For nearly 60 years, New World screwworm was largely a problem of the past for the United States. That changed in 2026. In June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed New World screwworm in cattle in South Texas, the first confirmed U.S. livestock detection in decades.
John Harris, a respected farmer and cattle rancher passed away on Wednesday, July 2, at the age of 81. As the longtime leader of Harris Farms, he played a pivotal role in shaping agriculture in California’s San Joaquin Valley and beyond. Under his guidance, Harris Farms became one of the most prominent integrated farming and beef operations in the western United States, known for its quality and deep commitment to land stewardship.
As farmers and ranchers face challenges such as a changing climate, resource scarcity and the pressure to feed an ever-growing population, they also find themselves intertwined more than ever with the technology industry, as both look to find sustainable and feasible solutions for our food system.
In recent years, new management strategies on dairy farms have cooked up solutions that allow us to make a cheeseburger relying on the dairy industry alone, which carries benefits for people, producers, and the planet.
Simply put, land use refers to how we use the land. It represents the economic and cultural activities such as agricultural, residential, industrial, mining and recreational use with respect to human activity and is an important consideration when discussing the sustainability of the foods we eat.
