Hail, funnel cloud and rain hammer San Joaquin Valley [Fresno Bee]
Gusty winds, a funnel cloud and quarter-sized hail descended on the Valley Wednesday as the first of two storms made its way through the region….Although farmers need the added moisture, the timing is not ideal for some growers with recently planted crops, such as processing tomatoes. "Transplanted tomato plants are pretty tender and if you got hit by hail, it could cut those plants in half," said Mark Borba, a Riverdale-area farmer….Patricia Stever Blattler, executive director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau, said hail may have damaged cotton and tomato plants, and some cotton farmers may have to replant. Potential damage to stone fruit and citrus won't be known right away, she said.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/04/11/2795747/wintry-weather-returns-to-valley.html
Report examines agriculture's impact on Monterey County economy [Monterey County Herald]
Agriculture contributes $8.2 billion a year to the local economy and is responsible for more than 70,000 jobs in Monterey County, according to a report released Wednesday….The unveiling of the report drew industry representatives, including Jim Bogart, president of the Grower-Shipper Association, and Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau…. Both Bogart and Groot said the report arms the industry with valuable data on the real impact of agriculture at a time when public policy debates raise critical questions that could affect the viability of growers. Groot said "we're on a precipice" when it comes to public policy affecting farmers, including legislation dealing with labor, new agricultural runoff rules recently approved by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, and air quality standards. "It becomes almost overwhelming for farmers to keep up with all these things and then make a profit so they can keep farming," Groot said.
US reviews ideas for boosting West's water supply [Associated Press]
Demand for water in a river basin that serves more than 36 million people in the West and Mexico is expected to overwhelm supply in the next half-century as the region grows. So the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation asked the public what to do about it. It got more than 140 ideas: Tow an iceberg to California and capture what melts for the Colorado River basin. Divert water from the Mississippi River. Deliver water bags from Alaska to southern California. Change the desire for beef to reduce demand for thirsty cattle. The bureau won't single out any options to pursue, but it will review them as part of its larger study of water supply and demand in the arid Colorado River basin through 2060. It published the suggestions in late March.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/11/4406796/us-reviews-ideas-for-boosting.html#storylink=misearch
Two insecticides used to protect citrus against citrus-killing disease [Redlands Daily Facts]
There are two insecticides that are being used to fight the Asian psyllid after the discovery of a citrus-killing disease in a Los Angeles County suburb last week had agriculture officials ramping up efforts to curb its spread and promote awareness with local residents. Commonly referred to as huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, citrus owners are taking precautions by having their citrus groves sprayed. According to John Gardner, county of San Bernardino agriculture commissioner/sealer, a synthetic pyrethroid is used as a foliar spray (sprayed directly on tree and leaves) which kills the psyllids that are on the tree.
http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/news/ci_20373532/two-insecticides-used-protect-citrus
Report says a crop subsidy cap could save billions [New York Times]
The federal government could save about $1 billion a year by reducing the subsidies it pays to large farmers to cover much of the cost of their crop insurance, according to a report by Congressional auditors due to be released on Thursday. The report raised the prospect of the government’s capping the amount that farmers receive at $40,000 a year, much as the government caps payments in other farm programs. Any move to limit the subsidy, however, is likely to be opposed by rural lawmakers, who say the program provides a safety net for agriculture. The report, by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, was requested by Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, as part of his efforts to cut government spending.
California workers' comp overhaul effort is stirring [Los Angeles Times]
The two biggest players in California's workers' compensation system — labor unions and large employers — are quietly crafting the biggest overhaul of the mandatory insurance program in a decade. The goal: provide more care to injured workers without raising premiums for businesses. The negotiations are focused on squeezing waste from California's $15-billion system, which, while huge, often delays or denies compensation and medical care that could get injured workers back on the job.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-california-workers-comp-20120412,0,538179.story
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