California Ag Network

Tag: COVID-19

  • Dairy Farmers Seek Emergency Hearing on Class I Mover Reform

    The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors voted today to request an emergency USDA hearing on a Federal Milk Marketing Order proposal to restore fairness for farmers in the Class I fluid milk price mover. The endorsement of the board, which represents dairy farmers and cooperatives nationwide, follows approval from the organization’s Executive Committee last week.

    The NMPF plan would ensure that farmers recover lost revenue and establish more equitable distribution of risk among dairy farmers and processors. The current mover was adopted in the 2018 farm bill and intended to be revenue neutral while facilitating increased price risk management by fluid milk bottlers. But the new Class I mover contributed to disorderly marketing conditions last year during the height of the pandemic and cost dairy farmers over $725 million in lost income. NMPF’s proposal would help recoup the lost revenue and ensure that neither farmers nor processors are disproportionately harmed by future significant price disruptions.

    “As the COVID-19 experience has shown, market stresses can shift the mover in ways that affect dairy farmers much more than processors. This was not the intent of the Class I mover formula negotiated within the industry,” said Randy Mooney, the dairy farmer chairman of NMPF’s Board of Directors. “The current mover was explicitly developed to be a revenue-neutral solution to the concerns of fluid milk processors about hedging their price risk, with equity among market participants a stated goal.

    “Dairy farmers were pleased with the previous method of determining Class I prices and had no need to change it, but we tried to accommodate the concerns of fluid processors for better risk management. Unfortunately, the severe imbalances we’ve seen in the past year plainly show that a modified approach is necessary. We will urge USDA to adopt our plan to restore equity and create more orderly marketing conditions,” Mooney said.

    While the current Class I mover was designed to improve the ability of fluid milk handlers to hedge milk prices using the futures market, it was also expected to be revenue-neutral compared to the formula it replaced. But that has not been the case. The significant gaps between Class III and IV prices that developed during the pandemic exposed dairy farmers to losses that were not experienced by processors, showing the need for a formula that better accounts for disorderly market conditions.

    NMPF’s proposal would modify the current Class I mover, which adds $0.74/cwt to the monthly average of Classes III and IV, by adjusting this amount every two years based on conditions over the prior 24 months, with the current mover remaining the floor. NMPF’s request will be to limit the hearing specifically to proposed changes to the mover, after which USDA would have 30 days to issue an action plan that would determine whether USDA would act on an emergency basis.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

  • Milk Cooler Bag Initiative Keeps Milk on the Menu at CA Schools Affected by COVID Changes

    California dairy farmers and processors, with the support of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and Dairy Council of California (DCC), are aiding schools in the central and southern regions of the Golden State through a pilot program that supplies California schools with portable insulated milk cooler bags to keep milk cold and remain part of school meal service.

    When the pandemic forced California schools to close their doors, many schools switched to a drive-thru service model to continue to provide meal service to students and families in their community. Drive-thru meal service is continuing despite schools opening back up, and as the weather warms, a growing concern shared by many school foodservice professionals center around challenges keeping milk cold. Milk is an important part of school meals and daily eating patterns, nourishing students and providing essential nutrients that support optimal growth and development, academic success and health.

    To solve this challenge, CMAB created and sourced custom portable cooler bags, which are heavily insulated and able to hold up to two crates of milk. Highly portable, these cooler bags can be easily moved and stored, making them ideal for in-classroom, drive-thru and outdoor meal service. Beyond the pandemic, the cooler bags will also be able to support Summer Meals, helping California schools nourish children with fresh, cold milk as part of school meal service offered during warmer summer months. The cooler bags are being distributed to schools in need to help ensure milk can stay on the daily menu.

    “School meals are an essential resource to promote healthy growth and development and support academic achievement. With the disruption of Covid, vulnerable students have faced limitations on access to healthy foods,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “By supplying California schools with cooler bags to help solve the problem of keeping milk cold, we can help ensure all children are able to access milk with their school meals.”

