California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • The Future of Ag Retailing Will be Driven by Precision

    Farm supply cooperatives and independent ag retailers are enjoying strong financial returns as the upturn in U.S. grain prices enters its second consecutive year. The extended period of above-average crop prices is leading farmers to increase spending on agronomic inputs and services. However, while profits for the ag retail sector are expected to remain favorable over the next 12 months, emerging structural challenges will bring increased competition and pressure profitability in the years to come.

    Major crop input suppliers wielding greater market power, larger farm enterprises with a growing appetite for more sophisticated technologies, and competition from ag equipment dealers competing for those services are among the key challenges facing ag retailers over the long-term.

    According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, the ag retailer of the future has an opportunity to earn more income from precision agronomy services and emerging sustainability management programs, in addition to traditional crop input sales. The report suggests the current operating environment provides a timely opportunity for ag retailers to invest in new technologies and position themselves for success in a marketplace that is evolving rapidly.

    “The traditional approach for farm supply cooperatives is to save above-average profits when times are good and then manage costs rigorously during the inevitable downturn, which we expect will begin in 2023,” said Kenneth Scott Zuckerberg, lead grain and farm supply economist with CoBank. “Unfortunately, this approach exposes cooperatives to revenue volatility and declining earnings during down cycles, which can often last five or more years.”

    Instead of relying on product commissions and rebates alone, Zuckerberg sees farm supply cooperatives’ path forward is to expand their precision agronomy service offerings and capture more income from consultative service and software fees. “Putting technology and information to work to help farmers manage their inputs and production is where farm supply co-ops excel,” he said.

    Tailwinds Continue for Ag Retail, Near Term

    Ag retailers have enjoyed three consecutive profitable agronomy seasons and are generally well positioned for fall 2021 given high grain prices and favorable farm economics. The short-term outlook remains generally positive based on strong farmer income, steady demand for crop inputs and favorable cash flows. Partially offsetting this, retailers may face shortages of certain protection chemicals sourced from Asia as well as high wholesale fertilizer costs which they may not be able to fully pass on to growers.

    Growing global demand for feed grains and vegetable oil generally positions U.S. farmers and retailers for continued success in 2022. U.S. corn and soybean stocks remain very tight and the demand imbalance in stocks and usage should persist until at least 2023.

    Forces Driving Change

    Over the next several years, ag retailers are facing risks that will accelerate over time. The number of U.S. farms continues to decline due to consolidation as family and non-family farms seek greater economies of scale to boost profitability. As the new class of commercial farming enterprises hire their own agronomy staff and demand more data-intensive precision ag services, ag retailers could lose their edge as agronomic service providers.

    Recent acquisition activity confirms that ag equipment manufacturers are accelerating their offerings of autonomous and precision farming services, which compete with traditional agronomic advice provided by ag retailers. Consolidation among agro-chemical and seed suppliers and the maturation of disruptive ag tech startups represent additional structural obstacles.

    Getting Paid Properly for Advice

    Beyond providing farm customers with enhanced tools to farm more profitably, the business case for ag retailers’ expansion of precision agronomy services is financially compelling. Precision capabilities can help cooperatives attract and retain high value customers, while recurring service fees provide a new source of income. From a risk-reward standpoint, Zuckerberg sees revenue-sharing partnerships with proven technology service providers as a solid opportunity for ag retailers.

    “The current environment is ideal for partnership structures as a revenue-sharing opportunity between retailers and suppliers,” he said. “The opportunities associated with technologies for everything from drone imagery and remote sensing for crop scouting to precision seed recommendations and prescriptions are continually expanding.”

    Read the report, Precision Agronomy Services Will Factor Heavily in the Future of Ag Retailing.

  • Governor Signs Climate Action Bills, Outlines $15 Billion Package to Tackle Wildfire & Drought Crisis

    At the site of the KNP Complex in Sequoia National Park, Governor Gavin Newsom today highlighted the California Comeback Plan’s over $15 billion climate package – the largest such investment in state history – tackling a wide array of climate impacts facing the state. The Governor today signed legislation outlining investments in the package to build wildfire and forest resilience, support immediate drought response and long-term water resilience and directly protect communities across the state from multi-faceted climate risks, including extreme heat and sea level rise.

    “California is doubling down on our nation-leading policies to confront the climate crisis head-on while protecting the hardest-hit communities,” said Governor Newsom. “We’re deploying a comprehensive approach to meet the sobering challenges of the extreme weather patterns that imperil our way of life and the Golden State as we know it, including the largest investment in state history to bolster wildfire resilience, funding to tackle the drought emergency while building long-term water resilience, and strategic investments across the spectrum to protect communities from extreme heat, sea level rise and other climate risks that endanger the most vulnerable among us.”

    When the Governor signed the state budget and related legislation in July, he and legislative leaders agreed to additional discussions during the summer to further refine steps to advance their shared and funded priorities, including natural resources investments. The legislation signed today details some of the most important investments funded in the over $15 billion climate package, which includes:

    $1.5 Billion Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package

    The $1.5 billion package supporting a comprehensive forest and wildfire resilience strategy statewide is the largest such investment in California history. Building on a $536 million early action package in April ahead of peak fire season, an additional $988 million in 2021-22 will fund projects to reduce wildfire risk and improve the health of forests and wildlands. This includes investments for community hardening in fire-vulnerable areas, strategic fuel breaks and fuel reduction projects, approaches to restore landscapes and create resilient wildlands and a framework to expand the wood products market, supporting sustainable local economies.

    This investment helps implement the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan published in January, and builds on previous budget investments for emergency management, including funding for additional fire crews and equipment, and executive actions to help combat catastrophic wildfires. Governor Newsom bolstered CAL FIRE’s firefighting ranks in March by authorizing the early hire of 1,399 additional firefighters and in July supplemented the department’s capacities with 12 additional aircraft. The Governor earlier this year launched an expanded and refocused Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to deliver on key commitments in his Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Last year, the Newsom Administration and the U.S. Forest Service announced a shared stewardship agreement under which they are working to treat one million acres of forest and wildland annually to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

    $5.2 Billion Water and Drought Resilience Package

    Climate change is making droughts more common and more severe. The California Comeback Plan invests $5.2 billion over three years to support immediate drought response and long-term water resilience, including funding for emergency drought relief projects to secure and expand water supplies; support for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, with a focus on small and disadvantaged communities; Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation to improve water supply security and quality; and projects to support wildlife and habitat restoration efforts, among other nature-based solutions.

    $3.7 Billion Climate Resilience Package

    Focusing on vulnerable front-line communities, the package includes $3.7 billion over three years to build resilience against the state’s multi-faceted climate risks, including extreme heat and sea level rise. Investments to address the impacts of extreme heat include urban greening projects, grants to support community resilience centers and projects that reduce the urban heat island effect, and funding to advance the Extreme Heat Framework as part of the state’s Climate Adaptation Strategy. The package also supports coastal protection and adaptation measures, efforts to protect and conserve California’s diverse ecosystems, and community-based investments to build resilience, such as grants to support environmental justice-focused initiatives and funding for the California Climate Action Corps, which supports local climate action projects in disadvantaged communities.

    $1.1 Billion to Support Climate Smart Agriculture

    Amid climate-driven drought and extreme heat challenges, California is committing $1.1 billion over two years to support sustainable agriculture practices and create a resilient and equitable food system. These efforts include investments to promote healthy soil management, support for livestock methane reduction efforts, funding for the replacement of agricultural equipment to reduce emissions and technical assistance and incentives for the development of farm conservation management plans. The package also supports programs to expand healthy food access for seniors and in schools, other public institutions and non-profit organizations.

    $3.9 Billion Zero-Emission Vehicle Package

    The California Comeback Plan supports California’s nation-leading climate agenda with a $3.9 billion investment to hit fast forward on the state’s Zero-Emission Vehicle goals and lead the transition to ZEVs on a global scale. The package includes funding to put 1,000 zero-emission drayage trucks, 1,000 zero-emission school buses and 1,000 transit buses, and the necessary infrastructure, on California roads – prioritizing projects that benefit disadvantaged communities. Helping drive consumer adoption, the package funds consumer rebates for new ZEV purchases and incentives for low-income Californians to replace their old car with a new or used advanced technology car.

    Additional Investments

    The package also includes $270 million to support a circular economy that advances sustainability and helps reduce short-lived climate pollutants from the waste sector, and $150 million that will support urban waterfront parks, with a focus on underserved communities.

    More information on the over $15 billion climate package can be found in the Department of Finance’s addendum to its enacted budget summary. Click here for the budget addendum.

    Governor Newsom today also signed a raft of new climate measures to protect communities and advance the state’s climate and clean energy efforts. Legislation to boost drought and wildfire resilience includes SB 552 by Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) to ensure small and rural water suppliers develop drought and water shortage contingency plans and implement drought resiliency measures to prevent and prepare for future water shortages; SB 403 by Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) to allow the State Water Resources Control Board to order consolidation of an at-risk water system or domestic well in a disadvantaged community; SB 109 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) to create the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development at CAL FIRE to evaluate emerging firefighting technology; and AB 697 by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Arcadia), which enables the state to plan, manage and implement forest restoration projects on national forest lands through an expanded Good Neighbor Authority Program.

