February 2023

By: USDA

February 9, 2023 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Blong Xiong today announced that 41 counties in California are accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from the recent severe storm to eligible farmland, fences, and conservation structures/other installations. ECP signup will begin on February 13th, 2023, and end on April 14th, 2023.

The approved ECP practices under this authorization include debris removal, grading, shaping & leveling, fence restoration & restoring conservation structures & other installations. The use of ECP funds is limited to activities to return the land

Merced County Farm News

Farm Service Agency in California is Accepting Emergency Conservation Program Applications

to the relative pre-disaster condition. Conservation concerns that were present on the land prior to the disaster are not eligible for ECP assistance.

Counties approved for ECP: Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Ventura, Yolo and Yuba.

ECP assists producers with the recovery cost to restore the farmland to pre-disaster conditions. Approved ECP applicants may receive up to 75 percent of the eligible cost of restoration measures. Eligible socially disadvantaged and beginning

farmers and ranchers can receive up to 90 percent of the eligible cost of restoration. No one is eligible for more than $500,000 cost sharing per natural disaster occurrence.

Cost share assistance has now been authorized to:

• provide advance payments, up to 25% of the cost, for all ECP practices before the restoration is carried out, an option that was previously only available for fence repair or replacement. The costshare payment must be spent within 60 days; and

• allow producers who lease Federally owned or managed lands, including tribal trust land, as well as State land the opportunity to participate.

To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all the following are met:

• an application for cost-share assistance has been filed

• the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area

• the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination, which may include cubic yards of material moved, etc., required for rehabilitation

Producers with damage from such events must apply for assistance prior to beginning reconstructive work.

FSA’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and environmental compliance review process is required to be completed before any actions are taken. Submitting an application after reconstructive work has been completed may impact eligibility for ECP.

For more information on ECP, please contact your local FSA office or visit farmers.gov/recover.

Will California ever get its highspeed rail?

By: Andrew Tunnicliffe, Railway Technology

For a country that was built on the railroad, the now years-old saga of the California High-Speed Rail project continues to enthral, depress and at times amuse Americans in almost equal measure. It’s a story of claim and counterclaim, allegation, and even insult.

Almost 15 years ago Californians were promised a high-speed rail service between two of its great cities – Los Angeles (LA) and San Francisco –in just two hours and 40 minutes. It was a “moon shot” that required technological innovation, big thinking,

political consensus, and a sizeable budget. Instead, it’s been mired with delay, overspending, political strife, and questionable decision-making.

Below is a timeline of the history of high-speed rail, including some of the most noteworthy moments.

1996

A high-speed rail link across California is first mooted. State Governor, Pete Wilson, established the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), with the aim of developing a proposal to present to both him and state legislatures, before giving Californians a public vote.

1996–2000

A detailed study found high-

speed rail lines to be economically, environmentally and socially profitable and as such work got underway to develop a strategic plan and project proposal.

After the completion of a business plan, the CHSRA sought input from international counterparts, hiring consultancies on high-speed rail projects to peer review their proposal, including SNCF (France), DE Consult (Germany) and JARTS (Japan).

August 2005

An implementation plan – which estimates the project would take between eight to 11 years to complete –

See 'High-Speed Rail' Page 5

Talks with Sheriff Vern Warnke and Merced County District Attorney, Nicole Silveira

from the Director's Desk

Breanne Vandenberg

Our county experienced some of the worst flooding on record and, unfortunately, many are still dealing with the aftermath of that experience. We are aware large dairy herds had to be moved and are thankful for those that jumped in to help their neighbor when called. The way in which this community rallies around each other in times of crisis is something special and makes one proud to call it home. Our hearts go out to all that were displaced and/or dealing with the various forms of destruction during this time.

Unfortunately, I must follow the above with some additional bad news. Beginning with this edition, Merced County Farm News will be available in print every other month and digitally every month. Last year you may have noticed our paper and print quality improved. That improvement was due to switching to another printer, however that was not without cost. We have now received notice that their print prices will be increasing. The additional increase is not a price tag we can muster, nor can we raise our prices for such an increase. For this reason, we have opted for the hybrid option mentioned above. Our digital version can be mailed directly to your inbox courtesy of our Constant Contact list. If you are not receiving it or our weekly e-newsletter, please call our office so we can be sure to update your email. You are welcome to email us at info@ mercedfarmbureau.org. Our digital edition is also available on our website at www.mercedfarmbureau.org.

Please consider taking some time

out of your morning and attend one of our Coffee Talks slated for February and March. Our keynote speakers will be Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira and Sheriff Vern Warnke (please note that Sheriff Warnke is unavailable for the March 7 event in Hilmar). We look forward to engaging in conversations with them as they work to keep you and your properties safe. Please review page 12 of the Farm News for dates, times, and locations. Additional dates and locations will be scheduled for our remaining districts

after the harvest season.

Also on the horizon is our wellknown Annual Dinner. Hosted at the Merced Fairgrounds, you will hear from California Farm Bureau’s Director of Political Affairs Steven Fenaroli, have a wonderfully catered meal by Kelli Cochrane Catering, mix and mingle with old and new friends and more. We will be bringing back our live and dessert auctions as well as a fundraiser specific to our two 501(c)3 programs. Tickets can be purchased for $65 per ticket or $520 for a table of 8 by either logging

onto our online store or by visiting our office.

Lastly, you may have caught the birth announcement of our son back in November. Tate is doing well and perfect in every way. We are adjusting to life in managing middle of the night feeds and taking double the time in getting out of the house, but it is nothing we would change. A huge thank you goes out to our staff and board during my leave as they handled numerous items and issues during my absence. I look forward to seeing you all in 2023!

from the President's Corner

Joe Sansoni

Last month I wrote about the years-long failures and delays in the permitting processes that have prevented the cleaning and maintenance of our flood control waterways. I predicted that by the time that article went to press there would likely have been much more flooding, considering the large amounts of predicted rainstorms heading our way at the time. In an amazing and ironic twist, just a few days after I wrote my article, Bear Creek suffered a major break in the bank along my home property and orchard. Of course, I knew all along that our property could potentially become ground zero for a major breach. I had a feeling that it was going to give out somewhere…if not at our place then somewhere else. There were a multitude of places along both sides of Bear Creek as well as Black Rascal Creek that were being quickly eroded away by the highspeed currents and more specifically the resulting eddy currents of swirling water that are created by uncleared trees, vegetation, and trapped floating debris along the insides of the creek banks. The rapid currents themselves do not wash

out the creek banks when they have been adequately cleared and maintained.

I’m sure that one of the first things that will get said by those who are ultimately responsible for the failures to get the creeks cleaned will be "Well, we've never seen THIS much water at once before. This was unprecedented.”

It’s an obvious first response coming from anyone who is trying desperately to claw themselves out from under the weight of a guilty conscience and away from negative public scrutiny. BUT!...those of us who live and work along those waterways – who truly know every bend, run, tree, soil profile of the earth beneath the banks, and even more importantly, the history of the creeks – know different. We’ve seen floods before. We’ve seen what happens and how the water and currents flow throughout all possible scenarios, throughout many different stages of conditions. A very basic indicator that I use as a gauge on my own property is the level of the water to the Franklin Rd bridge where the creek crosses the road. This past month, when the water over-topped and washed out the bank downstream, the water level was just above the bottom of the bridge. It’s been that high before…at least 3 times in my own lifetime. So why did it overflow downstream this time and none of the other times? Because there was never near the amount of uncleared vegetation. In fact, in past flood stage conditions, I know from personal experience that when the water was at the very same height at the bridge, with cleaned creek banks it would actually be 2-3’ lower in the very place it washed out. That’s how much the lack of maintenance and cleaning affects the capacities. And that’s just in one 1/2-3/4 mile run! Apply that to the

