By: MID
The Merced Irrigation District Board of Directors has adopted a $162.5 million budget for Fiscal Year 2025 and established an in-district water rate of $50 per acre foot for this year’s irrigation season. MID Customer Service is currently accepting water orders. Water deliveries to growers will begin in the coming weeks as water
demand builds in each distribution area.
Lake McClure, MID’s primary surface water storage facility, is currently at its maximum operating level allowed for this time of year with approximately 660,000 acre feet of water in storage.
“We had good carryover storage from last year and some late-season snow that has tremendously improved our overall water supply forecasts,” said MID
General Manager John Sweigard.
Deputy General Manager of Water Resources Bryan Kelly said the 2025 Grower Information Packets will be mailed out soon and invited growers to contact their local Distribution System Operator at any time.
Options for ordering water include:
• Orders may be placed anytime online at www.mercedid.org.
• Orders may be placed anytime using
MID’s automated water ordering system at (866) 825-2475.
During weekday business hours, orders may also be placed by calling MID Customer Service at (209) 7222720 or toll-free at (800) 750-2720.
• Orders may be placed in person during weekday business hours at MID’s office, located at 744 W. 20th Street in Merced.
If your last name begins with a “P,” and you’re running for a seat on the
Merced County Board of Supervisors, then you’re feeling pretty good after witnessing the Primary Election results on Tuesday night.
Josh Pedrozo, the incumbent District 2 supervisor, garnered 3,053 votes, or 69.96 percent of the tally so far, compared to 1,286 votes, or 29.4 percent, that went to his challenger Annissa Fragoso.
Lloyd Pareira, the incumbent District 4 supervisor, was ahead with 2,248 votes, or 62.60 percent, compared to challengers Dennis Brazil, with 671 votes, or 18.69 percent; and Jim Soria with 662, or 18.43 percent.
And Jim Pacheco, a challenger for the District 1 seat, was strongly outpacing incumbent Supervisor Rodrigo Espinosa. Pacheco was holding onto 1,244 votes, or 54.11 percent, on Wednesday morning, compared to 513 votes, or 22.3 percent, for Espinosa. Two other challengers, Maria Soto (16.6 percent) and Sonia Alshami (6.8 percent) were falling short of what would be needed to make it into a possible two-candidate runoff in November.
Pedrozo ‘proud to serve’
“I’m still feeling cautiously optimistic until everything comes
back,” Pedrozo said of his Dist. 2 race. “With those first numbers coming in though I’m feeling a lot better. With 70 percent in support right now is a very good sign. It just goes to show that the work I’ve done for Merced County and District 2 hasn’t gone unnoticed. So I’m very happy about that, and I’m proud to continue, if it holds up, to serve the people of District 2 and Merced County.
“I think it’s just going to continue to grow, and it just goes to show you that I’m working really hard for Merced County, I’m working really hard for District 2, and the ag industry, and to make Merced County the best of the 58 counties in the state of California.”
District 2 includes most of the City of Merced, along with the UC Merced campus. With a win, Supervisor Pedrozo will be headed to a second term in office.
The supervisor thanked his supporters who attended an event at Five Ten Bistro in downtown Merced. He noted that he “wouldn’t have been able to do this without my wife.”
Meanwhile, the supervisor’s only challenger, insurance agent Annissa Fragoso, spoke graciously about her opponent and the opportunity to run despite the numbers on Election Night.
She stated that she has a lot of respect for Pedrozo, going so far as to reach out and thank the current supervisor for helping to maintain a positive campaign.
“I want voters to know that regardless of what happens tonight this has still been a win for us,” Fragoso told supporters who gathered at her office.
She said her team worked hard to ensure District 2 residents had a good understanding of the issues and challenges that are going on in the community.
Pareira close to third term
District 4 Supervisor Lloyd Pareira celebrated with supporters who packed the house at the Great American Grill in Hilmar on Tuesday night.
“I know there are a lot more votes to be counted, but if it stays similar, it looks like we will avoid a runoff,” he told the Times. “I’m hopeful. Usually the first dump of votes is pretty indicative of what’s going to happen.”
Pareira said the crowd erupted in cheers when the results came in. “It’s fun. It’s special. It’s also reaffirming. … I’m really thankful for the groundswell of support from people who appreciate the work we are doing.”
