Ag Today Monday, April 21, 2014

Water allocations bumped up [Marysville Appeal-Democrat]

…Earlier this year, Sacramento River settlement contractors and refuges on the federal Central Valley Project were scheduled to receive 40 percent of their contracted supply, but the late-season rains rescued the state from what could have been the worst drought in its history and allocations were bumped to 75 percent. "This is pretty huge for our growers, local communities and our economy," said Thad Bettner, general manager of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District….With the 40 percent allocation, Bettner said, he had expected 70,000 acres of crops would be fallowed in the district. With 75 percent of their water, Bettner anticipates closer to 20,000 acres will be fallowed….But while the settlement contractors had reason to celebrate, water service contractors on the Central Valley Project are still facing a grim summer with 0 percent allocations.

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/colusa_sun_herald/water-allocations-bumped-up/article_ba328f94-c78d-11e3-9f9a-001a4bcf6878.html

Feather River farmers receive full water supply, and plan water transfers [Chico Enterprise-Record]

After months of waiting, farmers with strong water rights along the Feather River received news that 100 percent of their contracted amount of water will be delivered. Several of these districts will also be selling about 20 percent of that water to a dry areas south of the delta. The price this year sounds like it will be $500 an acre-foot. That's a big jump from recent water sales in 2012, when water went for $275 an acre-foot….Transfers have taken place in the past dozen years, with limits of 20 percent of local land out of production. Farmers do the math and decide if its worth it to transfer water and forego harvest. This year the Department of Water Resources has openly encouraged Sacramento Valley farmers to make water available to other parts of the state.

http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_25600416/feather-river-farmers-receive-full-water-supply-and

California's water wars reach 'new level of crazy' this year [Fresno Bee]

…From all over California, farmers, environmental lawyers, wildlife groups, cities and even the Fresno County sheriff have posted thoughts in a siege of protests to state officials about the use of this year's puny snowpack and half-empty reservoirs.…Besides fear, exactly what is setting everybody off? Mostly, it's about river water allowed to reach the Pacific Ocean through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta -- a perennial California argument filled with suspicion, lawsuits and politics. San Joaquin Valley farm groups say too much water has been allowed to escape to the ocean for nature, robbing the multibillion-dollar agriculture industry. Environmental and fishery groups say agriculture is manipulating the drought crisis to extract delta water, exposing even nonthreatened fish and the fishing industry to catastrophic losses.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/18/3884370/californias-water-wars-reach-new.html?sp=/99/217/&ihp=1

Beekeepers search for answers as colonies show up damaged after almond farm pollination [Sacramento Bee]

As many as 80,000 bee colonies have died or been damaged this year after pollinating almond trees in the San Joaquin Valley, and some beekeepers are pointing to pesticides used on almond orchards as a possible cause….It’s not clear why the damaged hives are showing up this year, as opposed to prior years….Damage to the hives this spring was so pronounced that it forced an impromptu meeting March 24 in Los Banos between beekeepers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency….At the meeting of beekeepers, bee brokers and managers from the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, the practice of almond growers engaging in “tank mixing” of insecticides was raised as a major issue, Colopy said.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/19/6338235/beekeepers-search-for-answers.html

Air quality board to consider another relaxation of diesel rules [Los Angeles Times]

California air quality officials are again moving to relax tough rules to clean up aging diesel trucks that are among the state's worst remaining sources of air pollution. The changes being considered this week by the state Air Resources Board come in response to pressure from small trucking firms and owner-operators, required to install costly diesel particulate filters or upgrade to cleaner models for the first time this year, who have pleaded for more time to comply.…The proposal would push back deadlines by a few years for small fleets, lightly used trucks and those in rural areas with cleaner air, and offer other adjustments to assist truck owners….The proposal also has exposed a divide within the trucking industry. The deadline extensions are fiercely opposed by truckers who have already paid to replace their vehicles or retrofit them with soot filters that can cost $20,000 per truck.

