California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Bill to Restore San Joaquin Valley Canals

    Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) and Senator Dianne Feinstein, along with Representatives John Garamendi (CA-03) and Josh Harder (CA-10) today introduced the Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act, a bill to authorize more than $653 million to restore the capacity of three San Joaquin Valley canals. Restoring these canals would improve California’s drought resilience and help farmers comply with limits on groundwater pumping under the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

    “It’s past the time to repair our aging water infrastructure,” said Congressman Costa. “With another drought here, we must act now to repair our broken canals and develop long-term plans for future delivery of water to our communities. This bill will provide funding to restore and increase the resiliency of the Delta-Mendota Canal, Friant-Kern Canal and the California Aqueduct, all critical to deliver water to our valley farms. We know water is the lifeblood for California and the foundation of our agricultural economy. Failing to act on this issue is no longer an option.”

    “A severe lack of water is causing land to sink throughout California. One harmful effect of this subsidence is the damage it has caused to canals throughout the San Joaquin Valley, significantly reducing their capacity to carry water,” said Senator Feinstein. “However, we can restore that capacity if we work together at the federal, state and local levels, ensuring that there will be more water for farmers and to combat subsidence. But our bill isn’t just a win for farmers, it would also restore salmon runs vital to the Chinook salmon, helping protect this threatened species.”

    The bill also authorizes an additional $180 million to restore salmon runs on the San Joaquin River. The funding is for fish passage structures, levees and other improvements that will allow the threatened Central Valley Spring-run Chinook salmon to swim freely upstream from the ocean to the Friant Dam.

    “I am pleased to work with my California colleagues to bring new federal investment to repair our state’s aqueducts and canals, which have fallen into disrepair after years of neglect and land subsidence from groundwater over pumping,” said Congressman Garamendi. “All told, our bill would provide the largest federal investment in California’s statewide water infrastructure in decades. Beyond just repairing existing infrastructure, we must make forward-looking investments to modernize California’s water supply to meet our state’s future water needs and become more resilient to climate change. I plan to continue working with my colleagues in California’s Congressional delegation to do just that.

    “Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat you need reliable, affordable water,” said Congressman Harder. “This bill will do a ton of good to ensure our Central Valley water infrastructure is set up for long term success, and that helps everyone in our community.”

    “This year’s low water allocations for the communities and ecosystems that depend on the water provided by the Authority’s member agencies only reinforces the need to focus investments in two key areas – increased water conveyance and increased water storage,” said Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. “Increasing our resilience to climate change demands that we move water in the years when it’s available and store it for the droughts we know will come, like this year. The Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act continues the historical local-state-federal partnership that built California’s water system which provides national food security, improves our regional and statewide economy, and protects ecosystems and habitats that are critically important to the Pacific Flyway.”

    “The Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act represents a holistic, statewide approach to restoring the capacity of the statewide and regional canals that deliver water for people, farms and the environment. Doing so will improve climate resiliency, create and protect local jobs, and protect disadvantaged communities,” said Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors. “As we seek to increase our resiliency to climate change, restoring the capacity of California’s water conveyance systems will help to secure our state’s limited water resources, both now and into the future.

    California State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) introduced corresponding legislation in the California legislature to provide an equivalent amount of state funding to restore the canals.

    “Senator Feinstein and Congressman Costa deeply understand the importance of food security and safe drinking water for farmworker communities. The introduction of the Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act further proves that,” said State Senator Hurtado. “The Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act and my state bill – the California’s Water Resiliency Act – are crucial complementary steps to securing food to feed our nation and to provide for the workers that sacrifice to make our farms go. It has been an honor these past two years to work side-by-side with these longtime friends of farmers, farmworkers and the communities they live in.”

    What the bill does:
    • The bill would authorize a one-third federal cost share for restoring canal capacity. A bill introduced by California State Senator Melissa Hurtado would authorize one- third of the cost to be paid for by the state, and the remaining one-third would be paid for by local agencies.
    • The bill would authorize $833.4 million for four major projects:
    • $180 million to restore the Friant-Kern Canal.
    • $183.9 million to restore the Delta Mendota Canal.
    • $289.5 million to restore the California Aqueduct.
    • $180 million to restore salmon runs on the San Joaquin River.
    • The funding may not be used to build new surface storage or raise existing reservoirs. It may also not be used to enlarge the capacity of any canal, except for a temporary increase to mitigate anticipated future subsidence.

