California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • USDA Announces Details of Support Package for Farmers

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced further details of the $16 billion package aimed at supporting American agricultural producers while the Administration continues to work on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals.

    In May, President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a relief strategy in line with the estimated impacts of unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. The Market Facilitation Program (MFP), Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP), and Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) will assist agricultural producers while President Trump works to address long-standing market access barriers.

    “China and other nations have not played by the rules for a long time, and President Trump is the first President to stand up to them and send a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate unfair trade practices,” Secretary Perdue said. “The details we announced today ensure farmers will not stand alone in facing unjustified retaliatory tariffs while President Trump continues working to solidify better and stronger trade deals around the globe.

    “Our team at USDA reflected on what worked well and gathered feedback on last year’s program to make this one even stronger and more effective for farmers. Our farmers work hard, are the most productive in the world, and we aim to match their enthusiasm and patriotism as we support them,” Secretary Perdue added.

    Background:

    American farmers have dealt with unjustified retaliatory tariffs and decades of non-tariff trade disruptions, which have curtailed U.S. exports to China and other nations. Trade damages from such retaliation and market distortions have impacted a host of U.S. commodities. High tariffs disrupt normal marketing patterns, raising costs by forcing commodities to find new markets. Additionally, American goods shipped to China have been slowed from reaching market by unusually strict or cumbersome entry procedures, which affect the quality and marketability of perishable crops. These boost marketing costs and unfairly affect our producers. USDA is using a variety of programs to support American farmers, ranchers, and producers.

    Participating in the Trade Mitigation Call – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA Chief Economist Rob Johansson, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps.

    Details of USDA’s Market Facilitation Program (MFP)

    MFP signup at local FSA offices will run from Monday, July 29 through Friday, December 6, 2019.

    Payments will be made by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) under the authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act to producers of alfalfa hay, barley, canola, corn, crambe, dried beans, dry peas, extra-long staple cotton, flaxseed, lentils, long grain and medium grain rice, millet, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, rapeseed, rye, safflower, sesame seed, small and large chickpeas, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower seed, temperate japonica rice, triticale, upland cotton, and wheat. MFP assistance for those non-specialty crops is based on a single county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in aggregate in 2019. Those per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. A producer’s total payment-eligible plantings cannot exceed total 2018 plantings. County payment rates range from $15 to $150 per acre, depending on the impact of unjustified trade retaliation in that county.

    Dairy producers who were in business as of June 1, 2019, will receive a per hundredweight payment on production history, and hog producers will receive a payment based on the number of live hogs owned on a day selected by the producer between April 1 and May 15, 2019.

    MFP payments will also be made to producers of almonds, cranberries, cultivated ginseng, fresh grapes, fresh sweet cherries, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Each specialty crop will receive a payment based on 2019 acres of fruit or nut bearing plants, or in the case of ginseng, based on harvested acres in 2019.

    Acreage of non-specialty crops and cover crops must be planted by August 1, 2019 to be considered eligible for MFP payments.

    The MFP rule and a related Notice of Funding Availability will be published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2019, when signup begins at local FSA offices. Per-acre non-specialty crop county payment rates, specialty crop payment rates, and livestock payment rates are all currently available on farmers.gov.

    MFP payments will be made in up-to three tranches, with the second and third tranches evaluated as market conditions and trade opportunities dictate. If conditions warrant, the second and third tranches will be made in November and early January, respectively. The first tranche will be comprised of the higher of either 50 percent of a producer’s calculated payment or $15 per acre, which may reduce potential payments to be made in tranches two or three. USDA will begin making first tranche payments in mid-to-late August.

    MFP payments are limited to a combined $250,000 for non-specialty crops per person or legal entity. MFP payments are also limited to a combined $250,000 for dairy and hog producers and a combined $250,000 for specialty crop producers. However, no applicant can receive more than $500,000. Eligible applicants must also have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000 or, 75 percent of the person’s or legal entity’s average AGI for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 must have been derived from farming and ranching. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations.

    Many producers were affected by natural disasters this spring, such as flooding, that kept them out of the field for extended periods of time. Producers who filed a prevented planting claim and planted an FSA-certified cover crop, with the potential to be harvested qualify for a $15 per acre payment. Acres that were never planted in 2019 are not eligible for an MFP payment.

