Calif
to release chapters of plan to restore delta [Associated Press]
California
water officials are set to release the first part of a $23 billion plan to
restore and protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem and guarantee a
stable water supply for millions of Californians. The Bay Delta Conservation
Plan, known as the BDCP, is a federal and state initiative financed by
California's water contractors, which includes recommendations for a twin
tunnel project in the delta to carry water to vast farmlands and thirsty
cities. The plan's first four chapters, to be released Thursday by the
California Resources Agency, spell out the dire state of the delta and detail
conservation strategies to restore its dwindling fish species.
U.S.
Citizens Join Illegal Immigrants in Pressing Lawmakers for Change [New York
Times]
In
2007, when Congress last tried — and failed — to pass a similarly broad
overhaul, much of the action by groups that supported that effort came during
pitched battles over policy positions, fought largely behind closed doors. The
populist momentum came from Americans who angrily opposed that proposal, which
they said would give a break to immigrants they saw as lawbreakers. This year,
the forces favoring comprehensive legislation are showing new levels of
confidence and organization, and, in a change from six years ago, illegal
immigrants and their American citizen family members, like Ms. Garcia, are
stepping forward to speak for themselves….In a sign of the shift in immigration
politics, primarily because of the strong Latino vote for Democrats in the
elections last November, the groups opposing any legalization for illegal
immigrants have so far been more muted than they were in 2007. But they may be
keeping their powder dry for the fight after legislation is formally
introduced.
Editorial: Farmers in need of
a guest-worker program [Orange County Register]
Labor
is like any other market. There is a supply and a demand. Government
restrictions only distort market forces and lead to black markets. If Americans
couldn't find work in the United States, and there were plenty of jobs in
Mexico, we'd expect American workers to do whatever they could to get south of
the border, regardless of Mexico's laws. That's just reality. Now that
immigration levels have subsided, there should be less emotion surrounding this
issue. This is a great time for reform, and the guest-worker idea should be on
the table, especially as California farmers struggle to harvest the crops that
feed people around the globe.
Census:
Valley growth slowing to a crawl [Fresno Bee]
The
San Joaquin Valley is losing its distinction as a region of booming growth.
Many of the region's largest metro areas are continuing to see their populations
stand idle, posting their slowest rates of growth in years in 2012, according
to census data released today. The population of the Fresno metro area, which
encompasses Fresno County, increased a mere 0.7% between 2011 and 2012 to
947,895 residents. It's the area's smallest bump in more than a
decade….Population growth was just 1% or less in most of the region's metro
areas, according to the census. This compares to growth rates approaching 3%
and 4% in many areas less than a decade ago.
USDA
suspends some Ag reports due to budget cuts [Associated Press]
The
U.S. Department of Agriculture's statistical arm said it won't issue some
agricultural reports this year because of automatic federal budget cuts,
alarming some in the dairy industry who fear the information void could wreak
havoc with milk prices. The National Agricultural Statistics Service keeps tabs
on a wide range of agricultural industries that generate billions of dollars
for the U.S. economy. Its reports influence the price and supply of many
products that end up on American dinner plates. Farmers use them to decide how much
to produce, and food processors and traders look to them to determine when to
buy and sell. The agency posted a notice on its website Tuesday saying it would
suspend multiple reports covering at least 10 agricultural products ranging
from milk and chickpeas to cattle and catfish because of $85 billion in
across-the-board federal spending cuts went into effect earlier this month.
Editorial: Cattle industry
must rethink 'ag-gag' bill [Bakersfield Californian]
A
bill introduced by California's cattle industry that purports to indicate a
willingness to bring to public light instances of animal cruelty and unsafe
food practices is in fact a deceptive piece of legislation that does just the
opposite. It essentially would end protected whistle-blower activity by
stopping the use of videos and photos to expose inhumane and unsafe practices.
The pending California proposal, part of a trend of so called "ag-gag
bills" being introduced by state legislatures throughout the country,
would require any person photographing purported animal cruelty to "submit
all original photographs, recordings or video to local law enforcement and the
owner of the animal(s) or a representative of the owner within forty eight
hours of taking such photographs, recordings or video," according to draft
language reported by the California Majority Report….We question the wisdom of
the California cattle industry, and Patterson, in placing this bill before
lawmakers. The debate it is certain to generate will bring substantial media
attention -- and more of that unsavory downed-cow footage that has been
haunting the industry, including the now infamous Westland/Hallmark case and
Hanford's Central Valley Meat Co….The cattle industry ought to drop this and
similar bills, redouble its efforts to provide beef to consumers in a humane
and safe manner, and then hire a good marketing firm to focus on those high
standards.
Ag
Today is distributed to county Farm Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for
information purposes, by the CFBF Communications/News Division, 916-561-5550; news@cfbf.com.
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