Video Links

Video Links

Impacts of March 2023 flooding in the Salinas Valley are documented in this video.

Why is water important for farms?  How is the drought impacting food production?  View here.

UC Cooperative Extension presents a one-hour workshop on a project exploring differences in greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter from burned grasslands that were grazed versus those that were ungrazed, along with an update on Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association (CCPBA) activities, including hands-on opportunities to learn about and practice pile burning, prescribed burning, home hardening and defensible space. Speakers include Felix Ratcliff, LD Ford, Consultants in Rangeland Conservation Science; Devii Rao, UC CE; Jeff Popnoe, Schmidt Ranch; and Matthew Timmer, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.

California’s Department of Water Resources oversees the groundwater sustainability efforts and has produced “DWR’s Assistance Role in Groundwater Management” showing how new technology will aid in managing water resources in the coming decade.

Have you ever been driving through the Salinas Valley and noticed how green the crops are against the golden hills? How do those crops get their water?  Are there immediate drought impacts in Monterey County?  KSWB Meteorologist Gina DeVecchio reports on water supplies, dated June 7, 2021.

California Dreaming: Artificial intelligence and robots are helping farmers prepare for climate change crisis … news story on KABC/TV describing advances in farming technology, featuring local companies promoting robotics in farming practices, and Norm Groot, MCFB Executive Director.

Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce 2021 Awards Ceremony: Norm Groot, MCFB Executive Director, receives the Ag Leadership Award, presented by MCFB President and Chamber Board Member Colby Pereira.  (Presentation starts at 1:02:00)

Monterey County Farm Bureau awarded County Farm Bureau of the Year for 2020 … see the video presenation of this award here.

Responding to COVID-19 in the workplace: Josie’s Organics demonstrates workplace practices to ensure their farmworker and food supply safety.

Grazing and Prescribed Burning for Fire Safety Video: This video explores the influence of cattle grazing on rangeland fire safety.  Also included is a discussion about how to develop a prescribed burn association on California’s Central Coast.  The video is about an hour in length and can be accessed here.

Washington Post produced a story entitled “Essential Workers: The Visa Program Keeping Americans Fed” which looks at H-2A workers as the lifeline for farms and the country’s food supply system.

Here’s to the Farmer – featuring Luke Bryant.  Help Bayer and Luke Bryan celebrate American farmers and feed hungry families with #HeresToTheFarmer.

More than 75% of fresh fruit in the U.S. is hand-harvested. Critical labor shortages are forcing farmers to abandon valuable crops. The healthiest food we can eat is being squeezed and our food system and communities need solutions. A thoughful presentation on the shortage of labor in the berry industry of the Salinas Valley and California is shown in The Last Harvest.

Produced for airing during the U.S. Golf Open in June 2019, this video features California Giant Berry Farms in Watsonville.

Calaveras Community TV presents a video about the cattle ranching community in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range of California.

Senator Mike Lee (UT) provides a humorous but very serious commentary on the Green New Deal Resolution.

Resource Conservation District of Monterey County has produced a short video on their Salinas River Arundo Control Program. Arundo is a non-native, invasive weed that has infested 1500 acres along the river, in the second worst infestation in California.

Congressmen Jeff Denham, Jim Costa, and Jimmy Panetta honor Rick Antle on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives … a fitting tribute to Rick, his family, his company, and his legacy.

PRO*ACT, featuring MCFB Executive Director Norm Groot, produced a short video that looks at the issues that are affecting the produce industry, including the rising costs of freight due to a strong economy, a shortage of drivers, and new federal regulations.

Congressman Jimmy Panetta read a proclamation on the floor of the House of Representatives commending Monterey County Farm Bureau and Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau on their Centennials, recognizing the organizations efforts to protect the “Berry Bowl and Salad Bowl of the World.”  View the short YouTube video here.

Monterey County’s Agricultural Commissioner produced a short video on Monterey County viticulture, highlighting the various aspects of the wine grape sector with interview describing its evolution.

California produce is known throughout the world for its quality and variety. California produces over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts.  This historical documentary film takes you to the mountains, rivers and valleys where farmers fought to establish agriculture in California. You will see how they survived droughts, floods and disasters to set the world standard for agricultural production. Learn about the father of California agriculture and how his vision and actions developed our modern farm economy.  View the preview here and order the DVD here.

In California’s Salinas Valley, known as the “Salad Bowl of the World,” a push is underway to expand agriculture’s adoption of technology. The mobile app HeavyConnect, for example, enables farm managers to track personnel and equipment efficiently. PBS News Hour special correspondent Cat Wise reports on how such innovation is providing new opportunities for the Valley’s largely Hispanic population.

Agriculture, tourism and oil production are the three largest private industry economic drivers in Monterey County.  A 28 minute documentary, Sustaining Monterey County, filmed by Mac & Ava Productions, explores the history of the growth of these three largest contributors to the economic stability of Monterey County.  The short film features interviews with knowledgeable experts in each of the industries, residents, business owners and community leaders in Monterey County.

Learn about the findings from Dr. Carl Winter’s study published in the International Journal of Food Consumption, wherein he concluded that consumers need to eat more fruits and veggies without fear.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testifies before the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, speaking passionately about the value of rural America and the contributions of farmers to our Nation’s food supply.

