Ag Today Monday, August 27, 2012

Farmers scramble to find workers as some face losing crops [North County Times]

…Mike A. Mellano, whose family has grown commercial flowers in Morro Hills, one of Oceanside's last large pockets of agricultural land, said he fell short by about 10-15 percent of his labor needs to cut more than 50 varietal flowers on his 400-acre spread. Consequently, some of the product at Mellano & Co., which was established in 1925, was left to die in the field, he said….Mellano said he's been in discussions with farm bureaus across California regarding the labor shortages, and the message has been the same. "This is the first time anyone remembers significant and severe labor shortages reported up and down the state. In the past, they've been limited on a regional basis."…Al Serrato, a farm labor contractor who operates two white buses to haul workers around Pauma Valley, also is having a tough time. In the past, Serrato has worked with crew leaders who would oversee 50 to 60 workers to harvest local citrus crops or avocados. This year, he's lucky to get 15 or so workers on one of the 45-seat buses.

http://www.nctimes.com/business/agriculture-farmers-scramble-to-find-workers-as-some-face-losing/article_c608e543-b90b-5d31-b053-4ed47ceb7882.html

Federal immigration program can help young workers [Associated Press]

…Much of the attention surrounding the program that began last Wednesday has focused on students. But researchers say it could also benefit hundreds of thousands of young adults working in low-wage industries such as agriculture….Despite the possibilities, workers and advocates say farmworkers and others who are out of school could face significant hurdles when applying: a lack of information about the program, limited English skills, little access to legal advice and limited access to adult school to fulfill the program's education requirement….Some farmers are worried the program could cut into their workforce. One group of growers, the Nisei Farmers League, is discouraging farmworkers from applying, worried workers or their families could be deported once their addresses are given to the federal government.

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/25/4756488/federal-immigration-program-can.html#storylink=misearch

Local farmers call for action against farmworker overtime bill; industry says it will cost workers [Imperial Valley Press]

A bill set to head to the Assembly for final approval this week could have a big impact on Imperial County’s largest industry. Assembly Bill 1313 would add new overtime regulations for agricultural workers, including those who have before now been able to work 60-hour weeks and Mondays through Saturdays. Under the bill, if a person works past 40 hours a week, they would receive time-and-a-half. Local farmers are now saying the bill will impact not only farms, but also cut hours for farmworkers.

http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-local-farmers-call-for-action-against-farmworker-overtime-bill-industry-says-it-will-cost-workers-20120826,0,7066072.story

California lawmakers move to tie fire fee's repeal to corporate tax [Sacramento Bee]

California lawmakers would repeal a controversial $150 fire prevention fee on rural homeowners in return for raising taxes on numerous out-of-state corporations under legislation proposed Friday.…Republican Assemblyman Brian Nestande proposed the compromise in hopes of it winning support from at least two GOP senators, the minimum necessary for Democrats to pass a tax measure by the required supermajority in each house….But Sen. Bob Huff, leader of the Senate Republican Caucus, turned thumbs down Friday. It makes no sense to support $1 billion in new corporate taxes in return for killing a fire fee that generates only a fraction of that revenue and can be reimposed at any time, spokesman Bill Bird said.

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/25/4755663/california-lawmakers-move-to-tie.html#storylink=misearch

Central Valley Meat says USDA OKs reopening of Hanford slaughterhouse [Fresno Bee]

Central Valley Meat Co., which was shut down last week amid allegations of animal cruelty, said Sunday evening it has been given federal approval to reopen Monday. "Sunday afternoon, the USDA informed us that it has accepted our action plan and we are free to reopen," the company said in a statement. "Central Valley Meat will resume operations Monday morning and welcome our employees back to work." The Hanford slaughterhouse was forced to suspend operations last Monday after a secretly taped video triggered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to withdraw its meat inspectors. The plant employs about 450 people, the company said.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/08/26/2965746/central-valley-meat-says-usda.html

USDA panel gets altered-crops pay plan [San Francisco Chronicle]

California voters this fall will decide a ballot measure that would require labeling of foods containing genetically engineered material. But the Department of Agriculture is already tied in knots over how to deal with the contamination of organic and conventional foods by biotech crops. On Monday, a USDA advisory panel will consider a draft plan to compensate farmers whose crops have been contaminated by pollen, seeds or other stray genetically engineered material. The meeting is expected to be contentious, pitting the biotechnology and organic industries against each other. The draft report acknowledged the difficulty of preventing such material from accidentally entering the food supply and concerns that the purity of traditional seeds may be threatened.

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/USDA-panel-gets-altered-crops-pay-plan-3814480.php

Ag Today is distributed to county Farm Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for information purposes, by the CFBF Communications/News Division, 916-561-5550; news@cfbf.com. 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.

