California Ag Network

Category: News

  • More Than 1,000 Gather to Celebrate Agriculture at Love of the Land

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (August 8, 2017) – On July 13th, more than 1,000 people gathered at Richard’s Grove and Saralee’s vineyard to celebrate agriculture. Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s annual Love of the Land event, was successful in bringing in people from all facets of agriculture to socialize and honor stewards of the land.

    People gathered from Sonoma County and beyond, seeing old friends and making new ones in the Sonoma grown reception. Guests enjoyed wines from around the county and food from local caterers and food companies.

    The program for the evening was kicked off by Brent Farris who introduced the Petaluma Riding and Driving Club who rode in decked out in red, white and blue on a paint, palomino, grey and bay. Mark Flowers sang the national anthem, and Farris introduced Steve Dutton, Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s President.

    “Sonoma County Farm Bureau was founded in 1917 and tonight we’re celebrating 100 years of protecting Sonoma County Agriculture,” said Dutton. “From the Right to Farm Ordinance to Riparian regulations, the work Farm Bureau does might not always be visible, but it is critical to our ability to farm on a daily basis. I am proud to be a fifth generation Sonoma County farmer, and I want to see agriculture continue far into the future so my children have the same opportunities I had. Alongside many others here tonight, I am proud to be a part of a family that has been farming in Sonoma County for more than 100 years.”

    This year’s honorees included Jackson Family Wines, recipient of the Luther Burbank Conservation Award; Earl and Dot Holtz, Hall of Fame Inductees; and the Lee Walker Family, the 2017 Farm Family of the Year.

    The Jackson family, large supporters of agriculture, donated the venue and La Crema Wines to be served throughout the evening. The Jackson family was also honored for their continuing commitment to sustainability. Headed by Katie Jackson, the company is a leader on many sustainability efforts including water, energy and land conservation programs.

    Earl and Dot Holtz were honored next on stage as the 2017 Hall of Fame Inductees. Respectively 84 and 83, the couple has dedicated 104 years to supporting the local agriculture industry. With Earl working in the dairy industry and Dot educating youth, their contributions to Sonoma County are invaluable.

    The night’s final recipient was the Lee Walker Family who have been farming apples on the same ranch in Graton for 107 years. The family patriarch, Lee Walker, said the award was especially important to the family because the award represented the time and passion the entire family put into the business, even though the majority don’t work for the family business.

    The awards were followed by a live action including a hot air balloon ride donated by Blue Star Gas, a trip to Cabo and an exclusive opportunity to host a private event at the La Crema pavilion with 106.3 The Bull.

    Bistro lights donated by Sonoma Clean Power glowed over the tables as the sun set and the evening came to an end. Sonoma County Farm Bureau thanks everyone who made another Love of the Land a success! From guests and sponsors to wineries pouring and great food by Preferred Sonoma Caterers, we appreciate everyone’s support. A special thank you to all the volunteers who helped make the event possible, we couldn’t do it without you!

    Courtesy of Sonoma County Farm Bureau

  • When Farm Labor gets too Tight, Consider H2A Guestworker Program

    As labor grows tighter, growers are mechanizing their operations as much as possible; however, the need for a solid seasonal labor force is not going away anytime soon. Although not an easy one to utilize, the H2A Ag guestworker program is what more and more growers and farm labor contractors are using to meet their labor needs. Watch this brief interview with Bob Erickson from Foothill Packing and Jeanne Malitz from Malitz Law as they explain the program, and how to get involved in it. Read more in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • California Pursues New Health Protections on Chlorpyrifos

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 24, 2017) – The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) announced today that both the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment are pursuing health protections on one of the most widely used agricultural pesticides in the nation, chlorpyrifos.

    The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) released today an updated draft risk assessment for public comment. This action marks the start of a public and scientific review of the document, which could lead to increased restrictions on chlorpyrifos statewide. DPR is currently developing interim restrictions on use of the pesticide and recommendations will be made to county agricultural commissioners next month.

    In addition, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is referring chlorpyrifos for potential listing as a developmental toxicant under Proposition 65. OEHHA today posted an announcement that the state’s Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee will consider the listing of chlorpyrifos at its next public meeting.

    “While chlorpyrifos has been protecting crops for more than 50 years, new information in the scientific community leads us to believe the level of risk it poses is greater than previously known,” said CalEPA Secretary Matthew Rodriquez. “We need to better understand the science to ensure our actions protect public health. The actions we are taking today reflect our commitment to the health and safety of all Californians, and the environment.”