    The legislation signed today also includes SB 1 by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), which establishes the California Sea Level Rise Mitigation and Adaptation Act to help coordinate and fund state efforts to prepare for sea level rise; AB 525 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco), which directs state agencies to develop a strategic plan for offshore wind resources in California following the state’s historic agreement earlier this year with federal partners; SB 47 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara), which increases the amount of money the state can collect annually to plug abandoned wells, utilizing funds from fees on the oil and gas industry; and AB 39 by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Arcadia), which enables the University of California to establish the California-China Climate Institute to advance joint policy research and foster high-level dialogue in order to accelerate climate action.

    A full list of bills signed by the Governor today is below:

    • SB 170 by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) – Budget Act of 2021.
    • AB 9 by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) – Fire safety and prevention: wildfires: fire adapted communities: Office of the State Fire Marshal: community wildfire preparedness and mitigation.
    • AB 33 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Energy Conservation Assistance Act of 1979: energy storage systems and electric vehicle charging infrastructure: Native American tribes.
    • AB 39 by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Arcadia) – California-China Climate Institute.
    • AB 242 by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) – Public utilities.
    • AB 322 by Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) – Energy: Electric Program Investment Charge program: biomass.
    • AB 431 by Assemblymember Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) – Forestry: timber harvesting plans: defensible space: exemptions.
    • AB 525 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) – Energy: offshore wind generation.
    • AB 697 by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Arcadia) – Forest resources: national forest lands: Good Neighbor Authority Fund: ecological restoration and fire resiliency projects.
    • AB 758 by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-North Hollywood) – Marks-Roos Local Bond Pooling Act of 1985: electric utilities: rate reduction bonds.
    • AB 843 by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) – California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: renewable feed-in tariff: Bioenergy Market Adjusting Tariff program: community choice aggregators.
    • AB 1124 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) – Solar energy systems.
    • SB 1 by Senator Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) – Coastal resources: sea level rise.
    • SB 27 by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) – Carbon sequestration: state goals: natural and working lands: registry of projects.
    • SB 47 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Oil and gas: hazardous and idle-deserted wells and production facilities: expenditure limitations: updated reports.
    • SB 109 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development.
    • SB 273 by Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) – Water quality: municipal wastewater agencies.
    • SB 403 by Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) – Drinking water: consolidation.
    • SB 423 by Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) – Energy: firm zero-carbon resources.
    • SB 533 by Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) – Electrical corporations: wildfire mitigation plans: deenergization events.
    • SB 552 by Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) – Drought planning: small water suppliers: nontransient noncommunity water systems.
    • SB 596 by Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) – Greenhouse gases: cement sector: net-zero emissions strategy.
    • SB 626 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Department of Water Resources: Procurement Methods.
    • SB 756 by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) – Home weatherization services for low-income customers.
    • SB 757 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Solar energy system improvements: consumer protection.

  • Artificial Intelligence to Improve Quality & Quantity of Beef, Dairy

    For a century, researchers have tracked genetic traits to find out which cattle produce more and better milk and meat. Now, two University of Florida scientists will use artificial intelligence to analyze millions of bits of genetic data to try to keep cattle cooler and thus, more productive.

    Raluca Mateescu, a UF/IFAS professor, and Fernanda Rezende, a UF/IFAS assistant professor – both in animal sciences — gather hundreds of thousands of pieces of information about cattle genetic traits. They plan to use UF’s supercomputer, the HiPerGator, to analyze that data. With the information Mateescu and her team get from the HiPerGator, they can give ranchers better recommendations on which animals to keep and breed for improved quantity of beef and dairy.

    “AI has rapidly emerged as a powerful approach in animal genomics and holds great promise to integrate big data from multiple biological layers, leading to accurate prediction of future traits – for example, meat yield,” Mateescu said. “My research group is investigating the use of AI methods to develop approaches to accurately predict the value of certain genes. Ultimately, we plan to provide more effective strategies to improve animal productivity.”

    With 25.6 million head of cattle, dairy herds peaked in the United States in 1944. As of 2017, there were only 9 million, but they produce more milk. With fewer cattle producing more dairy and beef, the livestock industries are leaving a lower environmental footprint, such as methane emissions, Mateescu said.

    While all that is good, Mateescu knows she and other researchers can help ranchers improve cattle beef and dairy output. That’s where AI comes into play.

    “We know some of the specific genes for milk and meat production,” she said. “But we’re looking into a bit of a black box. AI will help us clear up the mystery faster and more accurately.”

    Livestock traits of economic importance — milk and meat yield, meat quality — are factors of both genetics and the environment. Mateescu can only control a cow’s environment to a certain degree. But she and other scientists can improve cattle genetically. There are thousands of genes in the cattle genome, and each gene contains thousands of different genetic markers.

    As an example of her team’s use of AI, Mateescu is processing genetic data from about 1,000 beef cattle. From that process, researchers have extracted data on 770,000 DNA genetic markers, more than 18,000 genes and 86 traits — on every animal. That’s way more data than any human can analyze and integrate.

    That’s why Mateescu and Rezende are using HiPerGator, the largest university-based supercomputer in the world. HiPerGator then tells the scientists what particular combination of genetic markers and genes will result in better animals – in other words, which ones will be cooler and thus, more productive.

    “AI allows us to use more information – the more information we have on an animal, the higher the accuracy of our prediction,” Mateescu said. “Given the complex genetic architecture, it is challenging for researchers to identify how these thousands of genetic markers and thousands of genes combine to produce the traits we see. AI can help researchers achieve that goal. We are just starting to use AI to address these problems.”

    About AI at UF

    The University of Florida is making artificial intelligence the centerpiece of a major, long-term initiative that combines world-class research infrastructure, cutting-edge research and a transformational approach to curriculum. UF is home the the most powerful, university-owned supercomputer in the nation, according to rankings just released by TOP500, contributing to innovative research and education opportunities. — By Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food & Ag Sciences

  • New Opportunities for Trading Surface Water in the Sacramento Valley under SGMA

    New groundwater agencies in the Sacramento Valley are currently finalizing plans to manage their groundwater basins for long-term balance, as required by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Successful stewardship demands good information not only about groundwater conditions, but also about surface water availability. To help build shared understanding of surface water for agriculture—the valley’s main water-using sector—we produced a new dataset showing how access to this vital resource varies across irrigated farmland in the Sacramento Valley and the Delta. This effort builds on previous Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) work in the San Joaquin Valley, making it now possible to assess surface water conditions across the entire Central Valley.

    Although the Sacramento Valley is currently mired in extreme drought, higher precipitation and the presence of major rivers mean that its basins tend to replenish more readily and recover more quickly after drought. Nonetheless, SGMA implementation here will likely entail some pumping cutbacks to avoid significant undesirable results of groundwater use. As in the San Joaquin Valley, some areas face heightened risks of drinking water wells going dry when pumping causes groundwater levels to fall. Because the Sacramento Valley’s basins are relatively healthy, the region will need to pay greater attention to avoiding impacts of pumping on river flows, which can adversely affect downstream water users, including the environment.

    Sacramento Valley surface water is spread unevenly

    The water rights and contracts held by a water district determine the amount of surface water available to its growers. The interactive map below illustrates average surface water availability from various federal, state, and local projects. Districts with less than 3 acre-feet (af) per acre regularly require supplemental groundwater; those with much less are fundamentally reliant on pumping. The valley-wide average is approximately 2 af/acre, but individual district access ranges from over 6 af/acre to none.

    Substantial variation arises both across basins (Vina averages less than 0.5 af/acre, versus more than 3.5 af/acre in Butte) and within (for example, Sutter and Colusa basins contain both areas rich in surface water, and areas without any). We found similar patterns of haves and have-nots within the San Joaquin Valley.

    Diversity in water availability and cropping patterns creates incentives for water trading

    The Central Valley also has a wide diversity of crops, and cutting back on pumping will be more costly for some crops than for others. Trading water—both within and across basins—can help lessen private and regional economic losses by keeping the most productive lands irrigated. Such trading already helps farmers manage the costs of surface water cutbacks during droughts, and incentives to trade will grow as SGMA limits groundwater availability.

    Within the Sacramento Valley, water trading will be especially valuable for the large areas of  high-earning perennial orchards—such as almonds, walnuts, or grapes—that have insufficient surface water but cannot be fallowed like annual crops. Approximately 70% of perennial crop acreage in the Sacramento Valley averages less than 2 af/acre of surface water; nearly 60% is on lands relying almost entirely on groundwater. Other lands may have water to trade, including those where rice is grown, helping to avoid very costly shortfalls for perennial farmers in the future.

    There will also be demand for Sacramento Valley surface water beyond basin boundaries—or outside of the region altogether. The San Joaquin Valley has almost three times as much perennial crop acreage in groundwater-reliant areas. For the past three decades, Sacramento Valley growers have routinely sold water to San Joaquin Valley farmers and coastal urban communities during droughts. SGMA implementation will increase this demand, but it could also increase local pressure to keep this water at home, to balance local basins.

    Although groundwater conditions are generally strong in the Sacramento Valley, the fact remains that 60% of all agricultural lands are in areas with average surface supplies below 3 af/acre. Farmers will need to adapt as groundwater becomes scarcer, especially during drought. Trading can help facilitate this adaptation. A new PPIC report on this topic identifies key barriers to water trading and explores innovative new approaches, such as expanded groundwater banking arrangements. — By Alex Ehrens, Joy Collins & Andrew Ayres, Public Policy Institute of California

    Note: This research was supported with a grant from the Water Foundation. The underlying data and additional notes on surface water availability in the valley can be found in Data Set: PPIC Sacramento Valley and Delta Surface Water Availability.

  • To Till or Not to Till? That is the Question

    Looking over fields prior to planting, a Shakespeare-in-overalls might also wonder: “Whether ’tis nobler to till and suffer the slings and arrows of soil erosion, decreased irrigation efficiency, and greater operational expense or take arms against such troubles by not tilling and run the risk of increasing pest cycles.”

    Farmers every year must decide whether to till their fields in the conventional manner or join the growing number of farmers who are going back to the roots of agriculture by preparing the soil using no-till methods. There are benefits — and drawbacks — to both systems. As the great poet once coined, “all that glitters is not gold.”

    According to Steven Mirsky, research ecologist with Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, there are economic and environmental considerations for farmers to keep in mind when making their decision.

    Both methods “work” the soil, which gives the seeds a place to go and easier pathways for root systems, but each method effects the farmer differently. “Tillage turns the soil, while no-till uses disks to slice into the ground and slip seeds in the narrow slice,” Mirsky said. “There is no soil disturbance of substance in no-till.”

    In terms of labor, tillage-based systems require several field operations to prepare a seedbed. The soil must be worked and then packed to facilitate the best conditions for putting crop seed in the ground. No-till production requires heavy-duty planters that can cut the soil and put seed at a precise depth in the soil profile as well as close the slit the seed was deposited into.

    While tillage loosens up the soil, incorporates all surface residues, and leaves the surface clean, which helps improve the planting of cash crops, it also leaves the soil vulnerable to erosion, Mirsky said. On the other hand, no-till systems are excellent at reducing erosion, but do not break up pest cycles like tillage does.

    “No-till farming greatly reduces soil erosion,” Mirsky said. “Intact soils also maintain root channels that facilitate greater water infiltration and storage. No-till tends to increase soil organic matter in the top several inches of the soil. On the other hand, tillage can act to bury carbon and increase its storage. That said, overall, intensive tillage tends to burn up much of the soil organic matter, more so than no-till.”

    According to Mirsky, these operational matters impact the farmer economically, too. No-till tends to require much less fuel and labor expense because it does not require all the energy needed to push farm equipment through the soil. No-till typically requires less field operations and equipment.

    Over time, however, no-till systems can develop herbicide resistance if other integrated weed management strategies are not used, thereby increasing pest management requirements.

    Mirsky said there is another variable that could benefit no-till systems — cover cropping during the offseason.

    “Cover crops play an important role in helping to ensure the long-term viability of no-till farming,” he said. “Cover crops help dry out the soils in the spring to ensure earlier access for field operations and help conserve soil water in the summer during periods of drought, suppress weeds, and slow down the evolution of herbicide resistance.”

    If a farmer wants to try a no-till approach with cover cropping, harvest season is the best time to begin the process. Then the farmer may realize that parting with the till approach is not such sweet sorrow. – By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications

  • Fresno Madera Farm Credit and CoBank Announce $30,000 Donation to Central California Food Bank

    Fresno Madera Farm Credit and CoBank announced today that they have made a $30,000 donation to Central California Food Bank’s Feeding Families Fund Drive. The donation will provide more than 210,000 meals to residents of Central California during a year when the food bank has seen a 25% increase in need in our community.

    “Central California Food Bank went from serving 280,000 people per month pre-pandemic, to more than 350,000 people per month this year,” said Denise O’Canto, Corporate Relations Manager with Central California Food Bank. “This generous donation will help us continue to meet that expanded need, especially as we move towards the holiday season when demand is at its highest.”

