Pam Lewison
Agriculture
Farm Bill looks to save California, and everyone else, from Prop 12
While the controversial Prop 12 was passed by California voters in 2018, it was not fully implemented nationwide until January 2024. Under the requirements of Prop 12, veal calves must have at least 43 square feet of pen space, egg-laying hens must be housed in “cage-free” environments, and hogs must ...
Agriculture
SCOTUS’s rollback of tariffs is a win for farms
When the Trump Administration announced “Liberation Day” in April 2025 and told farmers to “have fun,” it was with the expectation that food producers would be able to market their product domestically rather than relying on the global market. It was a far-fetched expectation. Farmers and ranchers in the United ...
Agriculture
Wolf plan needs to develop more quickly
While wolves decide beef is what’s for dinner, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is slow to address the urgent need for ranch rescue plans. A New Year’s Day wolf attack at a ranch in Lassen County highlights that, perhaps, the state is moving too slowly in its approach ...
Agriculture
Chocolate cake is real food, too
All food is “real” food. The implication of using phrases like “real food” suggests there are food that are “fake,” “dishonest,” “artificial,” or in some other way harmful. The colloquialism “the dose makes the poison” is as applicable to food as it is to its toxicological origins. More specifically, one ...
Agriculture
New paper on predator management looks at wolves in the western U.S.
The answer is nuanced and differs based on what each state hopes to achieve by having wolves living within the state’s borders. Each state in the western United States has either developed its own map for success or seems to be grappling with how to address a way forward now. ...
Agriculture
‘Bridge payments’ to nowhere: time for ag to find its own path
The Trump administration recently announced $12 billion in “bridge payments” for American farmers and ranchers to provide relief from tariffs and “other economic challenges.” American farmers and ranchers are suffering. The national Farm Aid suicide prevention hotline has reported an increase in calls year-over-year and farm bankruptcies for 2025 have ...
California
The Real Cost of Coexistence: How Wolf Policies Are Failing Western Ranchers
Key Takeaways There are nearly 3,500 gray and Mexican wolves scattered across the western United States. Every time cattle are eaten by wolves, taxpayers reimburse ranchers for their losses. Depending on the state, that reimbursement can cost anywhere from $500 to $15,000 per animal. Ranch income is negatively impacted by ...
Agriculture
The abundance of Thanksgiving hides the challenges in agriculture
We are a nation that celebrates with food. Birthdays are synonymous with cake and ice cream. Easter is all about eggs and chocolate. Halloween is everyone’s favorite day for candy. But the ultimate in food-related holidays is Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving, Americans will consume about 46 million turkeys, 77 million hams, ...
Agriculture
Potato chips, strawberry milk, and the case for food ag-vocacy
Most Americans do not grow their own food. This disconnect between the farm gate, and the dinner plate has long been a concern for “ag-vocates” who’ve noted more people are unable to connect directly with reasons why agriculture is important. The recent announcement from Lays Potato Chips that 42 percent ...
Agriculture
Beef purchase plan escalates concerns in ag country
The comments sparked responses from various ag groups. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association responded with the following statement: The reality is that ranchers’ success is driven by their own hard work. America’s cattlemen and women operate in one of the most competitive marketplaces in the world. U.S. cattle producers ...
Farm Bill looks to save California, and everyone else, from Prop 12
While the controversial Prop 12 was passed by California voters in 2018, it was not fully implemented nationwide until January 2024. Under the requirements of Prop 12, veal calves must have at least 43 square feet of pen space, egg-laying hens must be housed in “cage-free” environments, and hogs must ...
SCOTUS’s rollback of tariffs is a win for farms
When the Trump Administration announced “Liberation Day” in April 2025 and told farmers to “have fun,” it was with the expectation that food producers would be able to market their product domestically rather than relying on the global market. It was a far-fetched expectation. Farmers and ranchers in the United ...
Wolf plan needs to develop more quickly
While wolves decide beef is what’s for dinner, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is slow to address the urgent need for ranch rescue plans. A New Year’s Day wolf attack at a ranch in Lassen County highlights that, perhaps, the state is moving too slowly in its approach ...
Chocolate cake is real food, too
All food is “real” food. The implication of using phrases like “real food” suggests there are food that are “fake,” “dishonest,” “artificial,” or in some other way harmful. The colloquialism “the dose makes the poison” is as applicable to food as it is to its toxicological origins. More specifically, one ...
New paper on predator management looks at wolves in the western U.S.
The answer is nuanced and differs based on what each state hopes to achieve by having wolves living within the state’s borders. Each state in the western United States has either developed its own map for success or seems to be grappling with how to address a way forward now. ...
‘Bridge payments’ to nowhere: time for ag to find its own path
The Trump administration recently announced $12 billion in “bridge payments” for American farmers and ranchers to provide relief from tariffs and “other economic challenges.” American farmers and ranchers are suffering. The national Farm Aid suicide prevention hotline has reported an increase in calls year-over-year and farm bankruptcies for 2025 have ...
The Real Cost of Coexistence: How Wolf Policies Are Failing Western Ranchers
Key Takeaways There are nearly 3,500 gray and Mexican wolves scattered across the western United States. Every time cattle are eaten by wolves, taxpayers reimburse ranchers for their losses. Depending on the state, that reimbursement can cost anywhere from $500 to $15,000 per animal. Ranch income is negatively impacted by ...
The abundance of Thanksgiving hides the challenges in agriculture
We are a nation that celebrates with food. Birthdays are synonymous with cake and ice cream. Easter is all about eggs and chocolate. Halloween is everyone’s favorite day for candy. But the ultimate in food-related holidays is Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving, Americans will consume about 46 million turkeys, 77 million hams, ...
Potato chips, strawberry milk, and the case for food ag-vocacy
Most Americans do not grow their own food. This disconnect between the farm gate, and the dinner plate has long been a concern for “ag-vocates” who’ve noted more people are unable to connect directly with reasons why agriculture is important. The recent announcement from Lays Potato Chips that 42 percent ...
Beef purchase plan escalates concerns in ag country
The comments sparked responses from various ag groups. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association responded with the following statement: The reality is that ranchers’ success is driven by their own hard work. America’s cattlemen and women operate in one of the most competitive marketplaces in the world. U.S. cattle producers ...