    DPR scientists believe chlorpyrifos may pose a public health risk as a toxic air contaminant based on its assessment of the latest studies in the scientific community. However, this new finding, indicated in the updated draft risk assessment has not been peer reviewed and must go through a public comment period and be independently evaluated by other scientists.

    On Sept. 15, DPR will hold a public workshop on the updated draft risk assessment at the Pesticide Registration and Evaluation Committee meeting in Sacramento.

    After the 45-day written public comment period, which begins today, DPR’s updated draft risk assessment will go before an independent panel of nine scientists known as the Scientific Review Panel (SRP). The thorough review process, which may ultimately lead to more restrictions on use, may conclude in December 2018.

    Next month, DPR will provide county agricultural commissioners with specific interim recommendations, including:

    • Increasing distances between sites where the chemical is applied and sensitive locations, such as homes and schools. These would be specific to each type of application method.
    • New restrictions on methods used to apply chlorpyrifos.

    OEHHA will soon open a written public comment period on scientific materials that describe the evidence for the developmental toxicity of chlorpyrifos. OEHHA will provide the materials and the written public comments to the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee. The committee is an independent panel of 10 scientific experts that determines whether chemicals are added to the Proposition 65 list as causing birth defects and other reproductive harm. The committee will also consider public comments presented at its November 29 meeting.

    If the committee adds chlorpyrifos to the Proposition 65 list as a developmental toxicant, businesses that knowingly cause exposures above minimum levels must provide a Proposition 65 warning.

    DPR’s updated draft risk assessment and other documents relating to chlorpyrifos are available at:

    http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/whs/active_ingredient/chlorpyrifos.htm

    OEHHA’s notice of the Nov. 29 meeting of the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee concerning chlorpyrifos is available at: www.oehha.ca.gov.

  • 2016 Air Monitoring Shows Pesticides Below Health Screening Levels

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 24, 2017) – The latest air monitoring results released from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) show that, for the second year in a row, all of the pesticides monitored were found below levels that indicate a health concern or need for further evaluation.

    “Air monitoring is an important tool used to ensure that the California’s vigorous pesticide regulatory program is working to protect human health as legal pesticides are applied to produce food and fiber” said Brian Leahy, Director of DPR.

    Highlights of the 2016 draft air monitoring report shows that of the 37 chemicals (32 pesticides and five breakdown products) that are monitored:

    • 12 were not be detected at all
    • 14 were only detected at trace levels and 11 were detected at quantifiable levels
    • Of the 5,928 analyses[1]conducted, 91.0% had no detectable concentrations

    California is the only state that monitors air as part of its continuous reevaluation of pesticides to ensure the protection of workers, public health and the environment. The pesticides monitored were selected based primarily on potential risk to human health. They include all the major fumigants and many organophosphates.

    As part of the air monitoring network, DPR monitors and analyzes pesticides in three communities: Salinas (Monterey County), Shafter (Kern County) and Ripon (San Joaquin County).

    Additionally, the Air Resources Board, at DPR’s request, monitors for three fumigant pesticides in three other communities: Ventura, Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County) and Watsonville (Santa Cruz County).

    The air-monitoring network, the first of its kind in the nation, was created in 2011 to expand DPR’s knowledge of long-term exposure to pesticides. The data from the network helps DPR determine if additional protective measures are needed.

    As announced in January 2017, DPR has expanded the air-monitoring network in order to obtain more data from more locations. All eight locations will monitor 31 pesticides and five pesticide breakdown products at all sites for two more years. At the end of this period DPR will evaluate and determine the need and scope for the air-monitoring network.

  • California Raisin Crop Forecast Down, Value Increasing

    The California raisin crop is down, and coupled with a greater demand for green grapes at the wineries this year, raisin packers are already making much higher offers to their growers for their crops this season. Watch this video interview with Kalem Barserian, CEO of the Raisin Bargaining Association, as he explains more, and read more in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

     

  • CDFA Utilizes California Climate Investment Funds To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions On California Dairies

    Madera, Calif., (August 23, 2017) – Representatives from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week at Philip Verwey Farms in Madera to celebrate the installation of an on-farm anaerobic dairy digester. It was made possible by a $2.3 million grant from CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP), which receives funding from the state’s cap-and-trade program. The digester will use methane formed by decomposing manure to produce energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    The facility will create an estimated 4.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity — enough power to completely offset the dairy’s total electricity usage. The digester will also reduce 240,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas over the next 10 years– the equivalent of removing 50,696 passenger cars off the road.

    “Collaboration is critical in the fight against climate change,” said CDFA Deputy Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt, who attended last week’s event. “Technologies like anaerobic digesters are an excellent example of how government and the private industry can work together to meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals and add value to dairy byproducts. It is a win for agricultural economies and a win for the environment.”
    The project, which is the third digester to go online using DDRDP funds, was developed in partnership with Maas Energy Works and 4 Creeks Engineering. Additional financial contributions came from USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program and matching funds from Philip Verwey Farms.

    The DDRDP is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that uses cap-and-trade funds to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment.  The DDRDP will provide an estimated $29-36 million in competitive grant funding to aid in the installation of dairy digesters.
    For more information, please visit https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/ddrdp/.

  • Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Declared In A Portion Of Los Angeles County

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 23, 2017) – A portion of Los Angeles County has been placed under quarantine for the Oriental fruit fly following the detection of nine flies in the Hollywood area. The quarantine zone measures 75 square miles. A link to the quarantine map may be found here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/off/regulation.html

    “California’s fruit fly season extends from late summer through the fall,” said California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. “These pests like Southern California for some of the same reasons other travelers do: the pleasant climate and the tremendous variety of food. Fortunately, with the help of local residents, we have a great track record of eradicating these infestations.”

    To prevent the spread of fruit flies through homegrown fruits and vegetables, residents living in the fruit fly quarantine area are urged to not move any fruits or vegetables from their property.  Produce may be consumed or processed (i.e. juiced, frozen, cooked, or ground in the garbage disposal) at the property where it was picked.
    The most common pathway for these pests to enter the state is by “hitchhiking” in fruits and vegetables brought back illegally by travelers as they return from infested regions around the world or from packages sent to California. To help prevent infestations statewide, officials asks residents to refrain from bringing or mailing fresh fruit, vegetables, plants, and soil into California unless agricultural inspectors have cleared the shipment beforehand.

    While fruit flies and other invasive species threaten California’s crops, the vast majority of them are detected in urban and suburban areas.
    “That’s why it’s important for residents to cooperate with quarantine restrictions and allow authorized agricultural workers access to properties to inspect fruit and oriental fruit fly traps for signs of an infestation,” said Secretary Ross.

    Following the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) uses a “male attractant” technique in its eradication effort for this pest.  This approach, which has successfully eliminated dozens of fruit fly infestations in California, significantly reduces the amount of insecticide required to eradicate the population, and only targets the fruit flies – no other insects or animals are harmed. The treatment program is being carried out over several square miles surrounding the sites where the oriental fruit flies were trapped.

    The oriental fruit fly is known to target more than 230 different fruits, vegetables, and plants. Damage occurs when the female fruit fly lays her eggs inside the fruit.  The eggs hatch into maggots and tunnel through the flesh of the fruit, making it unfit for consumption.

    The oriental fruit fly is widespread throughout much of the mainland of Southern Asia and neighboring islands including Sri Lanka and Taiwan, and has invaded other areas, most notably Africa and Hawaii.
    Residents with questions about the quarantine may call the CDFA Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.

  • CDFA Announces Request For Proposals For Phase 2 Of The California Nutrition Incentive Grant Program

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 23, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Office of Farm to Fork is currently accepting proposals for the 2018 California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), which was established to encourage the purchase and consumption of healthy, California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables by CalFresh recipients.

    CDFA is seeking project proposals from qualified entities to distribute nutrition incentives at small businesses (retail outlets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), and farm stands) throughout California. Eligible outlets must meet the definition of a California small business.

    Incentives should be available at the time of purchase to all CalFresh participants using their benefits for California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Projects that reach underserved populations will be prioritized, particularly in communities where a large proportion of the population is eligible for CalFresh and/or have high rates of diet-related disease. An estimated $1 million in funding is available through a competitive process.
    Grants are contingent upon receipt of federal funds by CDFA. Successful applicants will be included as project partners in CDFA’s proposal to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grant program.

