Calif. citrus growers toil to fight freeze [Associated Press]
…Growers
across California have been trying to protect the state's prized $2 billion a
year citrus industry and other key crops like lettuce and avocados from the
cold snap that engulfed the state this week, dropping temperatures to levels
that can damage fruit and delay the harvest of greens. So far, no major citrus
damage has been reported but some is likely in especially cold pockets in the
Central Valley. Any losses most likely won't be known for several weeks, said
Bob Blakely, director of industry relations for California Citrus Mutual, an
association of growers….Avocado growers in California are also bracing for icy
temperatures that threaten to freeze the quarter-of-an-inch stems that dangle
fruit from the tree and drop avocados to the ground….Jack Vessey, who farms
10,000 acres of lettuce, spinach and other vegetables in Imperial County, said
he's watering more, and later in the day to try to keep crops moist through the
night. His main concern, he said, is that he can't harvest greens until they thaw
out in the morning.
Milk
producers renew concerns over prices [Stockton Record]
California
dairy operators are drowning under a combination of low milk prices and high
feed costs and looking for relief. The milk producers' group Western United
Dairymen reports more than 400 dairies have gone out of business in the past
five years, including 105 in the past year alone.…But dairy farmers aren't
expecting any help from the state Department of Food and Agriculture, which
sets minimum wholesale milk prices underpinning the industry. "Our state's
agriculture department has capitulated to the special interests of the cheese
industry at the expense of California's storied family dairy farms ... and does
no favors for an industry ravaged by flawed regulations that have forced
hundreds of dairies out of business," said Michael Marsh, Western United's
chief executive. Not so, said Steve Lyle, the agency's public affairs director.
The agency has boosted the milk price, he noted.
Milk
prices could rise if farm bill looms [Associated Press]
A
New Year's deadline that could send the price of milk skyward looms over
congressional negotiators as they try to reach agreement on a five-year farm
bill. They've been tripped up by differences over the nation's food stamp
program and how to restructure farm subsidies. The two chambers have been far
apart on both issues for more than two years. But the leaders of the House and
Senate Agriculture committees expressed optimism after a private meeting
Wednesday that they may be able to find resolution in time to narrowly avert
the expiration of dairy subsidies on Jan. 1. If those subsidies expire, new
laws will kick in that could result in decreased dairy supply on the commercial
market and higher prices for a gallon of milk. Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas, a
Republican on the House-Senate farm bill conference committee, said negotiators
could possibly hold a public meeting next week for the conference committee to
settle some of the remaining issues before the House leaves for the year on
Dec. 13. But with a final deal still elusive, it seems unlikely that Congress
will finish the bill before the end of the year.
Groups
reach agreement on managing Paso Robles groundwater basin [San Luis Obispo
Tribune]
Two
North County groups working toward a solution to stabilize the Paso Robles
groundwater basin have reached a compromise on managing the aquifer. PRO Water
Equity and Paso Robles Agricultural Alliance for Groundwater Solutions, also
known as PRAAGS, have proposed forming a special district, which would be
created by the California Legislature and tailored to fit the needs of the Paso
Robles area. The district would be locally governed through AB 3030, a section
of the California water code that allows local agencies to develop groundwater
management plans….From the beginning, both organizations understood that a
water district must be established, but a key sticking point was who would
oversee it, and how it would be governed to ensure that all landowners would be
represented fairly.
Editorial: Water bond talk
rightfully goes above the dams [Redding Record Searchlight]
To
beef up the state’s water supply, we need chain saws as much as dams. That was
one of the unexpected takeaways from Wednesday’s legislative hearing in Redding
on a possible new state water bond….The Forest Service, which manages most of
the Sierra, has said it needs to dramatically increase judicious thinning to
bring forests into a more resilient state. That would reduce fire danger and
likely improve water flows….A state bond, however, is not the right way to pay
for such work. You take out a mortgage to build a house, not to mow the lawn.
And, really, whose responsibility are the National Forests? Dahle said he
agrees, favoring more flexibility to cut larger trees to make forest thinning
pay its own way. That’s a long slog, politically, but we keep talking about it
while more of the forests burn every year. It’s past time to start acting.
*Link may
require paid subscription; text included in attached Word file.
Editorial: Solution needed in
clash over Pt. Reyes tule elk [Marin Independent Journal]
THE
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE has a reputation for, at times, a slow bureaucratic and
methodical approach to addressing issues. That is what's frustrating Point
Reyes National Seashore ranchers, who fear free-roaming tule elk will drive
them out of business while the park service studies the issue….County
Agricultural Commissioner Stacy Carlsen, who sides with the ranchers, says the
park service could relocate two or three elk per week and resolve the problem.
"This is not the kind of conflict that cannot be resolved," he said….We
agree with Carlsen. This isn't an unsolvable problem. But, that said, the
federal bureaucracy has a knack for making easy solutions complicated, costly
and time consuming.
Ag
Today is distributed by the CFBF Communications/News Division to county Farm
Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for information purposes; stories may
not be republished without permission. Some story links may require site
registration. To be removed from this mailing list, reply to this
message and please provide your name and e-mail address. For more
information about Ag Today, contact 916-561-5550 or news@cfbf.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment