The status of tariffs and the top 15 agricultural exports in Central California counties are among topics of this week’s free webinar when economist Mark Evans, emeritus professor from CSU Bakersfield joins SBDC director, Kelly Bearden. Dr. Evans will also compare agricultural and nonagricultural small business statistics in Kern County and other Central California counties.
Kelly begins the webinar with a look at strategies to start, grow and expand existing businesses, and available capital resources.
This marks the 343rd episode of the “Webinar Wednesday” business series that provides news and information helpful to employers and business owners.
The CSU Bakersfield SBDC provides free one-on-one help to small business owners. New and existing businesses can go to www.csubsbdc.com for more information or to sign up to meet with a business advisor at no cost.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:30 What’s up today April 23, 2025
01:55 Poll Question #1: “What is your greatest economic fear?
04:20 Capital Corridor – Reducing or managing debt loads and managing cash flow
04:45 Strategies for Reducing Debt
10:47 Strategies for Reducing Debt - Understand your debt load
11:28 Strategies for Reducing Debt - Budget Cash
11:48 Cash Flow Forecast
12:47 Community Calendar – 2025 Kern County Economic Summit https://events.humanitix.com/2025-economic-summit
13:05 Free Human Resources Hotline for Employers in Central Valley of California
13:46 CSUB SBDC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@csubsbdc
15:00 Kelly introduces economist Dr. Mark Evans, emeritus professor from CSUB
15:46: How to explain the smaller wage discussed on the 3-12-2025 Webinar Wednesday
17:13: Kern Average Pay by Firm Size, 2023.3: Agriculture vs. Nonagriculture
19:11: Pay gap, 2023 - Nonagricultural small businesses https://smallbusinessmajority.org/
20:26: Average pay hasn’t kept up with inflation
21:59: Across-the-board U.S. Policy Uncertainty Measuring Economic Policy Uncertainty, by Scott Baker, Nicholas Bloom and Steven J. Davis https://www.policyuncertainty.com/
22:52: Uncertainty: A most important example
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Economic Brief, No. 25-15 https://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/economic_brief/2025/eb...
24:03: U.S. Top 10 Trade Partners
24:46: U.S. Tariff overview (as of 4/22/25)
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act https://www.commerce.gov/issues/trade-enforcement/section-232-steel
28:16: Uncertainty hits home: California & Central California trade California Exports
https://ustr.gov/map/state-benefits/ca California’s largest trade categories
29:51: Central California SBDC Network by County MSAs
30:14: California Crops: Exports, Export Share, Percentage Exported, Top Importers
32:52: Unauthorized Labor Force
34:12: California Agricultural Employment, 2023
34:53: Challenges going forward – Emerging Retaliations and Macroeconomic Risks
38:35: Kelly rejoins Dr. Evans for discussion the likelihood of recession
4-14-25 Wall St. Journal article: Economists Tell Us Their Forecasts for Recession, Risk, Growth, and Inflation https://www.wsj.com/economy/economists-outlook-recession-gdp-pce-unemplo...
42:17: Questions and Answers with webinar attendees