    Applications must be submitted by email to cafarmtofork@cdfa.ca.gov, no later than Monday, October 16, 5:00 P.M. PDT. Further information on the grant program, including timeline and application criteria, are available at: http://cafarmtofork.com/CNIP_Phase2-RFP.htm

    CNIP was established by Assembly Bill 1321 (Chapter 442, Statutes of 2015). Phase 1 of the program currently operates at Certified Farmers’ Markets.

  • Diversifying Operations to Stay in the Dairy Business

    Dairying in California is not easy, and it can be an economic nightmare sometimes with the constant fluctuations in milk prices. Nevertheless, dairymen don’t want to give up their livelihoods and noble responsibility in providing consumers with healthy dairy products. But to ensure they can continue to remain economically viable, many dairymen are diversifying their operations with alternative crops and investing in renewable technology. Watch this video with Tipton Dairyman Mike Faria as he shares what he and his family are doing to stay ahead in the business.

    Sponsored By:

    Calagnet & YARA

  • Beware Of The Fungus Among Us

    Fresno, Calif., (August 22, 2017) – Of all the factors rather unique to our Valley that negatively impact our health and well-being (such as concentrated poverty, consistently poor air quality, low health care provider to population ratios, etc.) one of the most unique is a fungal threat known as coccidioidomycosis or Valley fever.

    The fungal organism Coccidioides lives in the soil in many parts of Mexico, Central and South America and southwestern U.S. It is particularly abundant in the soil in the western part of the central and southern San Joaquin Valley.

    When soil containing the hyphae of the fungus is disturbed, these hyphae break up into very tiny arthroconidia, which are easily suspended in the surrounding air and can be spread over long distances by winds. The arthroconidia are breathed into an individual’s lungs where they change to a form called spherules. These spherules enlarge and break open to release large numbers of endospores into the lung, and sometimes into other areas of the body. Each of these endospores is capable of becoming a spherule (continuing the multiplication).

    60 percent of individuals infected in this manner will not experience any symptoms of illness. The forty percent that do develop symptoms will experience any combination of fatigue, cough, fever, shortness of breath, night sweats, muscle aches, and rash from one to three weeks after exposure. These symptoms can last a few weeks to a few months. As many as 5 to 10 percent of infected individuals do not recover completely and develop complications of chronic pulmonary disease. A smaller percentage (1 percent) develop severe disseminated disease with involvement of other tissues of the body such as bones and joints, other organs, and the nervous system.

    Certain individuals are at higher risk for these severe disseminated forms of Valley fever and include:

    • People with weakened immune systems
    • Pregnant women
    • People with diabetes
    • People who are Black or Filipino

    Individuals with Valley fever are not infectious to other except in the very rare event of inhaling spores from a wound infected with Coccidioides. Valley fever can also be contracted through organ transplantation from an infected donor.

    Once infected, individuals are thought to be immune from future infection although illness relapses can occur.

    The California Department of Public Health recently released its Epidemiologic Summary of Coccidioidomycosis in California, 2016 which notes 5,372 new cases of Valley fever in the state last year (Fresno County accounted for 601 of those). This is the highest number of new cases in California in any year since the reporting of this illness began in 1995, and is a 71 percent increase over 2015.

    A number of factors may play a role in this increase in cases including: an increase in the number of non-immune individuals in the areas where exposure is high, and an increase in health care provider testing for the illness. However, climate and environmental factors play a major role as Coccidioides is thought to grow best in soil after heavy rainfall and then disperse into the air more easily during hot, dry conditions. How the change in climate may be affecting the number of Valley fever infections, as well as the geographic range of Coccidioides needs further study.

    Protecting yourself and your loved ones from this often serious and debilitating illness is critical. Although they have not been proven to prevent the illness, the following steps are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (especially for those at higher risk for severe disease noted previously):

    • Try to avoid areas with a lot of dust such as construction or excavation sites (and if you can’t avoid these areas, wear a properly fitted N95 respirator mask)
    • Stay indoors during dust storms with windows closed
    • Avoid activities that involve close contact with dirt or dust, including yard work, gardening, and digging
    • Use air filtration measures indoors

    I would close with the further recommendation that if you or a loved one have any combination of symptoms of Valley fever (noted above) for two weeks or longer, you should speak to your health care provider as soon as possible.

    By: Dr. Ken Bird, Fresno County Health Officer

    Dr. Ken Bird, Fresno County Health Officer