California Ag Network

Tag: Farm Credit

  • Innovative Ag Education Program Reaches Over 1 Million California Students

    Educating today’s students about the importance of California agriculture is critically important to protecting the future of farming and ranching in the Golden State. For nearly 40 years, the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom has been a leader in that effort and is continuing to innovate to meet the needs of California classrooms.

    “We’ve been around since 1986, and our whole mission is to support teachers and students in incorporating agriculture into their classroom because agriculture affects our daily lives. It’s the food we eat; it’s the clothes we wear – it affects everything that we do,” said Amanda Fletcher, the Foundation’s executive director.

    During 2024, Fletcher said the Foundation’s programs reached over 1 million pre-K to high school students by engaging more than 34,000 teachers across California. Among the Foundation’s most-used resources was the 22ndannual issue of What’s Growin’ On, a 16-page interactive student newspaper funded in part by Farm Credit. More than 100,000 copies were distributed.

    Kevin Ralph, California President for AgWest Farm Credit, said California’s Farm Credit organizations have supported the Foundation’s work for many years.

    “Farm Credit has been proud to support What’s Growin’ On for more than 15 years – and in fact increased our support this year – because it’s proven to be an innovative and effective way of educating third through eighth graders about all the aspects of California agriculture,” Ralph said.

    Jacob DeBoer, Regional Marketing Manager with American AgCredit, agreed that the Foundation continues to do great work.

    “What makes the Foundation’s efforts so successful is that it comes up with ways to really reach students,” DeBoer said. “This year, the theme is ‘Imagine Your Future in Agriculture,’ which is especially important given the need to attract students to consider careers in ag-related fields. Besides information about farming, the newspaper and other programs discuss careers in fields including tech, marketing, soil science and ag mechanics. There’s nothing like drones to capture a young student’s imagination.”

    All seven Farm Credit organizations serving California – AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit – are financially supporting the Foundation’s work. They are all part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Fletcher said the Foundation got its start in 1981 as a program launched by the California Farm Bureau Federation. It was spun off five years later as an affiliated 501c3 nonprofit. Today, seven – soon to be eight – employees develop age-appropriate curricula using a wide range of distribution methods.

    For example, a popular part of the program is the virtual California Farm Day. This year, 31,000 students watched one of two age-appropriate, hour-long programs including video and live Q&A sessions with ag experts. One segment showed a pest advisor walking through a broccoli field examining plants for insects. He explained that some insects were beneficial, and others weren’t and talked about the steps he took to become a pest advisor.

    “We had over 800 questions asked of the live hosts. A lot of the kids who were on that broadcast were from urban and more disadvantaged schools who don’t always have the ability to go on field trips, so this offered a little window into agriculture and how it affects their lives,” she said.

    “We probably work with 60% urban classes and 40% from the agricultural areas. Our target demographic is those urban and disadvantaged schools because we want to get into schools in L.A. and the Bay Area to make sure they’re getting the same education about agriculture that students in counties that have that rich agriculture history have access to.”

    This year, a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture allowed the Foundation to develop an interactive website called KnowinWhatsGrowin.com. Fletcher said it matches the state’s fourth-grade curriculum and focuses on specialty crops grown in different parts of the state.

    Santa Clara County students can learn about mushrooms, for example – how they’re grown and harvested, nutritional information, products that use mushrooms and even recipes.

    Because the Foundation strives “to keep growing, because if you stay stagnant that doesn’t work when the goal is to get the information out to the populace,” the staff is currently beginning a four-year project to develop a monthly curriculum for high school students that outlines ag-related careers. The lesson plans will tie into math, science and ag mechanics.

    “Then we are going to be working on developing an internship program that will go along with that. It’ll be exciting in the next couple of years once that gets off the ground,” she said.

    “We want to create materials that are easy and quick for teachers to implement so they have good programming for their students and to make sure that the next generation is informed about where their food and fiber comes from.”

    About Farm Credit:

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, CoBank, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom:

    California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to increasing agricultural awareness and understanding among California’s educators and students. AITC develops accurate, teacher-tested educational materials, provides training and programs for educators, and collaborates with organizations to highlight the importance of agriculture in daily life. Through initiatives such as comprehensive lesson plans, the What’s Growin’ On? student newspaper, the Imagine this… writing contest, Virtual Farm Day, the annual teacher conference, and many more programs, AITC fosters agricultural literacy and supports the future of agriculture – impacting over 1 million students annually. For more information, visit www.learnaboutag.org.

  • AgSafe Expands Training Sessions, Works to Meet Emerging Needs

    For more than 30 years, AgSafe has been a trusted source for safety training and compliance support for the agricultural community.

    The Modesto-based nonprofit has cemented its place in ag training in California and increasingly in other parts of the country as well. Natalie Gupton, the group’s Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said in just one year, AgSafe increased its training sessions by more than 35%, growing from 204 sessions reaching 3,667 people in 2022–23 to 278 sessions reaching 5,664 people in 2023–24.

    While AgSafe continues to provide essential training in worker safety, human resources and pesticide handling, the organization is also expanding its offerings to meet emerging needs in the ag industry, said President and Chief Executive Officer Theresa Kiehn.

    “We’ve spent the past five years really focusing on our supervisors because they are the ones that get so much done for our industry,” Kiehn said. “We are sponsoring classes on training the trainers, trying to help supervisors with everything from equipment safety – so tractor, forklift, ATV/UTV accident prevention – to HR topics like wage and hour and sexual harassment prevention.

