More Vaccine Sources Coming to SLO County Agriculture |
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As San Luis Obispo County Public Health prepares to begin its first farmworker vaccine pilot project this month, other positive news emerged this week of additional opportunities for food and agriculture industry workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Also this week, Governor Newsom announced a new system to allocate COVID-19 vaccination doses where 40% of available vaccine doses will be set aside for the hardest-hit communities.
We know everyone is eager to get the vaccine, and Farm Bureau will continue to advocate for the entire agriculture industry to get vaccine access as quickly as possible. Please note that all of the information below is very much in flux based on our unpredictable supply of vaccines. Here is an update on the status of different vaccine sources in SLO County and a summary of the plan we helped develop for County Public Health.
CVS and Rite Aid
Food & Agriculture Workers can now make appointments through Rite Aid and CVS in Arroyo Grande. As many know, pharmacies and other healthcare providers get vaccine supplies from a separate allotment than what County Public Health receives. These appointments are obviously limited, but are worth monitoring for future openings.
Community Health Centers of the Central Coast
On Wednesday, it was publicly announced that Community Health Centers has been selected to receive a special allotment of vaccines from the federal government. SLO County Farm Bureau has been working for weeks with CHC Medical Director Dr. Steve Clarke, who is also on the SLO County Vaccine Task Force, and they are going to be a significant source of vaccines for the farmworker community in the weeks ahead.
- Especially exciting is that CHC expects to receive some J&J vaccines; these are single-dose and easier to facilitate through a mobile vaccine clinic because of less burdensome cold storage requirements.
- Many have asked about mobile, on-farm vaccine sites. We expect this will eventually be a pivotal part of the County’s efforts, but at this stage, there is not enough vaccines to fully utilize the County’s three established vaccine sites. CHC, however, does have existing mobile clinic infrastructure and will likely be doing mobile vaccines closer to where farmworkers are living or working.
- Like our support of the County’s efforts, we will offer to help coordinate employer contact with CHC to help get large groups of workers vaccine access.
SLO County Public Health
Thanks to the input provided by many of you, we presented a proposal last week at the County's Vaccine Task Force calling for the County to not wait until the current 65+ age category is completed before beginning food and ag industry vaccines. This plan was approved by the Task Force, and we are pushing to designate larger allotments for agriculture in the weeks ahead.
Some other counties and states are further along vaccinating the ag industry than we are. Every county has a unique situation, whether it’s the quantity of vaccines received or the approach taken by local governments to prioritize distribution. While farmworkers and other essential industries are at a greater risk of being exposed to the coronavirus, age is the greatest predictor of death or serious illness from COVID-19. This is one of the primary reasons our County has gone with an age-based, rather than occupation-based, distribution. We also know that the Latino population has been disproportionately impacted by COVID, and the majority of our agriculture workforce comes from the Latino community.
The County continues to work with Farm Bureau and the Farmworker Task Force to prepare for the first Farmworker Vaccine Pilot Project tentatively scheduled for March 19 at the County’s vaccine site at the South County Regional Center.
- The County is trying to reach as many workers as quickly as possible, and plan to initially target South County farms and labor contractors with large numbers of employees. This first pilot will only have ~500 doses. We contacted some South County farm labor contractors and farms that fit this criteria to participate in this pilot, but we know all of you are extremely eager to get your workers protected. Thank you for your patience and for recognizing we can’t get every ag business going at the same time.
- Our hope (and expectation) is that the County will expand this to additional days and to the County’s other vaccine sites in SLO and Paso Robles, but this expansion timeline will of course depend on vaccine inventory.
We are going to try different logistical approaches at the pilot, but here is what we expect the process of vaccinating through SLO County Public Health will look like in the coming weeks:
- The County will set aside blocks of appointments for the ag industry; for example, 500 doses over the course of an afternoon.
- Ahead of time, the employer will be asked to create a roster of workers willing to be vaccinated.
- The County will contact employers to be “ready to go” for a particular block of appointments on a certain date/time.
- Anyone getting the vaccine (except possibly the J&J vaccine) will get a pocket size card after their vaccination stating which vaccine they have received.
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It is important to note, the County cannot afford to let any vaccines go unused at the end of the day. Having wasted vaccines would directly affect how many vaccines they receive the following week. When the County removes vaccines from deep cold storage, they have a limited shelf life and cannot be carried over to the next day. There has been about a 10 percent “no-show” rate, and they account for this in the number of appointments scheduled. Be prepared that vaccines may run out on a given day that you were told to get workers to the vaccine clinic.
