California Ag Network

Category: Weather

  • Emergency Mortality Disposal Advisory Update

    As an update to outdated information shared last week, the following has been provided from a variety agencies including CDFA, RB-5, CalRecycle, various county agricultural commissioners and divisions of environmental health and rendering companies. It represents our best understanding of current requirements, but these may change without notice.

    Summary

      The current heat event has strained the state’s rendering capacity.

      Some producers have carcasses that have not been picked up and have deteriorated

    beyond the point at which they can be processed at the rendering plant. These carcasses

    will likely never be retrieved by a dead hauler.

      CDFA directs producers with such decomposed carcasses to contact their local landfill

    and inquire if they are receiving emergency mortalities. If they are, the carcasses may be transported to the landfill by either the producer or licensed dead hauler. Contact information for local landfills is provided in a chart below.

      If the local landfill is not accepting emergency mortalities, producers may temporarily store them in compost piles on the dairy. CDFA, in consultation with CalRecycle and regional board, will provide guidance in the near future as to the final disposition of the composted material, meaning either landfill or land application.

    Background

    Since mid-August California has experienced an unusually intense and protracted heat event, with temperatures significant enough for the Governor to proclaim a State of Emergency. In addition to an increase in heat-related animal mortalities, the situation has been exacerbated by a mechanical issue at one rendering plant and a landfill temporarily closed due to wildfire smoke in another. All three of the state’s rendering companies that process deadstock have implemented mitigation measures including diversion of non-carcass material to other plants, increasing route frequency and augmenting transfers from collection centers. In spite of these efforts however, rendering capacity has been strained and some carcass stranded at the farm have deteriorated to the point they can no longer be handled by rendering machinery.

    What should producers with decomposed carcasses do?

    If a renderer or dead hauler service refuses to retrieve certain decomposed carcasses, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) advises producers to take following action:

    Contact the local county landfill – Use the table below to identify which county landfill might accept animal carcasses. Landfill availability is very fluid right now, with new facilities receiving permission to accept carcasses daily. If the local landfill is accepting livestock carcasses, either the producer or a licensed dead hauler can transport them to the landfill during working hours. Producers should CALL FIRST before transporting the carcasses to the local landfill, to avoid being turned around at the gate. Producers transporting their own fresh mortalities to a local landfill are cautioned not to have liquid or solid organic matter spill onto the roadway, which could result in fine by local law enforcement. Alternatively producer might choose to engage services of a licensed dead hauler. A list of haulers that provide services to dairies in the past also appears below.

    Compost mortalities on the dairy – If the local landfill is not currently accepting carcasses they may be temporarily stored on-site at the dairy in a composting pile. This mitigates the immediate nuisance problem of decomposing carcasses by the roadside, kills common human and animal pathogens and creates a more manageable material for landfills. After the composting process is complete and no later than six (6) months from starting the composting process, the composted materials will be required to be disposed of. CDFA will provide guidance in the near future as to the final disposition of the composted material, meaning either transportation to a landfill or used for land application. The Central Valley Water Board requires that a 2-page notice of intent be filed within 30 days of starting the composting. Producers may contact their trade organization for assistance in filling this out.

    What are acceptable practices for on-site composting?

    Several guides for composting cattle mortalities are available on-line including USDA and Extension Bulletins from Michigan State and New Mexico State. Research by the University of California suggests dairy manure (either dry-lot scraping or screened manure solids having a moisture content ranging from 25% to 70% is an effective composting feedstock. In California the date, number and identity of cows composted and subsequently transported to landfill should be documented to answer any future regulatory inquiries. An impervious layer such as a concrete pad or a waterproof liner should be used to protect groundwater from infiltration. Adult carcasses should be placed on a 3-footbed of dairy manure and covered with 3 feet of the same material. The site of the temporary piles should be protected from inundation, washout, runoff, ponding, and scavenging wild animals. The temporary pile should be at least 50 feet from any domestic well. Be sure to keep and maintain records to document that the composted material was taken to a landfill within 6 months. RB-5 staff will be looking for evidence of bones and carcasses that have been left for more than 6 months and checking for landfill disposal records during future inspections.

