California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Collaboration on CA Groundwater Accounting Platform and Data Standards

    State water agencies, the California Water Data Consortium (Consortium) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) announced a new partnership today to make an open-source groundwater accounting platform freely available to help groundwater sustainability agencies manage the transition to sustainable supplies. 

    Collaborative efforts are underway among the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board), the Consortium and EDF to adapt and scale the groundwater accounting platform that was co-developed by EDF and Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District with technical support from Sitka Technology Group, OpenET, WestWater Research, and Olsson Engineering and funding from the Water Foundation, among other supporters. Use of the groundwater accounting platform is entirely voluntary. 

    “Our goal is to help groundwater managers more easily and cost-effectively track water use across their agencies and coordinate within and across basins to find the most effective approach for enabling sustainable groundwater management,” said Steven Springhorn, acting deputy director at DWR for statewide groundwater management. “The accounting platform developed by EDF is a valuable tool for local decision making, and the Water Data Consortium is a natural fit for ensuring the platform meets local and state needs long term.”

    “An accounting system is the crucial backbone to managing groundwater and balancing supply and demand — you can’t manage what you can’t measure,” said Christina Babbitt, senior manager of EDF’s California Groundwater Program. “Bringing groundwater supplies into balance is a challenge that demands new, innovative solutions and partnerships, like the one announced today.”

    “This project is a great opportunity to build local capacity to support data-driven water management decisions. We look forward to this unique partnership that will help state and local agencies to continue protecting groundwater in California.” said Tara Moran, president and CEO of the Water Data Consortium. “A common accounting platform could provide consistency and reduce costs for local and state agencies.” 

    The open-source platform enables water managers and landowners to track water supplies and use, create water budgets, model scenarios, and trade allocations of water within a district or basin. EDF, an international environmental organization, has been working with Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District in Kern County since 2018 to develop and pilot use of the platform in order to facilitate innovative water management and protect disadvantaged communities and ecosystems. 

    DWR and the Water Board are working with EDF and the Consortium to ensure that the platform is compatible with the online electronic portals that local agencies use to submit data to the state, such as DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Portal and the Water Board’s Groundwater Extraction Annual Reporting System (GEARS). 

    The partners are working to expand the platform’s features to provide a cost-effective option for local agencies. State agencies do not require use of the accounting platform. Local agencies will continue to have the option to develop and use other accounting and trading platforms.

    Under the historic Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014, more than 250 local agencies have been formed to bring groundwater basins into sustainable conditions over the next two decades. The law was enacted in the midst of severe drought in which overpumping groundwater caused hundreds of drinking water wells to go dry and land to sink, damaging canals, roads, and bridges. 

    Since the last drought, the state has made significant investments to support local groundwater sustainability agencies as they work to bring basins into sustainable conditions through a variety of approaches, including finding additional supplies to recharge basins; reducing water use through efficiency measures, changing cropping patterns, or strategic fallowing of farmland; and efficient and equitable groundwater trading.

    State agencies, the Consortium, and EDF intend to engage stakeholders as they expand the open-source platform to meet local needs and define and encourage adoption of data standards consistent with the Open and Transparent Water Data Act (AB 1755). 

    To enable local agencies and the broader community to share ideas on how platform features and design can best accommodate local needs, a public workshop on the open-source accounting platform will be held on June 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Please register for the workshop here.

    Other state efforts complement this work. DWR has created a Water Budget Handbook, a reference guide to help water managers create water budgets that account for historical conditions and how future changes to supply, demand, hydrology, population, land use, and climatic conditions may affect an area. Such budgets are useful for planning and evaluating potential management actions. Use of DWR’s handbook could help ensure consistency in the data that populate an online accounting platform.  The Water Board’s GEARS platform, which will only be used if state intervention is triggered, can also inform the need for sound accounting principles as a key groundwater management component; carrying these principles to an open-access, third-party system will help GSAs reduce costs, communicate with groundwater users and other stakeholders, and will ultimately help implement SGMA successfully. Joaquin E. Esquivel, Chair of the Water Board, is a member of the California Water Data Consortium steering committee. 

    The state also is weighing how to ensure that any groundwater trading that develops in response to SGMA protects disadvantaged communities, ecosystems, and other water users. Well-designed water trading programs are one of many tools that local agencies are considering for managing groundwater sustainably, and an accounting system is the first step for such programs.

    The California Water Commission is expected to begin public workshops on water trading this summer and distill conclusions from the public discussions by the end of the year.

