Senate
talks on farmworker program inch forward [New York Times]
After
hitting a snag last week, negotiations in the Senate for an agricultural
workers program — the last piece of a broad overhaul of the nation’s
immigration laws — appeared to be coming back from the brink on Monday.
Representatives of farmworkers and growers inched closer to a deal on wages for
workers, under pressure from a bipartisan group of senators who want to move
forward soon with a broad immigration overhaul….The labor unions say they want
to ensure that workers are paid a fair wage, and are concerned that the
growers’ demand for an unlimited number of workers will make it easier for
employers to exploit agricultural workers. The growers, meanwhile, say they,
too, want to pay workers a fair wage, but argue that if wages are too high, no
one will use the program. If the visa cap is too low, there will not be enough
workers and crops will perish. “If the wage is set too high, growers will be
unable to afford it and there will be no jobs because those growers are either
going out of business, or they’re going offshore where they can meet their
labor demands,” said Kristi Boswell, director of Congressional relations for
the American Farm Bureau Federation
Proposed
FDA safety rules frustrate tree fruit farmers [Washington Post Company]
The
Food and Drug Administration, wrestling to put in place a massive overhaul of
the nation’s food safety system, drew a line this year when proposing which
fruits and vegetables would be subject to strict new standards: Those usually
consumed raw would be included, while those usually cooked or processed would
be exempt….Growers subject to the new produce rules could face a variety of new
responsibilities, including regular testing of irrigation water, sanitizing
canvas fruit-picking bags and keeping animals away from crops. Many tree fruit
farmers worry about the cost of such measures and say they would offer few
safety benefits. They argue that the FDA should focus more on foods that have
caused deadly outbreaks, such as spinach and cantaloupes, and less on fruits
that have a virtually flawless safety record, grow above the ground and, in
some cases, have protective skins or rinds….FDA officials say that the
proposals offer a starting point and that they are open to making changes to
create a science-based system that is adaptable to different growing
conditions, different regions and different crops.
Farms
take food safety into their own hands [Scientific American]
In
the absence of federal food safety reform, consumers are looking for safer
food, and farms are leading the charge to respond…."At the end of the day
you can't rely on government or academia," says Earthbound Farm food
safety director Will Daniels. "You have to have relationships with the
suppliers and know the process."…The California Strawberry Commission has
made products safer not by implementing new technologies but by better
educating its farmers, says Andrew Kramer, director of grower education.
Because strawberries are harvested year-round, the field is constantly replete
with workers; as a people-centered crop, strawberries mandated a
people-centered approach to safety….Farms are at risk of contamination from a
number of sources, from birds that fly overhead to the trash that farmers
accidentally drop on crops. Although growers and processors may not be able to
eliminate all problems, they are taking the steps to try to lessen pathogenic
contamination.
Bill
would require ag land preservation [Salinas Californian]
A
bill being introduced into a state Assembly committee next week holds the
potential to dramatically affect agricultural land in Monterey County. Under
Assembly Bill 823, for every acre of California farmland that is lost to
development, another acre would be permanently protected. The proposal —
authored by Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman, D-Stockton — would establish
clear minimum requirements for mitigating the loss of agricultural land related
to a project….Enforcing the legislation, should it pass the Legislature, would
likely fall into the hands locally of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors,
since AB 823 would add specifics to the California Environmental Quality Act.
County planners are charged with ensuring all projects that come before them
are in compliance with CEQA.
Solar
projects gain traction in Yuba-Sutter [Marysville Appeal Democrat]
Federal
tax incentives and a decline in equipment costs are being credited for recent
increases in the number of solar power systems being installed in Yuba and
Sutter counties…. In Yuba County, 197 permits have been issued for solar
systems since June 2010 compared to 52 the previous two years. In Sutter
County, permits totaled 47 in 2011 compared to 68 last year and 18 so far this
year. Large agricultural operations frequently have the most visible projects.
The Naumes Inc. plant in Linda is on the verge of installing a 1 megawatt
system that would power the facility's cold storage building, packing house and
cherry plant on Dantoni Road. "We see nothing but increases in power
costs," project manager Kyle White said. "Panel costs have come down.
And we expect to have a five- or six-year return on our investment."
Study:
California can kiss its vineyards goodbye [San Jose Mercury News]
Awful
as some of the climate-change predictions are, this one might hit a lot of
Northern California residents where it hurts (assuming their homes aren't
gobbled up by the sea first): Global warming will dramatically impact many of
the world's most famous wine-producing regions, according to a new study. The
first-ever worldwide analysis of climate change's impact on wine production and
conservation, appearing today in the journal Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, suggests wine production will shift to new areas as
climate change makes the existing ones less hospitable. Researchers found the
area suitable for wine production will shrink by as much as 73 percent by 2050
in certain parts of the globe — about 70 percent in California — with high
potential for stress on rivers and other freshwater ecosystems as vineyards use
water to cool grapes or irrigate to compensate for rising temperatures and
declining rainfall.
Ag
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