Ag Today Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Despite drought, laws to track California’s biggest water users ignored [Center for Investigative Reporting]

The last time California endured a drought, legislators set their sights on the state’s heaviest water users: farmers. The state designed laws to pushagricultural water districts to closely track their water flow and make the largest districts charge farmers based on how much they use….But those rules are widely being ignored as they come into effect in the midst of one of the state’s most severe droughts on record….Only 20 percent – 48 of 242 districts – have filed those reports, according to California Department of Water Resources data. They were due 10 months ago….Under a 2009 law, the 55 largest agricultural water districts also are required to more precisely measure how much water each farmer is using. They’re then required to charge farmers – at least in part – on that basis. The state doesn’t know how many suppliers are meeting this requirement or are even taking steps toward doing so, because almost half of them have failed to turn in the relevant reports, records show.

http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/05/28/amid-drought-laws-to-track-californias-biggest-water-users-ignored/

Federal court rejects bid to stop flow from Friant Dam [Fresno Bee]

The U.S. District Court in Fresno Tuesday refused to stop Millerton Lake water from being sent to wildlife refuges and farmers with historic rights on the Valley's west side. East San Joaquin Valley farmers, facing a zero allocation of Millerton water, asked the court last week to stop the flow….The lawsuit, filed by Friant Water Authority, was aimed at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which supplies water to refuges and landowners with historic rights. In rejecting the bid for a temporary restraining order, the court said the water allocation is a result of the way Congress wrote laws, not government regulators prioritizing fish and wildlife above farmers and the economy.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/27/3946763/federal-court-rejects-bid-to-stop.html?sp=/99/217/&ihp=1

Bill would allow local groundwater management [Associated Press]

The state Senate approved legislation Tuesday asking local agencies to develop plans to manage groundwater, a supply that is largely unregulated throughout the state even amid a statewide drought. "We shouldn't waste the opportunity to act this year," said the bill's author, Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills. Careful reporting and monitoring of groundwater levels is critical to ensuring the supply is not totally diminished, said Pavley, who added that the intent of her bill, SB1168, is to allow local agencies to manage their own water.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/27/3947189/bill-would-allow-local-groundwater.html

Gerawan union dispute still in limbo after Fresno court hearing [Fresno Bee]

A disputed contract affecting about 3,000 field workers at Gerawan Farming remains in limbo Tuesday after testimony concluded on the case in Fresno County Superior Court.

The state's Agricultural Labor Relations Board is asking Judge Jeffrey Hamilton to stop Gerawan from violating labor law by not honoring an employee contract between the company and the workers represented by the United Farm Workers union. The contract was hammered out in November through the state's mandatory mediation process. But Gerawan's lawyers have challenged the constitutionality of the process and that case is pending before the state Court of Appeals.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/27/3947191/gerawan-union-dispute-still-in.html?sp=/99/170/

Valley dairies are finally making money again [Visalia Times-Delta]

Any veteran dairy operator in the Valley has endured the sometimes severe fluctuations in the prices they get for their milk, with profit some months and losses in others….But the industry’s financial problems didn’t end in 2009, as prices paid for California-produced milk rose above the average cost to produce it only briefly until it exceeded $19 per hundred weight in October and has stayed above that mark since. “There’s a cautious optimism in the industry that things are better,” but dairy operators know it doesn’t take much to cause milk prices to fluctuate back down, said Rob Vandenheuvel, General Manager of the Milk Producers Council, a nonprofit trade group representing dairy operators….Experts are crediting the change to growing overseas demand for dry milk and whey used to make a variety of goods including cake mixes and energy drinks.

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2014/05/28/valley-dairies-finally-making-money/9647367/

Supervisors vote against letter supporting gray wolf endangerment listing [Eureka Times-Standard]

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 during its meeting today to take no action on a proposed letter to the state that would support listing gray wolves under the California Endangered Species Act….Third District Supervisor Mark Lovelace — who cast the dissenting vote — said that the letter would be given to the state before the Fish and Game Commission makes a possible decision on the listing at its June 4 meeting in Fortuna….Several members of the public said that the county should not support reintroducing a species known to cause problems. Local rancher John Rice spoke out against the letter, saying that gray wolf populations in other states are a danger to livestock and have reduced populations of other forms of wildlife.

http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_25846527/supervisors-vote-against-letter-supporting-gray-wolf-endangerment

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 Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Calif. water plentiful for some 'senior rights holders' [Associated Press]

