California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • CAWG Elects New Board Directors, Tom Slater as Chair

    The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) has announced the election of new board officers and directors. CAWG is governed by 27 growers in six districts who serve three-year terms beginning Dec. 1.

    Tom Slater of Slater Farms in Clarksburg was elected chair. He succeeds Mike Testa of Coastal Vineyard Care in Buellton, who served in the role for two years. Other directors elected as officers are Jeff Bitter, winegrape grower in Madera, vice chair; Gregg Hibbits of Mesa Vineyard Management in Templeton, vice chair; Jason Smith of Valley Farm Management in Salinas, secretary; and Kendall Hoxsey-Onysko of Napa Wine Co./Yount Mill Vineyards in Oakville, treasurer.

    “Tom Slater is known as an industry leader who has been active on a variety of issues important to the agricultural community in the Delta and winegrape growers throughout California,” CAWG President John Aguirre said. “He leads a board of directors that is highly engaged and motivated to improve California’s policy climate.”

    Reelected directors are Duff Bevill of Bevill Vineyard Management in Healdsburg, Greg Gonzalez of Foley Family Farms in Los Olivos, Kendall Hoxsey-Onysko of Napa Wine Co./Yount Mill Vineyards in Oakville, Marshall Miller of The Thornhill Companies in Santa Barbara and Jeff Wiens of Wiens Family Cellars of Temecula.

    New directors are Aaron P. Lange of LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards in Lodi (returning to the board), Ron Lanza of Wooden Valley Winery and Lanza Vineyards in Fairfield, Dave Michul of Beckstoffer Vineyards in Rutherford and Molly Scott of Justin Vineyards in Paso Robles.

    Outgoing directors are David Beckstoffer of Beckstoffer Vineyards in Napa, Joe Cotta of Joseph Cotta Vineyards in Galt, Troy Javadi of Meadowlark Harvesting in Paso Robles and Robert Pirie of Colligere Farm Management in Lodi.

  • Why Sonoma County Needs a Wine Grape Pest Control District

    “Napa County has a Wine Grape Pest Control District, why not other critical wine growing regions in the North Coast?” This was a topic of discussion at the recent Sonoma Grape Expo.  Vineyards are constantly threatened by invasive pests and diseases, and Jason Saling (local grower, President of the Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group, and Chair pro Tem on the Sonoma County Pest Control District Coalition) is collaborating with the industry to make this possible.  Watch this video and read more in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Successful North Coast Grape Harvest Spurs Growth & Investment

    Despite numerous challenges for the wine industry these past few years, Allied Grape Growers was pleased to report all of their North Coast fruit safely harvested and delivered this season. Watch this video with North Coast representative Chad Clark as he also discusses new growth and investment in the region. Read more about it in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine. Watch this video and read more in American Vineyard Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • California Wine Market Shapes up with Successful 2021 Harvest

    After some challenging years fraught with wildfires, pandemic and inventory issues, 2021 appears to be wrapping up on a positive note for the California wine industry as shared at Malcolm Media’s Sonoma Grape Expo.  Watch this brief interview with Marc Cuneo from Turrentine Brokerage as he explains, and read more about it in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • NRCS Announces Funding to Work with CA Farmers to Improve Water Quality

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has awarded $1.6 million in funding through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) for three projects in high priority watersheds in California to help agricultural producers improve water quality.

    “The NWQI allows us to address water quality problems at a watershed scale,” said NRCS State Conservationist Carlos Suarez. “We can target the conservation measures that will be effective at reducing pollution and will work for local farms and ranches.”

    Through NWQI, NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance in these watersheds using funds from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for implementing and planning conservation practices to address agricultural sources of water pollution, including nutrients, sediment, pesticides, and pathogens related to agricultural production.

    Clear Lake Project

    The Clear Lake project has been selected for funding as a new Source Water Protection planning watershed, targeting conservation efforts through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). The development of a Source Water Protection watershed plan for Clear Lake will be supported with $50,000 in Conservation Technical Assistance funding during Fiscal Year 2022.

    Partners in Lake County will develop a watershed plan to implement land-based conservation practices that will reduce phosphorus and sediment runoff into Clear Lake. Phosphorus and sediment contribute to the development of freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (FCHABs), which produce toxins and unpalatable odors. In addition to making recreation on the lake unpleasant, treatment costs are greatly increased for the 17 drinking water systems surrounding Clear Lake and the economically distressed communities that they serve. With the plan in place, Clear Lake would become eligible for additional implementation funding through NWQI in future years.

     

    Salt River Project

    The Salt River project has been selected for funding as a new implementation watershed, with $800,000 allocated through EQIP for Fiscal Year 2022 to support implementation of the Salt River Watershed Plan.