View Pacific Legal Foundation’s video on representing Wyoming farmer Andy Johnson’s challenge of an EPA compliance order threatening him with $37,500 per day in fines for constructing a stock pond on his property.  PLF argues that Johnson’s pond is expressly exempt from the Clean Water Act, and that the stream in which he constructed the pond is not a jurisdictional water because it does not affect a navigable water.

California Ag Today inteviews Sara Kroopf who for the Environmental Defense Fund’s San Francisco office. Her expertise is agricultural economics, sustainable agricultural systems and corporate social responsibility, by building relationships with agricultural producers.  She speaks positively about California’s farmers and their efforts on conservation and food production; listen here.

Meeting Water Challenges on the Central Coast: The Central Coast faces unique challenges as California copes with drought.  Ellen Hanak, director of the PPIC Water Policy Center, describes these challenges in an overview of the drought’s impact.  Her presentation is followed by a panel discussion with U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, hydrogeologist Andrew Fisher of UC Santa Cruz, Monica Hunter of Planning & Conservation League, and Norm Groot of Monterey County Farm Bureau (8/18/2015).

CBS Evening News report on Salinas Valley water use (4/16/2015) features Jocelyn Bridson of Rio Farms and Kevin Healy of Driscoll Associates; “We haven’t seen any wells go completely dry yet, but there are farmers nearby that have heard air sputters from their wells,” said Bridson.

Ditch the Rule! – parody on the proposed EPA rule change to ‘waters of the US’ by Missouri Farm Bureau entitled That’s Enough.

The Next Crop Project – the land belongs to the next generation, the Next Crop, and that’s what the Next Crop Project is all about.  Farms aren’t just run by farmers, they’re run by farmers and their families. The legacy of hard work and ingenuity on our farms is something we want to thrive and continue.  Sponsored by Ram Trucks.

Interview with Norm Groot, Executive Director of MCFB, on Under the Dome Live! with Jeff Mitchell of the Salinas Californian; discussion on Monterey County Ag and issues facing local farmers and ranchers.

Movie trailer for FARMLAND, a documentary film about American Agriculture premiering May 14, 2014.

Impacts of illegal marijuana growing in our forests are highlights in this video produced by the Forest Service entitled “Marijuana Grows and Restoration.”

Immigration Reform is presented from the perspective of President Reagan in a short video produced by a coalition of reform advocates entitled “Immigration Reform: Making America Stronger.”

Learn “The Facts about Chloropicrin,” an important crop protection tool used by strawberry and vegetable growers in Monterey County.  This video explains why this tool is so important to producing healthy plants that add to our fresh food supply locally.

Dr. Allan Savory speaks at the TED conference on “How to green the world’s deserts…” by supporting the use of domestic animal herds in a working environment.

So God Made a Farmer – using the famous words from Paul Harvey, Ram Trucks and FFA crafted this wonderful SuperBowl XLVII ad that aired during the fourth quarter celebrating the American farmer.

Food safety is such an important issue these days, and growers stepped up with the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreeement five years ago.  How is it working so far?  View these videos for a perspective:
Three questions on food safety audtis answered from a grower’s perspective
Leafy greens growers talk about food safety program effectiveness

Monterey County Farm Bureau President Dirk Giannini is featured in an advertisement for McDonald’s in a series featuring producers of fresh products that go into their hamburgers and fries.  The ads air nationally and rotate with a cattlemen in Illinois and a potato farmer in Washington State.
Dirk Giannini, lettuce supplier: ‘Field to Fork’
Steve Foglesong, beef supplier: ‘Raising Cattle and a Family’
Frank Martinez, potato supplier: ‘Dream Come True’

Local food safety manager Jennifer Skidgel-Clarke talks about how she chose farming as a career, what consumers need to know about food safety, use of pesticides in conventional farming, and roles for women in agriculture.

Monterey County produce is featured in a ‘Buy Local’ video produced by the City of Monterey.  This short video features a number of crops in our county and highlights shoppers at the Tuesday Monterey Farmers Market.

Monterey County Farm Bureau Executive Director Norm Groot appears on Steve Ellzey’s “Central Coast Currents” broadcast on AMP.   Norm discusses County Ag economics, the total economic impacts of Ag, MoCo Ag’s superlative use of technology, Ag’s water quality issues, Ag and the Sanctuary and more….good topics for Monterey County’s number one economic engine.

Undertanding the differences between food produced organically vs. conventionally is the subject of a series of short videos produced by the Alliance for Food & Farming entitled “Ask the Experts.”

Kids Should Eat More Fruits and Veggies is a video from the Alliance for Food and Farming that demonstrates how small any pesticde residues found of fruits and vegetables really are.

Farm Day King City is the subject of a short vidoe produced by AMP … see how Farm Day educates 3rd Grade students on where their food is grown, how its processed, and the equipment used to harvest.

FOX News Los Angeles has produced a series of stories on ‘Saving the American Dream’ … three of the stories cover the regulatory and water crisis facing Agriculture in Siskiyou County in Northern California.
FOX Studio 11 LA, War on Rural America – Part 1
FOX Studio 11 LA, War on Rural America – Part 2
FOX Studio 11 LA, War on Rural America – Part 3

California Women for Agriculture has produced a video entitled ‘What is Ag?’ … in their own words, what it means to be a farmer or rancher in today’s envirnoment.

The Pacific Institute’s California Farm Water Success Stories analyzes successful examples of sustainable water policies and practices to demonstrate how innovative growers and irrigation districts are already beginning to move California toward more equitable and efficient water management and use.