California Ag Network

Category: News

  • In A New Study Biochar Helps Yields, But Only In The Short Term

    Davis, Calif., January 13, 2017) – Adding biochar to a farm’s field is an irreversible decision, so understanding its long-term impacts is essential for farmers to make informed decisions.

    Biochar, a charcoal created from organic materials burned at high temperatures and added as a soil amendment, has been shown to increase pH and soil fertility in areas with more weathered, acidic soils, like the tropics. But a new study shows its impact on productive soils like those in California’s Central Valley may be quite different.

    Findings from a four-year study conducted at the Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility at UC Davis showed an increase in corn yields in the second year after adding biochar, but through different means than have been observed elsewhere.

    The study, published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, used biochar made from walnut shells, cooked at 900°C from an orchard in Winters, Calif. Biochar was added to a plot rotating tomato and corn crops at the Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility at UC Davis, a long-term research facility focused on using farm management practices similar to those used at commercial farms.

    “A lot of biochar lab studies look at intricacies of how biochar changes nitrogen cycling, so I was very focused on looking at that in the field,” says Deirdre Griffin, Ph.D. candidate in soils and biogeochemistry at UC Davis and lead author of the study.

    But instead of a change in the nitrogen cycle, the biochar affected potassium, phosphorous, and calcium in the soil, causing an 8 percent increase in corn yields. The increase, however, didn’t happen until the second year after application.

    That delay may be due to biochar’s hydrophobic nature — it repels water when first in the ground, and may only start to interact with soil after significant time. After year two, the yield benefits of biochar dropped off, and by year four showed no difference compared to plots without biochar.

    “The benefits that we saw were from direct fertilization from biochar, in which case growers might be able to see the same boost in yield if they applied a little more fertilizer,” says Griffin. “We didn’t see much change in the soil properties that could have more lasting effects. But those things could still be impacted in the coming years as the biochar continues to age.”

    To see continued yield increases like these, growers may need to apply biochar regularly, which is not its intended purpose and may pose challenges for growers. Biochar can be dusty, dispersing black soot as it is applied. Growers can wet biochar to limit its dust, but without overcoming that challenge, repeatedly adding biochar to the soil may limit its appeal.

    Like compost, different biochars act differently in the soil. Different sources (type of shell or other organic material), treated at different temperatures, and added to varying soil types can all impact what benefits a grower may see from biochar.

    Carbon sequestration, not included in this study, is broadly understood as a benefit of biochar, and some research is looking at its potential to pull heavy metals from soils.

    “When biochar research started flourishing, people started seeing positive results in tropical systems and got excited about it,” says Griffin. “Because of our soils and agriculture, we don’t necessarily see the same benefits in our systems. But every biochar is different, and we need to understand their characteristics, to engineer them for different systems and different purposes. And we’re still working to understand that.”

    Griffin’s study is ongoing and Russell Ranch and will continue to provide insights on biochar’s impacts over time.

    Having a long-term study that uses realistic farm practices will help build the understanding of the role of biochar in already fertile soils, and have strong data showing how biochar really acts in the long run, so farmers making the irreversible decision to add biochar know exactly what they are investing in.

    More information on biochar can be found on the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Biochar Blog, the Solution Center for Nutrient Management, and the Biochar Database managed by associate professor Sanjai Parikh at UC Davis.

  • Tulare County Reports on Current Crop Status

    Visalia, Calif., (January 13, 2017) – Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner released the current status today of major crops in the most valued county in the California Ag portfolio. They report that Recent rains have benefited the growth of already planted grains and field crops, but the rain has hindered ground preparations for continued planting. The forecast for optimal returns continues to look positive. Sorghum seed continues to be received for future planting. Black-eyed beans were exported to Malaysia.

    Table grapes from cold storage continue to be exported to Canada, China, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Vineyards continue being pruned and tied. Pistachios are being exported Belgium, China, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Vietnam. Almonds are being exported to Chile, China, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. Pecans are being shipped to Australia, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. Walnuts are being shipped to Hong Kong. Pomegranates are primarily being exported to Mexico. Deciduous fruit and nut orchards continue to be pruned and the brush shredded as weather conditions allow. Tree fruit, nut orchards, and vineyards have halted most post-harvest field activities due to the recent rain. In drier locations the removal of older orchards and vineyards continues in preparation for replanting with new varieties.

