July 25, 2022
FARM BUREAU THIS WEEK
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In This Edition:
Calendar
Meetings This Week
Spotlight
Farm Bureau Benefits
County
State
Labor & Employment
US
Youth - /4H
Recipe
Classifieds *NEW JOBS*
Other News
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July 15-31 California State Fair
Aug 6 20 Mile Taste
Oct 29 Harvest Extravaganza
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Jul 25 7:30am Taxpayers Assn Online
Jul 25 9:00am EID Board Agenda
Jul 26 9:00am Board of Supervisors Agenda
Jul 27 6:00pm Farm Bureau Director's meeting
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REACH Air Medical Services LLC and CALSTAR—are proud to be a part of the AirMedCare Network. Benefits of Joining the AirMedCare Network
- No out-of-pocket expenses
- Peace of mind
- Over 320 locations,
- Network across 38 states
- Highly skilled nurses, medics and pilots ready 24 hours a day
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Join El Dorado County Ag in the Classroom for 20 Mile Taste at Rainbow Orchards on August 6, 2022 from 4-7pm. Once again, John Sanders of Old Town Grill will be contributing his creative culinary creations for this fun event. Enjoy dessert pastries and wine pairings plus hot apple cider donuts while listening to live music performed by Neon Moon.
Visitors will have the option to drive thru/take out the meal or to stay and picnic in the orchard. The orchard venue will include live music wine, beer, hard cider, sangria to purchase, and auction items.
Ag in the Classroom invites you to make a donation of a goods for consumption or goods/services for silent auction at the 20 Mile Taste. As a donor to 20 Mile Taste your business will receive recognition in all print and social media promoting the event. Your business logo will be prominently displayed on the Ag in the Classroom website and all other social media and print communications for the year. Click HERE for donation information.
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Ag at the Board Supervisors Meeting July 26th 9am
22-1288 Subrecipient Agreement 6820 with the El Dorado County Water Agency, providing $5,445,000 in American Rescue Plan Act ("ARPA") funds for the completion of ten water infrastructure projects.
22-1223 Department of Agriculture - Update for Ranch Marketing - Wineries.
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High Pathogenic Avian Influenza Has Reached CA
Bird Flu was found in some wild birds in Glenn and Colusa counties. For those of you who raise poultry, please read advisory letter from Dr. Annette Jones, State Veterinarian to protect your flock.
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Farmers Markets
Placerville Cinema - Saturdays 8AM - 12PM
May 7, 2022 to October 29, 2022
Placerville Bell Tower Main Street - Wednesday, 4PM to 8PM
June to October 2022
Placerville Marshall Medical - Fridays 9AM to 1PM
June to September 2022
Cameron Park Burke Junction - Wednesday 8AM - 12PM
May 11, 2022 to October 12, 2022
El Dorado Hills Town Center - Sunday 8AM - 1PM
May 15, 2022 to October 30, 2022
Garden Valley Park Farmers Market - Saturdays, 9am. to 12pm.
May to October 15, 2022
Tahoe American Legion Hall - Tuesdays 8AM - 1PM
June 7, 2022 to October 11, 2022
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Master Food Preservers Classes
Condiments For Your Summer Barbecue - online
July 26, 2022 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Yes, you can make your favorite condiments at home! Join the UC Master Food Preservers of San Mateo and San Francisco Counties for a workshop as we walk you through the steps to make your own mustards, ketchup, BBQ sauce, and even relish to use this summer and can for future use.
This free workshop is offered online in partnership with the San Mateo County Library System. Register here.
Salsa! (in-person)
July 30, 2022 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
311 Fair Lane Placerville, CA 95667
Let’s Make Salsa!
Learn the do's and don’ts about safely canning salsa. Salsa isn’t always all about tomatoes. How about Peach, Mango, or Pear Salsa? Or use all those cherry tomatoes you have in a Corn and Cherry Tomato salsa. Come join us as we explain food safety issues and share canned salsa recipes.
Ask a Master Food Preserver Live via Zoom
August 3, 2022 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Join the UCCE Master Food Preservers on the first Wednesday of the month for a general Q&A session. A panel of volunteers specializing in freezing, dehydrating, canning and food safety will be available to answer your questions, share their tips and encourage you to safely preserve food at home.
August is hosted by San Bernardino County. We'll be talking about Peaches and the last of summer harvests. We will have a quick show-and-tell on some preserved Peach items(Peach Jam with Sriracha , Peach Rosemary Jam and more). Sign on and join us. Free! Registration required any time before and during the session. You will receive the link to the session in the registration confirmation email.
Pressure Canning for Beginners (in-person)
August 6, 2022 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
311 Fair Lane Placerville, CA 95667
Pressure canning is the only safe way to preserve meat, poultry, and vegetables (excluding pickling). In this class you will learn why we pressure can, the equipment needed, and how to pressure can, step-by-step.
