California Ag Network

Tag: Sonoma County

  • Agriculture’s Response in a Crisis

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (November 30, 2017) – Monday, October 9th marked the beginning of the worst firestorm in California history. As parts of Sonoma County were devastated by wildfires, our agriculture community stepped up to protect livestock and property.

    There are many accounts of this, including SCFB board members Doug and Jennifer Beretta moving cattle from Sonoma Mountain to Farm Bureau member Andrea Krout and staff member Emily Janowski moving horses out of Rincon Valley directly in the fire’s path at 5 a.m. Monday morning.

    In Geyserville, Farm Bureau member Kevin Barr of Redwood Empire Vineyard Management brought out the fire truck he and his wife Linda own on their Summer Wind Vineyard to personally fight the fire.

    Kevin Barr fights fire in Geyserville with his personal fire truck. Photo courtesy of Linda Barr
    Kevin Barr fights fire in Geyserville with his personal fire truck. Photo courtesy of Linda Barr

    Sonoma County agriculture played a significant role in helping to protect Sonoma County, and many ag operations helped stop the progression of the fire. The photo of the hillside where cattle grazed next to the fire damaged grass land demonstrates how agriculture created defensible space.

    Vineyards have been touted as natural fire breaks and helped stop the fire’s progression in many areas. Hillsides around the county are black right up to the edge of a vineyard, and this was seen on all three fires in the county. Sonoma County residents should appreciate the positive aspects when a vineyard is planted next door to them.

    Sonoma County agriculture is amazing and steps up when and where it is needed. Sonoma County Farm Bureau is at the forefront of this effort setting up the Agriculture and Rural Lands Resource Town Hall meeting,the partnership with the Sonoma County Winegrowers Foundation to support ag employees and Farm Bureau’s leadership and coordination to provide feed to horse and livestock operations that lost pasture land or were displaced.

    Over the course of the last month, neighbors from near and far all asked the same question: how can we help? Now more than ever, it is important to support Sonoma County agriculture and the work Farm Bureau does in Sonoma County as well as the state and national level. Agriculture is critical to Sonoma County and Farm Bureau is always in your corner fighting for your rights and providing the needed resources. This is a time to continue to support ag by being a member of Farm Bureau or encouraging your neighbors to join. For more information on membership visit sonomafb.org.

    Fire Burns to the edge of a vineyard in Santa Rosa serving as a natural fire break
    Grazed pasture land serves as a natural fire break. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Larson UCCE

  • Sonoma County Agriculture Community Shows Strength and Resilience Following North Bay Wildfires

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (November 29, 2017) – On October 9th, Sonoma County woke up to a natural disaster no one expected. Over the next week, more than 100,000 acres burned in Sonoma County and neighboring counties were also battling wildfires. During this time, fires in the North Bay burned an area larger than New York City.

    Karen Ross, Secretary of California Department of Agriculture, visited Sonoma County on October 30th and spoke to rural residents about the recent wildfires in Sonoma County. From left to right: Sonoma County Farm Bureau President Steve Dutton, Second District Director Andrea Krout, Secretary Ross, and Second District Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt at the Agricultural Lands Fire Recovery and Rural Lands Fire Recovery and Resource Town Hall Meeting. Photo by Reachel LaFranchi.

    Despite the devastation our community experienced, more than 90% of Sonoma County was left unharmed, and in the weeks following the fire, our community has shown we are stronger than ever. We saw this repeatedly throughout the week our agricultural community was threatened.

    On Thursday, October 12th, as the fire approached the Mickelson family’s cattle in Sonoma Valley, the family knew they needed to move their livestock. More than 180 head of weaned calves and heifers were in the fire’s path.

    Jim Mickelson said getting help was fairly easy as his son called neighbors and friends to come in and load up the cattle. Everyone was willing to assist, and they had two semis and eight goosenecks show up to load all the cattle off the property and haul them to a ranch in Bodega.

    The pastures later burned, some partially and some completely, but the Mickelsons said they were part of the lucky ones. They lost pasture land, fencing and some tin off their barns but their structures all remained intact.

    The Mickelsons’ friends and neighbors showing up to help haul cattle is only one in an endless string of stories over the past month where the community has stepped up.

    Karen Ross, Secretary of California Department of Food and Agriculture, only reiterated this when she visited Sonoma County on October 30th and spoke at Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s fire recovery town hall meeting.

    “The one thing I’ve noticed from day one was the spirit of people in this community,” said Secretary Ross, “the willingness to do something for many they didn’t even know, to sacrifice something to help protect others, and that’s the spirit that we’re all going to have to hold onto and keep going with.”

