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San Luis Obispo County Agriculture News

February 12, 2024

www.slofarmbureau.org

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Commentary: Where does water wind up? You might be surprised

From California Farm Bureau Federation's Ag Alert, By Mike Wade (Executive Director of California Farm Water Coalition)


Water, the essence of life, is an indispensable resource intricately woven into the fabric of our daily existence. From the food on our plates to the gadgets in our hands, water silently plays a pivotal role in the creation of almost everything we encounter.


In a world where water scarcity is a looming concern, it is essential to explore the profound impact of water in the production of goods and services that shape our lives as well as the food we feed our families.


Criticism often falls on agriculture for its water use. Consumers in California face limits of 55 gallons per person, per day in allowable indoor water use. It isn’t surprising that they might react negatively when confronted with the fact that more than 800 gallons of water is needed to grow the food one person consumes in one day.


However, food is something we literally cannot live without. In addition, it’s crucial to recognize that the end user of farm water is not farmers but consumers. Whether you’re shopping for the items in a chicken fajita recipe, a bunch of broccoli or a carton of ice cream, you’re carrying water home from the farm.


Take a moment to consider a cup of coffee, a staple in many people’s mornings.


The water footprint of a single cup of coffee is estimated to be around 37 gallons. Spaghetti sauce with ground beef, garlic, oregano, onion and basil adds up to about 365 gallons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. A serving of rice and beans requires around 65 gallons of water to produce, and the fruit in a fruit medley needs 71 gallons of water.

Read More Here

This Week In SLO County Agriculture

In This Week's Issue:

  • Community: Healing Holistically: Local Farmers Discuss Plants and Herbs that Can Serve as Natural Medicine
  • County Government: Moreno and Funk Race to Fill Debbie Arnold's Seat as San Luis Obispo County District 5 Supervisor
  • State Government: Read this Week's Farm Bureau at Work
  • Federal Government: AFBF: Record Drop in Farm Income Expected in 2024
  • Environmental: Offshore Wind Development Could Take up to 15 Years
  • Business Member Spotlight: Cal West Rain
  • Labor: Is California's Workplace Safety Agency Protecting Farmworkers? Legislators Want to Know
  • Produce: CDFA’s Produce Safety Program Calling California Farms About Produce Safety Rule
  • Featured Member Benefit: Free Prescription Drug Card 
  • Livestock: Are Cattle a Secret Weapon for Taking on California Wildfires?
  • Vineyard and Wine: Wine Leaders: 'Anti-Alcohol' Narrative Causing Slow Sales
  • Water: Lake Lopez Spills for 2nd time in Over 25 Years

February 5 Most-Read

1. Wage Declines from AB 1066 an ‘Ironclad Rule of Economics’

2. Local fans can gain exclusive early ticket access to Mid-State Fair concerts

3. SLO County Foundation for Agriculture Awareness to Host Crab Feed February 24th

4. United States Cattle Inventory Down 2%

5. Lake Nacimiento lawsuit continues hearings in 2024

6. California lawmakers backpedal on new electricity rates rule based on customer income

7. Investment Is Flowing to US Grass-fed Beef Again. Will It Scale Up?

8. Tax Relief Bill Passed in House Will Support Farming Businesses

9. OSU Study Shows Spray Coating Grapes Can Combat Smoke Effects

10. CSP Opportunities for California Ranchers

SLO County Farm Bureau Calendar of Events:


  • February 13: Young Farmers and Ranchers BBQ at Office at 6pm
  • Ferbruary 15: CFBF Scholarship Applications Due
  • February 24: Crab Feed at Paso Robles Event Center at 4pm benefitting the SLO County Foundation for Agriculture Awareness and the Heritage Foundation
  • February 27: SLO County Farm Bureau Board Meeting at 5pm at Office (4875 Morabito Pl. SLO, CA 93401), All members welcome to attend (Please call 805-543-3654 to RSVP)
  • March 18-20: CFBF Capitol Ag Day Conference in Sacramento

Community: Healing Holistically: Local Farmers Discuss Plants and Herbs that Can Serve as Natural Medicine

2 tornadoes in one day in SLO Co.? National Weather Service officials explain how it happened

After going more than two decades without seeing a tornado touch ground in San Luis Obispo County, this week, two tornadoes hit the Central Coast on the same day.

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Healing holistically: Local farmers discuss plants and herbs that can serve as natural medicine

Oils, soaps, salves, and candles made from organic products on farms and homesteads support a growing holistic healing movement in SLO County. GreenLove is part...

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21st Annual SLO County Foundation for Agriculture Awareness Crab Feed on February 24 at 4pm

YF&R Meeting on Tues., Feb. 13 at 6pm

County Government: Moreno and Funk Race to Fill Debbie Arnold's Seat as San Luis Obispo County District 5 Supervisor

Moreno and Funk race to fill Debbie Arnold's seat as San Luis Obispo County District 5 Supervisor

Atascadero's mayor and mayor pro tem are running against each other in the race for SLO County District 5 Supervisor.

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Cease and desist letter temporarily halts Paso's downtown parking fees

Downtown Paso Robles visitors can expect to pay nothing to park after the city announced a pause to its parking program. "The city has received...