  • UnitedAg Announces Glenn Miller as Chairman of the Board

    After 16 years of service, Glenn Miller, president and chief executive officer of the Saticoy Lemon Association, is appointed Chairman of United Agricultural Benefit Trust, a leading agricultural health plan sponsored by UnitedAg.

    UnitedAg, a healthcare leader for the agricultural industry, has officially announced Glenn Miller as the new in-coming Chairman for the Board of Trustees. Miller joined the Board of Trustees in 2005 and succeeds Mack Ramsay, Chairman Emeritus, who served from 2019 to 2021.

    “It is a great honor to be appointed Chairman of the United Agricultural Benefit Trust. I am incredibly proud of the leadership and our accomplishments over the past four decades. Since 1983, United Agricultural Benefit Trust has provided health benefits to approximately 3 million individuals in rural communities and has paid over $830,000,000 in health, dental, vision, and life claims to plan participants and saved employers millions of dollars in premium cost. I look forward to continuing our efforts in leading the charge in providing premium health plans to an under-served community.” said Miller.

    Miller has over 16 years of agricultural healthcare experience and is the current president and chief executive officer of the Saticoy Lemon Association. Representing over 170 Sunkist lemon grower members, the non-profit agricultural cooperative is responsible for marketing its grower members’ fruit through their affiliation with Sunkist Growers, Inc. The Association was established in 1933 and currently operates three processing facilities throughout Ventura County.

    “This is a significant milestone for our organization. I am deeply grateful to our Board of Trustees for supporting our vision. Empathy and passion are what led to the creation of the United Agricultural Benefit Trust,” said Kirti Mutatkar, President, UnitedAg. “I am excited for what the future holds under Glenn’s leadership as he brings a wealth of non-profit agricultural experience, which is vital for the growth and development of new health programs and services.”

    About UnitedAg

    United Agricultural Benefit Trust, an association health plan founded in 1983 and sponsored by UnitedAg, was 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, United Agricultural Benefit Trust has grown to over 220 million in annual contributions and covers more than 55,000 agricultural workers in California and Arizona. To learn more, please visit www.unitedag.org.

  • CA Passes Pandemic Aid for Smaller Family Farms

    Yesterday California state leaders enacted budget legislation to provide critical support for small and historically underserved farmers impacted by the pandemic. With approval of Senate Bill 85, state funding to the tune of $3.35 million from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will help ensure much-needed direct relief to farmers left out of previous aid efforts as well as language and culturally appropriate technical assistance. On behalf of our more than 8,000 farmer members, the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) applauds the announcement, the fruit of more than a year of advocating for such crisis support.

    Small farmers continue to struggle to recover from significant challenges, particularly pandemic-induced losses sustained by closed and changing markets for their fresh, local food. Previous federal and state relief efforts have failed to reach many smaller-sized farmers, particularly black, indigenous, and people of color farmers. State efforts, supported by the California CDFA, will provide not only direct relief to growers but also allow them to leverage existing and new federal sources, particularly new programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This budget investment will enable CDFA to provide direct small grants to farmers in need and overlooked by other programs; will hire new University of California small farm specialists in at least two regions of the state; and contract technical assistance specialists across the state to provide support in connecting to federal resources.

    “Community Alliance with Family Farmers commends Governor Gavin Newsom and the state legislature for providing on-the ground technical assistance to small-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers. CAFF pushed hard for this state support for the small and BIPOC growers in our communities that have felt some of the greatest brunt of the pandemic,” said Paul Towers, Executive Director of CAFF. “This investment will make farmers more successful. Not only is direct aid essential but so is the support from trusted and experienced partner organizations to assist farmers in navigating the myriad of state and federal COVID relief programs.”

    State legislative leaders who have championed the needs of small and historically underserved farmers join CAFF in heralding this announcement:

    “The investment of over $3 million in SB 85 to provide technical assistance to small and disadvantaged farmers is a big victory and welcome news,” said Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton). “I’m proud to have partnered with CAFF to help build the support in the State Legislature to make this happen. These types of investments are critical as the agricultural sector works to recover from the effects of the pandemic and are central to efforts to grow and diversify our agricultural economy.”