Call them the fortunate ones: Nearly 4,000 California companies, farms and others are allowed to use free water with little oversight when the state is so bone dry that deliveries to nearly everyone else have been severely slashed. Their special status dates back to claims made more than a century ago when water was plentiful. But in the third year of a drought that has ravaged California, these "senior rights holders" dominated by corporations and agricultural concerns are not obliged to conserve water. Nobody knows how much water they actually use, though it amounts to trillions of gallons each year, according to a review of their own reports by The Associated Press. Together, they hold more than half the rights to rivers and streams in California. But the AP found the state's system is based on self-reported, incomplete records riddled with errors and years out of date.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/26/3946010/calif-water-plentiful-for-some.html

Water pumping creates groundswell for regulation [Stockton Record]

The drought has created new momentum to accomplish something that has been discussed, off and on, for 40 years: Regulate groundwater…."We've seen groundwater overdraft recently like we've never seen it before," said Lester Snow, a former head of the state Department of Water Resources, now with the nonprofit California Water Foundation. "We're seeing groundwater level declines that are actually greater than they were in the late '70s." With the drought as a catalyst, legislators are working on groundwater reform. Two interest groups, Snow's foundation and the Association of California Water Agencies, have issued recommendations that call for some level of state involvement….Some water managers and landowners are nervous at the notion of state interference. "They've failed miserably at managing surface water. I don't know why we would want to turn over groundwater, too," said Andy Christensen, manager of the Woodbridge Irrigation District in north San Joaquin County.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140526/A_NEWS/405260316/0/SEARCH

Opinion: The Conversation: A controversial water transfer worth millions [Sacramento Bee]

If you want to put a human face on California’s epic drought, Ken Tucker’s will do. The Central Valley farmer has 400 acres of thirsty almond trees that are in real danger of dying….Farmers in Merced County are sympathetic but not inclined to help. They’ve got their own worries:…Now this: Two of their fellow county landowners are about to get very rich by selling the water right out from under them to the Del Puerto Water District, which serves 45,000 acres of farmland – including Tucker’s 400 – mostly in Stanislaus County….Unlike every other dry Western state, California doesn’t have rules for groundwater – the unseen pools and rivers and aquifers deep under the ground. If you own the property above it, it’s pretty much yours to use. If that sounds a lot like the Wild West, then Merced would be Dodge City.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/25/6426909/mariel-garza-a-controversial-water.html

State water authorities fine farmers over permit [Fresno Bee]

The state is fining five landowners who didn't get water permits for their cropland -- fines ranging from $2,240 to $8,600 in Merced, Madera or Stanislaus counties. +It's a reminder that state authorities are serious about permits to control farm water discharges into the underground. A reliable source told me another 150 more growers in the same region face similar enforcement….The five properties, ranging in size from 24 to 668 acres, are within the boundaries of the East San Joaquin Water Coalition, which already represents more than 1,000 farmers in the area. The landowners can join the coalition to achieve compliance.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/27/3946460/state-water-authorities-fine-farmers.html

National Park Service seeks to ease tensions with Point Reyes farmers [Los Angeles Times]

Point Reyes National Seashore is unusual among U.S. parks. Its shimmering coastline and velvety hillsides make for a majestic Marin County landscape — and its two dozen commercial dairy farms and ranches make for one of the nastiest disagreements in the national park system. Farmers and ranchers here have a list of grievances against a federal government they say burdens their operations with needless red tape. Worse, they believe park officials secretly want to force them to shut down, and they complain that little has been done to rein in tule elk that graze on land meant for livestock….Fed in part by a vitriolic dispute between the federal government and a rancher who also runs an oyster farm, the ill will here directed at the park is the worst anyone can remember….

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-point-reyes-reconciliation-20140526-story.html#page=1

Insurance plan for farmworkers falls short of Obamacare rules [Los Angeles Times]

Two landmark liberal healthcare achievements are on a collision course in California, and the result could be higher costs for taxpayers..Years ago, legendary activist Cesar Chavez helped create the first health insurance plan for farmworkers who toiled for meager wages in California's fields. The plan, funded by the workers and their employers, is named after Democratic icon Robert F. Kennedy, who allied himself with Chavez. But like many other insurance plans around the country, it doesn't fully meet requirements set by President Obama's healthcare law. Unless supplemental insurance is purchased, the farmworkers say, 10,700 people could lose coverage. Some Democrats want taxpayers to pick up the $3.2 million tab for the extra insurance so the healthcare plan can keep operating.

