Commentary: Legislature should address antibiotics [Sacramento Bee]
…The
Legislature considered two bills to reduce the use of antibiotics on California
farms last session. One was defeated in the Assembly Agriculture Committee. The
other was criticized for being ineffectual and was vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown,
who called for a stronger measure. Our legislators must address antibiotic use
on California farms and can play a critical role in leading the country in
improving antibiotic resistance….Therefore, it is clear that a strategy to
reduce the emergence and incidence of antibiotic resistance must include
substantial changes in the use of certain antibiotics in agricultural settings.
Earth
Log: It’s nitty-gritty time for Temperance Flat funding [Fresno Bee]
This
isn’t over. The San Joaquin Valley campaign for Temperance Flat Reservoir may
have moved forward on federal drawing boards, and it may have gotten a shot of
adrenaline when the $7.5 billion water bond past this month. But the public
money is not committed here yet. Instead, a spotlight has suddenly appeared on
the California Water Commission, a seemingly obscure, nine-member board. These
are the folks who will have a lot of say about spending $2.7 billion of bond –
the water storage investment in this measure. They will decide which projects
have enough public benefit to be funded….
County
vote OKs stream setbacks [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
Sonoma
County supervisors Monday adopted a hard-won compromise between farmers and
environmental groups, advancing protective buffer zones along 3,200 miles of
streams and rivers in the county….Officials said the buffer zones along
waterways throughout the county will provide critical ecosystem functions,
including groundwater recharge, water quality, river bank stability and habitat
for imperiled fish species….The new countywide ordinance prevents property
owners from cultivating land or building on land that is 50 to 200 feet from
rivers and streams….Farming groups, including the Sonoma County Farm Bureau,
applauded the board’s decision. “This has truly been a collaborative effort,”
said Tim Tesconi, executive director of the Farm Bureau. “It protects our
agricultural economy and riparian corridors.”
Harvests
trump drought in Yuba-Sutter [Marysville Appeal-Democrat]
Harvest
season is over, and both mainstays of Yuba-Sutter agriculture reported a strong
year despite a withering drought. Rice growers reported strong production per
acre, although the overall yield suffered due to water shortages and fallowed
fields. And while official numbers aren't in, several growers said this year's
local walnut crop could be record-breaking….And it's no different in
Yuba-Sutter, said Mat Conant, a Sutter County walnut grower. "I think
overall production will make this crop the best ever in this area. I'd be
surprised if it wasn't," Conant said.
Commercial
farming, other industries react to forthcoming FAA drone rules [Wall Street
Journal]
News
about forthcoming rules from the Federal Aviation Administration for the
operation of drones was met with mixed reaction by those experimenting with
unmanned aerial vehicles. At least one person expressed concern that the rules
may inhibit adoption by farmers, while others saw any potential movement by the
FAA as a good sign that the industry might move forward. Federal rules on
commercial drones are expected to require operators to have a license and limit
flights to daylight hours, below 400 feet and within sight of the person at the
controls, the Journal’s Jack Nicas and Andy Pasztor reported Monday….The line
of sight rule may be an issue for commercial farming because of the huge
acreages involved, said Phil Hamm, director of the Hermiston Agricultural
Research and Extension Center at Oregon State University….“You want to be able
to pre-program these vehicles to fly your fields and return home,” he told CIO
Journal. While farmers may have someone guiding them from a central place, a
line of sight rule means that you can only fly one circle of 125 acres, he
added.
F.D.A.
to require calorie count, even for popcorn at the movies [New York Times]
The
Food and Drug Administration announced sweeping rules on Tuesday that will
require chain restaurants, movie theaters and pizza parlors across the country
to post calorie counts on their menus. Health experts said the new requirements
would help combat the country’s obesity epidemic by showing Americans just how
many calories lurk in their favorite foods….The rules are far broader than
consumer health advocates had expected, covering food in vending machines and
amusement parks, as well as certain prepared foods in supermarkets. They apply
to food establishments with 20 or more outlets, including fast-food chains like
KFC and Subway and sit-down restaurants like Applebee’s and The Cheesecake
Factory. Perhaps the most surprising element of the new rules was the inclusion
of alcoholic beverages, which had not been part of an earlier proposal.
Beverages served in food establishments that are on menus and menu boards will
be included, but a mixed drink at a bar will not, F.D.A. officials said.
Ag
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