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USDA Designates 16 CA Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
USDA Designates Sixteen California Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas due to the February and April freezes.
This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
Disaster #3: Freeze April 11-13, 2022
Application Deadline: March 1, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Amador, Calaveras and El Dorado
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EDC Agricultural Water Quality Management Corp.
EDAWQMC was formed as a 501(c) 5 nonprofit mutual benefit corporation in 2008 in order for El Dorado County farmers and ranchers who irrigate to comply with the state mandated Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.
What is the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP)?
The California Water Code regulates any persons, individuals, corporations, farm owners or tenant farmers who release waste that could affect the quality of the waters of the State. Owners of irrigated commercial ag lands are considered a discharger under the ILRP and are required to protect the quality of the water from discharges of waste from your property. Waste is broadly defined as soil, silt, sand, clay, rock, metals, salts, nitrogen, pesticides, and fertilizers by way of irrigated and storm waters. Are your irrigated lands in compliance?
Why You Should Become a Member of Our Local Coalition...
All commercial irrigated agricultural operations are considered “dischargers” under the ILRP. If you do not wish to deal with the Regional Board directly, you may join a coalition to comply. EDAWQMC provides a cost-effective means of obtaining coverage. Costs of compliance are shared among all members. EDAWQMC also provides members anonymity since all reports to the Regional Board are at a summary level and individual parcels are not identified.
For More Information Contact us at 530-622-7850, mailing address: PO Box 286, Placerville, CA 95667 or Visit our website: eldoradoagwater.org
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Trip to Green granted green light again
The Placerville City Council voted to approve of the Trip to Green program in which traffic lights on Highway 50 through the city will be set to green during three weekends this fall.
The program will flip those lights green going east and westbound on the highway to improve traffic flow and reduce detoured traffic and gridlock onto local roads such as Broadway and Main Street.
Signals will go green from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the first weekends of August, September and October, which includes Labor Day Weekend. (continued)
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Grow For It! Oh no, rotten tomatoes?
Have you waited anxiously for weeks to harvest tomatoes from your garden, only to discover a dark, sunken spot on the bottom of a ripe tomato? Yes, it looks ugly but don’t despair! This condition is called blossom end rot. It’s not uncommon; it’s not caused by a pest, nor does it mean your whole crop is ruined. Here’s a quick look at causes and cures of blossom end rot. (continued)
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Folsom Lake College Viticulture & Enology
Folsom Lake's Small Vineyard and Winery Management A.S. Degree program will provide foundational knowledge and skills for the next generation of wine-grape growers and wine producers in the Sierra Nevada foothills region of northern California. Online and in-person classes available.
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Lake levels as of July 14-15
Stumpy Meadows Percent full 94%
Folsom Reservoir Percent full 72%
Union Valley Reservoir Percent full 94%
Loon Lake Percent full 96%
Ice House Percent full 89%
Lake Aloha Percent full 90%
Caples Lake Percent full 96%
Echo Lake Percent full 100%
Silver Lake Percent full 89%
Sly Park Percent Full 76.6%
American River Flow 89.6 cfs (up from 87.6)
xx% indicates - reduction xx% indicates - increase xx% unchanged
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Insurance
On Wednesday July 13, 2022, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) held an investigatory hearing into the FAIR Plan Association (FAIR Plan). Commissioner Lara’s opening remarks set the context that the hearing is the result of direct consumer and business stakeholder feedback about whether the FAIR Plan was meetings its core mission. Additionally, in May 2022, CDI published a Market Conduct Exam into the FAIR Plan’s practices and procedures regarding homeowner insurance claims, located online here (search for “FAIR Plan”). The investigatory hearing provided the public an opportunity to comment about the report for the first time since its issuance, particularly on the issue of smoke damage claims.
Next, Bryant Henley from CDI’s staff provided some interesting information about the FAIR Plan. Its mission is to stabilize insurance markets, and provide access to insurance, on a temporary, before policyholders move back to the normal (admitted) market. With the past few years of massive wildfires and resulting insurance policy non-renewals, the FAIR Plan is growing. New policies increased from 23,049 in 2018 to 77,650 in 2020. Over that same timeframe, the FAIR Plan saw renewals grow from 117,398 to 163,816, indicating that consumers are spending years in the FAIR Plan. Then, Mr. Henley presented concerns that CDI has regarding the FAIR Plan’s governance structure, business operations, business conduct, staff levels, staff experience, multi-year strategy, and operational capital.
Public testimony started with elected public officials testifying about the impact of insurance non-renewals and the experiences of their residents moving into the FAIR Plan. Speakers included Assembly member Marie Waldron (represented by staff), El Dorado County Supervisor Wendy Thomas, Amador County Supervisor Jeff Brown, and Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington (represented by staff). All shared common themes that FAIR Plan business operations are slow moving, and application processing arduous.
