Arizona Agriculture Connection with Maricopa County Farm Bureau

This week, Nicole highlights federal agriculture updates while the state legislature is on break. The Great American State Fair runs through July 10 on the National Mall, with the Arizona Department of Agriculture showcasing Arizona agriculture. In Congress, House Ag Committee Chair Rep. G.T. Thompson has proposed the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026, noting immigration reform has not...

The episode recaps Arizona’s 57th Legislature ending sine die on June 13 at 4:45 AM, noting Arizona Farm Bureau tracked over 200 bills. Laws signed include SB 1198 (Arizona Beef Council and Veterinary Medical Examining Board), SB 1335 (Groundwater Savings Credits), SB 1336 (State Land Department continuation and oversight), HB 2104 (Agricultural Property Classification and Inspection), and HB 2105...

In this Arizona Agriculture Connection episode, Nicole is on site as she interviews Queen Creek poultry producer Brittany Quigg, highlighting women in agriculture. Quigg is an Arizona native and longtime Queen Creek resident, describes starting in 4H, teaching herself poultry processing after raising a turkey for the state fair, and forming Moonlight Rose Farms in 2019 to sell eggs at farmers mark...

In this Dairy Month episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole welcomes back Dr. Michelle Schack (“the Dairy Doc”), the show’s first-ever guest, to discuss her new children’s book, Dairy Doc’s Discovery Goggles: Milk from Cow to Carton. Schack, a dairy cow veterinarian and mom, wrote the book after frequent questions and misinformation about milk on farms and social media; she also intervie...

This week, we are back from a DC trip with federal, state, and Farm Bureau updates. The USDA confirmed the first US detection of New World screwworm in nearly 60 years in South Texas on June 3, 2026, with additional cases in Zavala, La Salle, and Gillespie Counties, Texas, and Lee County, New Mexico; there are currently zero cases in Arizona. Containment depends on rapid producer detection and rep...

Live from Washington, DC, at the American Farm Bureau ACE Conference, during the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Nicole interviews Chilean farmer and Virginia Tech researcher Ale Aguirre. Aguirre shares her background running a family farm in Coyanco, Chile, previously exporting organic blueberries and hydrangeas worldwide and now focused on alfalfa for local livestock. She is completing a...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole interviews Shawn Wood, First Vice President of Arizona State Farm Bureau. Shawn shares her background growing up on a farm in Buckeye, Arizona, her initial aspiration to become a commercial pilot, and her eventual return to her agricultural roots. She discusses the significant challenges and leadership roles she has undertaken within the ag...

Today, Nicole interviews Sherry Saylor on Arizona Agriculture Connection from Saylor’s office at Buckeye Elementary, where she is retiring after 40 years as a school counselor. Saylor recounts moving from South Carolina to Buckeye in 1974 after her father-in-law sold a Phoenix-area farm due to urban encroachment, and how Farm Bureau helped her learn agriculture and find her role as a spokesperson...

The Mid-May Ag Report covers Arizona Capitol updates as the House passed a state budget package 33–22 and the Senate approved it, but Governor Hobbs vetoed the 16-bill package, sending it back to negotiations; with her bill moratorium still in place, non-budget bills are largely on hold as lawmakers return June 1 and aim to pass a budget before the June 30 deadline to avoid a shutdown. The 2026 se...

This week, Nicole dives into an update on state and federal policy and encourages participation in Farm Bureau advocacy. She notes that the Arizona legislative session is past 100 days, with attention on budget negotiations as bill movement slows under a governor’s signing moratorium. Federally, the Farm Food and National Security Act of 2026 (Farm Bill 2.0) is being heard in the U.S. House, and v...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole reports that state legislative activity has slowed after Governor Hobbs announced a moratorium on signing bills until the legislature sends her its budget, vetoing measures that arrived afterward. Lawmakers are working on their budget while the finance advisory committee revised April state finance projections from $577 million to $377 mill...

This week, Nicole interviews Maricopa County Farm Bureau government relations intern Gabriel Flores on Arizona Agriculture Connection. Gabe is an ASU sophomore double majoring in sustainability and business management, shares his ranch upbringing in Queen Creek and how he found the internship through a friend. He discusses career interests in sustainable energy (SRP/APS), consulting to reduce carb...

