California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • Dan Rotlisberger Named Vineyard Manager for Robert Young Vineyards

    Effective April 18th, Dan Rotlisberger has been named Vineyard Manager, Robert Young Estate Vineyards, reporting to CEO Jim Young.

    “We are delighted to welcome Dan to our family vineyards and look forward to his contributions to our future growth,” said Jim Young. “We interviewed many candidates, but Dan’s professional experience and strong ties to the Sonoma County community made him a natural choice to help lead us into the future. The family is also pleased that Dan is a distant relative of our family, being the great grandnephew of my mother, Gertrude Rotlisberger” Young added.

    “I am honored to join the Young family in the evolution of this historic premium estate vineyard,” Rotlisberger said.

    Dan, a fifth generation Alexander Valley farmer, brings over 14 years of professional vineyard management in Sonoma County to his new role. Most recently the Senior Viticulturalist at Redwood Empire Vineyard Management, Dan oversaw the complete management of approximately 1,200 acres of vineyards in Alexander Valley and Mendocino County. He graduated from California State University, Fresno with a Double Major; BS in Viticulture and Enology and earned an Executive MBA from Sonoma State. Dan has served on the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission as the first Sustainability Committee Chairman and was noted in the North Bay Business Journal’s “Forty under 40” young professionals in 2016. He lives in Alexander Valley with his wife Jacqueline and his two children.

    The winery and vineyards are located at 4960 Red Winery Road, Geyserville, CA 95441. More information at  https://www.ryew.com/.

  • California Well-Represented at 2022 LMA Annual Convention & World Livestock Auctioneer Championship

    Shipshewana Auction, Inc., Shipshewana, Ind., will host the 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) on Saturday, June 11. The 58th annual WLAC will take place in conjunction with the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA) Annual Convention.

    A total of 31 semi-finalist auctioneers will compete in the contest comprised of an auctioneering and interview portion. The auctioneering contest will take place during a live sale, where contestants will sell cattle to actual bidders in the seats. Additionally, because of the important, high-profile role, each WLAC semi-finalist must clearly establish and demonstrate their knowledge of the livestock marketing industry in an interview competition.

    Contestants who qualified to compete are Zach Ballard, Presho, S.D.; Andy Baumeister, Goldthwaite, Texas; Neil Bouray, Webber, Kan.; Justin Dodson, Welch, Okla.; Eric Drees, Caldwell, Idaho; Dean Edge, Rimbey, Alberta; Will Epperly, Dunlap, Iowa; Brandon Frey, Diagonal, Iowa; Joshua Garcia, Goliad, Texas; Philip Gilstrap, Pendleton, S.C.; Steve Goedert, Dillon, Mont.; Brandon Hamel, Natoma, Kan.; Michael Imbrogno, Turlock, Calif.; Marcus Kent, Dunnellon, Fla.; Lynn Langvardt, Chapman, Kan.; Kyle Layman, North Platte, Neb.; Wade Leist, Boyne City, Mich.; Jacob Massey, Petersburg, Tenn.; Justin Mebane, Bakersfield, Calif.; Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland, Ohio; Sixto Paiz, Portales, N.M.; Ross Parks, New Concord, Ohio; Jake Parnell, Sacramento, Calif.; Chris Pinard, Swainsboro, Ga.; Jack Riggs, Glenns Ferry, Idaho; Jeff Showalter, Broadway, Va.; Barrett Simon, Rosalia, Kan.; Dustin Smith, Jay, Okla.; Andrew Sylvester, Wamego, Kan.; Curtis Wetovick, Fullerton, Neb.; Tim Yoder, Montezuma, Ga.

    Reigning World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, Chuck Bradley will be in attendance, along with many other past World Livestock Auctioneer Champions. Each will sell cattle during the Parade of Champions, a portion of the WLAC sale between the semi-finalist and finalist rounds.

    Members of the 2021 Leadership in Livestock Marketing Seminar class will also be present at the event.

    If you are interested in viewing WLAC, tune into the live, online broadcasts. The interviews will be on Friday, June 10, and can be viewed live on www.LMAauctions.com or LMA Facebook Live starting at 3:00 p.m. (ET). The auctioneering competition will be at Shipshewana Auction, Inc. beginning at 8:00 a.m. (ET) and will also be streamed live on www.LMAAuctions.com and the LMA Facebook page. Following the event, WLAC will be broadcast as a special, one-hour show on RFD-TV.

