KSTE Farm Hour

Impacts to California Agriculture due to the coronavirus are widespread and growing. A double hit to California’s grape growers: the grape crush numbers are down, and another grape disease looms: Grapevine Red Blight Virus. There is one bright spot on the China trade front: that country is now granting access to California nectarines that originate in the San Joaquin Valley. We have the details. And we talk with a local community college ag teacher about his growing program. All that and more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

There’s a beautiful, but deadly new pest headed to California. It’s the spotted lantern fly, a voracious feeder on scores of important crops, including grapes and almonds. We tell you where they originated, and where they’ve landed, here in California. A third payment to farmers for trade relief is looking doubtful. We have the details. And we have a California prune primer for you…all about that misunderstood crop. That, and a lot more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

The President promised farmers in Bakersfield more water recently. It won’t be coming anytime soon. You may have noticed why: It hasn’t rained in the valleys or snowed in the mountains for over a month here. We have the ugly numbers. How’s that Phase One China trade deal working out for California’s farmers? There are still a lot of unknowns. Recent agricultural research once again shows, Everything You Know is Wrong. In this case, it’s about apples. In particular, the supposed inability to grow high chill apple varieties in Southern California. All that and a lot more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour

The President paid a visit to Bakersfield last week. He brought good news for San Joaquin Valley farmers. That’s right, more Northern California water will be heading south. And, of course, lawsuits will be filed. How much nitrogen does alfalfa need? You might be surprised at how much money you could be saving if you’ve been fertilizing your alfalfa with too much nitrogen. We take a look at current Sierra snow levels (it’s shrinking), the federal government’s promise to upgrade broadband internet service in rural California (it hasn’t happened yet) and a lot more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Don’t be fooled by those views of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. With the lack of precipitation, that white stuff is shrinking rapidly, threatening summertime time agricultural water supplies. As a result, water talks are heating up here in Valley over who gets any available water. We talk with one influential valley farmer, and his hopes for a compromise. Illegal pesticide use, as well as counterfeit pesticides, are a growing business in Brazil. But it’s not just in South America. (audio). Val Dolcini, the Director of California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation, tells us what California is doing to keep illegal pesticides out of the state as well as keep consumers here safe from any dangerous pesticide residues on imported food. And, an expert offers up valuable honeybee tips for getting the most of that buzzing army right now, during almond bloom. All that and more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

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.

Farmers are fondly waving goodbye to WOTUS, and saying hello to the NWPR. What does that mean? Less federal interference to how farmers can grow your food. Don’t worry, we’ll explain those very wet acronyms. One local farmer is growing world-renowned tomatoes. We’ll have a conversation with Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms about his unique tomato varieties. We have news of lots of advances on the international ag trade front, but there are a few storm clouds too. All coming up, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Almond blossoms will soon dot the valley…that means that beekeepers are getting busy, moving more that two and half million beehives into California’s orchards right now. We talk to a couple of Valley beekeepers about this frenetic pace of activity. Central Valley grape vineyards are being yanked out because of poor sales. We’ll tell you what’s being planted instead. Now is gopher hunting season in California’s orchards and farmland. We have tips from an expert. All of that and more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour. Let’s get started!

A bit of good cheer for California agriculture got buried last week in the news coming out of the U.S. Senate. That body passed, overwhelmingly, the trade pact for the United States, Canada and Mexico: the USMCA. We have reaction, and the details. California winemakers a facing a double whammy: people are drinking less wine, and now there’s an oversupply. Which county in California grows the most pears? Yep, it’s Sacramento. We have the numbers. And, what do rice growers do in the winter? We visit one farm to find out. All that and a look at the weather ahead…all, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour

There’s good news on the outlook for 2020 surface water supplies. We’ll take a hike into the Sierra Nevada mountains to explain. California farmers are anxiously awaiting ratification of the USMCA trade agreement, to get some certainty about their farm sales to Mexico and Canada again. But there are holdups in the U.S. Senate, including one big impending obstacle. We trace the path of the California walnut tree, from seedling to harvest to processing to your lunchbox. And, is there an alpaca - or two - in your future? We’ll explore if this beast of burden is right for your ranch…or ranchette. All that, and a lot more, on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.