Ag Today Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Groundwater overdraft issue looms large [Hanford Sentinel]

800-pound gorilla in the Kings County water debate is back — what to do about the groundwater overdraft problem that is depleting underground aquifers with no end in sight. That unanswered question was front-and-center at the Kings County Water Commission meeting Monday night in Hanford….This time, state action to control how much farmers can pump is much closer to reality. The reason? Gov. Jerry Brown’s declaration of a statewide drought emergency in January combined with the realization that this is the worst dry spell in California’s recorded history….Much of the discussion centered around the idea that if local water agencies or the county don’t do something, the state will lower the boom.

http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/groundwater-overdraft-issue-looms-large/article_d74ca48c-b3c1-11e3-b4c2-001a4bcf887a.html

In California, Demand for Groundwater Causing Huge Swaths of Land to Sink [National Geographic]

Extensive groundwater pumping is causing a huge swath of central California to sink, in some spots at an alarming rate, the U.S. Geological Survey reports….The worst subsidence has already increased the risk of flooding in the sparsely populated region, including to the low-lying town of Dos Palos, population 5,400, said Christopher White, manager of the Central California Irrigation District….Other canals and dams that deliver water to irrigate the fields of hundreds of growers are also losing capacity as parts of them sink….One permanent impact to the region may be lost groundwater storage. As groundwater levels drop, clay deposits move closer together and space for groundwater is lost.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140325-california-drought-subsidence-groundwater/?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131016_rw_membership_n1p_us_se_c1#close-modal

California drought: Silicon Valley cities and farms hit with new water cutbacks [San Jose Mercury News]

In the latest sign that California's historic drought is having a worsening impact on Silicon Valley, the region's largest water provider is putting in place unprecedented cutbacks this spring on cities, farmers and its own efforts to recharge groundwater supplies….In the change that has caused the largest political stir, the district on Friday sent letters to property owners who receive untreated water from creeks and pipelines announcing that they will be cut off entirely from those sources on May 1….Now, some, farmers in particular, are unhappy. "I already have drip tape out there, I have rows planted, I have thousands and thousands of dollars invested," said Tim Chiala, co-owner of George Chiala Farms in Morgan Hill. "I don't see cities cut to zero. Why is everything falling on agriculture?"

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25411117/california-drought-silicon-valley-cities-and-farms-hit?source=most_viewed

Overgrown Sierra forests gulping water that could flow to Valley [Modesto Bee]

Cutting down trees may not sound environmentally friendly, but researchers from UC Merced and elsewhere think that may be just what’s needed to restore forest health and increase water runoff. “It’s one of the lower-cost options (to increase California’s water supply) … and it also would reduce the probability of big destructive fires,” said Roger Bales, a UC Merced engineering professor who specializes in mountain hydrology….Bales and his fellow researchers may get a chance to prove their theory in the Stanislaus National Forest, where talks have begun with the U.S. Forest Service to launch a 10,000-acre thinning demonstration project. If all goes as suggested, that project could increase water flows, decrease destructive fires, create jobs and improve the health of the remaining trees.

http://www.modbee.com/2014/03/24/3257376/overgrown-sierra-forests-gulping.html?sp=/99/1571/&ihp=1

The $9.99 watermelon [Manteca Bulletin]

Sticker shock, courtesy of the drought, is coming to a supermarket near you. Seedless watermelon was selling Monday at SaveMart stores in Manteca for $9.99. It is a full $2 over prices from the same time period in 2013. And while the price reflects the scarcity of watermelon that are now coming out of a specific region in Mexico, it is an indicator of higher food prices that are in store for California and American consumers as a whole thanks to the drought. The assumption by some that fruit and vegetables from elsewhere will replace California crops with minimum impact on prices fails to take into account production issues in other regions of the globe plus worldwide consumer demand.

http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/1/article/101506/

Early bloom creates trouble for beekeepers [Visalia Times – Delta]

The start of the blooming period for oranges, lemons, tangerines and other citrus in Tulare County is usually welcome news for beekeepers….But the weather this year is creating problems for beekeepers during the citrus bloom, and it’s not just that California is entering its third straight drought year…But this year, citrus trees in the South Valley are blooming two to three weeks earlier than usual. That may not seem like a lot of time, but Mike Wells, Sr., a Frazier Valley resident who operates about 1,000 bee colonies, said it could hurt honey production for his business and others. That’s because his colonies are about one brood cycle — when eggs develop to larva and eventually become mature bees — behind where they would be if the bloom had started at its normal time.

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014303250015

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.

