Caleb Hampton
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Journalist covering California agriculture.
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Articles by Caleb Hampton
Immigration raids slow farm work in the Central Valley
By Caleb Hampton A surge in immigration enforcement in the Central Valley during the past two weeks stalled agricultural work in parts of the nation’s top farming region as some workers were detained and others stayed home. “We are certainly seeing a dramatic uptick in activity over the last week or so,” Heather Riden, program director at the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, said last week.
New date crop hits market as fruit goes 'mainstream'
October 7, 2026 Medjool dates grow in bunches in farmer David Kohl’s Coachella Valley orchard. Photo/Faith Granger By Caleb Hampton Much of California’s medjool date crop was picked during the past several weeks after a spring heat wave sped fruit development, bringing harvest forward by as many as four weeks. “This was the earliest harvest we’ve ever had,” said Albert Keck, a Coachella Valley date grower and president of Thermal-based Hadley Date Gardens.
Farm Bureau team seeks solutions in D.C.
October 7, 2026 California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass, left, speaks with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., last month in Washington, D.C. A delegation of more than a dozen Farm Bureau members, staff and executives traveled to the nation’s capital to advocate on issues that affect agriculture.
Vineyard workers feel wine industry pain
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... California farmworkers suffered a wave of job losses during the past few years as work in the state’s winegrape vineyards dried up amid a years-long market slump. Since 2023, declining wine consumption left growers with an oversupply of grapes, forcing many to sell their fruit at a loss or watch it rot on the vines.
Vineyard workers feel wine industry pain
BY CALEB HAMPTON AgAlert California farmworkers suffered a wave of job losses during the past few years as work in the state’s winegrape vineyards dried up amid a yearslong market slump. Since 2023, declining wine consumption left growers with an oversupply of grapes, forcing many to sell their fruit at a loss or watch it rot on the vines. To limit their losses, growers cut back on labor and other costs, and vineyard owners removed an estimated one-quarter of the state’s winegrape acreage.
Vineyard workers feel wine industry pain
By Caleb Hampton California farmworkers suffered a wave of job losses during the past few years as work in the state’s winegrape vineyards dried up amid a yearslong market slump. Since 2023, declining wine consumption left growers with an oversupply of grapes, forcing many to sell their fruit at a loss or watch it rot on the vines. To limit their losses, growers cut back on labor and other costs, and vineyard owners removed an estimated one-quarter of the state’s winegrape acreage.
Regenerative label payoff remains murky
BY CALEB HAMPTON AgAlert Regenerative agriculture is all the rage. Within the past several years, multinational food retailers began touting regenerative sourcing commitments. In December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a $700 million pilot program to support regenerative practices.
Regenerative label payoff remains murky
By Caleb Hampton Regenerative agriculture is all the rage. Within the past several years, multinational food retailers began touting regenerative sourcing commitments. In December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a $700 million pilot program to support regenerative practices.
BOR adjusts water supplies in CA, WA
News WLJ Aug. 21, 2026 1 minute read BOR The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is increasing water allocations for some California users while Washington’s Yakima Basin continues to struggle with drought. Central Valley Project irrigation contractors south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will receive 28% of their contracted supply in 2026, up from 25%, while municipal and industrial contractors will receive 78% of historic use, up from 75%.
Cyclospora fallout hits California farmers
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... A lettuce field is destroyed this month in Santa Cruz County amid a decline in fresh produce sales following this summer’s Cyclospora outbreak. While the outbreak was linked to iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico, the economic impact has largely fallen on California, which supplies most U.S. lettuce.
Cyclospora fallout hits California farmers
By Caleb Hampton California lettuce was not implicated in a sprawling cyclospora outbreak that sickened thousands of people and made frequent headlines this summer. But farmers in the state are shouldering much of the economic pain as wary consumers ditch lettuce and other fresh produce. “It’s been really bad,” said Ryan Kelly, vice president and general manager of Salinas-based Boutonnet Farms in Monterey County.
FARM: State's farmers seek fairness in trade talks with Canada
Agricultural groups in California are paying close attention this month to the trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada. The North American neighbor has long been the top export market for agricultural products from California and the U.S. as a whole. But a trade conflict that began shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office last year has put that relationship on fragile footing.
‘Rough’ peach crop caps a bitter season
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Cling peaches are harvested at Johl Orchards in Marysville. About a quarter of California’s cling peach acreage was ripped out this year following the collapse of Del Monte Foods. In recent years, Del Monte, which filed for bankruptcy last year, was one of two major buyers of the state’s cling peaches. (Courtesy) Third-generation peach grower Kulwant Johl is pictured last week during harvest in Marysville.