    “Dairy foods like milk offer a unique package of nutrients that work together to provide multiple benefits, including optimal growth and development in children and reduced risk of developing chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” said Shannan Young, RDN and Program Director of Food Systems and Access at DCC. “Access to milk and dairy foods as part of a healthy eating pattern is especially important in underserved communities and during early childhood, since nutrition and diet quality can positively impact lifelong health.”

    Three California processors took part in the test –Producers Dairy Foods, Crystal Creamery and Hollandia Dairy – to help fund and distribute approximately 5,000 cooler bags for schools in the central and southern part of the state. Distribution by these processors will continue until the supplies are exhausted in the districts of the pilot program.

    California is the nation’s leading milk producer and is responsible for producing more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made exclusively with milk from the state’s dairy farm families.

    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube,Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

    About Dairy Council of California                                                                                              

    For over a century, Dairy Council of California has empowered stakeholders, including educators, health professionals and community leaders, to elevate the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits. Funded by California’s dairy farm families and local milk processors and under the guidance of California Department of Food and Agriculture, Dairy Council of California’s free science-based nutrition education resources, Mobile Dairy Classroom assemblies, training programs and online resources educate millions of students and families in California and throughout the United States. Learn more at HealthyEating.org.

  • Water & Small Fruit Scientists Named to ARS Hall of Fame

    Two scientists have earned a place in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Science Hall of Fame for their pioneering and impactful research in small-fruits breeding and remote sensing for improved irrigation water scheduling.

    Chad E. Finn (posthumously) and William P. Kustas will be inducted in a virtual ceremony today rather than a physical event due to ongoing COVID-19 safety precautions. ARS established the Science Hall of Fame in 1986 to honor senior agency researchers for outstanding, lifelong achievements in agricultural science and technology.

    “Our two inductees exemplify the scientific excellence that has made ARS a premier research agency and world leader in addressing important issues facing agriculture today,” said Acting ARS Administrator Simon Liu.

    A plant geneticist at the ARS Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, Finn, who died December 17, 2019, is being posthumously honored for his outstanding and sustained contributions to the advancement of small-fruits crop research. His accomplishments include the development and release or co-release of more than 57 blackberry, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry varieties, some of which have become industry standards generating more than $450 million in fruit and plant sales over the past 10 years.

    Finn’s research endeavors have led to a small-fruits germplasm program that’s considered among the world’s most diverse and extensive, spanning several genera of plants including Rubus, Fragaria, Vaccinium and Actinidia. His discoveries provide a greater understanding and characterization of wild species in these genera as well as their importance as novel sources of genetic variability and useful traits such as aphid resistance and fruit processing quality.

    Finn also led an international black raspberry research project that developed a draft black raspberry genome—the first in the genus Rubus. Similar genomic efforts are underway in other berry crops. Throughout, he was a mentor to graduate students, avid presenter and participant on numerous committees and associations.

    Kustas, a hydrologist at the ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, is being honored for scientific accomplishments that include using satellite data with computer models for mapping evapotranspiration (ET)—the process of plant water use through transpiration and water loss or evaporation from the soil.

    In addition to monitoring ET, plant stress and drought, other applications of the models arising from Kustas and colleagues’ pioneering research include precise targeting of irrigation water to crops, including the vineyards of E&J Gallo Winery in California’s Central Valley. There, as part of the Grape Remote-sensing Atmospheric Profile and Evapotranspiration eXperiment (GRAPEX), Kustas and collaborators from NASA, Utah State University, University of California-Davis and Gallo are helping the winery better track soil and vine moisture levels with a view to reducing irrigation water use by up to 25 percent. Potentially, this reduction could translate to significant economic savings as well as contributing to sustainable groundwater management—a benefit the GRAPEX team expects could apply to other Central Valley vineyards as well as California’s nut orchard industry, which spans 1.5 million acres. “ET Toolkits” resulting from the project are also being readied for use in other water-limited western states.

