Friday, August 15, 2014

Ag Today Thursday, August 14, 2014


California water bond clears Legislature, Brown signs off [San Jose Mercury News]
With just a few hours to go before a midnight deadline to put a new state water bond on the November ballot, lawmakers Wednesday approved a $7.5 billion package that includes money for California's first new state-funded dams and reservoirs in more than 30 years….Gov. Jerry Brown, who was silent on the water bond for much of this year before jump-starting serious talks on the measure earlier this week, signed the legislation late Wednesday surrounded by a crowd of jubilant lawmakers….More than a third of the bond -- $2.7 billion -- is dedicated to construction of dams, reservoirs and other water storage solutions….Since 1970, California voters have approved 15 of the 16 water bonds they have considered, though most of the money has gone to water conservation and recycling, as opposed to water storage.

Opinion: Gov. Jerry Brown helps whip up a palatable water bond [Los Angeles Times]
Five years after producing a pork-bloated water bond proposal that failed the smell test, the Legislature has offered up a new serving that's lean and digestible….The governor and Legislature were at their best: dickering, rather than dithering, while admittedly prodded by a deadline to place a bond measure on the November ballot….Everyone at the negotiating table got something. Nobody went starving….The GOP had demanded $3 billion for water storage. But Brown's offer was one they couldn't refuse….That $2.7 billion — if approved by voters — would be the most money, by far, ever appropriated by Sacramento for dam construction. Some of the GOP's most influential constituents — the state Chamber of Commerce, California Farm Bureau, Western Growers Assn., Westlands Water District — wound up supporting the compromise. So did influential Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis), a major opponent of Brown's twin tunnels

Editorial: Central Valley delegation led way on California water bond [Modesto Bee]
It’s not often something happens deserving of the word “monumental,” especially when discussing the legislative process. This might be one of those times. With the Northern San Joaquin Valley delegation playing a pivotal role, and agreeing to trust a governor who is following in the footsteps of his father, an agreement was reached Wednesday on a water bond that could signal a victory in California’s legendary water wars….But the fight isn’t over. Getting the bond measure to the ballot is just the first battle. Now, legislators and the governor must help persuade Californians to vote for it so the real work of providing more secure water supplies for everyone can begin.

Farmers wary of state regulating groundwater [KBAK and KBFX News/Bakersfield]
The state of California uses more groundwater than any other state in the union, but it's also the only state in the West that doesn't have any regulations to make sure wells don't run dry. Agricultural leaders in Kern County is doing their best to produce crops during another year of drought. At this point, farmers have given up on El NiƱo bringing through any rain, forcing them to rely even more on groundwater. "We're panicked," said Beatris Sanders of the Kern County Farm Bureau. "It's incredibly vital. We can't live without it. We can't farm without it. We can't produce food."…The Kern County Water Agency doesn't want the state to step in. "Having some state assistance would be helpful for everybody, as long as it's assistance and not regulation," said Curtis Creel, the assistant general manager for Kern County Water Agency. One of the bills on the floor right now is SB 1168, proposed by state Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Augora Hills. The Kern County Farm Bureau agrees with the Kern County Water Agency. They think that the bill might not be best for an area that relies almost exclusively on groundwater.

State board approves high-speed rail sites, OKs condemnation actions [Fresno Bee]
The State Public Works Board on Wednesday approved the selection of nearly 160 parcels in Fresno and Kings counties for eventual acquisition for California's controversial high-speed train project. Meeting in Sacramento at the state Capitol, the panel comprised of the heads of the state's Finance, General Services and Transportation departments, also adopted resolutions declaring a public necessity to condemn four pieces of property in Fresno and Madera counties for the rail line….The Public Works Board approved the rail agency's selection of 158 parcels that have been identified as needed, either in whole or in part, for the bullet-train right of way and structures such as road overpasses….Since December 2013, the Public Works Board has adopted condemnation resolutions for at least 20 parcels in Fresno and Madera counties for the first construction section.