entire creek system, and Bear Creek absolutely would have held up just fine with no breaches, and likely only minor over-topping in the City of Merced where the gradient of the creek flattens out drastically. Even the published flood stage numbers get thrown off. According to the engineered data, flood stage for Bear Creek is considered to occur at a water level of 23’ at McKee Bridge. In my past observations of high-water years when the creeks had been cleaned, with 23’ at McKee Bridge, there would be around 3-4’ of freeboard along the creek downstream at my place. This year, it over-topped at my place when it hit 25’ at McKee Bridge. Ultimately, it topped out at just over 26’, but that was after the bank had already broken downstream. With a cleaned creek it should’ve still had about a foot of freeboard. Effectively, the uncleared vegetation and sand bars had diminished the flood stage to a “corrected for conditions” level of about 20’ at McKee relative to the location where it breached. Even the downtown Merced flooding would have been significantly less severe if they had simply been cleaning the creeks all along. Would there still have been some flooding? Yes, there would have been. Some. In a few problematic areas. But not to the degree we saw, and certainly not with large parts and many

homes of the McSwain area including McSwain School underwater or nearly underwater. The really great irony in all this is that for several years already myself, my father Ezio, Joe Scoto, and other property owners along the creeks have been warning our county and state officials that we were going to be in big trouble if we faced a severe rainfall year with uncleaned creeks. Ezio in fact has been the longest and loudest sounder of the alarm regarding this issue for decades. For good reason…he watched this happen (in a different location) as a 16-year-old kid the last time it broke in 1955, and helped work to repair the catastrophic damages then, just as we are facing again now. Throughout his entire life farming along these creeks he has often called officials on the carpet for failing to prioritize this issue. Hopefully someone in a position of influence and authority is listening this time and will set policy in motion to never allow it to happen again.

Apologies for two straight months on the same topic, folks! I’m working on different material for March’s topic but felt compelled to write a follow up to the very thing I predicted was about to happen in my January column. Remember to call the office and reserve your tickets or a table for our upcoming annual meeting on March 24th!

Merced County Farm Bureau’s Mission Statement

Merced County Farm Bureau is an independent, nongovernmental, grassroots organization that advocates for the men and women who provide food, fiber, and nursery products for our community, state, and nation.

Merced County Farm Bureau exists for the purpose of improving the ability of individuals engaged in production

agriculture to utilize California resources to produce food and fiber in the most profitable, efficient and responsible manner possible, guaranteeing our nation a domestic food supply.

Merced County Farm Bureau supports policies and legislation that promote and protect our Country’s number one industryagriculture for future generations and the security of our nation.

Merced County Farm News

Published monhtly by Merced County Farm Bureau

Phone (209) 723-3001

Fax (209) 722-3814 646 S. Hwy 59, Merced CA 95341

Email: dflake@mercedfarmbureau.org (USPS 339-500)

Entered as Second Class matter, Jan. 20, 1948 at the US Post Office in Merced, CA. Subscription is included in membership. Singles issues are 50 cents. Merced County Farm News is printed by Wesco Graphics, 410 E. Grant Line Road, Suite B, Tracy, CA 95376

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Merced County Farm Bureau, P.O. Box 1232, Merced, CA 95341; telephone (209) 723-3001; FAX (209) 722-3814. Merced County Farm Bureau does not assume responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products advertised in Merced County Farm News, nor does Farm Bureau assume responsibility for statements or expressions of opinion other than in editorials or in articles showing authorship by an officer, director or employee of the Merced County Farm Bureau or its affiliates.

Merced County Farm Bureau Staff

Breanne Vandenberg

Executive Director

Lorraine Passadori

Program Director

Denelle Flake

Farm News Editor/Project Specialist

Alexxis Rudich

Project Assistant/ESJ Grower Relations

Board of Directors

Pres: Joe Sansoni 761-9284

1st VP: Alan Sano 559-905-1240

2nd VP: David Barroso 652-6437

Sec/Treas: Tim Lohman 988-3545

Past Pres: Eric Harcksen 620-1953

District 1

Sean Davis 769-1804

Joe Maiorino 564-6791

District 2

Bob Vandenberg 704-5568

District 3

Mike Martin ............................ 675-1907

Chad Perry 675-4474

District 4

Jean Okuye 756-2421

Galen Miyamoto 761-5366

District 5

Brent Chipponeri 652-3473

John Van Ruler .......................648-3877

District 6

Dante Migliazzo 769-9525

Bill Arnold. 761-0542

District 7

GIno Pedretti III 756-1612

Tom Roduner 769-9353

District 8

Julie Giampaoli 201-8434

Joe Scoto 761-0489

Directors at Large

Jim Johnston 564-7551

Jeff Marchini 769-9116

Bob Giampaoli ....................... 769-4973

Dan Dewees 658-4343

Louie Bandoni 761-0625

Michael Serrano 485-1935

Mariposa County Farm Bureau Staff

High-Speed Rail

continued from page 1

is finally approved.

2008

It took another three years before elements of the proposal were put to voters. Proposition 1A, which the public agreed to at state elections in November, approved the sale of almost $10bn of bonds to fund the project. At the time, the network was penned to be completed by 2020, connecting LA and San Francisco through a series of high-speed segments that would see trains travel at around 350km/h. It would eventually run through Southern California, Sacramento San, Joaquin Valley, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

January 2009

Optimism for the project is high, boosted further with the inauguration of President Barack Obama, whose administration was laser focused on battling the deepening crisis ravaging the world’s economies and financial markets. As part of that fightback, Obama committed to a national plan of public spending, which included laying 13,840km of high-speed track. This already ambitious target then increased to 19,312km.

2011–2012

Tensions simmer over plans for the infrastructure project and the damage it might do to communities and wildlife. The project, and its management, are criticised for some of the proposals, how they’ve been conveyed and, according to some, how community concerns have been ignored.

July 2012

After a lengthy period of research, environmental studies, and public consultation; a funding bill that would provide financial support for the construction of a 209km stretch of the project is signed in July 2012. The green light was given for work to commence on a 104.6km section by the US Federal Railroad Administration in September.

Early 2013

The $1bn Construction Package 1 contract, which involves the first 46.6km section between Madera and Fresno, is signed. By now commentary on the project is less favourable, thanks to perceived failings of the bidding process that, some argued, resulted in a less competent bidder winning.

Responding to a negative critique published by the Los Angeles Times, CHSRA CEO Jeff Morales writes to the publication’s editor stating: “We utterly reject the thesis… that our procurement process has been anything

but open, competitive, objective, and in accordance with the law.” The issues plague the authority for some time after.

August 2014

The second significant construction contract, worth $71.86m, for design and construction oversight for Construction Package 2–3, is signed. It covers the Initial Operating Section of the highspeed rail programme, extending approximately 104km from the terminus of Construction Package 1 at East American Avenue in Fresno to 1.6km north of the Tulare-Kern County line.

January 2015

Ground is finally broken, with work commencing on the first part of the line in Freson. The project will result in a section of track stretching 273.6km, to be completed by 2028. The same month another contract was awarded; this time for a 96.5km section.

There is also a request for a proposal made for rolling stock, eliciting interest from numerous suppliers.

2016–17

Work continues, both at a project and finance management level and on the ground at construction sites. However delays, criticism, and often less than favourable press – particularly from the project’s staunch opponents – remain.

March 2018

CHSRA announces “the first significant construction” with foundation works beginning for a bridge that will carry high-speed trains over Garces Highway in Kern County.

November 2018

In a damming audit by the state, the project’s management team is left reeling by suggestions of flawed decision-making and poor contract management, which have together left it still 15 years away from completion and now costing $77bn – significantly higher than the $40bn initially forecasted.

Having called for the audit with a Democrat counterpart, state Republican Jim Patterson said the project was now “dead in the water,” adding: “There will never be a completed track from the Bay Area to Los Angeles… The best we can hope for is a rump railroad running from Bakersfield to Madera.”

February 2019

In his first state of the state address, Governor Gavin Newsom shocks many by curtailing the ambitions of the project, arguing in its current form the plan would “cost too much and take too long”. He said there simply wasn’t “a path to get from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to LA”. He did, however, signal his appetite to for ahead with a section between Merced and Bakersfield.

Later, President Trump blasts the project, calling for $3.5bn of federal funding already given to be returned. His words were put into action by the Department of Transport, which said it would consider withholding $929m earmarked for the project but not yet given.