    Wet weather continues to slow citrus harvest. Navel and Mandarin oranges are being harvested as conditions allow. Navel and Mandarin oranges are being shipped to Australia, China, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The second application of copper fungicide has or will be made to meet the February 4th deadline for continued export to Korea. Satsuma tangerines continue to be harvested and sent to domestic markets. Melogold grapefruit are being exported to Japan and Korea. Lemons are being exported to Australia, China, Korea, and New Zealand. Removal of older orchards continues in preparation for replanting to new varieties in drier locations.

    Winter vegetables continue to mature ideally. Strawberries fields continue to thrive. Blueberries continue to be planted, weather permitting.

    Rangeland and dryland pasture continues to improve with the recent rainfall. Rangeland quality is benefiting from this week’s rain at the lower elevations. The fed cattle market price held steady at about $112.00 per hundredweight.

    Bare root rose nursery stock continues to be received, processed and shipped out. Potted roses are currently being shipped. Shipments of wholesale nursery stock have remained slow due to winter weather and a lack of demand.

  • Cal Poly Float Wins Founders’ Trophy at 2017 Rose Parade

    Pasadena, Calif., (January 12, 2017) – Cal Poly universities’ “A New Leaf,” featuring an animated family of chameleons exploring the wonders of a vibrantly colorful world around them, received the Founders’ Trophy for the most beautiful float built and decorated by volunteers from a community or organization at the 128th Rose Parade held Jan. 2.

The float, designed and built by teams of students from Cal Poly and California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, celebrates the 2017 parade theme, “Echoes of Success.” The theme tells the story of how character is developed through the selfless contributions of others and celebrates their inspirational gifts.

“The Cal Poly universities’ float is a shining example of our students’ embrace of the Learn by Doing experience,” Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said of the annual yearlong project. “Students from a range of majors spanning our campus join their peers from Pomona each year to design, construct, shape and decorate a unique creation that delights Cal Poly alumni, family and fans. “This year’s entry is no exception. The students continue to develop new innovations that deliver ingenious animation and bring their flower-covered creatures to life.”

“A New Leaf” is among 41 entries and is the only student-built float. The 18- by 55-foot entry is just under 30 feet tall, with the largest chameleon measuring about 25 feet long and 7 feet tall. The students developed an intricate mechanism that raises and lowers some of the flowers on the largest chameleon, making its stripes appear to change color from orange to yellow.

“It’s a perfect fantasy world of wonder and amazement,” said design chair Zach Cooperband, a Cal Poly math and architectural engineering senior. “These chameleons are some of the biggest characters we’ve made in recent history. This is also the first time in Cal Poly history that we’ve done a tiered float.”

     

    Construction chair Sara Novell and her team tackled the challenge of building several moving mechanisms on the float.

“The most innovative is the color-changing mechanism,” said Novell, a Cal Poly mechanical engineering junior. “We have about 2-inch-thick foam, which we cut into strips and drilled holes and put in dowels. Half of the strips are moving and half are stationary, so you basically kind of have a checkerboard.”

    During the recent Decorations Week in Pasadena, the float was adorned with thousands of flowers — including about 9,500 roses and 4,200 Gerbera daisies. The chameleons were covered in about 32,500 button mums, said decorations chair Belen Castillo, a Cal Poly forestry and natural resources junior.

“It’s just unreal how much time and steel, how much shaping, how many flowers went into making the float,” Castillo said. “The very last thing we do is put on all the flowers. It looks so beautiful.”

Awards were announced at 6 a.m., two hours before the start of the 5½-mile parade down Colorado Boulevard. Normally held on New Year’s Day, the Tournament of Roses has maintained a “Never on Sunday” tradition since 1893 to avoid frightening horses that would be hitched outside churches and thus interfering with worship services.

“I’m always overjoyed to have their work rewarded with a banner,” said Josh D’acquisto, Cal Poly’s Rose Parade float advisor. “It’s kind of that cherry on top that says not only did you compete at this level but you took home a trophy as well.”

The schools were also honored for their commitment to California’s flower farmers. It’s the sixth consecutive year the float has earned the “California Grown” designation from the California Cut Flower Commission, which recognizes an entry decorated with at least 85 percent of cut flowers and plant materials from the Golden State.