    This donation is part of CoBank’s larger Sharing Success program which relies on the local knowledge and expertise of the bank’s customers to identify nonprofit organizations that are truly making a difference in rural communities. As part of the Sharing Success program, and an additional California Food Bank program, CoBank matched Fresno Madera Farm Credit’s $15,000 donation, bringing the grand total to $30,000.

    “CoBank is humbled by the generosity of our customers and their commitment to support the rural communities they call home,” said Leili Ghazi, senior vice president of CoBank. “We know this donation will support the Central California families who need a little extra support during this tough time.”

    According to the Food Bank, in 2020-2021 more than 25% of the families visiting the food bank were there for the first time. O’Canto attributes that increase to massive unemployment due to COVID and the closing of more than 57 local agencies which typically provided food to the community.

    “When the pandemic started, schools closed, and then many of the churches and partner agencies that were providing food to families were operated by senior citizens who were told to stay home in order to stay safe,” O’Canto said. “We had to fill that need and come up with new ways to distribute food.”

    O’Canto said over the past year the Food Bank has started making deliveries to seniors, setting up new distribution sites, and pre-packaging foods for added safety – all of which have required additional resources.

    “Our staff and our customers are committed to supporting the communities in our region – and our partnership with the Central California Food Bank has always been an important part of our outreach,” said Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit. “We know our donation this year will help to support the food bank’s mission to address food insecurity in our area – at a time when area families need it most.”

    About Fresno Madera Farm Credit

    Founded in 1917, Fresno Madera Farm Credit is a farmer-owned cooperative and a proud member of the national Farm Credit System.  Located in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world, FMFC provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses that grow, process, and market over 350 commodities that are shipped all over the United States, and the world. For more information about FMFC please visit fmfarmcredit.com, and for more information about the Farm Credit System, visit www.farmcredit.com.

    About CoBank

    CoBank is a $158 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides commercial loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 75,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities.

  • Western Growers to Honor Carol Chandler at the 2021 Annual Meeting

    Western Growers will honor agriculture advocate, educator, philanthropist and trailblazer Carol Chandler with the 2021 Award of Honor. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community.

    Chandler is partner of Chandler Farms in Selma, Calif., a fourth-generation family farming operation that was founded by W.F. Chandler in 1880 and grows grapes, peaches, plums, nectarines and almonds. Besides serving on the board of Western Growers – including her current tenure as Treasurer – Chandler, alongside her husband, Bill, were named Agriculturists of the Year by the California State Fair Board of Directors in 2020.

    “Underneath Carol’s warm and gracious demeanor lies a fierce and committed advocate for agriculture’s rightful place in our society,” said Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia. “There are few in our industry who have given so much time and energy in service to the greater good, and even fewer who have mustered the strength to stick with the fight even as others withdraw from disappointment. Advocacy is not for the faint of heart, which is one of many reasons Carol is so deserving of our highest honor.”

    “I was overwhelmed to be chosen for the Award of Honor,” Chandler said. “It’s meant so much to me to be on the Board of Western Growers through the years.”

    Besides operating Chandler Farms with her husband and sons, John and Tom, Chandler was chair of the President’s Water Task Force for California State University at Fresno; serves on the University of California President’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources; and held positions with the University of California Board of Regents, the California State University Board of Trustees and the Fresno State Board of Governors. She is past state president of California Women for Agriculture, and she was named Woman of the Year by the California State Legislature twice, in 1992 and 2002. In 2004 the Fresno Chamber of Commerce named her Agriculturist of the Year.

    “The Central Valley has much to be proud of and Carol Chandler is at the top of that list,” said President & CEO of Woolf Farming and Processing Stuart Woolf, who will be emceeing the Award of Honor presentation at the 2021 Annual Meeting. “She’s a wonderful person, leader and great friend to many. Carol’s sharp mind, strong core values and eternal optimism make her a perfect role model. I’m very proud to call her my friend.”

    Chandler’s calling to give back to the agricultural community started early. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Davis and a master’s degree from California State University at Fresno, she taught in the San Joaquin Valley, including Fresno City College. Her philanthropic work includes belonging to the La Feliz Guild of Valley Children’s Hospital and receiving the Tapestry Award by Common Threads for outstanding achievements in agriculture.

    Now, it is time to recognize Chandler’s dedication to improving the businesses and lives of those in the agricultural community. Chandler’s achievements and service will be recognized at the Award of Honor Dinner Gala at the Western Growers 2021 Annual Meeting at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego. The 2021 Annual Meeting will be held from Nov. 7 – 10, 2021; to register to attend, please go to the 2021 Annual Meeting website.