    In June, H.R. 2157, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 was signed into law by President Trump, requiring a change to the first round of MFP assistance provided in 2018. Producers previously deemed ineligible for MFP in 2018 because they had an average AGI level higher than $900,000 may now be eligible for 2018 MFP benefits. Those producers must be able to verify 75 percent or more of their average AGI was derived from farming and ranching to qualify. This supplemental MFP signup period will run parallel to the 2019 MFP signup, from July 29 through December 6, 2019.

    For more information on the MFP, visit www.farmers.gov/mfp or contact your local FSA office, which can be found at www.farmers.gov.

    Details of USDA’s Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP)

    Additionally, CCC Charter Act authority will be used to implement an up to $1.4 billion FPDP through the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to purchase surplus commodities affected by trade retaliation such as fruits, vegetables, some processed foods, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and milk for distribution by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals.

     

    Purchasing:

    AMS will buy affected products in four phases, starting after October 1, 2019 with deliveries beginning in January 2020. The products purchased can be adjusted between phases to accommodate changes due to: growing conditions; product availability; market conditions; trade negotiation status; and program capacity. AMS will purchase known commodities first. By purchasing in phases, procurements for commodities that have been sourced in the past can be purchased more quickly and included in the first phase.

    Vendor Outreach:

    To expand the AMS vendor pool and the ability to purchase new and existing products, AMS will ramp up its vendor outreach and registration efforts. AMS has also developed flyers on how the process works and how to become a vendor for distribution to industry groups and interested parties. Additionally, AMS will continue to host a series of free webinars describing the steps required to become a vendor. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered during the webinar. Recorded webinars are available to review by potential vendors, and staff will host periodic Question and Answer teleconferences to better explain the process.

    Product Specifications:

    AMS maintains purchase specifications for a variety of commodities, which ensure recipients receive the high-quality product they expect. AMS in collaboration with FNS regularly develops and revises specifications for new and enhanced products based on program requirements and requests. AMS will be prioritizing the development of those products impacted by unjustified retaliation. AMS will also work with industry groups to identify varieties and grades sold to China and other markets imposing retaliatory tariffs, such as premium apples, oranges, pears, and other products. AMS will develop or revise specifications to facilitate the purchase of these premium varieties in forms that meet the needs of FNS nutrition assistance programs.

    Outlets:

    The products discussed in this plan will be distributed to States for use in the network of food banks and food pantries that participate in The Emergency Feeding Assistance Program (TEFAP), elderly feeding programs such as the Commodity Supplemental Foods Program (CSFP), and tribes that operate the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).

    These outlets are in addition to child nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch Program, which may also benefit from these purchases.

    Additionally, the rule provides flexibility for FNS to explore new channels of non-profit distribution of product, should the availability of distribution through traditional channels prove to be insufficient. FNS will offer products through traditional channels prior to consideration of new outlets.

    Distribution:

    AMS has coordinated with FNS, industry representatives, and other agency partners to determine necessary logistics for the purchase and distribution of each commodity, including trucking, inspection and audit requirements, and agency staffing.

    Details of USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP)

    USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will administer the ATP under authorities of the CCC. The ATP will provide cost-share assistance to eligible U.S. organizations for activities such as consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and exhibits, market research, and technical assistance. Last week, USDA awarded $100 million to 48 organizations through the ATP to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets.

    The 48 recipients are among the cooperator organizations that applied for $200 million in ATP funds in 2018 that were awarded earlier this year. As part of a new round of support for farmers impacted by unjustified retaliation and trade disruption, those groups had the opportunity to be considered for additional support for their work to boost exports for U.S. agriculture, food, fish, and forestry products.

    Already, since the $200 million in assistance was announced in January, U.S. exporters have had significant success, including a trade mission to Pakistan that generated $10 million in projected 2019 sales of pulse crops, a new marketing program for Alaska seafood that led to more than $4 million in sales of salmon to Vietnam and Thailand, and a comprehensive marketing effort by the U.S. soybean industry that has increased exposure in more than 50 international markets. These funds will continue to generate sales and business for U.S. producers and exporters many times over as promotional activity continues for the next couple of years.