May 2019

In a major blow and politically explosive move, the Trump administration confirms this. The Federal Railroad Administration says the CHSRA had “repeatedly failed to comply with the terms” of a financial package agreement reached in 2010, and that it had “failed to make reasonable progress on the project”.

“California has abandoned its original vision of a high-speed passenger rail service connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles, which was essential to its applications for FRA grant funding,” it said.

The move sparked fury among management and state political leaders, with Newsom responding: “This is California’s money, appropriated by Congress, and we will vigorously defend it in court.”

Late July 2019

In a double boost for the project, CHSRA says it has received “important federal approval” allowing it to “progress on the nation’s first highspeed rail system”. The authorisation given by the Federal Railroad Administration brings the completion of the environmental reviews a step closer.

Less than a week later and parts of Construction Package 1 are opened. They are the first completed high-speed rail grade separations under the first phase of the project. By the end of the year, a total of 30 major construction projects are ongoing across 191km of the route.

Mid-2020

The Covid-19 pandemic begins to impact; in particular public consultations and meetings suffer, leading to extensions in the consultation process.

September 2020

CHRA CEO Brian Kelly says the Board of Directors has approved the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for Central Valley Wye – an 80km project alignment section. The decision means full environmental clearance has been given for the highspeed rail alignment between Merced and Bakersfield.

Late 2020

With construction continuing the CHRA appears buoyed by its achievements during “a difficult year”.

In November, the American Avenue overpass in Fresno County is opened, becoming the fifth high-speed rail structure to open in the Central Valley in just three months.

CHRA also announces an employment milestone – having created 5,000 construction jobs in the Central Valley area since work began. Tom Richards, CHRA chairman declares: “There is no question that high-speed rail is happening in California.”

Early 2021

After what was a more positive year for the CHRA and the project – with construction activities in full swing and spending plans, albeit revised from initial objectives, being achieved with further funding offered and used as hoped – the coming 12 months held much promise.

June 2021

After months of negotiations, the CHSRA says it has secured the return of funding taken from it by President Trump’s administration a few years earlier. Newsom said: “Restoring nearly $929m in grant funding back to the California High-Speed Rail project will continue to spur job creation, advance the project and move the state one step closer to getting trains running in California as soon as possible.”

Throughout the remainder of the year, the project continues to advance. Further work begins or is completed, political figures throw their weight behind the project and it wins several architecture and sustainability awards. 2022 and onwards

Project construction today continues and the initiative is supported by further federal monies – with grant applications still being made.

However, criticism from some quarters continues to be levelled, with ongoing concerns about delays, overspending, and environmental impacts. To be fair, the economic climate hasn’t helped, with inflation not seen for generations adding to the problems.

In October of last year, speaking of its track and systems procurement strategy, the CHSRA said it hoped to be able to restart the process in 2023, citing inflationary pressures and supply chain issues for its decision to review in light of “unstable and volatile supply and pricing in the current market”.

What happens next really is anyone’s guess. The project has been fraught with difficulty – some out of managers’ hands, others firmly their responsibility according to the most vocal of critics. What’s for sure is that this story will continue to move forward.

The San Joaquin Experimental Range Photo Archive

By: Rebecca Gourevitch, UC Merced Library

In 2021, The UC Merced Library received a collection of photographic material depicting Cooperative Extension work at the San Joaquin Experimental Range (SJER). The collection was donated by Melvin George— UC Cooperative Extension Rangeland Management Specialist, Emeritus, and member of the Plant Sciences Department at UC Davis— and was added to the Madera County, UC Cooperative Extension Records in the California Agricultural Resources Archive (CARA). Over the last year, our project team inventoried, transcribed, and digitized these materials, making them publicly accessible in our digital repository, Calisphere.

Established in Madera County in 1934, SJER was the first range research station in the state of California and enabled year-round experimentation by UC Cooperative Extension rangeland specialists in subjects like range and grazing management, pasture improvement, water quality and natural resources, and animal husbandry. Major achievements of the SJER over the years include identifying the need for protein supplements for cattle during the Fall and Winter seasons, developing forage seasons, and creating standards for residual dry matter (RDM) to assess grazing levels.

Produced in the 1930s-40s, these photographs are distinctive from others in our collections due to the action by SJER specialists of adhering the photographs to heavily annotated envelopes. In our repository, we have labeled them as physical objects; they contain important contextual information that should stay close to the image. Duplicate copies of the blackand-white photographs were inside of the envelopes, but UC Merced Library archivists and student assistants placed them in archival quality housing next to the envelopes. Both image and text are important in this collection as its value is rooted in the ability to provide visual learning aids, and in their use as evidence in long-term documentation projects that track research and progression.

Prior to donating the materials, Melvin George worked alongside Neil McDougald, UC Cooperative

Extension Farm Advisor, Emeritus, and former manager of the San Joaquin Experimental Range, to sift through the materials. They produced a detailed inventory with fundamental contextual information such as creator biographies, geographical locations, and content descriptions. This, in addition to the annotations, shape the metadata for the collection. The photographs are divided into subject categories including buildings, erosion, experimental methods, forage plants, utilization, runoff plots, rodent studies, and floods and these terms can assist in filtering the digital objects in Calisphere.

People are occasionally found

in the images. For example, one photograph portrays members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a work relief program established during the Great Depression to ease unemployment, posing for a photograph at SJER. CCC crews worked on the construction of the Range facilities and the creation of land surveys. A typed caption on the envelope reveals that “Five CCC boys that received 8th grade diplomas at the San Joaquin Experimental Range stub camp.”

Another image shows an Extension worker measuring vegetation. The annotation identifies the plant as “Hairy grama (bouteloua hirsuta) twelve

months after planting from seed.” Gullies, run-offs, and other types of erosion is traced in these photographs and is evident in the following examples.

The final example suggests UC Cooperative Extension’s emphasis on education and outreach by distributing knowledge and skills gained on the San Joaquin Experimental Range and sharing it with the wider public.

To view the entire digitized collection of photographic materials of the San Joaquin Experimental Range, visit the Madera County, UC Cooperative Extension Records at https://calisphere. org/collections/27809/.

Hairy grama (bouteloua hirsuta) twelve months after planting from seed 1935, Madera County, UC Cooperative Extension Records, UC Merced, UC Cooperative Extension Archive

Impromptu Extension Service meeting to demonstrate results of supplemental feeding tube 1936, Madera County, UC Cooperative Extension Records, UC Merced, UC Cooperative Extension Archive

Free Field Trips At Hilmar Cheese Company

By: Hilmar Cheese Company

Hilmar, CA. January 31, 2023.

Hilmar Cheese Company Visitor Center is offering FREE Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field trips for schools associated with a school district from grades transitional kindergarten-high school. There are dates open for field trips in February through May. Time slots for tours are at 9:30 am, 11:00 am and 12:30 pm or later. The 9:30am time slot is the most popular and is limited to only a few spots left.

“We are excited to see so many

schools that have already booked field trips,” explained Kody Stevens, Hilmar Cheese Company Tours and Communication Specialist. “If you are a teacher, administrator or room parent who wants to add a fun field trip this school year, we’d love to host you. Book as soon as you can as dates and time slots are filling up fast.”

All school tours are free for students. Students will watch a cheesy MOOvie, explore the hands-on exhibits and sample cheese. Transitional kindergarten through 3rd grade can do a fun science experiment of turning a liquid into a solid to make and eat ice cream. Cheese

making is offered to grades 4th through high school and is a great hands on science experiment and teamwork activity. The duration of the tour is about 90 minutes.

To book a field trip with Hilmar Cheese Company fill out the tour request form on the Hilmar Cheese webpage: https://www.hilmarcheese.com/visitor_ center/tour/tour_request_form/ Follow Hilmar Cheese Company on social media to stay up-to-date with specials and activities. Hilmar Cheese Company Visitor Center is open Monday – Friday 7 am to 6 pm. Call 209.656.1196 with any questions

New Almond ID Tool

Properly identify diseases and nutrient deficiencies in almond trees

Cheese making activity

The Almond Disease and Nutrient Deficiency Identification cards are meant to aid Pest Control Advisors and growers in their day-to-day operation. Effective Integrated Pest Management always starts with an accurate identification of the pest to then deploy the right set of tools.

