House Republicans, Costa join for last-ditch shot at California water bill [Fresno Bee]
House
Republicans joined by Fresno Democrat Jim Costa late Tuesday started a
last-ditch maneuver to pass California water legislation that is friendly to
farmers and frightening to environmentalists. Acting fast in the dying days of
a lame-duck Congress, the seven California lawmakers introduced a bill that
consolidates some ideas they think could pass both the Senate and House. The
28-page bill is cast as a temporary measure, and it omits the water storage
project authorizations and some other provisions that had made a previous House
bill politically controversial….The bill introduced by Rep. David Valadao,
R-Hanford, as the chief sponsor has the strong backing of House Majority Leader
Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and is effectively guaranteed to pass the
Republican-controlled House sometime before the scheduled Dec. 11 congressional
adjournment. The bill has the backing of Costa but is likely to be opposed by
most other House Democrats.
Farmers
welcomed rain throughout the day [KFSN TV, Fresno]
This
week's storm came at a time the Department of Water Resources issued its
initial state water allocation. The state has called for a 10% of normal
delivery but that could change either way depending on the season. Steady rain
throughout the day was a great sight for our dry state. Many were hoping it
marked the start of a wet and snowy winter….Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan
Jacobsen said, "Fresno County does not receive any state water but it's an
early indication of what the federal project's going to be. Not that they're
identical but it gives kind of the indication that things are improving
slightly. But again, zero to ten it's not going to fix our worries."
Want
the facts on ag water use? Join the debate [Hanford Sentinel]
It
seems like a simple, verifiable fact necessary to inform drought discussions:
How much of California’s water supply goes to agriculture? Trying to answer
that tidy little question leads straight into controversy….Ag-friendly groups
like the California Farm Water Coalition use the department’s accounting to
demonstrate that environmental uses are now receiving more developed water than
agriculture (Once upon a time, it was the other way around). But many
environmental groups and media reports routinely state that agriculture uses
about 80 percent of California’s developed water supply. They count agriculture
and urban/industrial as developed water, but leave out environmental water,
arguing that it belonged to the natural ecosystem anyway.
Drought
saps supply of Christmas trees in California [Los Angeles Times]
Scott
Martin surveys his Christmas trees, inspecting their needles row by row for
signs of stress….This season, customers of Martin's Living Christmas Co. won't
be seeing as much of the classic Christmas pine, which requires more water than
spruce varieties and is more likely to brown in the heat. Living Christmas cut
more than 200 pine trees from its roster this season — a 40% reduction in its
pine offerings since last year, Martin said….The company's drought-conscious
move comes as Christmas tree growers struggle with the effects of the state's
lack of rain…."This is one of the driest years that I have seen after 50
years in this business," said Larry Hyder, who runs Indian Rock Ranch, a
Christmas tree farm near Sacramento….The drought is tough on individual farms,
but consumers will be spared most of the effects this year, said Rick Dungey,
spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Assn.
UPDATE:
California bans coyote hunts that offer prizes [Associated Press]
California
wildlife officials on Wednesday banned coyote hunting contests that have
sparked a culture clash by offering cash and other prizes to marksmen who
killed the most animals….The vote by the state Fish and Game Commission allows
hunters to shoot as many of the predators as they wish year-round but stops the
awarding of prizes….Hunter and cattleman Buck Parks said he and his neighbors
in rural Northern California won't turn a blind eye to coyotes killing
livestock and wildlife. He said people opposed to coyote hunting don't witness
the damage done by coyotes.
Annual
grower meeting on rules, regs includes trade show, free lunch [Chico
Enterprise-Record]
Butte
County Farm Bureau and the county Agricultural Commissioner’s Office decided to
spice up Grower Day this year by adding a trade show and free lunch. The annual
event is important to farmers and pest control advisers who hear the latest on
new regulations and other industry information….Colleen Cecil, Farm Bureau
executive director, said the event seemed to be a hit. People had time to
mingle and learn about new products, or catch up with friends….Normally, the
early December event had a group of about 150, but she estimated the crowd at
well over 300 Tuesday. People with a pesticide applicator license are required
to attend informational sessions several times a year, said Agricultural
Commissioner Richard Price. Attendees learn about most recent rules and trends
for the future.
Ag
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