Obama says he’ll order action to aid immigrants [New York Times]
President
Obama said Monday he would use his executive power to make potentially sweeping
changes to the nation’s immigration system without Congress, acknowledging the
death of his more than yearlong effort to enact compromise legislation granting
legal status to 11 million immigrants here illegally.
Mr. Obama said he had ordered a shift of immigration
enforcement resources from the interior of the country toward the southern
border, and was asking his team to report back to him by the end of the summer
on additional actions he could take. The actions could be as far-reaching as
giving work permits and protection from deportation to millions of immigrants
now in the country….Mr. Obama’s Rose Garden appearance was a defiant end to a
politically fraught effort, filled with near-death turns and promises of
resuscitation, to reach a bipartisan deal in Congress to overhaul immigration
laws. Polls show such a measure enjoys support from a lopsided majority of
Americans. But while the Senate passed a bill a year ago with some Republican
support, there was no urgency to follow suit in the House, where conservatives
dominate and the Tea Party is ascendant.
Drake's
Bay Oyster Company not willing to give up despite U.S. Supreme Court decision
[Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
The
U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to take up the case of a Marin County oyster
farm facing eviction from the Point Reyes National Seashore in what a lead opponent
of the commercial operation called “the end of the road for this company.”
Drakes Bay Oyster Co. owner Kevin Lunny struck a defiant position, however, and
vowed to battle on, calling the high court's pass on his petition “a
disappointment, but not really a setback.”…Lunny and his attorney, Peter Prows,
said they are still evaluating additional legal and legislative remedies that
might permit Lunny and his family to hang onto their successful shellfish
concern in Drakes Estero, an area designated by a 1976 congressional act to
become a marine wilderness as soon as the oyster farm's 40-year-lease expired
in 2012. Lunny's team was in touch with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein's
office on Monday and met with Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, as well. Neither
lawmaker was available for comment.
USDA
predicts record California almond crop [Modesto Bee]
California
almond growers will harvest a record 2.1 billion pounds this year, a federal
agency projected Monday, further evidence that water is finding its way to this
profitable crop. The estimate from the
National Agricultural Statistics Service is up 5 percent from last year’s crop
and 8 percent from the initial 2014 forecast on May 1. Should the figure hold
up as the harvest plays out, it would top the record of 2.03 billion pounds in
2011….The state’s severe drought has prompted some growers to rip out orchards
or curtail production this year, but Monday’s report suggests that the industry
overall is holding strong. Growers have replaced some of the reduced river
water supplies with increased well pumping, raising concern in some places
about overdraft. They also might fallow annual crops to get more water to the
trees, purchase water from other growers, and conserve the supplies with
soil-moisture monitoring and other techniques.
California’s
minimum wage rises to $9 an hour starting today [Sacramento Bee]
At
Krazy Mary’s Boutique in midtown Sacramento, owner Mary Kawano is already
accommodating the state’s new minimum wage of $9 a hour, which goes into effect
today….Krazy Mary’s is one of hundreds of employers statewide who will now be
paying their minimum-wage employees $1 more an hour, under legislation signed
into law last year by Gov. Jerry Brown….Bryan Little, director of labor affairs
at the California Farm Bureau Federation, said the state’s agricultural
industry, which partly relies on minimum-wage workers, will consider switching
to crops that are easier and cheaper to cultivate, as well as pursue the
development of harvesting equipment and other machinery that can replace human
labor where possible. “We’ve already seen it happen,” he said, referring to
more mechanized harvesting of strawberries, walnuts, tomatoes and almonds.
“It’s not economically viable yet (for all crops), but there’s a lot of
interest.”
UC
system aiming to reduce world hunger, improve food research [Los Angeles Times]
The
University of California system is launching an effort to expand and focus
research to help reduce world hunger, improve nutrition and aid farmers coping
with climate change. UC President Janet
Napolitano, in comments to be delivered Tuesday morning, will explain that the
system's 10 campuses, its large agricultural programs and the Lawrence Berkeley
National Lab that UC manages will participate in the University of California
Global Food Initiative. Building on UC’s already strong research on such varied
topics as soils, citrus fruit and water purity, the effort will work “toward
putting the world on a path to sustainably and nutritiously feed itself,”
according to a UC announcement. Many of the details remain to be worked out,
but UC campuses are expected to take lead roles in one or more of the topics,
depending on the expertise of their faculty, and the interests and needs of their
communities.
State
leaders say Valley farmers can profit from ag tourism growth [Fresno Bee]
Two
top state officials for agriculture and tourism paid Fresno a visit Monday to
talk about how local growers can benefit from the fast-growing trend of
agritourism. About 60 agriculture and business leaders gathered at the
California State University, Fresno campus to hear Food and Agriculture
Secretary Karen Ross and Caroline Beteta, Visit California's chief executive
officer, explain how the CA Grown and Visit California brands will work with
Sunset and Food and Wine magazines to promote agritourism….“It's about, 'here's
what farmers and ranchers are doing as your neighbors,' their environmental
stewardship," said Ross. "It's about the pride of what we produce
here, and it's about this wonderful lifestyle and supporting the economy at the
same time."…According to UC data, the amount of sales from agritourism and
recreation services has increased 84% in the state from 2007 to 2012, to $64.5
million.
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