    Salt River in Humboldt County suffers degradation from excess sediment and high temperatures, attributed to a variety of sources including agriculture and forestry operations and natural processes such as landslides. Nutrients and pathogens are water quality concerns, although these issues have not required regulation. The additional funding through NWQI will allow local partners to focus efforts for sediment reduction in steep forested areas of the watershed, promote stream-side reforestation in lower elevations to bring water temperatures down, and implement conservation measures on farms and ranches to prevent nutrients and pathogens from entering the river.

    Calleguas Creek Project

    The Calleguas Creek project has been selected for funding as a new implementation watershed, with $750,000 allocated through NRCS’s EQIP for Fiscal Year 2022 to support implementation of the Calleguas Creek Watershed Plan.

    Calleguas Creek in Ventura County suffers from multiple water quality issues including excess salts, toxicity, nitrogen, trash, metals, and organochlorine and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pesticides. Additional funding through the NWQI will assist vegetable growers, berry and orchard operations in the Calleguas Creek watershed to implement sediment and nutrient management practices to improve water quality in the Creek and help meet water quality standards.

    The NWQI supports the voluntary actions of farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to improve water quality. Through water quality focused efforts, eligible producers can invest in voluntary conservation practices to help provide cleaner water for their neighbors and communities.

  • Central Valley Groundwater may be Unable to Recover from Past and Future Droughts

    American Geophysical Union — Groundwater in California’s Central Valley is at risk of being depleted by pumping too much water during and after droughts, according to a new study in the AGU journal Water Resources Research, an interdisciplinary journal that focuses on hydrology and water resources.

    The new study shows groundwater storage recovery has been dismal after the state’s last two droughts, with less than a third of groundwater recovered from the drought that spanned 2012 to 2016.

    Under a best-case scenario where drought years are followed by consecutive wet years with above-average precipitation, the researchers found there is a high probability it would take six to eight years to fully recover overdrafted water, which occurs when more groundwater is pumped out than is supplied through all sources like precipitation, irrigation and runoff.

    However, this best-case scenario where California has six to eight consecutive wet years is not likely because of the state’s increasingly hot and dry climate. Under a more likely, drier climate, there is less than a 20% chance of full overdraft recovery over a 20-year period following a drought.

    The Central Valley produces about a quarter of the nation’s food and is home to around 6.5 million people. Using too much groundwater during and after droughts could soon push this natural resource beyond the point of recovery unless pumping restrictions are implemented. The study finds recovery times can be halved with modest caps on groundwater pumping in drought and post-drought years.

    “This is really threatening,” said Sarfaraz Alam, a hydrologist at Stanford and lead study author. “There are many wells that people draw water from for drinking water. Since [groundwater is] always going down, at some point these wells will go dry and the people won’t have water.”

    Measuring Depletion

    The researchers combined NASA satellite data, well level data, detailed groundwater models and calculations of water inflows versus outflows to create a reliable assessment of groundwater storage data. They then used those data to predict how long it would take groundwater to fully recharge after droughts in the region under different climate scenarios.

    California has faced three major droughts since 2000: from 2007 to 2009, 2012 to 2016 and the state’s current drought period, which began in 2020. Researchers found that of the 19 cubic kilometers of groundwater (about 10% of the water volume in Lake Tahoe) lost during the 2006-2009 drought, only 34% was recovered after the drought. For the 2012-2016 drought, only 19% of 28 cubic kilometers lost were recovered.

    The researchers attributed especially low recovery in the post-2016 drought period to significant overdraft compared to limited water availability. 

    “It’s very hard to [measure] the volume of groundwater being pumped by humankind, and we really want to know that because we really want to know how much we’re depleting the groundwater,” said Donald Argus, a geophysicist who researches water resources at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory who was not associated with the study. “If we start to understand how much water is replenished each year or each rainy season, then we get an idea of how much groundwater we’re pumping out, and whether we can sustain it or not.”

    Opportunities for Management 

    Despite the grave predictions of recovery time, researchers found that there is hope for increased water recovery when management practices are put into place. If California’s climate remains at historical levels, rather than worsening with climate change, groundwater extraction caps could significantly improve aquifer resistance to drought. Overdraft recovery times could be reduced by about two times if pumping restrictions are put in place during no-drought years and could be reduced by up to four times with pumping restrictions, according to the study.

    However, these management practices can create complicated trade-offs for laborers in the region, according to Alam. The livelihoods of those for those who depend on the region’s agricultural industry is threatened when pumping for agricultural purposes is capped to prioritize drinking water. But finding a balance of water supply and demand will be necessary to continue to use the Central Valley’s aquifer resource.

    “Drought comes, groundwater goes. It’s super fast,” Alam said. “The policymakers and decision makers need to ensure they are making the right decision to make sure groundwater use is well managed.”