With a win, Pareira would be headed
See 'Election' Page 15
Last week, Pierce Hanning, our Young Farmers and Ranchers Chair, and I had the opportunity to speak with the Merced Junior College Ag Ambassadors. The students involved in Ag Ambassadors are engaged with various planning needs for the college, have access to additional leadership trainings and can meet their peers who are interested in agriculture. Both Pierce and I covered the large bandwidth that Farm Bureau covers and how they can become involved. I am asked to speak on Farm Bureau topics multiple times a year and while I always appreciate the opportunity, it’s always a little more special when it’s a group of future agriculturists.
This month will be highlighted by our Annual Dinner. As with every year, we are gearing up for a great night capped with California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass as our keynote speaker. The meal will sure to be wonderful as Kelli Cochrane Catering will make her way back
to Merced to serve up some of her delicious food. Merced County YF&R plan to host a silent auction which will benefit Farm PAC. This is the largest agricultural PAC in California and is a division of California Farm Bureau.
Voting members of Merced County Farm Bureau can also vote on a bylaw amendment that would alter the districts of the organization and redistribute the director seats. The bylaw amendment would be adjusted from eight (8) districts to four (4) districts. The reasoning for this was to align better with the population numbers, equally distributing the membership amongst the districts. The proposed districts will also fall in line with the Board of Supervisor districts if adopted.
The district amendment also forces the adjustment to our board representation; however, we will not alter the number of directors that are on the board. Currently each of our 8 districts has 2 directors with twelve directors serving in an At-Large
capacity. The proposal will amend this to 3 directors per district, creating 12 director specific seats and 16 At-Large positions. Should any voting member have questions on this, please call our office and I can explain the amendments further.
I must end this column with a few notes of appreciation. I must thank Joe Sansoni for his dedication over the last two years as he has served as president. During this time, he has tackled several issues and needs of the organization, and we cannot thank him enough. I am also thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Dave Barroso who will serve as your president for the 2024-2026 term.
Lastly, a very large thank you goes to Louie Bandoni for his many years of service on our board. Louie has served a continuous term of 20 years. He has been a director on several committees and served as president from 2006-2008. We appreciate the time he has given our organization and look forward to seeing him away from the office.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. –The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) today issued its draft 2024 Business Plan for public review and comment. The draft 2024 Business Plan reaffirms the Authority’s goal of advancing a clean, electrified high-speed rail in California.
The plan discusses major program progress in Northern California, the Central Valley and Southern California, as well as updates on federal funding, ridership and construction status. It also maintains cost and schedules from the 2023 Project Update Report, released 11 months ago.
Highlights between the 2023 Project Update Report and this draft 2024 Business Plan include:
• The Authority was awarded $3.3 billion in new federal funds to advance the work on the initial operating segment between Merced and Bakersfield.
• The Authority is advancing necessary procurements to move the project from construction into operations, including purchasing electrified trains and designing the track and systems needed for passenger service.
• The first construction package (CP 4) covering 22.5 miles in the Central Valley reached substantial completion.
• The Authority’s construction jobs exceeded 12,200 in 2023 and set records for the number of daily workers on the job sites.
• The designs for the extensions to Merced and Bakersfield, as well
as the four Central Valley stations, are on schedule, meeting contract milestones for 2023.
With the release of today’s draft business plan, the Authority Board of Directors will review the plan and seek input as part of a 60-day public comment period that starts today and closes at 5 p.m. on April 9. The Authority is providing the following options for submitting comments: Online comment form through the Draft 2024 Business Plan website at:https://hsr.ca.gov/2024-draft-businessplan-comment-form/
• By email at: BusinessPlan2024@ hsr.ca.gov
• U.S. mail to the Authority:
• California High-Speed Rail Authority
Attn: Draft 2024 Business Plan 770 L Street, Suite 1180
Sacramento, CA 95814
• Provide public comment at the upcoming Board of Directors Meeting within the public comment period virtually or in person on February 29, 2024 in Sacramento.
The Authority has begun work to extend the 119 miles currently under construction to 171 miles of future electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield.
There are more than 25 active construction sites in California’s Central Valley, with the Authority having also fully environmentally cleared 422 miles of the high-speed rail program from the Bay Area to Los Angeles County.
The following link contains recent video, animations, photography, press center resources and latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/
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.
