California Ag Network

Tag: Western United Dairies

  • WUD Pursues Funding for Tule Subbasin Farmers

    Western United Dairies has submitted two proposals to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), seeking federal conservation funding for dairy farmers and agricultural lands in the Tule Subbasin.

    The proposals build on WUD’s work through LandFlex and other regional water and conservation efforts. The goal is to bring more resources directly to farmers to help address some of the biggest water and nutrient challenges facing the region.

    If funded, the two projects would provide different options for irrigation efficiency, groundwater recharge, dairy wastewater treatment and nutrient management.

    Building on What Farmers Are Already Doing

    Through LandFlex, WUD has worked directly with dairy and forage farmers in Lower Tule and Pixley, as well as selected Eastern Tule operations. That work has given our team a firsthand look at what farmers are dealing with as the region works toward groundwater sustainability. It has also shown us there is strong interest in voluntary conservation programs when they are practical, flexible and supported by people who understand farming.

    WUD submitted proposals through two RCPP funding pathways: RCPP Classic and an Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA).

    The RCPP Classic proposal would use established NRCS conservation practices to help farmers make longer-term investments in high-efficiency irrigation, water and nutrient management, groundwater recharge and other eligible conservation projects.

    The AFA proposal would provide more flexibility to coordinate two targeted conservation strategies: managed aquifer recharge to help address groundwater overdraft and drought and vermifiltration to treat dairy wastewater, improve nutrient management and reduce the potential for nitrate movement to groundwater.

    Vermifiltration uses earthworms and microorganisms to treat liquid manure. The process can reduce nutrient and organic loading while producing treated water and recovered nutrients that can be reused on the farm.

    Why WUD Is Pursuing RCPP Funding

    Dairy farmers in the Tule Subbasin are facing increasing constraints on groundwater while also managing nutrients and working to protect groundwater quality. These issues are closely connected.

    Recharge can help replenish the groundwater system. More efficient irrigation and water management can help farmers make better use of the water they have. Improved nutrient management and wastewater treatment can help protect groundwater quality while making better use of nutrients already on the farm.

    RCPP is an opportunity to bring federal conservation dollars into the region, helping farmers make these investments voluntarily.

    WUD also has a strong starting point through LandFlex. Several potential projects are already taking shape, and additional farmers have expressed interest in conservation projects if funding becomes available.

    A Local Partnership

    WUD did not develop these applications alone. We are grateful to the local organizations and industry partners that provided information, input, and letters of support, including the Lower Tule River Irrigation District GSA, Pixley Irrigation District GSA, Tule Basin Land & Water Conservation Trust and Milk Producers Council.

    If the proposals are funded, these organizations and technical partners could bring local knowledge, farmer connections and additional expertise to the projects. Their input has helped us develop proposals grounded in what will actually work for farmers in the Tule Subbasin.

    What Happens Next

    Submission is only the first step. Both proposals are competitive and will go through NRCS review before funding decisions are made.

    If awarded, WUD will work with NRCS and project partners to finalize eligibility and ranking requirements and begin farmer outreach and enrollment.

    WUD also plans to develop a Farmer Dashboard if funding is awarded, giving participating farmers one place to apply, submit required documents and track their projects through the process.

    We will keep members updated as the proposals move through NRCS review and share enrollment information if funding is awarded. — Story contributed by Western United Dairies

  • Explore Manure Technologies Before Dairy Plus Applications Close

    Applications for CDFA’s Dairy Plus Program are open through September 14, and this is anticipated to be the final funding opportunity available to help producers implement advanced manure management technologies.

    To help producers evaluate their options and make informed decisions, CDQAP is hosting two educational events focused on manure management technologies eligible for Dairy Plus funding.

    Field Day: Advanced Separation with Flocculants System

    Thursday, July 23

    10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

    Lunch to follow

    Hear directly from a dairy producer and technology provider about an advanced solids separation system that uses flocculants. The field day will be held in Stanislaus County. The dairy location will be shared with registered attendees.

    Register HERE.

    Webinar: Considerations for Choosing the Right Technology for Your Farm

    Thursday, July 30

    11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

    Join Dr. Deanne Meyer as she discusses the key questions producers should consider when evaluating manure management technologies and planning for long-term success on their operations.

    Register HERE. —Story by Western United Dairies

  • Dairy Plus Program Is Open for Applications

    The CDFA Dairy Plus Program is now accepting applications from California dairy producers interested in implementing projects that improve manure management and support environmental sustainability on their operations.

    Funded through a partnership between the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF), CDFA, and USDA, the program provides financial assistance for on-farm projects designed to reduce emissions and address key environmental challenges facing the dairy industry.

    Producers interested in learning more about the program and application process are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming informational webinars:

    • June 25
    • July 8

    Additional program information, eligibility requirements, application materials and webinar registration details are available on the Dairy Plus Program website at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/dairyplus/.

    Dairy producers considering future infrastructure or manure management improvements are encouraged to review the program resources and determine whether Dairy Plus funding may be a fit for their operation. — Story contributed by Western United Dairies

  • CV-Salts Process Takes an Important Step

    The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board held a hearing on June 3 to consider approval of the Modesto Management Zone Implementation Plan (MZIP) and amendments to water quality permits for operations in the Modesto groundwater subbasin. This action applied to irrigated agriculture, food processors, municipal wastewater treatment plants, bovine feedlots, as well as dairy operations. At the end of the day, the Board approved the resolution as presented by staff without making any changes.

    This was an important step in the CV-Salts process that started almost two decades ago. With this action, the Regional Board officially provided a 35-year exception to meeting the nitrate drinking water standard in groundwater. This was in exchange for permit holders funding replacement drinking water for those whose wells are impacted by nitrates, something that has already been happening in the Modesto Management Zone for about five years. This hearing now sets the stage for the remaining Priority 1 management zones (Turlock, Chowchilla, Kings, Kaweah, and Tule) to move through this same process.

