AgNet Weekly with Sabrina Halvorson

The International Fresh Produce Association recently held its Washington Conference, a chance for members and allies to learn more about policy issues and to talk with their elected officials about the issues that are important to the industry. To get an update, we’re talking with Rebeckah Adcock, Vice President of Government Relations for the International Fresh Produce Association.

Jacqui Fatka, Industry Analyst for Farm Supplies and Biofuels at CoBank, joins us to talk about trade and the decline in some U.S. ag exports.

A proposed northern California anti-agriculture measure could have an effect nationwide. The measure in Sonoma County would eliminate animal agriculture in that county. This week, we’re joined by Executive Director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Dayna Ghirardelli, to tell us more about the push to drive animal ag out.

A group of lawmakers is putting some weight on the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service in response to NASS cutting off some important reports. U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (R-KS-01), who is also Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry, is among lawmakers leading the charge to get a turn around from NASS. He joins host Sabrina Halvorson on this week's AgNet Weekly. 

This week we visit with Congressman Austin Scott (R-GA) who tells us why he thinks there should be separate farm and nutrition bills. He also discusses farm labor and trade with host Sabrina Halvorson. 

In this week's episode, we talk with Jacqueline Heard, the founder and CEO of Enko Inc. about starting an ag tech company in the current business environment, the successes she's had, and the importance of building up the future of ag. 

This week we’re talking about prescribed fires, the protection they can bring, and the policies needed to improve implementation. Joining us on the phone is Fire Advisor and the Director of University of California’s Ag and Natural Resources Fire Network - Lenya Quinn-Davidson.

Joining us this week is Fran Miller, senior staff attorney and professor with the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law and Graduate School. We’re talking about policy recommendations to address issues facing U.S. agriculture, especially smaller or underserved farmers.

Congress couldn’t pass a farm bill in 2023, but will it happen this year? Congressman John Duarte, a Republican from California, is unsure if we will see it pass in 2024. That’s just one of the topics discussed in this week’s AgNet Weekly with Sabrina Halvorson.

Sabrina Halvorson stops by the National Sorghum Producers booth at the Commodity Classic and speaks with Executive Director Greg Ruehle. Topics include the Farm Bill and sorghum in California.

We're reporting from Commodity Classic this week, where Sabrina talks with Brian Kuehl about a tax bill that's important to agriculture and the future of the farm bill. 

The USDA is putting a focus on specialty crops with new investments and the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Initiative (SCCI), which is part of a larger effort to support specialty crop producers. In this episode of the AgNet Weekly, Sabrina Halvorson talks with USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, and fifth-generation California farmer, Jenny Lester Moffitt about these new initiatives.

2023 was an active year for agricultural issues, so what can we expect for 2024? Host Sabrina Halvorson talks with Brian Kuehl, Director of Government and Public Affairs with the ag business consulting and accounting company Pinion.

USDA Undersecretary for Trade, Alexis Taylor, keyed in on trade missions that could be particularly beneficial to the nation’s specialty crop industries. Sabrina Halvorson talked with her at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual convention.