    Burial on the farm?

    Producers in any Central Valley county may NOT permanently bury mortalities on farm unless they obtain a permit from the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Such a permit includes a copy of the county’s emergency declaration, an annotated map, photographs and management plan for the site. The current fee for such a permit is approximately $4,000 dollars.

    Records

    Both CDFA and RB5 require that producers record the final disposition of each carcass not sent to rendering. This will help protect producers from regulatory confusion and potential fines. Records must be maintained for at least five years.

  • Protecting Workers from Unhealthy Air Due to Wildfire Smoke

    Cal/OSHA is reminding employers that California’s protection from wildfire smoke standard is still in effect, and they must take steps to protect their workers from harmful exposure to unhealthy air due to wildfire smoke.

    “Employers are obligated to protect their outdoor workers and must evaluate the health hazards posed by wildfire smoke,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Doug Parker. “If employers cannot move operations indoors where air is adequately filtered and they do not have access to respiratory protection, they may need to halt operations until the outdoor air quality improves.”

    Smoke from wildfires contains chemicals, gases and fine particles that can harm health. The greatest hazard comes from breathing fine particles in the air (called PM2.5), which can reduce lung function, worsen asthma or other existing heart and lung conditions, and cause coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. These types of respiratory conditions also make the effects of COVID-19 more severe.

    If employers move operations indoors or into enclosed spaces, they should be sure to follow guidelines for prevention of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace.

    When wildfire smoke affects a worksite, employers must monitor the air quality index (AQI) for PM2.5. Employers can monitor the AQI using the following websites:

    If the AQI for PM2.5 is 151 or greater, employers must take the following steps to protect employees:

    • Communication – Inform employees of the AQI for PM2.5 and the protective measures available to them.
    • Training and Instruction – Provide effective training and instruction to all employees on the information contained in section 5141.1 Appendix B.
    • Modifications – Implement modifications to the workplace, if feasible, to reduce exposure. Examples include providing enclosed structures or vehicles for employees to work in, where the air is filtered.
    • Changes – Implement practicable changes to work procedures or schedules. Examples include changing the location where employees work or reducing the amount of time they work outdoors or exposed to unfiltered outdoor air.
    • Respiratory protection – Provide proper respiratory protection equipment, such as disposable respirators, for voluntary use.
      • To filter out fine particles, respirators must be labeled N-95, N-99, N-100, R-95, P-95, P-99, or P-100, and must be labeled as approved by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

    “Cal/OSHA is working diligently to identify viable available temporary alternatives that would provide workers with an acceptable alternative to a compliant respirator such as an N-95 mask,” added Chief Parker.

    CalOES and the California Department of Food and Agriculture are working in partnership to provide approximately one million N-95 masks to help protect farmworkers from wildfire smoke. County Agricultural Commissioners in affected counties will distribute the masks.

    If the AQI for PM2.5 exceeds 500, respirator use is required. Employers must ensure employees uses respirators and implement a respiratory protection program as required in California’s respiratory standard. For information or help on developing a respiratory protection program, see Cal/OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Fact Sheet.

    Guidance for employers and workers on working safely in conditions with smoke caused by the wildfires is available on Cal/OSHA’s web page, including information for protecting outdoor workers, details on how to protect indoor workers from outdoor air pollution, and frequently asked questions about N95 masks.

    Information on current wildfires is available from CalFire and the Incident Information System website.

    Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Employers and workers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424.

    Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices. Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR’s Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734).

  • Organic Ag Takes on Climate Change

    The threat that climate change poses to our world, our ecosystem and our health demands bold policy solutions, and, as the devastating impacts of a warming Earth mount, the push for the development of robust and comprehensive federal climate policy is gaining traction. Organic agriculture can be a part of the solution and help tackle climate change through its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, store away huge amounts of carbon, and enable farmers to be resilient in an evolving climate.