    “Many of us in our roles get regular professional development, so we’re working to make sure that our ag sector is getting that as well, especially those in supervisors’ roles. We’re making sure that we’re professionalizing our industry.”

    Kiehn, who has been with AgSafe since 2009 and CEO since 2020, noted that the group has developed the Supervisors Development Academy, a five-section 20-hour program that talks about what it means to be a supervisor, how to lead teams, how to have difficult conversations and to work on people skills.

    Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, emphasized the critical importance of workforce education in promoting safe practices across agriculture.

    “Safety remains a top priority in the ag industry, and AgSafe has demonstrated exceptional leadership over the past 34 years by training more than 150,000 people,” said Hesterberg. “Today’s agricultural workforce faces a broader range of challenges, making AgSafe’s expanded, holistic approach more vital than ever. These comprehensive programs are essential to meeting the evolving needs of our industry well into the future.”

    Kevin Ralph, AgWest Farm Credit’s California President, said AgSafe’s signature safety conference, often held in Monterey, is also a great benefit.

    “More than 500 people attend the conference, which features more than 50 classes focusing on health, safety, human resources and leadership development, in English and Spanish,” Ralph said. “AgSafe brings in Spanish-speaking experts from key regulatory agencies to discuss the top citations and how to prevent them, and to make sure everyone is up to date. Farm Credit is proud to have sponsored the conference for many years and to have been a longstanding AgSafe associate member.”

    Farm Credit associations supporting AgSafe are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, and Fresno Madera Farm Credit. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Kiehn said Farm Credit has been a great partner.

    “We never want cost to be a barrier for folks to participate, and Farm Credit’s support has allowed us to reduce costs to ensure that we maximize participation. Farm Credit also has been one of the foundational partners that allows us to grow and maintain our helpline service. And finally, its information has been valuable to our network and whenever we’re able to share it we try to do so,” she said.

    AgSafe was formed in 1990 as increasing state and federal regulations made an injury and illness prevention program necessary. At first a coalition, it earned its 501(c)3 status in 1991 and began transitioning to a professional membership-based organization in 1994.

    But the organization isn’t content to rest on its laurels. It is developing two new program areas – stress management and making sure workers are safe around new and emerging technologies that are reshaping agriculture.

    “We want to bring in different techniques to help people manage their stress. Farming is a very, very tough industry, whether you’re an owner or a worker. Giving people resources and ways they can manage that in the right way helps them personally and helps the employer as well because a happy, healthy worker can translate into a more productive company,” Gupton said.

    She added that the rapid growth of robotics and autonomous equipment requires the industry to carefully evaluate potential safety issues and develop training to address them.

    “We’re seeing a rapid rise in robotics and autonomous equipment, and it’s essential to take a step back and evaluate their safety implications,” Gupton said. “Our goal is to develop proactive training to ensure these technologies can be adopted safely and effectively.”

    About Farm Credit:

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About AgSafe Food & Farms:

    AgSafe, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, is the educational leader that provides practical safety and education to the agricultural community. Since 1991 AgSafe has trained over 100,000 employers, supervisors and farm workers in the most critical issues impacting worker safety, human resources and pesticide safety. AgSafe employs a “boots on the ground” approach to these topics, teaching both the “why” and “how” to protect workers in the field, as well as packing, processing and food manufacturing facilities. For more information, visit https://agsafe.org.

  • Placer County Team Demonstrates Value of Participating in 4-H

    4-H is America’s largest youth development organization. Its hands-on approach has been proven to foster life skills like confidence and independence as members learn by doing.

    For proof, look no further than the livestock judging team from Placer County, just north of Sacramento. The Ophir 4-H Club team started from scratch just five years ago and won the 4-H state championship in both 2023 and 2024. Most of the members were too young in 2023 to compete in the national competitions, but the 2024 team passed the age test and headed to the National Western Roundup in Denver, Colo., this January to take on teams from all over the country.

    “We started (the team) when we realized that not many 4-H kids were doing judging in California,” said team coach Liza Stefani, who along with her husband, Jonathan, has been a 4-H volunteer for more than 20 years. “FFA is heavily involved in competitions, but you have to go to a school with an FFA program and several of our kids don’t. 4-H allows kids to participate who otherwise wouldn’t have access to do so.”

    Junior Moriah Marshall is an original team member. She recalls that the team came together quickly.

    “Liza called us up a week before a contest and asked if I wanted to do it with her son, Joey. I said sure, we watched two videos and then did the contest. We didn’t do that bad – we did better than some of the older kids. But looking at my scores then compared to 2024 is crazy. None of us knew what reasons were,” Moriah said.

    “Now I can look at a class of livestock and know what I see and come up with a set of reasons. It’s more fun now that we actually know something.”

    Livestock judging consists of two primary components – placing (or ranking) a group of animals and orally justifying your decision, or as it’s commonly known, giving reasons.

    Joey Stefani said he first started judging because his parents were launching the program but found he really liked it.

    “When I found out that I could raise animals and do speaking contests, I stuck with it,” he said. “I wanted to get better at picking out animals to raise, and I also like the competitive aspect of the public speaking and the leadership involved.”

    Ella Miller, a high school senior, joined the team after another girl transitioned out of 4-H. Now in her eighth year in 4-H, she was interested in judging to raise her market lambs better and select the best animal to show. It apparently paid off as her market lamb placed third overall at the Gold Country Fair last year.

    Miller said teams are typically split up into groups and have 10-15 minutes to judge each pen of four animals, pigs or cattle, for market or breeding. Groups normally judge between seven and 10 pens, and after each judge fills out an evaluation, they take notes for the oral presentations.

