Central Valley Daily

Sept. 19: The Solar Farm Bill Dividing The Agriculture Industry In California

By Elizabeth Arakelian,

Published September 19, 2025 at 4:45 AM PDT

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A controversial bill that would allow more solar panels on farmland in the San Joaquin Valley has passed in the state legislature. So why did the legislator who introduced it pull it at the last minute? CalMatters reporter Rachel Becker shares where AB 1156 stands, and why it’s dividing the agriculture industry.

Plus, the latest news headlines: A new study shows steady progress among English learners in the Valley; and how Tulare city officials plan to attract more visitors.

Central Valley Daily

Elizabeth Arakelian

A Valley native, Elizabeth earned her bachelor's degree in English Language Literatures from the University of California, Santa Cruz and her master's degree in journalism from New York University. She has covered a range of beats. Her agriculture reporting for the Turlock Journal earned her a first place award from the California Newspaper Publishers Association.

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Jonathan Linden

Jonathan Linden is a podcast producer at KVPR. Born and raised in Riverside, he's a Southern California native. Jonathan's passion for public radio began at a young age when his brother would play NPR while driving him home from middle school. He earned his B.A. in journalism from Biola University in 2019.

See stories by Jonathan Linden