Atwater FFA Students Compete in State Skills Competition

By: Jacky Velazquez, Atwater FFA

Forty-one Atwater High School agriculture staff and students joined nearly 2000 high school students representing over 100 high schools throughout central and northern California at the Arbuckle FFA Field Day and the Merced College Parliamentary Procedure Invitational contest on February 4th. The FFA Field Day competitions mark the beginning of the FFA judging season where thousands of students throughout California compete in various Career Development Event (CDE) agriculture-related skill contests.

The Atwater FFA Small Engines team placed 3rd overall. Aden Hansard (4th overall), Abdiel Ramirez (7th overall), and Santiago Avila participated in the contest that focuses on industry related skills associated with engine theory, problem solving, technical skills, identification and team troubleshooting.

The Atwater FFA Veterinary Science team placed 4th overall. Zoe Jolly (7th overall), Guadalupe Millan, Jasmine Monge, Maricela Perez, Roxana Alavarez, Jamileth Guillen, Maritza Vargas, and Lupita Valenzuela participated in the contest that seeks to effectively prepare the students for the expectations of the animal health care and services (Veterinary Hospitals/ Clinics, Grooming Facilities, Pet Stores, Kennels/Boarding Facilities, and Feed Stores) workplace. Students participate in identification and general veterinary tests and “hands-on” practicums based on real-world scenarios.

The Vegetable Crops team placed 4th overall and consisted of Sebastian Parra, Liliana Aquino, Nicole DeLeon, and Dariana Torres. The contest involves gaining knowledge and skills in the vegetable crop industry through the demonstration of skills and proficiencies associated with the vegetable crop industry.

The Atwater FFA Milks Quality and Dairy Foods team of Brianna Duran (1st overall), Allison Brewer (2nd overall), and Danica Christofferson competed individually with a strong finish overall in a contest where students demonstrate their knowledge and skills in milk quality (tasting), cheese identification,

real vs imitation dairy foods, and a written exam on the dairy industry.

The Atwater FFA Ag Mechanics team had a good showing as they demonstrated their plumbing, problem solving, electrical, Arc welding, tool identification, and a written exam on all aspects of agriculture mechanics. “This contest is all about ‘hands-on’ application of skills,” said coach and FFA advisor Sam Meredith, “We look forward to the opportunity to continue developing our skills and competing against other highly skilled individuals and teams throughout the upcoming contests.” Members of the Ag Mechanics team Marcos Padilla, Adrian Silva, and Jose Barreto, and Cain Sanchez.

The Atwater High School FFA Advance and Novice Parliamentary Procedure team competed at the Merced College Parliamentary Procedure Invitational. The advanced team placed 3rd overall with a team comprised of Allison Garner, Kendall Borba, Alexa Bracamontes, Alany Guzman, Bryce Nickerson, Josh Medeiros, Sydney Nickelson, Katrina Andujar, Hailey Herforth, and Ella Boyenga. The Atwater FFA Novice Parliamentary Procedure team comprised of Gizeelle Avila, Grant Williamson, Hailey Azevedo, Hallie Billings, Isabella Silva, Katelyn Medeiros, Pasily Garcia, and Kayleigh Trindade. The purpose of this contest is to encourage students to learn to effectively participate in a business meeting and to assist in the development of their leadership skills. Nineteen schools throughout California competed at the event.

This was the first primary contest of the year for most of the FFA Career Development Events (CDE’s) throughout the state of California. The primary judging season continues February 11th at at CSU Chico followed by UC Davis, Merced College, Modesto Junior College, West Hills College, Reedley College, Fresno State University, and the 2023 FFA State Finals at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo on May 6th. The contests are developed for all California high school agriculture students where they are challenged to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a variety of agriculture pathways and industry.

For more information on the Atwater High School Agriculture Department and Atwater FFA, please log on the website www.AtwaterFFA.org .

Atwater High School's FFA Parliamentary Procedure advanced team comprised of (left to right) Alany Guzman, Alexa Bracamontes, Ella Boyenga, Hailey Azevedo, Kendal Borba, Sydney Nickelson, Josh Medeiros, Allison Garner, and Bryce Nickerson placed 3rd overall at the Merced College Parli Pro Invitational.

Gustine FFA Named Outstanding Chapter 4th Year in a Row

By: Kaitlin Dores, Gustine FFA Reporter

On Wednesday, February 1st Gustine FFA had another successful night. Our 8 members who participated in the project competition had all been eagerly waiting for this night to approach. This would be the night they found out how they did at the Merced College Sectional Project Competition and needless to say we were all impressed with how well our students did. All our students received gold, and earned the judges award outstanding chapter award for the fourth consecutive year. This year Gustine FFA

had four returning seniors compete, and added four strong new members. The students have been working really hard all year round. These students have strong agricultural experience projects and demonstrate key skills to their project. The following students received a Merit Award, Austin Bell, Emma Woods, Kaitlin Dores, Garret Gomes, Mikayla Silveira and Baylor Bloom. Baylor Bloom earned Outstanding Freshman as well. The following seniors received a scholarship at the banquet, Austin Bell, Emma Woods, Kaitlin Dores and Garret Gomes. The faces of the students at the banquet beamed with

pride, it was visible to any person in that room that the students are proud of what they do and work hard year after year. Austin Bell said that “ It was an amazing way to round out my fourth and final year competing in project competition. It’s always fun to see my peers receive awards for the SAE projects that they work so hard on. Being named an outstanding chapter for the fourth year in a row will forever be a memory that I will be proud of.” We are so proud of these students!

WOTUS hearing examines Biden rule, pending Supreme Court decision

By: Steve Davies, Agripulse

February 8, 2023 - “Uncertainty” was the word of the day at a congressional hearing Wednesday focused on the Biden administration’s “waters of the U.S.” rule and a pending Supreme Court decision addressing the issue.

The Supreme Court ruling in the Sackett case, argued in October, “could very well send the administration back to the drawing board on a WOTUS definition — ultimately creating even more confusion and uncertainty” for farmers and other landowners, Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure’s Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, said in his opening statement.

Speaking on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins said “we have experienced uncertainty for decades due to ever-changing rulemakings” redefining the scope of the Clean Water Act.

The Biden rule perpetuates the confusion, he said, and “will greatly expand the federal government's reach over private property by allowing them to assert jurisdiction over ephemeral drainages such as ditches, swales and low spots on a farm field,” Hawkins said. “The use of the ‘significant nexus’ test allows the agencies to aggregate

waters together and the reliance on the vague term provides the agencies the latitude to reach whatever conclusion they please.”

“It is impossible for any farmer to know if a feature on their property is a WOTUS,” he told the subcommittee.

He also said farmers in his state are worried that lawsuits might challenge “normal, everyday practices. They have every right to be concerned about future investment in their farming operations and have to second-guess whether putting in place that conservation practice or building that structure or investing in that building is worth it, if you're going to be embroiled in red tape and a potentially yearslong process.”

Rouzer and other House Republicans, as well as Senate Republicans, are supporting a resolution to invalidate the Biden rule, which goes into effect March 20, using the Congressional Review Act. That effort is unlikely to succeed, because President Joe Biden would veto it, and a two-thirds majority would be needed in both Houses to override him.

The House committee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington, said a successful CRA resolution would create more uncertainty.

The more immediate issue is the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Idaho landowners stymied in their development efforts because of an EPA finding that they were working in what

are classified as “adjacent wetlands.” The court’s decision will require EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct some type of review of their rule, but the question is whether they will have to change significant portions.

One witness before the committee, former Trump administration EPA official Susan Parker Bodine, a lawyer at Earth & Water Law LLC, doesn't expect the justices to uphold the long-standing “significant nexus” test to determine whether waters are jurisdictional.

“The question is, what else?” she asked.