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State Government: Read this Week's Farm Bureau at Work

This Week in California Farm Bureau's Farm Bureau at Work

February 9, 2024


Wildfire


SB 1003 authored by Senator Bill Dodd (D Napa) has been introduced. Existing law requires electrical corporations to construct, maintain, and operate their electrical lines and equipment in a manner that will minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire posed by those electrical lines and equipment. Under existing law, a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the Public Utilities Commission is a crime. This bill would require those electrical operations to consider the need to minimize those risks as soon as possible. This is a common sense bill that hopefully speeds up the electrical corporations hardening of their networks against their associated risks with wildfire. 

Federal Government: AFBF: Record Drop in Farm Income Expected in 2024

This Week in California Farm Bureau's Federal Policy News

February 8, 2024


  • Bipartisan Senate Package Fails, as Does House Impeachment Effort
  • USDA to Issue $306 Million in Final Payments to Producers Impacted by 2020 and 2021 Natural Disasters
  • Comments Submitted on the Western Spadefoot 
  • EPA and Army Corps Announce WOTUS Listening Sessions
  • BLM, USDA Forest Service Announce 2024 Grazing Fees
  • USFWS Announces 12-Month Finding, National Recovery Plan for Gray Wolves

AFBF: Record Drop In Farm Income Expected in 2024

WASHINGTON -- Farmers can expect the largest recorded year-to-year dollar drop in net farm income in 2024. Income is estimated to be nearly $40 billion lower...

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Farmers in Italy, Spain and Poland protest over European Union policies and competition

Farmers in Italy, Spain and Poland are demonstrating as part of ongoing protests against European Union farming policies and to demand measures to combat production cost hikes, reduced profits and unfair competition from non-EU countries

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Environmental: Offshore Wind Development Could Take up to 15 Years

Los Angeles Judge Ordered Changes at Oceano Dunes | Local News | Noozhawk

A judge in the California 2nd District Court of Appeals officially reinstated some of the conditions imposed by the California Coastal Commission during

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NASDA Members Express Need for More Research and Resources on How PFAS Impacts Agriculture

WASHINGTON -- Today at the 2024 Winter Policy Conference, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture members voted in support of increased funding and resources to states for...

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Offshore wind farm development could take up to 15 years

It could take 12 to 15 years to fully develop the planned wind projects off the coast of Morro Bay, according to the Bureau of...

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Business Member Spotlight:

Cal West Rain

INNOVATION AND SERVICE

Cal-West Rain began serving the needs of growers in 1989. Our commitment to providing the highest quality standards in design, integration, equipment, automation and customer service remains the benchmark by which we measure our success. As a locally-owned company, our reputation means everything to us. As such, customer satisfaction continues to drive our business practices as it did over three decades ago when Larry Isheim and Jim Martin founded the company.


Locations: KermanPaso RoblesHanfordBakersfield

Irrigation Services

Expertise includes drip/micro, subsurface, and sprinklers. Using certified designers, each project is designed based on your unique requirements.

Learn More

Well Services

As part of our commitment to turnkey services, we also provide well development, inspections, and rehabilitation services.

Learn More

Pumps & Motors

From troubleshooting to repairs and rebuilds, Cal-West Rain has extensive experience with all types of pumps and motors.

Learn More

calwestrain.com

PHONE: 805-226-8990

LinkedIn  Instagram  Facebook

Labor: Is California's Workplace Safety Agency Protecting Farmworkers? Legislators Want to Know

Is California's workplace safety agency protecting farmworkers? Legislators want to know

State legislators grill Cal/OSHA over how they protect California farmworkers, with allegations that employers get tipped off to inspections.

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Labor Stability with wafla; a New Opportunity to Use the H-2A program to Stabilize Your Workforce

Webinar: Feb 16, 2024 10:00 AM


Learn more about FELS' new subscriber benefit, an alliance with wafla, the premier west-coast provider member association for farm employers looking to use the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program. wafla's high-touch, extensive customer service approach is uniquely suited to smaller H-2A program users like FELS Newsletter subscribers, FELS clients and Farm Bureau members.

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You are invited to join a meeting: Card Check and Ag Employers, One Year Later: What Does It Mean for You? What Have We Learned from the First Year of Card Check?

Webinar: Feb. 23, 2024

10am


February 23, 2024: Governor Newsom signed the UFW's "card check" legislation (AB 2183) in September 2022 and signed a budget trailer bill with further revisions (AB 113) in May 2023; together, these two bills totally upended the election process under the Agricultural Labor Relations Act.

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Produce: CDFA’s Produce Safety Program Calling California Farms About Produce Safety Rule

CDFA’s Produce Safety Program calling California farms about Produce Safety Rule

California Deparment of Food & Agriculture

December 22, 2023

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Produce Safety Program is in the process of conducting farm verification phone calls to identify farms most likely required to comply with the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR).