    Additional resources:

    Online interactive guide to accounting platform

    California Water Data Consortium

    California Department of Water Resources Handbook for Water Budget Development

  • $5.1 Billion Package for Water Infrastructure & Drought Response as Part of $100 Billion CA Comeback Plan

    Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a $5.1 billion package of immediate drought response and long-term water resilience investments to address immediate, emergency needs, build regional capacity to endure drought and safeguard water supplies for communities, the economy and the environment. The Governor’s proposal comes as part of a week-long tour highlighting the Administration’s comprehensive recovery plan tackling the most persistent challenges facing California.

    “Shoring up our water resilience, especially in small and disadvantaged communities, is imperative to safeguarding the future of our state in the face of devastating climate change impacts that are intensifying drought conditions and threatening our communities, the economy and the environment,” said Governor Newsom. “This package of bold investments will equip the state with the tools we need to tackle the drought emergency head-on while addressing long-standing water challenges and helping to secure vital and limited water supplies to sustain our state into the future.”

    In addition to the $5.1 billion investment, the Governor is proposing $1 billion to help Californians pay their overdue water bills.

    The Governor announced the package yesterday in Merced County while visiting the San Luis Reservoir, which sits at less than half of capacity and just 57 percent of average for this date. Earlier in the day, Governor Newsom significantly expanded his April 21 drought emergency proclamation to include Klamath River, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Tulare Lake Watershed counties. In total, 41 counties are now under a drought state of emergency, representing 30 percent of the state’s population.

    The Governor’s $5.1 billion proposed investment, over four years, aligns with his July 2020 Water Resilience Portfolio, a roadmap to water security for all Californians in the face of climate change. It is shaped by lessons learned during the 2012-16 drought, such as the need to act early and gather better data about water systems. The package includes:

    • $1.3 billion for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, with a focus on small and disadvantaged communities.
    • $150 million for groundwater cleanup and water recycling projects.
    • $300 million for Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation to improve water supply security, water quality and water reliability.
    • $200 million for water conveyance improvements to repair major water delivery systems damaged by subsidence.
    • $500 million for multi-benefit land repurposing to provide long-term, flexible support for water users.
    • $230 million for wildlife corridor and fish passage projects to improve the ability of wildlife to migrate safely.
    • $200 million for habitat restoration to support tidal wetland, floodplain, and multi-benefit flood-risk reduction projects.
    • $91 million for critical data collection to repair and augment the state’s water data infrastructure to improve forecasting, monitoring, and assessment of hydrologic conditions.
    • $60 million for State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program grants to help farmers reduce irrigation water use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural pumping.
    • $33 million for fisheries and wildlife support to protect and conserve California’s diverse ecosystems.
    • $27 million for emergency and permanent solutions to drinking water drought emergencies.

    Learn more about current conditions, the state’s response and informational resources available to the public at the state’s new drought preparedness website.

  • Governor Newsom Expands Drought Emergency to 41 Counties

    Governor Gavin Newsom significantly expanded his April 21 drought emergency proclamation yesterday to include the Klamath River, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and Tulare Lake Watershed counties, where accelerated action is needed to protect public health, safety and the environment. In total, 41 counties are now under a drought state of emergency, representing 30 percent of the state’s population.

    Climate change-induced early warm temperatures and extremely dry soils have further depleted the expected runoff water from the Sierra-Cascade snowpack, resulting in historic and unanticipated reductions in the amount of water flowing to major reservoirs, especially in Klamath River, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Tulare Lake Watershed counties.

    “With the reality of climate change abundantly clear in California, we’re taking urgent action to address acute water supply shortfalls in northern and central California while also building our water resilience to safeguard communities in the decades ahead,” said Governor Newsom. “We’re working with local officials and other partners to protect public health and safety and the environment, and call on all Californians to help meet this challenge by stepping up their efforts to save water.”

    In April, Governor Newsom signed an emergency proclamation directing state agencies to take immediate action to bolster drought resilience across the state and declaring a State of Emergency in Mendocino and Sonoma counties due to severe drought conditions in the Russian River Watershed. Today, the Governor took action to ensure an expedited response to address acute drought impacts in Klamath River, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Tulare Lake Watershed counties.

    Today’s drought emergency proclamation adds the following 39 counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba counties. Additionally, the proclamation provides new authority for the existing drought emergency announced on April 21 for Mendocino and Sonoma counties.

    Extraordinarily warm temperatures in April and early May separate this critically dry year from all others on California record. California experienced an accelerated rate of snow melt in the Sacramento, Feather and American River watersheds, which feed the major reservoirs of the state and federal water projects. This was exacerbated when much of the snowpack, sitting on very dry ground, seeped into the earth rather than flowing into our rivers and streams and into these reservoirs. Warming temperatures also prompted water diverters below the dams to withdraw their water much earlier and in greater volumes than typical even in other recent critically dry years. These factors reduced expected water supplies by more than 500,000 acre feet, enough to supply up to one million households with water for a year. The drastic reduction in water supplies means these reservoirs are extremely low for water users, including farmers, and fish and wildlife in the counties the drought proclamation covers.