Next, Jim Houston, Administrator for the California Farm Bureau, presented testimony regarding the challenges that farmers face as the FAIR Plan implements SB 11 (Rubio 2021), which clarified in statute that farms qualify to access the FAIR Plan’s commercial policies. In February 2022, the FAIR Plan began working with farms that were non-renewed in the admitted marketplace and need the FAIR Plan to perform its role as “insurer of last resort.” Mr. Houston discussed the impact of insurance unavailability on the business of farming and the level of risk being carried by farms and agribusiness operations in regions with high participation in the FAIR Plan. He shared real world use cases where the FAIR Plan is not fully meeting the intent of SB 11 of helping farms mitigate risks through accessing the FAIR Plan, including insufficient caps, a need to include fire mitigation measures at the property and community level, and ultimately, a clearinghouse to move FAIR Plan commercial policies back to the admitted marketplace. Later in the hearing, Michael Miiller (representing wine grape growers) and Roger Isom (representing agricultural processors) presented testimony closely aligned with the California Farm Bureau, but each keying on impacts of the FAIR Plan on their agricultural interests.
Other witnesses from the business community followed the California Farm Bureau, ranging from wilderness youth camp operators to rural tourist and hospitality industry association executives. Their common testimony shared that the cost of the FAIR Plan policies was forcing difficult decisions for businesses in rural communities that may force self-insurance or closure, because FAIR Plan costs are not sustainable. Rural Californian residents provided testimony expressing their frustration with the FAIR Plan’s denied smoke damage claims. Experts from United Policyholders (an insurance consumer watchdog group), the Consumer Federation of America, and independent insurance agents that work in communities that write a heavy amount of FAIR Plan policies discussed how the governance and business operations impact delays in application processing which has a chilling effect across businesses in rural communities.
FAIR Plan representatives provided a high-level presentation about the FAIR Plan’s history and operational goals. FAIR Plan’s new President Victoria Roach, joined just four months ago and was transparent about the FAIR Plan’s reasons why its costs are high. Ms. Roach shared that while the FAIR Plan has doubled the number of policies in the past three years, it still makes up just 1.7% of the total California insurance market. The FAIR Plan commented a few times that it must maintain actuarially sound rates. It said that since the FAIR Plan is funded and operated by the insurers in the admitted marketplace, that if rates were lowered and competitive with the admitted market, the result would be a surcharge of sorts on all other policy holders in the state to make up that uncovered costs of plans in the FAIR Plan. Commissioner Lara seemed unconvinced by this reasoning, asking why the FAIR Plan would automatically presume the admitted market insurers could pass on those potential FAIR Plan shortfall costs to California consumers through increased rates.
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CA Minimum Wage Going Up to $15.50 in January 2023
In late May, Governor Newsom announced that California’s minimum wage would increase to $15.50 per your as of January 1, 2023. Previously, New Year’s Day 2023 had been expected to bring a minimum wage of $15/hour for employers of 25 or fewer employees (employers of 26 or more employees were required to pay a minimum wage of $15/hours as of January 1, 2022).
However, the Department of Finance announced in May that inflationary pressures in the first half of 2022 resulted in inflation of 7.6% between 2021 and 2022. SB 3 (Leno, 2016) included an inflation escalator clause mandating automatic minimum wage increases to match inflation in the Consumer Price Index.
As a result, employers of all sizes will be required to pay a minimum of $15.50/hour on January 2, 2023, a $1.50 hike for small employers.
The minimum salary for exempt employees will increase to $64,480 per year or $5773.33 per month, a significant jump for small employers with a current exempt salary floor of $58,240 annually.
In a bit of good news for California employers, the Secretary of State’s office announced on July 1 that a ballot initiative being pushed by labor and anti-poverty advocates to $18 by 2025 in $1 annual increments failed to qualify for the November 2022 ballot. According to the Secretary of State, proponents of the measure failed to submit a sufficient number of verifiable signatures.
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Farm Bill Listening Sessions Invitation
It’s that time again. CDFA, in partnership with the California Department of Public Health, California Natural Resources Agency and Cal EPA, is leading listening sessions with all farm bill stakeholders to inform California’s priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.
The 2023 Farm Bill is an opportunity for California farmers and ranchers to influence national agricultural policy to maximize the benefits for all Californians – from farmers and ranchers to consumers. Although California agriculture traditionally leads the country in production value and sustainable agriculture, we are currently facing a wide range of challenges and your input on farm bill programs and policies is more important than ever.
We want to ensure as many voices and perspectives are included as possible.
Virtual Listening Session
August 10, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Spanish translation provided.