    About the Livestock Marketing Association

    The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., is North America’s leading, national trade association dedicated to serving its members in the open and competitive auction method of marketing livestock. Founded in 1947, LMA has more than 800 member businesses across the U.S. and Canada and remains invested in both the livestock and livestock marketing industries through support, representation and communication efforts. For more information, visit www.LMAWeb.com.

  • U.S. Retaliatory Tariffs Required as Canada Refuses USMCA Obligations

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) today called on the U.S. government to levy retaliatory tariffs on Canada after Ottawa made clear that it refuses to meet its signed treaty obligations under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) concerning dairy market access.

    In January, a USMCA dispute resolution panel initiated by the U.S. found that Canada’s dairy tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) system violates the terms of USMCA. Canada issued a new TRQ proposal in March which included only inconsequential changes. Today’s announcement shows no indication that Canada intends to comply with its USMCA commitments on dairy TRQs.

    “Canada made a clear choice to thumb its nose at both the United States government and its international treaty obligations. It has completely disregarded the USMCA agreement signed just a few short years ago,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Ottawa’s decision today is clearly designed to test our resolve by doubling down on its longstanding dairy trade violations, ignoring both the spirit and the letter of its trade agreements. That decision demands retaliatory action by the U.S. government. Otherwise, our trade agreements will be seen as toothless before the ink is dry.”

    “USTR, USDA and scores of members of Congress from both side of the aisle have worked diligently to ensure American dairy farmers and manufacturers benefit from USMCA. They deserve our deepest thanks for bringing us this far,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “Unfortunately, Canada simply refuses to institute real reform, and such actions must have consequences. Retaliatory tariffs are both fair and necessary in this circumstance, as clearly provided for by USMCA.”

    As an April 5 bipartisan letter on the matter sent to Ambassador Tai and Secretary Vilsack from several leading members of the U.S. House of Representatives stated, “A deal’s a deal; it’s not too much to ask that our trading partners live up to their end of the bargain.”

    On April 19, USDEC and NMPF filed public comments on the matter with Global Affairs Canada. The filing noted, “Canada’s proposed allocation and administration policy changes in response to the CUSMA report continue to fall woefully short of full compliance with Canada’s CUSMA obligations. This has consequences not only for the agreed-upon CUSMA benefits denied U.S. and Canadian stakeholders, but also for the credibility of CUSMA enforcement procedures undergoing their first test in this dispute and for the success of CUSMA itself. We urge Canada to consider its larger interest in the success of the CUSMA and modify its dairy TRQ allocation and administration policies to give effect, in good faith, to Canada’s CUSMA commitments.”

    The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) also shared their distaste with Canada’s actions. “This outcome is completely unacceptable,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “Canada’s publication today clearly shows they are ignoring their trade commitments agreed to in the USMCA and refusing to administer their dairy TRQs in a manner compliant with the agreement. The U.S. dairy industry has made clear from the start that U.S. dairy exporters demand real TRQ reform that will permit the market access Canada agreed to. The U.S. met with Canada a week ago on this very matter and expected a good faith effort. Instead, Canada continues to deny U.S. dairy products from reaching their full capacity under the terms of the deal and continues to deny the existence of any obligations. IDFA thoroughly rejects the Canadian policy published today and demands a swift response from USTR.”

    He continued, “Canada cannot be permitted to blatantly disregard their trade obligations after having been found non-compliant by a neutral and expert panel, only to then ignore their obligations without consequence. We are pleased to see USDA responding forcefully and hope that USTR does the same. Our government must hold Canada accountable.”

  • U.S. Fresh Potatoes Begin Export To Mexico

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Mexico’s national plant protection organization (SENASICA) announce that the United States has begun exporting potatoes beyond the 26-kilometer border zone that previously marked the limit of their export.  The two countries reached an agreement late last year to expand that market access for U.S. potatoes, something that the United States has sought for more than 25 years.

    “Through this accomplishment, we are delivering better markets for U.S. farmers, supporting economic growth, and providing access to our southern neighbors to the high-quality and safe products our farmers work hard every day to grow and sustain.  USDA will continue to fight for new and expanded markets for American products as we help the nation build back better,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

    The U.S. potato industry estimates that this access for U.S. fresh potatoes to all of Mexico will provide a market potential of $250 million per year, in five years. This is an increase of $190 million from the current export value of $60 million.