    The 35-year timeline does not mean that permit holders can sit on their hands. There are interim targets that must be met along the way, including those listed below. A new annual reporting tool is being developed to augment the current field-scale nitrogen accounting by adding a whole-farm nitrogen accounting component. It will also be able to show aggregated trends within the individual management zones. These are requirements of the newly adopted MZIP. The Central Valley Dairy Representative Monitoring Program (CVDRMP) is currently working on this tool.

    At 10 years, there is a milestone requiring dairies to achieve a whole-farm nitrogen balance, meaning the nitrogen available in the manure and imported as fertilizer is balanced with what is used by crops and exported off the dairy. A component of this will include a comparison of the amount of nitrogen in lagoon water to the land available to receive lagoon water. This is going to be a heavy lift for many dairies. Continued monitoring along the way will also be required to show that we are actually making progress.

    Overall, this was a positive step for dairies and other permit holders in providing additional time, but the process will also bring new urgency to addressing nitrate issues as local stakeholders work together to identify and address local nitrate sources. The dairy industry has already started this process, with changes rolling out over the next couple of years.

    This should not be confused with a separate process that will soon restart. The State Water Resources Control Board recently sent an email stating that its Remand Order on the Central Valley Water Board’s dairy permit is expected to be released on or around June 15th. The State Board anticipates holding a workshop on July 8th and a hearing to adopt the order on September 15th. Once I have reviewed the Remand Order, I will update our members on its contents and keep you informed as we move through this process.

    These are two separate actions, but there is a common message. Dairy water quality regulations in the Central Valley will be changing, and dairies need to be aware of the changes. Knowing what is coming can help dairies prepare. As always, if you have any questions on these or other environmental issues, please contact me. — By Paul Sousa, Western United Dairies Director of Regulatory & Environmental Affairs

  • Water Quality Changes to Impact Central Valley Dairy Producers

    A pair of regulatory changes are coming to the Central Valley that will impact dairies and other water quality permit holders.

    One of these changes — the CV-Salts Program — is being implemented at the groundwater basin level, starting with Modesto, and has seen over a decade of involvement from Western United Dairies (WUD). According to Paul Sousa, Regulatory and Affairs Director for WUD, the change is generally positive to dairies, since it will allow more time to meet water quality standards. Similar requirements will be rolled out to other groundwater basins in the Central Valley later.

    Additionally, the State Water Board is expected to remand the Central Valley Water Board’s dairy permit. Sousa says that while this will likely bring a new set of challenges, the specifics are not yet known. Updates will come from WUD as the State Water Board releases the updated information, but Sousa added that dairies will likely have an opportunity to anticipate changes and to make and find the needed funding, as these changes often take years, and there will often be timelines for meeting the goals of the revised order.

    “Both processes will result in changes to how dairies are regulated,” Sousa wrote. “While some of these changes may present challenges, others offer added flexibility, and there are resources available to help dairies prepare.”

    One opportunity Sousa pointed to is the Dairy Plus Program, which is expected to release applications for its final round of funding this summer. More information can be found on Dairy Plus at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/dairyplus/.

  • Referendum in Progress and Two Other Ways CA Dairy Producers Could Lose Quota This Year

    The summer California heat has been matched by an aggressive fight on multiple fronts to terminate the longstanding, CDFA-administered Quota Implementation Plan that impacts the return value California dairies producers get for their milk.  While taking no official stance on the subject, Paul Sousa of Western United Dairies met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to explain what producers need to know about the current referendum underway that would lead to the immediate termination of the program, as well as two other recent developments that could end the program as well. Watch this brief interview and stay current on this topic by reading California Dairy Magazine.

  • California Dairy Producers Prepare to Vote on Milk Price Adjustment QIP

    The debate over the California dairy industry’s Quota Implementation Plan (QIP) continues; but this time it’s not about whether to keep or sunset the program. Dairy producers will soon have the opportunity to vote in a referendum on some adjustments to the program that will affect all producers. Watch this brief interview with Paul Sousa from Western United Dairies as he explains to Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network, and read more about it in California Dairy Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Southern California Gas Company for their industry support.

  • Prepare Now to Apply for This Substantial California Dairy Funding Opportunity

    Many California dairy producers have heard of and even participated in CDFA’s Alternative Manure Management Program; but there is now an additional program available to California dairy producers for a considerable amount of funding known as the Dairy Plus program.  Investing in manure separators, dairy digesters or even vermifiltration wastewater treatment systems have a real positive impact on lowering a dairy’s carbon footprint; however, the cost of purchasing any one of these systems is often far out of reach for the dairy producer.  Watch this brief interview with Paul Sousa from Western United Dairies as he explains the new Dairy Plus program and how dairy producers can prepare and qualify for the funding.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.

  • Exploring Options for Safe Use and Reduction of Nitrates on Dairies

    As California dairy producers actively work to provide environmental solutions and a sustainable future for their successors, reducing nitrate contamination in the groundwater supply is a top priority.  Watch this brief interview with Paul Sousa from Western United Dairies as he shares some options, considerations, and funding opportunities.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.

  • LandFlex Succeeds as an Incentivizing Farmer-Driven Solution for SGMA Compliance

    Permanently retiring millions of acres of productive California farmland is not a solution the growing world population needs right now.  That is why a new program, known as LandFlex was created, providing an alternative solution to assist farmers in meeting the requirements of SGMA. Millions of dollars of LandFlex funding have recently been awarded to serve farmers within critically overdrafted basins of California.  Watch this video with Anja Raudabaugh, CEO Western United Dairies, to learn more about the success of the program.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.