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Wildlife
Have you received a Feral Swine Damage survey from the National Agriculture Statistics Service? The National Feral Swine Damage Management Program (NFSDMP) requested National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to survey the costs of feral swine damage to agricultural commodities to better understand the impacts of this invasive species on U.S. agriculture. The Feral Swine Damage survey focuses on producers growing corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, peanuts, and sorghum in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. The data provided from producers will help to provide a foundation for feral swine research. It will also help measure the cost of damages that feral swine have on pastures, agricultural crops, lawns, landscaping and natural areas, due to feeding, rooting, wallowing, grazing and trampling activities. The data will also assist the UDSA understand the impact that feral swine or wild hogs have on crops across the country. NASS began distributing surveys to producers during the week of June 27th, 2022, requesting responses by August 12, 2022.
So, please check your mailbox! If you received a survey, NASS recommends that you respond online using the new and convenient “Respondent Portal.” On the portal, you can complete your surveys and track upcoming surveys. You can also complete the survey and return it by mail. As required by federal law, information provided by producers will be used for statistical purposes only, ensuring the confidentiality of all responses and that no individual respondent or operation are identified. For more information, click here.
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Upcoming FELS Webinars & Trainings
August 2022 (in-person training): Mandatory Produce Safety Training: The Food Safety Training Partnership, a cooperative effort of California Farm Bureau, Farm Employers Labor Service, and the Safe Food Alliance, is offering produce safety training required by the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Trainings will be offered in-person in Kingsburg, and Modesto. The $35 training fee is substantially supported by a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
FELS Webinars: ICYMI
(In Case You Missed It)
July 7, 2022, 10 AM: Employer Rights During a DOL Investigation: Do you know what to do if you find yourself the unlucky employer chosen for a Department of Labor (DOL) workplace inspection? Catherine Houlihan, Associate Attorney with FELS Group Legal Services Plan partner firm Barsamian & Moody helped our viewers come up with a DOL inspection action plan.
June 2, 2022 (webinar): CalSavers Sign-Up Deadline Coming Soon: Are You Ready? CalSavers, California's mandatory employee opt-out retirement savings program is gradually being applied to smaller and smaller employers; in June 2022, employees of 5 or more employees will be mandated to register with CalSavers if they are not already furnishing their employees with an IRS tax-favored retirement savings option. Jonathan Herrera, Outreach & Marketing Manager for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program will briefed webinar attendees on the CalSavers program, employer registration, and employer responsibilities. Paul Yossem of Nationwide explained the Nationwide 401k program available to Farm Bureau members to furnish a tax-favored retirement savings option for employers who prefer not to participate in CalSavers.
May 26, 2022: Is the 3rd Time the Charm? Cal/OSHA ETS Changes Effective May 6: The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has adopted changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that are effective on May 6 and will be with us until December 31, 2022. What's changed? Erica Rosasco of McKague Rosasco explained it all for your webinar attendees!
May 25, 2022: Employers' Requirements and Enforcement with the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (feat. ALRB Chair Victoria Hassid): Rights to protected concerted activity and other rights protected by the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA) apply to employees even in non-union workplaces. ALRB chair Victoria Hassid offered webinar viewers insight into the Board's enforcement of these rights.
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Friendly Reminder: EDA Capacity Building Webinar
The webinar will provide an overview on federal grant programs offered at the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support capacity building. Discussed programs are designed to support projects that range from but are not limited to the following:
- Developing of scalable startups;
- Creating and sustain manufacturing jobs;
- Investing in physical infrastructure; and
- Highlighting case studies that demonstrate success.
This webinar is hosted in partnership with the Fresno State Office of Community & Economic Development (OCED), U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), and USDA Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement (OPPE).
EDA Capacity Building Webinar
Date: Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Time: 10:00am PST
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Want to sign up for 4-H?
Enrollment for the 22/23 year begins 7/18th
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An Avocado Salad Recipe With Sweet Corn
If I had to pick one side dish to keep on hand all summer long this Avocado Salad Recipe with Sweet Corn would most definitely be it! This salad is equal parts sweet and savory and can be made with either raw or roasted sweet corn depending on your preference and how much time you have to pull it all together. Recipe
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*NEW JOBS*
Ag in the Classroom has two new openings.
Job Description: Program Coordinator
We are currently seeking a professional, innovative, and enthusiastic full-time Program Coordinator. El Dorado Ag in the Classroom is an agricultural and natural resources based educational non-profit serving the students of El Dorado County.
General Job Description: The Program Coordinator shall work with the Executive Director, Program Committee and Board of Directors to achieve the organization's programmatic goals and responsibilities.
Job Description: Administrative Assistant
We are currently seeking a professional, innovative, and enthusiastic part-time Administrative Assistant. El Dorado Ag in the Classroom is an agricultural and natural resources based educational non-profit serving the students of El Dorado County.