  • California Dairies, Inc. Names Brad Anderson President & CEO

    California Dairies, Inc. (CDI), today announced the selection of Brad Anderson as its next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2020.  Anderson, who currently serves as the cooperative’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), is succeeding Andrei Mikhalevsky, who has served as President and CEO since 2012 and recently announced his retirement from CDI at the end of 2019.

    “It’s been a privilege to lead CDI these past eight years during a time of great transition and change for the State’s dairy industry,” said Mikhalevsky.  “I believe the organization will be in strong hands under Brad’s leadership going forward.  He is a proven expert in corporate strategy, with particular experience in the food and beverage industry.  I believe he will continue the path CDI has taken in driving innovation and delivering value-added products to our customers worldwide.”

    Since joining the organization last September, Anderson has supported CDI’s effective implementation of the Federal Milk Marketing Order, led the due diligence and integration of CDI’s newly acquired Turlock North milk powder facility and created a cross-functional team to lead innovation and growth-focused capital investments.

    “We could not be more excited to have Brad as the next Chief Executive Officer,” said Simon Vander Woude, CDI Chairman of the Board.  “Brad has extensive knowledge of our industry and is a strong strategic visionary leader, which will move CDI forward into the future.”

    Anderson brings 28 years of experience in the food and beverage industry to this position.  Prior to joining CDI, Anderson was Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer at Dean Foods and held positions of increasing responsibility at Sara Lee Corporation, Pepsi Bottling Group and Earthgrains Company.

    “I am honored and humbled to be the next CEO of California Dairies, Inc., and I appreciate the confidence that both Andrei and the Board of the Directors have placed in me,” said Anderson.  “This is a dynamic time for CDI, and I look forward to continuing the company’s vision of being the leading source of dairy nutrition for a healthy world.”

    About California Dairies, Inc.

    California Dairies, Inc., is the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in California, producing 40 percent of California’s milk. Co-owned by nearly 400 dairy producers who ship 16 billion pounds of Real California Milk annually. California Dairies, Inc. is a manufacturer of quality butter, fluid milk products and milk powders. In addition, California Dairies, Inc. is the home of two leading and well-respected brands of butter – Challenge and Danish Creamery. California Dairies’ quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and in more than 50 foreign countries. For additional information on California Dairies, Inc., visit www.californiadairies.com. California Dairies’ quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and in more than 50 foreign countries.

  • California Dairy Organizations Collaborate on Process to Address State’s Quota Program

    Today, the United Dairy Families of California, California Dairies, Inc., Land O’Lakes, Inc., Dairy Farmers of America and the STOP QIP organization announced a multi-phase process aimed at soliciting and analyzing industry input on California’s historic quota program.

    Included in this process is a series of meetings, starting later this month, open to all dairy producers and interested parties. These meetings are intended to solicit various pathways for the state’s quota program.

    1) This multi-phase process includes three key parts: The Think Tank, Producer Feedback and Analysis.

    2) The Think Tank phase is for information gathering from various segments of the dairy industry. This will include the meetings identified below, where producers will be able to voice their opinion and contribute ideas or concepts.

    3) The Producer Feedback phase will allow producers to comment and challenge the ideas developed in the Think Tank phase.

    In the Analysis phase, dominant ideas from the Producer Feedback phase will be analyzed for economic impacts and legal pathways to adoption will be determined.

    This process will be implemented with the assistance of dairy industry economist Dr. Marin Bozic and dairy market analyst Matt Gould. Dr. Bozic and Mr. Gould will be conducting an economic analysis of the proposed ideas.

    The first series of meetings associated with the Think Tank phase are as follows:

    ● Tuesday, July 30, 2019 – 2 pm to 4 pm – Embassy Suites, Ontario

    ● Wednesday, July 31, 2019 – 9 am to 11 am – Heritage Complex, Tulare

    ● Wednesday, July 31, 2019 – 2 pm to 4 pm – Turlock Ballroom

    ● Thursday, August 1, 2019 – 9 am to 11 am – Washoe House, Petaluma

    Meeting space is limited. All participants are strongly encouraged to register at

    www.dairyfamilies.org/events

  • New Olive Oil Commission of California Chairman

    Brady Whitlow of Corto Olive Company was elected by the OOCC Board to serve as its new Chairman. Whitlow formerly served as the OOCC’s Secretary/Treasurer and he replaces Jeff Colombini, Lodi Farming Company, who has served as Chairman since the OOCC’s inception in 2014. Colombini will continue to serve on the Board and Executive Committee as the Board’s Treasurer/Secretary. Meanwhile, Adam Englehardt, of Boundary Bend Olives/Cobram Estate, will serve as the Board’s Vice Chairman.