    About Western Growers:

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

  • National Dairy Council Communicates Dairy’s Nutrition, Sustainability Story Ahead of UN Summit

    The ability to nourish people amid unprecedented population growth of close to 10 billion by 2050 with escalating climate concerns takes center stage at the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) on Sept. 23. The virtual event, which takes place during the UN General Assembly, will convene international stakeholders from across the food system with the goal of making food production and consumption more sustainable and will serve as a call to action to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

    The farmer-founded National Dairy Council (NDC) has conducted various dairy-focused educational outreach efforts with key thought leaders who have a shared interest in the outcomes the Summit can potentially have on a more nutritious and sustainable future for the world.

    “National Dairy Council is dedicated to sharing U.S. dairy’s science-based contributions to health and sustainable food systems as part of global conversations driving toward more sustainable food systems worldwide,” said Dr. Greg Miller, global chief science officer of NDC. “Our message has been clear: dairy is both a nutritional and environmental solution.”

    NDC has participated in one-on-one conversations and dialogues surrounding various UN-sanctioned meetings and events, including:

    • Conducting more than 30 conversations to share the science and progress demonstrating dairy’s role in sustainable food systems with thought leaders, including those representing the Food Systems Summit Scientific Group and Committee on World Food Security (CFS).
    • Teaming with the checkoff-founded U.S. Dairy Export Council, Global Child Nutrition Foundation and The Nature Conservancy to host an independent Food Systems Summit dialogue, which included dairy farmers and Fuel Up to Play 60 and GENYOUth students with more than 100 participants representing multiple sectors of the food system. Findings from the dialogue were submitted to UNFSS as part of its official process and included in a publicly available report that will be considered by UNFSS leaders.
    • Participating in more than a dozen other FSS dialogues, hosted by various organizations. Seven dialogues featured dairy farmer participation.
    • Reviewing and responding to seven scientific group reports through the UN’s public comment process to ensure the science-based perspective about dairy’s contributions to sustainable food systems is represented and shared with thought leaders.
    • Hosting a series of virtual experiences that highlighted the U.S. dairy industry’s game-changing solutions and the role dairy plays in building more sustainable food systems. The sessions, which were in collaboration with the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), included a focus on the Net Zero Initiative, FARM program and food security/hunger efforts.
    • Participating in UNFSS-related meetings, including public forums and informational sessions, such as Science Days and a pre-summit meeting with stakeholders.
    Marilyn Hershey, Dairy Farmer and DMI Chair

    Pennsylvania dairy farmer and DMI Chair Marilyn Hershey also spoke at sessions hosted by the World Farmers Organization and Solutions from the Land where she summarized the Net Zero Initiative, the industry’s environmental stewardship goals and the technologies and upcycling practices she implements on her farm. Her story reached hundreds of global thought leaders.

    Hershey said these checkoff-led efforts will help position the U.S. dairy industry in a positive light, domestically and globally, when the discussions get under way.

    “We’re really seeing the benefits of having decades of checkoff-led research in nutrition and sustainability, which has been part of the dialogue and considerations leading into the Summit and beyond,” Hershey said. “Being able to share science-based proof points is an important part of people seeing dairy’s holistic value when it comes to both human and planetary health.”

    Added Miller: “I can’t emphasize enough that our work to use science to continuously improve, to be a solution to environmental progress is just as important as our contributions to human health. In fact, in today’s landscape, you could argue it’s even more important. The Summit is a great opportunity for dairy’s heritage in science and activation of our science to shine brightly.”

    For information about the dairy checkoff, visit www.usdairy.com.

  • CA Walnut Board Votes To Modernize Federal Marketing Order And Suspend Enforcement Of Mandatory Inspections Of Walnuts

    Cultivating industry prosperity for the long term is at the core of the California walnut industry’s strategic plan.  A year ago, the Grades & Standards Committee began working with US Department of Agriculture (USDA) looking into ways to update the outbound inspection process in order to remove redundancies and duplicative costs to bring more efficiency to the industry. As part of this process, the California Walnut Board (CWB) voted to suspend enforcement of mandatory USDA outbound inspections of California walnuts.

    This action resulted in USDA issuing a preliminary six-month moratorium on the enforcement of the mandatory inspection requirement, effective September 1, 2021.  The Board’s vote to suspend inspections stands to benefit the industry by mitigating market disruptions (i.e. labor shortages, shipping constraints) during the season. The Federal Marketing Order rules governing inspection, which date back to the Order’s inception in 1948, are obsolete as market and customer quality demands have since surpassed USDA grading standards.