    “I am thrilled to thank the Governor, Speaker Rendon and Pro Tem Atkins for including critical technical assistance funding of $3.35 million for small farmers in this week’s round of early budget actions,” said Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). “This funding to CDFA for the UC Cooperative Extension to provide technical assistance and grants will provide desperately needed relief to our small, mid-sized, and underserved farmers to access federal disaster assistance. Federal programs are almost impossible for small players to even attempt to access–yet they’re some of the hardest hit victims of the economic and health crises of the past year. I want to send my special thanks to Secretary Karen Ross and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers for their work to secure this funding!”

    “As Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, I am thrilled to see the State invest in our small scale and socially disadvantaged farmers,” said Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister). “By providing critical technical assistance funding to these farmers, this early budget action is a step in the right direction for our State and for equity in our agriculture industry.”

    Community Alliance with Family Farmers is a forty-year-old organization dedicated to creating more resilient family farms, communities and ecosystems.

  • New CA Pollinator Coalition Pledges to Increase Pollinator Habitat on Working Lands

    Spearheaded by the almond industry, a new coalition of agricultural and conservation groups was announced today to encourage more voluntary, grower-friendly efforts to protect the state’s native insect pollinators and managed honeybees.

    The California Pollinator Coalition includes a broad array of more than 20 of the state’s leading agricultural organizations and conservation groups (complete list below). The Coalition will focus on increasing grower participation in projects to provide habitat and forage for pollinators and other beneficial insects across the state’s agricultural landscape.

    “California’s almond industry has a long record of continuing improvement in the area of Integrated Pest Management and protection and stewardship of managed bees,” said Dr. Josette Lewis, Chief Scientific Officer for ABC. “This new coalition helps us expand on our work to benefit California’s many native pollinator species. We’ll also get more results by collaborating within the agriculture and conservation communities on voluntary efforts that benefit both growers and the environment. Improving the health or our ecosystems is not something we can do alone, so we are glad to have many strong allies in this.” 

    “It’s a simple fact that without honey bees, there would be no almonds. The Almond Alliance strongly supports this collaborative effort to increase habitat for pollinators on working lands,” said Alliance Chairman Mike Curry. 

    Convened by Pollinator Partnership, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Almond Board of California, the Coalition’s goal is to increase habitat for pollinators on working lands to benefit biodiversity and food production through on-farm and in-orchard projects, supported by technical guidance, research, and documenting progress toward increasing healthier pollinator habitats.

    “What we are doing in California is acknowledging the urgency to address the critical issue of protecting all pollinators, including native and managed species,” said President and CEO of Pollinator Partnership Laurie Davies Adams. “Agriculture and conservation must work together to achieve this goal.”

    “The outcome will not be a tidy report that sits on a shelf, but rather a metric of acres, projects, and species added to the landscape while agriculture continues to profitably feed the nation,” Adams said.

    Objectives of the Coalition
    Extending the California almond industry’s commitment to protect honeybees during almond pollination, the Coalition plans to address habitat issues on an unprecedented scale for the benefit of the state’s beneficial insects, which include 1,600 species of native bees, managed honeybees, butterflies, beetles, wasps, and more. Populations of many California pollinators are declining and often suffer from the same challenges as California’s agriculture. 

    The Coalition will work together on a variety of fronts to support pollinators: 

    • Preparing grower-friendly guidance to build and maintain pollinator habitat on farms and ranches
    • Conducting research and disseminating relevant science
    • Monitoring outcomes (adoption rates and effectiveness of practices)

    “Collaborative action can mitigate risks to California’s pollinators, and that’s exactly why this coalition has come together,” said Karen Ross, Secretary of California Department of Food and Agriculture. “We need urgent action, yet the first step in the process is building trust that encourages, enables, and enhances the result. The California Pollinator Coalition is a big step forward in a journey of grower and conservation groups voluntarily demonstrating leadership.” 

    “This will not be an easy or quick fix,” Lewis said. “It will require a robust and sustained effort, but we are determined to be part of the solution. Almond growers and many other farmers depend on pollinators to produce a crop and pollinators depend on us to provide safe habitat. Working lands can and should be part of the solution.”

    “Farm Bureau supports voluntary, farmer-friendly efforts to improve habitat for native pollinators, and we have long advocated improved research on pollinator health,” said President of the California Farm Bureau Jamie Johansson. “We will work with the coalition for the benefit of native pollinators and managed bees, and to assure stability for the domestic bee business.”

    Almond Alliance Sponsors AB 391

    In addition to the efforts of the new coalition, the Almond Alliance of California is sponsoring AB 391 California Pollinator Conservation Funding, authored by Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton). This bill will provide critically needed funding for activities that accelerate the adoption of conservation practices designed to integrate pollinator habitat and forage on working lands.  “California almond farmers know that every almond exists because a honey bee visited an almond blossom,” explained Alliance Chairman Mike Curry. “Honey bees and other pollinators need a varied and nutritious diet. This bill will help growers implement those important conservation practices that benefit honey bees as they forage for pollen and nectar in the orchard. The Almond Alliance is proud to sponsor this bill and looks forward to working with its partners for the bill’s successful passage in the California legislature.”

    Assembly member Villapuda noted the importance of protecting pollinators. “Pollinators are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food,” he explained. “They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce. Working lands offer an opportunity to expand habitat and forage for pollinators which will help sequester carbon and contribute to climate risk reduction. To further engage growers in delivering solutions that benefit pollinators, state investment is critical for activities that accelerate the adoption of conservation practices that integrate pollinator habitat and forage on working lands.”

    AB 391 will appropriate $5 million dollars to provide funding to a variety of agencies to deliver technical assistance, outreach and grants to incentivize participation in state and federal conservation programs where pollinator habitat and forage is established.

    California Pollinator Coalition Partners

    While just beginning its work, the Coalition is continuing to recruit partners who understand the urgency and share the common goal of supporting both the health of pollinators and agriculture. Current California Pollinator Coalition membership includes: 

    • Agricultural Council of California
    • Almond Alliance of California
    • Almond Board of California
    • California Alfalfa and Forage Association
    • California Association of Pest Control Advisers
    • California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
    • California Cattlemen’s Association
    • California Citrus Mutual
    • California Department of Food and Agriculture
    • California Farm Bureau Federation
    • California State Beekeepers Association
    • California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
    • Environmental Defense Fund
    • Monarch Joint Venture
    • Monarch Watch
    • Pollinator Partnership
    • Project Apis m.
    • University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of California
    • Western Growers
    • Dr. Neal Williams, University of California, Davis

    About the California Pollinator Coalition 
    The California Pollinator Coalition, convened by Pollinator Partnership, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Almond Board of California, is made up of a diverse group of agricultural and conservation organizations with the shared goal of providing enhanced habitat for pollinators. The Coalition and its members have pledged to increase habitat for pollinators on working lands. Additionally, the group plans to promote research and track its progress toward healthy and abundant habitats.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Earns Recognition as Green Business Certified

    Following a comprehensive certification process, the Blue Diamond Growers facility in Salida, Calif., has earned distinction as being Green Business Certified. Blue Diamond is the first business in Stanislaus County to be recognized by the California Green Business Network, Stanislaus County, a program of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, for demonstrating sustainability as a top business priority.

    The Green Business Certified recognition was awarded at a ceremony today organized by the Modesto Chamber of Commerce at the Blue Diamond facility in Salida, California. The ceremony was attended by
    Brian Barczak, Senior Vice President, Global Supply for Blue Diamond, as well as Congressman Josh Harder, and several other state and local dignitaries.

    “Blue Diamond has a long 110-year history as an almond cooperative, and within that history has been a commitment to sustainability across all our facilities – Sacramento, Salida and Turlock,” said Barczak. “As we look toward the future, our investment in sustainability strengthens our relationship with our customers and consumers, provides benefits to our local communities, and lays the groundwork for the continuation of our legacy as a cooperative.  This recognition means a great deal to us as it shows that we are doing our part to build a healthier and more sustainable future for our local communities.”

    The Green Business Certified recognition goes to companies that achieve a verified set of standards, including reducing water use, conserving energy, preventing pollution, increasing recycling, avoiding waste, encouraging alternative transportation, and partnering with other local vendors.