Ag Today Monday, March 24, 2014

California drought puts spotlight on water theft [Sacramento Bee]

It’s amazingly easy to steal water from a California stream. Even in this epic drought, the state has no way of monitoring exactly who is tapping into its freshwater supplies and how much they take. And those who do get caught taking water they have no right to often are allowed to keep taking it for years just by promising to obtain a permit. Nearly 30,000 entities in the state hold valid water diversion permits, including individual property owners, farmers and water utilities. Some have meters or gauges to measure their diversions, but the state has no ability of its own to monitor those gauges in real-time. People and entities with water rights are required to regularly report their water use to the state, but many don’t, and the state has no way of knowing if their accounts – self-reported – are truthful. In average water years, many of these issues don’t matter much. But the weaknesses are expected to complicate matters this year as the state struggles to stretch limited water supplies during the worst drought in 40 years. This spring, it is likely the State Water Resources Control Board will order some water rights holders to divert less water to ensure enough flow for cities and wildlife, something that has not been done since the drought of 1976-77. The state’s ability to enforce such curtailment orders will be sorely tested.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/23/6259597/california-drought-puts-spotlight.html

Drying up the delta: 19th century policies underlie today's crises [Los Angeles Times]

…Thanks to seniority, powerful Central Valley irrigation districts that most Californians have never heard of are at the head of the line for vast amounts of water, even at the expense of the environment and the rest of the state. The list of the water-rich includes the Glenn-Colusa, Oakdale, South San Joaquin and Turlock districts. The average amount of Sacramento River water that Glenn-Colusa growers annually pump, for example, is enough to supply Los Angeles and San Francisco for a year….Senior rights holders have in fact dodged years of delivery cuts triggered by the ecological collapse of California's water hub, the sprawling delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers that lies more than 100 miles downstream of Glenn-Colusa's giant pumps. The delta's native fish are hovering on the brink of extinction. Its waters are tainted by farm and urban runoff and infested with invasive species. Most problematic, biologists say, is the chronic shortage of what defines the delta: fresh water.

http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-delta-flows-20140323,0,4858708.story#axzz2wtwhrSwk

California drought: How water crisis is worse for almonds [San Francisco Chronicle]

Atwater, Merced County -- A huge shift away from annual crops to nut trees has transformed the California farm belt over the past two decades and left farmers perilously vulnerable to the severe drought that is currently gripping the state. California farmers have spent past years busily ripping out lettuce, tomatoes and other annual crops in an attempt to sate the nation's growing appetite for almonds, pistachios and other nuts. The delicious perennials are lucrative, but the vast orchards that have been planted throughout the Central Valley require decades-long investments, year-round watering and a commitment from Mother Nature that she is evidently unwilling to make.

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-drought-How-water-crisis-is-worse-for-5341382.php

California drought: So many water bonds, so little time [Contra Costa Times]

As California's drought drags on, more farmers are being forced to fallow fields and a growing number of small towns run out of water. So Republicans and Democrats here finally agree on something: They need to spend billions of dollars to fix California's broken water system. But that doesn't mean getting a water bond on November's ballot that voters will approve is a sure thing. Gov. Jerry Brown hasn't even decided whether he supports the idea, while the Legislature has come up with seven different schemes aimed at making the next drought a lot less painful.…Still, longtime Capitol observers see some hope for a grand compromise.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25400826/california-drought:-so-many-water-bonds-so-little-time

Farmers prepare for groundwater testing rules [Visalia Times-Delta]

In the coming months, farmers in Tulare County and other parts of the Valley will begin monitoring their groundwater for fertilizers, pesticides and other contaminants. On top of that, some may also have to come up with better ways to irrigate and apply their farming chemicals, which could add additional costs beyond those to test their groundwater. In recent weeks, farmers who irrigate their land have been learning about these requirements at a series of seminars detailing these additions to California’s Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20140324/NEWS01/303240020/Farmers-prepare-groundwater-testing-rules

Delta solar farm plan 'dead' [Stockton Record]

The sun has gone down on a farmer's plans to build solar panels on what he describes as salty, unproductive land on Roberts Island. The death of Michael J. Robinson's would-be solar farm shows how increasingly difficult it can be to complete a non-agricultural project within the highly regulated inner core of the Delta….The project won approval from the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors in January 2012, against the advice of county staff. The county's General Plan says projects in the Delta must be related to water, recreation or agriculture. But the General Plan was only one hurdle. The property was also under Williamson Act contract, requiring that it remain in agriculture….Local and state farm bureaus also opposed the solar farm, arguing that it was an "industrial" facility simply incompatible with farming.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140323/A_NEWS/403230315/0/SEARCH

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.