- Workers are eligible to be vaccinated in SLO County if they work or live here. A caveat to that is that if a worker has received their first does in SLO County, they will also need to get their second dose in SLO County.
Given the multiple channels that may be available to get the vaccine (County Public Health, CHC, pharmacies, and possible other healthcare providers), we encourage you to get yourself and your workers in wherever and however you can. For questions, please contact Farm Bureau Executive Director Brent Burchett for at bburchett@slofarmbureau.org or call the office at 805-543-3654.
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This Week in SLO County Agriculture |
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In This Issue:
- Community News: Tribune - What Does Chance of Rain Really Mean?
- State Government News: Onslaught of Legislation Affecting California Agriculture
- Wildfire News: Bill Aims to Prevent Farmers From Losing Wildfire Insurance
- Federal Government News: California Farm Bureau Supports Reintroduction of Agricultural Immigration Bill
- Which San Luis Obispo County Farmers and Ranchers Received Over $100k from the Federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program?
- COVID-19 News: Paso Robles Daily News - Gov. Newsom Visits SLO County at COVID-19 Vaccine Center
- Business Member Spotlight: Wayne Cooper Ag Services
- Livestock News: Colorado Cattlemen's Association Responds to Gov. Jared Polis' 'Meatout' Day with 'Meatin' Day
- Labor News: ETS Preliminary Injunction Petition Denied
- Produce News: USDA Seeks Nominees for Hass Avocado Board
- Water News: BBC News - Then and Now: A 'Megadrought' in California
- Environmental News: CBS - California City Bans Construction of New Gas Stations in Climate-Fight First
- Wisdom From the Farm & Ranch
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Feb. 26 Most Read Stories:
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SLO County Farm Bureau Executive Director Report
A few things we worked on this week included:
- Met with Supervisor Debbie Arnold;
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Gave an update on COVID-19 Vaccine efforts to the Agricultural Liaison Advisory Board;
- Participated in the weekly SLO County Farmworker Taskforce meeting;
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Monitored the SLO County Board of Supervisors March 2 meeting;
- Met with County Public Health staff regarding the vaccine pilot project for farmworkers;
- Discussed vaccine challenges for the ag industry with SLO New Times;
- Met with Community Health Centers of the Central Coast to plan farmworker vaccine efforts; and
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Had an interview with Tom Keffury on KJUG 98.1.
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Thank you Justin Vineyard & Wines for being a SLO County Farm Bureau Platinum Member and supporting our local agriculture industry! |
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Community News: Tribune - What Does Chance of Rain Really Mean?
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CAL POLY CENTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY - TRAININGS & OPPORTUNITIES |
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Cal Poly & Cal State Universities
San Luis Obispo & Monterey Counties
More Online
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Opportunities
30. Farm management internship position at Windrose Farm, Paso Robles -To apply, please send cover letter and resume to hello@fincalosagaves.com
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Former SLO County Supervisor Shirley Bianchi dies at 91, ...
No matter which side of the political fence voters were on during Shirley Bianchi's long involvement in San Luis Obispo County's political, environmental and agricultural issues, everybody agreed she was a force to reckon with...
Read more
www.sanluisobispo.com
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Central Coast Community Energy Grants |
3CEnergy Currently Serves the Following Cities in San Luis Obispo County: Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Paso Robles, and Pismo Beach. Service Begins October 2021 for Grover Beach.
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What does 'chance of rain' really mean? PG&E...
A pair of TikTok videos recently went viral on social media, reaching millions of viewers. They both claimed that most of us incorrectly interpreted or misunderstood the "percent of chance of rain" on smartphones weather apps.
Read more
www.sanluisobispo.com
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SLO County Women's Restaurant Week |
Fairs Try to Hang on as Pandemic Reduces Revenues
Already struggling financially due to loss of revenue from event cancellations related to the pandemic, some county fair boards have decided to pull the plug on their 2021 fairs as they try to maintain operations in the face of dwindling cash flow...