“So, in this window of time, when we have a new rule put before us that may not be supported by the Supreme Court, the most efficient thing right now would be to exercise our responsibilities under the Congressional Review Act, set this aside and wait for clarity to come down from the Supreme Court,” said GOP Rep. John Duarte, who as a farmer in California engaged in a protracted battle with federal regulators and the Justice Department over plowing operations. He ultimately paid $1.1 million in fines and mitigation credits to settle the case without admitting liability.

Bodine, Hawkins and witnesses representing the sand, stone and gravel industry and homebuilders said the Biden rule significantly expands federal jurisdiction over waters such as ephemeral streams and small wetlands.

“In particular, the rule allows

agencies to claim extremely broad authority over isolated ponds and wetlands that they have not attempted to regulate since the (Supreme Court’s) 2001 SWANCC decision,” she said. While the actual impacts are difficult to quantify because of the case-bycase determinations made mostly by the Army Corps of Engineers, “past experience … suggests that the agencies will aggressively claim authority” over both land and waters, she said.

“When landowners, farmers and municipalities later challenge that overreach, the agencies will tell the courts that they get deference because they're interpreting their own regulation.”

She said the rule was “designed to evade judicial review” by including “most of the details” of the rule in its preamble, the text that appears before the actual regulations.

David Owen, a professor at the University of California College of Law and the only Democratic-chosen witness on the panel, pushed back on the idea that the Biden rule was a dramatic change from the Clean Water Act’s regulatory regime since the Jimmy Carter era. The “outlier,” he said, was the Trump administration’s 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which was replaced by the Biden rule.

“We've had a lot of continuity in terms of scope of jurisdiction, really dating back not just to 1986 but to 1975,” Owen said.

Left to right: Socorro Mendoza, Baylor Bloom, Alfred Nunes, Mikayla Silveira, Garret Gomes, Emma Woods, Austin Bell and Kaitlin Dores

Western states play game of chicken over Colorado River

By: Dan Walters, CalMatters

February 8, 2023 - You would have to be at least a septuagenarian to remember “Rebel Without a Cause,” a 1955 movie that starred James Dean and depicted the lives of aimless teenagers.

The film’s most memorable scene was a game of chicken in which two boys raced cars side by side toward a cliff and the first one to bail out was the loser. The “winner,” however, died when his car hurtled over the cliff.

Ever since, the term has been applied to other high-stakes confrontations and it’s an apt description of a conflict between California and the six other states that draw water from the Colorado River. Years of drought and overly optimistic assumptions of how much water the Colorado can produce, dating back to a 1922 multi-state pact, have left the river in crisis.

The Colorado’s two major reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, have

fallen so low that their power generators could soon cease operating. The federal Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the river, has called on the states to reduce their diversions, set at 16.4 million acre-feet a year in the 1922 agreement but recently averaging about 14 million, by 2-4 million acre-feet. The agency threatened to impose the cuts unilaterally if there’s no agreement.

Fitful negotiations have been underway for years, but a Jan. 31 deadline for submitting a unified plan passed without agreement. The six other states submitted a plan for reducing use by 2.9 million acre-feet, a third of which would come from California, which is by far the heaviest diverter. California officials have rejected that scenario and instead have offered a 400,000 acre-foot reduction.

California is an outlier largely because agricultural irrigation districts along the river, particularly the Imperial Irrigation District, which are the state’s biggest users of Colorado and have very senior water rights, are so far unwilling

to make more than token cuts.

Major reductions would probably require ceasing farming on thousands of acres of land, much of which now grows alfalfa for dairy farms and cattle ranches, some as far away as China. If they are imposed involuntarily, farmers would probably sue, citing their historic legal rights.

“The strongest thing that the other basin states have going for them is some relative level of consensus. And the strongest thing California has going for it is the law,” Rhett Larson, a water law expert at Arizona State University, told the Los Angeles Times.

The political – and perhaps legal –game of chicken over the Colorado’s ever-diminishing flow may be over money as much as it is water. Southern California farmers have hinted that they would cooperate if they were compensated for taking land out of production.

“For most parties, the political game now is how to extract the most money from the federal government

and the most water from California so other lower-priority parties can reduce water use less,” UC Merced engineering professors Jay Lund and Josué Medellin-Azuara wrote in a recent analysis of the situation.

The Colorado River’s dynamics mirror an even larger battle in Northern California over how much water can be extracted from rivers that flow into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The state Water Resources Control Board wants lower diversions to improve water quality and wildlife habitat in the Delta and has threatened mandatory reductions unless there are satisfactory “voluntary agreements” with agricultural water districts. The board is being pressed by environmentalists to take direct action, but if it acted unilaterally, it probably would trigger lawsuits over the state’s authority to abrogate long-standing water rights.

It’s another game of chicken, and as with the Colorado situation, who ultimately wins and who loses is very uncertain.

Merced County Farm Bureau Heritage Members

Platinum Heritage Members

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Grimbleby Coleman CPAs Holt Ag Solutions

Minturn Nut Company

Valley Pacific Petroleum Services Inc.

Turlock Irrigation District

Sweet Potato Joe from page 1

the former Florence Cardoza of Merced in 1942.

By: Alvar Escriva-Bou, Ellen Hanak, Spencer Cole, and Josué MedellínAzuara, with research support from Annabelle Rosser, Public Policy Institute of California

Water challenges loom over California’s most important farming region

After the war, and during his life as a sweet potato farmer, he served as President of the California Sweet Potato Council, and US Sweet Potato Council, where he was a Director for over 20 years. He was the first California farmer to attend the National Sweet Potato Convention, among other industry firsts. Joe served as President of the Merced County Farm Bureau, and was on the Board of Directors of the Nisei Farmers League. He formed the California Sweet Potato Growers Co-op in Livingston, along with several other local growers, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The San Joaquin Valley produces more than half of the state’s agricultural output, and it is an important contributor to the nation’s food supply. In terms of revenues, Fresno, Kern, and Tulare Counties are the nation’s top three agricultural counties. In 2018, about 4.5 million acres of cropland were irrigated in the region, using 16.1 million acrefeet (maf) of water. The valley is also home to significant dairy and beef industries.

Farming and related industries play an outsized role in the San Joaquin Valley’s economy, accounting

for 14 percent of GDP, 17 percent of employment, and 19 percent of revenues. Valley agriculture employs around 340,000 people; its crops produce more than $24 billion in revenues, led by orchards and vines (almost $20 billion) and vegetables ($2.8 billion). Dairies and beef produce about $6.4 billion and $3.2 billion in revenues, respectively. A $34 billion food and beverage processing industry also relies directly on the valley’s crops.

known as the “Voice of Livingston.” From 1946 to 1996, he announced all the Livingston High School football games, lending his strong voice to the community by also announcing everything in Livingston from parades to radio programs. He served on the Livingston Elementary School Board and the Merced County Recreation Commission for many years. Joe’s acting skills even benefited the Livingston Little Theater Group, where he starred in several productions, most notably as Elwood P. Dowd in “Harvey”.

Ensuring the economic and environmental sustainability of San Joaquin Valley agriculture is key for the region’s wellbeing, but this sector faces a future with less water for irrigation— an essential input. In 2019, we assessed the socioeconomic consequences of the transition to groundwater sustainability and other potential water supply constraints. Now, new data have enabled us to provide a

His interests and community involvement were very diversefrom serving as a founding member of the Livingston Medical Group, to past-President of Livingston Rotary, to being

and booster for over fifty years. This led to his being appointed the third Area Commissioner of Baseball. All of these years of being involved in baseball in Livingston culminated in the community baseball field being renamed the “Joe F. Alvernaz Baseball Field,” something he was so proud of.

more up-to-date analysis, and while our results are broadly consistent with the 2019 study, we assess water availability, overdraft, and the impact of the transition to groundwater sustainability at a much more granular scale than in any previous study. Fallowing will likely be greater than we initially estimated, unless growers are able to develop considerably more additional supplies.

