Whole Vine Festival Celebrates Central Valley Agriculture
Dan
October 7, 2026
AgNet News Hour
Agri-Business, Economy, Event, Exports/Imports, Grapes, Interview, Podcasts, Special Reports, Specialty Crops, Trade, Tree, nut & vine crops, Wine
On a recent episode of the AgNet News Hour, Vicki Goudreau of the Whole Vine Festival joined the show to preview this year’s event at Fresno State and explain why the festival is about much more than grapes. Subsequently, Luke Lindberg, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, discussed new opportunities for U.S. agriculture through trade with China and other global markets.
The Whole Vine Festival takes place on October 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fresno State, bringing together the Central Valley’s table grape, raisin, and wine industries. This free event offers live music, food trucks, agricultural exhibits, samples, and plenty of family-friendly activities.
Vicki Goudreau has a significant focus on introducing children to the agriculture surrounding them. This year’s kids’ activities include a petting zoo, planting and food preparation stations, honeybees, and tractors for younger children. Her goal is to foster pride in the Central Valley and help the next generation recognize the region's agricultural importance.
The festival aims to change the way people perceive the Central Valley, encouraging residents to take ownership of their challenges. Goudreau believes celebrating the region’s agricultural legacy can inspire young people and open doors to various opportunities.
Later in the program, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Luke Lindberg, provided insights into the new “30 for 30” framework with China. He discussed potential opportunities for U.S. fruits, nuts, vegetables, and other agricultural products, as well as an upcoming USDA trade mission to China.
Lindberg also addressed USDA’s efforts to remove technical and regulatory barriers hindering American specialty crops from reaching international customers. He highlighted some of the strongest prospects for U.S. agriculture in the final months of the year.
Listen to the full conversations with Vicki Goudreau and USDA Under Secretary Luke Lindberg in the player above or on your preferred podcast app.
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