Unusual water deals struck in drought-stricken Central Valley ag country [Fresno Bee]
In
drought-scarred farm country, coffee shop talk turns obsessively to water and
its cost — which several months ago hit a shocking $1,000 per acre-foot and
then climbed to more than $2,000. But it's far too simple to say drought-buster
deals in the San Joaquin Valley are all about making a pile of money. A sale in
the last week featured a compassionate offer of San Joaquin River water at only
$250 per acre-foot. It's complicated, because there never has been a water year
like this in the Valley. The near-record drought left millions of acres with no
river water at all from the federal Central Valley Project. So there has been
little water to buy, trade or move, unlike most years when deals routinely
happen through the Valley's vast plumbing.
Heat
a risk for Valley workers, crops [Fresno Bee]
Valley
residents aren't the only ones wilting from triple-digit temperatures these
days. The excessive heat is troublesome for field workers, livestock animals,
vineyards and fruit trees. Above-average temperatures can cause tree fruit to
ripen slowly, dairy cows to produce less milk and workers to harvest in
potentially dangerous conditions…."When it gets really hot, things just
slow down," said Jim Simonian, president of the Fowler-based Simonian
Fruit Co., a grower, packer and shipper of tree fruit and grapes. To protect
workers from heat illness, Simonian says his field crews will stop working when
the temperature hits 100 and above. The state also has strict guidelines that
require employers of outdoor workers to provide shade, access to cool water and
training to spot heat-related illnesses….For trees, vines and cows, the heat
poses other challenges.
Elk
Grove students grateful for continued ag funds [Sacramento Bee]
As
the State Fair began last week, 18 Elk Grove High School students showed off
sheep and other animals they spent the past year raising in one of the area’s
largest agriculture education programs. They said they were grateful that Gov.
Jerry Brown and lawmakers in June preserved a critical source of funding for
their farm-focused efforts, which might otherwise have been lost in an era of smartphones
and computer-based tests….Brown has sought to permanently eliminate most
education earmarks and established a new funding stream giving school districts
more authority over how they spend their money….A letter-writing campaign
initiated by Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, resulted in students and
advocates sending more than 10,000 letters in hopes of preserving the
agricultural funds. Lawmakers and Brown ultimately agreed to do so.
Humboldt
County's contract with USDA Wildlife Services contested [Eureka Times-Standard]
The
Humboldt County Agriculture Commission is preparing an informational
presentation for the Board of Supervisors after a group of seven local and
national wildlife conservation organizations called for the county to
discontinue its cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services. Originally on the
board's July 1 consent calender, the agreement would set up a four-year
contract with the agency to help protect residents, property, livestock, crops
and natural resources from damage caused by predators and other wildlife. The
item was pulled for future discussion in response to a letter submitted by
Monte Merrick of Bird Ally X and the Humboldt Wildlife Care Center regarding
the federal agency's practices…. Humboldt County would not be the first to
sever its contract with Wildlife Services, Merrick said. The Sonoma County
Board of Supervisors voted last year to not renew its agreement, and Marin
County did the same 14 years ago.
Farm
to warfare: UC Davis institute stands watch
against agroterrorism [Sacramento Bee]
California
agricultural catastrophe could start with a single handkerchief. In the hands
of a clever terrorist, the handkerchief could be contaminated with the
foot-and-mouth disease virus, then dropped in a pen of livestock….Dr. Bennie
Osburn and his colleagues work to prevent such devastation and develop
strategies that would minimize the damage. He’s the director of outreach and
training at UC Davis’ Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, which is
funded in part by the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration. WIFSS’ efforts center on research and educational efforts
to protect our food supply and public health in case of a disaster, whether by
natural or sinister means.
The
Dairy Grind [Manteca Bulletin]
Here’s
yet another sign of the times. The demise of family-owned dairy farm
operations. In many cases, the dairy farm has been handed down from one
generation to the next. Cold statistics chronicle the sad stories – from the
local, state, and national scene….In California alone, nearly 500 dairy farms
have been lost since 2008, according to Mike Marsh, CEO of Western United
Dairymen headquartered in Modesto. That’s about 25 percent of large and small
family-owned dairies in the Golden State….The grim prediction is that by the end
of the year, more than 100 more dairy farms in California will be lost, Marsh
said….“It’s tough to survive” if you are a small dairy farmer, said Gary
Caseri, interim San Joaquin County Agricultural Commissioner.
Ag
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