    “For 30 minutes, you give your reasons and explain to your judge – who typically is someone who bought one of the animals – why you placed each class the way you did. You have to memorize your reasons and can’t look at notes,” she said.

    The team’s fourth member is Gabriel Kitchen.

    Tiffany Lionudakis, Senior Relationship Manager with American AgCredit, said the Placer County team reflects the important values youth learn in 4-H.

    “They develop public speaking skills and leadership skills that are invaluable in life,” Lionudakis said. “In addition to judging, some members have the opportunity to raise and market livestock. Raising project animals allows them to learn how to manage time and money at a young age – with some students completing their first income and expense statement as early as 9 years old. Those financial skills are critical, and with skills like these, it’s no wonder 4-H alumni are true leaders.”

    Moriah, Elsa and Joey also plan on pursuing careers in ag-related fields. Moriah wants to become a cloven-hoof animal veterinarian, Ella is considering being a vet or studying embryology and Joey is thinking about ag mechanics – or even becoming a professional livestock judge.

    Kevin Ralph, AgWest Farm Credit’s California President, said it’s important that young people pursue careers in California agriculture.

    “Farm Credit proudly supports organizations like 4-H that help shape the next generation of leaders as they develop industry expertise, leadership competencies and advocacy skills,” Ralph said. “It’s encouraging that outstanding youth like the members of the Placer County team will help keep California agriculture a world leader for decades to come.”

    Farm Credit associations AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit and Fresno Madera Farm Credit sponsor California 4-H. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Liza Stefani said the public speaking part of the competition is crucial and contestants must have the ability to think on their feet, adapt and change. She noted that one junior team member at a competition completely forgot what he was going to say.

    “He said he just made it up as he went and actually scored one of the highest scores on the team for that section because he was as confident as he could be. You just fake it ‘till you make it sometimes,” she said.

    The team members were glad to have had the experience of competing in one of 4-H’s three national competitions. Liza Stefani said it was a great learning experience – which was what everyone had expected from the event in January – one of three national 4-H competions.

    “The kids did great at nationals. They came in 25th, which, of course, is not what they would’ve hoped for, but they learned a lot. It was a very steep competition,” she said. And because of the successes the team has had, last year they added a junior team that shows great progress.

    While the team loves raising animals, it’s never easy to say goodbye to one they have raised and trained for several years. But Joey sees a practical side as well.

    “It is really hard to sell them. Especially the first few days, it’s really difficult to know they are gone – you miss working with them. But after a few weeks, when you get your money for selling them, that’s when you start to feel better. And knowing you’re feeding families is good as well,” he said.

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the California 4-H Program:

    The University of California 4-H Youth Development Program promotes hands-on, experiential learning for all youth ages 5-19. We provide meaningful opportunities for youth and adults to work together to create sustainable community change in the areas of Civic Engagement, Leadership, Healthy Living and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Our 4-H programs are delivered locally through the county University of California Cooperative Extension offices, where youth participate in 4-H through clubs, schools, military clubs, camps and more. Each year, approximately 100,000 youth and over 10,000 volunteers participate in the California 4-H Youth Development Program.

  • Center for Land-Based Learning Launches Program to Upskill Farm Employees

    As California agriculture seeks to adapt to changing markets and increased government regulations, farmers and ranchers are working hard to boost productivity and ensure that their workforce has the skills needed to be as productive as possible.

    To help make that goal a reality, the Center for Land-Based Learning is launching a new program called AgHiRE, crafted specifically for the Spanish-speaking agricultural workforce and dedicated to empowering top-performing workers.

    “Employers are getting pressure from all sides to become more efficient and nimble. They need workers to be as skilled and efficient as possible,” said Marisa Alcorta, the Center’s apprenticeship program director. “The program, the newest component of our California Farm Academy, is designed to equip employees with critical language skills, digital literacy and leadership training that will enable them to advance into roles with more responsibility within their organizations.”

    She said the program is designed to give experienced farmworkers the skills to make them more valuable to the employer.

    “A lot of employers have said they have employees who don’t speak English who they would like to move up. We needed to create a program accessible for Spanish-speaking workers. There are a lot of amazing talents working in the industry who know their job but can’t advance because of those gaps,” she said.

    Alcorta noted that the curriculum was developed during more than four months of meetings with an Advisory Committee consisting of agricultural employers, educators and regulatory consultants.

    “It was important to make sure industry was driving the design of this program so that it was meeting the needs of growers and their employees,” she said. Other partners included Valley Vision and YoloWorks!, the Yolo County Career Services Center.

    Jacob DeBoer, Regional Marketing Manager, with American AgCredit, said Farm Credit continues to strongly support the Center because of its innovative and successful programs to inspire, educate and cultivate future generations of farmers and agricultural leaders.

    “For 30 years, the Center has provided programs for students, beginning farmers and aspiring farm managers,” DeBoer said. “The new AgHiRE program builds on a successful two-year farm management apprenticeship program with the goal of providing more skills and opportunities for farmworkers, benefitting workers and employers alike. Programs like these are invaluable assets to California agriculture, and Farm Credit is proud to continue supporting the Center’s work.”

    Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit, noted that Farm Credit’s support extends to the Center’s ambitious campaign to raise $10 million in public funds and private donations to allow it to further expand its efforts.

    “The Center’s vision is to expand its workforce training options, launch a new bilingual farmworker upskilling program in partnership with major statewide ag groups and expand the beginning farmer and rancher apprenticeship program statewide,” Ralph said. “Farm Credit has generously supported the campaign and encourages others in the ag community to do the same.”