    The Organic Trade Association on Thursday released a major report on organic and its ability to mitigate climate change, identifying policy opportunities to elevate the role of organic in the climate change discussion, support organic farmers and encourage transition to organic farming. Reflecting close dialogue with organic stakeholders and the association’s membership, the white paper, “Advancing Organic to Mitigate Climate Change,”  incorporates the key principles identified by the Organic Trade Association Board of Directors to achieve meaningful climate policy solutions.

    The trade association also recently announced the launch of a Climate Task Force, open to all Organic Trade Association members. The task force will amplify the Organic Trade Association’s voice in climate policy discussions by advocating for policies that address the association’s core principles and sharing recommendations with lawmakers and key stakeholders.

    “Our climate crisis is real, is immediate, and affects us all. It is clear that urgent action is needed to help us mitigate and adapt to this crisis,” said Avi Garbow, Organic Trade Association Board member and Environmental Advocate for Patagonia Works. “While the nation’s conventional agricultural sector’s emissions and practices contribute to our worsening climate, there is a time-tested climate solution that regenerates our soils, nourishes our communities, and safeguards our environment from harmful synthetic chemicals: organic agriculture.”

    Garbow, a nationally recognized environmental leader who served as the General Counsel at the Environmental Protection Agency from 2013-2017, added, ”The Organic Trade Association, through the work of its members, the Climate Task Force and its research and analysis, will ensure that organic is well-positioned to play a leading and cost-effective role in stemming and ultimately reversing the effects of our changing climate.”

    Organic Priorities in the Climate Change Fight
    Organic agriculture provides a critical opportunity to mitigate climate change and at the same time create economic, environmental and health benefits for all those involved in our food system–from the grower and the processor, to the distributor and the consumer. But although public and private initiatives to support organic as a climate mitigation tool exist, stronger federal support is needed for organic to reach its full potential to fight against climate change.

    The Organic Trade Association’s Board of Directors early this year determined that organic had to be elevated in the climate change policy discussions that are increasingly taking place in the halls of Congress, in government offices, in corporate boardrooms. The Board also agreed that the Organic Trade Association, as the leading voice in the nation for the organic sector, should spearhead the effort to advance organic as a solution to climate change and to protect organic from the risk of climate change. A climate task force consisting of seven Board members was formed with the goal of developing principles for good climate policy to guide organic’s engagement in climate policy discussions.

    In June at the association’s annual meeting, the Board unanimously endorsed ten principles for climate policy. 

    The Organic Trade Association will engage in smart climate policy solutions that:

    1. Advance organic agriculture. Any policy that addresses the role of climate change in food and agriculture should advance the opportunity for organic to be a climate change solution, allow organic to be successful, and not undermine organic.

    2. Are science-based, data-driven and verifiable. Policy solutions should be based on and supported by science and data, with strong verification measures to meaningfully reduce agriculture’s impact on climate change.

    3. Focus on outcomes and continuous improvement. Policies should reward the outcomes of good agricultural practices and enable a system of continuous improvement that achieves specific positive outcomes over time.

    4. Promote soil health and carbon sequestration.  Improving soil health is an important and central component in addressing agriculture’s role in climate change. Policies should include provisions for advancing soil health and carbon sequestration. .

    5. Lower the use of fossil-fuel based chemicals. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are a key source of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Climate policies should minimize the use of and eliminate the dependency on fossil-fuel based inputs, especially synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

    6. Provide solutions for mitigation and adaptation. Policies should provide the resources to not only mitigate the impacts of climate change but also help the agricultural sector adapt to a changing climate. 

    7. Incentivize farmers and businesses. Farmers should not have to bear the brunt when making transformational changes. Public and private sector programs should provide tools and resources to achieve outcomes through market-based incentives or financial payments that encourage conservation practices or ecosystem services.

    8. Decarbonize the economy. Policies that increase greenhouse gas emissions or rollback progress in decarbonizing the economy and reducing emissions should be opposed.