General Job Description: The Administrative Assistant shall work with the Executive Director, Finance Committee and Board of Directors to achieve the organization's fiscal responsibilities.
UCCE
El Dorado 4-H CES – 0.8 FTE – Placerville Office
University of California, Cooperative Extension. Community Education Specialist position is 80% time career appointment with possibility of increasing time up to 100% full-time. Will provide support to the 4-H Youth Development Program of Central Sierra Multi-County Partnership in El Dorado County For further information and/or to apply: https://ucanr.edu/About/Jobs/?jobnum=2049 or contact Vera at 209-223-6837. Closes April 8, 2022. UC ANR is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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El Dorado County https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/edcgov
Placerville City https://www.cityofplacerville.org/jobs
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El Dorado Ag In The Classroom has opportunities on several committees: Program, Finance, Development, and Marketing. If you have interest in serving as a volunteer on one of these please send an email here.
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Is there a story you'd like to share with our members? Let us know at admin@edcfb.com
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California’s idle crop land may double as water crisis deepens
California’s historic drought may leave the state with the largest amount of empty farmland in recent memory as farmers face unprecedented cuts to crucial water supplies. The size of fields intended for almonds, rice, wine grapes, and other crops left unworked could be around 800,000 acres, double the size of last year and the most in at least several decades, said Josue Medellin-Azuara, an associate professor at the University of California Merced. The figure is preliminary as researchers continue to look at satellite imaging and other data. Much of the idle land is in California’s Central Valley, which accounts for about a quarter of US food production. Mile after mile of farmland reveals withered crops next to fields of lush green plants, a testament to the tough decisions growers are forced to make on how much and what to produce, and whether to keep farming at all.
Recession fears, trade shifts whipsaw global grain markets
Growing fears of a global recession and easing concerns over world food shortages are reversing a sharp rally in grain markets, but pressure on food supplies could linger for years, executives and agricultural economists say. Prices for agricultural commodities such as corn and wheat have tumbled in recent weeks following a months-long surge touched off by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February. The war between the two agricultural giants drove futures prices for wheat at the Chicago Board of Trade up by $4 a bushel in March, but prices since then have fallen back below prewar levels, dropping more than $5 a bushel, or 40%. Agricultural economists and executives say high grain prices earlier this year reflected worst-case scenarios for global instability that haven’t yet come to pass. Still, food and agriculture officials warn that threats to global grain supplies are far from over and that higher food prices are likely to stay.
Why don’t Californians use goats and sheep more often to reduce fire risk?
As Californians grapple with ever-present wildfire risk amid a record-breaking drought, some are turning to a seemingly simple, and sustainable, solution: sheep and goats. The animals can easily get to spots inaccessible to people, and their hooves create small divots in the ground, naturally tilling the soil. Depending on how costs and benefits are tallied, some homeowners say they are a better investment for clearing brush than paying for workers — though costs of herds are rising. But sheep and goats are not a universal solution for reducing wildfire risk. Christopher Campbell, acting natural resources manager for San Francisco Recreation and Parks, said they generally aren’t a good fit for fire abatement in the city. The animals’ eating habits are non-discriminant, so if they are introduced to areas with more sensitive plant life, they could do damage.
In face of recurring drought, cities seek security in wastewater recycling projects
When it comes to slaking Southern California’s colossal thirst for water, more and more local governments are searching their own sewer lines for a solution. In the face of dire drought, cities and water agencies are now investing heavily in large-scale wastewater recycling facilities — systems that will purify the billions of gallons of treated sewage that are currently flushed out to sea. Among the massive water recycling initiatives now under development in Los Angeles County are a $3.4-billion plant at the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant in Carson and Operation Next — a roughly $16-billion plan from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to purify up to 100% of the wastewater processed by the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant and put it to good use. “Our goal is really to turn the largest discharge of treated wastewater in Southern California into an engine for groundwater replenishment,” said Brad Coffey, of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
LOIS HENRY: Farmers who helped sink Friant-Kern Canal reject fee to pay for fix
Farmers in southern Tulare County have soundly rejected a proposed land fee that would have helped pay a lump sum settlement of $125 million toward fixing the Friant-Kern Canal, which has sunk because of excessive groundwater pumping. The Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency agreed in 2020 to pay a portion of the cost to repair the canal to Friant Water Authority. For decades, farmers in California’s San Joaquin Valley have overpumped groundwater for crops, causing land to sink in some areas. The Friant-Kern Canal, a 152-mile federally owned canal that carries water from Millerton Lake north of Fresno to farms and towns on the east side of the valley down to Arvin, has been significantly damaged by subsidence. Pumping in those white lands has been fingered as the main culprit. The $125 million lump sum [for repairs] would have been paid by a $140-per-acre fee assessed to lands within Eastern Tule GSA. But in an election held on June 30, Eastern Tule GSA farmers rejected the land fee by more than 80 percent, confirmed Rogelio Caudillo, general manager for the GSA.