The Cal Poly universities’ float has about 94 percent of cut flowers and plant materials from California, including orange and yellow marigolds grown on the San Luis Obispo campus.

     

    Since 1949, students from San Luis Obispo and Pomona have come together across 240 miles to produce the float — one of only a handful of self-built entries — for Pasadena’s signature event. Since then, the two schools’ entries have earned more than 50 awards, including the Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy in 2016 for the most beautiful non-commercial float. 

A symbol of the partnership between the two campuses is the float’s chassis, whose front and back halves are joined mid-October each year in Pomona to officially unite both the float and the teams.

Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing ethos is exemplified in all facets of the float program, as students from throughout all six of the university’s colleges get hands-on experience welding, metal shaping, machining, foam carving, woodworking, painting and flower harvesting — ultimately competing against professional float builders with corporate sponsorships.

The parade is watched in person by 700,000 people and on television by an international audience estimated at more than 100 million.

  • Steve Dutton Begins His Term as President of Sonoma County Farm Bureau

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (January 12, 2017) – The Dutton Family has been farming in Sonoma County for more than five generations. Steve and Joe Dutton, brothers and co-owners of Dutton Ranch, farm apples and winegrapes on their home ranch in Graton.

    The property was purchased by their parents, Warren Jr. and Gail, in the 1960’s, but the Dutton family’s involvement in Sonoma County agriculture starts long before then. Steve and Joe’s great-great-grandfather, Reed Dutton and his brother Warren, moved from Tomales to Santa Rosa in the late 1800’s. They began farming in the Roseland area, on what is now Dutton Avenue, and Warren worked with Luther Burbank to develop 20,000 prune trees which he grew on their 200 acre ranch.

    Reed’s son George and grandson Warren Sr. became gentlemen farmers each having long careers with Exchange Bank. Both generations maintained the family farm in Roseland, leasing the property to farmers or hiring people to farm the land.

    Warren Jr. worked on his father’s ranches in high school and quickly fell in love with agriculture. After graduating in 1962, he married his high school sweetheart, Gail, in 1963 and they purchased the first piece of Dutton Ranch the following year.

    Steve and Joe Dutton followed in their father’s footsteps developing a passion for agriculture at a young age as they worked on the family’s ranch. Steve Dutton said he’s been interested in agriculture for as long as he can remember.

    “I grew up loving farm equipment,” said Dutton. “As soon as I could figure it out, I was driving a tractor. As soon as I could get my driver’s permit, I was driving and hauling apples all summer long.”

    After graduating high school, Dutton attended UC Davis. A year and a half into college, he realized his passion wasn’t in going to school but rather working on the ranch and local agriculture.

    “After coming back from Davis, my dad put me on a tractor, and I drove a tractor for a month and a half straight every day. He thought he was going to get me to go back to school if he kept doing it,” said Dutton. “I started to count stakes and figure out how fast I was going. I started calculating how many miles an hour I was disking and how many acres an hour I was disking. Within a few days, he figured out it wasn’t going to work. I wasn’t going to get bored and go back to school – I liked farming too much.”

    Dutton’s brother, Joe, graduated in 1987 and the two worked side by side on the ranch growing apples and grapes.

    After his two children joined the family business, Warren Jr. realized the small farm in Graton was going to have to transition from supporting one family to three families. Warren Jr. set out to lease additional land and increase the amount they were growing, slowly building up the size of the ranch.

    Dutton met Theresa Pizzella in the early 90’s. Pizzella was a recent graduate of Sonoma State University and working at a bank in Sebastopol. The couple married in 1993, and had two children, Jake and Jordan, in 1997. Jake and Jordan are both 19 attending Santa Rosa Junior College and UC Davis, respectively, studying in agricultural fields.

    Dutton, who is in his 30th year working on the ranch, said as the business grew, he kept taking on more and more responsibility, working his way up in the company. However, at the beginning of his career he wasn’t involved in agriculture off the farm, instead focusing his effort on the business and farming.

    When Warren Sr. passed away unexpectedly in 2001, both brothers stepped up and became more involved in the community. Dutton took his father’s seat on Russian River Valley Winegrower’s board and Joe took his seat on the Gold Ridge RCD’s board. 
The Dutton brothers bought out their mother Gail in 2008 and have continued to build the business. They now farm 1,400 acres – nearly 200 acres of certified organic apples and 1,200 acres of winegrapes.