    9. Foster agricultural diversity and innovation. Climate policies should foster diversity and innovation in farming systems, and provide incentives for increasing diversity in cropping systems.

    10. Address equity and inclusion. Policies should address the environmental and economic inequities caused by climate change, and include ways to support disadvantaged communities in adapting to climate change.

    “Among the many threats posed by the climate crisis, perhaps the greatest is the potential it has to impact food production.  The good news is that organic farmers are already focused on building soil health and eliminating the use of synthetic fertilizers, two steps that can help agriculture shift from being a source of greenhouse gas emissions to being a net sink,” said Britt Lundgren, Director of Organic and Sustainable Agriculture at Stonyfield Farm and member of the association’s Board. “At Stonyfield we are excited to be working with the Organic Trade Association’s Climate Change Task Force on advancing organic agriculture as a climate change solution. The climate change principles adopted by the association provide a roadmap for how federal policy can support climate mitigation and adaptation in agriculture.”

    Recommendations to Support Organic’s Battle on Climate Change
    Incorporating the Organic Trade Association’s guiding principles to fight climate change, the new white paper offers specific recommendations for policymakers to support organic farmers and encourage transition to organic farming as a key strategy for climate change mitigation.

    “As a company that has made organic food for over 30 years, Amy’s has witnessed firsthand the inherent benefits of organic agriculture on the health of the planet. The Organic Trade Association’s Climate Change White Paper, through scientific research, provides a practical set of policy recommendations to make organic agriculture a bigger and more meaningful part of the climate change solution. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of this important work,” said Paul Schiefer, Senior Director of Sustainability at Amy’s Kitchen and member of the association’s Board of Directors.

    Specific policy recommendations in the white paper include:

    •Elevating organic as a key voice in climate-smart agricultural policy;

    •Establishing a national program to support transitioning organic farmers by reducing financial risks, improving market infrastructure development and increasing access to land;

    •Developing a competitive grant program to provide technical services to organic and transitioning farmers to create better access to information about organic production methods that sequester greenhouse gases and improve crop yields;

    •Creating a federal Healthy Soils pilot program, based on existing programs at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the California Healthy Soils Initiative.

    “Extreme weather variability, caused by climate change, is the greatest challenge facing farmers,” said Doug Crabtree, Montana organic farmer and member of the Organic Trade Association Board of Directors. “The (over)use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers is agriculture’s most egregious contribution to climate change. Organic farmers demonstrate that farming systems can be productive, profitable and a significant part of the solution to climate change by avoiding synthetic nitrogen, building soil organic matter and sequestering carbon in the soil. I am proud that our trade association is taking the lead on illustrating the key role of organic food and farming in managing climate change.”

    “U.S. communities, economies and ecosystems are under threat from climate change,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association. “Federal policies can help advance organic as a key solution by encouraging the adoption of organic practices and maximizing benefits for mitigating climate change. The Organic Trade Association and our members stand ready to engage and support federal lawmakers in advancing these recommendations.”

    To download the white paper and for more information on the association’s new Climate Task Force see OTA.com/climate.

    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect ORGANIC with a unifying voice that serves and engages its diverse members from farm to marketplace.

  • New Resources for Farmers with CA Irrigation Management Information System

    Many farmers are already familiar with California DWR’s CIMIS program, with weather stations that collect data for them all over the state. What they may not know is some newer features to the program that can help them better determine irrigation needs for their crops wherever they may be. Watch this brief interview with Steve Ewert as he explains.

  • USDA California Crop Weather Report

    WEATHER

    Temperature highs ranged from the mid 40s to low 70s in the mountains, low 60s to low 80s along the coast, low 60s to mid 80s in the valley, and low 60s to high eighties in the desert.  Temperature lows ranged from the mid 10s to high 40s in the mountains, mid 30s to mid 50s along the coast, low 30s to mid 60s in the desert, and low 40s to mid 60s in the valley.