    Secretary Ross recalled Nick Frey always saying “welcome to paradise” when she arrived in Sonoma County. Sonoma County is still paradise, she told the agricultural community, and although it has some scars, everyone knows that Sonoma County is still a special place.

    The town hall meeting offered resources for rural land owners with nearly 20 local, state and federal agencies offering support and information on recovery and rebuilding in rural areas.

    As the focus in Sonoma County moves away from the devastation and towards recovery and looking ahead, it’s important to remember Secretary Ross’ words “Sonoma County is still paradise.”

    Much of our agricultural community and the greater Sonoma County community relies on tourism. We are here, we are open for business. Support your local farmers. Encourage others to support our local farmers, wineries and businesses. Our community is strong. Our community is resilient. And with rolling acres of vineyards, hills with grazing livestock as far as the eye can see, and so much more diversified agriculture, our community is still standing strong.

    Sonoma County Farm Bureau has orchestrated many programs over the last month to help our rural community as well as providing as much information as possible to our members. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office. Sonoma County Farm Bureau has been working for our agricultural community for 100 years, and we will continue to be here to support you in good times and bad.

    You can watch Secretary Ross address the Sonoma County agricultural community here: youtube.com/watch?v=5QCkGBIF8YA

  • Sonoma County Winegrowers name new Director of Marketing and Public Relations

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (November 27, 2017) – Sonoma County Winegrowers has received a great deal of media attention in recent years.  From being recognized a global leader in its quest for

    Amy Landolt joins following career in wine marketing

    100% wine sustainability to providing insight on annual harvests to most recently sharing a perspective on the impact of last month’s fires has required a lot of interaction with the media around the world.  So when the organization recently went looking for a new director of marketing and public relations, it wanted someone with wine industry knowledge and marketing experience.  They found it in California wine industry veteran, Amy Landolt, who was just announced as the organization’s new Director of Marketing and Public Relations.

    “Amy possesses both the wine marketing experience and communications expertise that we were looking for,” said Karissa Kruse, president of the Sonoma County Winegrowers. She added, “We are thrilled she is joining us and I know Amy will add immediate value to our team and to our grower members.” 

    Amy has worked throughout California’s premier wine regions including in Paso Robles, Temecula, Napa and Sonoma County.  Most recently she was the senior marketing manager at Pernod Ricard USA where she worked on the Kenwood Vineyards and Mumm Napa brands.  Prior to that, she was the marketing manager at Benziger Family Winery and Imagery Winery in Glen Ellen.  She is a graduate of San Diego State University and earned an MBA at Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo.  Her responsibilities at Sonoma County Winegrowers will include leading public relations efforts with trade and consumer media, coordinating the Sonoma County marketing strategy and manage community relations.

    “I am honored to be joining the team at Sonoma County Winegrowers,” said Landolt. She added, “I truly believe that every step of my career has prepared me for this great opportunity to promote and preserve Sonoma County’s rich history of agriculture and sustainability on behalf of our region’s winegrape growers and their families.”

  • Lessons to be Learned From Northern California Fires

     

    A wind-driven fire glows ominously over homes in Sonoma County in October 2017. Photo by Adam Giusti

    Lakeport, Calif., (October 26, 2017) – It’s Deja Vu all over again 
- Yogi Berra

     

    Once again I’m asked to provide some perspective on yet another catastrophic situation affecting the North Coast. In 2015, it was the Valley Fire. In 2016, it was the Clayton Fire. This year there are so many fires I’m having difficulty recalling their names…14 at last count.

    The cause for these 2017 conflagrations will be apparent once the elements of the fires are assessed. Tornadic winds hitting 50 mph Sunday, October 8, will most likely have started most if not all. Winds of this intensity can ignite fires by impacting electrical infrastructure by breaking lines and causing transformers to explode. The cause of the fires will come out in time. Thick stands of vegetation, the result of mid-20th century land management practices, years of fire suppression, homes built in rural locations in steep terrain, old legacy roads too small to accommodate modern fire-fighting equipment, and exurban development without the necessary resources to address fire prevention. All this leads to almost impossible conditions to arrest a fire being pushed by wind.

    I would argue there is no better fire-fighting force in the world than those found in California. What these men and women do is nothing short of extraordinary. But they are faced with an impossible task in the absence of an equally focused program of fire prevention.

    Cobb Mountain after the Valley Fire burned more than 76,000 acres in 2015. UC Cooperative Extension helped replant the area with ponderosa pine seedlings.

    What have I learned from Lake County as a result of the Valley and Clayton fires?