  • Meatpacking Plants Increased COVID-19 Cases in US Counties

    An estimated 334,000 COVID-19 cases are attributable to meatpacking plants, resulting in $11.2 billion in economic damage, according to a new study led by a researcher at the University of California, Davis. The study was published in the journal Food Policy.

    It found that beef- and pork-processing plants more than doubled per capita infection rates in counties that had them. Chicken-processing plants increased transmission rates by 20 percent. The study looked specifically at large meatpacking plants generating more than 10 million pounds per month.

    Conservative estimate

    Researchers said both the economic impact and infection rate estimate is conservative. The study looked at infection rates within a county and did not account for cases that might have been contracted at a meatpacking plant but spread to other counties.

    “Similarly, our study likely understates true economic losses,” said lead author Tina Saitone, a livestock and rangeland economics cooperative extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Davis.

    The study looked at lost wages and mortality and did not include long-term health care costs, or costs for measures put in place to protect worker safety.

    “While we did see an initial ramp up in cases attributable to meatpacking facilities, over time infection rates were the same per capita as counties without them, partly because meatpacking plants implemented a lot of protocols to protect employees,” said Saitone.

    Driving factors

    A variety of factors can drive county-level COVID-19 transmission rates. Saitone said the research controlled for those potential drivers, such as the number of nursing homes or correctional facilities in a county. It also considered stay-at-home orders and other regulations, population density, demographics, economic factors and health characteristics. The study looked at infections within 150 days after the first documented COVID-19 case in each county.

    Essential industry

    Increased COVID-19 transmission rates have prompted some critics to call for a smaller, more geographically dispersed industry to make it less susceptible to a pandemic and massive disruptions in the food supply chain. Researchers caution that such a move would come at a price, adding costs to a system designed to eliminate them and ultimately increasing food prices. Economists instead suggest research and investigation into the automation and technological innovations that made the poultry segment of the industry more resilient to the COVID-19 pandemic. – By Amy Quinton, UC Davis

    Study co-authors include K. Aleks Schaefer with Michigan State University and Daniel Scheitrum with the University of Arizona.

  • CA Expands Vaccine Eligibility Starting April 1

    With supply of vaccines expected to significantly increase in the coming weeks, the state is expanding vaccine eligibility to more Californians. Starting April 1, individuals aged 50+ will be eligible to make an appointment, and individuals 16+ will be eligible to make an appointment to be vaccinated starting on April 15.

    “With vaccine supply increasing and by expanding eligibility to more Californians, the light at the end of the tunnel continues to get brighter,” said Governor Newsom. “We remain focused on equity as we extend vaccine eligibility to those 50 and over starting April 1, and those 16 and older starting April 15. This is possible thanks to the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration and the countless public health officials across the state who have stepped up to get shots into arms.”

    Based on the current estimates, California expects to be allocated approximately 2.5 million first and second doses per week in the first half of April, and more than 3 million doses in the second half of April. California currently receives about 1.8 million doses per week. These estimates may be adjusted as time goes on. The state has the capacity to administer more than 3 million vaccines per week, and is building the capacity to administer 4 million vaccines weekly by the end of April.

    “We are even closer to putting this pandemic behind us with today’s announcement and with vaccine supplies expected to increase dramatically in the months ahead,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “However, we are not there yet. It will take time to vaccinate all eligible Californians. During this time, we must not let our guard down. It is important that we remain vigilant, continue to wear masks and follow public health guidance.”