    Remaining open seats on the OOCC Board were also filled with Joe Kidd, Executive Vice President of Operations at California Olive Ranch appointed to serve as the District 1 Handler representative and Deborah Rogers, McEvoy Ranch, appointed as the alternate Producer member in District 2.

    Handler representatives in District 2 were also appointed with Ciriaco Chavez, Boundary Bend Olives/Cobram Estates serving as the member and Jim Etters, Seka Hills Olive Mill, as the alternate member.

  • Master Milling Certificate Course September 23-25, 2019

    The Master Milling Certificate Course has helped hundreds of olive oil processors produce better oil more efficiently. A survey of attendees’ found that 90 percent of respondents believed that the course material would boost their quality or efficiency by more than five percent, and 72 percent said that the course was “very likely” to lead to higher profitability.

    The course will be led by Leandro Ravetti, among the world’s top experts in olive oil processing, growing, and standards. As executive director of Australia’s Boundary Bend Limited, Leandro has helped guide the company to rapid growth, optimum efficiency, and top awards at international olive oil competitions. The company’s success is guided by innovation, data, and analysis to maximize oil production efficiency and quality.

    The course will also include a field trip to three olive oil processors.

    This course is a small investment that will pay off in more efficiency, better quality, and higher profits.

    What’s included

    • Three days of expert instruction

    • Field-trip transportation.

    • Breakfast pastries, lunch, and beverages featuring local and seasonal ingredients from one of the region’s best caterers.

    • Booklet with presentation slides in note-taking format.

    • Flash drive with presentation slides and supplemental materials.

    Reviews

    “Overall I found the course to be absolutely wonderful. All of the presenters were knowledgeable, shared information freely and were good presenters. Leandro was especially fantastic. His knowledge on the subject matter is staggering and he is a pleasure to listen to.”

    “Great course! I really liked the detailed look from start to finish in the processing. I also liked the hands-on look at the processing and the first-hand view of different processors during the field trip. This trip was invaluable to me – I learned so much!”

    “This was a wonderful experience, our minds are full of new ideas, tips to apply, errors not to make!”

    “One value of the course is the peer-to-peer networking!”

    Registration

    The three-day course will be held on the UC Davis campus in the Silverado Vineyard Sensory Theater at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.

    $875 until July 15, 2019

    $1,075 after July 15, 2019

    Cancellations: 100% credit for future course if cancelled prior to June 15, 2019; 50% credit if cancelled prior to July 15, 2019; no credit after July 15, 2019.

    IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE THE USA: Please enter CA in the State Field. 95616 in the Zip Code Field and 555-555-5555 in the Telephone Field. You can enter your state/province, country, postal code and phone number in the supplemental fields provided. Once you submit the registration information  you will be redirected to a secure credit card site where you will be able to enter your credit card information with the correct address.

    Instructors

    Leandro Ravettigraduated as an Agricultural Engineer in Argentina. He worked for the National Institute of Agricultural Technology in olive production research and advised many of the country’s largest olive developments from 1995 until he moved to Australia in 2001. Leandro has also studied and worked as an invited researcher at the Olive Growing Research Institute of Perugia, Italy and at different Governmental Olive Institutes in Andalusia, Spain where he completed a postgraduate degree on olive growing. In Australia, Leandro leads the Modern Olives technical team, which provides horticultural and olive specific technical advice to most of the largest olive groves and olive oil processing plants in the country. Leandro has also been involved as adviser, researcher and invited speaker in most other new olive industries such as New Zealand, Japan, Peru, South Africa, Chile and USA. Leandro has been Executive Director of Boundary Bend Limited, Australia’s leading fully integrated olive company since 2005. As part of his role with Boundary Bend, Leandro has overseen the production of multi award winning oils for the company’s flagship brand, Cobram Estate, including a large number of gold medals, best in class and best in show trophies in national and international competitions such as New York, Los Angeles, Olive Japan, Australian Olive Association, etc.