State’s farmers seek fairness in trade talks with Canada
Agricultural groups in California are paying close attention this month to the trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada. The North American neighbor has long been the top export market for agricultural products from California and the U.S. as a whole. But a trade conflict that began shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office last year has put that relationship on fragile footing.
State's farmers seek fairness in trade talks with Canada
August 5, 2026 A winegrape vineyard in San Joaquin County is removed earlier this year due to a yearslong downturn in wine sales. Several Canadian provinces have banned the sale of alcohol from the U.S. Photo/Caleb Hampton By Caleb Hampton Agricultural groups in California are paying close attention this month to the trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada. The North American neighbor has long been the top export market for agricultural products from California and the U.S. as a whole.
'Rough' peach crop caps a bitter season
By Caleb Hampton California’s cling peach orchards lurched to life this summer as harvest crews stripped the fruit off trees. For the first time, nearly all of it was bound for canning facilities owned by a single processor. Earlier this year, the closure of Del Monte Foods’ cannery in Modesto following the company’s bankruptcy left cling peach growers with just one major buyer, Pacific Coast Producers, which processes fruit at canneries in Lodi and Oroville.
CA grazing sector threatened as goat herder wage soars to $240K
It’s not a typo. Herders employed to graze goats in fire-prone landscapes across California are now entitled to roughly the same pay as the state’s governor. In early July, California’s minimum wage for goat herders quadrupled due to a shift in the state’s interpretation of its labor code and the expiration of a temporary solution. As of July 1, ranchers must pay employees who watch over goats about $240,000 a year, according to an estimate by the California Farm Bureau.
California grazing sector threatened as goat herder wage soars to $240K
July 10, 2026 A herder works with goats at the Dixon headquarters of vegetation management company Ecosystem Concepts Inc. in Solano County. Photo/Courtesy of Ecosystem Concepts Inc. By Caleb Hampton It’s not a typo. Herders employed to graze goats in fire-prone landscapes across California are now entitled to roughly the same pay as the state’s governor.
FARM: Golden mussels plague farms and water districts
The spread of golden mussels in California has alarmed farmers this year as the invasive species established itself in waterways across much of the state. In the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the freshwater mollusks began obstructing irrigation systems that sustain billions of dollars’ worth of tree nuts, wine grapes, tomatoes, and other crops. “It’s a nightmare,” said Trey Steinhart, operations director at Zuckerman Family Farms in San Joaquin County.
Early crop boosts prospects for California pear growers
By Caleb Hampton The first U.S.-grown pears to be harvested this year began shipping to retailers and canneries last week as the season kicked off in Sacramento County. After a historic spring heat wave, pears and other California crops matured faster than usual this year. Growers along the Sacramento River started picking Bartlett pears, the state’s top variety, on June 29, about two weeks earlier than average.
Mussels plague farms and water districts
By Caleb Hampton The spread of golden mussels in California has alarmed farmers this year as the invasive species established itself in waterways across much of the state. In the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the freshwater mollusks began obstructing irrigation systems that sustain billions of dollars’ worth of tree nuts, winegrapes, tomatoes and other crops. “It’s a nightmare,” said Trey Steinhart, operations director at Zuckerman Family Farms in San Joaquin County.
Trump administration rules dairy farmers can hire H-2a workers
New guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) clarifies that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will not reject H-2A petitions from dairy operations when they can demonstrate a qualifying temporary or seasonal labor need under existing law.
FARM: Labor expenses push farmers to automate
Before almond orchards are planted across the Central Valley or apple trees take root in the Pacific Northwest, many of the plants begin their lives at Sierra Gold Nurseries in Yuba City. The Sutter County tree nursery is a one-stop shop, propagating the plants from orchard cuttings and in a tissue culture laboratory, then potting, suckering and budding the trees, and nurturing them for more than a year before shipping them to growers across the country.
Labor expenses push farmers to automate
Before almond orchards are planted across the Central Valley or apple trees take root in the Pacific Northwest, many of the plants begin their lives at Sierra Gold Nurseries in Yuba City. The Sutter County tree nursery is a one-stop shop, propagating the plants from orchard cuttings and in a tissue culture laboratory, then potting, suckering and budding the trees, and nurturing them for more than a year before shipping them to growers across the country.
Labor expenses push farmers to automate
By Caleb Hampton Before almond orchards are planted across the Central Valley or apple trees take root in the Pacific Northwest, many of the plants begin their lives at Sierra Gold Nurseries in Yuba City. The Sutter County tree nursery is a one-stop shop, propagating the plants from orchard cuttings and in a tissue culture laboratory, then potting, suckering and budding the trees, and nurturing them for more than a year before shipping them to growers across the country.