What's that stinky smell around Santa Rosa? [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
Some people know it as the “Sonoma Aroma,” a not-so-gentle reminder that the North Bay was farm country long before it acquired its reputation as Wine Country. A couple of times each year, local dairy farmers start pumping out their holding ponds to spread cow manure out on their fields. The resulting odor, which pervaded the air around Santa Rosa and as far north as Healdsburg on Wednesday, is a unique and unmistakable Sonoma County barnyard bouquet….Sue Ostrom, Sonoma County’s chief deputy agricultural commissioner, said the process of “manure spreading” traditionally occurs around the time of the end of the Sonoma County Fair….Tom Flannigan, a spokesman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, said Wednesday there have been no recent complaints made to the agency about foul odors in the area. Nor have there been any documented odor violations, he said.

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 Wednesday, August 13, 2014


Amid drought, California Democrats seek Republican votes on water plan [Reuters]
California Democrats scrambled on Tuesday to win Republican support for a plan to improve water supplies that has been mired in regional and party politics for a year, even as the state suffers from a three-year drought that shows no sign of ending. A day after voting for a two-day extension to put a proposal on November's ballot to pay for reservoirs and other projects by selling bonds, Democratic lawmakers enlisted the support and negotiating clout of Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, a fiscal moderate who said previous plans were too expensive. "We're very close," said Brown after meeting with Republican leaders who want more reservoirs and Democratic holdouts who say damming rivers and flooding canyons to build them is damaging to the environment. "There's been a lot of compromise."…Lawmakers from both parties say this may be the only year that tax-averse voters, aware of the drought's impact, would be willing to pay for new water projects, yet they continue to fight over which ones to include.

Delta farmers accused of 'unlawful' water diversions [Stockton Record]
Delta farmers have quietly sipped from rivers and sloughs for generations, but they face increasing pressure this drought year from outside interests who argue those water diversions are - or may be - illegal. State and federal officials late last month asked regulators to use their emergency powers to demand information from more than 1,000 of those farmers as to how much water they're using. And the massive Westlands Water District, which relies heavily on water exported from the Delta to the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, argued in a letter last week that "unlawful" Delta diversions are adding "yet another crushing layer of stress" on the farms and communities most harmed by the drought. The dispute over pumping within the Delta isn't new, but in a year when there's not enough water to go around, old arguments tend to resurface.

Tribal members, Klamath River advocates address Interior Department head on fish-kill preventive releases [Eureka Times-Standard]
A coalition of local tribal members and Klamath River advocates gathered in Redding on Tuesday during a press conference on California's widespread wildfires to confront Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell about the recent decision to cease pre-emptive releases to prevent fish kills on two North Coast rivers….The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation announced July 31 that it would not be making pre-emptive water releases from Trinity Lake into the Klamath River and its tributary, the Trinity River, to prevent fish kills brought about by low flows and warm water temperatures. The water will instead go to the Sacramento River and its tributaries, where the bureau said it would protect federally endangered salmon from gill rot disease and other deadly conditions….During the brief meeting, Jewell assured the tribal members and river advocates that the water and fish are being monitored, and that emergency releases will take place if conditions get to an unhealthy level.

Weather woes cost California olive growers nearly half the crop [Fresno Bee]
The drought, a hard freeze and windy weather have all contributed to a 45% drop in California's 2014 table olive crop. Farmers expect to harvest 50,000 tons, down from last year's crop of 91,000 tons, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Olive industry officials say the drop in production has been so severe that some farmers may not have enough olives to harvest….Hardest hit have been the growers in Tulare County, the leading olive oil grower. The region produces about 60% of the state's black olive crop.

Record corn, soybean crops predicted [USA Today]
U.S. farmers will harvest a record haul of corn and soybeans this fall as fields throughout much of the Corn Belt experience some of the best growing conditions in years, the Agriculture Department said Tuesday. The abundant supply of the grain and oilseed, the result of timely rains and moderate temperatures, has sent prices for both commodities tumbling to their lowest levels since 2010. The expected record production has caused a ripple throughout agriculture, resulting in cheap feed for livestock producers and helping ethanol plants increase production but at the same time squeezing the pocketbooks of some farmers who are struggling to cover costs. Consumers could benefit from lower food prices, especially for steaks and other meats, but the effect is not expected to be felt for some time, analysts said….Record crops this fall are expected to flood the market with supply, a major reason corn and soybean prices are at multi-year lows….Corn and soybean prices hit their lowest points since 2010 on Tuesday.