www.agalert.com
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State Government News: Onslaught of Legislation Affecting California Agriculture |
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California Farm Bureau's Friday Review - March 5 and February 26
- Air Resources - CARB votes to phase out ag burning in Central Valley by 2025
- Agriculture Employment - 14 bills pertaining to labor regulations
- Animal Health - 2 bills pertaining to livestock
- Budget - Pandemic relief funding agreements reached
- Climate Change - SB 27 - carbon sequestration for natural and working lands
- Hemp - SB 235 - licensing for hemp manufacturers, processors, and retailers
- Education - 1 committee hearing on UC Cooperative Extension Service Funding
- Insurance - SB 11 - Farm Bureau sponsored bill which will provide that commercial farms and ranches are available for basic property insurance coverage via the California FAIR Plan
- Taxation - 3 bills, including SB 539 that clarifies Prop 19 implementation issues
- Utilities - 1 committee hearing on Public Safety Power Shutoffs
- Waste - 1 agency action - The Department of Toxic Substances Control has added an update to the treated wood waste frequently asked questions webpage
- Water - Numerous actions and updates from State Water Resources Control Board, including approval of the General Waste Discharge Requirements for Winery Process Water
- Wildfire - AB 910 and AB 912 increase management opportunities for forests; and SB 332 removes impediment to conducting prescribed burns
- Wildlife - Dept. of Fish & Wildlife tracking grey wolf in Northern California
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County Government News: Board of Supervisors Narrowly Approves State Water Item 3-2 |
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SLO County Board of Supervisors met late into the evening on March 2 discussing State Water. Supervisors voted 3-2 to accept staff's recommendations to amend the County's water supply contract with the state. Supervisors Lynn Compton, Dawn Ortiz-Legg and Bruce Gibson voted for the item, with Supervisors Debbie Arnold and John Peschong voting against. To access the full agenda documents and a recording of the meeting click here.
Agenda Item 39: "Authorizing the Chairperson to execute Amendment No. 18 (the Water Management Amendment) to Water Supply Contract between the State of California Department of Water Resources and San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District; making responsible agency findings pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Water Management Amendment (Clerk's File); and Adopting the CEQA Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations."
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Wildfire News: Bill Aims to Prevent Farmers From Losing Wildfire Insurance |
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Bill aims to prevent farmers from losing wildfire insurance
Senator Susan Rubio of Baldwin Park introduced a measure Tuesday that would update the codes governing access to the California FAIR Plan, an insurer of last resort for farmers. The state's insurance code currently excludes farm risks. The...
Read more
www.agri-pulse.com
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Federal Government News: California Farm Bureau Supports Reintroduction of Agricultural Immigration Bill |
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CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS REINTRODUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL IMMIGRATION BILL
March 3, 2021
Saying it would provide mutual benefit for farmers, ranchers and their employees, the California Farm Bureau applauded today’s reintroduction of federal legislation to improve agricultural immigration programs.
California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson said the organization is committed to work for passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, reintroduced by Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, and Dan Newhouse, R-Wash.
“We were early supporters of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act when it was originally introduced in 2019, and we’re pleased to see its reintroduction,” Johansson said. “Reform of federal immigration law continues to be a top priority for the California Farm Bureau, and this bill would create meaningful changes that would ease chronic employee shortages and recognize the value of farm work.”
Read the full press release here.
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Which San Luis Obispo County Farmers and Ranchers Received Over $100k from the Federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program? |
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Coronavirus Food Assistance Program: Where did the money go?
When the Trump administration crafted its coronavirus relief payments to farmers, it made sure to get checks to everyone who produced any kind of food or fiber product during the year, from mint, mohair and tobacco to corn and cattle.
Read more
www.agri-pulse.com
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COVID-19 News: Paso Robles Daily News - Gov. Newsom Visits SLO County at COVID-19 Vaccine Center
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Thousands of Farmworkers Are Prioritized for the...
A landmark initiative in California is taking vaccines to the fields, targeting an immigrant work force that is at high risk for Covid-19. Many of the workers are undocumented...
Read more
www.nytimes.com
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California Launches Enhanced COVID-19 Vaccine Provider...
Monday, March 1, marks the start of California's transition to an enhanced provider vaccination Network that's...
Read more
news.blueshieldca.com
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Gov. Newsom visits SLO County at COVID-19 vaccine center
Califonia Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the COVID-19 San Luis Obispo County Vaccination Site at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo on Tuesday afternoon...
Read more
pasoroblesdailynews.com
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500 farmworkers to receive their first dose of the...
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is partnering with community organizations to launch a COVID-19 vaccine pilot program this weekend that will administer first doses to agricultural workers...
Read more
www.ksby.com
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Vaccine rollout for farmworkers is fraught with...
In the wine region of northern San Joaquin Valley, the coarse spindles of pruned grapevines are sprouting delicate creepers that curl toward wire trellises, and cherry trees are shedding soft pink blossoms...
Read more
www.latimes.com
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Business Member Spotlight:
Wayne Cooper Ag Services
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With over 30 years of service to the Central Coast of California, Wayne Cooper Ag Services continues to offer pump efficiency tests, assist farmers and ranchers in qualifying for subsidized pump tests, as well as third-party groundwater monitoring and recording, flowmeter verification, booster pump testing, water sampling, and multi-point testing. All results are kept confidential and are the property of the customer.