The transition to sustainability will constrain farm water availability, leading to significant land fallowing

His love of baseball began at an early age and became a life-long interest that manifested itself into a devotion to the sport for over eighty years. He organized the first kid’s hardball team in Merced County in the early 50’s. He was particularly fond of American Legion Baseball, serving as a coach, sponsor, announcer

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), enacted in 2014, is key to ensuring the San Joaquin Valley’s future as an agricultural region. The law requires local water users to form groundwater sustainability agencies and develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans to bring use to sustainable levels by the 2040s— basically by reducing water use and/or

Joe was predeceased by his parents, Joe and Mabel Alvernaz, brothers, Arthur and John Alvernaz, and sister, Mary Geyer. He was also predeceased by his oldest son, Joey Alvernaz, in 1980 and by his wife of 64 years, Florence, in 2007.

He is survived by five children, Judy Blevins, James (Colette) Alvernaz, and Benjamin (Debbie) Alvernaz of Livingston; Cecelia (James) Simon of San Diego, and Susan (Randall) Wilson of Mariposa, a sister, Cecelia Luker of Atwater, 17 grandchildren and 13

great grandchildren.

The Future of Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley

His light on earth has dimmed, but heaven is brighter as he has joined Florence, the true love of his life.

developing new water supplies. Local water users must also avoid significant undesirable effects of groundwater use along the way.

So long to our Dad, coach, neighbor and everyone’s friend. He will be deeply and painfully missed, yet celebrated, honored and never forgotten.

SGMA was prompted by the chronic overpumping of groundwater, which has reduced groundwater reserves, dried up wells, and damaged infrastructure. These issues will worsen, and become increasingly costly for farmers and valley communities, if the region fails to achieve sustainability.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to Grace Nursing Home in Livingston or to the Joe F. Alvernaz Memorial Fund to benefit youth baseball in Livingston.

Achieving groundwater sustainability will be the single biggest driver reducing water supply in the valley. But climate change—which will affect precipitation patterns and increase crop water demands—will further constrain water supplies. So will additional water dedicated to the environment, especially in a few specific basins.

Sweet Potato Joe was the Farm Bureau President from 1983-1986 and hired long-time staff member Lorraine Passadori when she showed up in her clown costume for the interview. Agriculture lost a strong advocate that will truly be missed. We will continue to keep his family in our thoughts and prayers.

See 'San Joaquin Valley' Page 14

San Joaquin Valley

continued from page 13

We estimate that by 2040, the combined impacts of SGMA, climate change, and environmental regulations could cause a 20 percent reduction in water availability for valley agriculture, or around 3.2 maf (panel a in the first figure). Water constraints will lead to a reduction in irrigated lands, and in overdrafted basins, areas with less access to surface supplies will face a much higher risk of fallowing (panel b). In the worstcase scenario, without developing new supplies or engaging in water trading activities, the transition to sustainability under climate change and increased environmental flows will require the fallowing of nearly 900,000 acres with respect to current conditions. In some areas, more than 50 percent of lands may need to be fallowed (panel c).

These estimates are average annual values for scenarios in 2040—but it is important to note that there is no “average” in California. The San Joaquin Valley will continue to face droughts, in addition to the water reductions we describe above, and additional seasonal fallowing will be needed in some years to cope with the intrinsic variability of the state’s Mediterranean climate. Demand and supply strategies can

soften the impacts of water stress

Growing water scarcity will cause substantial land fallowing and losses of agricultural GDP and jobs by 2040. In past work, we found that two approaches could significantly mitigate the socioeconomic losses: increasing flexibility through water trading and expanding water supplies. Trading does not substantially reduce fallowing because it does not increase water availability, but it does reduce economic impacts by moving water to crops and locations where cutbacks would be most costly for growers and the regional economy. New cost-effective supply investments can also provide economic benefits, while reducing the need to fallow land.

Here we revisit our earlier analysis, exploring a range of scenarios with more recent, granular data (see box). Below we present the main conclusions based on the water, land, and socioeconomic results shown in the second figure.

Inflexible water management is a costly way to cope with growing water scarcity. In the most constrained scenario—when cuts from SGMA, climate change, and increased environmental regulations are all

included and no trading is allowed— GDP would decline by more than $4.5 billion, employment by nearly 50,000 jobs, and regional economic activity by 2.3 percent.

Water trading would significantly reduce regional economic losses. Localized trading of both surface and groundwater can reduce the regional costs of adjustment roughly by a third (33% for GDP and 30% for jobs). More flexibility further reduces costs: with basin-wide trading and valley-wide surface trading, GDP losses are 42–50 percent lower, and job losses 37–44 percent lower, than with inflexible water management. Small reductions in total land fallowing would occur as farmers switch away from some thirstier feed crops towards perennial nuts and fruits. New supplies would further mitigate losses. Even with relatively high costs for new water, expansion of supplies would further reduce GDP losses, while also saving jobs. At $500/ af, GDP losses would decline by 58–61 percent relative to the baseline for the +0.5 and +1 maf scenarios respectively (shown in the second figure), and job losses would decline by 57–69 percent. At the heftier price of $1,000/af, the GDP benefits of a +0.5 maf expansion would still be greater than a future with flexible trading and no new supplies, and roughly equal for a +1 maf expansion. But perhaps the most noteworthy effect of new supplies is on farmed acreage: expanding supplies would reduce fallowing by 225,000 and 395,000 acres

(26 and 45%) for the two scenarios considered.

Productivity growth could raise farm output above today’s levels. Continued advances in productivity will significantly soften the impacts of water supply cuts facing the valley: with just half the yield growth of the past 40 years, roughly half of the transition cost could be offset by 2040 even without new supplies or water trading. In the scenario shown in the second figure—which combines productivity growth, flexible trading, and 1 maf of new supplies—regional GDP and jobs actually increase (+1%) relative to current levels despite 1.25 maf less irrigation water.

Considering potential tradeoffs of different management strategies

Although water trading and new supplies can generate broad regional benefits, it is also important to consider the tradeoffs they may entail.

Trading and new water supply projects should avoid significant harm to water users and ecosystems. Trading needs to be done in ways that avoid significant impacts to other water users and the environment. Such safeguards are already in place for surface water trading—and it will be crucial to incorporate them as new groundwater markets develop. For instance, trading should not adversely affect small community drinking water wells. Providing small communities with adequate groundwater allocations—

caps on what each user may pump—is another way to ensure their supplies. It also will be important to develop new supplies in ways that mitigate or avoid significant adverse impacts on others.

Trading may adversely affect some agricultural industries. Trading would shift water away from some feed crops (especially alfalfa and irrigated pasture) toward specialty crops—accelerating a process that has been underway for some time. This will raise costs for dairy, beef, and their related processing industries, which will have to buy these inputs from elsewhere or find suitable substitutes. Although these adverse impacts are overshadowed by the larger benefits of water trading, transitional support for affected communities may be warranted.

The valley will still need to manage large increases in fallowed land. Trading reduces the socioeconomic costs of having less water, but barely changes fallowed acreage. Even with an optimistic scenario for new supplies, the valley is looking at close to half a million acres coming out of irrigated production. Haphazard land fallowing could increase dust and air quality problems, exacerbate the spread of weeds and pests, and degrade soils. It will be essential to put these lands to alternative uses that avoid these problems and generate economic and environmental benefits.

Editor's Note: Please visit www.ppic. org/publication/policy-brief-the-futureof-agriculture-in-the-san-joaquin-valley/ to view figures mentioned in article.

By: California Farm Bureau

February 10, 2023

Agricultural Employment Policy

On the last day allowed under state state laws governing regulatory processes for the agency to take action, the Department of Finance on February 3 approved the COVID-19 Non-Emergency Standard, making it immediately effective. It will remain in effect until February 3, 2025. The Non-Emergency Standard is very similar to prior Emergency Temporary Standard iterations except that it does not require employers to furnish exclusion pay (maintenance of pay, benefits and seniority for employees the employer must exclude from the workplace because they may pose a COVID-19 infection hazard).

