California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Reclamation awards $1 million in CALFED grants to improve water reliability, enhance environment

    The Bureau of Reclamation awarded a total of $1 million in CALFED Water Use Efficiency grants to two California projects that will conserve around 4,000 acre-feet annually and improve infrastructure for fiscal year 2020. Combined with local cost-share contributions, these projects are expected to implement about $2.7 million in water management improvements during the next two years.

    The two selected projects are described below:

    Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District $500,000 grant. The district will install a new 27-inch pipeline along a 1.5-mile alignment in Shafter, connect a pipeline to an existing neighboring district pipeline and then bank this water for future drought. This available water will help mitigate the district’s on-farm groundwater pumping and alleviate some of the groundwater basin overdraft. Annual water savings will conserve around 3,000 acre-feet (or about 978,000 gallons); lifetime water savings will be 144,000 acre-feet (or about 46.9 billion gallons) over the project’s 50-year life. Project cost is $1,559,787 with a federal cost-share of $500,000.

    South San Joaquin Municipal Utility District $500,000 grant. The district will construct 40 acres of spreading ponds and install a recovery well within its boundaries to provide district operational flexibility and absorb surface water when available for recharge and irrigation recovery in peak-demand months or dry periods. Annual water savings will conserve around 1,100 acre-feet (or about 358 million gallons); lifetime water savings will be 55,800 acre-feet (or about 18 billion gallons) over the project’s 50-year life. Project cost is $1,162,926 with a federal cost-share of $500,000.

    These projects will contribute to CALFED Bay-Delta Program’s objectives of improving ecosystem health, water supply reliability and water quality. California and federal agencies are partners in the 30-year program (2000-2030). Reclamation’s competitive selection process prioritized projects that addressed statewide CALFED goals.

    Fiscal year 2020 CALFED funding is available through Funding Opportunity Announcement BOR-MP-F002. Applications are due by Dec. 2, 2019, through www.grants.gov. Contact Anna Sutton for more information on the Water Use Efficiency Program at asutton@usbr.gov or 916-978-5214 (TTY 800-877-8339).

  • Often Overlooked Legal Employee Reimbursement Requirements (Farm Liability Series Part 3 of 3)

     

    Farmers are some of the best people on the planet.  They work hard and do their very best to keep food on the table in homes all over the world.  Like anyone though, sometimes they make mistakes too and can overlook some of the ever-changing laws and requirements for their farm employees, and end up in court over violations that could have been prevented.  To keep farmers out of the court room, we have put together a series of three videos with simple tips and employee requirements featuring Ag Attorney Stacy Henderson, as shared in her presentation earlier this year at the annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California.  Watch these brief videos to help reduce liabilities on the farm and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Legal Care for Injured Farm Employees (Farm Liability Series Part 2 of 3)

     

    Farmers are some of the best people on the planet.  They work hard and do their very best to keep food on the table in homes all over the world.  Like anyone though, sometimes they make mistakes too and can overlook some of the ever-changing laws and requirements for their farm employees, and end up in court over violations that could have been prevented.  To keep farmers out of the court room, we have put together a series of three videos with simple tips and employee requirements featuring Ag Attorney Stacy Henderson, as shared in her presentation earlier this year at the annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California.  Watch these brief videos to help reduce liabilities on the farm and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • New Signup Deadline for Dairy Margin Coverage is September 27

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today extended the deadline to September 27 for dairy producers to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program for 2019. The deadline had been September 20.

    Authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), the program offers reasonably priced protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.

    “More than 21,200 dairy operations have already signed up for DMC, but we’re providing an additional week to help ensure interested producers have time to come into the office,” said Bill Northey, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “With smaller margins and increased feed costs, DMC has resulted in almost $230 million in payments disbursed. I know that some farmers may still be cautious given their experiences with former dairy support programs, but producers who have not signed up yet should come into a local office to learn how much money the program can put into their pockets.”

    Almost half of the producers who have signed up so far are taking advantage of the 25 percent premium discount by locking in for five years of margin protection coverage. FSA has launched a new web visualization of the DMC data, which is available here.

    Margin payments have triggered for each month from January through July. Dairy producers who elect higher coverage levels could be eligible for payments for all seven months. Under certain levels, the amount paid to dairy farmers will exceed the cost of the premium.

    For example, a dairy operation that chooses to enroll for 2019 with an established production history of 3 million pounds (30,000 cwt.) and elects the $9.50 coverage level on 95 percent of production will pay $4,275 in total premium payments for all of 2019 and receive $15,437.50 in DMC payments for all margin payments announced to date. Additional payments will be made if calculated margins remain below the $9.50/cwt. level for any remaining months of 2019.

    “My message to those dairy producers who are hurting out there: Don’t leave this kind of financial assistance on the table,” said Northey, who announced the deadline extension today as part of a hearing in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture. “Producers across the country have told us that DMC is a great risk management tool that works well, and it can work for you, too.”

    More Information

    On December 20, 2018, President Trump signed into law the 2018 Farm Bill, which provides support, certainty and stability to our nation’s farmers, ranchers and land stewards by enhancing farm support programs, improving crop insurance, maintaining disaster programs and promoting and supporting voluntary conservation.