    This latest Blue Diamond Growers’ honor comes on the heels of growth and positive milestones at the Salida facility. In 2020, a multi-year construction plan was completed including the addition of a 50-million-pound-capacity Brown Almond Bulk Warehouse. The new warehouse is the second facility of similar capacity recently built at the site. Additionally, also in 2020, the Salida facility achieved its fifth consecutive year – representing five million work hours – of no lost-time accidents. In terms of sustainability, according to Salida Site Leader Dennis Bettencourt, the site has successfully diverted more than 18 tons of waste from the landfill for more optimal uses, among other achievements in reducing water and
    energy usage.

    “We are proud that Blue Diamond’s priority on sustainability is being recognized and wish to thank the Modesto Chamber of Commerce – California Green Business Network, Stanislaus County for their efforts to advance the importance of sustainability in our community,” said Bettencourt. “We are honored by this recognition, as well as motivated to continue providing Blue Diamond almonds to the world in a way that honors, respects and preserves the planet and the natural resources that mean so much to all of us.”


    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing over 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInand Twitter.

  • Genome to Phenome: ARS Research in Precision Agriculture

    How do you build a better dairy cow? Use a tool designed to study the human genome, of course.

    Working alongside international research partners in the Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are using technology to meet the challenges of the increasing global population and ever-changing environmental stressors. The goal of AG2PI is to better understand how genetics and the environment together influence the performance of plants and animals. This is easier said than done because regional environmental differences can vary the results of seeds from the same plant.

    “We know that nature (genotype) and nurture (environment and management) are both important factors in agricultural production (phenotype),” said Caird Rexroad III, ARS national program leader for animal production and protection in Beltsville, MD. “We need to better understand exactly how they affect production to develop optimal production strategies that are tailored to the diversity of genetics and environments that make up U.S. and world agriculture.”

    To achieve this goal, AG2PI reaches across kingdoms (scientific classifications) to examine genome-to-phenome challenges. Scientists in the various specialties work together to identify and fill in similar research gaps, access advanced cyberinfrastructure, and share data and new technology, such as sensors, robotics, and imaging platforms.

    “AG2PI is a community of scientists who share a passion for agricultural research and developing technologies that improve our ability to produce a safe, abundant, healthy, and affordable food supply,” Rexroad said. “This platform is inclusive of many scientific disciplines that may not have interacted in the past, such as breeders, engineers, economists, social scientists, etc., and works by sharing ideas, providing trainings on state-of-the-art technologies, and enhancing communication and collaboration.”

    One example of how ARS scientists used AG2PI to avoid research “stovepipes” (the term used to describe how one group may isolate its information from other unrelated groups) involves the international research to improve dairy cattle.

    “The Genome-to-Phenome Initiative began for us in 2007,” said Curt Van Tassell, research geneticist at the ARS Animal Genomics and Improvements Laboratory in Beltsville. According to Van Tassell, the landmark study used existing technology from one scientific discipline and applied it to another; in this case, technology was developed for the human genome and adapted for use in the cow by designing a DNA chip to characterize the whole genome of the cow.

    “We worked closely with dairy genetics industry partners to implement genome-enabled genetic improvement with dramatic impact in the dairy industry,” Van Tassell said. “With the help of our partners, we revolutionized the world of genetic improvement in livestock in one fell swoop.”

    While AG2PI is not in itself a scientific project, it supports all agricultural research that will benefit farmers, ranchers, and consumers, Rexroad said. “Farmers and ranchers will have access to genetics and management practices that will increase yields, improve crop and animal health and well-being, increase production efficiency or product value, and improve sustainability in the production system,” he said.

    “AG2PI is all about agricultural research, and it is inclusive of many scientific disciplines, and that ties into the ARS goal of finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans everyday from farm to table,” Rexroad said. – By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications

  • What’s in Your Milk? Examining Component Tests in Federal Orders

    Producers under the California Federal Marketing Order (CFMO) are paid according to the quantity of components in their milk (pounds of butterfat, protein, and other solids) and their respective prices along with a proportionate share of the classified value of the monthly pool as accounted for in the Producer Price Differential (PPD). As has been the case in recent months, the PPD is negative when the collective value of producer components exceeds the classified value of the pool. Two components—butterfat and protein—account for most of the value in a producer’s milk check. This value depends on both the price of each component as well as the concentration of each component in producer milk. This article examines the amount of protein and butterfat in pooled producer milk. The accompanying figures illustrate the butterfat and protein tests of pooled milk on Federal Order (FO) 51 since the Order’s inception and compare them to those under other FOs and to the weighted average tests of all other FOs that utilize component pricing. A map of all Federal Orders and their respective marketing area is available at https://cafmmo.com/publications/marketing-area-maps/.