    In addition to increased allocations of vaccines to providers serving the hardest hit communities, the state has embarked on a series of initiatives to vaccinate those populations that have faced the highest rates of COVID infections before vaccines become available to the entire 16+ population. These efforts include:

    • Provider funding for programs to reach and vaccinate communities facing the biggest health disparities
    • Working with organized labor to reach essential workers
    • Partnering with agricultural organizations and community-based organizations to vaccinate agricultural workers
    • Allowing providers to target by ZIP code via My Turn with single-use codes (scheduled to launch at the end of March)
    • Supporting a subset of community-based organizations currently partnering with the state on COVID-19 education to provide direct vaccination appointment assistance
    • Prioritizing currently eligible populations and allowing providers the discretion to vaccinate those who live in high-impact areas (County Healthy Places Index Quartiles 1 and 2), including families

    Even with expanded vaccine supplies, it is expected to take several months for willing Californians to be vaccinated. Based on public information shared by vaccine manufacturers and the federal government, California expects to receive several million vaccine doses per week starting sometime in April.

    Along with the expanded eligibility and to align with upcoming federal guidance, California will update its vaccine allocation methodology. This will transition over four weeks, beginning with the March 22 allocation (delivered to providers the following week), from one based on the distribution of the 65+ population, workers in the agriculture and food, education and child care, and emergency services sectors to one based on the distribution of the 16+ population across California. This will be done in conjunction with completion of the shift to the state directly allocating vaccines to providers. The state will continue to double the amount of vaccine allocated to the lowest Healthy Places Index (HPI) quartile as announced on March 4.

    Forty percent of COVID-19 cases and deaths have occurred in the lowest quartile of the HPI, developed by the Public Health Alliance of Southern California, which provides overall scores and data that predict life expectancy and compares community conditions that shape health across the state. The rate of infections for households making less than $40,000 per year (5.7) is 84 percent higher than that of households with an income of $120,000 or more (3.1). At the same time, California’s wealthiest populations have received 50 percent more vaccinations when compared to the rate of our most vulnerable populations. This approach recognizes that the pandemic did not affect California communities equally and that the state is committed to doing better.

  • USDA Announces New & Expanded Pandemic Assistance for Farmers

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs. USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new programs. The Department will also develop rules for new programs that will put a greater emphasis on outreach to small and socially disadvantaged producers, specialty crop and organic producers, timber harvesters, as well as provide support for the food supply chain and producers of renewable fuel, among others. Existing programs like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will fall within the new initiative and, where statutory authority allows, will be refined to better address the needs of producers.

    USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers was needed, said Vilsack, after a review of previous COVID-19 assistance programs targeting farmers identified a number of gaps and disparities in how assistance was distributed as well as inadequate outreach to underserved producers and smaller and medium operations.

    “The pandemic affected all of agriculture, but many farmers did not benefit from previous rounds of pandemic-related assistance. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to helping as many producers as possible, as equitably as possible,” said Vilsack. “Our new USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative will help get financial assistance to a broader set of producers, including to socially disadvantaged communities, small and medium sized producers, and farmers and producers of less traditional crops.”

    USDA will reopen sign-up for CFAP 2 for at least 60 days beginning on April 5, 2021. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has committed at least $2.5 million to improve outreach for CFAP 2 and will establish partnerships with organizations with strong connections to socially disadvantaged communities to ensure they are informed and aware of the application process.

    The payments announced today (under Part 3, below) will go out under the existing CFAP rules; however, future opportunities for USDA Pandemic Assistance will be reviewed for verified need and during the rulemaking process, USDA will look to make eligibility more consistent with the Farm Bill. Moving forward, USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers will utilize existing programs, such as the Local Agricultural Marketing Program, Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach, and Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and others to enhance educational and market opportunities for agricultural producers.

    USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers – 4 Parts Announced Today

    Part 1: Investing $6 Billion to Expand Help & Assistance to More Producers

    USDA will dedicate at least $6 billion to develop a number of new programs or modify existing proposals using discretionary funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act and other coronavirus funding that went unspent by the previous administration. Where rulemaking is required, it will commence this spring. These efforts will include assistance for:

    • Dairy farmers through the Dairy Donation Program or other means:
    • Euthanized livestock and poultry;
    • Biofuels;
    • Specialty crops, beginning farmers, local, urban and organic farms;
    • Costs for organic certification or to continue or add conservation activities
    • Other possible expansion and corrections to CFAP that were not part of today’s announcement such as to support dairy or other livestock producers;
    • Timber harvesting and hauling;
    • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other protective measures for food and farm workers and specialty crop and seafood producers, processors and distributors;
    • Improving the resilience of the food supply chain, including assistance to meat and poultry operations to facilitate interstate shipment;
    • Developing infrastructure to support donation and distribution of perishable commodities, including food donation and distribution through farm-to-school, restaurants or other community organizations; and
    • Reducing food waste.