    Dan Flynnis executive director of the UC Davis Olive Center, which he has guided to international leadership in olive research and education. Dan also oversees the production of UC Davis Olive Oil and other olive products that help support the center. He served 16 years as a legislative and policy consultant in the California State Legislature and also managed a small farm prior to coming to UC Davis. He has a M.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University. Based on his achievements with the Olive Center, Dan has received top staff awards from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the chancellor of the university.

    Selina Wang, PhD, is an extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology and research director of the UC Davis Olive Center. Dr. Wang also is the leader of the UC Davis Olive Oil Laboratory, which provides research and analysis of olive oil and table olives. As research director, Dr. Wang has developed more than 60 research projects in table olives and olive oil. Dr. Wang is pursuing additional innovative research that seeks to deliver faster, better and cheaper methods for analyzing olive oil quality and authenticity.

    Hotel Reservation

    Hyatt Place UC Davis

    173 Old Davis Rd, Davis, CA 95616

    (530) 756-9500

    Booking link: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/california/hyatt-place-uc-davis/smfzu?corp_id=G-U271

     

    Hallmark Inn at UC Davis

    110 F Street, Davis, CA 95616

    Booking link: https://www.myhotelreservation.net/b/hasmfinn/HASMFINN/?i=WHPROMO5A&rac=*NP05$

  • J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Winemaker Kristen Barnhisel Confirmed as ASEV President for 2019-2020

    Kristen Barnhisel, winemaker for white wines at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, has been named 2019-2020 president of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV). She succeeds John Thorngate, vice president of operations technical services at Constellation Brands. In her new role, Barnhisel will lead ASEV’s 12-member board.  “I am pleased to serve with leaders in viticulture and enology as president of the ASEV board.  My goals are to continue to elevate ASEV as the leading organization promoting research and technical advances in enology and viticulture.  I look forward to guiding the exchange of technical information at our conferences to improve grape-growing and winemaking quality and production, as well as mentoring the next generation,” says Barnhisel.

    The daughter of a microbiologist mother, who worked for Simi Winery, and a father who was a home winemaker, Barnhisel has over two decades of viticulture and winemaking experience on three continents-Italy, South Africa and the United States. After earning her master’s degree in enology from UC Davis, Barnhisel worked at Columbia Crest in Washington. After two years, she moved back to California to hold positions as assistant winemaker at Jordan Vineyard & Winery and at Belvedere Winery, and later at Handley Cellars, where she was co-winemaker with founder Milla Handley. She then took a position as the quality control manager with Inglenook, where she oversaw quality control for Rubicon, Inglenook’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the winery’s top white wine.

    Barnhisel joined J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines as winemaker, white wines in 2015, where she has earned a reputation for her commitment to research and experimentation, and for the exceptional quality of her wines. She has been an ASEV member since 2005 and has been an active participant with ASEV since 2012, serving as chair for the scholarship and best student presentation committees, member of the membership committee, industry seminars organizing committee, and co-organizer for the ASEV Annual Meeting Fun Run (2001 -2006).  She’s currently a member of the American Vineyard Foundation Enology Proposal Review Committee and Women for WineSense. She also served as a member of the Napa Valley Wine Technical Group and Sonoma County Wine Technical Group. She has served as a moderator for the Pinot Noir session at the 2012 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium and presented her research at a smoke taint seminar at the University of California, Davis in 2009.

    ASEV also confirmed Anna Katharine Mansfield, associate professor of enology at Cornell’s NYSAES in Geneva, NY, and James Osborne, associate professor, enology extension specialist at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR, as new board directors.

    In addition to Kristen Barnhisel, the board’s Executive Committee for 2019-2020 includes: Patty Skinkis, associate professor at Oregon State University, Corvallis, first vice president; Tom Collins, assistant professor at the Wine Science Center, Washington State University, Tri-Cities, second vice president; and Merilark Padgett-Johnson of the Natural Resources Department at Santa Rosa Junior College, California, secretary-treasurer. Continuing on with their board positions are Markus Keller, professor and Chateau Ste. Michelle distinguished professor in viticulture at Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, Prosser, WA, continues as the ASEV science editor and James Harbertson, associate professor of enology at the Wine Science Center, Washington State University, Tri-Cities, as the technical program director. Additional ASEV directors include: Torey Arvik, chief science officer of Sonomaceuticals/Whole Vine Products, St. Helena, CA; Michelle Moyer, associate professor, extension viticulturist, Washington State University, Prosser, WA; Anita Oberholster, assistant cooperative extension specialist, from the University of California, Davis; and R. Keith Striegler, grower outreach specialist of E. & J. Gallo Winery, California. For a full board list, go to http://asev.org/board-directors-staff.

