Spring 2020 - Issue 1
USDA California Climate Hub
News & Notes
The USDA California Climate Hub within the Agricultural Research Service at the UC Davis John Muir Institute works with partners across federal and state agencies, universities, and industry to help enable climate-informed decision making and advance the adaptive capacity for California's working and managed agricultural, range, and forest lands. Through these newsletters we share news and information of relevance and interest to our stakeholders. We encourage you to get in touch with us if we can be of further service or assistance.
PERSISTENT DROUGHT EXPECTED

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center seasonal drought outlook says California should expect persistent drought conditions through June. Despite the mid-March snowstorm that dumped feet of snow in across parts of the Sierra, the 13% bump to the snowpack is a small dent in the state's significant deficits for the water year. As we approach April 1st -- the date traditionally used as a proxy for total seasonal snow accumulation -- snowpack in the Sierra is hovering between ~43% and 56% of normal .
The National Drought Mitigation Center has a new tool to visualize drought (and its evolution) as witnessed by individual observers. The NDMC is recruiting observers to serve as on-the-ground reporters of drought conditions and impacts as part of its Condition Monitoring Observer Report on Drought (CMOR Drought) . If you're interested in learning more about being an observer for the NDMC, check out their fact sheet here .
Understanding the El Nino Alert System

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center is making an effort to improve its El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) alert system. If you're ENSO savvy, you can take a survey to gauge the impact that the proposed changes to the alert system might have.
In the Spotlight

This month we are turning our spotlight on Dr. Andrew Jones, postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley and researcher with the Working Lands Innovation Center . Dr. Jones' research is on assessing how compost can improve soil health, increase agricultural productivity, and help to sequester more carbon in our working lands' soils. Soil amendments can all work to mitigate climate change, but compost is unique in that it also provides a useful outlet for organic waste. When organic waste is composted instead of filling up landfills, methane emissions from landfills are reduced and the compost acts as a sort of time-release fertilizer to improve soil health. This brings our food cycle full circle and helps agricultural production to be more sustainable!
Check out our In the Spotlight feature for more on Dr. Jones' work.
In the News
USDA announces additional disaster assistance to agricultural producers through the WHIP+ program .

 California's Public Utilities Commission sets a goal to double clean energy by 2030, slashing emissions to 56% of 1990 levels.

California scientists aim to understand how sensitive deep-sea life is to climate change .

The Sierra Sun Times showcases how UCANR specialists and extension professionals continue to work for the good of California agriculture during these unprecedented times.

The food system is stable in the face of COVID-19, but California's strawberries might take a hit .

Experts say one-fifth of San Joaquin Valley farmland may go fallow under coming groundwater rules.

California's specialty crop industry may take a hit in a post-COVID-19 recession.

Early bud break in Sonoma County vineyards is widening the frost window and may be a sign of climate change .
USDA's COVID-19 Resources

The USDA has a dedicated website for answering COVID-19 related questions and directing agricultural producers and the public toward USDA-relevant COVID-19 resources, including updates on USDA Service centers and programs .
The Climate Hubs Are Hiring!





The Southern Plains Climate Hub is hiring for a new Director! Join a dynamic group of professionals working to deliver regional, science-based information to agricultural producers in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The position is open to the public and closes on May 5th.
Funding Opportunities
Get Involved!
We would be pleased to share your newsworthy items, outputs or products, or associated resources with the USDA California Climate Hub community. If you would like to reach the Climate Hub community, provide a feature for this newsletter, or contribute content for our website, please contact Steven Ostoja , USDA California Climate Hub Director, or to Lauren Parker , USDA California Climate Hub Postdoctoral Fellow.