  • New Dairy, Livestock Insurance Options for Better Protection, Flexibility

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated three key crop insurance options for livestock producers: the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP). USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the insurance options to reach more producers, offer greater flexibility for protecting their operations, and ultimately, better meet the needs of the country’s swine, dairy, and cattle producers. The updates were published last week for the 2023 crop year, which begins July 1, 2022.

    “Great and sound customer service is the most important thing we can provide our nation’s producers, making sure the programs and products we offer give them the most useful tools for covering their risks,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “Agriculture is not a static industry, and these updates reflect the importance we place on always knowing the evolving needs of producers and offering the most people the best risk management tools we can.”

    DRP is designed to insure against unexpected declines in the quarterly revenue from milk sales relative to a guaranteed coverage level; LGM protects against the loss of gross margin (or livestock’s market value minus feed costs); and LRP provides protection against price declines.

    Producers will now have more flexibility for DRP, LGM, and LRP, when indemnities are used to pay premiums, which can help producers manage their operation’s cash flow. With these updates, producers can now have both LGM and LRP policies, although they cannot insure the same class of livestock for the same time period or have the same livestock insured under multiple policies.

    Additional updates by insurance option include:

    Dairy Revenue Protection

    • Dairy producers are now able to continue coverage even if they experience a disaster, such as a barn fire, at their operation.

    Livestock Gross Margin

    • Cattle, Dairy, and Swine coverage has been expanded, making it available in all counties in all 50 states.   

    Livestock Risk Protection

    • Insurance companies are now required to pay indemnities within 30 days, rather than the previous 60 days, following the receipt of the claim form.  
    • Head limits have been increased:     
    o Fed Cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year
    o Feeder Cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year
    o Swine: 70,000 head per endorsement and 750,000 head per crop year
    • The termination date under LRP has been extended from June 30 to August 31  
    • Location reporting requirements have been relaxed to list only state and county, instead of the precise legal location.  

    Learn more on RMA’s Livestock Insurance Plans webpage. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator.

    More Information

    These improvements to livestock insurance options build on other efforts by USDA to improve programs for livestock producers. Recently, USDA expanded the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish to cover transportation costs of livestock to feed as well as feed to livestock. And USDA expanded Dairy Margin Coverage to enable dairy producers to enroll supplemental coverage.

  • USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs of Organic, Transitioning Producers

    Agricultural producers and handlers who are certified organic, along with producers and handlers who are transitioning to organic production, can now apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program(OCCSP), which help producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses. Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due October 31, 2022.

    “By helping with organic certification costs – long identified as a barrier to certification – USDA has helped producers participate in new markets while investing in the long-term health of their operations,” said Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We launched the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program to build on the support offered through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program and provide additional assistance to organic and transitioning producers weathering the continued market impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, in response to stakeholder feedback, we have aligned the signup dates for these two organic programs and encourage producers to work with the local USDA Service Centers and State agencies to complete the applications. The FSA, and the USDA broadly, are committed to making sure our Nation’s organic producers and handlers have the tools they need to continue positively shaping our local and regional food systems.”

    Cost Share for 2022 

    OTECP covers:

    • Certification costs for organic producers and handlers (25% up to $250 per category).
    • Eligible expenses for transitional producers, including fees for pre-certification inspections and development of an organic system plan (75% up to $750).
    • Registration fees for educational events (75% up to $200).
    • Soil testing (75% up to $100).

    Meanwhile, OCCSP covers 50% or up to $500 per category of certification costs in 2022.

    This cost share for certification is available for each of these categories: crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling and State organic program fees.

    Producers can receive cost share through both OTECP and OCCSP. Both OTECP and OCCSP cover costs incurred from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022.  Producers have until October 31, 2022 to file applications, and FSA will make payments as applications are received.

    How to Apply 

    To apply, producers and handlers should contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at their local USDA Service Center. As part of completing the OCCSP applications, producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses. Organic producers and handlers may also apply for OCCSP through participating State agencies.

    Additional details can be found on the OTECP and OCCSP webpages.

    Opportunity for State Agencies   

    FSA is accepting applications for State agencies to administer OCCSP through July 18, 2022. If a State department of agriculture chooses to participate in OCCSP, both the State department of agriculture and FSA County Offices in that State will accept OCCSP applications and make payments to eligible certified operations. However, the producer or handler may only receive OCCSP assistance by either FSA or the participating State department of agriculture.

    More Information   

    OTECP builds upon OCCSP, providing additional relief to help producers during the pandemic. OTECP uses funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act; OCCSP is funded through the Farm Bill.