Ag Today Friday, August 24, 2012

Calif. environmental reforms quashed for the year [Associated Press]

Legislative leaders said Thursday they have dropped plans to overhaul California's environmental regulations in a way that would have made it easier for developers and local governments to build new projects. California's business community made a highly visible push this month to loosen the state's landmark law, known as the California Environmental Quality Act. On Thursday Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg told a group of reporters that the effort would not go forward this year, despite legislative language introduced a day earlier.

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/23/4752330/calif-environmental-reforms-quashed.html#storylink=misearch

Hanford meat plant's woes spread to dairy industry [Fresno Bee]

The temporary closure of a Hanford meat-processing plant for alleged acts of animal cruelty is causing ripple effects in the Valley's already struggling dairy industry and prompted calls Thursday from three Valley congressmen to reopen the plant and protect 360 jobs….The congressmen -- Republicans Devin Nunes of Visalia, Jeff Denham of Turlock and Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield -- proposed in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack that the plant resume slaughter operations while the government investigates. But soon after the congressmen made their plea, the Agriculture Department appeared to reject it….As federal officials continue their investigation, the plant has been unable to process any animals, forcing the only other slaughterhouse in the area -- Cargill -- to take up the slack. The shift has resulted in a swell of animals at Cargill's plant in southwest Fresno….Farmers say the oversupply has caused prices to fall about 20 cents a pound. In some cases, farmers are getting $150 to $200 less per cow. "Things are bad enough as it is, and now we are paying the price for someone's bad management," said Brian Pacheco, a Fresno County dairy operator.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/08/23/2962217/congressmen-to-vilsack-reopen.html

Proposition 37 in California: A high-stakes food fight [Vallejo Times-Herald]

California's crowded November ballot includes white-hot measures to raise taxes, amend the state's Three Strikes Law and repeal the death penalty. But a once-obscure measure requiring labels on genetically engineered food is quickly emerging as one of the most expensive, high-stakes showdowns on the 11-measure ballot. If Proposition 37 passes, California would become the first state to require new labels on a host of food products commonly found on grocery store shelves, from breakfast cereals to sodas to tofu…."This one snuck up on everyone," said Bob Stern, a California campaign finance expert. "No one was paying attention, and all of a sudden proponents turned in their signatures. It takes a lot of money to get something on the ballot, but once it's on the ballot it takes a lot of money to defeat it." Stern noted that in 2008, California passed Proposition 2 -- which prohibits the close confinement of farm animals like chickens in crates -- with 63.5 percent of the vote. He sees similarities with Proposition 37, saying both are "feel-good" initiatives. Spending on Proposition 2 was roughly equal. Supporters spent $10.6 million, opponents $8.9 million.

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_21390315/proposition-37-california-high-stakes-food-fight

High-speed rail adds comment time for environmental report [Fresno Bee]

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is extending by 30 days the deadline for the public to review and comment on a draft environmental report for the Fresno-to-Bakersfield section of the proposed train line. The extension pushes the comment deadline from Sept. 20 to Oct. 19. The draft environmental-impact report includes thousands of pages of technical details on how building and operating the high-speed train system would affect residents, neighborhoods, cities, businesses, farms and wildlife habitat in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/08/23/2962075/high-speed-rail-adds-comment-time.html#storylink=misearch

John Laird: Delta realities cry out for action and a new direction [San Jose Mercury News]

…The Bay Delta Conservation Plan today elevates biological restoration to a coequal goal along with water supply reliability -- reliability that was the dominant goal of some previous proposals. In just the past six months, the intakes for the project we are considering most seriously have shrunk by 40 percent. The proposal at hand for the first time firmly bases water availability from the Delta on science. These changes mean that the amount of water exported from the Delta is unlikely to increase….The governor and secretary of the interior committed that the plan will be vetted in an environmental review process that looks at many different alternatives. Starting over is not the answer. We can use the existing process to point out any flaws in the science or questions about engineering. We need a water policy that is based on science and a debate based on today's realities. The danger of doing nothing is a chance we can no longer take.

http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_21384111/john-laird-delta-realities-cry-out-action-and

Letter to the Editor: Farmers work for worker safety [San Francisco Chronicle]

Your editorial "Shade and water" (Aug. 23) asserts that farmers do not take the safety of their employees seriously. Nothing could be further from the truth. Of all the sectors in the California economy, agriculture has been the most proactive in addressing the safety of employees who work outside on hot days….The legislation, on the other hand, was designed to saddle farmers with new liability and guarantee they can be sued even for minor noncompliance. California should continue to focus on improving worker safety, not enriching bounty-hunting lawyers.

http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/letterstoeditor/article/Letters-to-the-editor-Aug-24-3811369.php

Ag Today is distributed to county Farm Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for information purposes, by the CFBF Communications/News Division, 916-561-5550; news@cfbf.com. 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.