    The Lake County fires have provided insights that can help with the recovery and reconstruction of the most recent events. Specifically, resources must be secured to assist landowners and communities in better incorporating fire resilience into local rural and suburban planning and projects, to prepare for the eventuality of another fire by creating and maintaining conditions that allow the fire to be controlled before getting out of hand. Admittedly, the recent fires were wind-driven events that became uncontrollable. However, these fires are the exception to the rule. There are hundreds of fires a year in California that are quickly controlled and extinguished. Fire resiliency must incorporate plans and projects that can address less catastrophic conditions, in the hopes of arresting a fire before it becomes a conflagration.

    Other aspects for communities to consider when addressing fire resiliency may include fire-fighting equipment scaled to accommodate old, rural roads, resources to retrofit old roads to accommodate evacuees and first responders, and rural lands with poor or non-existent internet service need to re-establish fire sirens to alert residents of impending danger. Local statutes need to establish and enforce vegetation management standards on absentee parcels. And, finally, a sustained dialogue addressing fire resiliency must be incorporated into all land-use planning discussions to help landowners recognize and implement actions to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fire.

    Fire-fighting equipment may need to be scaled to accommodate old, narrow rural roads to improve fire response.

    None of this will be easy or inexpensive. But neither is fighting hundreds of thousand acres of wildland fires every year.

    Admittedly, the weather conditions responsible for these fires may negate the best plans and efforts. But again, those conditions are the exception to the rule.

    For every acre burned this year there are ten more, in the same condition, that didn’t, providing next year’s opportunity for a conflagration. The road forward to address California’s wildland fire threat is long, and full of twists and turns. But as with all long journeys, each begins with the first step.

    Greg Giusti is a UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus specializing in forests and wildlands ecology.

  • Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation Establishes Housing Support for Ag Workers Displaced by Fires

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (October 23, 2017) – With firefighters gaining control of fires throughout Sonoma County, the Grape Growers Foundation (SCGGF) announced today it is partnering with the Sonoma County Farm Bureau to establish a housing recovery fund for ag workers and their families who were displaced from their homes by last week’s devastating fires.

    The fund will serve to assist ag workers who lost their homes in the fires by helping to fund the re-establishment of new households.

    “Obviously, the fires have impacted everyone who lives in Sonoma County in a variety of ways and for our ag workers, the impact was particularly severe. Knowing that a home provides a family with stability and comfort, we are committed to getting all of our displaced ag employees into temporary housing as quickly as possible,” said Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers, who is also serving as the executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation.

    The fund has benefited from initial investments from local grape growers and supporters including $25,000 from the John Jordan Foundation and Jordan Vineyard & Winery and $25,000 from American Ag Credit.

    “Fortunately, the Grape Growers Foundation was established years ago to improve the lives of Sonoma County’s agricultural employees and their families while ensuring Sonoma County remains a place where agricultural workers will continue to live and work,” said Kruse. She added, “While the Foundation is taking a long-term focus on ag employee housing, we need a short term solution now due to the extent of this calamity.”

    For anyone interested in contributing to the housing fund, visit: www.scggf.org to make a contribution. SCGGF is a 501(c)(3) organization.

  • Preparing to Evacuate During Wildfire? These Checklists Can Help

    Davis, Calif., (October 20, 2017) – As more than 20 major wildfires burn in Northern California, residents in those regions need to be ready to evacuate on short notice. The wind-driven fires are moving quickly and can change direction unexpectedly.

    “It is pretty tense here as the fire north of us keeps circling back and forth,” said Glenn McGourty, UC Cooperative Extension director in Mendocino County, on Oct. 12. “So far most of the damage has been in Redwood Valley, where over 200 homes were lost and people had only minutes to get out.”

    To help people prepare, CAL FIRE has a checklist for evacuation online at http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Evacuation-Steps. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources scientists contributed to the research behind the recommendations.

    A one-page checklist online at http://disastersafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IBHS-Wildfire-Last-Minute-Checklist.pdf, also based on research by UC ANR scientists, is available from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.

    Napa County residents have been told to be prepared in case they need to leave.

    “We have team members tending to their own homes and or family’s needs, providing support in shelters, and being available for immediate clientele needs in any way they can,” said David Lewis, UC Cooperative Extension director in Napa and Marin counties. “We look forward to calling upon UC colleagues with more experience to support our communities in the long recovery period. For the immediate future, we will stay focused in our efforts to support evacuation and shelter efforts – personal safety and needs are priority one until the fires no longer pose a threat.”

    The main thing to remember when preparing to evacuate is to protect your life first.

    “Don’t die trying to prepare your house before you leave,” said Yana Valachovic, UC Cooperative Extension director and forest advisor in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. “Monitor the situation, watch the wind directions, and listen to all emergency personnel.”