    The Governor’s proclamation directs the State Water Board to consider modifying requirements for reservoir releases and diversion limitations to conserve water upstream later in the year to maintain water supply, improve water quality and protect cold water pools for salmon and steelhead. The state of emergency also enables flexibilities in regulatory requirements and procurement processes to mitigate drought impacts and directs state water officials to expedite the review and processing of voluntary transfers of water from one water right holder to another, enabling available water to flow where it is needed most.

    The text of yesterday’s emergency proclamation can be found here.

    In response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s expansion of the emergency drought, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia shared the following, “Governor Newsom took a measured step in the right direction, but caution is needed in implementation of this proclamation. The declaration provides regulatory flexibility for water transfers to mitigate water shortages, and parallel executive action allocates $200 million to repair some damaged sections of key water delivery systems as proposed by Senator Hurtado’s Senate Bill 559. However, the emergency authority granted to the State Water Board to curtail water deliveries should give all water users pause. Water curtailments disproportionately impact rural and disadvantaged communities. During the last drought from 2014-2016, regulatory restrictions on water deliveries resulted in the fallowing of half a million acres of productive San Joaquin Valley farmland and cost farms nearly $4 billion in economic activity. With many South-of-Delta farmers slated to receive between zero and five percent of their water allocations, 2021 is shaping up to be another catastrophic year for rural farming communities in the Valley. In implementing the Governor’s proclamation, we urge state water officials to lead with voluntary transfers and curtailments, giving our smart and capable public and private water agencies the space they need to maximize limited water supplies and achieve balance between the environmental and economic needs of the state. Beyond the immediate crisis, state agencies must help mitigate the impacts of changing hydrology by removing the red tape that has long prevented meaningful investments in water storage infrastructure.”

    The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) commended the drought proclamation, announcing the addition of 39 California counties to be included as part of the April 21st emergency drought proclamation. CFFA President Ian LeMay stated, “The Sierra Nevada snowpack is at the second worst levels since 2002 and today’s announcement is a step in the right direction to provide relief to California’s agricultural and rural communities. The state is the top producing agricultural region in the world, but it cannot continue to survive without a reliable water resource.”

    LeMay continued, “While drought is not an unfamiliar foe to Californians, it should be acknowledged that this will be the first drought in the era of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), with the circumstances intensified and the solutions more complex. It is the hope of the Association that today’s announcement is a step to address California’s short and long-term water resiliency. CFFA looks forward to working on behalf of its membership to engage with state and federal officials to address California’s water needs.”

    On the announcement, Westlands Water District general manager, Tom Birmingham, shared, “The realities of a changing climate mean California must prepare for longer, hotter droughts that can only be effectively mitigated through collaborative approaches that focuses equally on our state’s economic and environmental sustainability. We applaud Governor Newsom’s action to mitigate the impacts of a second year of drought in the Central Valley, which has already manifested itself in fallowed fields and lost jobs due to lack of water. In particular, his move to streamline water transfers and provide $200 million in funding for critical water infrastructure repairs as outlined in Senator Hurtado’s Senate Bill 559 will both help local communities manage drought impacts in the short term and improve drought resiliency by maximizing the beneficial use of every drop of water in the long term. Westlands appreciates the leadership of both Governor Newsom and Senator Hurtado in championing these critical water infrastructure repair investments, and we look forward to continuing to work with local, state and federal leaders to develop collaborative, holistic solutions to more effectively address the impacts of drought on our most vulnerable communities.”

    From the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, Executive Director Federico Barajas stated, “The all of government approach announced by the Governor is a positive step to responding to the evolving drought conditions facing California. The historic drought conditions have negatively impacted nearly 1.2 million acres of farmland, over 2 million people, many of whom live in economically disadvantaged communities, and 200,000 acres of critical habitat and managed wetlands are reliant on the water provided by members of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. We applaud the Governor for the actions taken today to streamline water transfers, which improve water supply in the near term, and for proposing a $200 million up-front investment to restore critical conveyance facilities like the Delta-Mendota Canal, which improves long-term climate resilience.”

    The Governor’s executive action last month directed state agencies to partner with local water suppliers to promote conservation through the Save Our Water campaign, a critical resources for Californians during the 2012-2016 drought. Some municipalities have already adopted mandatory local water-saving requirements, and many more have called for voluntary water use reductions.