    Part 2: Adding $500 Million of New Funding to Existing Programs

    USDA expects to begin investing approximately $500 million in expedited assistance through several existing programs this spring, with most by April 30. This new assistance includes:

    • $100 million in additional funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which enhances the competitiveness of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops.
    • $75 million in additional funding for the Farmers Opportunities Training and Outreach program, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, which encourages and assists socially disadvantaged, veteran, and beginning farmers and ranchers in the ownership and operation of farms and ranches.
    • $100 million in additional funding for the Local Agricultural Marketing Program, administered by the AMS and Rural Development, which supports the development, coordination and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and enterprises and value-added agricultural products.
    • $75 million in additional funding for the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, administered by the NIFA, which provides funding opportunities to conduct and evaluate projects providing incentives to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers
    • $20 million for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to improve and maintain animal disease prevention and response capacity, including the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.
    • $20 million for the Agricultural Research Service to work collaboratively with Texas A&M on the critical intersection between responsive agriculture, food production, and human nutrition and health.
    • $28 million for NIFA to provide grants to state departments of agriculture to expand or sustain existing farm stress assistance programs.
    • Approximately $80 million in additional payments to domestic users of upland and extra-long staple cotton based on a formula set in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 that USDA plans to deliver through the Economic Adjustment Assistance for Textile Mills program.

    Part 3: Carrying Out Formula Payments under CFAP 1, CFAP 2, CFAP AA

    The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, enacted December 2020 requires FSA to make certain payments to producers according to a mandated formula. USDA is now expediting these provisions because there is no discretion involved in interpreting such directives, they are self-enacting.

    • An increase in CFAP 1 payment rates for cattle. Cattle producers with approved CFAP 1 applications will automatically receive these payments beginning in April. Information on the additional payment rates for cattle can be found on farmers.gov/cfap. Eligible producers do not need to submit new applications, since payments are based on previously approved CFAP 1 applications. USDA estimates additional payments of more than $1.1 billion to more than 410,000 producers, according to the mandated formula.
    • Additional CFAP assistance of $20 per acre for producers of eligible crops identified as CFAP 2 flat-rate or price-trigger crops beginning in April. This includes alfalfa, corn, cotton, hemp, peanuts, rice, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets and wheat, among other crops. FSA will automatically issue payments to eligible price trigger and flat-rate crop producers based on the eligible acres included on their CFAP 2 applications. Eligible producers do not need to submit a new CFAP 2 application. For a list of all eligible row-crops, visit farmers.gov/cfap. USDA estimates additional payments of more than $4.5 billion to more than 560,000 producers, according to the mandated formula.
    • USDA will finalize routine decisions and minor formula adjustments on applications and begin processing payments for certain applications filed as part of the CFAP Additional Assistance program in the following categories:
      • Applications filed for pullets and turfgrass sod;
      • A formula correction for row-crop producer applications to allow producers with a non-Actual Production History (APH) insurance policy to use 100% of the 2019 Agriculture Risk Coverage-County Option (ARC-CO) benchmark yield in the calculation;
      • Sales commodity applications revised to include insurance indemnities, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program payments, and Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus payments, as required by statute; and
      • Additional payments for swine producers and contract growers under CFAP Additional Assistance remain on hold and are likely to require modifications to the regulation as part of the broader evaluation and future assistance; however, FSA will continue to accept applications from interested producers.