    To receive timely updates on fire conditions, Brian Oatman, UC ANR Risk & Safety Services director, uses Nixle. “While some communication methods may not work due to outages, the more sources we have, the better the chance that the message gets through,” Oatman said. To sign up for text alerts, visit http://www.nixle.com or text your zipcode to 888-777 to opt-in.

    “We have coordinated with CropMobster to create a resource list at https://sfbay.cropmobster.com/bay-area-fire-resources where anyone can post any needs or offer help of any kind,” said Stephanie Larson, UC Cooperative Extension director in Sonoma County. “UCCE Sonoma has also created a Disaster Recovery for Agriculture Operations at http://cesonoma.ucanr.edu/Disaster_Resources for homeowners and managers of rangelands. UCCE is working closely with Sonoma County to provide UC ANR resources to assist with the recovery of our community that has been devastated by this fire.”

    In Yuba County, the Cascade fire is 45 percent contained as of Oct. 12. “Evacuation orders are being lifted in parts of Yuba County,” said Janine Hasey, UC Cooperative Extension director for Sutter and Yuba counties. “Kate Wilkin, our new UC Cooperative Extension forestry, fire science and natural resources advisor in Sutter, Yuba, Butte and Nevada counties, has assembled resources for residents who are returning to their homes at http://cesutter.ucanr.edu/Fire_Information. We will be updating the website with more recovery information in the coming days.”

  • Allied Grape Growers Address North Coast Wildfire Situation

    It is devastating to see our friends in the wine industry, neighbors and families losing their homes and in some cases, their lives to these destructive wildfires. Learn about the current status of the situation from both the community and wine industry perspective by watching this video interview with Nat DiBuduo, President of Allied Grape Growers, and what you can do to help in the relief effort. Read more in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Anderson Family Ranch: 159 Years of Sonoma County Agriculture

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (October 17, 2017) – Twin brothers Henry and John Himbauch bought two 415 acre parcels on Petaluma Hill Road in August of 1848. The brothers had previously owned 83 acres in Two Rock, but when the opportunity arose to purchase the pieces of the Cotati Ranch, the family knew that was where they wanted to live.

    The Anderson Ranch circa 1920. Photo courtesy of the Anderson Family.

    At one point, the Himebauchs owned seven ranches, using the Petaluma Hill Road location as their headquarters.

    Nearly 160 years later, Henry Himbauch’s great-great-grandson, Henry James Anderson, and his family still operate approximately 300 acres of the original parcel. John sold his piece to the neighboring Brians family who still own that property and have also kept it in the family for more than 100 years.

    Anderson, 83, still lives on the Petaluma Hill Road ranch with his wife Grace and their two children Christy and James Porter. James Porter was named after relatives who farmed the Porter Ranch for more than 100 years before they sold it in 1944. Christy and James Porter are the 5th generation of the family to live on the ranch.

    The ranch is located directly across from Sonoma State University, and the family said they enjoy hearing live music from the Green Music Center. At one time, the land Sonoma State is built on also belonged to Anderson family.

    The family’s effort to maintain the ranch can be seen by the area around them. With such a close proximity to Sonoma State, the land surrounding the University had continued to be developed into subdivisions.

    Over the years, the family has raised many different commodities including chickens, winegrapes, beef and dairy cattle, sheep and hogs. At one point, the family had more than 5,000 egg producing chickens.

    “They were very diversified because they had to be to have beef to eat, milk to drink and eggs to cook with,” said Anderson. “We had everything here. It was absolutely great and still is.”

    Today, the family grows winegrapes and runs beef cattle. Their current herd is around 50 head of Beefmaster cattle. They have 15 acres of Chardonnay planted which they sell to Sonoma-Cutrer.

    Anderson said “it’s all about the great people you’re related to.” The family is connected to all their neighbors and related to many of them. In addition to the Porters, Anderson is related many of the other long term farming families in the county and friends with a considerable amount more.

    For Anderson, farming has always been his second job. He spent most of his career transporting livestock, and considers himself one of the pioneering people to transport livestock by aircraft. But his two careers were not his only involvement in agriculture. In addition to running the ranch and moving livestock, Anderson received his FFA American Degree, showed sheep and judged fairs throughout the country.

    His daughter Christy is attending Sonoma State where she is pursuing a degree in Economics as well as her MBA. Both Christy and her brother are committed to keeping the family business running and the ranch in the family for the next generation.

    “Everything I have studied and everything I do is to handle the day to day operations and keep the ranch running,” said Christy.