    Farm Credit organizations supporting the Center’s programs are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Alcorta added that sponsorships such as Farm Credit’s are essential to the Center’s success.

    “Investment by Farm Credit has really helped kick-start many of our programs and keep them going,” she said. “We couldn’t do what we do without their support, and we hope we can lean on their support in the future as we work to make programs even more relevant to employers.”

    She said the first AgHiRE cohort began the program in early December and will finish in mid-March. It consists of three-hour in-person classes on Wednesdays and Fridays, with a monthly five-hour Saturday session focused on leadership and communication, totaling 87 hours of instruction.

    In addition, the 25 participants are learning critical language skills and digital literacy that will enable them to advance into roles with more responsibility within their organizations. The center plans to offer another course next winter, and to add an advanced course as well for farmworkers who already have most of the basic skills.

    Alcorta said the center is really excited about launching the program because it serves an important need.

    “Our goal is to help farmworkers advance their careers. They deserve a pathway for professional development. And as the labor force dwindles because the industry is having to shift to mechanized labor to survive, more and more farmworkers are going to need to be trained on these soft skills and technology,” she said.

    “That’s why the digital literacy piece is so critical, and I can see it expanding a lot for the advanced class.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Center for Land-Based Learning:
    For 30 years, the Center for Land-Based Learning has been dedicated to inspiring and training the next generation of farmers, agricultural leaders, and natural resource stewards. By focusing on sustainable practices and community engagement, CLBL aims to build equitable and resilient food systems that benefit both people and the environment. For more information, visit www.landbasedlearning.org

  • Heritage Club Helps Preserve California’s Rich Agricultural History

    In 1844, four years before California became a part of the U.S. and before John Marshall discovered gold at Coloma, a 16-year-old boy left his home in what later became West Virginia and joined an ox team headed west. James John Morehead was by himself, with only a horse and flintlock gun to his name. After the Gold Rush began, he tried mining but soon began raising cattle and farming wheat south of Chico.

    Morehead prospered and in 1872 he purchased 765 acres of fertile land just outside of Chico, and eventually expanded his holdings into neighboring counties. It was Morehead’s good fortune to have come west, for in his thirty-three years in California he acquired 1,700 acres in Butte, Colusa and Tehama counties, 13 lots in Chico, increased his assets a hundredfold and was regarded as a prominent and successful farmer and businessman. (Unfortunately, Morehead’s flintlock – with many notches in the stock – and powder horn were stolen in the 1930s from the fireplace mantle of the family’s summer home in Magalia and never recovered.)

    Today, the Morehead-Hill-Baker Ranch grows mostly almonds, and the remaining property is farmed by fourth- and fifth-generation family members. This historic farming operation was one of five farming and ranching enterprises that have been in business for at least 100 years that were honored at this year’s California State Fair in July. The ranch was recognized for 150 years of California farming.

    Each year, the Fair, through its California Agricultural Heritage Club, honors farms and ranches, ag-related businesses and ag-related organizations that have been in operation for at least 100 years, at least 125 years, at least 150 years and at least 175 years. Some farm and ranch owners apply when they hit their threshold, but others do so a few years later, in most cases because they weren’t aware of the program.

    Club chair Judy Culbertson, whose family’s ranch was inducted in 2003, said emceeing the event is one of the most enjoyable events she does during the year.

    “These are warm, salt-of-the-earth farm and ranch families who are proud of what they do and of each other. You don’t find many 100-year-old companies, and some of their stories are heart-wrenching,” she said.

    Farm Credit has been a top sponsor of the breakfast event since 2015 and was one of the 100-year honorees in 2016, noted Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit.

    “As a more than century-old institution, Farm Credit is proud to sponsor the ceremony each year,” Ralph said. “The inductees are integral members of California’s agricultural community, whose families built the foundation of our state’s giant agricultural enterprise.”

    Mary Pimentel, Relationship Manager with American AgCredit, added that without sponsors, the event could not be held.

    “Without the California Heritage Agricultural Club, these pioneer farms and ranches wouldn’t receive the recognition they’ve earned – and without sponsorships, the Club wouldn’t be able to put on their program each year,” Pimentel said. “As California agriculture continues to move forward, it’s also important to honor the men and women who have made California the proud leader in food production and agriculture.”

    Farm Credit organizations supporting the event are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit and CoBank. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Culbertson said the program began in 1948 – the centennial of the California Gold Rush – as the 100 Year Club. In 2001, it was given its current name and expanded to recognize businesses and organizations that had been in existence for up to 150 years and began honoring 175-year-old ag-related companies in 2010.

    All this year’s honorees have colorful histories.

    George Thompson immigrated to California from Ireland in the 1860s. He and his wife, May, moved from New York to Big Valley in Lassen County where they started their homestead along the Pit River in 1871. After George passed away, his 13-year-old son Jim took over running the ranch for his mother. He eventually bought out several neighbors to expand to the present-day 4,040-acre ranch. Now with nearly 500 head of cattle, the Thompson Ranch is still owned and operated by the Thompson Family.

    Scott Brothers Dairy was founded by Ira J. Scott in 1913 when he moved from Iowa to California. and has continued to grow ever since. Originally located in Pomona, the company added a second dairy, manufacturing plant and retail location added just down the road in the agricultural zone of Chino in 1961. The dairy farm is now located in San Jacinto. The family-owned and -managed 900-acre farm has over 1,000 head of cattle, with all the milk sent daily to the production facility in Chino. Now in its fourth generation, the company sells dairy products in 54 countries under private labels and copacking agreements – and is one of the largest manufacturers of frozen yogurt in the world.