Ag Today Friday, March 21, 2014

Editorial: So many ideas, so little progress in addressing drought [Fresno Bee]

The third year of the California drought brings a reminder of just how fractured and messy democracy can be. There have been dozens of proposals -- seven versions of a state water bond, for example -- to improve the water situation and more are surely on the way….But do we need this many ideas? At times, it appears that some folks are simply looking for a headline or to build a political legacy -- instead of helping California responsibly deal with its water crisis….At some point, the debate has to move beyond whether or not to build more dams. There needs to be a discussion about possibly limiting the number of thirsty almond trees grown in California. Given that ag gets the lion's share of California water, we should figure out how much land should be farmed. And how many golf courses we need. We should figure out, too, the amount of water needed to maintain a healthy delta. Apparently, we'd rather chase our tails until the rains return and put off the hard decisions for another day.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/20/3833256/editorial-so-many-ideas-so-little.html

Editorial: Valley congressmen heard what they wanted at ‘field hearing’ [Modesto Bee]

…Most congressional field hearings, like the one in Fresno on Wednesday, are essentially echo chambers. Those invited to speak generally hold the same views as those who invited them….No one wants to see farming investments lost, but growers who depend on federal and state water allocations know that there will be years when there’s not enough water to keep trees alive. That’s why in the past they mostly planted annual crops, which are less lucrative than almonds but won’t be destroyed during droughts. Denham and Valadao heard the usual demands for more water storage, a demand we can only hope politicians will someday heed. If, as scientists assure us, droughts are going to be more frequent and more severe, there is no other solution. And that storage has to be at a high enough elevation so that gravity can push the water downstream to help farmers and then help anadromous fish find their way out to sea.

http://www.modbee.com/2014/03/20/3250606/our-view-valley-congressmen-heard.html

Agriculture forecast: San Joaquin Valley's major crops surviving despite drought [Fresno Bee]

A robust export market, strong consumer demand and increased production will benefit several of the San Joaquin Valley's major crops even as California farmers struggle through a historic drought, said several agriculture industry leaders Thursday.…That isn't to say that farmers won't be facing challenges, said the experts who spoke at the Outlook 2014 Agribusiness Conference in Fresno.…Among the toughest challenges facing nut crop growers will be the state's ongoing drought….One of the major drivers of growth for both almonds and pistachios has been a positive health message and exports, especially to China. And that is expected to continue….Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League in Fresno, said the state's growers of peaches, plums and nectarines are rebounding after several difficult years that saw many farmers and packers exit the industry….Also rebounding is the state's dairy industry.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/20/3833786/agriculture-forecast-san-joaquin.html

Food prices expected to soar due to drought [KFSN TV, Fresno]

Consumers are already feeling the impact of the drought conditions at the grocery store. Prices for beef, milk and vegetables are on the rise….The prices we pay for milk, vegetables and beef are all impacted by our worsening drought….The California Farm Water Coalition indicated as many as 800,000 acres may be idled this year without water to irrigate crops. As a result, you can expect to pay more for the fruits and veggies. Ryan Jacobsen of the Fresno County Farm Bureau said, "Overall without a doubt there's going to be less tomatoes, less bell peppers, less cantaloupe, lettuce, broccoli that are available."

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/ag_watch&id=9474385

California drought: Ray of hope in fish-vs.-farms dispute [San Francisco Chronicle]

Tens of thousands of squiggling salmon fattening up on bugs and other nutrients on flooded cropland in the Sacramento Valley could soon provide a solution to the long-running dispute over who should get the bulk of California's diminishing supply of water: farms or fish. There appears to be a way to satisfy both. Researchers from UC Davis flooded rice paddies on a 1,700-acre farm in nearby Woodland (Yolo County) and converted the fields into wetland fish habitat, much like the vast marshlands that once covered the state's inland valleys during the winter. The idea is to give young chinook salmon a spot where they can rest and feed as they migrate through the Yolo Bypass and into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. It is a strategy that Asian countries have long used between planting seasons.

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-drought-Ray-of-hope-in-fish-vs-farms-5336353.php

Commentary: Bureau backs Cannella's SB 1398 [Salinas Californian]

The Monterey County Farm Bureau is supporting SB 1398 authored by state Sen. Anthony Cannella, the Salinas River Environmental Stability Act, which will ease maintenance of the Salinas River channel in Monterey County….We cannot forget the flood of 1995, which destroyed close to a quarter of the Salinas Valley projected crop value, caused the loss of more than a thousand acres of farmland and significantly damaged homes, businesses and infrastructure. We simply cannot let this happen again….SB 1398 does not evade environmental law or circumvent state and federal regulations, and all environmental impact reports must follow the California Environmental Quality Act rules. Instead, once an environmental impact report for a project is approved, this bill would streamline the permit process, allowing landowners to begin streambed maintenance quicker, and continue to provide food to the entire state of California, our nation and beyond.

http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20140321/OPINION04/303210028/Bureau-backs-Cannella-s-SB-1398

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.