    Part 4: Reopening CFAP 2 Sign-Up to Improve Access & Outreach to Underserved Producers

    As noted above, USDA will re-open sign-up for of CFAP 2 for at least 60 days beginning on April 5, 2021.

    • FSA has committed at least $2.5 million to establish partnerships and direct outreach efforts intended to improve outreach for CFAP 2 and will cooperate with grassroots organizations with strong connections to socially disadvantaged communities to ensure they are informed and aware of the application process.

    Please stay tuned for additional information and announcements under the USDA Pandemic Assistance to Producersinitiative, which will help to expand and more equitably distribute financial assistance to producers and farming operations during the COVID-19 national emergency. Please visit www.farmers.gov for more information on the details of today’s announcement.

    USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean-energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

  • Food Brings Everyone to the Table—Celebrate Ag Day on March 23, 2021

    Food brings everyone to the table. And this year, our virtual Ag Day celebration will bring everyone together to recognize the importance of American agriculture.

    The program will include both live and pre-recorded segments with remarks from government leaders on the agriculture industry’s economic growth opportunities and how the future will be shaped by lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    A representative from the collegiate Ag Day student program will share their experiences and participants will get to hear the winning Ag Day essay as well as view the winning Ag Day video essay. 2021’s Outstanding Young Farmers will also be recognized during the event.

    The program begins on March 23, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. CST.  You can register to attend now.

    “Hosting a virtual Ag Day event has led to some creative ways to celebrate American ag,” said Jenny Pickett, President. “The program will include informal thank you videos to farmers from individuals and companies in the industry so even though we can’t gather in person, it will still have a personal feel and energy to it.”

    National Ag Day is organized by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA). ACA is a not-for-profit organization composed of leaders in the agricultural, food and fiber community, dedicating its efforts to increasing the public’s awareness of agriculture’s role in modern society.

    Find more information on Ag Day and helpful tools for spreading the word about the importance of American agriculture at www.agday.org.

  • Nearly 70% of Essential Sonoma Co. Ag Workers Vaccinated

    As efforts to vaccinate essential agricultural and production workers struggle to proceed throughout California and the nation, Sonoma County’s farmers, vintners and health communities have been successfully partnering to get thousands of COVID-19 vaccination doses to these essential workers throughout the region.

    Now entering its 5th week of operation, the program has already vaccinated and scheduled vaccination appointments for more than 8,300 essential workers from Sonoma County’s agriculture, vineyard, food, and winery sectors.  The target for essential ag and production workers receiving vaccination in Sonoma County is 12,500.  The vaccination program and collaboration will continue for the foreseeable future.

    “This effort in Sonoma County should be the model for the nation in how to organize and vaccinate essential ag and production workers,” said Dr. Jason Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer at West County Health Centers.  He added, ”We have succeeded because of the tremendous collaboration throughout the community from people and organizations who share one focus to quickly and efficiently immunize our essential food and agricultural workers to reduce their risk of becoming ill.”

    The program is a cooperative effort involving the Sonoma County Winegrowers, the Sonoma County Vintners, the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, local community health centers including the West County Health Center, the Sonoma Valley Health Center, the Alliance Medical Center, the Alexander Valley Health Care, and the Sonoma County Medical Association.  Each agricultural group has a specific responsibility: the Winegrowers work with the local winegrape farmers; the Vintners work with local wineries; and the Sonoma County Farm Bureau works with non-wine related farmers and ag processors. Farmers, vintners, and processors have been receiving regular updates from their representative organization to provide the number of people they employ, where they reside or work in the county and their transportation needs.

    Each week, Community Health Centers throughout Sonoma County commit a certain number of vaccines to vaccinate essential ag and production workers against the Coronavirus pandemic.  Every day, it is up to the industry partners to coordinate with the ag and production employers to organize and schedule appointments for the workers and ensure that all the vaccines are being utilized.  Each of the ag partner organizations is contributing staff, providing translators, and donating additional resources to make this effort successful.  In addition, the Sonoma County Medical Association and its vast network of local volunteers dedicated two full days to vaccinating vineyard workers and wine production workers at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, successfully administering the first doses of the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine to over 1,200 people.