    There was a time when the Duttons had more than 500 acres of apples, but over time the family has transitioned to predominantly growing grapes. Although they have fewer apples, Dutton said the apples are still an important and vital part of their business. 
The Duttons like the idea of being diversified, and Dutton said they’ve grown apples long enough to learn how to make them profitable. More importantly, the apples keep their labor force busy when there’s downtime in the vineyards. Labor is important to Dutton, and he wants to be sure he can always provide work. Dutton said in relation to wine, apples are easier to grow and less demanding.

    As Dutton sees his business continuing to thrive and grow, he also sees the ranch replanting some of their orchards. Now that the apple industry is organic, it’s making a comeback in Sonoma County and he plans to continue growing the same acreage of apples, if not planting more.

    Dutton has vertically integrated the wine portion of his business. Alongside his wife Theresa, the couple partnered with winemaker Dan Goldfield to start Dutton-Goldfield Winery. He liked the idea of having the ability to control the product all the way to the consumer. The 15,000 case winery primarily produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 
Since joining the Russian River Valley Winegrowers board in 2001, where he has since served as President twice, Dutton has been actively involved in the community and agriculture off the farm. His involvement with the Russian River Valley Winegrowers led toLex McCorvey asking Dutton if he wanted join Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s board in 2004 which he has been serving on for the last 13 years.

    On the Sonoma County Farm Bureau board, Dutton has held both offices of First Vice President and Second Vice President. For the last four years, Dutton has chaired the membership committee, working hard to maintain Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s status as the largest agricultural association in the county. He was also responsible for the implementation of the successful Premium Membership level which now has 32 members.

    Dutton has also served on the board of Sonoma County Farm Trails where he held the office of Treasurer, and he is currently President of the Russian River Valley Winegrowers Foundation. In addition to his agricultural involvement, Dutton is on the board of Exchange Bank. He believes local banks are important, and by serving on their board, he can help direct the bank’s involvement in the community.

    Dutton began his term as Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s president on January 1st. Sonoma County Farm Bureau is important to Dutton because it’s the only entity fighting for property rights, farming rights, water rights and to protect agriculture in Sonoma County while representing all agriculture. Dutton said there is no other organization which goes to the extent Farm Bureau does.

    “I love growing things, and I just love working outside and working with the land,” said Dutton. “It’s important to me to keep Sonoma County as open space. It’s important to protect agriculture and protect the right to farm. What else would be out in the country if it wasn’t for agriculture? How could you afford to have this land?

    “This is where we’re from. This is our home; it’s been our home for five generations. I don’t see myself ever leaving or going anywhere. If it wasn’t us doing this, it’d be someone else.”

  • Snowpack’s Statewide Water Content is Below Average

    Sacramento, Calif., January 12, 2017) – Today’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) manual snow survey at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada range found a snow water equivalence of 6 inches, which is 5.3 inches less than the average early-January snow water equivalence of 11.3 inches as measured at Phillips since 1964.

    Snow water equivalence is the depth of water that theoretically would result if the entire snowpack melted instantaneously. That measurement is more important than depth in evaluating the status of the snowpack. (Measurements of snow water equivalence and depth at Phillips and other nearby snow courses are posted in the table below.)

    More telling than a survey at a single location, however, are DWR’s electronic readings today from 105 stations scattered throughout the Sierra Nevada. Measurements indicate the water content of the northern Sierra snowpack is 7.2 inches, 68 percent of the multi-decade average for the date. The central and southern Sierra readings are 7.4 inches (65 percent of average) and 6.6 inches (73 percent of average) respectively. Statewide, the snowpack holds 7.2 inches of water equivalent, or 70 percent of the January 3 average.

    January and February are two of California’s three historically wettest months, which means the readings taken today at Phillips during the winter’s first media-oriented snow survey are a key starting point of information but don’t shed much light on how wet the wet season ultimately will be.

    The Phillips snow course, which is near the intersection of Highway 50 and Sierra-at- Tahoe Road, is one of hundreds that will be surveyed manually throughout the winter. Manual measurements augment the electronic readings from about 100 snow pillows in the Sierra Nevada that provide a current snapshot of the water content in the snowpack.

    Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, conducted today’s survey at Phillips and reported that a water content there of only 53 percent of the early-January average “seems a little gloomy.”

    “Keep in mind,” he continued, “we had pretty much bare ground here about a week ago, with a few patches of snow. Most of the snow we measured today came down in the last couple days and is continuing to come down.”

    Gehrke said forecasters predict a series of wet cold storms stretching into next week. “That’s going to bolster the snowpack,” he said. “I can see us being potentially at average once that series of storms moves through. I think it’s a very encouraging start to the winter, and certainly we’ve had other winters when (Phillips) has been basically a bare field.”

    State Climatologist Mike Anderson said about half of California’s annual rainfall occurs in December, January and February and about two-thirds of the annual total arrives during December through March. Total precipitation so far this water year, which began October 1, has been above average, but warm temperatures during storm events have tended to cause precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow in many mountain locations.

    “We still have three historically wet months ahead of us,” Anderson said, “so there’s still time for the snowpack to build and improve before it begins to melt, which usually starts happening around April 1.”

    Acting DWR Director Bill Croyle said above-average precipitation since the start of Water Year 2017 in October added significantly to storage in 154 reservoirs tracked by the Department. Croyle said DWR has estimated total storage at the end of December at 21.5 million acre-feet (MAF), 98 percent of the reservoirs’ historical average of 21.9 MAF on December 31.

    Lake Shasta, California’s largest surface reservoir, now holds 118 percent of its historical average on today’s date. One year ago, Shasta’s storage was just 50 percent of its average. Similarly, Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, holds much more water today than a year ago — 91 percent of its historical average compared to just 47 percent one year ago.

    “Precipitation and storage are doing quite well compared to the past 5 years of historic drought conditions,” Croyle said, “and that makes us cautiously optimistic about water conditions, although some areas in California are still hit hard by the drought and require a response. The snowpack is clearly lagging below its early-January average, but we have many more snow courses to measure this winter before we’ll know whether this water year has had a significant positive effect on the drought.”

    DWR conducts five media-oriented snow surveys each winter – near the first of January, February, March, April and May – at the Phillips Station plot in the Sierra Nevada range just off Highway 50 near Sierra-at-Tahoe Road 90 miles east of Sacramento.

    On average, the snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer. The greater the snowpack water content, the greater the likelihood California’s reservoirs will receive ample runoff as the snowpack melts to meet the state’s water demand in the summer and fall.

    Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a drought State of Emergency on January 17, 2014 and directed State officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for water shortages. California has experienced five consecutive water years of drought conditions and is three months into a possible sixth consecutive year.

    Conservation – the wise, sparing use of water – remains California’s most reliable drought management tool. Each individual act of conservation, such as letting the lawn go brown or replacing a washer in a faucet to stop a leak, makes a difference over time. Californians can learn ways to save water every day by visiting SaveOurWater.com.

    Video and photographs of today’s Phillips survey will be posted here after processing.

    Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action For earlier readings, click the calendar icon below the map, select a date, then Refresh Data.

    Water Year 2017’s precipitation can be found at the following link; look in the right-hand column for the Northern Sierra 8-station index for updated rainfall readings in the critical northern portion of the state, as well as the San Joaquin 5- station and Tulare Basin 6-station links: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow_rain.html

    For a broader snapshot of current and historical weather conditions, see DWR’s “Water Conditions” and “Drought” pages:

    Water Conditions Page: http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/waterconditions.cfm

    Drought Page: http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/index.cfm

    Everyday water conservation tips at Save Our Water: http://saveourwater.com

  • Governor Brown Proposes 2017-2018 State Budget

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 11, 2017) – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today proposed a balanced state budget that eliminates a projected $2 billion deficit and bolsters the state’s Rainy Day Fund while continuing to invest in education, health care expansion and other core programs.

    In a letter to the Legislature, the Governor explained that while this year’s budget “protects our most important achievements,” it is also “the most difficult that we have faced since 2012” and “uncertainty about the future makes acting responsibly now even more important.”

