yolo County. We have the details. The USDA cites a new, growing holiday trend: home delivery of Christmas trees. We have the story of a local firm that’s been doing it for decades. ALBA (Agriculture and Land Based Training Association) in Salinas helps prepare the next generation of farm owners and operators. All that, a look ahead at the weather, and the latest crop reports…coming up on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

USMCA trade agreement progress. Conservation award for Yolo farmer.

It’s one of the biggest cattle operations in California, and it’s just been sold. The Harris Ranch has new owners. We have the details. The Central Valley Project has upped the amount of water it will be sending to south of Delta stakeholders this summer. But it’s still not at 100% of delivery expectations. We talk to a farmer who has taken it upon himself and his neighbors to clean up illegal dumping in rural Yuba and Sutter counties. And, how to attract one of the best pest control experts to your farmland: all about barn owls, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

KSTE Farm Hour. Major CA cattle operation sold. More water for Central Valley farmers. Barn owls.

With rain returning to Northern California recently, it’s only appropriate we talk about water use on the farms here and across the country. Surprisingly, water use is down. Even more surprisingly, California is not the leading state when it comes to irrigated acreage. Who do you think is number one? We have a report. Besides H20, let’s talk H2A, the federal program for securing farm labor. And we examine why labor costs are going up. The largest wholesale grower of fruit and nut trees in the U.S. is based locally in Stanislaus County. And they have just gotten a little bigger, purchasing another large whole grower’s property in adjacent San Joaquin County. We have the details. With the rash of warnings about contaminated foods that were issued by the Center for Disease Control during Thanksgiving Week, we tell you how California and the state’s leafy greens industry are working to make sure the food you buy is safe. All that, a look ahead at the weather, the latest California crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Farm water use down. Farm labor problems up. Food safety. Local almond tree grower expands.

The nation’s farmers, and especially California’s farmers, are concerned about the Trump Administration’s ongoing tariff battles, and with Mexico in particular. Our southern neighbor is one of this state’s biggest agricultural trading partners, and now the flow of crops and food goods between the two is threatened by a new round of tariffs. Also in jeopardy: the ratification of the revised USMCA trade agreement among the United States, Mexico and Canada. Weather woes and tariff battles have led to a new, $16 billion dollar disaster relief program for the nation’s farmers. We’ll tell what that means for California’s growers. Putting the summer heat to work for you with biosolarization to control many soil-borne problems, such as weeds, diseases and insects. We have the details. All that, crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

KSTE Farm Hour. Tariff woes. Biosolarization.

As if the ongoing tariff battles weren’t enough to keep California’s farmers on edge, the record rains of May throughout much of the Golden State’s prime ag areas added to their concerns. We focus on two crops in our area threatened by all the wet weather: cherries and rice. We talk with a couple of local growers who have a lot of concerns. There is one California crop that is coming out ahead in the latest tariff troubles with China. And that’s garlic. We’ll tell you why. According to the latest California farm statistics, one of the biggest growth crops in the last year has been…garbanzo beans. Should you be growing garbanzos? We delve into the details of growing this cool season legume. All that, crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

KSTE Farm Hour. Weather woes for cherries, rice. Tariff troubles rise for CA crops. Garbanzo beans.

Farmers suffered a couple of economic hits in last week’s voting on ballot propositions, regarding water and livestock. We take a look at the results of Propositions 3 and 12. California’s dairy farmers now have a federal milk marketing order. We’ll tell you what that means. Growers are getting more grief due to ongoing tariff and trade issues, but be glad you’re not a soybean farmer in North Dakota. We’ll tell you why. All that, crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Voters deal multiple blows to CA farmers. Groundwater recharge tests.

The best podcast episodes of anyone with an interesting story. With famous guests like Obama, LeBron James, Drake, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, to anyone who has a unique and interesting story to tell. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes: Personal Stories & Great Interviews

The best podcast episodes on Startups. For anyone working in a startup, or anyone interested in the incredible stories behind how people built companies like Instagram, and Facebook. Offering both practical advice and insights, as well as the stories for how many of the biggest startups got to where they are today. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!