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, August 12, 2014


Days before deadline, Gov. Brown pitches $7B water bond [San Diego Union-Tribune]
In the latest pitch to ease California’s water crisis, Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders on Monday proposed a roughly $7 billion water bond days before the deadline to qualify for the November ballot….The question now is: Will the governor and state lawmakers reach agreement on a bond before this week’s deadline to place the measure on the ballot? They bought some time on Monday by pushing back the printing of voter information guides two days, so that any new bond measure can still appear in those guides. The sides have until the end of the week to make sure a new bond measure can be placed on the November ballot….The governor’s latest proposal is about $1 billion larger than one he outlined last week. It proposes $2.5 billion for water storage projects, up from the governor’s previous offer of $2 billion but still short of Republicans’ request for $3 billion.

Editorial: Politicians finally getting serious about a water bond [Modesto Bee]
…Monday was supposed to be the deadline, but legislators pushed it aside. There’s already a bond measure on the ballot, asking for $11 billion for water projects. Call it the pinata plan – filled with enough candy for everyone, but a target for anyone with a stick. No one expects it to get approved; hence the need to replace it with a more tightly focused measure….California’s water future depends on using water more wisely and finding better ways to conserve it and use recycled water – which is where some of that other money would go. But we also must have more storage, benefiting both farmers and fish….Gov. Brown has promised to make his bond proposal tunnel-neutral. If he keeps that promise, we hope no one will mount a fight. If he doesn’t, then he deserves the fight he is guaranteed to get. We must not kick this issue down the dusty road. We need more storage. Legislators need to work out an acceptable bond then work hard to get it passed.

Editorial: A water bond seems within reach, if no side overreaches [Sacramento Bee]
An agreement on a revised water bond for the November ballot seemed within reach on Monday, but only if no side gets too grabby. That includes legislators from both parties and from all regions, and it includes members of Congress….California farms help feed much of the nation. So Congress needs to offer a hand. We hope that role is constructive….Legislation by Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, and embraced by the other 14 House Republicans from California would loosen the Endangered Species Act, on the theory such a step would open the spigots….California’s water problem isn’t the Endangered Species Act. It is that there hasn’t been sufficient rain in the past three years.

Why you should care about the Capitol debate over groundwater [Sacramento Business Journal]
Lawmakers are currently considering a law on groundwater. If you drink water or appreciate California-grown food, here's why you should care. Why groundwater is important: More than three-quarters of Californians rely on groundwater for at least some of their drinking water. Groundwater is also essential for agriculture….Why this is controversial: A host of farming interest groups are opposed to the bills from two Democratic lawmakers: Assemblyman Roger Dickinson of Sacramento and Sen. Fran Pavley of Agoura Hills. A rushed bill could hurt farmers, land values and the state economy, they say. The California Farm Bureau Association wants to couple any new groundwater policies with a simultaneous plan to increase the supply of surface water.

Kings County hopes to take high-speed rail battle to state Supreme Court [Fresno Bee]
Kings County foes of the California High-Speed Rail Authority's bullet-train plans want to take their legal fight to the California Supreme Court. Stuart Flashman, an Oakland attorney representing Kings County farmer John Tos, Hanford homeowner Aaron Fukuda and the county's Board of Supervisors, said Monday his clients have all agreed to challenge an appellate court's July 31 opinion in favor of the rail authority and the state, overturning a pair of lower-court decisions:…Kings County has been a hotbed of opposition to the California High-Speed Rail Authority's plans for several years, accusing the rail agency of ignoring its concerns that the rail route veers from established transportation corridors and makes wide, sweeping curves across the county's farmland.

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, August 11, 2014


California drought: Lawmakers consider historic rules to limit groundwater pumping [San Jose Mercury News]
In what would be the most significant water law passed in California in nearly 50 years, lawmakers in Sacramento are working with Gov. Jerry Brown on a landmark measure to regulate groundwater pumping for the first time. With an Aug. 31 deadline until the end of the session and billions of dollars at stake, negotiations among farmers, environmentalists, cities and elected officials are reaching a crescendo….The governor has made Pavley's legislation a top priority. But her bill, SB1168, is drawing opposition from the state's main farm organization. "At some point in time there has to be some accountability, and we have to get a handle on how much we are pumping," said Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation. "But this is bad legislation and we oppose it. We're afraid that if it passes, the unintended consequences are going to be huge. The financial impacts are going to be huge."