    Significant details of the Governor’s 2017-18 State Budget include:

    The budget proposes $3.2 billion in solutions to ensure a balanced budget. By tempering spending growth rather than cutting existing program levels, these actions minimize the negative effects on Californians. The solutions include adjusting Proposition 98 spending, recapturing unspent allocations from 2016 and constraining some projected spending growth. In total, General Fund spending remains flat compared to 2016-17.

    Proposition 2 establishes a constitutional goal of having 10 percent of tax revenues in the state’s Rainy Day Fund. With a $1.15 billion deposit in the budget, the Rainy Day Fund will total $7.9 billion by the end of 2017-18, 63 percent of the constitutional target. While a full Rainy Day Fund might not eliminate the need for further spending reductions in case of a recession or major federal policy changes, saving now would allow the state to soften the magnitude and length of necessary cuts.

    K-14 funding is expected to grow to $73.5 billion in 2017-18, up 55 percent – or $26.2 billion – from 2011-12. For K-12 schools, funding levels will increase by about $3,900 per student in 2017-18, over 2011-12 levels. This reinvestment provides the opportunity to correct historical inequities in school district funding with continued implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula.

    Under the optional expansion provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act, the budget increases enrollment of this Medi-Cal population to 4.1 million Californians, with the state’s General Fund share of cost increasing from $888 million to nearly $1.6 billion.

    California has an extensive safety net for the state’s residents who live in poverty. Since 2012, the General Fund has invested about $18 billion annually to help those in poverty. The budget continues to fund:

    • The rising state minimum wage, which is scheduled to increase to $11 per hour in 2018 and $15 per hour over time.
    • California’s Earned Income Tax Credit.
    • The first cost-of-living adjustment for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment recipients since 2005.
    • The repeal of the maximum family grant rule in CalWORKs, which denied aid to children who were born while their parents were receiving aid.
    • Increases in child care and early education provider rates and children served totaling $837 million.

    Annual maintenance and repairs of California’s highways, roads and bridges are billions of dollars more than can be funded annually within existing revenues. The budget reflects the Governor’s transportation package, first proposed in September 2015, which would provide $4.2 billion annually to improve the maintenance of highways and local roads, expand public transit and strengthen critical trade routes.

    The state has appropriated $3.4 billion in cap-and-trade auction proceeds to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with funding prioritized in disadvantaged communities. With volatility in recent auctions due in part to uncertainty about the program’s post-2020 future, the Administration proposes two-thirds urgency legislation to confirm the program’s continued authority beyond 2020. Assuming approval, the budget proposes $2.2 billion in expenditures from auction proceeds, with a continued emphasis on low-income and disadvantaged communities.

    The full summary of the Governor’s budget proposal can be found at www.ebudget.ca.gov.

  • UC Davis Named Most Sustainable University in the World

    Our green campus includes rooftop gardens like this one, at the LEED-platinum Segundo Services Center. Rooftop plots absorb sunlight that would otherwise be converted to heat energy, provide extra insulation and capture rainwater, thus reducing storm runoff. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)

    Davis, Calif., (January 11, 2017) – The University of California, Davis, is the greenest university in the world, as declared today (Dec. 29) by the seventh annual GreenMetric ranking from the University of Indonesia.

    UC Davis held the third position in last year’s UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, and emerged No. 1 in the 2016 assessment of 516 colleges and universities in 74 countries for environmentally friendly campus operations and policies, and research and education on sustainability.

    “This ranking not only reaffirms our standing as a global leader in sustainability but also demonstrates our continuing commitment,” Interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter said. “All the credit goes to our staff, faculty and students for being so dedicated to this cause.”

    In another year-end environmental achievement, UC Davis earned the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest LEED rating for the new Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art. It is the ninth UC Davis project to be platinum-certified in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

    UC Davis is also a top-10 “Cool School” in Sierra magazine’s ranking of America’s greenest colleges and universities. In fact, UC Davis has been in the “Cool School” top 10 for five out of the last six years.

    GreenMetric indicators – In claiming the GreenMetric’s top ranking with a score of 8,398 (out of 10,000), UC Davis scored well ahead of the second- and third-place schools: University of Nottingham (England), 8,079; and Wageningen University (Netherlands), 7,658.

    Three other UCs are in the ranking: Berkeley, eighth; Merced, 67th; and Riverside, 141st.