http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-diesel-trucks-20140421,0,2697249.story#axzz2zXmfgSda

High-speed rail agency issues final environmental report for Fresno-Bakersfield route [Fresno Bee]

A final version of an environmental report has been issued for the Fresno-Bakersfield stretch of California's proposed high-speed rail system. The 20,000-page report, released Friday afternoon by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, details the anticipated effects that construction of the rail line and operation of the bullet train would have on homes, businesses, farmland and wildlife habitat on the 114-mile route from downtown Fresno to downtown Bakersfield. The report also describes the measures that the authority will take to minimize or make up for any environmental harm from the train system in the region.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/18/3884498/rail-agency-issues-final-environmental.html

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 Friday, April 18, 2014

Drought at forefront during Modesto hearing on water bond [Modesto Bee]

They gathered to talk about addressing California’s future water needs. But the crowd and state legislators at Thursday’s water bond hearing in Modesto could not escape the frustration of a more immediate problem: drought. “I’ve been through a couple of droughts in the past and I assure you that this one is unprecedented,” said Jim Jasper of Newman-based Jasper and Stewart Orchards, which farms 2,000 acres of nut trees on Stanislaus County’s West Side….“Many are heavily engaged in triage, trying to deal with the immediate crisis,” said Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, citing tens of thousands of acres to be fallowed for lack of water. He is a member of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, which has staged nine hearings up and down California since October to hear people’s thoughts on what a water bond proposal on the November ballot should look like. Modesto was the last stop….Several people said if leaders years ago had had the foresight to build more water storage, such as dams and underground basins, farmers and others would not be facing disaster today.

http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/17/3298093/drought-at-forefront-during-modesto.html?sp=/99/1571/&ihp=1

California drought points to next food-price shock [Bloomberg News]

Drought in the United States, past and present, might make 2014 one of the more volatile years for food prices and supplies globally. U.S. consumers may get a preview of what's coming at the salad bar. The main culprit is the parched land of California's Central Valley, which grows a large share of U.S. vegetables, fruits and nuts. Conditions are so dry that some farmers aren't even bothering to plant. That might have even bigger implications for food prices than the 2012 drought that baked the Corn Belt, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said this week….The U.S. Department of Agriculture had projected a 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent rise in the price of fresh fruits and vegetables this year. That estimate, however, was made before the full extent of the damage from the winter weather and California's drought could be assessed.

http://journalstar.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/california-drought-points-to-next-food-price-shock/article_58f2e16c-99a3-50ee-ae46-1f4e2d928d73.html

Drought, demand driving up dairy prices [Scripps News Service]

Milk prices hit their highest prices since 2011, and recent price spikes might remain on grocery bills for a long time. The severe drought is increasing costs for California dairy farmers and has some wondering whether farmers will decrease production as they consider selling cows instead of paying increased costs to feed them. California milk production has gone up so far this year, but farmers’ profit margins are diminishing as the drought has forced farmers to buy cattle food, such as alfalfa, from out-of-state, said Western United Dairymen CEO Michael Marsh, whose non-profit represents 60 percent of milk production in California. The higher costs are a problem for farmers still recovering from the recession.

http://www.wptv.com/money/consumer/drought-demand-driving-up-dairy-prices

Editorial: As We See It: Drought survey should be a call to action [Santa Cruz Sentinel]

…While short-term conservation measures are crucial, Californians must bite the bullet and come to grips with long-term solutions that may very well include desalination and more storage, which is often a polite way of saying build dams and reservoirs or increase the holding capacities of existing ones….Conservation, education, awareness and technological advances all play a role in stretching our water supply, but they are not enough to meet our future needs. If water shortages only meant shorter showers and parched landscapes, we could all make do. But when water districts start to talk about denying water hook-ups to new businesses and projects, the need for additional water sources becomes much stronger.