    In 1919, Faustino Silva arrived in California from Portugal with a dream to start a farm and ranch. He discovered the beautiful and fertile Sacramento area and got to work. His son, Gary Silva Sr., followed in his footsteps and continued to build their dream. Today Gary Silva Jr. has taken over the family tradition with his wife, Tracy, and their children, Justin and Alexis. Together, the family continues to provide delicious top-quality ranch-raised, grass-fed, grain-finished beef from theSilva Ranch in Herald.

    Today the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, Ocean Mist Farms’ family farming roots took hold exactly 100 years ago when Daniel Pieri, cousins Amerigo and Angelo Del Chiaros, and Jim Bellone immigrated to the U.S. from Italy. They settled in Castroville and joined forces with another founding father, Alfred Tottino, to form the California Artichoke & Vegetable Growers Corp. Together, they leased land south of Castroville and set up shop in a tin-roofed wooden shed at the Del Monte Junction. In addition to artichokes, the company has since added 30 other fresh vegetables to its line and members the Pieri-Reasons and Tottino families continue to be involved in operations.

    Owners of farming and ranching operations that have been in business for at least 100 years are encouraged to apply to be recognized during the 2025 California State Fair. Applications are available at https://calexpostatefair.com/special-events/ca-agheritage/

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit and CoBank are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the California Agricultural Heritage Club: The California Agricultural Heritage Club is a prestigious group of families and businesses that are descendants of pioneer ranches, farms and agribusinesses of early California. Their dedication to preserving agriculture’s heritage as well as moving the industry forward has made California a proud leader in food production and agriculture. For more information, visit https://calexpostatefair.com/special-events/ca-agheritage/

  • Fresno State Expands Farm Credit Multicultural Scholars Program, Encouraging Careers in Ag

    After some 40 years, the Farm Credit Multicultural Scholars Program at California State University, Fresno, is continuing to grow and expand its mission. In fact, the program is now reaching even more students and urging them to consider earning a college degree and pursuing a career in agriculture.

    During the recently concluded school year, Fresno State completed the first year of an ambitious outreach program to visit Central Valley high schools to educate traditionally underrepresented students about the benefits of attending the university and pursuing a career in an agriculture-related field.

    “We made 33 presentations and 14 farm tours during the school year,” said Amy Suarez, a graduate student leading the outreach effort. “The 60 ambassadors gave presentations about Fresno State as well as our ag programs. And they answered questions from the students about campus life, what it’s like to live in the dorms and about our majors. It was also important to show that all students can be accepted at Fresno State and that we thrive on diversity.”

    The expanded high school program adds to a long list of nearly 80 outreach efforts held each year by the Jordan College of Agricultural Science and Technology. These include career fairs, community college presentations and workshops at the FFA Leadership Conference. During the year, the ambassadors reached 10,675 high school and community college students in the Central Valley and Central Coast. That’s up from around 6,000 in 2022-23 and just 620 in 2021-22, said Dr. Sharon Freeman, the program coordinator.

    “For example, we had three of our ambassadors spend all day at a high school in Salinas, where they presented to eight groups of students in the ag teacher’s classrooms,” Freeman said. “We’ve found that students are receptive to learn about our six departments and the teachers are very appreciative as well.”

    The student ambassador program has been strongly supported by Farm Credit since 2013, said Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO with Fresno Madera Farm Credit.

    “During the past 11 years, Farm Credit has contributed over $765,000 to fund stipends each year for five ambassadors who serve as leaders of the program,” Hesterberg said. “Diversity has been part of Central Valley agriculture from the beginning as people from around the world migrated here to become farmers. That diversity is more important now than ever as we work to ensure that California agriculture reflects California’s rich diversity.”

    Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit, said he was extremely pleased to see the expanded outreach to high school students.

    “Our sponsorship has allowed the major expansion of the program to high school students while the program continues its outreach efforts to older students as well,” Ralph said. “It’s also a plus that this year the sponsorship is helping to reimburse the scholars for some of their travel expenses. Since the presentations take place from Modesto to Tulare, those stipends can really help these college students.”

    Farm Credit organizations supporting the program are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Freeman meets weekly with the ambassador leaders to go through the list of what’s coming up next and making sure enough people are in place for all of them, and Suarez keeps in touch throughout the week as well to orchestrate all the moving parts. Ambassadors can sign up for any activity that fits their schedules and student participation has been amazing.

    “I couldn’t be more proud of the effort and energy going into this outreach effort,” she said.

    Besides promoting careers in agriculture, the ambassadors also get a lot out of the program, Freeman said. They improve their communication, teamwork and time management skills, which improves their prospects for future employability.

    Suarez is a good example of that.

    “Being a part of the ambassadors has really helped me grow professionally,” Suarez said. “Managing the program has helped build my time management and management skills and I can see how it will help me pursue a career in the future. And just being able to develop relationships with other ambassadors has been a tremendous opportunity.”

    Suarez has an ag background and participated in 4H and FFA growing up. In high school, she raised and sold Boer goats to students to show at county fairs. She joined the ambassador program as a sophomore and became one of the agricultural scholars after entering grad school. She expects to begin student teaching this fall and to become a full-fledged ag teacher by May 2025 – and looks forward to continuing her outreach to students.