    UC Davis ranked first among the participating colleges and universities for transportation, including bus and bicycle use, and earned a perfect score in the waste category, for waste reduction and recycling, among other factors.

    Other criteria included renewable energy (notably, UC Davis generates 14 percent of its power supply from the new solar farm south of Interstate 80), and energy efficiency and water conservation.

    The ranking also looked at green building implementation (UC Davis has 23 LEED projects, as well as the largest planned zero-net energy community in the nation, West Village).

    Finally, in education, the ranking looked at such factors as published research on sustainability and number of courses related to sustainability (250).

  • Update and Progress On California Water Action Plan

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 11, 2017) – A new report from several California agencies tracks the significant progress made in 2016 toward achievement of the California Water Action Plan – progress that builds the reliability and resiliency of our water resources.

    The report released today highlights the achievements of 2016, the third year that state agencies have been coordinating efforts under the Water Action Plan. First released by the administration of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in January 2014, the Water Action Plan is a five-year framework with 10 overarching goals designed to bring sustainability to California’s water resources and restoration to its most important ecosystems.
    The plan’s major goals include making conservation a way of life, increasing regional self-reliance in water supplies, managing and preparing for dry periods, and providing safe water for all communities. The plan is the foundation for expenditures under Proposition 1, the $7.5 billion water bond passed overwhelmingly by California voters in November 2014.

    The 2016 summary of accomplishments was prepared by the California Natural Resources Agency, California Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

    “We built momentum in 2016 that we intend to maintain in 2017 and beyond,” said California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird. “United by the Water Action Plan goals and enabled by the Proposition 1 funds, we are making investments that will pay off for generations to come.”

    California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross said, ““This plan is critically important beyond the year-to-year fluctuations we experience in precipitation. Looking ahead, we know that we must work together to make every drop of water count in California.”
    “The drought has highlighted the challenges California faces under climate change,” said CalEPA Secretary Matt Rodriquez. “The Water Action Plan serves as an invaluable guide to ensure that our short-term responses to the drought are also being translated into actions that make our water system more sustainable and resilient over the long term.”

    Some of the 2016 achievements described in the California Water Action Plan Implementation Report – 2016 Summary of Accomplishments include:

    • The investment of hundreds of millions of dollars of Proposition 1 funds in local projects that recycle water, improve farm irrigation water efficiency, capture stormwater, and otherwise stretch and safeguard supplies. These state bond dollars will leverage additional hundreds of millions of dollars of federal and local investment.
    • Launch of dozens of habitat restoration projects around the state, including the largest tidal wetlands restoration project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
    • Support for the implementation of Klamath dam removal through bond funding and amendments to a key multi-party agreement.
      Creation of a five-agency framework for moving California beyond emergency, one-size-fits-all drought restrictions on water to permanent water-use efficiency standards in a way that accounts for local conditions and demographics.
    • Implementation of regulations to carry out the historic Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014, with counties, cities, and local water districts beginning to form the new agencies that will bring groundwater pumping and recharge into balance.
    • Launch of a public process to update the water quality standards and flow requirements in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to balance the needs of fish, farms, and cities. The State Water Resources Control Board began hearings this year to update 20-year-old Delta water quality standards.

    For more information about the California Water Action Plan, visit http://resources.ca.gov/california_water_action_plan/.

  • Registration Open for California Regional Agritourism Summits

    – The University of California Small Farm Program and UC Cooperative Extension advisors in four California regions are working with local partners to organize Regional Agritourism Summits for everyone involved in California agritourism. The summits will be occasions for farmers, ranchers, county planners, the tourism community and others involved to share, learn and plan together.

    Regional Agritourism Summits 2017

    Agritourism operators, tourism professionals, county, city and state staff and officials, community organizations, agricultural organizations, tour organizers and all others who are connected to California agritourism are invited to join the conversations. Presentations and discussion topics will include county regulations; marketing plans; social media and event organizing training sessions; itinerary development; liability; financing ideas for agritourism development; and more.

    Each summit was planned by a local team to best reflect the needs of the region, so each will be unique. Each summit will be a participatory, all-day session with lunch provided.

    Participants are invited to bring marketing and organizational information to display and share.

    To register, please see http://ucanr.edu/summits2017.  A registration fee of $25 is requested, payable online or by check.  Agendas for the summits are available on this site.