Another Valley town’s well goes dry. Is the solution just a mile down the road?
The town of Tooleville in Tulare County is once again without water. The town, which has struggled for years with dropping groundwater levels and contamination issues, saw its wells dry up over the weekend. This is the second town in Tulare County to lose water this summer. East Orosi, about 30 miles north of Tooleville, was without water for 24 hours when one of its two wells went down July 12. A pump was installed and restored water to East Orosi. Tooleville, meanwhile, is surviving on water hauled into storage tanks. The town has two storage tanks which were installed by Visalia-based nonprofit SelfHelp Enterprises. On Saturday, the community was switched over to the storage tanks which started receiving 27,000 gallons of hauled water per day after the outage. Tooleville sits in a sea of agricultural fields. Farmers received little to no surface water this year because of the ongoing drought, pushing them to rely heavily on pumping groundwater. That has driven Tooleville’s water levels lower.
California is feeling optimistic it’s winning the war on giant, destructive swamp rodents
California may be winning its five-year, $13 million battle with nutria — the 20-pound, orange-toothed swamp rodents that biologists once feared would play hell with wetlands, flood-control levees, and the state’s water-delivery system. “We do absolutely feel like everything is trending in the right direction,” said Valerie Cook, who runs the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s nutria eradication program. Cook said her team is seeing nutria numbers declining, and they’ve managed to keep them out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California’s most important waterway. Scientists who deal with invasive pests were first alarmed when nutria — a beagle-sized rodent native to the wetlands of South America — was spotted in a private duck-hunting marsh in the spring of 2017 near the farming community of Gustine in Merced County. The fear was the nutria would become impossible to contain if they got into the San Joaquin River and, from there, made it to the network of sloughs, river channels, and canals inside the nearly 1,200-square-mile Delta, the West Coast’s largest estuary and the hub of the delivery system that supplies water to millions of Californians.
These maps show how alarmingly fast California is losing trees as climate warms
California’s forests are in rapid retreat, which bodes ill for the future. Using satellite data, researchers from the University of California, Irvine found that trees in the state’s mountainous regions declined 6.7 percent between 1985 and 2021 thanks to wildfires, drought, and other climate-related sources of stress. The drop was even steeper in the Sierra Nevada, which suffered an 8.8% tree cover loss during that time period. Southern California had the highest tree cover loss with a 14% decline since 1985, the researchers found.
California poised to restrict bee-killing pesticides
Widely used insecticides that harm bees and songbirds would face far-reaching restrictions in California under regulations proposed by the state’s pesticide agency. The new limits would be among the nation’s most extensive for agricultural use of neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides used to kill plant-damaging pests like aphids. The highly potent pesticides have been shown to harm bees, birds, and other creatures. Aimed at protecting bees that pollinate crops, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s proposed rules would restrict four closely-related neonicotinoid chemicals: imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, and dinotefuran. Unveiled in February, the rules would limit when and how much can be applied, depending on the specific chemical, the crop, and, in some cases, the presence of honeybees or other pollinators. California’s pesticide regulators are still evaluating public feedback and there is no specific timeframe for finalizing the proposal.
California fires are so severe some forests might vanish forever
A burn scar in Northern California offers an unsettling glimpse into what forests across the Sierra Nevada could become. Bare tree carcasses are strewn across the dun-colored hills. Rock outcroppings jut out like bones. Two massive wildfires have torn through here over the last 15 years, burning with such intensity through so large an area that the conifer forest will likely be unable to regenerate on its own, experts say. “The concern is the amount of conifer forest that we’ve lost won’t recover,” said Ryan Bauer, fuels and prescribed fire program manager for the Plumas National Forest. “The patches of high-severity fire are so big that there’s not a seed source near enough to get conifer forest reestablished naturally.” About 1.5 million acres of the Sierra Nevada burned last fire season. That surpassed 2020 when almost 1 million acres burned.
Sky-high diesel prices squeeze truckers, farmers, and consumers
The price of diesel fuel has skyrocketed in recent months — much more even than regular gasoline — especially after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Moscow’s attack led numerous nations to spurn Russian fuel, removing from the market a major source of oil, the main component of diesel fuel, and driving prices drastically up. For months, motorists have felt the pain of high gasoline prices. Many may not know that they’re also absorbing the impact of much costlier diesel fuel. That’s because the goods consumers buy — from cereal and orange juice to Amazon deliveries of diapers — are delivered by trucks, trains, or ships that run on diesel. Those inflated prices are then passed on from company to company until they reach consumers in the form of costlier goods. Farmers harvesting hay and planting corn with diesel-fired tractors are absorbing a financial hit. “If you’re a farmer, then your energy costs are higher, and therefore it’s costing more to produce grain, and that’s pushing the price of grain up, and that’s pushing the price of food up,” said Matt Smith, lead oil analyst at Kpler, a research firm.