During these phone calls conducted by nationwide surveyors on contract with CDFA, farmers are asked a series of questions. The questions include farm location, commodities grown, farm size and activities conducted to determine if the farm is covered under the PSR and subject to an inspection, or if the farm is not covered or exempt. The questions being asked during these surveys may be viewed on the Farmer Questionnaire available on the Produce Safety Program website. These phone surveys are consistent with farm verifications conducted by CDFA Produce Safety Program inspectors since 2016 to develop a complete, verified inventory of California produce farms required under the PSR.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pursuant to FSMA, developed the PSR to regulate the production of nearly all fruits, nuts and vegetables in the U.S. The PSR establishes a set of practices that farmers must follow that are designed to minimize the potential of foodborne illnesses. In California, CDFA’s Produce Safety Program conducts PSR inspections on behalf of the FDA.


CDFA’s Produce Safety Program has many resources available to assist farmers in gaining compliance with the PSR, including a mailing list, educational handouts and On-Farm Readiness Reviews, which are voluntary and provide a free, personalized, on-farm discussion about a farm’s specific farming practices designed to assist producers in becoming compliant with the PSR prior to receiving an initial regulatory inspection. CDFA’s Produce Safety Program aims to help California produce farmers become 100% compliant with FSMA PSR and continue to provide nutritious, healthy and safe food to millions of Americans and consumers worldwide. For more information, contact producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov.  

Thank You Farm Bureau Members

Renewing Agricultural Business Member

Cal West Rain

Renewing Agricultural Members

Edward Perry, Ball Tagawa Growers, Byrd Farming Partners, Barry Branin, and Anne DeFeyter Loden

Renewing Associate Members

Eric Shaefer and Salud Carbajal for Congress

Renewing Associate Business Members

Filliponi and Thompson Drilling

SLO County Farm Bureau Business Support Member List

Featured Member Benefit:

Free Prescription Drug Card

As a Farm Bureau® member, you have access to a FREE Prescription Drug Card program. Save up to 75% at more than 68,000 national and regional pharmacies. Create as many cards as you need for yourself, your family and your employees (full time, part time, seasonal). All members are eligible to get pharmacy discounts through this program. The program can be used to supplement most health insurance plans including Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and High Deductible Plans. It can also be used as a Medicare Part D supplement by providing discounts on non-covered drugs. This program has “LOWEST PRICE” logic to guarantee that you pay the lowest price on your prescriptions (you pay the lower of a discount off the Average Wholesale Price-AWP, a discount calculated off MAC Pricing, or the Pharmacy Promotional/Retail price). Download a card today!

Livestock: Are Cattle a Secret Weapon for Taking on California Wildfires?

Are cattle a secret weapon for taking on California wildfires?

Researchers calculate greenhouse gas emissions of cows consuming vegetation that would otherwise burn.

Read More

Are Record-High Beef Prices on the Horizon?

WASHINGTON -- America's families might soon see record-high beef prices at the grocery store, thanks to the lowest cattle inventory in more than 70 years. American...

Read More

Vineyard and Wine: Wine Leaders: 'Anti-Alcohol' Narrative Causing Slow Sales

Tailgate | Biochar in the Vineyard

Thinking about using biochar but not sure it will fit your budget? This Tailgate covers biochar production, efficient pre- and post-plant biochar and compost application, and the economic feasibility of using this resource in your vineyard.

Read More

Wine leaders: 'Anti-alcohol' narrative causing slow sales

Winemakers in the U.S. and abroad are struggling to sell their product, and leaders in the sector are increasingly focused on one culprit.

Read More

Water: Lake Lopez Spills for 2nd time in Over 25 Years

California Ag Update: Historic downpours resulted in flooding and hundreds of landslides

California residents are recouping following the atmospheric river storm this week, which resulted in historic downpours causing flooding and hundreds of landslides. President of the California Farm Bureau, Shannon Douglass spoke with RFD-TV's own Suzanne Alexander on the impact these storms had on agriculture, recovery efforts, and a new piece of legislation.

Read More

Lopez Lake spills for 2nd time in over 25 years

Arroyo Grande's Lopez Lake began spilling Thursday after a series of storms moved through. This is only the second time in more than a quarter of a century that the lake has flowed down the spillway.

Read More

Farm Bureau Membership Matters

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We cannot support your freedom to farm and ranch without your membership.


Join SLO County Farm Bureau now or renew your membership online. Go to slofarmbureau.org to join, or download the membership form PDF.


Have your renewal notice available to speed up the process; you will need to enter your membership number, name and ZIP code. Renewal dues may be paid online or over the phone by credit card.


We're here to help! Call us if you need us to lookup your member number or we can process your membership for you, at 805-543-3654.


All California county Farm Bureau memberships are processed through the California Farm Bureau Federation, but please reach out to our SLO County office if you need your membership number or have questions.

Join or Renew Your San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau Membership

Thank You Platinum Members

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SLO County Agriculture News is distributed by SLO County Farm Bureau for information purposes only. Stories written by SLO County Farm Bureau may be reprinted with attribution. Some outside story links may require site registration. Opinions expressed in stories, commentaries or editorials included in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of SLO County Farm Bureau. For information on advertising opportunities, please email info@slofarmbureau.org or call our office at 805-543-3654.

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