    AGU (www.agu.org) supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, we advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.

  • New Advocacy Program Blazes Trail for Beef

    Driving the demand for beef starts at the grassroots with a strong network of advocates willing to share beef’s positive message. The new Trailblazers program, developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, takes advocacy to the next level by giving participants the tools and training they need to promote beef to new audiences while addressing and correcting myths.

    “Trailblazers is a competitive, highly engaging and interactive program that is developing the next generation of beef advocates,” said Chandler Mulvaney, director of grassroots advocacy & spokesperson development at NCBA. “The goal of this program is to empower the beef community to share their stories, which ultimately helps safeguard the work of cattle farmers and ranchers across the country.”

    Trailblazers is looking for its first class of spokespeople to participate in a year-long hands-on program designed to train, equip and empower beef advocates. Selected candidates will receive training to become expert communicators, excel in media interviews and understand how to build confidence in beef related practices when talking to consumers.

    Each year, 10-12 new Trailblazers will be selected to create a tight-knit community that works together to find solutions to social and practical issues impacting the beef community. Throughout the year, Trailblazers will receive advanced in-person and virtual training from subject matter experts, learning how to effectively engage on various social media platforms, interact with the media, and enhance public speaking skills. Upon completion of the program, Trailblazers will serve as industry spokespeople and inform beef advocates at the local and state levels on advocacy, media and spokesperson best practices.

    The application process for the inaugural class of Trailblazers is now open. For more information and to apply, visit the website.

    Scan the QR code above to apply today.

    About Trailblazers
    The Checkoff-funded Trailblazers program was created in 2021 to support the efforts of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, in identifying, recruiting, empowering, and engaging with advocates in the beef community. The program will provide a train-the-trainer model to support state beef councils and partner organizations in mobilizing a cadre of spokespeople who are equipped to have tough conversations and seek solutions in telling the beef story.

    About the Beef Checkoff
    The Beef Checkoff was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

    About NCBA, a Contractor to the Beef Checkoff
    The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The Beef Checkoff is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

  • NCAT Launches Nation’s First AgriSolar Clearinghouse of Resources

    In less than a decade, solar installations are expected to cover more than 3 million acres of the United States, creating a big opportunity to pair solar with agricultural land to produce food, conserve ecosystems, create renewable energy, increase pollinator habitat, and maximize farm revenue.

    The National Center for Appropriate Technology, a nonprofit focused on sustainable energy and agriculture solutions, has launched the nation’s first AgriSolar Clearinghouse to connect farmers, ranchers, land managers, solar developers, and researchers with trusted, practical information to increase the co-location of solar and agriculture.

    “There are tremendous benefits of pairing solar and agriculture,” NCAT Energy Programs Director Stacie Peterson, PhD said. “As America’s appetite for sustainably grown products and renewable energy continues to increase, agrisolar has the potential to provide both resources. AgriSolar is a win-win.”

    NCAT’s AgriSolar Clearinghouse features a library of peer-reviewed information, a media hub featuring videos, podcasts, and relevant news, and a user forum to connect people interested in agrisolar development in real-time.

    “The AgriSolar Clearinghouse will present a platform open to all Americans for sharing the nationwide efforts in agricultural integration at solar facilities,” said American Solar Grazing Association Executive Director Lexie Hain. “The exciting thing for us at ASGA is that the AgriSolar Clearinghouse will amplify a thoughtful and trusted approach to expanding America’s efforts in solar and agricultural land use.”

    The project’s diverse group of more than 30 partners and stakeholders representing private business, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, national energy laboratories, the Smithsonian, and leading universities will be a key ingredient in supporting the expansion of agrisolar developments across the country.

    NCAT’s AgriSolar Clearinghouse is funded by a three-year, $2.03 million cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Solar Energy Technologies Office supports early-stage research and development to improve the affordability, reliability, and domestic benefit of solar technologies on the grid.

    “NCAT and our partners are well positioned to help solar developers and farmers connect to make the most out of co-locating solar arrays and agricultural land,” NCAT Executive Director Steve Thompson said. “For 45 years, NCAT has been a trusted broker of practical information to advance locally grown and sustainable agriculture and energy solutions.”   

    To learn more about the AgriSolar Clearinghouse visit AGRISOLARCLEARINGHOUSE.ORG.

  • Infrastructure Bill Delivers Major Victory for Western Water Users

    With President Joe Biden’s signature on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a national coalition representing thousands of Western farmers, ranchers, businesses and rural and urban water providers declared a victory for Western water users and called on the Administration to immediately clear the path for projects that will address critical Western water supply needs.