Nutrition program benefits growers and inmates alike
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Inmates at California State Prison, Solano in Vacaville say a small change in California prisons has made a big difference for people incarcerated in the state. For the past three years, the prison has received regular deliveries of California-grown fruits and vegetables.
H-2A rule change puts spotlight on work visa program
News Migrant workers carefully lift large sweet potatoes as they pick and sort the potatoes according to size at Kirby Farms in Mechanicsville USDA Photo by Lance Cheung After years of rising labor costs, some farmers have seen relief during the past several months, with those who hire foreign guestworkers benefiting from a Trump administration rule implemented last October.
H-2A rule change puts spotlight on work visa program
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... After years of rising labor costs, some farmers have seen relief during the past several months, with those who hire foreign guestworkers benefiting from a Trump administration rule implemented last October. The new rule changed how the H-2A program’s minimum wage, called the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, is calculated, effectively lowering it in California from $19.97 to the state minimum wage of $16.90.
H-2A rule change puts spotlight on work visa program
After years of rising labor costs, some farmers have seen relief during the past several months, with those who hire foreign guestworkers benefiting from a Trump administration rule implemented last October. The new rule changed how the H-2A program’s minimum wage, called the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, is calculated, effectively lowering it in California from $19.97 to the state minimum wage of $16.90.
H-2A rule change puts spotlight on work visa program
By Caleb Hampton After years of rising labor costs, some farmers have seen relief during the past several months, with those who hire foreign guestworkers benefiting from a Trump administration rule implemented last October. The new rule changed how the H-2A program’s minimum wage, called the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, is calculated, effectively lowering it in California from $19.97 to the state minimum wage of $16.90.
Nutrition program benefits growers and inmates alike
June 3, 2026 California State Prison, Solano inmate Patrick Range is pictured in 2023 eating a California-grown Bartlett pear that was supplied by Spork Food Hub as part of the Harvest of the Month program. Photo/Fred Greaves By Caleb Hampton Inmates at California State Prison, Solano in Vacaville say a small change in California prisons has made a big difference for people incarcerated in the state.
Why rocket scientists began counting nuts in California
BY CALEB HAMPTON AgAlert For decades, experts have done their best to estimate the size of California’s almond crop prior to harvest. With the state producing more than three-quarters of the world’s supply, the global market rises and falls with the fate of the Central Valley crop. Expectation of a shortage can stoke competition among buyers and raise prices, while a large crop forecast can achieve the opposite.
California cherry crops decimated by spring storms
By Caleb Hampton Fortunes went from bad to worse this year for California cherry growers. Each year, growers in the state harvest the nation’s first cherries during a short window, usually from late April to early June. This year, an early heat wave impacted fruit set in many orchards. Then, rainstorms in April and May battered the crop. “It was like getting knocked down and then getting kicked,” said Bill Stokes, who grows cherries in San Joaquin County.
Why rocket scientists began counting nuts in California
By Caleb Hampton For decades, experts have done their best to estimate the size of California’s almond crop prior to harvest. With the state producing more than three-quarters of the world’s supply, the global market rises and falls with the fate of the Central Valley crop. Expectation of a shortage can stoke competition among buyers and raise prices, while a large crop forecast can achieve the opposite.
Groundwater law begins reshaping valley
TOUGH DECISION: Merced County farmer Rosie Burroughs stands at the site of an almond orchard she removed to conserve water. (photo by Caleb Hampton) Earlier this spring, an excavator maneuvered through the rolling hills of eastern Merced County, stacking almond trees removed by farmer Rosie Burroughs. During the past couple years, Burroughs scrapped about 170 acres of almond and walnut trees. Another 140 acres are slated for removal, reducing the family’s acreage by about a fifth.
Groundwater law begins reshaping Valley
BY CALEB HAMPTON Ag Alert/California Farm Bureau Earlier this spring, an excavator maneuvered through the rolling hills of eastern Merced County, stacking almond trees removed by farmer Rosie Burroughs. During the past couple years, Burroughs scrapped about 170 acres of almond and walnut trees. Another 140 acres are slated for removal, reducing the family’s acreage by about a fifth.
Groundwater law begins reshaping valley
May 6, 2026 Merced County farmer Rosie Burroughs stands at the site of an almond orchard she removed to conserve water. Burroughs planted non-irrigated cover crops such as mustard and safflower that bring little financial return but help suppress dust, preserve soil health and provide livestock forage. Photo/Caleb Hampton By Caleb Hampton Earlier this spring, an excavator maneuvered through the rolling hills of eastern Merced County, stacking almond trees removed by farmer Rosie Burroughs.