U.S. panel rejects duties on fertilizers from Russia, Trinidad and Tobago
The U.S. International Trade Commission revoked hefty anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on urea ammonium nitrate fertilizers from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, concluding that those imports did not hurt American producers. The panel's vote may help ease shortages and price increases for fertilizers brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, both major fertilizer exporters. It also marks a rare trade reprieve for Moscow amid tightening Western sanctions and other economic pressure over the nearly five-month-old Ukraine conflict.
How COVID-19 changed California State Fair for farmers who have attended for generations
The California State Fair returned in full force this summer for the first time in three years, but participating farmers are still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The State Fair offers livestock shows and competitions throughout its 17-day run, showcasing animals that range from guinea pigs to 2,000-pound cattle. For returning farmers, the fair typically means reuniting with the same cohort of family farmers year over year. But this year, as the fair returns from the COVID-19 pandemic, several returning farmers told the Bee that many faces are missing. Natalie Reis, 35, has been showing cattle at the fair since she was five years old, and said that even some of the families who have been coming to the fair for as long as she has did not return after the pandemic. “There’s nobody here,” Reis said. “I think it’s not just COVID, it’s everything else going on. A lot of people are not going to sell cows because of the drought, and you can’t buy hay because it’s so expensive because of fuel. It’s just a combination of everything.”
Large trucker protests over California's gig worker law AB5 shut down Port of Oakland terminals
The Oakland International Container Terminal (OICT) management closed operations on Wednesday at the Port of Oakland due to the independent trucker protests over California's gig worker law, known as AB5. The Port's other three marine terminals are effectively shut down for trucks as well, the Port of Oakland told CNBC, while there are some vessel labor operations underway. This is the third-day truckers have protested California's gig worker labor law, which was sparked by the rise of gig economy platforms like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. A two-year legal stay was recently lifted when the Supreme Court decided not to hear a case that would have protected truckers from the impact of the law.
Truckers vow to keep Oakland port shuttered for the third day over labor law protest
A group of truckers vowed to continue their blockade of freight shipments at the Port of Oakland through Thursday amid deepening concerns over major supply chain disruptions at one of the West Coast’s largest ports and a key hub for global commerce. The protest spilled into its third day on Wednesday after escalating to a near-complete shutdown of port activity the day before. A growing chorus of protesters said they planned to continue halting cargo movement until Gov. Gavin Newsom signals that he is listening to their demand to exempt truck drivers from AB 5, a state law that will require thousands of independent truck drivers to register as employees. The governor’s office “came back with nothing,” said Navdeep Gill, the owner of a small freight company, who has been negotiating with port officials. Port of Oakland officials appear to be acting as a middleman between protesters and the governor’s office. “We understand the frustration expressed by the protestors at California ports,” said Danny Wan the port’s executive director said. “But prolonged stoppage of port operations in California for any reason will damage all the businesses operating at the ports and cause California ports to further suffer market share losses to competing ports.”
California just invested millions in lab-grown meat, becoming the first state to back the unproven industry
Before voting to adopt California’s $308 billion state budget last month, Assembly Member Ash Kalra, a Democrat from San Jose, took a tour of Upside Foods, a food technology startup in Emeryville. Inside the gleaming new $50 million facility, Kalra, who went vegan four years ago, and three other local politicians sampled Upside’s prototype: lab-grown, or “cultivated,” chicken meat. “It reminded me of what chicken tastes like,” said Kalra. In the state’s final budget, Kalra pushed to include a $5 million, one-time investment for cultivated meat research. This makes California the first state to offer funding for cultivated meat, a prospective — and unproven — a new form of food. Over 80 alternative protein companies call California home. Fourteen of those are actively working on cultivated meat.
Beloved monarch butterflies now listed as endangered
The monarch butterfly fluttered a step closer to extinction Thursday, as scientists put the iconic orange-and-black insect on the endangered list because of its fast dwindling numbers. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the migrating monarch butterfly for the first time to its “red list” of threatened species and categorized it as “endangered” — two steps from extinct. The group estimates that the population of monarch butterflies in North America has declined between 22% and 72% over 10 years, depending on the measurement method. “What we’re worried about is the rate of decline,” said Nick Haddad, a conservation biologist at Michigan State University. “It’s very easy to imagine how very quickly this butterfly could become even more imperiled.”
