On the AgNet News Hour: Agriculture in California
On today’s episode of the AgNet News Hour, Louise Lampara, CEO of the Ventura County Farm Bureau, returned for Part 2 of her conversation with Nick Papagni, outlining a new initiative to measure the financial health of California agriculture. The program also featured Jose Alvarado Rojas, technical services representative for BASF, discussing disease management and new crop protection options for the 2027 growing season.
Following Monday’s discussion about financial losses in Ventura County agriculture and the closure of SoCal Berry Growers, Lampara explained the Farm Bureau’s plan to turn troubling economic data into policy changes. Through its Economics of the Acre initiative, the organization is developing an agricultural economic index to measure the actual profitability of farming operations, going beyond gross production values.
Lampara stated the index could help policymakers understand the impact of labor, water costs, environmental regulations, and other expenses on agricultural businesses. The goal is to establish the index in Ventura County and then potentially expand it throughout California. She expressed concern about the cumulative effect of regulations and called for a comprehensive evaluation of their costs, including opportunities to streamline regulations with significant expenses but minimal benefits.
The conversation also touched on California’s water challenges and preparations for a potential wet winter. Lampara warned of potential issues like flooding, delayed planting, root diseases, and increased pest pressure. She encouraged farmers to share financial information with their local Farm Bureaus and agricultural commissioners to strengthen future advocacy efforts.
Later, Jose Alvarado Rojas from BASF joined Josh McGill to discuss lessons from the 2026 growing season and 2027 preparations. Rojas highlighted Alternaria and other fungal diseases as persistent concerns, especially with warmer and wetter weather. He also discussed Elisys fungicide, introduced in 2026, which combines two active ingredients for extended disease protection, including resistance to ultraviolet degradation. Rojas advised growers to monitor weather conditions closely and prepare for potential increases in fungal diseases, insect activity, and weed pressure.
These interviews shed light on the financial and agronomic challenges facing California growers as they prepare for another growing season.
Listen to Part 2 of the conversation with Louise Lampara and the full interview with Jose Alvarado Rojas above or on your favorite podcast app.
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