    “It’s time for Californians to pull together once again to save water,” said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “All of us need to find every opportunity to save water where we can: limit outdoor watering, take shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Homeowners, municipalities, and water diverters can help by addressing leaks and other types of water loss, which can account for over 30 percent of water use in some areas.”

    Actions by the Administration to address drought to date include:

    • Identifying water suppliers at extreme financial risk that may need additional support due to the combined impacts of COVID and drought.
    • Updating the Department of Water Resources’ Dry Well website, which tracks voluntarily reported supply issues by counties.
    • Streamlining water transfer processes.
    • Issuing letters from the State Water Resources Control Board to water right holders, urging them to plan for potential shortages by reducing water use and adopting practical conservation measures.
    • Completing the state’s first drinking water needs assessment in which the State Water Board identified small water systems and domestic wells that are failing or at risk of failing to meet the state’s drinking water standards. By working toward solutions with these systems, we are improving their drought resiliency.For more tips on saving water, visit www.saveourwater.com.

      Learn more about current conditions, the state’s response and informational resources available to the public at the state’s new drought preparedness website.

  • USDA Invests Over $90 Million in Grants for Food Producers Affected by Pandemic

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of $92.2 million in competitive grant funding under the 2018 Farm Bill’s Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). The LAMP grants announced today are funded through the Farmers Market program as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers Initiative. USDA launched this initiative in March to address shortfalls and disparities in how assistance was distributed in previous COVID-19 assistance packages, with a specific focus on strengthening outreach to underserved producers and communities and small and medium agricultural operations. These grants support the development, coordination and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and enterprises and value-added agricultural products.

    “We have an opportunity to transform our nation’s food system with a greater focus on resilient, local and regional food systems,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These grants will help maximize opportunities for economic growth and ingenuity in local and regional food systems to kickstart this transformation. LAMP grants have a history of generating new income sources for small, beginning, veteran and socially disadvantaged farmers and creating new market opportunities for value-added and niche products.”

    USDA encourages projects that assist underserved local and regional agricultural businesses, producer networks and associations, and local and tribal government in responding to COVID-19 disruptions and impacts. Funding is not contingent upon applicants directly addressing these issues.

    The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring equity across the Department, removing barriers to access, and building inclusive programs for the agricultural sector. For grants intending to serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, veteran producers, and/or underserved communities, USDA encourages applicants engage and involve those beneficiaries when developing projects.

    Increasing Local Food Access Through Direct and Intermediary Producer-to-Consumer Markets

    USDA will award $76.9 million ($22.5 million in the 2018 Farm Bill, $47 million provided as emergency funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and $7.4 in annual appropriations) to FMLFPP. Projects under the Farmers Market Promotion Program support direct-to-consumer markets like farmers markets and CSAs. Projects under the Local Food Promotion Program supports indirect-to-consumer markets like food hubs and value-added product incubators.

    Building Robust and Resilient Local and Regional Food Economies

    USDA will award $15.3 million ($5 million in the 2018 Farm Bill and $10.3 provided as emergency funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021) to RFSP to fund public-private partnerships that build and strengthen viability and resilience of local or regional food economies. Projects focus on increase the availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products and alleviating unnecessary administrative and technical barriers. Projects can cover the planning and design of a local and regional food economy as well as implementing or expanding an existing one.

    Application and Grant Eligibility

    Applications undergo external expert peer review and the process is highly competitive. All grants require matching funds from community partners or stakeholders. The amounts and match amounts vary by program and are specified in the RFAs.

    Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due dates established in the respective Request for Applications (RFA’s). Any grant application submitted after the due date will not be considered unless the applicant provides documentation of an extenuating circumstance that prevented their timely submission of the grant application. Read more in AMS Late and Non-Responsive Application Policy (PDF, 431 KB).

    For more information about grant eligibility and previously funded projects, visit the FMPP webpage, LFPP webpage or RFSP webpage or contact us at USDAFMPPQuestions@usda.gov, USDALFPPQuestions@usda.gov,orIPPGrants@usda.gov.

    Technical Assistance

    AMS offers RFA webinars for new applicants to help walk them through the RFA while also providing helpful hints on what has made past recipients successful. Additionally, Frequently Asked Questions are posted on the AMS Grants website, and grants management specialists are standing by to answer any incoming questions and emails during regular business hours.

  • Over 100 Small Farms get a Giant Boost

    Access to start-up capital is a big challenge for farmers. A small grant program through the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is helping. More than 100 farmer veterans received word Friday that they are being awarded equipment thanks to the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund. The grant supports veterans in their early years of farming and ranching.