Opinion: San Joaquin Valley’s next big air pollution threat: Blowing dust from fallowed farmland
Andrew Ayres, PPIC Water Policy Center, and Jaymin Kwon, associate professor of environmental health at California State University, Fresno: The San Joaquin Valley has faced air quality problems for decades. It is a major transportation thoroughfare and has historically been prone to particulate matter and dust issues that are often worsened by high-wind events and a pollution-trapping topography. In recent decades, particulate matter concentrations have decreased — though wildfires have recently reversed some gains. But the Valley is now facing another threat to air quality: the impending retirement of hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland to achieve groundwater sustainability. It’s imperative that regional, state, and federal actors take proactive measures to address these risks early. We project that over 500,000 acres of farmland may need to be taken out of production over the next two decades to help bring groundwater basins into balance under the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). This is an immense amount of land, and without careful stewardship, widespread fallowing could cause a surge in windblown dust.
Los Angeles may be the first city in California to put recycled water directly in your tap
With the technological advancements in water recycling, water that went down your sink this morning might be back in your tap sooner than you think. The city of Los Angeles and agencies across Southern California are looking into what’s known as “direct potable reuse,” which means putting purified recycled water directly back into our drinking water systems. This differs from indirect potable reuse, where water spends time in a substantial environmental barrier such as an underground aquifer or in a reservoir. Water recycling experts shudder at the infamous phrase “toilet to tap,” an alliteration that became popular in the late 1990s when projects for using recycled water for groundwater replenishment were beginning to take shape in the San Gabriel Valley and the city of Los Angeles. Miller Brewing Co. and community groups vigorously opposed the San Gabriel Valley project, even suing agencies involved over the environmental impact reports. Today, recurring cycles of devastating drought as well as advancements in science have softened that view. A direct potable reuse demonstration facility near the Headworks reservoir just north of Griffith Park probably will be the state’s first approved direct potable reuse project. “This is going to be the future of L.A.’s water, the future of the state’s water supply,” said Jesus Gonzalez, manager of water recycling policy at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Truckers are holding the Oakland port captive. Can Newsom end the standoff?
The Port of Oakland has been brought to a grinding halt this week as hundreds of protesting truckers hold a key commerce hub captive. The action — following a similar one at Southern California ports last week — has dealt another blow to supply chains already reeling from pandemic delays. The self-employed truckers are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to amend AB 5, a controversial labor law that could end their business model. Some say they will continue the port shutdown until they get action. But it is unclear what, if anything, the governor could or will do to end the blockade at one of the West Coast’s busiest ports. The protest is the latest turn in the winding saga of AB 5, which will require tens of thousands of truckers, along with other independent contractors, to register as employees. The 2019 legislation — commonly known as the “gig worker law” — is best known for forcing Uber and Lyft to treat their drivers as employees and sparking a pricey political battle. But unlike Uber and Lyft’s efforts, pumping over $200 million into a successful ballot measure to exempt their drivers from AB 5, the port protest is an ad-hoc action organized largely on a 500-person WhatsApp group by a loose coalition of independent truck drivers and small-freight business owners.
Ukraine and Russia to sign Grain Export Deal, Turkey says
An international deal to restart grain exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports that have been blocked since Russia’s invasion is expected to be signed Friday, potentially easing concerns of a global food crisis. The agreement could help revive the crops trade from one of the world’s biggest wheat, corn, and vegetable-oil exporters. However, it is unclear how the deal will be implemented and whether Ukrainian sales can return to normal levels with Russia’s invasion still raging. Millions of tons of grain are stalled in Ukraine after the war stifled seaborne trade, which normally accounts for the bulk of the country’s sales. The US National Security Council said in a statement that “we are hopeful though realistic about the prospects for re-opening Ukraine’s agricultural exports given how Russia has been blocking exports throughout the war, exacerbating global food insecurity."
Fertilizer cargo from Russia heads to U.S. as many worry about food shortages
A tanker carrying a liquid fertilizer product from Russia is about to arrive in the United States, sources and vessel tracking data showed in recent days, at a time of widespread worry that sky-high global fertilizer prices could lead to food shortages. President Joe Biden's administration has not blacklisted Russian agricultural commodities, including fertilizers, in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion. Still, many Western banks and traders have steered clear of Russian supplies for fear of running afoul of rapidly changing rules.
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2021/2022 Board of Directors
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Ranalli
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Staff
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El Dorado County Farm Bureau News is a weekly publication for its members. Dues for membership are $185 for agricultural members, $150 for Business Ag Support, $72 for Associate members and $25 for Collegiate. Non-profit postage paid at Placerville, CA. Postmaster: Send changes to 2460 Headington Road, Placerville, CA 95667 El Dorado County Farm Bureau does not assume responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products advertised in El Dorado County newsletter, nor does Farm Bureau assume responsibility for statements or expressions of opinion other than in editorials or in articles showing authorship by an officer, director or employee of El Dorado County Farm Bureau or its affiliates.
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