A pump test measures various aspects of the pumps operation, including water levels, flow, pressure and energy usage. The end result of a pump test in an estimate of the overall efficiency of the pump and the cost of running it under the test conditions. Regular pump testing can identify problems before a breakdown occurs, give an indication of water well performance, provide long term record of water levels, establish a baseline of pump performance, meet government regulation and certification requirements, and qualify for third party certifications.
Wayne Cooper Ag Services is a Certified Pump Tester through the Advanced Pumping Efficiency Program (APEP) http://www.pumpefficiency.org which allows us to offer subsidized pump tests through PG&E's program to encourage energy conservation in California.
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Thank You Farm Bureau Members |
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New Member:
Tom Keffury
Renewing Business Support Members:
Renewing Members:
Roberts Vineyard Services, Hope Family Wines, Cauley Family LP, Pacific Ag Research, Kris Koolman, Robert Lewis, LaVerne Watkins, Manetta Bennett, Steven Lock, Beverly Phifer, South County Chambers of Commerce, Bruce Nenadal, Rob McKee, Jerry Handley, Carol Athey
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Livestock News: Colorado Cattlemen's Association Responds to Gov. Jared Polis' 'Meatout' Day with 'Meatin' Day |
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Complementing your A.I. program with compatible cleanup...
The 2021 calving season has most likely wrapped up for many of you and, more than likely, you have already started planning or may already be into your 2021 breeding season. This is also the time of year many producers are in the process of...
Read more
www.progressivecattle.com
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Colorado Cattlemen's Association Responds To Gov. Jared...
Gov. Jared Polis is drawing fire after declaring March 20 "Meatout" day in Colorado. He's asking Coloradans to eat only plant-based products that day. State Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, a third-generation Colorado rancher, is among...
Read more
denver.cbslocal.com
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Farm Bureau Supports Cattle Market Transparency
The American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on lawmakers to require increased transparency in America's cattle markets. AFBF supports the Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021, sponsored by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)....
Read more
www.fb.org
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Labor News: ETS Preliminary Injunction Petition Denied |
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FELS COVID-19 News - March 5, 2021
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Vaccine Survey: FELS is working with it's parent organization, California Farm Bureau to ask FELS subscribers, customers, and clients and Farm Bureau members to respond to a brief, 11 question survey about employers’ and employees’ attitudes about COVID-19 vaccines that are becoming available to agricultural employees. These questions include Farm Bureau members’ perceptions about employees’ concerns about safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, employers’ interest in hosting vaccination events and other efforts employers are making to facilitate access to vaccines. You can take the survey here.
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ETS Preliminary Injunction Petition Denied: Superior Court Judge Ethan Shulman had denied a request from a coalition of agricultural employer organizations including FELS' parent organization California Farm Bureau to issue a preliminary injunction against enforcement of Cal/OSHA's COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). In so doing, Judge Shulman showed a high level of deference to the agency. The coalition is considering next steps. You can read the judge's ruling here.
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2021 California COVID Guide: What To Do If Employees Test Positive for COVID-19: David Wright Tremaine LLP has published a useful reference article to help employers sort through federal and state COVID-19 mandates; you can read more here.
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California Farm Employment 2019 versus 2020: The February 2021 edition of Rural Migration Blog offers analysis of the possible impact of COVID-19 on farm employment in the context of the impact of COVID-19. You can read more here.
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The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at UC Davis has published new educational materials in English and Spanish, focused on agricultural workers. You can find those here, and an educational Spanish-language video about vaccines here.
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Produce News: USDA Seeks Nominees for Hass Avocado Board |
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Onion, Garlic Research Proceeds Through Pandemic
Although the COVID-19 pandemic impeded some research on the growing of garlic and onions in California, it didn't stop information from being shared by the California Garlic and Onion Research Advisory Board.
www.agalert.com
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Bagged avocado sales are on the rise
Bagged avocado sales gained momentum in 2020, according to industry insiders. Research shows that 2020 dollar sales of the bagged commodity rose more than 25% over the previous year, the California Avocado Commission reported in social media...
Read more
www.farmprogress.com
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USDA seeks nominees for the Hass Avocado Board
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking eight nominees for the Hass Avocado Board. Seats open for nominees are two producer and two importer seats for members and two producer and two importer seats for...
Read more
www.morningagclips.com
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Citrus Growers May Soon Have a New Way to Fight Back...
The Asian citrus psyllid fills its stomach by feeding on the leaves and stems of citrus trees. The tiny brown insects infect the trees with bacteria that cause citrus greening, a disease that makes the fruits inedible...