    Multiple vaccination sites are utilized through this collaboration in the county.  The agricultural organizations coordinate weekly and, sometimes, daily with the community health centers to determine how many vaccines will be available that week and at what location.  With that information, the agricultural organizations work with their ag and production partners to schedule appointments to ensure the greatest number of essential workers are vaccinated each day.

    However, for any vaccination program to succeed, there is one essential element: a person’s trust in the vaccine and the institutions that administer it. This model specifically relies on the partnerships among the ag and production associations and the healthcare community and the trust that employees have with their agricultural employers.  In addition, agricultural organizations have conducted outreach and education to essential workers.  All communication and education are offered in both Spanish and English so everyone can make informed decisions about getting vaccinated.

    “We are succeeding in reaching our vaccination goal because of the outstanding coordination and trust that exist amongst all parties involved.  There is a unique relationship the county trade associations have with each other, local businesses and farms and, in turn, the trust that exists between the ag employer and their employees,” said Karissa Kruse, President of the Sonoma County Winegrowers.  She added, “While there has been a lot of news about problems throughout the country in vaccinating essential workers, here in Sonoma County, we created a broad coalition to develop a plan that would work to ensure that our ag and production workers get vaccinated as soon as possible.   This model of bringing healthcare providers together with local businesses and farms should not be used just here for this pandemic, but as a model for supporting the health of our local communities moving forward. ”

    As witnessed throughout the United States, the logistical challenges to distributing the vaccines are enormous and complex. Adding to that in California are the continued revisions to the state’s rollout plan, confusing messaging to millions of workers regarding priority vaccination groups and an undersupply of doses statewide. The result has been a mixed effort to inoculate high-risk workers employed at farms, restaurants, and grocery stores.

    “From the beginning, our focus has been on creating accessible clinics at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds to support the vaccination efforts of the current eligible tier of community members and mobilizing our volunteer network of local doctors and nurses,” said Wendy Young, Executive Director, Sonoma County Medical Association.  She added, “The Sonoma County Medical Association is pleased to have been able to have an active role in vaccinating our community and partnering with the local agricultural and wine communities to vaccinate Sonoma County’s essential ag and production workers in this phase. This level of collaboration is special, and we look forward to continuing this innovative partnership until all who want the vaccine have it and our community can open its doors again!”

    A new study out of the University of California, San Francisco found that Latinx Californians experienced a 36% increase in mortality during the pandemic as compared to historical periods, with a 59% increase among Latinx food/agriculture workers. The state’s current vaccination Phase 1B includes people 65 and older and essential workers in education, emergency services, food, and agriculture workers as eligible for shots. In Los Angeles County and other counties in California, essential ag workers will not be eligible to get vaccinated until March 1.

    “As an employer, it is my responsibility to do everything I can to protect the health and safety of my employees.  I was really worried after reading and hearing the news from throughout the country of the many  delays and problems in vaccinating essential workers,” said Bret Munselle, of Munselle Vineyards.  He  added, “But, witnessing how efficient the local collaboration has made securing appointments and providing on-site education for our employees was really impressive and a great relief to me.  Everyone in Sonoma County should be proud of this partnership and its success.”

    In addition to organizing the vaccine rollout for essential ag workers, the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation donated iPads and funding to each of the participating Community Health Centers to provide much needed technology for coordinating the logistics of vaccine program. The Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation also donated funding to each of the healthcare community organizations involved to help cover day-to-day expenses related to the program.  The collaboration will continue and is accessible for all ag and production workers who live in Sonoma County.