Editorial: Compromise will be key in creating workable water bond [Sacramento Bee]
Does Gov. Jerry Brown want to place an effective water bond on the November ballot? Do Republicans want to blow up a bond that would improve California’s water system by refusing to accept a penny less than $3 billion for new dams and reservoirs? Do advocates for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta want to forgo millions of dollars in habitat restoration that could help the failing heart of California’s water system? The governor and the Legislature need to answer these questions in the next few days as negotiations approach the deadline to get a water bond on the ballot, replacing an $11.1 billion bond approved in 2009.

California drought transforms global food market [Bloomberg News]
For more than 70 years, Fred Starrh’s family was among the most prominent cotton growers in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Then shifting global markets and rising water prices told him that wouldn’t work anymore. So he replaced most of the cotton plants on his farm near Shafter, 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles, and planted almonds, which make more money per acre and are increasingly popular with consumers in Asia….Such crop switching is one sign of a sweeping transformation going on in California -- the nation’s biggest agricultural state by value -- driven by a three-year drought that climate scientists say is a glimpse of a drier future….Growers have adapted to the record-low rainfall by installing high-technology irrigation systems, watering with treated municipal wastewater and even recycling waste from the processing of pomegranates to feed dairy cows. Some are taking land out of production altogether, bulldozing withered orange trees and leaving hundreds of thousands of acres unplanted.

Dwindling numbers earn Clear Lake fish species new protection [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
A super-sized silvery minnow found only in Clear Lake is the newest threatened species in California, representing a victory for environmentalists and Indian tribes and a potential threat to Lake County ranchers and others who draw water from the lake’s tributaries. The Clear Lake hitch, once abundant in the shallow lake and a food staple of Native Americans for millennia, is now struggling for survival after decades of dam-building, water diversion, mining and pollution have damaged or isolated most of its spawning grounds. Last week, a coalition of Lake County citizens, tribes and an Arizona-based conservation group found a powerful ally in the California Fish and Game Commission, which unanimously approved a proposal to designate the hitch as a threatened species, a step that prevents any harm, even if it is incidental, to the fish.

Calif. ag inspectors step up Valley search for Asian citrus psyllid [Fresno Bee]
Armed with magnifying glasses and bug-sucking aspirators, state agriculture technicians are in Fresno, checking residential citrus trees for any signs of the Asian citrus psyllid and the tree-killing disease it can carry. The psyllid poses one of the greatest threats to California's nearly $2 billion citrus industry and officials want to keep it from gaining a foothold in the central San Joaquin Valley. Inspectors will spend several weeks in the Fresno area and then move into Tulare County — the largest citrus producer in the state….Despite the regulatory net, the bug has hitchhiked its way to the Valley, having been caught in insect traps in Fresno and Tulare counties. To keep the psyllid in check, farmers have sprayed their groves and the state has treated residential trees where the psyllids have been caught. A quarantine also has been put in place that covers 870 square miles of the Valley's citrus belt.

Opinion: Will major fires like Rim spark changes in forest management practices? [Modesto Bee]
When the Rim fire burned more than 400 square miles of Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park land last year, it became immediately obvious that the forest’s recovery will take decades and the fire’s impacts will be long-lasting….Decades of fire suppression paired with decades of declining timber harvesting on public lands simply hasn’t worked. The forests are far more dense than they were more than a century ago. Fuel in the form of brush and dead wood on the forest floor becomes pure kindling. When coupled with drought, it’s a formula for exactly what we’re seeing throughout the West: Huge fire after huge fire….“Every rural county feels like it will be home to the next Rim fire,” Tuolumne County Supervisor Sherri Brennan said….Ranchers who graze their animals in the forests took a huge hit from the fire and the Forest Service refused to allow some to bring their animals into the burn area this year. “It’s heavily impacted the permittees in huge numbers,” she said.

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.