    • Yolo/Sacramento/Solano Agritourism Summit:Monday, Feb. 13, 2017
UC ANR Building, 2801 Second Street, Davis CA 95618
    • Sonoma/Marin Agritourism Summit: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017
Petaluma Community Center, Lucchesi Park, 320 N. McDowell Blvd, Petaluma CA 95954
    • Stanislaus/San Joaquin/Merced Agritourism Summit: Thursday, March 23, 2017
Stanislaus County Agricultural Center, 3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, CA 95358
    • Riverside/San Bernardino/San Diego Agritourism Summit:, March 29, 2017
La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Pkwy, Riverside, CA 92505

    UC Small Farm Program Agritourism resources – The UC Small Farm Program has been working for more than 15 years with UC Cooperative Extension advisors and others to develop resources and connections for California agritourism operators. The UC agritourism website hosts useful factsheets and research.  The online agritourism directory and events calendar helps visitors find farms and ranches to visit. And, the monthly California Agritourism newsletter shares news and resources for the agritourism community.

    Funding for this project was provided by the USDA Farmers’ Market Promotion Program.

    More information: Penny Leff, UCCE Agritourism Coordinator, paleff@ucdavis.edu, (530) 752-7779.

  • California Crop/Weather Report

    – Overall, the week was very wet and chilly across the State. Temperatures were fairly steady early in the week, with a gradual warm-up as the weekend arrived. Most of the State was soggy through the week, with most areas in the central/northern valley receiving three to five inches of rain, coastal areas north of Monterey saw two to four inches of rain, and coastal areas further south saw one to two inches of rain. The heaviest rains fell on the windward slopes of the central and northern Sierras, where some locations saw as much as twelve to fourteen inches of rain, with most areas seeing between five to eight inches of rain. The southern valley also received two to three inches of rain.

    The interior deserts remained largely dry. Mountain regions saw an abundance of snow this week as well. Three to four feet of new snow fell during the week in the Tahoe area and areas northward. The southern Sierras around Mt. Whitney saw one to three feet. The mountaintops of the coastal ranges also received two to six inches of snow going northward from Los Angeles to Crescent City. Warm temperatures over the weekend resulted in a bit of snowmelt, but snowpacks were at their bulkiest in years.

    Temperature highs were in the 20s to 40s in the mountains, 40s to 50s along the coast and valley, and 50s to 70s in the desert. The temperature lows were between 20s to 30s in the mountains, 20s to 40s in the desert and the valley, and 30s to 40s along the coast.

    Fields continued to be prepared and planted for winter wheat and barley forage. The growth of planted grains and field crops continued at an excellent rate, reaping the benefit from last week’s precipitation. Sorghum seed continued to be received for future planting. Alfalfa fields have gone dormant due to the cold weather.

    Table grapes from cold storage continued to be exported.  Vineyards continued to be pruned.  Pomegranates were primarily being exported to Mexico.  Deciduous fruit orchards continued to be pruned and the brush shredded as weather conditions allowed.  Tree fruit and vineyards halted most post-harvest field activities due to the recent rains. In drier locations, the removal of older orchards continued in preparation for replanting new varieties. Wet weather continued to slow the citrus harvest.  Navel and Mandarin oranges were being harvested as conditions allowed.  Exports of citrus fruit slightly slowed down between Christmas and New Year’s.  However, Navel oranges, Melogold grapefruit, and lemons continued to be exported. Growers continued to implement frost protection measures for new plantings.  Removal of older orchards continued in preparation for replanting to new varieties in drier locations.  Strawberry fields continued to thrive.  Blueberries continued to be planted, weather permitting.

    Pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and pecans continued to be packed and shipped primarily to foreign markets.  Nut orchards continued to be pruned and the brush shredded as weather conditions permitted.

    Winter vegetables continued to mature ideally. In Fresno County, fresh onion seeds were planted.  Carrot harvest continued.  Growers restricted water from broccoli fields.

    Valley and foothill range and non-irrigated pasture were in good condition. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued. Sheep grazed alfalfa and fallow fields for weed control. Lambing was ongoing. Bee hives continued to be moved into the state in preparation for the bloom season. Due to the lack of blooming vegetation, bee keepers continued to feed their hives.