    For more information, visit farmers.gov DMC webpage or contact your local USDA service center. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-locator.

  • American Farmland Trust to Expand SJV Land & Water Strategy with Conservation Grant

    American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, was recently awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The grant will be used to expand AFT’s San Joaquin Valley Land and Water Strategy, with a focus on increasing water infiltration and groundwater recharge in the San Joaquin Valley counties of Madera and Stanislaus.

    This project will provide a unique and innovative framework for decision-making — introducing a web-based mapping tool that, along with its associated manual, will help conservation organizations and agencies select projects that meet priority criteria and therefore have the greatest potential to effectively infiltrate and conserve water while also protecting the region’s most productive, versatile, and resilient farmland.

    “Water resources in California’s San Joaquin Valley are vital to food production for the nation and fundamental for the economy, producers, communities and livelihoods of thousands of people who work and reside in the region,” says Kara Heckert, AFT’s California state director.

    She continued, “Increasing groundwater infiltration is a critical tool in improving the long-term sustainability of farming in the region and complying with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.”

    AFT has worked on the ground in the San Joaquin Valley for 37 years, fighting to protect the region’s farmland and natural resources. AFT’s comprehensive San Joaquin Land and Water Strategy was developed from the insights gained through years working in the area. This recent expansion builds on AFT’s current work and knowledge, furthering the strategy’s aim to promote changes in both policies and practices that support conservation and sustainable use of water and land resources, improved soil health, and protection of farmland, while providing economic benefits to the economy, communities and the environment.

    AFT’s work in the San Joaquin Valley underscores the critical importance of protecting our most valuable farmland, not only for continued production of food and fiber, but also for carbon sequestration and groundwater recharge.

     

  • U.S. Exporters Join Under Secretary McKinney on Canada Trade Mission

    U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney will lead a trade mission to Canada Sept. 3-6, accompanied by representatives from 41 U.S. agribusinesses and associations looking to expand sales to the United States’ top agricultural export market.

    “With the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) poised for passage, this is a great time for U.S. agricultural exporters to be shoring up ties with our neighbors to the north,” McKinney said. “Our two nations already enjoy the world’s largest bilateral agricultural trade relationship, with almost $120 million worth of food and farm products crossing the border every day. The USMCA will make this good relationship even better, and we’re looking forward to meeting with current and potential customers in Toronto and Montreal to explore new and expanded business opportunities.”In addition to representatives from the following companies and organizations, McKinney will be joined by Maine Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Amanda Beal, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring, and officials from the Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin departments of agriculture.

    1. American Peanut Council, Alexandria, Va.
    1. American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute, Benson, N.C.
    2. B & R Farms, LLC, Hollister, Calif.
    3. Bard Valley Date Growers, Yuma, Ariz.
    4. Belmont Farm Distillery, Culpeper, Va.
    5. California Cherry Marketing & Research Board, Sacramento, Calif.
    6. California Pear Advisory Board, Sacramento, Calif.
    7. California Prune Board, Roseville, Calif.
    8. California Strawberry Commission, Watsonville, Calif.
    9. Devils River Whiskey, San Antonio, Texas
    10. Elmhurst Milked Direct LLC, Elma, N.Y.
    11. Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Chicago, Ill.
    12. Food Export USA – Northeast, Philadelphia, Pa.
    13. Fusion Jerky/HTY Foods, San Francisco, Calif.
    14. G&B Growers, LLC, Lynden, Wash.
    15. Giovanni’s Appetizing Food Products, Inc., Richmond, Mich.
    16. Hello Delicious!, Northbrook, Ill.
    17. Ironclad Distillery Co., Newport News, Va.
    18. Let Them Eat Candles, Glencoe, Ill.
    19. Log House Foods, Plymouth, Minn.
    20. Mad River Distillers, Burlington, Vt.
    21. Mano’s Authentic, LLC, Clinton Township, Mich.
    22. National Sunflower Association, Mandan, N.D.
    23. Northwest Wine Coalition, Seattle, Wash.
    24. Pure Steeps Beverage, LLC, Anaheim, Calif.
    25. Pyramid Foods, LLC, Shawnee, Kan.
    26. RainSweet Inc., Salem, Ore.
    27. Raisin Administrative Committee, Fresno, Calif.
    28. Rovira Foods Inc., Guaynabo, P.R.
    29. Royal Ridge Fruits, Royal City, Wash.
    30. Sagamore Spirit, Baltimore, Md.
    31. Simonian Fruit Company, Fowler, Calif.
    32. Southern United States Trade Association, New Orleans, La.
    33. U.S. Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
    34. U.S. Soybean Export Council, Chesterfield, Mo.
    35. USA Rice Federation, Arlington, Va.
    36. Washington Apple Commission, Wenatchee, Wash.
    37. Whiskey Acres Distilling Co., DeKalb, Ill.
    38. Whistling Andy Distilling, Bigfork, Mont.
    39. Wine Institute, San Francisco, Calif.
    40. Western United States Agricultural Trade Association, Vancouver, Wash.