Air Quality

CA Farm Bureau would like to caution our members about an effort in the San Joaquin Valley to place air quality monitors on, or near, agricultural facilities. A local group out of UC Merced called the San Joaquin Valley Center for Community Air Assessment and Injustice Reduction is attempting to gather air quality data from Stockton to Fresno. Members of the group are approaching producers and asking them to place these air monitors on their operations. The group claims that these monitors will; 1) Understand air quality in your location and the potential impacts on public health, 2) Develop strategies to improve air quality, and 3) Share research results with stakeholders. As CAFB has not been included on this program’s goals or contacted by this group – it is unlikely the data will be shared with us, a stakeholder, and be depicted accurately. Other farming organizations share similar concerns and have pointed out that these monitors do not meet federal EPA guidelines. Farm Bureau would like to emphasize that you are in no way obligated to place one on your property. An example of the letter that is being presented for the monitor’s placement is here https://www.cfbf.com/ ag-advocacy/all-issues/sjv-air-pollution.

Climate Change

SB 253 by Senator Wiener would require the State Air Resources Board, on or before January 1, 2025, to develop and adopt regulations requiring United States partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies, and other business entities with total annual revenues in excess of $1,000,000,000 and that do business in California, defined as

Farm Bureau at Work

“reporting entities,” to publicly disclose to the emissions registry, as defined, and verify, starting in 2026 on a date to be determined by the state board, and annually thereafter, their greenhouse gas emissions, categorized as scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, as defined, from the prior calendar year, as provided. The bill would require the state board, on or before January 1, 2030, to review, and update as necessary, these deadlines to evaluate trends in scope 3 emissions reporting and to consider changes to the deadlines, as provided. The bill would require reporting entities to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions in a manner that is easily understandable and accessible to residents of the state. The bill would require reporting entities to ensure that their public disclosures have been independently verified by the emissions registry or a third-party auditor, approved by the state board, with expertise in greenhouse gas emissions accounting. The bill would require the state board, in developing these regulations, to consult with the Attorney General, other government stakeholders, investors, stakeholders representing consumer and environmental justice interests, and reporting entities that have demonstrated leadership in full-scope greenhouse gas emissions accounting and public disclosure and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the State Air Resources Board to make available, and update at least annually, on its internet website the emissions of greenhouse gases, criteria pollutants, and toxic air contaminants for each facility that reports to the state board, as provided. Under the act, a violation of a rule, regulation, order, emission limitation, emission reduction measure, or other measure adopted by the state board under the act is a crime. SB 261 by Senator Stern would require, on or before December 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a covered entity, as defined, to prepare a climate- related financial risk report disclosing the entity’s climate-related financial risk and measures adopted to reduce and adapt to climate-related financial risk disclosed. The bill would require the covered entity to submit to the state board, and make available to the public on its own internet website, a copy of the report and to submit to the Secretary of State a statement affirming, not under penalty of perjury, that the report discloses climaterelated financial risk. The bill would

also set forth the duties of the ClimateRelated Risk Disclosure Advisory Group, as specified, including the duty to collect and review climate-related financial risk reports received in the prior calendar year and the duty to annually prepare a public report that contains specified information, including a review of the disclosure of climate-related financial risk contained in climaterelated financial risk reports and an analysis of the systemic and sectorwide climate- related financial risks facing the state.

Insurance

AB 478 has been introduced by Assembly member Damon Connolly. For insureds 65 years of age or older, this bill would limit an increase in their yearly premium for a policy of residential property insurance by no more than 25 percent for insured property located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone, as identified by the State Fire Marshal, as specified, and allow only one premium increase in a 5-year period.

Organics

Assembly member Damon Connolly has introduced three bills AB 404 , AB 405 and AB 406 that deal with Organic Farming. The first bill would require the Department of Food Agriculture to evaluate duplicative reporting requirements that affect small and midsize farmers and farming operations. The second bill would create an online registration and payment option for those engaged in organic farming with the specified oversight department or agency and the last bill would authorize the Healthy Soils Program to include the funding of organic farming projects that further the goals of the program and require the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish the technical advisory committee if it elects to fund those projects.

Rural Broadband

AB 415 , introduced by Assembly member Freddie Rodriguez, would enact the Emergency Fairgrounds Communications Grant Act and would require the Office of Emergency Services to establish a grant program to provide fairgrounds with grant funding for the purpose of building and upgrading communication and internet infrastructure on fairgrounds. The bill would require the office to establish standards to determine the awarding of grant funding that award funding based on a fairground’s need for internet capabilities in order to service an emergency response operation. The

bill would require those standards to require, at a minimum, that a fairground receiving grant funds be located in an area with sufficient open-access middle- mile broadband infrastructure within a reasonable distance to support the fairground’s expanded broadband capabilities and be capable of providing public access to the fairground’s broadband network throughout the year.

Utilities

A bill to expand the state’s electric grid, AB 538 (Holden-D), was introduced on Wednesday. It is the latest iteration of the effort to expand the management of the western transmission grid to include other states and potentially take advantage of other western generation sources. The bill would authorize CAISO (the California Transmission Operator) to develop a governance proposal for a regional grid. The governing documents would be reviewed by the California Energy Commission. Thereafter, the proposals and documents would be subject to review by the California Energy Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission and the CAISO for review, to make sure the plan followed parameters set in the bill. The bill would also create a committee to "provide guidance" to CAISO, with representatives from Western states whose utilities have joined the new regional grid.

The last time the regionalization proposal was considered was in 2018 and was met with significant resistance for various reasons, including some who are concerned that the clean energy goals of California would be difficult to measure if power was imported from other states. In reviewing the bill one cause for concern is that there is no mention of the need to ensure that rates do not increase as a result of any expansion. California has a history of creating new entities and imposing the cost for their administration on customers. CAFB will continue to monitor the progress of the legislation for impacts to California ratepayers.

Water

AB 422 introduced by Assembly member Juan Alanis would require the Natural Resources Agency to post on its publicly available internet website information tracking the progress to increase statewide water storage, and to keep that information updated.

Assembly member Jim Wood introduced AB 541, which would direct

See 'Farm Bureau at Work' Page 16

Farm Bureau at Work

continued from page 15

the State Water Resources Control Board to require a public water system, water corporation, or water district that has experienced a major wildfire event within their service territory to test their water source for the presence of benzene immediately following that major wildfire event.

AB 560 regarding groundwater adjudications has been introduced by Assembly member Steve Bennett. Current law prohibits a court from approving entry of judgment in certain adjudication actions for a basin required to have a groundwater sustainability plan under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, unless the court finds that the judgment would not substantially impair the ability of a groundwater sustainability agency, the State Water Resources Control Board, or the Department of Water Resources to comply with the act and to achieve sustainable groundwater management. AB 560 would require the court to refer the proposed judgment to the board for an advisory determination as to whether the proposed judgment will substantially impair the ability of a groundwater sustainability agency, the board, or the department to achieve sustainable groundwater management. The bill would require the board to consult with the department before making its determination.

In another SGMA focused bill, Senator Melissa Hurtado has introduced SB 315, a spot bill that would express the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation that would assist groundwater sustainability agencies in fostering discussions among diverse water management interests and local agencies as they strive to implement the act.

SB 361 from Senator Bill Dodd has been introduced. Its focus is to improve data gathering and management from the state’s network of stream gages. The bill would require the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board, upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature, to reactivate, upgrade, and install new stream gages and would require the department and board to use the recommendations and data provided in the California Stream Gaging Prioritization Plan 2022 to complete specified actions by 2030. The bill would require the data from all stream gages operating with any public money to be published as provisional data within 10 days of collection and

made publicly available on the state’s open water data platforms. SB 361 would require the department and board to develop and adopt a set of standards and processes for assessing, tracking, and reporting the accuracy of stream gages, evapotranspiration data, water meters, and other critical data inputs for water management, as provided. The bill would require the department and the board to consult with interested stakeholders to develop a plan to identify the gaps in the network of automated weather stations and eddy covariance towers to ensure accurate and comprehensive data collection.

Senator Anna Caballero has introduced SB 366 , a spot bill that would state the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation that modernizes the California Water Plan, including the establishment of long-term water supply targets.