    In addition to USDA programs, many handlers have already invested in state-of-the-art equipment to comply with food safety, quality, and traceability requirements set by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), while also employing qualified staff to oversee rigorous programs to meet additional market-driven quality standards.

    “All handlers should know that despite non-enforcement of mandated outgoing inspections, the Dried Fruit Association (DFA) remains available for voluntary inspections and business needs,” said Eric Heidman, CWB Chair of the Grades & Standards Committee.

    The market already demands quality that well exceeds USDA grade standards and handlers will continue to inspect product to the specifications as contracted with their customers.

    “This moratorium will be extended when the CWB goes through the formal rulemaking process to modernize the Federal Marketing Order,” said Joshua Rahm, CWB Director of Regulatory & Technical Affairs. “As part of this process, CWB will establish a new method of assessing walnut handlers. We are hopeful the new authority will be available for the 2022-2023 crop year and expect assessments to be collected following the formal rulemaking process.”

    California walnut grower Donald Norene, stated, “I support the Board’s initiative to streamline and update the inspection process to keep up with current market demands and make it more efficient to save resources, ultimately working harder for the industry.”

    While the CWB works through the rulemaking process, it will continue essential operations by tapping budget reserves to offset the temporary non-collection of assessments.  The Board will be evaluating its spending to determine how to best operate until the formal rulemaking process is complete.

    About the California Walnut Board

    The California Walnut Board (CWB) was established in 1948 to represent the walnut growers and handlers of California. The CWB is funded by mandatory assessments of the handlers. The CWB is governed by a Federal Walnut Marketing Order. The CWB promotes usage of walnuts in the United States through publicity and educational programs. The CWB also provides funding for walnut production, food safety and post-harvest research.

  • NIFA Invests $30M to Help Boost Organic Farming and Ranching

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced today an investment of over $30 million for 33 grants that support farmers and ranchers who grow and market high-quality organic food, fiber and other organic products. This investment is part of NIFA’s Organic Agriculture Program.

    NIFA’s investment in Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative projects will help fund research, education and extension projects to improve yields, quality and profitability for producers and processors who have adopted organic standards. NIFA’s investment in Organic Transitions Program projects will support research, education and extension efforts to help existing and transitioning organic livestock and crop producers adopt organic practices and improve their market competitiveness.

    “As we work together to build a diverse, resilient and robust agricultural supply chain and ensure nutrition security for all Americans, these grants will support research and extension efforts at local universities to provide valuable information and training, especially for local, small farmers and producers,” said NIFA Director Dr. Carrie Castille.

    Examples of the 22 funded Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative grants include:

    • The demand for organic rice in the U.S. exceeds domestic supply and leads to significant import competition. University of Arkansas will lead efforts to expand organic rice production in the U.S. and develop a multistate outreach program to share information generated by this project. ($456,111)
    • University of Vermont will work with both the organic dairy industry and the organic aquaculture industry to further develop a partnership for feeding organic seaweed to cows, while financially benefiting both markets in a sustainable manner. ($2,900,000)
    • The University of California (UC) recently created the Organic Agriculture Institute (UC OAI) to facilitate the development of research and extension programs for organic agriculture in California. This planning proposal will support efforts of the UC OAI to identify and build partnerships with a wide range of organic agriculture stakeholders to form the California Organic Agriculture Knowledge Network (Cal OAK Network). The UC OAI will then convene the Cal OAK Network around specific crop groups that includes tree nuts, tree fruit, raisins and rice. ($49,440)

    Examples of the 11 funded Organic Transitions Program grants include:

    • University of Wisconsin will lead a multi-state, multi-disciplinary project to implement a systems approach to overcome challenges faced by growers transitioning to organic strawberry production, aiming to increase and sustain organic day-neutral strawberry production in the Upper Midwest. ($525,000)
    • Oregon State University will use essential oils to develop products to suppress or prevent potato sprouting in organic potatoes to address an important industry issue related to organic potato storage and control of premature sprouting. ($595,000)
    • Middle Tennessee State University will evaluate the effectiveness of biological control microbial agents and botanical extracts on fungal disease prevention and treatment for organic American Ginseng production. ($455,000)

    NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.

    Visit our website: www.nifa.usda.gov; Twitter: @USDA_NIFA; LinkedIn: USDA-NIFA. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural science (searchable by state or keyword), visit www.nifa.usda.gov/impacts.