Along the Central Coast, desalination projects are being considered in Santa Cruz and Monterey. The ugly three-letter word — dam — is not mentioned often, but increased water storage must be on the table as well.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/ci_25590172/we-see-it-drought-survey-should-be-call?source=nav

Commentary: Loosening protections for delta fish won't end the drought [San Francisco Chronicle]

The California drought cannot be oversimplified as farmers versus fish. It is a very real challenge that is having serious impact on farmers, fishers, families and businesses across our entire state. Unfortunately, the Field Poll results outlined in The Chronicle's April 16 story "California residents divided on drought solution" oversimplified the ongoing drought in just this way….Even if we pump as much water out of the delta as possible, Central Valley farmers still wouldn't have enough. There isn't enough water to go around. We're in an extreme drought. This drought hasn't been caused by a lack of pumping or by environmental regulations; it has been caused by a lack of rain and snow.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Loosening-protections-for-delta-fish-won-t-end-5411703.php

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Monterey Peninsula, Salinas Valley in battle over Salinas-area runoff [Monterey Herald]

A battle between the Monterey Peninsula and the Salinas Valley over contaminated Salinas-area runoff water appears headed to the state water board. A little more than a week after Monterey County officials filed an application with the state water board for rights to water from the Blanco Drain and Reclamation Ditch, the Peninsula water management district is headed toward filing its own application….The water management district and the pollution control agency have for months studied the feasibility of using the Salinas-area runoff as an alternative feeder source for the proposed groundwater replenishment project, now also dubbed the Pure Water Monterey Project….But Salinas Valley growers have argued they have the rights to Peninsula wastewater targeted for the recycled water project, prompting months of thus-far unsuccessful negotiations, and prompting district and agency officials to consider alternative sources.

http://www.montereyherald.com/news/ci_25588039/monterey-peninsula-salinas-valley-battle-over-salinas-area?source=most_viewed

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 Thursday, April 17, 2014

Court rules for environmentalists in Delta smelt water fight [Fresno Bee]

An appeals court said Wednesday that federal officials should have consulted wildlife agencies about potential harm to the tiny, threatened Delta smelt fish before issuing contracts for water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. An 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation violated the Endangered Species Act when it failed to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service in renewing 41 contracts a decade ago.…The ruling arises from one of several lawsuits filed in Fresno by the National Resources Defense Council and other environmentalists seeking to protect the Delta smelt. The ruling won't affect water flows because protections for the smelt were kept in place during the lawsuit….Stuart Somach, a lawyer representing water-rights holders who intervened to fight the lawsuit, said the ruling "destabilizes" the state's water-allocation system because it raises uncertainty over the contracts and water delivery.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/16/3880395/court-rules-for-environmentalists.html

Editorial: Dianne Feinstein’s water bill is an overreach [Sacramento Bee]

What remains in the revised version are two troubling provisions that The Bee’s editorial board urged her to amend in February. The effect of these two provisions would be to allow more water flow south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to benefit the Westlands Water District in Fresno and Kings counties and Paramount Farms in the southern San Joaquin Valley, owned by billionaires Lynda and Stewart Resnick of Los Angeles….In the past, Feinstein has said it is important to avoid seeking “gains for certain water users at the expense of others” or abandoning “fundamental state and federal environmental laws.” To make actions match words, she should fix the two provisions.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/17/6330783/editorial-dianne-feinsteins-water.html

California delays decision on protecting gray wolf [Associated Press]

Advocates for the gray wolf in California will have to wait 90 days before learning if the animal will be listed as endangered, a state board decided Wednesday. Ranchers and state wildlife officials oppose granting the species legal protections. The five members of the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to delay a decision so they can gather more public comments on protecting the species, which is showing signs of a comeback after being killed off in the 1920s….The commission gathered in Ventura and heard from more than 60 members of the public, most of them in support of wolves but others in opposition….Mike Williams, a cattle rancher in Ventura County, said wolves cause high stress on cattle, increase illness and weight loss, and kill valuable livestock. “Wolves are beautiful animals,” he said. “But they’re also vicious, brutal and efficient killing machines and a threat to people, livestock and pets.”