Ag Today Thursday, August 23, 2012

California environmental law faces changes [San Francisco Chronicle]

A proposal to loosen California's landmark environmental protection law is expected to be introduced at the Capitol as soon as Thursday, giving the public and lawmakers only about a week to debate and consider the controversial legislation's fate. Backers of the proposal, largely from the business community, say the California Environmental Quality Act passed in 1970 needs to be updated because it has become cumbersome, and some individuals and groups misuse the law to stop or delay development for non-environmental reasons….At a news conference last month, the governor said, "I've never seen a CEQA exemption I didn't like." And on Wednesday in San Francisco at a news conference for his ballot measure to raise taxes, Brown said of the proposal that has been circulating: "To tell you the truth, I have not read it. In fact it's not even clear we have a final draft yet. But look - CEQA reform is the Lord's work."

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-environmental-law-faces-changes-3808467.php

METAL THEFT: Legislature OKs bills targeting thieves [Riverside Press-Enterprise]

Lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a pair of bills meant to deter scrap-metal thieves by setting new rules for recyclers and scrap-metal dealers. The measures, which go to Gov. Jerry Brown, come more than four years after lawmakers passed legislation meant to deal with the problem. In many areas, though, metal theft has only gotten worse, darkening neighborhood streets, turning school classrooms into saunas, and disabling agricultural water pumps across the state.

http://www.pe.com/local-news/politics/jim-miller-headlines/20120822-metal-theft-legislature-oks-bills-targeting-thieves.ece

California proposes forest thinning for biomass energy, but is it a good idea? [KCET, Los Angeles]

A report released today by a consortium of state agencies recommends ramping up California's forest thinning program so that the resulting biomass can be burned to produce energy, but doing so may actually make the state's carbon footprint worse instead of better. The state's 2012 Bioenergy Action Plan calls for increasing "community-scale, forest-based biomass facilities" that would take leftover biomass from forest thinning and commercial logging operations and burn it to produce electricity. The plan recommends that vegetation removed from transmission line corridors as a fire control measure also be burned to produce power. It also discusses options for using urban and agricultural biomass waste as a power source. All in all, says the plan, California creates enough biomass waste to generate at least 4,000 megawatts of power, but just 15% of that waste currently makes its way to energy production.

http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/biomass/state-proposes-forest-thinning-for-biomass-energy.html

Experts criticize Hanford meat plant practices [Fresno Bee]

The Hanford meat-processing plant accused of mistreating cattle after an animal-rights group posted an undercover video took sharp criticism Wednesday from experts in veterinary care and animal slaughter. But the Central Valley Meat Co. took an even bigger hit Wednesday when both the federal government and McDonald's said they had suspended beef purchases. In-N-Out Burger made a similar announcement Tuesday. The increasingly beleaguered Central Valley Meat hired a public relations company in Washington, D.C., and issued its first statement since the four-minute covert video was posted Tuesday on the homepage of Compassion Over Killing, an animal-rights group.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/08/22/2961149/hanford-meat-plant-says-its-working.html

Judge rules Farm Board can join bypass lawsuit [Willits News]

U.S. Judge Jeffrey White granted the California Farm Bureau Federation's petition to join the lawsuit against Caltrans et al. as a plaintiff on August 6. The first hearing date to consider Caltrans' petition to dismiss the suit is now scheduled for September 14. The Farm Board filed its petition in July to join with the four environmental groups suing Caltrans et al. for inadequate environmental reviews and approvals for the Highway 101 bypass around Willits. None of the parties to the lawsuit opposed the Farm Bureau joining the suit. The pending lawsuit asserts Caltrans et al. failed to adequately analyze and consider the impacts of substantial changes made to the project after the environmental impact statement was approved in 2006.

http://www.willitsnews.com/ci_21374394/judge-rules-farm-board-can-join-bypass-lawsuit

Why do taxpayers subsidize farmers' insurance? [NPR]

This summer's drought has hit more than half the states in the country. Crops are suffering, but farmers might not be. Most farmers have crop insurance. U.S. taxpayers spend about $7 billion a year on crop insurance. It's our largest farm subsidy. And this subsidy goes in part to farmers — who will tell you themselves they aren't so sure about the whole idea. "I have an aversion to it," says Jim Traub, a corn and bean farmer in Fairbury, Illinois. "But you're not going to turn it down."…All the Traubs will file losses this year. But all of Traubs also feel uncomfortable that taxpayers will help cover those losses. "Everyone in here is a millionaire," John Traub says. In all, farmers assembled at the Fairbury library have "hundreds of millions dollars in equity in farmland."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/08/23/159806895/why-do-taxpayers-subsidize-farmers-insurance

Ag Today is distributed to county Farm Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for information purposes, by the CFBF Communications/News Division, 916-561-5550; news@cfbf.com. 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.