Wildfire

SB 310 has been introduced by Senator Bill Dodd. Current law provides that no person shall be liable for any fire suppression or other costs otherwise recoverable for a prescribed burn if specified conditions are met, including, among others, a burn boss, as certified through a certification program developed by the State Fire Marshal, has reviewed and approved a written prescription for the burn, the burn complies with that written prescription, and either the landowner has provided written permission or the governing body of a Native American tribe has given approval, as provided. Current law exempts cultural burns conducted by a cultural fire practitioner from those requirements that a person certified as a burn boss review and approve a written prescription and that the burn be conducted in compliance with the written prescription. SB 310 would expand the definition of burn boss to also include a person qualified for specified positions through the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, as provided, and limiting the tribal approval condition to the approval of the governing body of a California Native American tribe.

Wildlife and CESA

This week, the Fish and Game Commission (Commission) discussed the petition to list the Western Joshua Tree (WJT) under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). This topic has been discussed at several meetings over the last year, although the ultimate decision keeps getting pushed to a future date. This meeting was no different. The department discussed legislation that was released on Tuesday aimed at addressing the WJT

conservation efforts. The bill may be formally introduced as a budget trailer bill later this year. The Department of Fish and Wildlife created the bill in response to the Commission’s request. In a past meeting, Commissioners shared the mentality that “the WJT is deserving of special attention and requires a novel approach to ensure the long-term conservation of the species and alternate protection before it declines further.” This bill would prohibit any person or public agency from importing into the state, exporting out of the state, or taking, possessing, purchasing, or selling within the state, a western Joshua tree or any part or product of the tree. It would also require the Commission, beginning in 2026 and at a public meeting, to annually review the status of the WJT and the effectiveness of the permitting and mitigation program established under the act. The Commission discussed tracking the new piece of legislation as it moves through the process. If it is in fact incorporated into the budget process, its fate might not be known until July – or possibly beyond. The Commission will monitor the bill’s progress and set it for a hearing date as its fate becomes clearer.

Announcements

CDFA Selects 17 Projects For 2021 State Water Efficiency And Enhancement Program Southern Desert Region Pilot Grants California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce the projects selected for 2021 State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program Southern Desert Region Pilot (SWEEP) grant awards. Seventeen agricultural operations located in parts of Riverside and Imperial counties have been selected to receive funding, totaling $2.7 million. These projects will improve crop irrigation systems, resulting in an estimated 48,500 acre-feet of water savings over the course of 10 years. The 2021 SWEEP Southern Desert Region list of selected projects is available online. “We are proud to continue investing in water use efficiency in agriculture to help address our changing climate,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Farmers involved in this program are making positive onfarm changes to grow food with more efficient watering systems in an important agricultural region of the state.”

CDFA’s SWEEP team prepared a pilot solicitation targeted at agricultural areas located in in the southern desert region, a region defined as Imperial County and Riverside County, east

of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. With guidance of CDFA’s Environmental Farming Act (EFA) Science Advisory Panel (SAP) and the SWEEP Ad Hoc Advisory Group, a $2 million portion of the 2021 SWEEP allocation ($50 M) was dedicated to projects located in the southern desert region, a region, which due to its unique water distribution and energy systems, has historically received low levels of funding from SWEEP. An additional $700,000 was remaining from the 2021 SWEEP solicitation and was combined with the $2M reserved for this targeted solicitation for the total $2.7M awarded.

Projects funded through this Pilot program must demonstrate water savings from proposed irrigation improvements but will not be required to reduce GHG emissions from irrigation pumping. Projects must not result in an increase in GHG emissions. Fifty agricultural operations applied for funding through the 2021 SWEEP Southern Desert Region Pilot solicitation process. Applications were reviewed by a team of irrigation specialists from the University of California and California State University systems. The program is part of CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation (OEFI) Climate Smart Agriculture portfolio.

CDFA Now Accepting Research

Grant Proposals For California

Fruit Tree, Nut Tree, And Grapevine Improvement Advisory Board (Iab)

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting applications for the California Fruit Tree, Nut Tree, and Grapevine Improvement Advisory Board (IAB) research grant proposals. The IAB funds research to promote the production of fruit tree, nut tree, and grapevines resulting in improved nursery stock. The intended research should address important disease and pest problems or other cultural aspects of fruit tree, nut tree, and grapevine nursery stock production. Funding is made possible from industry assessments.

Projects funded through IAB commonly include elements such as research of diseases and genetic disorders, variety identification, education and outreach, alternative treatment methods, and rootstock advancements as it relates to the production of high-quality tree and grapevine nursery stock. Applicants should review the research proposal solicitation materials posted on the IAB webpage HERE. The research grant proposals submission window opportunity will end by April 3, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Danette Toso

The Atmospheric River and Bomb Cyclone that recently ripped through Mariposa County was a new experience for most of us. The wicked storms with torrential rains, sleet, hail and severe winds, found county residents in an all hands on deck mode. County employees and volunteers worked tirelessly to keep people and animals safe from the rushing waters, mud and

All or Nothing

debris slides. County offices and schools were closed due to the unsafe weather conditions and an emergency declaration was signed by the board of supervisors. The dedication and quick response from many departments in the county undoubtedly saved lives.

These last few years have literally been an all or nothing weather pattern. As ranchers, we pray for rain to grow feed in the spring, then pray that there are no wildfires over the summer. During the drought, so many of us watched our springs dry up, wells go dry, and many were hauling in water for their livestock. Water is such a precious commodity, and many non-agriculture folks take it for granted. We never take it for granted and have a great respect for it when it’s raging down the creeks and rivers. I can never decide which is more destructive, fire or water, they can both be so intense and deadly.

Now we will all be holding our breath, crossing our fingers, and praying that we don’t have a large Grasshopper hatch this spring. Those pesky little pests have veracious appetites and not only devour our

coveted grasses and gardens, they even eat trees and the paint off of houses. The swarms can get so large, that they completely cover the roads, as they’re on the march feeding. Wait, they’re pushing bug consumption for protein, maybe we can start a new business, capturing and selling Grasshoppers……..Grasshoppers Au Gratin!

As farmers and ranchers, we are always prepared for emergencies,

large and small. Our freezers are full, pantries are stocked, and we work to be ready for anything that’s thrown at us. Our agricultural community is strong, resilient, resourceful, resolute, and we work hard together. Working together, we can encourage farmers, ranchers and conservators to invite friends, neighbors and family members to join the collective voice of the Farm Bureau. Together, we can make our organization stronger than ever, one member at a time.

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Mariposa County Business Member Directory

REPAIRS

Merced County Business Member Directory

Businesses Supporting the Farm Bureau

J & F Fertilizer 854-6325

La Follette Enterprises, Inc. 632-1385

Mass Energy Works. (530) 710-8545

Machado Feed Company .................. 658-5943

Maciel & Co 777-0911

CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS

FARM EQUIPMENT

REAL ESTATE

Mid Valley Ag Service 394-7981

Modern Dairy 722-7452

Modesto Dairy Supply ....................... 669-6200

Silva & Sons Custom Spreading 667-2566

Stone Family Spreading 756-1491

The Pollination Connection (877) 970-BEES (2337)

FOOD PROCESSING

A V Thomas Produce ......................... 394-7514 Dallas Distributing Co 394-2803

Del Rio Nut Company 394-7945

The Morning Star Company .............. 826-8000

Minturn Huller Co-op (559) 665-1185

Parreira Almond Processing Co. 826-1262

Sensient Natural Ingredients (800) 558-9892

Yosemite Farms ................................. 383-3411

HARVESTING & HAULING

Baldes Hay Co ......................... (559) 718-9714

Bertuccio Hay 761-6247

Castillo Brothers Hay 392-3817

Diamond J Farms 564-0870

Minturn Huller Co-op .............. (559) 665-1185

Northern Merced Hulling 667-2308

Wallace & Son 382-0131

IRRIGATION, WELLS, & SEPTIC

Allison Sierra, Inc. 966-4082

Agri-Valley Irrigation ......................... 384-8494

Dickey's Pump Service 394-3112

Irrigation Design & Construction, LLC387-4500

Pacific Southwest Irrigation 460-0450

Precision Aqua ................................... 756-2025

Quality Well Drillers 357-0675

Rain for Rent/Westside Pump (559) 693-4315

Robal