Central Valley Daily

Sept. 4: How Agave Is Taking Root In Valley Ag Education

By Soreath Hok,

Published September 4, 2026 at 4:45 AM PDT

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Agave has become a more popular crop on California farms because of its resistance and tolerance of drought and heat. Valley schools like UC Merced are trying to answer farmers’ and policymakers’ questions about the crop. We speak to KVPR’s Rachel Livinal about agave’s expansion into classrooms.

Plus, the latest news headlines: The City of Fresno talks financing over South SEDA; plus fast-food drive-through lanes contributing to air pollution. Today’s episode is hosted by Soreath Hok and produced by Rachel Livinal, Kerry Klein, and Jonathan Linden.

Central Valley Daily

Soreath Hok

Soreath Hok is a multimedia journalist with experience in radio, television and digital production. She is a 2022 National Edward R. Murrow Award winner. At KVPR, she is currently the local host of KVPR's Central Valley Daily podcast.

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Rachel Livinal

Rachel Livinal reports on higher education for KVPR through a partnership with the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative.

See stories by Rachel Livinal

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