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-pol-union-healthcare-20140527-story.html

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, May 23, 2014

Senate passes California drought-relief bill [McClatchy News Service]

With nary a word, the Senate on Thursday night passed a California drought-relief bill that sets up serious negotiations with the House over water storage, river protection, irrigation deliveries and more. The dealmaking to come will test Democrats and Republicans alike. It could make or break some reputations, and potentially pit one Central Valley region against another. It's still a work in progress, though the Senate's action was a big step forward for those who want a bill and a blow to those who fear the end result….On Thursday night, eight House Republicans issued a joint statement welcoming the Senate bill, while keeping up the political pressure on Feinstein that has been a hallmark of the conversation to date. "While Senator Feinstein's bill is a starting point, it fails to address our state's long term needs," the House Republicans stated. "We now have an opportunity to find a balance between her temporary measure and the comprehensive bill passed by the House."

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/22/3939616/senate-passes-california-drought.html

Emergency drought order imposed on three Tehama County creeks [Sacramento Bee]

In the first such action of the ongoing drought, California water officials on Wednesday adopted an emergency order that may require water rights holders on three creeks in Tehama County to reduce their diversions to protect endangered fish. The order, adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board, affects Mill, Deer and Antelope creeks. The streams are home to some of the last wild-spawning spring-run Chinook salmon in California, as well as Central Valley steelhead trout….The board acted under new powers granted by emergency drought legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in March.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/22/6426077/emergency-drought-order-imposed.html

Court ruling could affect groundwater use statewide [Redding Record Searchlight]

A judge has made a tentative ruling in a Siskiyou County court case that could have implications on how groundwater is regulated statewide. That ruling could give state and local agencies the authority to regulate groundwater pumping, said James Wheaton, legal director for the Environmental Law Center, which sued Siskiyou County and the State Water Resources Control Board….But bills in the state Legislature may pre-empt court action, he said. There are several bills in the state Legislature that, if approved, would require some form of groundwater regulation….Groundwater management is needed in some areas of the state, said Danny Merkley, director of water resources for the California Farm Bureau. But groundwater regulation should be left to local agencies, he said….Jeff Fowle, president of the Siskiyou County Farm Bureau, said regulation of groundwater should be left up to local officials and landowners.

http://www.redding.com/news/2014/may/22/court-ruling-could-affect-groundwater-use/

California drought will hit cost of rice hardest [Sacramento Bee]

How will California’s epic drought hit our grocery bills? Probably not as hard as we might have feared. That was the consensus of a panel of food and farming experts assembled for the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce’s second annual “Perspectives on Agriculture” luncheon, held Thursday at the Hyatt Regency. “(Price increases) really won’t be that huge for the average consumer,” said Dan Sumner, director of the University of California Agricultural Issues Center at UC Davis….One crop that will see a noticeable price spike: California rice. “It’s the exception,” said Sumner, noting the international demand for the state’s short-grained “sushi rice.”

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/22/6426140/drought-will-make-cost-of-rice.html

Video simulation captures scale of Delta tunnel project [Sacramento Bee]

The water diversion tunnels that Gov. Jerry Brown proposes to build in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are so large that many policymakers and citizens have had difficulty grasping the project. The Delta Protection Commission set out to change that. The commission, a state agency that represents local communities in the Delta, hired a computer artist to prepare a video simulation of the three intakes on the Sacramento River that would feed the two proposed tunnels. The result is a 46-second animation on YouTube that gives the impression of a helicopter ride above the intakes and the region near Courtland, in Sacramento County, where they are proposed….The Delta Protection Commission – even though some of its members are appointed by the governor – has emerged as a significant rival to the tunnel plan. Most of its members are local politicians who represent cities and counties in the Delta that would be directly affected by the project. The commission voted last year to formally oppose the tunnels, although it has no authority to prevent it.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/22/6426225/video-simulation-captures-scale.html

Greenhouse policies to cost us all [Stockton Record]

California's greenhouse gas policies are aimed at slowing climate change, but they will also come Jan. 1 put a dent in the budget of every household and business in the state, a new small business coalition is warning today. Fed Up at the Pump said the "fuels under the cap" policy - which beginning in 2015 puts transportation fuel suppliers under the cap-and-trade system for limiting carbon emissions - will amount to an estimated 15 cents a gallon tax on gasoline and diesel imposed without consumer comment or separate legislative review….Still, fuel prices affect the bottom line of many businesses, particularly those in agriculture that need diesel and gasoline for their trucks and tractors, as well as the heavy trucks hauling fruits, nuts and grain, said Bruce Blodgett, executive manager of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau. "All of our commodities have to get to market somehow," he said. "It's a cost that's felt throughout the industry.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140523/A_BIZ/405230309

