2013 Ag Archive Stories

The timeworn water tower that stands in front of the Giacomazzi Dairy in Kings County is a hallmark of the farm’s endurance. It proclaims, “Since 1893.” Dino Giacomazzi, the fourth generation to run the operation, said cows have been producing milk and the land producing feed every single day of the ensuing 120 ye

Tulare County Farm Bureau will honor members and leaders during its annual dinner at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Heritage Complex in Tulare. This year Farm Bureau will present major awards: the Agriculturalist of the Year, Service to Farm Bureau, Friend of Farm Bureau, Special Recognition, an Educator of the Year, and Agribusiness of t

With farmers across California reporting chronic problems in hiring enough people to tend and harvest crops, the leader of the state’s largest farm organization welcomed today’s release of a bipartisan framework for comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. Senate. “We’re encouraged that our elected offic

WASHINGTON– Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Thursday renewed a historic agreement with U.S. dairy producers to accelerate the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms, both of which help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses on their operations. The pact extends

The Kiwanis Club of Tulare selected as its 53rd Farmer of the Year Tipton area dairyman and diversified farmer, Tom Barcellos. The awards luncheon will be held noon Tuesday, March 19, at the Heritage Complex in Tulare. Tickets are $20 in advance from Kiwanis Club members and various businesses in Tulare, tickets will be $25 at the door.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in California, in conjunction with Kings River Conservation District, announced that $1 million is available for irrigated cropland farmers and dairy producers in portions of Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties. This financial assistance is being made available through the Bay Delta Initiativ

The Cotton Chronicles reports spring training events for Aerial Lift and Fall Protection Training. The classes will be conducted in partnership with Cal/OSHA Consultation, The Zenith, CCGGA and WAPA. Co-hosting the classes will be the California Grape and Tree Fruit League, Nisei Farmers League, California Cotton Ginners and Gr

A new video series called Growing California introduces viewers to farmers and ranchers across the state. A recent episode, available online, features Salvador Vasquez of Third Generation Berry Farm on the Central Coast. Vasquez describes his family’s history and how he grew up with an appreciation of farming, taking on more respo

Ranchers say that despite strong demand for beef, dry rangeland conditions have dimmed their outlook for the year. Unless California sees another “Miracle March” with ample rainfall, the feed available for cattle will dwindle quickly, and the cost to buy or rent additional land is already high. Typically, ranchers m

Recent cold and windy weather makes the work of pollinators more difficult, according to a report from an almond growers group. Bees and other insects are less likely to pollinate when the temperatures are down, the wind is high and weather turns overcast. With trees now blooming around the state, the coming weeks are critical for almon

FRESNO ­— Consumer desire for a stronger connection to the farmers who grow their food is creating a demand shift in the U.S. produce industry. The move is highlighted in a report released by Rabobank’s Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group titled “Local Foods: Shifting the Balance of Opportunity for Regional

EZ Angus Ranch in Porterville has been recognized nationally by the American Angus Association for having one registered Angus cow included in the Association’s 2013 Pathfinder Report. Only 1,992 of the more than 25,000 American Angus Association members are represented in this year’s report, according to Bill Bowman, chief o

Young farmers and ranchers across the state donated more than 10 million pounds of food to California families last year as part of the national Harvest for All program. During a recognition ceremony Sunday at the Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference in Phoenix, the state ranked first in food donations during 2012. Throughout

Farmers who rely on rainfall to irrigate their crops say they are optimistic that the coming weeks will hold more rain to help support the fields they’ve already planted. Wheat is the leading California crop to be grown using dryland techniques, but vegetables, walnuts and winegrapes can also be grown this way. To be successful in Californ

This time of year it is common to see sheep grazing in dormant alfalfa hay fields. The practice benefits both the alfalfa farmers and the sheep ranchers. According to University of California Cooperative Extension advisers, lambing season typically takes place in the fall and winter, and the flocks benefit from having access to high-quality feed

TULARE — Opening day of the 2013 World Ag Expo saw thousands of visitors passing through the gates, many of them foreign nationals. Wearing yellow and orange ribbons to identify them, they walked through the grounds, looking at products and equipment by the 1,500 plus exhibitors displaying the latest in farm equipment, chemicals, c

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor announced a grant competition for the National Farmworker Jobs Program. Funds will be used to provide career training and employment and supportive services to improve economic opportunities for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families. “Farmworkers — harvesting and p

World Ag Expo and E.M. Tharp announced that a Terra Bella girl has earned one of the We Believe in Growing scholarships, which supports local high school students who will be attending four-year universities to major in an agricultural field. The two winners this year are Summer Shannon of Terra Bella and Montanna Tarkington of Tulare. T

FRESNO — There’s a land rush of sorts going on across the nation’s most productive farming region, but these buyers don’t want to grow crops. They want to plant solar farms. With California mandating that 33 percent of electricity be generated from renewables by the end of the decade, there are 227 proposed solar

The annual pageantry of millions of blossoms is about to begin in the Central Valley. The USDA reports that buds are beginning to swell on almond trees and the bloom is expected to start in the coming weeks. Fresno County and other areas host festivals, bike rides and runs in celebration of the beautiful scenery. The bloom typically begins in mi

To celebrate the fact that the average American family will have earned enough disposable income by mid-February to pay for their food supply for the entire year, Tulare County Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee will host its annual Grocery Cart Race at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Feb, 24, in Tulare to mark Food Check-Out Week, Febru

Thousands of visitors and exhibitors from across the world are in California this month for agricultural trade shows. Right now the Colusa Farm Show is taking place in Northern California, and next week the International Agri-Center in Tulare will host the World Ag Expo. Farm shows gather the latest in farming and ranching technology and techniq

Many Americans interested in starting a farm or ranch find themselves working multiple jobs to save up enough money to purchase their own land. According to the US Agriculture Department, the number of beginning farmers and ranchers has declined over the past two decades, with access to land and capital noted as the biggest challenges for starti

Hay and grain growers in Northern California say that the recent run of dry weather has given them an opportunity to begin preparing fields for planting. Often at this time of year, hay growers are kept indoors by wet and foggy weather, limiting activities to equipment maintenance. Farmers say that while the dry weather entices them to start pla