Read more
insideclimatenews.org
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Vineyard & Winery News: Central Coast Journal Profile on Vineyard Team's Kris Beal |
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Central Coast Journal - March 2021
Profile on Vineyard Team's Kris Beal
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Independent Grape Growers of Paso Robles Area - March 17 Seminar |
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Farmers Seek Options for Wood Disposal
Curt Gillespie and his son Chris have tall piles of grapevines awaiting disposal at their Acampo farm. The piles won't be going anywhere for a while.
There has been an uptick in vineyard removals in the area, resulting in a backlog of burn requests being made to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
www.agalert.com
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Water News: BBC News - Then and Now: A 'Megadrought' in California
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Then and now: A 'megadrought' in California
In our monthly feature, Then and Now, we reveal some of the ways that planet Earth has been changing against the backdrop of a warming world. Here, we look at the effects of extreme weather on a crucial reservoir that supplies water to millions...
Read more
www.bbc.com
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County Considering CCWA Request to Sell Unneeded State...
It's not long ago that Lake Cachuma, the main water source on the South Coast, was in danger of going dry in a seven-year drought. Water agencies from Carpinteria to Goleta spent millions of dollars scrambling to buy surplus state aqueduct water...
Read more
www.noozhawk.com
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State Water Board: Reviewing the State Water Board's...
in 2014 and 2015 during a period of severe and persistent drought conditions, then Governor Brown had declared a state of emergency and signed urgency legislation that provided, in part, for the adoption of emergency regulations by the State...
Read more
mavensnotebook.com
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Environmental News: CBS - California City Bans Construction of New Gas Stations in Climate-Fight First
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17 key environmental bills on the 2021 agenda in...
California's legislative session came to a wild ending in 2020 when the clock ran out on major bills. Key pieces of environmental legislation were among those that died on the floor, and conservationists are hoping 2021 brings a different story.
Read more
www.desertsun.com
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California air board OKs crackdown on agricultural...
Nearly two decades ago, California passed a law that was supposed to stop San Joaquin Valley farmers from burning fields and piles of tree limbs and vines - a practice that chokes the region with smoke and contributes to the Valley's abysmal air...
Read more
www.sacbee.com
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California city bans construction of new gas stations in ...
A Northern California city is believed to be the first in the country to ban all new gas stations in an effort to curb carbon emissions. The Petaluma City Council voted unanimously Monday to prohibit the creation, expansion, reconstruction and...
Read more
www.cbsnews.com
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A strike against global warming or a Big Ag giveaway?
Dominic Bruno is not closely tracking the greenhouse gas soaking into the dirt beneath the walnut trees, sunflowers and melon vines at River Garden Farms in Yolo County, where the state of California spent $97,000 this year to create a...
Read more
www.latimes.com
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OUR VIEW: Protecting public health, not industry should...
Months-long efforts to come up with a better system to alert Kern County residents about farmers' use of potentially toxic pesticides is going nowhere fast. It's time for the Legislature to step in, stop the squabbling and approve a statewide...
Read more
www.bakersfield.com
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Advertise with SLO County Farm Bureau |
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Get Your Message in Front of Over 1000 San Luis Obispo Countians!
Our weekly E-News is sent out every Friday to our membership. If you're interested in an effective, low-cost advertising campaign ($150 a month) please give us a call or send an email to SLO County Farm Bureau Executive Director Brent Burchett.
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Wisdom From the Farm & Ranch |
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The Farmer - Amelia Barr
The king may rule o’er land and sea,
The lord may live right royally,
The soldier ride in pomp and pride,
The sailor roam o’er ocean wide;
But this or that, whate’er befall,
The farmer he must feed them all.
The writer thinks, the poet sings,
The craftsmen fashion wondrous things,
The doctor heals, the lawyer pleads,
The miner follows the precious leads;
But this or that, whate’er befall,
The farmer he must feed them all.
The merchant he may buy and sell,
The teacher do his duty well;
But men may toil through busy days,
Or men may stroll through pleasant ways;
From king to beggar, whate’er befall,
The farmer he must feed them all.
The farmer’s trade is one of worth;
He’s partner with the sky and earth,
He’s partner with the sun and rain,
And no man loses for his gain;
And men may rise, or men may fall,
But the farmer he must feed them all.
God bless the man who sows the wheat,
Who finds us milk and fruit and meat;
May his purse be heavy, his heart be light,
His cattle and corn and all go right;
God bless the seeds his hands let fall,
For the farmer he must feed us all.
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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 some assistance with membership, 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.
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Thank You San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau
Platinum Members
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