    “We directly purchase a piece of equipment the farmer has identified as being critical,” explains Jeanette Lombardo, FVC Executive Director. “Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect us. It’s an honor to help them grow their operations so they can continue to feed their communities.”

    Over 11 years, this funding has been the difference maker for farmers. More than 700 veterans have benefitted with $3.5 million in equipment distributed. That’s 600 individual stories FVC has been able to tell already, with 100 more to share on the near horizon.

    The 2021 class of Fellows includes:

         •  Representation in nearly 40 states – from Alaska to Maine, and even Guam
         • 47 females, doubling the percentage of women awardees as compared to prior years
         • Nine awardees who have spouses who also served in the military
          • 52% Army, 18% Marines, 17% Air Force, 11% Navy, 2% Coast Guard


    Equipment will soon be delivered to farms – starting now and into the summer. Grantees anxiously await greenhouses and grow tents, walk-in coolers and cold storage units, milking systems, water filtrations, and honey extractors. Other unique requests include a mushroom substrate steamer and a lavender bud stripper.

    “It’s Christmas week at FVC and we’ve all been so busy wrapping the presents!” beams Rachel Petitt, who has managed the Fellowship program for seven years. “Now we start loading them into Santa’s sleigh.”

    Veterans Helping Veterans

    Funding is made possible by Kubota Tractor Corporation, Tractor Supply Company, Wounded Warrior Project, Farm Credit, Tarter USA, Homestead Implements, Vital Farms, and even directly from other farmer veteran members.

    This year FVC is humbled to see support come full circle, with two prior Fellows funding awardees.     Eric Grandonof Sugar Bottom Farm in West Virginia got a grant for a 50 cubic foot refrigerator in 2015 to store the Romaine lettuce he delivered to local schools. Now he supports 5 beekeepers with equipment. Anthony Barreras, a 21-year Army veteran, operates Barreras Family Farm in Nebraska where his 2019 grant allowed construction of his poultry barn. He is funding a fellow in his same state.

    And     Julie Hollars – who famously exclaimed that “most girls want diamonds, all I want is a tractor!” when she was awarded a Kubota through the Geared to Give program in 2016 – also pledged her support via donation.

    Some of this year’s grantees have been mentored by other farmer veterans throughout their career. Many intend to hire veterans as they expand their own businesses. A few will purchase their piece of equipment from another FVC member, in essence doubling the impact within the community.

    “The need in our rural communities is great,” acknowledges Lombardo. “We are inspired by the members who applied. This year it was difficult to select finalists; we understand the impact the grants make on peoples’ lives. This furthers our commitment to secure more funds for the next round.”

    Her words come on the heels of the single largest day of new membership the organization has ever seen. Last week, after the Office of Veterans Affairs shared news of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, 1,300 new members signed-up in 24 hours. “It probably took 3 years to get what we have had these last few days,” marvels FVC Founder Michael O’Gorman.

    Now these 128 Fellowship recipients persevere on their mission of serving our country a second time – by feeding it – with the added help of new capital. Amy Hess raises chickens, ducks, guineas, and heritage turkeys after serving 23 years in the Army. She offers this perspective upon receiving the news: “Tears of joy! These funds will purchase a large incubator cabinet for hatching. [It] will make me just about 100% self sufficient and not reliant on a hatchery. This is amazing!”

    You can view the     full list of 2021 awardees here.

    The five ‘Geared to Give’ Kubota tractor Fellowships will be announced later this month.

    About Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC)
    The mission of Farmer Veteran Coalition is mobilizing veterans to feed America. A national non-profit that serves nearly 30,000 veterans turned farmers, FVC creates a new generation of farmers and food leaders. It simultaneously offers veterans a new purpose on America’s farms. 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.

    To sponsor equipment for the Fellowship Fund, contact Rachel Petitt at rachel@farmvetco.org. To donate to support farmer veterans directly, visit www.farmvetco.org or text GIVE and the dollar amount to 270-838-3276 (270-VET-FARM).

  • USDA’s Risk Management Agency Amends Potato Crop Insurance Options

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on May 4th that its Risk Management Agency (RMA) is modifying four Northern Potato Crop Insurance Policy optional endorsements. The options are available to producers who choose to purchase additional coverage on top of their multi-peril crop insurance policy. The changes specify that the premium only applies to planted acreage and is no longer charged on acreage prevented from planting. The changes will be effective for the 2022 and succeeding crop years.

    RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy

    “Producers will benefit from this change since the premium will only be due for years when the crop is planted, which will make the additional coverage more affordable in years when the crop is prevented from planting,” said RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy.

    The modifications are applicable to the Quality Endorsement, Processing Quality Endorsement, Certified Seed Endorsement and the Storage Coverage Endorsement. Currently, insured operations are charged a premium if they elect the optional endorsements by the sales closing date, regardless if the acreage was prevented from planting or not.

