When Peaches Can't Find Buyers | San Jose News

When Del Monte Foods collapsed, California peach growers like Sarb Johl were left holding empty orchards—forced to cut down half their trees with no buyer in sight. The USDA stepped in with a $9 million emergency program to remove trees, but the real battle is ahead: transitioning to new crops like nuts while lobbying for federal support in the next farm bill. Specialty crops, often grown in concentrated regions like California, have long been ignored by federal aid systems designed for commodities like corn and soybeans—thanks to their smaller scale and less political clout. Now, with California Senator Adam Schiff on the Senate Agriculture Committee, a rare opportunity emerges to push for equal treatment for specialty farmers. For Johl, peaches aren’t just fruit—they’re family legacy. And with budget battles looming and SNAP funding at risk, time is running out to secure the future of his farm and others like it. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/af3a691d14013259