    “It’s very important to have ag teachers,” Suarez said. “They can spark students’ passion to be part of the industry, help them become more aware of what is going on in ag and how food ends up on their tables.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Multicultural Ambassadors Program:

    The Multicultural Ambassadors program is made up of agricultural students attending California State University, Fresno. Their mission is to conduct recruitment activities to encourage underrepresented students to further their education, consider agricultural careers, and to learn about the opportunities available at the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. Recruitment activities include career fairs, high school presentations, farm tours, and leadership conferences. Through participation in these recruitment activities, the Multicultural Ambassadors develop soft skills, leadership, and career-readiness practices that prepare them for leadership positions in the agricultural industry.

  • Sacramento Museum Educates Public About How Farmers Work Hard to Use Less Water

    Since Sacramento’s acclaimed Museum of Science and Curiosity (MOSAC) opened in November 2021, more than 331,000 visitors have toured the facility, which features dozens of interactive exhibits on topics such as health care, nature, space exploration and water.

    A popular MOSAC section is the Water Challenge Exhibit, which includes three interactive displays sponsored by Cultivate California and its nonprofit parent organization the California Farm Water Coalition that illustrate how farmers are working hard to use less water.

    Two sisters who recently visited MOSAC said they enjoyed the exhibits and the older one said she’d learned something as well.

    “I learned that water is very important and that we need water to grow food for people and to feed the animals we’re going to eat,” said 9-year-old Lyla Frith. Her sister, Kaylyn, 7, enjoyed the exhibits on her own level, saying, “I liked it a lot. The games were fun.”

    Both girls worked hard on the interactive exhibits to properly irrigate the fields without running out of water and to create their menus for the day, learning how much water was needed to grow the foods and how much nutritional value they contained in the process. In both cases, the game suggested they eat more vegetables.

    Making science fun is one of the ways Cultivate California strives to educate Californians about the vital link between farms and ranches and their water supplies, and how the ag community is working hard to grow even more food and fiber while using less water, said Farm Water Coalition Executive Director Mike Wade.

    “Our water exhibits bring home the fact that water is essential to grow our food and that California farmers are leading the world in conserving it,” Wade said. “It’s important that everyone know that farmers are using water in an efficient manner and that as consumers, we all depend on farmers.”

    Jacob DeBoer, with American AgCredit, said creating innovative ways to educate Californians about the importance of California agriculture is why Farm Credit organizations serving the state’s farmers and ranchers are contributing $100,000 to Cultivate California this year.

    “Firmly rooted in American AgCredit’s core values is an unwavering commitment to the communities where we work and live,” DeBoer said. “The MOSAC exhibit does such a great job of educating California consumers on how vital water is in growing the food that feeds our families, and how farmers are always aiming to optimize their water usage to ensure they’re being good stewards of our land.”

    Kevin Ralph, AgWest Farm Credit’s California President, agreed.

    “Providing accurate information about California agriculture to our state’s mainly urban population is critically important, and every year Cultivate California finds new creative ways to reach people online and get them to engage with the content,” Ralph said. “Farm Credit looks forward to continuing to help them spread the good news about the state’s farms and ranches.”

    Ag West Farm Credit, American AgCredit, and CoBank, Colusa Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit have sponsored Cultivate California since its inception in 2015. The three organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Of course, the MOSAC exhibit is just one part of Cultivate California’s toolkit. The bigger part of their outreach is via paid advertising on social media channels.

    “There are two facets to what we do. The first is to get their attention, and that’s with imagery and food facts, recipes, information about which regions grow different products, and what’s in season,” Wade said.

    “That helps get their attention, then we tailor the rest of the message about the importance of water to bring food to consumers and the value of California production over imports where we have less control over how commodities are grown. We get their attention and then deliver the message about why California is such an important ag state.”

    He said the digital campaign reached about 10 million people in 2023 and resulted in over 165,000 people engaging with the material through likes, comments and shares. To reach an even broader audience, the campaign is branching out into social media platforms that cater to younger audiences.

    “None of this would be possible without the ongoing support of the Farm Credit system,” Wade said. “Farm Credit is among our most generous supporters, allowing us to drive our messaging the way we intended.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About Cultivate California:

    Cultivate California is an industry-supported program crafted to help consumers make the connection between farm water and their food supply. Cultivate California helps people see that California farms provide a healthy, safe, affordable and diverse food supply, that they are among the most water-efficient farms in the world, and that California farmers produce many food crops that cannot be commercially grown in other parts of the U.S.

  • Small Farm Conference Continues to Provide Needed Education

    Since the beginning of production agriculture, the vast majority of farming operations have consisted of small family farms. That’s true today as well, as these farms comprise nearly 90% of all the farms in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    Providing the education needed to help California’s small farms thrive is the top priority for the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, a nonprofit that provides information and ideas that will allow small farmers to succeed, said Evan Wiig, CAFF’s director of membership and communications.

    “By equipping small-farm operators with the tools and education they need, and by working to promote programs that really benefit small farms, such as more farmers markets and making direct-to-consumer sales easier, we can help them be successful,” Wiig said.

    CAFF’s major initiative each year is its Small Farm Conference, sponsored in part by Farm Credit associations doing business in California. The 36th annual conference was held earlier this year and drew more than 1,200 small farmers from around the state to the hybrid event, consisting of 60 online workshops as well as 10 in-person gatherings from San Diego to Humboldt County where people could network and exchange ideas.

    Wiig said sponsorships such as Farm Credit’s support are vital for nonprofits such as his.

    “We could not put on the conference without sponsorships. That’s the short of it,” Wiig said. “We strive to make sure our education is accessible to all farmers, including new farmers, students and farmworkers. To make the conference accessible to those people, we have to keep our ticket prices down. We really appreciate everything Farm Credit does. They’re still our rainmaker sponsorship. They really do make it rain and we appreciate it.”

    Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit, said providing ongoing education to farmers and ranchers is a top priority for California’s Farm Credit associations.

    “Each year, Farm Credit supports nonprofits focusing on ag education because educational opportunities offered by nonprofits such as CAFF are vitally important to the success of agriculture,” Ralph said. “Helping small farmers is something we should all support and keeping them up to date on the latest tools and techniques is a great way to ensure that they continue to thrive.”

    Farm Credit organizations members AgWest Farm Credit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are proud supporters of CAFF. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    The conference was abruptly transformed in 2021 into a virtual conference due to the pandemic, which turned out to be wildly popular since by definition small farmers often have a difficult time leaving their farms for four days and bearing the travel expenses to get to a central location.

    “We’re hearing from the farmers that they really appreciate this format,” Wiig said. “Attendees were posting on Instagram pictures of themselves tuning into the conference while doing all sorts of things on their farms. It was cool to see that we’re meeting them where they’re at and glad to see that they’re getting a lot out of it.”

    Workshops this year ranged from marketing a small farm to business administration to crop-specific workshops for commodities including strawberries and wine grapes. It also included innovative ways to do sales, such as online sales and selling to schools and hospitals.

    Wiig said programs are developed after a listening tour CAFF’s staff takes each fall to learn about what problems were keeping farmers up at night and where they should focus advocacy efforts in Sacramento.

    “A lot of the things that we’ve been hearing about for a long time continue to rise to the top – access to water and land, adaptation to climate change, dealing with wildfires, floods and droughts – the continued craziness of farming in California,” Wiig said.

    “But we also saw that because they are small operations, they struggle to access equipment and markets. We want to make sure smaller and new farmers have access to capital, processing equipment and infrastructure. We’re looking at things like helping start farm cooperatives and distribution collaboratives. We’re also cosponsoring a bill for tool-sharing programs so groups can get access to equipment they couldn’t otherwise afford on their own,” he said.

    Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said it’s encouraging to see nonprofits sponsored by Farm Credit continue to come up with new ideas to promote agriculture.

    “CAFF does a great job of understanding the needs of small farmers and developing support systems to help them,” Hesterberg said. “We are proud that our support makes a difference and look forward to continuing to support CAFF and our state’s small farmers.”

    Next year’s conference is tentatively scheduled for February 23-28, and Wiig said after reviewing feedback and evaluations from participants, one thing CAFF will try to do is expand the local gatherings.

    “Clearly, there’s a desire to add more in-person workshops and field days. This year’s field days sold out within days and it’s clear that people want to get onto other farms and see how they do things. We want to make that a central focus of the conference going forward,” he said.

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About CAFF:

    The Community Alliance with Family Farmers builds sustainable food and farming systems through policy advocacy and on-the-ground programs that create more resilient family farms, communities and ecosystems. The California Small Farm Conference convenes farmers and ag advocates to share resources, trade best practices, learn and collectively advocate for family farms in their community. For more information, visithttps://caff.org.

  • Rangeland Trust Successfully Preserving California’s Ranching Legacy

    In 1998, as today, many California ranchers were facing serious headwinds, including high taxes, escalating land prices, ever-increasing regulations and the threat of urban development. Many ranchers were getting out of the business or leaving California altogether.

    To protect California’s cattle industry – which dates back to the first Spanish mission in 1769 – and allow families to continue ranching, leaders with the California Cattlemen’s Association began looking for solutions. The one they settled on was creating a land trust similar to one ranchers in Colorado had formed a few years previously.

    The plan worked. Today, the California Rangeland Trust is the state’s largest statewide land trust. The owners of 84 properties totaling 377,434 acres have voluntarily sold or donated their development rights – an area equivalent to the cities of Los Angeles and Sacramento combined. And the amount of acreage continues to grow. In fact, by the end of this year – the organization’s silver anniversary – the Rangeland Trust could have an even 100 conservation easements established, said Alyssa Rolen, the trust’s communications director.

    Rolen said there are many reasons why a ranching family would be interested in establishing a conservation easement.

    “There’s satisfaction in knowing that regardless of what happens in the future, their land will remain working open range land,” Rolen said. “There are also financial benefits when they sell the development rights, which many do.”

    While the bulk of the Rangeland Trust’s funding comes from state and federal conservation grants, the nonprofit also receives crucial private-sector funding, which Rolen said has been a big help in recent years. The group’s major fundraising event is its A Western Affair, which takes place every other year. This year’s event was held in May at Yolo Land and Cattle in Esparto. Farm Credit organizations with operations in California have come together annually to sponsor the gala since 2011.

    “As Farm Credit partners with farmers and ranchers to grow the future, we stay rooted in our mission-based, farmer-owned legacy, which focuses on serving our customers and communities,” said Regional Marketing Manager Jacob DeBoer with American AgCredit. “We are committed to helping preserve and protect California’s rich ranching and farming resources, both through customized financial solutions—and by partnering with nonprofit organizations like Rangeland Trust.”

    Nearly 400 people attended this year’s event, which raised $360,000. Rolen said a highlight was a resolution from Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, recognizing its contributions to the Golden State for the past 25 years. It was appropriate because in 1998, Garamendi and his family were the first ranchers in California to dedicate their development rights to the trust.