     

    FIELD CROPS

     In Tulare County, winter grain plants were in different stages of growth, with most wheat, oats and barley coming close to maturity.  Some wheat, oats, and barley fields were being treated for weed control.  With the added rain, alfalfa continued to thrive and was growing well.  Corn was being planted.  Safflower planting was finished with most emerged.  Due to cold weather, cotton planting was behind schedule.  Rice ground preparation was ahead of schedule with ground work done in the Sacramento Valley.

     

    FRUIT CROPS

     Stone fruit orchards continued to near the end of bloom and immature stone fruit was steadily developing. Nectarines, peaches, and plumscontinued to size as expected. Cherry and pear fruit were sizing also, but still in the immature stages of growth. Pomegranates, persimmons, and grapes continued to leaf out, with warm weather boosting grape vine budding. Lemon and grapefruit harvest continued. Navel oranges, tangelo, and mandarin harvest progressed well. Tangerine groves continued to be covered with netting to prevent pollination by bees during the bloom period.

     

    NUT CROPS

    Almond development was ongoing, with a few areas predicting a more than favorable crop. Walnuts continued to awaken from winter dormancy. Pistachio leaf out remained steady with no reported issues.

     

    VEGETABLE CROPS

    Summer vegetable fields were prepared for planting.  Processing and fresh tomatoes were showing good growth.  Artichokes were harvested in San Mateo County.  Onion, garlic and parsley fields were growing well in Fresno County. Tulare County reported summer vegetables developed well with warm temperatures and adequate rains.  Strawberries were produced and grew well. Garlic, onions and peas did well under mulch.

     

    LIVESTOCK

     Recent precipitation and the week’s warming temperatures promoted range development. Rangeland and non-irrigated pasture were reported to be in good condition. Movement of cattle to spring pasture began. Some bee hives were moved to citrus orchards and to the foothills.

  • Hail, Mold & Fusarium: Key Issues from the 2019 CA Tomato Crop

    As processing tomato growers in California begin their 2020 season, watch this brief interview with Bruce Rominger, Chairman of the California Tomato Growers Association as he shares some insights from the past season and what growers can expect this year. Read more about it in Vegetables West Magazine.

  • Flower Losses Due to Shrinking Habitats and Climate Change Hurt Prime Pollinators

    Without enough sugar in their diets, bumblebee queens can experience difficulty reproducing and shorter lifespans.  Hollis Woodard, assistant professor of entomology at UCR, has conducted multiple studies showing how loss of plant availability negatively affects the prolific pollinators. Previous research indicates a queen’s diet can impact how quickly her brood develops, or whether she’s able to live through hibernation.

    In a study published recently, Woodard and her team demonstrate that without adequate sugar, the queen’s fat body, which functions like a human liver, does not correctly produce enzymes required for healthy metabolism and detoxification from pesticides.

     

    “The fitness consequences of not producing enough of these enzymes, P450s, could ultimately be lethal, preventing reproduction or shortening lifespans,” Woodard said. “If you don’t outright kill a queen, but she can’t lay eggs, from a population standpoint you might as well have killed her.”

     

    Woodard’s team wanted to focus its research on bumblebee queens because they undergo an event called diapause, which is like hibernation. Queens gather an abundance of nutrients just before diapause, as it is likely one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.

     

    A queen’s ability to survive this period is not guaranteed without adequate nutrition. However, the team also wanted to know about the sublethal effects. “We wanted to ask if other signs of distress might be detectable in advance, and whether there are molecular signs queens might not make it through diapause,” Woodard said.

     

    The research team collected queen bumblebees of varying ages and fed them one of four diets ranging from no sugar to extremely concentrated sugar. They found queens in the oldest age group, roughly 12 days old, who were fed the most sugar, began to exhibit gene expression patterns consistent with the beginning of diapause. This suggests queens may have an internal mechanism to detect the amount of stored sugar in their bodies, Woodard said. By extension, it means there may be a way to detect in advance when queens do not have enough sugar to survive diapause, or for their fat bodies to produce enough enzymes to protect them from damaging pesticides.