    Courtesy of Rachel LaFranchi and Sonoma County Farm Bureau

  • Wildfires in Wine Country

    CAWGThe California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) is saddened by the loss of lives, structures and property due to wildfires in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

    We share our deepest sympathies with the thousands of people who have been and will be affected by this tragedy. We are grateful to the firefighters, first responders and community members who are helping to protect lives and property.

    “In the coming days, we will have a clearer picture of the extent of damage that has occurred to vineyards and wineries and the response needed to aid recovery,” CAWG President John Aguirre said. “Until then, our thoughts and prayers go to all of those impacted by this unfolding disaster and to the men and women who are bravely battling these fires.”

    CAWG will work with members of the California congressional delegation, key federal officials and other wine industry organizations to ensure adequate resources are provided for disaster response and recovery efforts.

    Below you will find resources for crop and property insurance claims, as well as simple ways you can lend a helping hand to those affected by the fires.

    Crop Insurance Claims

    If you have a Federal Crop Insurance Policy in place, there may be multiple reasons for calling in a notice of potential loss to your agent:

    • Direct Damage: If you have encountered direct damage to your vineyard, resulting in lost crop due to fire, you should immediately contact your crop insurance agent to report the loss. Direct damage, such as fire, to a crop is a covered cause of loss.
    • Smoke Taint: The smoke in the air can cause smoke taint rendering the affected crop a total loss, partial loss or possible quality loss. If you suspect that smoke taint may become a reality in your vineyard, again, you should notify your crop insurance agent immediately to report the potential damage. Smoke taint can be a covered cause of loss, however there are certain conditions that must be met in order for a claim to be viable. Click here to learn more about what to do in the case of potential damage from smoke taint.
    • Inability to Harvest: If you are precluded from being able to harvest your crop, due to wildfire inhibiting your access to your vineyard; you could have a potential cause of loss. While rare, this could very well be the case for some who may not be able to reach their vineyard for some period of time. If you are unable to access your vineyard, it is best that you reach out to your crop insurance agent to notify them of the situation.

    Keep in mind, crop insurance only covers the crop, not the vines. Even if you have the slightest possibility of damage, you should contact your agent immediately. Also, remember that a payable claim is ultimately dependent on your insurable acreage, average yields, coverage levels, prices per ton and guarantees of the policy.

    > How to file a Federal Crop Insurance Claim – Do’s and Don’ts

    To find out more, or if we can help direct you to a preferred insurance provider,

    please contact the CAWG office at 916.379.8995.

    Property Loss Claims

    After a loss has occurred, you will be facing many problems you probably have not confronted before. It may be helpful to keep the following in mind:

    • Contact Your Insurance Agent Or Insurance Company As Soon As Possible- Your insurance agent will gather the information necessary to file a claim with your insurance company on your behalf. If you do not have an insurance agent, contact your insurance company.
    • Protect Property From Further Damage: When it is possible and safe to do so- prevent further damage to your property by covering broken windows, damaged roofs and walls. Save receipts for supplies and materials you purchase. Your insurance company will reimburse you for reasonable expenses in making temporary repairs. If your business or home has sustained extensive damage, please do not go back inside until cleared to do so by emergency personnel.
    • Take Photos of the Damaged Property and Prepare an Inventory of Property Damaged
    • Business Income Coverage- If you have Business Income coverage, it may provide protection against certain financial losses that are sustained if your business is unable to operate due to a covered loss.
    • Loss of Use Coverage: Your Farm or Homeowner’s policy includes a limit for Loss of Use. This coverage is intended to assist with temporary housing and additional living expenses if you are unable to occupy your home after a covered loss. Make certain to retain all receipts for these expenses for remittance to your claims adjuster.

    How to help evacuees of fires…

    If you are searching for ways to assist those affected by the fires, here are some options to lend a helping hand:

    As always, please contact the CAWG office if there is any way we can be of assistance.

  • CAWG Statement on Wine Country Wildfires

    SACRAMENTO, October 10, 2017 – The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) is saddened by the loss of lives, structures and property due to wildfires in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
    CAWG

    We share our deepest sympathies with the thousands of people who have been and will be affected by this tragedy. We are grateful to the firefighters, first responders and community members who are helping to protect lives and property.

    “In the coming days, we will have a clearer picture of the extent of damage that has occurred to vineyards and wineries and the response needed to aid recovery,” CAWG President John Aguirre said. “Until then, our thoughts and prayers go to all of those impacted by this unfolding disaster and to the men and women who are bravely battling these fires.”

    CAWG will work with members of the California congressional delegation, key federal officials and other wine industry organizations to ensure adequate resources are provided for disaster response and recovery efforts.