Ag Today Thursday, March 20, 2014

Few farmers immune to impact of epic California drought [Sacramento Bee]

When spring arrives, the Central Valley farm fields owned by Harris Ranch normally come to life with tomatoes, lettuce and watermelons. This year, much of the land has been left dry and bare. California’s epic drought is being felt all over rural California, from small family farms to agribusiness giants such as Harris. Growers are fallowing land, tapping expensive groundwater and rationing supplies to keep their orchards and vineyards alive. This downshift will cost the state billions of dollars in lost economic activity and translate into higher food prices for consumers….The drought has affected just about every place in California where agriculture is king, from the rice and tomato fields of the Sacramento Valley to the citrus groves on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/19/6251893/few-farmers-immune-to-impact-of.html

House panel meeting in Fresno hears emotional impact of Calif. drought [Fresno Bee]

Larry Starrh's voice choked with emotion Wednesday as he told congressional members of his family's decision to dry up 1,000 acres of almonds this year and let the trees die due to water shortages. "Shortages that were created and controlled by regulations that have been imposed and brandished like weapons," the Kern County farmer said. "Sadly, in the real world, water is about power, water is a weapon, water is a hostage." Starrh was one of nine witnesses at a loud House Natural Resources Committee field hearing on California's water crisis convened in the Fresno City Council chambers. He echoed the thoughts of many in the audience about environmental regulations that curb farm water deliveries.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/19/3830794/water-rally-held-before-house.html

LaMalfa, Garamendi look to store water south of Redding [Redding Record Searchlight]

In a display of bipartisan agreement, Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa and Democrat Rep. John Garamendi today called for the construction of a reservoir to potentially solve California’s long-term water problems. The two congressional members held a news conference in Maxwell, some 20 miles west of the location for the proposed Sites Reservoir, to announce their bill. The legislation will be introduced next week and in all likelihood be ready for a vote on the House floor in June. It accelerates an existing feasibility study to authorize the construction of the reservoir in Colusa County, about an hour north of Sacramento and 90 minutes south of Redding.

http://www.redding.com/news/2014/mar/19/lamalfa-garamendi-look-to-store-water-south-of/

Hundreds rally at Capitol to save Future Farmers of America [KCRA TV, Sacramento]

The Capitol was the epicenter of a big fight on Wednesday over funding for California's future farmers. It's a battle between tens of thousands of students enrolled in the Agricultural Career Tech Grant Program and Gov. Jerry Brown….Under Brown's budget plan, $4.1 million in funding for the program would be transferred to individual school districts. Starlyte Simmons, an FFA student at Rio Linda High School, is concerned. She joined hundreds of future farmers for the giant rally, with hundreds of students at the Capitol chanting, "Save FFA, Save FFA."…There is strong student support for Assembly Bill 2033, authored by Assembly member Rudy Salas….While AB 2033 does have bipartisan support at the Capitol, it's not expected that Brown would jeopardize his own budget proposal by signing it.

http://www.kcra.com/news/hundreds-rally-at-capitol-to-save-future-farmers-of-america/25061486

GOP optimists challenge common wisdom on immigration [Wall Street Journal]

It’s easy to find people in Washington who say an immigration overhaul is dead, at least for the year. Finding optimists on the matter is harder. But there are a few Republicans out there who think the Republican House will change course and take up immigration before the November election, despite arguments inside the party that the GOP should remain focused on unifying issues such as health care….The question is whether the House might be willing to take up the issue this spring or summer, after the bulk of Republican primaries are over. The reasoning is that politically, House Republicans are most worried about primaries, where many fear being challenged by an opponent claiming to be more conservative….There are political reasons to hold off even longer….Still, a few leading Republicans think there’s a chance that Mr. Boehner may change course and bring the issue to the floor this spring or summer. Business, religious and law enforcement interests are among those pushing for the overhaul as a way to rationalize immigration policy and aid those now living here illegally.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/03/20/gop-optimists-challenge-common-wisdom-on-immigration/?KEYWORDS=gop+optimists+immigration

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Feds ban all Rancho Feeding meat from being sold [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]

Custom beef ranchers who used the now-shuttered Rancho Feeding Corp. for a slaughterhouse will not be allowed to sell any of the meat they processed at the Petaluma company's plant, the federal government told the ranchers on Wednesday. That stymies for now the ranchers' efforts to convince the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exempt hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of their beef from the international recall of Rancho products. The ranchers reacted angrily.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140319/articles/140319466

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.