Ag Today Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Senate makes progress on farm bill [San Luis Obispo Tribune]

The Senate late Monday broke a deadlock that had threatened to bring down a half-trillion-dollar farm and food bill, setting the stage for expected passage of the measure later this week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced a list of 73 amendments that were acceptable to both parties. That was out of the approximately 300 proposed amendments to the measure, a 1,000-page bill that will set farm policy over the next five years and provide nearly $80 billion a year for the federal food stamp program….The Senate will start voting on the amendments Tuesday with much of the attention centered on proposals to cut food stamp spending or put limits on subsidies offered farmers for crop insurance.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/06/18/2111070/senate-makes-progress-on-farm.html#storylink=misearch

Editorial: Congress must step up on lapsing farm bill [Sacramento Bee]

…The farm bill should provide a food safety net, particularly during economic downturns, so that Americans don't go hungry. It should provide a farm safety net, to minimize the volatility of the weather, pests and world prices. It should provide a land safety net, to minimize the effects of floods, drought and erosion. The Senate bill would meet those aims and is the best bet for a new farm bill….Senators should get the farm bill done this week, so Americans can put a full-court press on the House before the August recess. This bill should be on President Obama's desk before the old bill expires in September.

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/19/4571720/congresss-must-step-up-on-lapsing.html#storylink=misearch

Ag workers stage strike [Salinas Californian]

More than 200 non-union farmworkers marched and chanted near lettuce fields in Gonzales during a one-day strike Monday over what they claim is a lack of medical insurance, job equipment and overtime pay. The workers, employed by Amaral Ranches, Inc., were scheduled to try and determine today in a “pre-election” who among them is eligible to vote in any future election held to determine their eligibility for union representation, UFW officials said….They said they seek pay increases, paid holidays and vacation days; overtime pay, equipment such as rain gear and medical plans. Employees answering the phones at Amaral Ranches on Monday would not comment on the strike or other developments.

http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20120619/NEWS01/306190001/Ag-workers-stage-strike?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|Frontpage

Mexico enters talks on joining Pacific trade pact [McClatchy Newspapers]

Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Monday hailed his nation’s entry into talks to join a pan-Pacific trade agreement as a route to steady economic growth for decades ahead. Calderon, hosting the G-20 summit of global leaders in Baja California, said the United States and eight other members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership had issued the invitation….Mexico asked to join the trade talks in November. Its request was accepted ahead of those of Japan and Canada, which also seek to join. The United States is currently negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, with Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei….The TPP talks go far beyond tariff reductions. They also delve into regional supply chains to speed production and delivery of goods, promote smaller companies and ensure that state-owned enterprises are on even footing with private companies.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/06/17/3664314/mexico-enters-talks-on-joining.html#storylink=misearch

Commentary: Farm Bureau can't back MID water sale [Modesto Bee]

…The Stanislaus County Farm Bureau has taken a position of not supporting Modesto Irrigation District's initial proposal. Our mission is to advocate for our most vital industry — agriculture — and its resources. Water is our most precious, finite natural resource, and we have an obligation to protect it….In 2008, our Natural Resources Committee proposed a general water transfer policy to our Board of Directors that would support water transfers if the contracts met certain criteria.…In light of the same water transfer policy, however, we find the MID water transfer, as currently proposed, does not meet the conditions required for the Bureau's support….We have always had an open mind when dealing with such delicate issues and will continue to cooperate in any way to continue this dialogue.

http://www.modbee.com/2012/06/18/2247581/peterson-farm-bureau-cant-back.html

Lots of confusion when it comes to pesticides [Chicago Sun-Times]

Are you concerned about pesticides? Sixty percent of consumers express a high concern about pesticide residues, much of which is based on misleading information, according to The Alliance for Food and Farming, a non-profit organization that represents organic and conventional farmers and farms of all sizes. Established in 1989, the Alliance’s goal is to deliver credible information to consumers about the safety of fruits and vegetables. Teresa Thorne, Alliance spokesperson, reported to us that recent surveys show that 29 percent of consumers are buying less fruits and vegetables due to concerns about pesticide residues….The Dirty Dozen is a list put out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) naming those fruits and vegetables (analyzed for pesticide residues by the USDA) that have the highest residues and receives an enormous amount of publicity, but scientists caution that the list is misleading and the Alliances website discussed why in great detail.

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/food/13183396-423/lots-of-confusion-when-it-comes-to-pesticides.html

Ag Today is distributed to county Farm Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for information purposes, by the CFBF Communications/News Division, 916-561-5550; news@cfbf.com. 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.