    To learn more about the vaccine program, contact your respective partner at:

    Sonoma County Winegrowers:                                 https://sonomawinegrape.org/

    Sonoma County Vintners:                                          https://sonomawine.com/

    Sonoma County Farm Bureau:                                   https://sonomafb.org/

    West County Health Centers:                                    https://www.wchealth.org/

    Alliance Medical Center:                                            https://alliancemed.org/

    Sonoma Valley Community Health Center:               https://svchc.org/

    Alexander Valley Healthcare:                                    https://alexandervalleyhealthcare.org/

    Sonoma County Medical Association:                      http://www.nbcms.org/home.aspx

  • UC Davis Launches $3 Million Project to Improve Farmworker COVID Safety

    California’s 800,000 farmworkers have been hit hard by COVID-19, the disease that has infected more than 25 million people and killed more than 420,000 in the United States. Farmworkers are especially vulnerable to the airborne virus that causes COVID-19 because they often live, work and carpool in close quarters with other people. As essential employees, farmworkers have stayed on the job during the pandemic to plant, process and harvest the nation’s food.

    Agricultural safety experts and communicators at the University of California, Davis, have launched the COVID-19 Statewide Agriculture and Farmworker Education Program to reverse that trend. Funded by a $3 million contract with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the project provides workers, growers, farm labor contractors, community groups and others the training and safety information they need to reduce farmworkers’ risk of contracting COVID-19.

    The COVID-19 project is led by experts at the UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, who are collaborating with the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communications Team, a network of community-based organizations, and agricultural industry groups.

    “Our team will work directly with community organizations who are trusted by farmworkers and have already been assisting them throughout this COVID crisis,” said Heather Riden, program director at the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety. “Our goal is to amplify their efforts and help them build capacity as they continue to provide critical COVID safety information to their communities.”

    The team is also working closely with farmers and others in the agriculture industry as they navigate state COVID-19 workplace safety standards, establish protocols and provide employees the tools they need to stay safe on the job.

    “As employers across the state implement that new COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards, we want to be a resource for them so they can take all the necessary steps to ensure a safe work environment,” said Riden.

    The program will be especially active in areas of high agricultural employment, such as the Central Valley, the Imperial Valley, Napa Valley and fertile regions along California’s south and central coastlines.

    Free trainings and other events are already underway. You can learn more and register for upcoming presentations on the UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety website. The center also offers extensive COVID resources and information in multiple languages on its COVID-19 Resources page. — By Diane Nelson, UC Davis

  • Vitamin K and Flavonoids Found in Fresh Grapes are Essential

    A recent study published in the scientific journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found that a lack of adequate vitamin K levels was associated with poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients. The researchers identified an increased need for vitamin K during a COVID-19 illness and noted that depletion or deficiency of vitamin K can have devastating consequences in the lungs.

    Vitamin K, a nutrient found in abundance in fresh grapes, plays a critical role in blood clotting including maintaining the balance of both pro- and anti-clotting factors. Low levels of vitamin K may upset this balance resulting in a greater tendency for blood to form clots. While COVID-19 is known first as a respiratory infection, higher instances of blood clots have been observed and worsen patient outcomes. Vitamin K is also involved in inhibiting soft tissue calcification and elastic fiber degradation. Coronary calcification is linked to a higher risk of blood clots, and elastic fiber degradation can harm the integrity of lung tissue. In addition, vitamin K is known for anti-inflammatory activity; decreased levels have been associated with an increase in inflammatory proteins.

    Other research suggests that certain flavonoid compounds found in grapes, green tea, cacao, and dark chocolate may be beneficial against COVID-19 by inhibiting an enzyme that is involved in the infectivity of the virus. This research used computer modeling techniques and a lab study to predict how certain flavonoids – specifically flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins – can bind to a critical enzyme that contributes to the infectivity of COVID-19 and inhibit its action.

    “Anything that may help offset the negative impact of this devastating virus is worth knowing so the findings that natural components found in grapes – vitamin K and certain flavonoids – may play a beneficial role in the fight is worth sharing,” said Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission. “These recent findings add to the substantial body of research built over 20 years indicating that eating fresh grapes can have significant positive effects on long-term health.”