The update covers Arizona legislative activity as major committee work concludes and the focus shifts to floor action, while budget negotiations await resolution of Propositions 1, 2, and 3 funding totaling about $300 million in a tight fiscal year; adjournment is estimated for late April, with budget work possibly extending into June. Key bills discussed include SB 1519 on off-highway vehicle wei...

Nicole, host of Arizona Agriculture Connection, gives many thanks to attendees, sponsors, members, speakers, and elected officials for a successful Farm City Breakfast celebrating National Ag Week and National Ag Day. She notes a stakeholder meeting with the Maricopa County Flood Control Division and requests input on concerns to inform the department’s 2026 management plan and priorities. The nex...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole reunites with Eric Wilke of Arizona Grain for a markets-focused update. Wilke shares his background in commodity markets and explains Arizona Grain’s diversified roles in inputs, marketing (including durum wheat), animal feed, consumer bird seed, and locally bred crop genetics. He discusses how the “one big beautiful bill” strengthened agri...

Today on Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole recaps a busy March for Arizona Farm Bureau, highlighting key events like the record-breaking Strikeout Hunger food drive at Surprise Stadium, Pi Day outreach at the capitol by the Women’s Leadership Committee, an agribusiness roundtable hosted by the Arizona Department of Agriculture, and Ag Fest with legislators. It also invites listeners to the Ma...

In this Arizona Agriculture Connection Careers in Ag episode, Nicole interviews Ben Saylor, an Arizona-born dairy nutritionist, about his path from city upbringing with horses and rodeo/4-H/FFA involvement to a PhD and consulting career. Saylor explains how an animal feeding/nutritional biochemistry class shifted his goal from veterinary school to dairy nutrition, leading to a bachelor’s at the Un...

The episode recaps a major Arizona legislative week after Crossover Week, noting a March 27 deadline for bills and ongoing talks on conforming to federal tax changes, including a proposed $1.1 billion over three years for full conformity in tax year 2025 and expectations the session may extend into June. It highlights agriculture-related bills: SB 1761 funding for University of Arizona Cooperative...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection , Nicole interviews Brinton Colburn, agriculture industry specialist at Foothills Bank, about his path into ag lending and how agricultural finance works in Arizona. Raised in Gilbert, Colburn began at Wells Fargo while attending ASU’s Morrison School of Agribusiness, completed its commercial credit program during the 2009 downturn, and moved into...

Welcome to another edition of Ag Report, by Arizona Agriculture Connection. This week, this episode recaps key federal and Arizona ag updates. At the federal level, the House introduced the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 , a five-year farm bill extending major programs through 2031; it now moves to the full House. USDA’s January report shows cattle numbers still declining, with Ariz...

This episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection features a detailed discussion with Harold Payne, East Side Director and board member, about his extensive background in agriculture. Harold shares his early life on a family farm, his educational journey, and various roles in the agriculture industry. The conversation delves into his work with the Fort McWell Indian reservation, where he managed a la...

Join us for a comprehensive February legislative update as we track over 200 agriculture-related bills moving through the Arizona Legislature. We break down key developments from recent committee hearings, including bills on the Arizona Beef Council extension, livestock compensation, cell-based food labeling, and agricultural property tax valuation. Plus, we share upcoming community events includi...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, host Nicole Clements interviews Eric Wilkey, President of Arizona Grain, about the impact of tariffs and exports on agriculture and consumers. Eric details his background in commodity markets and the challenges he faced in farming. He explains the critical importance of export markets in absorbing supply, price discovery, and maintaining stable ag...

In this January edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole covers key updates from Arizona's 57th legislature, Governor Katie Hobbs's final term priorities on affordability, public education, and water security, as well as the newly designated eighth active management area for water. Governor Hobbs's executive budget proposal includes significant allocations for education, healthcare, child...

In this special live edition from Anaheim, California, at the American Farm Bureau Conference, Nicole sits down to have an engaging conversation with Coach Kiah, a motivational speaker with deep ties to agriculture. Kiah shares her journey from a sixth-generation cattle rancher to a role in agricultural communications, emphasizing her mission to connect people and share the story of agriculture. T...