    For example, the Storage Coverage Endorsement extends crop insurance coverage for potatoes that have been harvested and are in storage. Acreage prevented from planting would not need coverage that is specifically designed for a final harvested crop. Previously the acreage was still charged a premium.

    The changes are a result of RMA’s outreach to potato commodity groups and the crop insurance industry. With these changes, producers will see their premium reduced during years when there are prevented planting losses and an offsetting increase in years without those losses, which enhances the overall financial stability provided by insurance.

    Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.

    USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

  • UnitedAg Announces Updates to Executive Leadership Team

     UnitedAg, a healthcare leader for the agricultural industry, announced several changes across its executive leadership team, further positioning the non-profit agricultural association health plan for future growth. The new executive leadership team reflects the strategic importance of UnitedAg’s member-focused approach.

    “UnitedAg’s success is attributed to the talent, culture, and our instinct, sense of empathy for the community we serve,” said Kirti Mutatkar, President and CEO of UnitedAg. Our leadership team has been an essential driver in UnitedAg’s strategy and distinction amongst other health plans. I firmly believe that our new leadership team will help us provide more value and better outcomes for our members.”

    Effective April 1st, UnitedAg’s leadership team will include the following appointments:

    Alex Chee has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer of UnitedAg. Alex joined UnitedAg in 2020 as the chief technology officer. His vast expertise and skills in data analytics, business intelligence, financial analysis, and deep understanding of the healthcare industry further accelerated his promotion. As executive vice president and chief financial officer, Alex will be responsible for helping UnitedAg achieve financial goals and objectives and increase operating performance.

    Yvonne Park has been named associate general counsel of UnitedAg. Yvonne is an instrumental addition with expansive experience in ERISA fiduciary provisions, DOL investigations, and IRS audits. As associate general counsel, she will oversee all issues related to compliance with PPACA, COBRA, HIPAA, employee assistance programs, and health reimbursement arrangements. Additionally, Yvonne has played a critical role in implementing the new Federal laws and regulations established by the Department of Labor due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Sachin Varma has been named senior director of underwriting of UnitedAg. Sachin comes to UnitedAg with a deep understanding of analytical risk management and pricing and 20 years of underwriting experience in the healthcare space. As senior director of underwriting, Sachin will be responsible for developing new products and services for the agricultural community’s unique needs.

    The new leadership team will continue to reinforce UnitedAg’s vision to provide the best, most affordable, innovative health benefits and services for the agricultural industry.

    About UnitedAg

    UnitedAg is an agricultural trade association created to provide innovative health benefits for a strong and healthy agricultural industry. UnitedAg represents more than 1,000 agriculture-affiliated member companies and helps its members meet their employee benefits needs, promotes their interests with lawmakers, helps them comply with legislation and regulation. Based in Irvine, Calif., UnitedAg has offices in Salinas and Santa Maria and wellness centers throughout Central and Northern California. Today, UnitedAg and its association-sponsored health plan has grown to over 220 million in annual contributions and covers more than 55,000 agricultural workers in California and Arizona. For more information, visit www.unitedag.org.

  • Westlands Water District Board of Directors Appoints Ryan Ferguson as President

    The Westlands Water District Board of Directors recently elected Ryan Ferguson to serve as president of the District. Ferguson succeeds Daniel Errotabere, who will continue to serve on the Board.

    Director Ferguson was elected to the Westlands Board of Directors in 2017. His family has lived and worked on the westside, in what is now Westlands Water District, for four generations. He has farmed in the Lemoore area since 2003, growing almonds, pistachios, tomatoes, and reproduction seed cotton on their family farm. He currently serves as chair of the Finance and Administration Committee and represents Westlands on the board of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and as an alternate on the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA) board.

    “As a second-generation family farmer in Lemoore and Huron, I understand firsthand the challenges farmers in Westlands face as a result of the current drought, uncertainty about water supply, and the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. I recognize the complexity and weight of the issues the Board will navigate in the coming months and years, and I am committed to building upon the legacy of collaboration and service Dan Errotabere and those who came before him, have established,” said Ferguson. “Dan has served the westside for decades in a wide range of roles and made innumerable contributions to the District and the community at large. I know I speak for the entire Board when I say we are extraordinarily grateful for his leadership and his continued dedication to the families, farms and communities served by Westlands. The District is better off due to Dan’s leadership.”

    “It has been an honor to serve as President of Westlands, and I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow Board members, the District staff, and those served by the District,” said Errotabere. “Ryan Ferguson is a thoughtful, engaged leader with deep insight into the challenges the District faces, and I know he will lead the Board with great vision and integrity. Westlands faces many water supply challenges and grower can be fully confident your current board is focusing on securing water supply to keep agriculture sustainable in the region.”