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/yhr/thursday/2107136-8/california-delays-decision-on-protecting-gray-wolf

Appeals court denies petition, clears way for high-speed rail trial [Fresno Bee]

A state appeals court rejected a petition by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, potentially clearing the tracks for a trial over whether the agency's controversial and ambitious bullet-train plan can comply with state law. Three justices with the the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento issued an order late Tuesday summarily denying the rail agency's March 21 request related to a lawsuit by high-speed rail foes in Kings County. The rail authority had asked the appeals court to overturn a Sacramento County Superior Court's decision ordering a trial on one part of a lawsuit while another portion of the case is pending an appeal. "It's nice when you win one," said Stuart Flashman, an Oakland attorney representing Kings County farmer John Tos, Hanford homeowner Aaron Fukuda and the Kings County Board of Supervisors. "I thought this (petition) was stupid, and by issuing a summary judgment, it looks like the justices thought so, too."

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/16/3880279/appeals-court-denies-high-speed.html

Report urges reduction of wildfire fuel in Sierra Nevada forests [Modesto Bee]

A new report says increased thinning and controlled burning in Sierra Nevada forests could reduce the risk of intense fires by up to 75 percent, saving timber and other resources, as well as taxpayer dollars. The report, which looked at the Mokelumne River watershed, east of Stockton, comes several months after the Rim fire devastated part of the Tuolumne River watershed to the south. The findings were endorsed by several government agencies and environmental groups, as well as Sierra Pacific Industries, which has two sawmills in Tuolumne County….Supporters say loggers could thin stands that have grown unnaturally dense, in part because of suppression of the low-intensity fires that used to keep the understory open. This could be paired with controlled burning, done when conditions allow, to mimic fires that once were sparked by lightning and American Indians. People from industry, government and environmental groups already agree on this general idea, though they might differ on the location and volume of logging.

http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/16/3295677/report-urges-reduction-of-wildfire.html

A tiny pest is a deadly threat to SLO County’s citrus industry [San Luis Obispo Tribune]

…The pest, called the Asian citrus psyllid, was detected in Arroyo Grande earlier this month and could pose a death sentence to all citrus trees in the area, including the $9 million lemon industry and countless citrus trees in residents’ backyards….If this disease reaches San Luis Obispo County, it would mean the end of locally grown citrus. My livelihood and that of those who work for me would be gravely impacted….The best way to protect our county’s citrus trees from the disease is to find and stop the Asian citrus psyllid — an act that will take a concerted effort on the part of my fellow citrus growers, homeowners and agriculture officials, who are placing traps and monitoring for the insect around the county….In addition to cooperating with agricultural officials on psyllid identification and treatments efforts, residents can help save county citrus trees from this pest and the deadly disease it can carry by not bringing citrus plants into the county from Southern California or other areas.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/17/3025086/a-tiny-pest-is-a-deadly-threat.html?sp=/99/181/

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, April 16, 2014

Poll: 88 percent of Californians say there is 'a serious water shortage' in the state [San Jose Mercury News]

Nearly nine out of 10 Californians say the state is suffering from a “serious water shortage,” according to a new poll that confirms widespread concern over the lack of rain, diminished Sierra snowpack and low reservoir levels after three years of drought. But deep, decades-old divisions remain across the state on how to solve the dilemma, the statewide Field Poll of 1,000 registered voters found — with the biggest differences being between the Bay Area and the Central Valley. While Central Valley residents strongly support building new dams and waiving environmental rules to pump more water, Bay Area residents were the biggest backers of retaining environmental protections and least supportive of new dams.