    USDA has made other strides to assist organic producers. In 2022, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) increased expansion limits for organic producers with coverage through Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP). RMA also updated the insurance option to allow producers to report acreage as certified organic or transitioning, as long as organic certification was requested by the acreage reporting date. Also, this year, RMA introduced a new option – Micro Farm – through WFRP designed for producers with small-scale operations that sell locally, which includes organic producers.

  • $6 Billion on its Way to Commodity & Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2020, 2021 Natural Disasters

    The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2020 and 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments totaling approximately $6 billion through the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) new Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to offset crop yield and value losses.

    “For over two years, farmers and ranchers across the country have been hard hit by an ongoing pandemic coupled with more frequent and catastrophic natural disasters,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.  “As the agriculture industry deals with new challenges and stressors, we at USDA look for opportunities to inject financial support back into the rural economy through direct payments to producers who bear the brunt of circumstances beyond their control. These emergency relief payments will help offset the significant crop losses due to major weather events in 2020 and 2021 and help ensure farming operations are viable this crop year, into the next growing season and beyond.”

    Background

    On September 30, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 117-43), which includes $10 billion in assistance to agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms, and other eligible disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021. FSA recently made payments to ranchers impacted by drought and wildfire through the first phase of the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP). ERP is another relief component of the Act.

    For impacted producers, existing Federal Crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) data is the basis for calculating initial payments. USDA estimates that phase one ERP benefits will reach more than 220,000 producers who received indemnities for losses covered by federal crop insurance and more than 4,000 producers who obtained NAP coverage for 2020 and 2021 crop losses.

    ERP Eligibility – Phase One

    ERP covers losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines due to a qualifying natural disaster event in calendar years 2020 and 2021.  Eligible crops include all crops for which crop insurance or NAP coverage was available, except for crops intended for grazing. Qualifying natural disaster events include wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought, and related conditions.

    For drought, ERP assistance is available if any area within the county in which the loss occurred was rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a:

    •  D2 (severe drought) for eight consecutive weeks; or 
    •  D3 (extreme drought) or higher level of drought intensity. 

      

    Lists of 2020 and 2021 drought counties eligible for ERP is available on the emergency relief website.

    To streamline and simplify the delivery of ERP phase one benefits, FSA will send pre-filled application forms to producers where crop insurance and NAP data are already on file. This form includes eligibility requirements, outlines the application process and provides ERP payment calculations. Producers will receive a separate application form for each program year in which an eligible loss occurred. Receipt of a pre-filled application is not confirmation that a producer is eligible to receive an ERP phase one payment.

    Additionally, producers must have the following forms on file with FSA within 60 days of the ERP phase one deadline, which will later be announced by FSA’s Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs:

    • Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.  
    • Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity.   
    • Form CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities (if applicable).   
    • Form FSA-510, Request for an Exception to the $125,000 Payment Limitation for Certain Programs (if applicable).   
    • Form CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, if applicable, for the 2021 program year.   
    • A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to as HELC) and wetland conservation certification (Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for the ERP producer and applicable affiliates.  

    Most producers, especially those who have previously participated in FSA programs, will likely have these required forms on file. However, those who are uncertain or want to confirm the status of their forms can contact their local FSA county office.

    ERP Payment Calculations – Phase One 

    For crops covered by crop insurance, the ERP phase one payment calculation for a crop and unit will depend on the type and level of coverage obtained by the producer. Each calculation will use an ERP factor based on the producer’s level of crop insurance or NAP coverage.

      

    • Crop Insurance – the ERP factor is 75% to 95% depending on the level of coverage ranging from catastrophic to at least 80% coverage. 
    • NAP – the ERP factor is 75% to 95% depending on the level of coverage ranging from catastrophic to 65% coverage.      

     

    Full ERP payment calculation factor tables are available on the emergency relief website and in the program fact sheet.

    Applying ERP factors ensures that payments to producers do not exceed available funding and that cumulative payments do not exceed 90% of losses for all producers as required by the Act.

    Also, there will be certain payment calculation considerations for area plans under crop insurance policies.

    The ERP payment percentage for historically underserved producers, including beginning, limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and veteran farmers and ranchers will be increased by 15% of the calculated payment for crops having insurance coverage or NAP.

    To qualify for the higher payment percentage, eligible producers must have a CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, form on file with FSA for the 2021 program year.

    Because the amount of loss due to a qualifying disaster event in calendar years 202 and 2021 cannot be separated from the amount of loss caused by other eligible causes of loss as defined by the applicable crop insurance or NAP policy, the ERP phase one payment will be calculated based on the producer’s loss due to all eligible causes of loss.