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, May 22, 2014

Feinstein’s anti-drought bill may face rough waters in House [McClatchy News Service]

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s newly finished California water bill that’s designed for quick Senate approval gratifies some farmers while alienating some fishermen, tribes and environmentalists. The California Democrat is pushing for the revised 16-page bill to pass the Senate as soon as possible, perhaps by Friday, setting up a delicate round of deal-making with Republican-led House negotiators. Right now, though, this remains a machine with many moving parts.…Feinstein indicated Wednesday that she has the support of all Democratic senators, who are willing to let the bill slide through under a unanimous-consent procedure called “the hotline.” Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is trying to win similar consent from the 44 other Senate Republicans. It’s possible that GOP senators may demand a change or two before letting the package pass.

http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/21/3350425/feinsteins-anti-drought-bill.html

East Valley farmers sue to stop Millerton Lake water release [Fresno Bee]

East San Joaquin Valley farmers, facing a zero water allocation this summer, are asking a judge to stop unprecedented water releases that started last week at Millerton Lake. The Friant Water Authority, representing 15,000 east-side growers, says federal leaders are not following a long-established water-rights pecking order in releasing Millerton water, which would help save thousands of acres of east-side orchards. The water is instead headed to a group of west Valley farmers who hold rights dating back to the 1800s.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/21/3936970/east-valley-farmers-sue-to-stop.html?sp=/99/217/&ihp=1

Woes mount for Calif. farmers amid drought [Courthouse News Service]

This year's crop may very well be the last for Brad Cravens. Along with his father, Sam, he's been growing Butte and Padre almonds on his 160-acre plot seven miles north of Kettleman City, Calif., for over a decade. Without wells on his property, Cravens relies on solely on groundwater and water allocations from the Westlands Water District. He banked enough water last year to carry him through this season, but California's prolonged and debilitating drought has forced the water district, which holds long-running supply contracts with the Central Valley Project, to cut off allocations this year. His father said, "We were smart and we banked water this year. But after this year, we're done."…Brad Cravens compared the drought to air slowly leaking from a hole in a tire. "You can fill it up, roll for a while, but in the end you're still going to go flat," he said, noting environmental regulations compounded with unusually dry winters have added up to disaster.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/05/22/68126.htm

Crop cuts taking toll on economy [Marysville Appeal-Democrat]

Fertilizer sales are down and seasonal jobs are being cut as local businesses adapt to crop reductions due to the drought. More than 100,000 acres of agricultural land will likely go fallow this summer due to cutbacks in the surface water supply, and fertilizer companies reported decreases in sales volume between 10 and 15 percent as farmers ready fields for planting. "Absolutely, (the drought) impacted our business," said Blake Covert, market manager for the Sacramento region for Simplot Grower Solutions. "It's taxing everybody, not just us. Other businesses are off, from car dealers to restaurants to everybody in between."

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/crop-cuts-taking-toll-on-economy/article_12fb859c-e17c-11e3-8ff2-0017a43b2370.html

Climate change to result in less nutritional food, report says [Los Angeles Times]

Climate change threatens to undermine not only how much food can be grown but also the quality of that food as altered weather patterns lead to a less desirable harvest, according to a new study. Crops grown by many of the nation's farmers have a lower nutritional content than they once did, according to the report by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Adaptation must begin now. Developing the necessary scientific breakthroughs and broadly disseminating them will require years, even decades of lead time. - Report by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-climate-food-20140522-story.html

U.S. charges egg business and owners [New York Times]

Federal prosecutors in Iowa on Wednesday brought felony charges stemming from a 2010 salmonella outbreak against the owners of one of the nation’s largest egg businesses and their company, Quality Egg L.L.C. The owners, Austin J. DeCoster, known as Jack, and his son, Peter DeCoster, were each charged with selling adulterated food across state lines, a misdemeanor. They each face a year in jail and a $250,000 fine. Quality Egg, facing two felony charges, is accused of bribery and intentionally mislabeling eggs to make them appear fresher than they were. In 2010, Wright County Egg, the predecessor to Quality, and Hillandale Farms had to recall more than a half billion eggs after an outbreak of salmonella was traced to two DeCoster farms in Iowa.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/business/us-charges-egg-business-and-owners.html?action=click&module=Search&region=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry387%23%2Fu.s.%2520charges%2520egg%2520business&_r=0

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.