Farm Credit organizations serving California’s farmers and ranchers contributed $870,000 during 2021 to nonprofit organizations working to support the industry, preserve agriculture, and raise awareness of the importance of agriculture.

Veterans love tacos. At least veterans at California State University, Fresno, love tacos. Especially when they’re free.

 That’s what Eliza Hernandez, the president of the university’s Student Veteran Organization, attributed the larger-than-usual attendance for the annual veterans’ tailgate, which has been sponsored by Farm Credit since 2018.

Fresno Madera Farm Credit announced today they will be distributing $14.1 million in cash patronage to their member borrowers in March 2022. 

The amount of the distribution represents an all-time high which Board Chairman Jeff Jue attributes to the overall financial strength of the company as well as strong overall growth experienced over the past year. 

California is in the middle of one of its worst droughts on record. The federal government reports that showed that nearly half of the state – including the entire Central Valley – is in an exceptional drought as of mid-October. Overall, 2021 has been the ninth driest year in California since accurate records began being kept 127 years ago. Shasta Lake, the state’s largest reservoir, is at 23% of capacity and Lake Oroville, the second-largest reservoir, is at 22% of capacity.

Since 2013, the Center for Land-Based Learning in Woodland has offered Beginning Farmer Training through its California Farm Academy. The intensive seven-month program combines lectures by farmers and agricultural professionals, hands-on field experience, and farm visits to expose students to topics critical for a future in farming. The program went virtual in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and this year it was canceled. In its place is a new Explorer Course, which ran for just six weeks when launched this spring.