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25576930/new-poll-88-percent-californians-say-there-is

Environmentalists slam Dianne Feinstein’s drought bill [San Francisco Chronicle]

Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s revised drought bill is coming under increasing attack from the left even as the California Democrat tries to woo Republicans to speed the bill’s passage through the Senate without committee consideration. More than a dozen environmental groups, including Sierra Club California, Audubon California, Environmental Defense Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council, issued a letter late Monday demanding changes to the revised bill, S.2198. Feinstein has been pressuring state and federal water agencies to provide maximum pumping of the season’s March rains to provide relief to San Joaquin Valley farms, despite the dire straits of migrating salmon. Feinstein dropped $300 million in spending on drought relief projects to lure Senate GOP votes.

http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/04/15/environmentalists-slam-dianne-feinsteins-drought-bill/

Turlock-area groundwater the focus of forum [Modesto Bee]

An overflow crowd Tuesday night heard experts talk about the need to protect groundwater in the Turlock area – and about a resident’s experience when her own well failed. Drought and environmental restrictions on river supplies have increased demand on groundwater, speakers said at a forum sponsored by the Turlock Chamber of Commerce and California State University, Stanislaus.…Horacio Ferriz, a geology professor at the university and an expert in groundwater flow, said reports of a widespread crisis are overblown. The aquifers refill with irrigation water that TID brings in from the Tuolumne River, he said….A new advisory committee to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors is looking at possible ways to prevent groundwater overdraft. Its chairman is Wayne Zipser, executive manager of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau. He said Tuesday that the effort could take a cue from a farmer coalition that has reduced pesticides and other water pollutants as an alternative to direct, and more expensive, regulation by the state water board.

http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/15/3294476/turlock-area-groundwater-the-focus.html?sp=/99/1571/&ihp=1

Opinion: It’s time for a breakthrough on groundwater management [Sacramento Bee]

…The best opportunity to achieve sustainable management continues to be at the local level. Groundwater basins around the state are too diverse and local conditions too varied to make a “one-size-fits-all” state policy workable.…But while groundwater management is best left in local hands, it’s time to raise the bar. We need to recognize there are problems out there, and provide the tools and authorities that can help local and regional entities meet the challenge. It’s also time to acknowledge that state intervention may be warranted in cases where a local agency is unable to protect and manage the basin, or fails to adopt a plan or meet performance measures.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/16/6327537/viewpoints-its-time-for-a-breakthrough.html

Drakes Bay oyster case: Marin judge faults state commission, calls for environmental review [Marin Independent Journal]

A preliminary ruling by a Marin Superior Court judge Tuesday found the state's Coastal Commission "abused its discretion" when it issued cease-and-desist orders against the Drakes Bay Oyster Co. that would require dismantling of the operation. Judge Roy Chernus, who ruled the commission retains jurisdiction over the aquaculture site, noted his findings are conditional upon the larger question being debated in federal courts over whether the operation will remain open.…In his preliminary ruling issued Tuesday afternoon, Chernus agreed, writing the "Coastal Commission abused its discretion in excluding this evidence." Hundreds of pages of evidence, declarations and exhibits had been presented by Drakes Bay owner Kevin Lunny and experts.…"Judge Chernus' tentative ruling, if it stands, is a major victory for Drakes Bay Oyster Co.," said Peter Prows, an attorney representing the oyster company, in a statement.

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_25573447/drakes-bay-oyster-case-marin-judge-faults-state

Rising food prices pinching consumers [USA Today]

Two months of sharp increases in food prices show grocers are starting to pass along their higher wholesale costs to consumers. Retail food prices rose 0.4% in March, the same as in February and the largest amount since September 2011. By comparison, the prices of all consumer goods rose 0.2% in March and 0.1% the month before, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics….Overall consumer prices rose 0.2% in March, a bit more rapidly than in recent months, and annual inflation was 1.5%, up from 1.1% in February.…But the higher food bills are squeezing households still struggling with meager wage gains and could crimp spending just as the recovery is expected to accelerate.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/04/16/cpi-shows-food-prices-rising/7742669/

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.