    Director Errotabere was elected to the Westlands Board of Directors in 1993 and was most recently re-elected in 2017. He and his family currently farm in the Five Points area, growing processing tomatoes, processing garlic, processing onions, garbanzo beans, and almonds.

    About Westlands Water District

    Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than five decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation, and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology.

  • USDA Awards 85 New Projects to Help Mitigate Climate Change

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is investing $330 million in 85 locally driven, public-private partnerships to address climate change, improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. Projects are awarded through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

    “The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is public-private partnerships working at their best,” said NRCS Acting Chief Terry Cosby. “These new projects will harness the power of partnerships to help bring about solutions to natural resource concerns across the country while supporting our efforts to combat the climate crisis.”

    Across America, producers are seeing the impacts from climate change. Farmers, landowners and local communities can be a major part of the effort to combat climate change.

    Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat the climate crisis and conserve and protect our nation’s lands, biodiversity and natural resources including our soil, air and water. Through conservation practices and partnerships, including those through RCPP, USDA aims to enhance economic growth and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, producers and private foresters. Successfully meeting these challenges will require USDA and our agencies to pursue a coordinated approach alongside USDA stakeholders, including state, local and Tribal governments.

    About RCPP
    Through RCPP, conservation partners work in collaboration with NRCS to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners throughout the nation to implement systems that conserve water and soil resources, improve the health of wildlife habitats and increase climate resilience.

    RCPP partners offer value-added contributions to amplify the impact of RCPP funding. These projects offer impactful and measurable outcomes. Throughout its history, RCPP has leveraged partner contributions of more than $1 for every $1 invested by USDA, resulting in nearly $3 billion collectively invested in natural resource conservation on private lands. The Department anticipates the investments made today will generate at least $440 million in additional conservation funds by communities and other partners.

    Examples of the 2021 RCPP projects include:

    • Lancaster’s Common Agenda for Clean Water (Pennsylvania): Lancaster Clean Water Partners brings together a diverse group of organizations including non-profits, government and businesses with a goal of delisting impaired waters to make Lancaster County’s streams clean and clear by 2040. The partnership will use a custom screening tool to identify critical lands for water quality improvement. An innovative incentive structure will be used to reward producers for installing riparian forest or grass buffers, or for adopting regenerative farming practices.
    • The Working Farms Fund (Georgia): The Conservation Fund, in collaboration with six local partners, proposes to establish the first-of-its-kind program in the country, known as the Working Farms Fund. The project, based on results from a successful Conservation Innovation Grant, will permanently protect farmland across the Atlanta metropolitan foodshed and create opportunities for ambitious, diverse farmers to access affordable farms through an innovative buy-protect-sell model. Partners, like Emory University and the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center will help report on the carbon sequestration, social and economic outcomes of the project. The partnership is committed to ensuring that at least 20% of its participating farmers come from historically underserved groups.
    • Northern New Jersey Small Farm Food Link Conservation Project: The Urban Agriculture Cooperative proposes to deliver technical and financial assistance to new and historically underserved urban farmers in Northern New Jersey. Implementation of seasonal high tunnels, composting facilities, cover crops and irrigation practices will improve soil health and irrigation water use efficiency, as well as help urban producers realize lower input costs and more production. Participating farms will also see new revenue streams from composting activities. The project will increase opportunities for black, Indigenous, people of color, women, immigrants and new young farmers to participate in all aspects of the local food economy from production to retail. Historically underserved farmers pursuing land tenure will benefit and strengthen their linkages with rural farmers to bring more food to urban residents who lack fresh food access.
    • Building Ranch Resiliency in South Dakota and Nebraska: By 2024, this partnership of eight organizations proposes to increase rangeland resiliency on 40 South Dakota and Nebraska ranches. The diverse partnership will contribute expertise on grazing management, wildlife habitat improvement and water development to improve range condition. A subset of the participating producers will be enrolled, on a voluntary basis, in World Wildlife Fund’s Ranch Systems Viability Planning project through which ranchers gain expertise in financial strategies, marketing, diversification and estate planning.
    • Soil Health Management Systems for Northern California: California State University will support California’s Healthy Soils Initiative to help orchard/vineyard, rangeland, dairy and row crop producers implement Soil Health Management Systems. The project leverages contributions from 13 partners to improve soil function, water infiltration and availability and protect biodiverse habitats in Northern California agro-ecosystems. In addition, the project integrates carbon farm planning activities and will report on economic and social outcomes, in addition to conservation outcomes.
    • Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basic Collaboration: Indiana, Michigan and Ohio State Departments of Agriculture propose to join forces with over 30 partners to help participating farmers improve soil health and reduce nutrient loading impacts in the Western Lake Erie Basin. The partnership will use sophisticated targeting tools to work with producers and landowners operating near the Maumee headwaters, an area identified as a source of high levels of excess phosphorus, with technical and financial assistance opportunities.
    • Arkansas-Louisiana Open Pine Landscape Restoration: The AR-LA Conservation Delivery Network Open Pine Landscape Restoration partnership proposes to advance the recovery of species of conservation concern by implementing Desired Forest Condition management practices across 30,000 acres of private lands in Arkansas and Louisiana. American Bird Conservancy and 19 partners plan to use several innovative tools and approaches to target conservation funds to lands critical for the protection of species such as Northern Bobwhite, Henslow’s and LeConte’s sparrows, Louisiana Pine Snake, and Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Partnerships with the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and other entities, along with a tailored program and incentive package, will help ensure that Historically Underserved farmers participate meaningfully in the project.
    • Farmland & Water Quality Conservation Initiative (Michigan): The Farmland & Water Quality Conservation Initiative aims to benefit the long-term economic, social, and environmental health of Ottawa County by protecting surface and groundwater quality and improving aquatic and wildlife habitat in the Macatawa, Lower Grand, and Pigeon River watersheds. Project partners plan to develop a watershed model using the USDA-developed Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework to identify lands where implementation activities targeting both surface and groundwater conservation would have the greatest impact.

