Food And Farm News
8-20-2025
Central Valley farmer harvests a promising fig crop
California fig lovers are in for a treat this summer. Cooler temperatures in the Central Valley have created favorable conditions for producing fresh figs. “It’s been a wonderful growing season,” Steve Schafer, who grows figs and other crops in Madera County, told Ag Alert® this month in a field report. In extreme heat, figs can be “ready to pick in the morning and start getting soft by afternoon,” he said. But this summer, milder weather has led to a “great quality” crop with a longer shelf life, said Schafer, who sells his figs as fresh whole fruit. The higher-quality crop has allowed Schafer to reject fewer pieces of blemished fruit than last year. The farmer reported a strong market for the delicate fruit. While prices for fresh figs can fluctuate from week to week, he said, “demand is good.”
Golden mussels complicate effort to meet ‘huge’ recreational fishing demand
Tehama County fish farmer Katie Harris uses this time of year to rebuild her fish inventory ahead of stocking season in October, when she will supply lakes and other recreational fishing programs with trout. “The demand for recreational fishing has been huge,” Harris told Ag Alert® this month in a field report, adding she has had “a hard time keeping up with demand.” That’s partly due to longstanding challenges such as water rights and costs. But Harris and other California fish farmers also face a newer threat in the emergence of golden mussels, which can devastate fish farms and infrastructure. “Anywhere water moves, this invasive species can move with it,” Harris said. She added she has taken proactive biosecurity measures to protect her farm.
Agricultural education program reaches more than 1 million California students
In 2024, more than 1 million students and 34,000 teachers benefited from the California Farm Bureau’s innovative agricultural education program, which is run by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. Launched in 1981, the program promotes agricultural literacy and awareness. “Our whole mission is to support teachers and students in incorporating agriculture into their classroom because agriculture affects our daily lives,” said Amanda Fletcher, the foundation’s executive director. “It’s the food we eat; it’s the clothes we wear. It affects everything that we do.” Agriculture in the Classroom strives to keep growing, Fletcher said, especially in urban and disadvantaged schools that may have fewer opportunities to learn about food and farming.
Wolf resurgence continues to impact California ranchers and rural communities
The migration of gray wolves into the Sierra Valley in Northern California has disrupted rural communities and led to significant losses for cattle ranchers. “We started having wolf attacks on cattle on the north end of our Sierra Valley,” Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher said during an interview in a recent episode of the Voice of California Agriculture podcast, which is produced by the California Farm Bureau. Fisher spoke with host Gary Sack about challenges such as confirming how many cattle kills were caused by wolves, as well as the economic and emotional stress ranchers have faced. Because of the growing population of wolves, “I suspect that we are going to see some of the ranchers in this valley next year not return,” the sheriff said.
For more information about any story in Food and Farm News, contact the California Farm Bureau Marketing/Communications Division at 916-561-5550 or email news@cfbf.com. Connect with us on Facebook, X, or Instagram: @CAFarmBureau.
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