    Future Insurance Coverage Requirements

    All producers who receive ERP phase one payments, including those receiving a payment based on crop, tree, bush, or vine insurance policies, are statutorily required to purchase crop insurance, or NAP coverage where crop insurance is not available, for the next two available crop years, as determined by the Secretary.  Participants must obtain crop insurance or NAP, as may be applicable:

    • At a coverage level equal to or greater than 60% for insurable crops; or 
    • At the catastrophic level or higher for NAP crops. 

     

    Coverage requirements will be determined from the date a producer receives an ERP payment and may vary depending on the timing and availability of crop insurance or NAP for a producer’s particular crops.  The final crop year to purchase crop insurance or NAP coverage to meet the second year of coverage for this requirement is the 2026 crop year.

    Emergency Relief – Phase Two (Crop and Livestock Producers)

    Today’s announcement is only phase one of relief for commodity and specialty crop producers.  Making the initial payments using existing safety net and risk management data will both speed implementation and further encourage participation in these permanent programs, such as Federal crop insurance, as Congress intended.

    The second phase of both ERP and ELRP programs will fill gaps and cover producers who did not participate in or receive payments through the existing programs that are being leveraged for phase one implementation.  When phase one payment processing is complete, the remaining funds will be used to cover gaps identified under phase two.

    Through proactive communication and outreach, USDA will keep producers and stakeholders informed as program details are made available.   More information on ERP can be found in the Notice of Funding Availability.

    Additional Commodity Loss Assistance

    The Milk Loss Program and On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program are also funded through the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act and will be announced in a future rule in the Federal Register.

    More Information

    Additional USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool. For FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent.

  • Central Valley Ag Students Recognized for Research, Industry & Community Involvement

    Four Fresno State students in the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology were recognized May 5 with area ag scholar awards by 23rd District Assemblyman Jim Patterson at a ceremony at the Vincent E. Petrucci Viticulture Building.

    Plant science senior Omar Albughanam (of Clovis), agricultural business senior Riley Barney (Chowchilla), agricultural education senior Jocelyne Juarez (Wasco) and plant science junior Aalexis Woolf (Bakersfield) were selected for the awards based on their passion, growth and innovation related to their academic success, research and service to industry and the community.

    Each student also received a $500 scholarship from My Job Depends on Ag, a national grassroots organization that started in Fresno and shares personal perspectives on how agriculture impacts all lives.

    Albughanam placed fourth in the national speech contest this past fall at the Students for Agronomy, Soils and Environmental Science Conference, and also competed in related soil judging and quiz bowl team events. He has worked with students, faculty, industry and community members as the Irrigation Club president and as a Plant Science Club member. He also studies topics related to gas, moisture and nitrate topics as a USDA technical research intern.

    Barney has worked with students, faculty and staff as Agricultural Business Club president and Jordan College Student Leadership Council member. She has worked on a legislative bill that impacts the labeling and usage of California olive oil as a California Apple Commission intern.  She has studied the potential impacts of genetically modified walnuts and domestic and international market response as a member of the Jordan College Honors Research Cohort. She will start a master’s degree in international affairs this fall at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M.

    Juarez has been committed to Central Valley agricultural education and outreach as part of the state FFA Field Day planning committee and multicultural ambassadors campus program. She has dedicated her honors research to studying learning activities that develop soft skills that are tied to the Ag Career Readiness Certificate Pathway project. She has served as a co-coordinator for the state agricultural ambassador conference and hosted campus visits and farm tours for Central Valley schools.

    Woolf has served as president and former secretary of the FFA Field Day committee, which welcomes 3,000 students, advisers and volunteers to campus each year. She has served as a campus agricultural ambassador and judged various speaking competitions for local high school students. She spent this past summer interning with Syngenta Crop Protection and created presentations to educate future customers.

    More information on the awards is available from Alisha Gallon, district director for the Office of Assemblyman Jim Patterson, at Alisha.Gallon@asm.ca.gov or 559.446.2029.

  • Farmer Veteran Coalition Announces 2022 Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund Awardees

     Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) announced $470,000 given in awards and equipment to veterans across the country through the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund. It’s the largest amount awarded in program history. The Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund provides direct assistance to veterans involved in agriculture by awarding them equipment and small grants in the amount of $1,000 to $5,000 to purchase items they have identified will make a crucial difference in the launch of their farm business.