     

    This research underscores the importance of bumblebee food resources, which have been dwindling in recent years due to habitat loss. “There are studies showing gaps in floral availability late in the season before diapause, when queens most need food,” Woodard said.

     

    In addition to habitat loss reducing bumblebees’ preferred plants, climate change may also be taking a toll. As winters become warmer, queens may emerge earlier from diapause in winter when fewer flowers are available to them. Their physiology becomes uncoupled from the seasons, making it less likely that they survive, or that their nests will be successful.

     

    Many bumblebee species are declining, which could eventually have consequences for the human diet. Bumblebees, unlike honeybees, are native to the U.S. and perform a type of pollination essential for some of humans’ favorite foods, such as tomatoes, blueberries, potatoes and almonds.

     

    Therefore, Woodard believes every effort must be made to ensure bumblebees, especially queens, have enough flowers to feed on. “It’s important for everyone from land managers to people with gardens to plant things bumblebees can feed on,” she said. — By Jules Bernstein, University of California, Riverside

  • California Agricultural Employers, Workers Approach Smoke Concerns Differently

    In 2018, California wildfires burned more than 1.8 million acres and caused smoke to drift hundreds of miles. As the frequency and intensity of wildfires increases with climate change, California agricultural workers are at greater risk of smoke exposure as they often have no option but to work outdoors.

    A new study from researchers at the University of California, Davis, finds that while wildfires and smoke exposure are recognized by farmworkers and employers as a growing threat and safety concern, the means to address these concerns differs between the two groups.

    “What stood out in this study is the substantial disparities between agricultural employers and farmworkers,” said Heather Riden with the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at UC Davis.

    Riden, who led the research in partnership with the California Institute for Rural Studies, said that while growers and employers expressed concern about poor air quality at the time of the study in 2018, many had no clear plans or protocols for measuring air quality or managing workers in such conditions. While the public is advised to stay indoors due to poor air quality during a wildfire, agricultural work often continues.

    The study also found that when farmworkers were offered protective masks, many found them difficult to use while working due to heat-related discomfort and chafing. Others believed wearing two bandanas over mouth and nose would provide just as much protection.

    Farmworkers’ experience is compounded by economic need.

    “Many farmworkers will continue working, even in unsafe conditions, to support their families. They don’t have many other options,” said Riden.

    New regulations

    Last year, the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, enacted an emergency regulation requiring employers to take measures to protect workers from wildfire smoke when the Air Quality Index reaches 151 or greater, which is considered unhealthy. Riden said as CAL/OSHA begins to craft permanent regulations, she hopes it takes the study’s findings into consideration.  

    “This highlights the need for better awareness for both agricultural employers and farmworkers about the health risks associated with wildfire smoke,” said Riden. “Employers also need training materials and concrete steps they can take to protect workers.”

    To assist agricultural employers with meeting the requirements outlined in the newly adopted regulation, the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety developed training materials and an employer checklist.

    The study was based on interviews and focus groups with California agricultural employers and workers in the Salinas, San Joaquin and Imperial valleys. Support for the study came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health –By Amy Quinton, UC Davis

  • Get Funding for On-Farm Conservation Projects with the USDA-NRCS

    From floods to drought, fire to hurricanes, NRCS provides disaster recovery assistance to farmers, ranchers and landowners through a variety of USDA programs. Watch this brief interview with Brooke Pippi to find out how NRCS can support you.

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support and see them at their booth at Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, February 4-6 (Booth P1842).

  • Five Ways USDA Farm Service Agency Can Support Farmers Impacted by Wildfires

    Whether you’ve experienced wildfire damage on the farm or other disasters, disease outbreaks on your trees and vines — the USDA-Farm Service Agency has a program to support you. Watch this brief interview with Farm Service Agency California representative Lisa Velasquez as she explains some of these programs to get involved in.

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support and see them at their booth at Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, February 4-6 (Booth P1842).