    Formed in 1950 as a professional society dedicated to the interests of enologists, viticulturists and others in the fields of wine and grape research and production, ASEV’s membership of approximately 2,000 includes professionals from wineries, vineyards and academic institutions and organizations from around the world. In addition to publishing the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (AJEV) and the Catalyst: Discovery into Practice, the Society also hosts its National Conference, which will be a joint 71st ASEV National Conference and 45th ASEV Eastern Section Annual Meeting, scheduled for June 15-18, 2020, in Portland, Oregon. ASEV co-hosts the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium with the California Association for Winegrape Growers(CAWG), which will be held at Cal Expo on February 4-6, 2020. For more information, visit www.asev.org>.

     

  • CAWG Seeks State Support for Wine & Viticulture Research at Legislative Hearing

    The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) requested state support for critical wine and viticulture research during today’s joint hearing of the Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry and the Assembly Select Committee on Wine. The hearing – titled “Cultivating the Next Generation of Wine Industry Leaders and Emerging Markets in California” – covered the state of wine education and research, as well as emerging markets and appellations.

    Tony Stephen, chief sales officer for Scheid Family Wines in Monterey County, testified on behalf of CAWG about the value of and need for wine and viticulture research. Stephen is chair of the board of directors for the American Vineyard Foundation and the National Grape Research Alliance.

    “We must step up our investment in research if we want to secure the future of California winegrowing and the communities that depend upon our industry,” Stephen stated in his testimony. “For this reason, CAWG is proposing a public investment in a wine industry research endowment to ensure the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of California’s winegrape growers and wineries. Prudent investments in vineyard and wine research will deliver significant benefits to all Californians.”

    CAWG Director of Government Relations Michael Miller said, “With threats from climate change, increased wildfires, a declining workforce, global trade tensions and new invasive pests, the need for increased research is tremendous. A public-private research endowment will greatly augment the millions of dollars that are already invested by the industry.”

  • American Agri-Women Raise Key Issues with Washington, D.C., Lawmakers & Regulators at 26th Annual Fly-In

    Women involved in agriculture from throughout the U.S. met in Washington, D.C., recently for the 26th annual American Agri-Women (AAW) Fly-In & Symposium. The group met with elected officials and policymakers to discuss key issues, including agricultural labor; rural infrastructure; rural broadband and telecommunications; trade and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement; Electronic Logging Device regulations; and agricultural technology innovations.

    This year’s Symposium, “Federal Land Policies: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly,” featured land use specialists Myron Ebell, Brenda Burman, Harriet Hagema, and Andrea Travnicek.

    Recognizing Champions of Agriculture

    Each year, AAW also recognizes its Champion of Agriculture, those who have displayed exemplary courage in presenting and supporting legislation that promotes American agriculture, rural American lifestyles and the U.S. Constitution. The 2019 recipients were North Carolina Congressman David Rouzer and Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.

    President Donald J. Trump was presented with the Chief Champion of Agriculture Award.

    Advocating for     Agriculture

    The AAW Fly-In is an opportunity for the AAW membership to engage with leaders from agencies that interact and regulate farming and ranching. Members also meet with their own legislators, explaining how laws and regulations affect their agricultural operations and businesses.

    The group was hosted at the Embassy of Israel, where Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Ph.D., of the USDA Agriculture Research Service, shared an enlightening and passionate message to the group about the important role of women, U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD). and the U.S.- Israel joint research and collaboration.

    A highlight of the 2019 AAW Fly-In was the White House round-table discussion headed up by Anne Hazlett, senior advisor to the President on Rural Affairs and the office of National Drug Control Policy.

    American Agri-Women
    American Agri-Women (AAW) promotes the welfare of our national security through a safe and reliable food, fiber and energy supply. Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers; advocate for agriculture; and offer networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW website for more information to join, www.americanagriwomen.org. Find AAW on social media on Facebook (facebook.com/AgriWomen), Twitter (@Women4Ag) and Instagram (@americanagriwomen).