    More than 130 farmer veterans representing 41 states and all branches of service—with the exception of the Space Force—received notifications this week that they have been selected to receive an award to purchase things like beekeeping equipment, fencing, livestock, tractor implements, walk-behind tractors, and other supplies.

    “At a time when the agriculture industry is feeling the effects of current events, it’s a great pleasure to give a well-deserved boost to our farmer veterans who continue to serve our nation through farming,” said Rachel Petitt, program director for the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund. “Without the generous support from our funders, it wouldn’t be possible to make such a big impact and provide this much needed assistance to our farmer veterans.”

    Major funding for this year’s program was made possible by Wounded Warrior Project®, Kubota Tractor Corporation, Tractor Supply, and Northwest Farm Credit Services. Additional funding and support was provided by Homestead Implements, Farm Credit West, Lamps Plus, Sugar Bottom Farm, Unearth Campaigns, Vital Farms, and G&R Farms/Military Produce Group.

    Veterans who submitted an application to the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund had the option to apply for Kubota’s Geared to Give program which donates five pieces of equipment and grants to Farmer Veteran Coalition members each year. Recipients of this year’s Geared to Give awards will be announced later this spring. The Geared to Give program has provided 41 pieces of equipment and grants to Farmer Veteran Coalition members since it was established in 2015. 

    Awardees of the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund were selected by third-party reviewers consisting of seasoned agriculture industry professionals from Farm Credit Council and their network of cooperative lending institutions, the National AgrAbility Project, and other partner organizations. Applications were judged based on the strength of a veteran’s business plan, personal investment in their business, vision and goals, and a clear need for assistance. The application period for the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund opens once per year, usually in January, at which time veterans have four weeks to submit an application.

    “Access to capital is often one of the biggest challenges beginning farmers face and the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund was established to help address that challenge for U.S. Military veterans and servicemembers who operate an agriculture business,” said FVC Executive Director Jeanette Lombardo.

    To see the full list of awardees, visit     www.farmvetco.org/2022-awardees.

    Since it was established in 2011, the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund has awarded nearly $4 million in small grants and equipment to more than 930 veterans. To learn more about the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund, please visit     www.farmvetco.org/fvfellowship. To inquire about supporting the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund, please contact rachel@farmvetco.org.

    About Farmer Veteran Coaltion
    The mission of Farmer Veteran Coalition is mobilizing veterans to feed America. Established in 2008, its in-house programs include the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund small grant program, the nationally recognized Homegrown By Heroes label for veteran-grown products, and national and regional conferences. As the nation’s largest nonprofit assisting veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces embark on careers in agriculture, FVC has been successful in getting millions of dollars of USDA funds appropriated for farmer veteran and the groups that support them. Learn more at: www.farmvetco.org or follow on Facebook or Instagram at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and Twitter at @FarmVetCo.

  • California Farmland Trust Welcomes Lauren Fox as Program Associate

    California Farmland Trust (CFT) is pleased to welcome Lauren Fox to the CFT team. Lauren will serve as the program associate.

    Lauren joins the organization as a 2021 University of Nevada, Reno graduate, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in community health sciences.

    Growing up in Elk Grove, Lauren is no stranger to the Central Valley and California’s agricultural economy. Her family’s roots stem back to farming, which helped Lauren develop an appreciation for the land and the natural resources it provides. Seeing the push for development in her hometown, Lauren is eager to contribute to more farmland protection in California, as it influences our health and sustainability.

    “Lauren brings unique experiences, a fresh perspective, and forward-thinking mindset to California Farmland Trust,” said Charlotte Mitchell, executive director at CFT. “Given her education in public health and connection to the area, Lauren is motivated to make a positive difference in our local communities. We are happy to welcome her to the organization.”

    As the program associate, Lauren will work in collaboration with the conservation director to assist in facilitating transactions, help monitor project stewardship, and provide administrative support throughout the whole organization.

    “I am excited to join the California Farmland Trust team and have the opportunity to build a bridge between public health and the agriculture industry,” Lauren said. “I have studied how the environment impacts our health, and I am looking forward to creating awareness about the benefits land conservation has on long-term well-being. I hope to be an example of how you do not have to have a direct agriculture background, to be an advocate.”

    The California Farmland Trust is a California nonprofit 501(c)(3). Our mission is to help farmers protect the best farmland in the world. To date, we have protected 17,606 acres of farmland on 81 farms. To learn more visit us: www.cafarmtrust.org.