DES MOINES, Iowa — Many farmers remain critical of President Donald Trump's tariffs and the damage done to commodity prices and markets but were appreciative Tuesday that he offered to provide some cash to help offset their losses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $12 billion three-part plan that would borrow...
News To Celebrate: A July 4 Cookout Costs Less This Year
A cookout for the Fourth of July will cost slightly less this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. The Farm Bureau’s informal survey indicates the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $55.07, or $5.51 per person....
14 States Have Seen Record-Low Unemployment
Eight states, including California, hit record lows for unemployment in March. That brings the number of states setting marks for low unemployment rates to 14 in the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS has compiled employment figures for individual states since 1976. "The states hitting new unemployment...
Take 5: Congressman Lieu on Valley Ag, Trump Impeachment
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles) is an outspoken critic of the Trump administration. Take 5 met Lieu during his "Adopt-a-District" town hall Thursday night (April 5) at Clovis West High School in Fresno. Topics Covered in Take 5 Video We asked Lieu his thoughts on: — Valley agriculture, and how President...
Editorial: Why Is Valley GOP Mum About ICE Audits Targeting Growers?
The top officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement clearly are following President Donald Trump's anti-immigrant agenda while turning a deaf ear to those worried about Valley agriculture and our neighbors who toil in the fields. Last week, The Fresno Bee reported that Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) sent a letter to ICE...
Atmospheric River Heads to the Valley. What Is It?
A big weather system is heading to Fresno, Clovis and other parts of California. The heaviest rain will hit us Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service forecast office in Hanford. There is a possibility of flooding, especially in Southern California, which still is recovering from last year's...
Come 2050, Californians Will Wish They Had More Dams
A new University of California report forecasts kick-to-the-gut climate-change realities for California farmers, especially those who grow permanent crops in the Central Valley. In a nutshell, the report anticipates big trouble ahead for crops such as almonds, peaches, table grapes, corn and rice. Scorching summer heat and longer periods of...
Will Madera County's Bold Dreams Make Greater Fresno Blossom?
Could the San Joaquin River, long a dividing line in the heart of California, unite the state in pursuit a more metropolitan future for the Central Valley? Whether that happens will be determined in Madera County, on the north side of the river from Fresno. There, a new city, consisting...
Will Madera County's Bold Dreams Make Greater Fresno Blossom?
Could the San Joaquin River, long a dividing line in the heart of California, unite the state in pursuit a more metropolitan future for the Central Valley? Whether that happens will be determined in Madera County, on the north side of the river from Fresno. There, a new city, consisting...
U.S. Ag Secretary Perdue On Farm Workforce, Water & NAFTA
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is on a West Coast tour. On Tuesday (Feb. 13), he visited the World Ag Expo in Tulare, answering questions during a Town Hall. He then spoke with GV Wire, for the latest in our "Take 5" series. Among the subjects Perdue discussed: The future...