    In addition, the Trust debuted the film trailer for its upcoming documentary Just Can’t See Them From the Road, which attempts to connect people back to where their food comes from and show viewers why keeping ranchers ranching matters for everyone. The film screened at film festivals this summer with private screenings beginning this fall and through next year. (You can view the trailer and get more information here. https://rangelandtrust.org/fromtheroad/)

    Kevin Ralph, California State President at AgWest Farm Credit, said the Rangeland Trust’s work to preserve rangeland is vital.

    “The Rangeland Trust works with ranchers interested in preserving their land to enter into voluntary legal agreements that permanently limit uses of the land to protect its conservation values,” Ralph said. “The landowners retain many of their rights, including the right to own and use the land, sell it and pass it on to their heirs. As most ranches are family-owned, that is a major incentive because limiting estate taxes helps ensure that the property can be passed down to the next generation.”

    Farm Credit organizations supporting the Rangeland Trust are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit and CoBank. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Rolen stressed that the Rangeland Trust doesn’t actively seek properties.

    “We don’t contact landowners – they come to us,” Rolen said. “Easements may not be a solution for all ranching families, but we’re always open to having those discussions with ranchers who are interested. We work with the landowner to figure out what works best for them.”

    The benefits of preserving rangeland go far beyond the ranching community. Rolen said 62% of the state’s open space consists of rangeland, 67% of the state’s endangered species spend part of their lives on private rangeland and 85% of the state’s water runs over rangeland.

    “Rangeland is critical to air quality, water quality, wildlife habitats and local food supplies. We believe in protecting rangeland and the life it sustains,” she said.

    Protected parcels range from a 30-acre parcel in the Livermore area that protects the endangered California tiger salamander to the 80,000-acre Hearst Ranch in San Luis Obispo County that surrounds the famed Hearst Castle.

    “The owners of the 30-acre parcel were close to losing the ranch because of an estate tax burden and a huge debt. Because of the conservation easement, the owners were able to keep it in ranching,” Rolen said. “And the Hearst family has been quoted as saying that the coastline along Highway 1 could have looked like Malibu because of the opportunities for development, but now, with the conservation easement, it will never be developed and will remain beautiful open space forever.”

    While the goal is to finish the year with 100 ranches with conservation easements, Rolen said there are more than 90 ranches representing over 200,000 acres on their waiting list, awaiting funding.

    “We know we won’t stop after we reach that milestone because there is still a lot more work to do. Our goal is to help as many families stay on the land as possible because their stewardship benefits all Californians,” she said.

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit and CoBank are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Rangeland Trust:

    Founded in 1998 by a group of ranchers determined to safeguard rangeland agriculture and the natural ecosystems stewarded, California Rangeland Trust is the only rancher-led land trust in California. Over the last 25 years, the organization has permanently protected more than 377,000 acres of open rangeland to provide clean air and water, carbon sequestration, vibrant habitat for wildlife and healthy foods that all Californians rely upon. California Rangeland Trust is a 501 (c)(3) organization headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., dedicated to serving the land, people and wildlife by conserving California’s working rangelands. For more information, visit www.rangelandtrust.org

  • India’s Rice Export Ban: Short-Term Benefit, Long-Term Challenge for U.S. Rice

    U.S. rice producers and exporters stand to benefit from India’s recent decision to ban exports of white rice, as global demand for U.S. rice is expected to rise. Increased demand will temporarily lift prices for U.S. rice producers and the industry is well-positioned to meet higher demand for exports. However, the short-term benefits of India’s rice export ban will give way to the longer-term consequence of an oversupplied global market and severe price correction when the ban is ultimately reversed.

    According to a new research brief from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, higher global rice prices resulting from India’s export ban will prompt other countries to expand rice production, increasing global supplies. When India’s ban is reversed, presumably after the country’s elections next May, the growing rice surplus in India will be dumped on the export market and world rice prices will over-correct from the sudden flood in supply.

    “The good news is that the ban will benefit U.S. rice producers with stronger export demand, particularly from Iraq and possibly the Caribbean, as well as Central and South America,” said Tanner Ehmke, lead grains and oilseeds economist for CoBank. “Unfortunately, a prolonged period of abnormally depressed rice prices and lower incomes among rice farmers, including in the U.S., will likely follow the reversal of India’s rice export ban.”

    India’s government imposed a ban on non-basmati rice exports on July 20 following a jump in food inflation in June and erratic weather that negatively impacted the country’s spring-planted rice crop. The move was made to contain rising domestic rice prices amid higher overall food costs, geopolitical risk in the Black Sea raising wheat prices and the threat of El Nino diminishing Indian rice harvests.

    The threat of reduced global rice supplies sent India’s top importers across Asia, West Africa and the Middle East scrambling to secure supplies in anticipation of global shortages. Prices of white 5% broken rice in Thailand, the second largest rice exporter with about 13% of global market share, have climbed 18% since the Indian export ban was imposed. Should other rice-exporting countries also restrict exports, world rice prices including in the U.S. would become extremely volatile.

    So far, U.S. rough rice prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange have been virtually unchanged relative to other global exporters like Thailand since India’s export ban was imposed. However, the U.S. likely will see new demand emerge to backfill into markets that are more price-sensitive to higher Asian rice prices.

    The U.S. will be well-positioned to meet higher export demand with all-rice production expected to reach 203.6 million cwt., a year-over-year increase of 26.9%, according to USDA. Potential new export business that emerges because of the ban will most likely be for long-grain rice, which is projected at 146.8 million cwt., up 14.5% year-over-year. Longer term, the U.S. rice industry should prepare for a period of heightened market volatility.

    Read the research brief, India Rice Ban Will Benefit U.S. Rice Exports, Increase Market Volatility.

    About CoBank

    CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 76,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.

    CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.