  • American Farmland Trust Hires Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally as Women for Land Initiative Director

    American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, has hired Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally as the Director of its Women for the Land initiative. Dr. Roesch-McNally will provide overall leadership for Women for the Land and collaborate with regional offices to ensure that AFT’s programming is strategic, synergistic across regions, well-received and impactful. The goal of AFT’s Women for the Land initiative is to engage women who own and manage farmland and ranchland in our mission to protect farmland, promote sound farming practices and keep farmers on the land.

    “AFT believes that protecting the most productive, versatile and resilient farmland and improving its soil will benefit farmers, consumers and the environment. We simply cannot meet the challenges facing agriculture today if we are not engaging women farmers and landowners, who own 87 million acres of U.S. farmland and ranchland. Women are underserved; yet when engaged, they often act,” says Dr. Beth Sauerhaft, AFT vice president of programs.

    She continues, “Gabrielle brings her expertise in social science theory with a grounding in both economics and sociology to the Women for the Land initiative. She has worked on large interdisciplinary teams and has a particular interest in participatory research methods and co-production, and how these approaches can support collaborative community engagement with climate adaptation. These skills will serve the initiative well as we expand the program to meet the needs of the growing number of women farming or taking on a management role on land over the next two decades.”

    Dr. Gabrielle Roesch-McNally has a Master of Science from the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forestry Science, where she focused on environmental economics. Her doctorate degree, from Iowa State University, is in sociology and sustainable agriculture. As part of her dissertation research, she worked as one of the lead social scientists on a large-scale interdisciplinary USDA-NIFA project. She has conducted social science research to better understand producer decision-making in sustainable agri-food systems, particularly in the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation. Most recently, Gabrielle has worked as a fellow with the USDA Northwest Climate Hub.

    “I am excited to pivot from my work with the USDA Climate Hub to AFT’s Women for the Land initiative, where I look to further build and scale the work started by Jen Filipiak, AFT’s Midwest director. I am passionate about ensuring women landowners have access to resources, technical advice and policy facilitators to ensure they lead in conservation and building resilient agri-food systems.”

    Gabrielle will be based out of AFT’s Seattle office but will work from her home in Albany, Oregon, in the heart of the Willamette Valley where she lives with her horticulturalist husband, their dog, cat, 15 chickens. Gabrielle loves to hike, backpack, kayak, camp, bicycle and all manner of outdoor adventures. She also loves to garden, cook, bake and can jams, chutneys, pickles and other preserved goodies.

    American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.

  • USDA Announces Feral Swine Eradication & Control Pilot Program

    USDA announced it is offering $75 million in funding for the eradication and control of feral swine through the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) in a joint effort with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The 2018 Farm Bill included this new pilot program to help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health.

    NRCS will direct up to $33.75 million of the allocated FSCP funds toward partnership efforts to work with landowners in identified pilot projects in targeted areas. Applications are being accepted through Aug. 19, 2019, for partners to carry out activities as part of these pilot projects in select areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. APHIS has determined that these states have among the highest feral swine population densities and associated damages in the country.

    “NRCS​ state conservationists and APHIS state directors, in coordination with state technical committees, have identified pilot projects that can be carried out within these target states,” NRCS​ Chief Matthew Lohr said. “Our agencies stand ready to work with partners at the state and local levels to respond to the threat of feral swine.”

    Pilot projects will consist broadly of three coordinated components: 1) feral swine removal by APHIS; 2) restoration efforts supported by NRCS; and 3) assistance to producers for feral swine control provided through partnership agreements with non-federal partners. Projects can be one to three years in duration.

    “The projects selected for funding will allow APHIS and NRCS to collectively reduce the damage and disease caused by one of the most destructive and formidable invasive species in the United States,” said APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea. “Overall, this pilot program builds upon and expands work already underway by APHIS’ National Feral Swine Damage Management Program to both manage feral swine and eliminate populations in partnership with local government, the private sector, industry and academia.”

    NRCS is now accepting proposals from non-federal partners to provide landowner assistance for on-farm trapping and related services as part of the pilot projects described above.  NRCS will provide funding for these services through partnership agreements. The funding limit for a single award is $1.5 million. Awardees will be required to provide at least 25 percent of the partnership agreement budget as a match to NRCS funding.