HMC News – November 2024

The California season is still going strong, but we have already NOVEMBER 6, 2024 begun planning for the offshore table grape season. Peru had an initial estimate of 80 million boxes, the largest table grape crop in their history. However, the effects of an extreme drought are coming to a head in the northern growing region of Piura. The Poechos Reservoir, the primary source of surface water in the arid region, is
essentially empty and local communities have started to run out of drinking water. Large producers in the region expect that surface water deliveries for agricultural production will be cut off at the end of this month as the local government prioritizes deliveries for human consumption. Conversations amongst industry members indicate that the grape crop from Piura, which accounts for just under 50 percent of Peru’s total crop, will see a 30 percent reduction in volume, on par with the losses incurred last year in the region from effects of El Nino. Photo credit by Adam Formica.

Harold McClarty was honored with the prestigious Agriculturalist of the Year award by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce and Fresno County Farm Bureau, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the farming community. His leadership in promoting innovative farming techniques, his dedication to sustainable farming, his support for his community, and his candid outspoken nature, have made a lasting impact on the Central Valley’s agricultural landscape. The award ceremony highlighted his dedication to his family and their tireless efforts to blend tradition with technology, ensuring the future of agriculture in Fresno County while preserving their rich farming heritage. Congratulations Harold!

This month marked a momentous day, the ribbon cutting ceremony for the McClarty Center for Fine and Performing Arts. What began as a hope and a dream almost ten years ago is now a beautiful, state of
the art auditorium. It will give the Valley and its residents the opportunity to create, display, and enjoy the creativity of the Central Valley and beyond. It is truly an inspiration to what is possible when a community comes together and supports a project of this magnitude. Many speeches were given, one of which was from Harold McClarty, who read several poems from Valley natives and became the first performer on the arts center stage. Pictured: Harold and Debbie McClarty.