    Seasonal Trends

    Pooled component tests under all FO areas exhibit a clear seasonal trend: butterfat and protein levels tend to peak in the early winter months, decrease through the spring months, and reach their lowest levels in the warmer summer months before
    climbing through the fall. This strong seasonal trend is present even in FO areas like FO 124     (Pacific Northwest) and FO 33 (Mideast), which had the highest and lowest butterfat tests, respectively, during the period.

    Regional Comparisons

    As shown in Figure 1, FO 51 pool butterfat tests tend to be lower than those of other FO areas. The weighted average butterfat tests in FO 51 from November 2018 to February 2021 is 3.88 percent, the lowest among all FO areas, but only 0.01 percentage points less than FO 33. FO 124 had the highest weighted average butterfat test at 4.10 percent. Excluding FO 51, the weighted average for FO areas using component pricing is 3.96 percent. It is important to note that the low volume of milk pooled and utilized as Class III, as experienced in many orders during 2020, is likely a factor behind some Orders’ lower average component tests.

    Although FO 51 had lower butterfat tests than other FO areas, Figure 2 illustrates that FO 51’s pooled protein tests are significantly above the weighted average for all other FO areas in many months. In fact, FO 51 posted the third-highest weighted average protein test between November 2018 and February 2021 among FOs at 3.21 percent. FO 126 (Southwest) posted the highest weighted average protein test at 3.28, while FO 1 (Northeast) had the lowest at 3.12 percent. Overall, FO 51 posted a weighted average protein test 0.03 percentage points higher than that of all other FO areas using component pricing (3.18). When viewed in the context of recent component pricing trends—namely, record high protein prices in 2020—high protein tests generated the most revenue for producers. Protein accounted for seventy-five percent of the gross payment to FO 51 dairy farmers in 2020 (when calculated at the average tests of pooled milk).

    Market dynamics will continue to have an influence on the component tests of pooled producer milk as producers look to their milk checks and maximize their payment. Pooled component tests, although not indicative of protein and butterfat in milk withheld from the pool, still offer valuable insight into regional and seasonal variations in component levels. — By Cary Hunter, California Federal Milk Marketing Order

  • Marketing Assistance Loan Rates for Wheat, Feed Grains, Oilseeds, Rice and Pulse Crops

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced the 2021 Marketing Assistance Loan rates.

    Marketing Assistance Loans provide interim financing to producers so that commodities can be stored after harvest when market prices are typically low and sold later when market conditions may be more favorable. The 2018 Farm Bill extended the Marketing Assistance Loan program, making production for the 2019 through 2023 crops eligible for loan benefits.

    The 2021 Marketing Assistance Loan rates are available on the Farm Service Agency (FSA) website and below:

    Pandemic Assistance for Producers

    As part of a broader effort to help farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions, FSA has increased flexibilities for producers with Marketing Assistance Loans. Loans now mature at 12 months rather than nine for loans on most commodities. This applies to all loans disbursed beginning October 1, 2020, as well as any new loans requested by September 30, 2021. These flexibilities are part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, which includes direct payments. More information can be found on farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance.

    More Information

    The CCC’s domestic agricultural price and income support programs are carried out primarily through the personnel and facilities of FSA.

    For more information about the CCC, visit usda.gov/ccc. Producers interested in Marketing Assistance Loans should contact the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.

    While USDA offices are currently closed to visitors because of the pandemic, Service Center staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. To conduct business, please contact your local USDA Service Center. Additionally, more information related to USDA’s response and relief for producers can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

  • $1.7 million Grant to Unlock Barley’s Genetic Superpowers

    Barley is important for more than beer. A UC Riverside geneticist has won $1.7 million to study how one of the world’s staple foods might survive climate change.

    The National Science Foundation CAREER Award to Daniel Koenig, an assistant professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, will reveal details about genetic adaptations barley has made in the past to enable its survival over thousands of years. These details will also help steer its future as weather becomes more extreme.

