Arizona Agriculture Connection with Maricopa County Farm Bureau

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...

In the latest edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, listeners are welcomed back after the New Year celebrations. The upcoming legislative session, starting January 11th, is highlighted, with over 200 bills already introduced. The Workplace Heat Safety Task Force has submitted their recommendations for heat safety guidelines to the Industrial Commission of Arizona. Important representatives fr...

In this New Year's Eve edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, listeners are greeted with well wishes and updates on upcoming agricultural events. The Cooperative Extension is hosting a workshop on precision stress management for water-limited agriculture on January 21, 2026, at the Maricopa Ag Center, and a field crop clinic on January 29 in Buckeye. Maricopa County Farm Bureau representatives...

In this festive edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole welcomes Amber Owens, a prominent member of the Maricopa County Farm Bureau, board member, and chair of the women's leadership committee. Amber shares her multifaceted journey in agriculture, from growing up in a farming community to managing a cow-calf operation, teaching, and running an events company. She discusses her involvemen...

This week's edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection covers major agricultural news. The US Department of Agriculture announces a $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance program targeting row crops and specialty crops to aid farmers facing financial challenges. Key deadlines and details for Arizona producers are highlighted. Additionally, the Arizona Department of Water Resources is evaluating the R...

This week on the Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole discusses the Trump administration's $12 billion Farm aid package, aimed at providing bridge payments to row crop farmers until October 2026. The aid covers a variety of crops including barley, corn, soybeans, and more. Payments are expected in February 2026, conditional on accurate 2025 acreage reporting by December 19, 2025. Additionally, F...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Ross Rayner, a partner at Tumbling T Ranch and a board member of the Maricopa County Farm Bureau, shares his extensive background in agriculture. Rayner discusses his upbringing in Goodyear, Arizona, educational journey, roles in FFA and 4-H, and career at the family farm. He elaborates on the farm's diverse operations, including the cultivation o...

In this special Turkey Day edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole gives updates on several key topics. The USDA has opened stage two of the Supplemental Disaster Relief program for the 2023-2024 losses, with applications opening on November 24 and closing by April 30, 2026. The USDA also launched screwworm.gov for comprehensive screwworm resources. Locally, the Maricopa County Farm Bure...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole sits down with Chef Kevin Barko of The Heritage at Old Town in Buckeye. Chef Barko shares his unique journey from growing up in a small town near Detroit, Michigan, being a 4-H member, to becoming a notable chef deeply integrated into the Arizona culinary scene. Chef Barko discusses the parallels between agriculture and the restaurant indus...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole covers all things Maricopa County News plus more, including how the Arizona Farm Bureau's annual meeting has resulted in the approval of a new policy book and the election of new board members, including Maricopa County's Shawn Wood as first vice president. Nationally, President Trump announced a trade deal with China involving US soybean p...

In this edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole sits down with Paul Brierley, the Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Paul shares his journey, starting from his childhood on a farm in California, studying electrical engineering, and working in the telecommunications research industry before returning to agriculture. He discusses his various roles, including leading the Yum...

The latest edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection highlights several key events and updates in the Arizona agriculture community. It recaps the successful Maricopa County Farm Bureau Ag Social, promotes the upcoming Arizona Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers annual meeting for individuals aged 18 to 35, and provides details on the Arizona Department of Agriculture's new soil health and wate...

In this rerun episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole interviews Lauren Perez, a talent acquisition specialist at LEP and Associates. Lauren shares her journey from Kansas to Texas and her passion for agriculture, discussing the critical role of talent in the industry. They emphasize the importance of networking, using LinkedIn, and creating a standout resume. Lauren offers advice for th...

In this edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, the Arizona Department of Water Resources announces a consideration for the grass plain groundwater basin to become an active management area, with a public meeting scheduled. Upcoming agriculture events include the Maricopa County Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee's Ag Social, the Arizona Department of Agriculture's regional stakeholder me...

In this edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, the expiration of the Farm Bill on October 1st is discussed, highlighting its previous extensions and potential impacts of reverting to older laws. Provisions within the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' provide some relief by extending key programs until 2031. Additionally, the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking public input for the six-year review of t...

In this episode of Arizona Agriculture Connection, Nicole introduces Rusty VanLeuven, Director of Air Quality at the Arizona Department of Agriculture. They discuss Rusty's background in agricultural economics and his career path as an inspector, leading to his current role. Rusty explains different aspects of air quality management in Arizona, focusing on particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), VOCs...

In this edition of Arizona Agriculture Connection, upcoming events include the Department of Agriculture's fall regional stakeholder meetings on October 7th, 23rd, 24th, and 30th, and the Maricopa County Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee's Ag Social on October 22nd. Nationally, a New World Screwworm case has been found near the US border in Hidalgo, prompting the continued pause on imports...