    Learn more about this and other USDA trade missions by visitinghttps://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missionsand following FAS on Twitter at @USDAForeignAg.

  • California Fresh Fruit Association Hires New Director of Member Services and Communications

    Fresno, California – The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) today announced the hiring of Courtney Razor as its new Director of Member Services and Communications. Mrs. Razor comes to the Association after serving as the Chief Operations Officer for the Fresno County Farm Bureau for the last six and a half years. In her role at the Fresno County Farm Bureau, Mrs. Razor managed their Future Advocates for Agriculture Concerned about Tomorrow (FAACT) program, supported the needs of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and oversaw special event planning.

    The Chairman of the Board for the Association, Randy Giumarra of Giumarra Vineyards Corp., stated, “We are very pleased that Courtney has agreed to become a part of the team at CFFA. Her personal background and education, as well as her extensive experience working for a peer agricultural association, should translate into real value for our membership.” Association President Ian LeMay added, “I have had the pleasure of working with Courtney for a number of years in her role with the Fresno County Farm Bureau, and I have always found her to be an articulate and vocal advocate for California agriculture. We believe she is a natural fit, along with our current staff, to continue to bring value to our members and to serve the California fresh fruit industry.”

    Mrs. Razor grew up in Sanger and is the daughter of third-generation fresh fruit farmer Craig Sorensen. She is a graduate of California State University, Fresno where she earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communications and journalism along with a certificate in marketing. Her first day at the Association will be Tuesday, September 3rd.

    The California Fresh Fruit Association is a voluntary public policy association that represents growers, packers, and shippers of California table grape, blueberry, kiwi, pomegranate and deciduous tree fruit communities. CFFA serves as a public policy representative for these growers, shippers and packers, on issues at both the state and federal levels. More information about the California Fresh Fruit Association can be found at www.cafreshfruit.org.

  • Farmers Prevented from Planting Crops on More than 19 Million Acres

    Agricultural producers reported they were not able to plant crops on more than 19.4 million acres in 2019, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This marks the most prevented plant acres reported since USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) began releasing the report in 2007 and 17.49 million acres more than reported at this time last year.

    Of those prevented plant acres, more than 73 percent were in 12 Midwestern states, where heavy rainfall and flooding this year has prevented many producers from planting mostly corn, soybeans and wheat.

    “Agricultural producers across the country are facing significant challenges and tough decisions on their farms and ranches,” USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey said. “We know these are challenging times for farmers, and we have worked to improve flexibility of our programs to assist producers prevented from planting.”

    Cover Crops

    USDA supported planting of cover crops on fields where farmers were not able to plant because of their benefits in preventing soil erosion, protecting water quality and boosting soil health. The report showed where producers planted 2.71 million acres of cover crops so far in 2019, compared with 2.14 million acres at this time in 2018 and 1.88 million at this time in 2017.

    To help make cover crops a more viable option, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) adjusted the haying and grazing date of cover crops, and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service held signups in select states that offered producers assistance in planting cover crops. Meanwhile, USDA added other flexibilities to help impacted producers, including adjusting the deadline to file acreage reports in select states.

    About the Report

    This data report aggregates information from crop acreage reports as of August 1, 2019, which producers file with FSA to maintain program eligibility and to calculate losses for various disaster assistance programs. The crop acreage data report outlines the number of acres planted, prevented from planting, and failed by crop, county and state. To find more information, view the Aug. 12 report.

    Because some producers have not completed their filing and data are still being processed, FSA will make available subsequent data reports in September, October, November, December and January. You can find reports from 2007 to the present on FSA’s Crop Acreage Data webpage.

    To receive FSA program benefits, producers are required to submit crop acreage reports annually regarding all cropland uses on their farm. This report includes data for producers who had already filed for all deadlines in 2019, including the mid-July deadlines, which are for spring-seeded crops in many locations.

    Other Prevented Planting Indicators 

    In addition to acreage reports filed with FSA, producers with crop insurance coverage for prevented planting file claims with their insurance providers. These claims are provided to RMA and may differ from the prevented planted acres reported to FSA. More information on prevented plant coverage is available on the RMA website.

    Official USDA estimates of total acres planted, harvested and to be harvested, yield, and production are available from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service at nass.usda.gov

  • Farmer Member on CA Water Resources Control Board Urges Farmers

    Although the California Water Resources Control Board may not be terribly popular amidst local farming communities due to recent actions that have not been in the best interests of agriculture, what you may not know is that there are farmers that sit on this board, including Dorene D’Adamo.  Watch this brief interview with Dorene as she explains that it will take much more that a couple farming board members to make a difference in water issues today.  Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery and attend one of their upcoming Bennett Hickman Almond Field Days in Pixley or Modesto.

  • Current Status of CA Groundwater Sustainability Agencies – Deadline Approaching

    The California State Water Resources Control Board is getting ready to crack down on farmers for their increased use of groundwater unless their local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies can come up with a sustainable plan that will not overdraft local groundwater resources.  Watch this brief interview with Taryn Ravazzini from the California Department of Water Resources as she shares a progress report of this local GSAs at work.

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery and attend one of their upcoming Bennett Hickman Almond Field Days in Pixley or Modesto.