    In addition to alcoholic beverages, barley is used as a major crop for feeding both animals and humans. It ranks fourth among cereals in terms of total world production. After it was domesticated as a crop over 10,000 years ago, it spread rapidly to environments as different as hot, dry Egypt and cold, wet Minnesota.

    Koenig, who studies plant evolution, wonders how the plant has been able to successfully adapt to these wildly different places.

    “Though we have the tools to compare the DNA of plants collected in different countries, our challenge is understanding which genes evolved in response to weather and which evolved over time in response to other pressures, like diseases,” Koenig said.

    Since only one generation of a plant can be grown per year, the process of observing adaptation real-time is lengthy. To speed up progress, Koenig’s lab is making use of an experiment started in the 1920s. Breeders took barley varieties collected from all over the world and have grown them over the last century in Davis, Calif., and Bozeman, Mont.

    “We can analyze the genes of these varieties, watch as they continue to adapt, and identify the genes that might be responsible for their survival,” Koenig said.

    The NSF CAREER Award is a competitive grant for promising new faculty to help them improve their integration of research and teaching. In this case, Koenig is going to use the award to train undergraduates to compare genes from the beginning of the 1920s experiment with those from today.

    Students will learn to use both traditional molecular biology and newer, computational techniques for this project. The process of identifying survival genes in barley can also be repeated for other crops, helping to ensure the future of other foods as well.

    Growing up in the Central Valley surrounded by agriculture, and attending graduate school at UC Davis, Koenig is excited to expose a new generation of students to food science.

    “This grant will provide an opportunity for students, especially those who grew up in urban environments, to learn about agriculture and give them the basis for possible careers in agricultural science,” Koenig said. — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

  • USTR Report Cites Impediments to U.S. Dairy Exports

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) urged the Biden Administration to work to eliminate foreign tariffs on and nontariff impediments to U.S. exports, following the release today by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) of the 2021 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers.

    The annual report looks at progress made and challenges remaining on U.S. trade, investment and services in countries around the globe. Compiled from information from USTR, interagency partners and public stakeholders, this year’s report covers 65 countries and regions, including Arab League nations, the European Union (EU), key Asian markets and important Western Hemisphere destinations for U.S. dairy products.

    USDEC and NMPF submitted comments on the major trade obstacles facing the U.S. dairy industry last October, pointing out that tariffs and nontariff barriers in many countries remain significant roadblocks to American dairy exports. Several of those concerns were incorporated in USTR’s report including dairy trade issues in Mexico, Canada, China and the EU, among others. In addition, USTR highlighted in its release that the key agricultural trade barriers captured in the NTE included “restrictions on the ability of U.S. producers to use the common names of the products that they produce and export”.

    “Exports are extremely important to the U.S. dairy industry, which shipped more than $6.5 billion of product to destinations worldwide in 2020,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC. “Obstacles to those exports negatively affect the economic well-being of America’s dairy farmers and jeopardize dairy processing jobs and workers throughout the supply chain who support our industry. These barriers must be removed.”

    “We need USTR to continue pressing our trading partners to eliminate tariffs and nontariff barriers that restrict our dairy exports,” added Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of NMPF. “The best way to do that is by implementing new Free Trade Agreements and enforcing existing agreements.”

    USDEC and NMPF in their comments focused on barriers in key dairy export markets such as Canada, China, the EU and Mexico. Among the bigger obstacles cited by the organizations were the misuse of geographical indications (GIs) and unscientific import requirements and mandates.

    On GIs, for example, the EU has sought to effectively monopolize common cheese terms by attempting to prohibit American cheese makers from using names such as asiago, feta, gorgonzola, gruyere and parmesan and keep out imports of U.S.-made cheeses with those names, not only in EU nations, but in other countries as well.

    The EU also is a leading offender in employing prescriptive requirements to limit imports, including dairy products, imposing, for example, specific animal disease oversight and documentation procedures and limiting the use of veterinary drugs and commonly used antimicrobials. These are the kinds of barriers USDEC and NMPF urge USTR to remove to ensure exports of U.S. dairy products are available to consumers around the world and to protect the millions of American jobs supported by the U.S. dairy industry.