    See the interactive map of awarded RCPP projects here.

    There are currently 336 active RCPP projects that have engaged more than 2,000 partners. For more information, visit the RCPP website.

  • California Grape Acreage Subsides

    The year 2020 could be characterized as a year of great loss, due to the pandemic, wildfires, and many other issues. The USDA also just reported a loss in total acreage for the number one grape growing state in the nation for the unprecedented year. California’s 2020 grape acreage totaled 895,000 acres, down 2.5% from 2019. Of the total grape acreage, 844,000 were bearing while 51,000 were non-bearing. The wine-type grape acreage was estimated at 620,000 acres, 580,000 bearing and 40,000 non-bearing. Table-type grape acreage remained unchanged from 2019, totaling 130,000 acres, with 122,000 bearing and 8,000 non-bearing. Acreage of raisin-type grapes totaled 145,000 acres, of which 142,000 were bearing and 3,000 were non-bearing.  While wine grape acreage experienced the most significant decline this past year, raisin grape acreage was reported to have the most significant percentage loss of the three types, at a 5.2% decline.

    The leading wine-type varieties continued to be Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Flame Seedless was the leading table-type grape variety. Thompson Seedless continued to be the leading raisin-type variety and was utilized for raisins, fresh market, concentrate, and wine.

    The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Pacific Regional Office partners with California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Table Grape Commission, and Raisin Administrative Committee to conduct an annual acreage survey of California grape growers. The purpose of this survey is to provide annual grape acreage with information on new plantings and removals. It is a continuation of a long series of industry-funded grape acreage surveys.

    This report consists of two parts:

    ➢ Estimated grape acreage — bearing, non-bearing, and total.

    ➢Detailed data by variety, and year planted — as voluntarily reported by grape growers and maintained in our list of grape vineyards.

    With perfect information, the estimated grape acreage and the detailed data would be the same. However, this will never be the case for the following reasons:

    ➢A voluntary survey of approximately 8,900 grape growers is unlikely to attain 100 percent completeness.

    ➢ It is difficult to detect growers who are planting grapes for the first time.

    ➢ The detailed data reflects vine removals from 30,000 acres during the past twelve months. Of this number, significant acreage was harvested in 2020 prior to being pulled out. As a result, harvested acreage removed in 2020 is included in the estimated acreage, but excluded from the detailed data

    PROCEDURES

    The major source of the grape detailed data was a questionnaire mailed to all grape growers from our list of grape vineyards. The mailing was made in October 2020 to approximately 8,900 grape growers. The questionnaire contained previously reported crop, variety, and acreage information preprinted. Producers were asked to update the information with new plantings, removals, and any other corrections; new growers were mailed a blank questionnaire. Growers were given six weeks to respond by mail. A telephone follow-up was then undertaken.

    To arrive at the estimated grape acreage, our list of grape vineyards was compared with data provided from the pesticide application data maintained by County Agricultural Commissioners and the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    We sincerely thank the many farm operators, owners, and management firms providing the information. Funding was provided by an assessment on wine grapes plus funding from the California Table Grape Commission and the Raisin Administrative Committee.