    The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes more than $8 billion for projects that will enhance water supply reliability across the West, including repairing aging dams and canals, building new surface and groundwater storage and conveyance facilities, funding water conservation and recycling projects, and improving watershed and ecosystem management.

    “This is a great victory for Western water users. The Western water provisions included in this legislation represent a once-in-a-generation federal investment that will bolster our aging water infrastructure and keep water flowing to our nation’s farms and ranches. It will also improve our ability to provide water supply reliability for cities and the environment in future droughts,” Family Farm Alliance Executive Director Dan Keppen said.

    “Water is the cornerstone of our economic and ecological wellbeing. We are grateful to Congress and the Administration for their efforts to enact of this historic bipartisan legislation. It will benefit every American as well as future generations by making critical investments in our nation’s water infrastructure,” National Water Resources Association President Christine Arbogast said.

    “The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) applauds this bipartisan commitment to invest in water infrastructure on a historic scale which will provide western water managers with valuable resources for storage, conveyance, recycling, ecosystem and dam safety projects. Today represents a milestone in our nation’s collective ability to achieve water infrastructure resilience and ensure a safe, reliable and high-quality supply of water now and for future generations,” ACWA Executive Director David Eggerton said.

    “Amid the searing drought across the West and another catastrophic wildfire season, the $8 billion investment included for water infrastructure investments comes at a critical time. We are appreciative of the bipartisan investment that has been made in new and aging infrastructure as well as water conveyance facilities. Farmers can now look forward to long-needed infrastructure enhancements necessary to produce a safe and reliable food supply,” California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson said.

    “We urge the Administration to quickly drive implementation of the Western water provisions. Time, like water, is in short supply. We cannot let red tape and activist litigation stall or block the many long overdue projects necessary to repair and enhance our aging water infrastructure and develop reliable new sources of water supply,” Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia said.

    The coalition includes more than 220 organizations from 15 states that collectively represent $120 billion in agricultural production—nearly one-third of all agricultural production in the country—and many of the local and regional public water agencies that supply water to more than 75 million urban, suburban and rural residents.

    About Association of California Water Agencies:

    The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) is a statewide association of public agencies whose more than 450 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more than a century, our mission has been clear: To provide comprehensive leadership, advocacy and resources for California public water agencies to ensure a high quality and reliable water supply in an environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible manner.

    About California Farm Bureau:

    The California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 32,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5.5 million Farm Bureau members.

    About Family Farm Alliance:

    The Family Farm Alliance is a powerful advocate for family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts, and allied industries in seventeen Western states. The Alliance is focused on one mission – To ensure the availability of reliable, affordable irrigation water supplies to Western farmers and ranchers.

    About National Water Resources Association:

    National Water Resources Association advocates federal policies, legislation, and regulations promoting protection, management, development, and beneficial use of water resources. The association is dedicated to achieving sustainable water supply for all beneficial uses in an economical and environmentally responsible manner.

    About Western Growers:

    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce.

  • $270 Million in Pandemic Assistance to Poultry, Livestock Contract Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun issuing approximately $270 million in payments to contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry who applied for Pandemic Assistance. Earlier this year, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) identified gaps in assistance including in the initial proposal to assist contract growers. In August, USDA released the improved program for contract producers to fill these gaps, providing support as part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.

    “We listened to feedback from producers and stakeholders about impacts across livestock and poultry operations and made updates to be more equitable in the assistance we delivered,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “For contract producers this meant expanding eligibility and providing flexibility such as considering 2018 or 2019 revenue when calculating payments and accounting for contract producers who increased the size of their operation in 2020 or were new to farming when the pandemic hit. Filling these gaps and not letting underserved producers slip through the cracks is a common theme throughout our approach under our Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.”

    The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, provided funding for payments to contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry for revenue losses from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 27, 2020. Contract producers of broilers, pullets, chicken eggs, turkeys, hogs and pigs, ducks, geese, pheasants and quail were eligible for assistance, along with eligible breeding stock and eggs of all eligible poultry types produced under contract. Signup ran from Aug. 24, 2021, through Oct. 12, 2021.

    In total, the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2), of which assistance for contract producers is part, provided more than $18.8 billion to producers whose operations were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. CFAP 2 had a fourfold increase in participation by historically underserved producers since the program reopened in April 2021. This highlights USDA’s commitment to increase outreach, education and technical assistance to historically underserved farmers and ranchers, including by investing $4.7 million to assist in targeted outreach for FSA programs.

    As USDA looks for long-term solutions to build back a better food system, the Department is committed to delivery of financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers and businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions. In addition to the funding USDA is issuing today, the Department has provided a broad range of support to America’s farmers and ranchers as part of its Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, including:

    A full list of Pandemic Assistance is available at www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance. USDA expects further Pandemic Assistance to continue to fill remaining gaps later this year.