Their place in the region’s culture and economy has changed. Horse specialists like Curt Pate ensure some still play their old ranching role.Continue readingHorses are still intertwined in the tapestry of the West
Category: Agriculture & the West
This practice is embedded in some ranches around the West, but it only spreads in fits and starts.Continue readingTo restore western lands, regenerative ranchers keep cattle on the move
Four out of five agricultural operations in the state are small farms, but many rules, from labor law to water resource planning, were designed for industrial-size players. Can the state make room for small and diverse businesses to succeed?Continue readingSmall farmers bear an extra burden as California agricultural policies respond to a changing climate
Despite persistent efforts by the U.S. government to eradicate Indigenous farming and ranching practices, they are regaining currency in an American West stressed by drought, diminishing resources and climate change. Continue readingNative agriculture never went away. Now it is on the rise.
Farmers, large and small, are beginning to grapple with what the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act means for them. Many expect to see cutbacks on pumping once the program is fully implemented in 2040.Continue readingSmall Farmers Wait for California’s Groundwater Hammer to Fall
As field hands rethink traveling to the U.S., some farmers have been forced to watch their produce rot in the fields. Many others are cutting back acreage.Continue readingA ‘Climate of Fear’ Accelerates Existing Labor Shortages on California’s Farms
See the most detailed survey ever done of crops and land use in California. It covers nine million acres of land devoted to grapes, alfalfa, cotton, plums, you name it – food for people and animals all over the world.Continue readingWhere California Grows Its Food
The growth of almond orchards has made the Central Valley the new center of gravity for migratory beekeeping. With this shift has come new concerns over the health and safety of bee colonies, both on the road, and while they forage in California’s crops.Continue readingBees for Hire: California Almonds Become Migratory Colonies’ Biggest Task
An arid region 180 miles south of Tijuana is the crossroads where strawberries, economics, and groundwater meet. Continue readingStrawberry Fields Forever? Thirsty Baja Turning to Seawater to Grow Lucrative Crop
A new law calls for reducing methane emissions by 40 percent from its 2013 levels by 2030, but comes with government outreach, economic incentives, and grant programs to help remake a more sustainable dairy industry.Continue readingUnder New Pollution Regulations, Milk Producers Seek Profit in Dairy Air