Sierra Booster Newspaper - Sierra Booster
April 8, 2026 By Caleb Hampton Six candidates running to be California’s next governor said last week during a televised forum that if elected, they would roll back regulations that have made it challenging to farm in the state. “The regulatory environment in California is choking off our agricultural communities, choking off our production,” said Katie Porter, an Orange County Democrat and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
California weighs 'truth in labeling' wine industry law
April 22, 2026 Assembly Bill 1585 would require that wines labeled “American” be made entirely from U.S.-grown grapes. Under federal law, that threshold is set at 75%, allowing wineries to blend in foreign wine. Photo/Caleb Hampton By Caleb Hampton California lawmakers are set to consider new legislation that would close a loophole that for decades has allowed winemakers to label wines as “American” even when they are made partly from imported bulk wine.
FARM: Melissa Hurtado on ag overtime: 'Everyone can win'
What are your policy priorities this year, particularly as they relate to agriculture? I was fortunate to be appointed to a budget subcommittee that oversees the California Department of Food and Agriculture. I’m going to be looking very deeply into all the programs at the department and looking to see what’s working, what’s not working and what needs to improve so that it works for our farmers and ranchers across the state.
Canneries reduce tomato acreage to lowest in 50 years
After a short-lived increase during the pandemic, California’s processing tomato acreage is set to decline for a third consecutive year. The state’s tomato processors planned to contract for 9.8 million tons from 185,000 acres this year, down about 11% from the 11 million tons processors asked for last year, according to a January report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Democrats vying for governor criticize overtime law
April 8, 2026 Katie Porter, center, an Orange County Democrat and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, speaks with Kristin Olsen-Cate, a former California Assembly minority leader from Stanislaus County, before an April 1 gubernatorial candidate forum at California State University, Fresno, that Olsen-Cate moderated.
Governor hopefuls vow to cut regulations
By Caleb Hampton Six candidates running to be California’s next governor said last week during a televised forum that if elected, they would roll back regulations that have made it challenging to farm in the state. “The regulatory environment in California is choking off our agricultural communities, choking off our production,” said Katie Porter, an Orange County Democrat and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Farmworkers lament loss of hours and pay
Araceli Aceves Cortés used to get by working in the fields and orchards of the Sacramento Valley. For 60 hours a week, when seasonal work was available, the mother of three pruned nut trees or tended fields of melons or tomatoes in Colusa County. She paid her rent. She stocked up on meat and vegetables a week at a time. In the evenings, she helped her children with their homework. But her life changed when California phased in a 2016 law entitling farmworkers to more overtime benefits.
Iran war strands California farm exports
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, now in its third week, is taking a toll on California’s high-value specialty crop sector. In addition to causing sharp increases in fuel and fertilizer costs, the war has disrupted access to key export markets. “As the largest exporting state, California and our exporters and producers are bearing the brunt of these market and export impacts,” Jay Van Rein, acting director of public affairs at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, said in a statement.
Iran war strands California farm exports
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, now in its third week, is taking a toll on California’s high-value agriculture sector. In addition to causing sharp increases in fuel and fertilizer costs, the war has disrupted access to key export markets. “As the largest exporting state, California and our exporters and producers are bearing the brunt of these market and export impacts,” Jay Van Rein, acting director of public affairs at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, said in a statement.
Iran war strands California farm exports
BY CALEB HAMPTON AgAlert The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, now in its third week, is taking a toll on California’s high-value agriculture sector. In addition to causing sharp increases in fuel and fertilizer costs, the war has disrupted access to key export markets.
Iran war strands California farm exports
By Caleb Hampton The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, now in its third week, is taking a toll on California’s high-value agriculture sector. In addition to causing sharp increases in fuel and fertilizer costs, the war has disrupted access to key export markets.
Three arrested in livestock fraud, theft cases
News WLJ Mar. 13, 2026 1 minute read Authorities in Texas, Missouri and California recently arrested three individuals in separate cases involving livestock theft and agricultural fraud. Brandon Wiginton of Tyler, TX, was arrested on felony theft charges tied to more than $96,000 in stolen hay and related revenue in Cherokee and Smith counties.
Farmworkers lament loss of hours and pay
Araceli Aceves Cortés used to get by working in the fields and orchards of the Sacramento Valley. For 60 hours a week, when seasonal work was available, the mother of three pruned nut trees or tended fields of melons or tomatoes in Colusa County. She paid her rent. She stocked up on meat and vegetables a week at a time. In the evenings, she helped her children with their homework. But her life changed when California phased in a 2016 law entitling farmworkers to more overtime benefits.
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