Growers concerned about proposed water regulations [Bakersfield Californian]
Growers and their allies are gearing up for a fight against efforts to broaden protections for surface and groundwater that could potentially hike agricultural production costs… There are two processes to follow. One is a state-sponsored water pollution study the University of California released in March. The study found nitrate levels in water underground are very high in Central California, and attributed much of that pollution to agriculture. There's a hearing on the study in Sacramento Wednesday, and later this year the State Water Resources Control Board is supposed to issue the state legislature a set of policy recommendations to address the issue… Then, there's the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program… As it stands now, the requirement only applies to irrigated lands that could potentially harm surface water by discharging into "waters of the state" such as rivers, lakes and streams. What's under consideration now is a proposal to expand those protections to groundwater, as well, which would mean just about all irrigated land would be affected, said ag industry lawyer Ernest Conant.
Farm leaders want options to MID water sale [Modesto Bee]
Farm leaders concerned about proposed water sales to San Francisco by the Modesto Irrigation District offered Tuesday to discuss raising their own rates. The Stanislaus County Farm Bureau said it would like to examine the canal system upgrades that the San Francisco income would pay for and see whether at least some of the work might be covered by farmers. "We would like to see alternative proposals at the same time, not just look at one proposal," Farm Bureau President Ron Peterson told the MID board. District officials said they are open to the idea, but for now, the much-debated San Francisco option is still on the table. The board tentatively set a June 26 vote on the contract for the first sale.
http://www.modbee.com/2012/05/22/2210949/farm-leaders-want-options-to-mid.html
Poll: Government should do more to ensure access to fresh, local foods [Los Angeles Times]
A vast majority of Americans say they eat more whole grains and fresh produce than they did five years ago, but many believe the federal government needs to do more to ensure greater access to locally produced fresh food, according to a new survey. Eighty-four percent of adults surveyed said federal food programs should focus more on supporting smaller, local fruit and vegetable farmers and should provide incentives for development of new businesses that offer "locally produced healthy food," according to the poll, which was commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation… The survey comes at a time when Republicans and Democrats in Congress are locked in a heated disagreement over proposed cuts to the food stamp program. Food stamps are one of the most direct ways that the federal government can give a boost to local farmers and produce markets.
USDA will ask public input on ag report release times [Reuters]
The U.S. Agriculture Department will seek public input before it decides whether to change the release times of market-moving reports on farm data now that futures markets are open nearly around the clock, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Tuesday."This is a complicated issue," Vilsack told a telephone news conference, adding the department wanted to assure equitable release of information for all market participants. While some traders would prefer USDA to release major reports while markets are closed, others want to capture the instantaneous surges in trading that would accompany a "live" release of significant information… USDA reports are mostly released in the early morning or late afternoon, when futures markets are closed or volume is low.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/23/us-usa-agriculture-idUSBRE84M05B20120523
Cherry crop projections are strong [Stockton Record]
San Joaquin County cherry growers, on the verge of harvesting the region's premiere Bing variety beginning this weekend, look forward to a crop of average size and good quality. That would be a welcome change from 2011, when late spring rains wiped out much of the valuable crop, causing losses estimated at $146 million. While last year's final production numbers are not available, the county's fresh market cherry crop in 2010 was valued at $179 million… San Joaquin County, the heart of California's cherry industry, avoided some of the problems seen in other parts of the Central Valley, such as frosts in the south and damaging hailstorms in the mid-Valley… Bruce Fry, who directs growing operations at Mohr-Fry Ranches in Lodi, said the weather is benefiting the fruit from a slow ripening. "It looks pretty clean out there," he said Tuesday. "The fruit size looks good; especially with the cool weather we've had this week, they're sizing up slowly."
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120523/A_BIZ/205230311&cid=sitesearch
Change at top of Merced County Farm Bureau [Merced Sun-Star]
Looking out her farmhouse window at rows of almond trees, Jean Okuye remembers moving to Livingston in the early '80s with her husband and two children… Okuye, who lives in an environmentally friendly straw bale- constructed home on about 80 acres of farmland, is well known for her work with the Valley Land Alliance, which works to preserve ag land. Over the past several years, she's also dedicated her time as a board member for the Merced County Farm Bureau. Recently, she was named the first female president of the 95-year-old nongovernmental organization, which advocates for laws and policies that benefit farmers.
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/05/23/2356480/change-at-top-of-merced-county.html
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