It’s hard to believe that my tenure as your MCFB president is coming to a close! Two years is a pretty good chunk of time, but as with all things worthwhile, the time does seem to pass very quickly. Much of what I write here will be repeated at our Annual Meeting, however for those that will not be in attendance, I wish to use this month’s column – my last - to acknowledge those who have helped make my time as your president much easier and more productive. It was with a deep breath and a bit of nervousness that I came into my term of office, not knowing fully what to expect over the next couple years, but also knowing that I had the support and enthusiasm of a lot of very knowledgeable, high caliber peers and individuals in the MCFB boardroom and offices. We are extra blessed at MCFB to have an all-star staff manning our office! I wish to extend a very warm and personal “THANK YOU” to Breanne, Lorraine, Denelle, and Alexxis for their outstanding and continued leadership, efforts, and work - week in and week out - with never any less than can-do attitudes, commitment to quality and excellent service to our members. On the director’s side of the table, I want to personally thank each of our directors for their time, knowledge, and contributions to the board as well as to our various subcommittees. We
have a very experienced and engaged board and throughout my term I have always been impressed and grateful for their time, ideas, and efforts. I have learned so much from so many of our directors, and that personal development for me has been rewarding and greatly appreciated! In particular, I would like to thank the two most recent past presidents Eric Harcksen and Gino Pedretti III for their respective roles in not only continuing their service to MCFB but for mentoring me and helping to prepare me to step into the role. I would like to thank our incoming 2024-2026 president Dave Barroso for doing a great job of stepping up his availability and engagement as he prepared himself to carry the torch into the new term. Dave
Agriculture has never been an easy endeavor to be involved in. Farmers, ranchers, dairy producers, timbermen, and anyone who works for or with them are subject to the vagaries of the weather and Mother Nature’s challenges, sometimes fickle markets, supply chain backups, and a plethora of political, economic and logistical challenges. Currently, we as an industry in nearly every crop category are facing dire economic challenges. More than ever before, the importance of standing and working together united in cause through organizations like Farm Bureau is imperative. We are routinely facing an onslaught of unnecessary, nonsensical regulations and policies that are put in place by a government made up largely of individuals who have zero understanding or experience with knowing anything about what it takes to produce a consumable product. We absolutely have to work together and double down our efforts to get it across to the modern “powers that be” that they work for us, not the other way around. Recently and with great satisfaction I watched coverage of the farmers in the European Union who finally had enough of the overreach and ridiculous regulation score a huge victory for
their cause by taking to the streets and highways showing their displeasure. It’s too bad they felt like they had to go to such extremes just to get listened to, but that’s essentially where we are now, folks! I don’t know if we could ever accomplish that degree of success here in the US but it’s probably time to start considering engaging in extremes, because we are being disregarded and bullied politically at every turn, especially here in California. We can hope that what happened over there was noticed by the people over here, and maybe we’ll start getting some pushback within our own government ranks with respect to the most extreme ideas for regulating agriculture. We don’t need any more of being told what to do and how to do it by people that have no experience with either part of that equation.
Farm Bureau is vital to our survival in these wacky times of wacky narratives. Every farmer and rancher, big or small, deserves the opportunity to enjoy an environment of healthy trade and long-term economic sustainability. It has never been more important than now to stay (or get) engaged and work together to ensure the viability of our amazing and vitally necessary industry!
Do you know a student who is headed for a vocational/trade school or college? Maybe you know of a current college student looking to continue their education in Ag? CCID offers three types of scholarships to assist students pursuing their educational goals. The James O’Banion Scholarship is for graduating seniors enrolling into a vocational or trade school and the Water Awareness Scholarship is for seniors enrolling in an accredited university, college, or community college and both are due March 22, 2024. The Redfern Ranches Scholarship helps fund those continuing their studies for a career in Ag and is due April 26, 2024. For eligibility requirements and applications, please visit www.ccidwater.org/ scholarships
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: David Barroso 652-6437
2nd VP: Tim Lohman 988-3545
Sec/Treas: Dante Migliazzo 769-9525
Past Pres: Eric Harcksen 620-1953
District 1
Matt Jasso 270-1981
Joe Maiorino 564-6791
District 2
Mike Davis 387-4151
Bob Vandenberg 704-5568
District 3
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
John Johnston 489-8462
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
Bob Giampaoli 769-4973
Louie Bandoni 761-0625
Michael Serrano 485-1935
Jesse Penick 678-8887
Tom Murphy 353-2700
Nic Marchini 769-1883
Alan Sano 559-905-1240
Mariposa County Farm Bureau Staff
Danette Toso Executive Director
Board of Directors
Pres: Kelly Williams 376-2408
1st VP: Elnora George 376-2419
2nd VP: Carla Kelly 742-6862
Directors Abel Lopez 376-2208
James Palmer 374-3470
Walter Palmer Jr 374-3470
Trevor Lee Smith 769-9969
Danette Toso 376-2304
Tony Toso 376-2304
Jordan Cory .................... 765-401-4078
Jay Mahil
CFBF Director - District 9
David Macedo
CFBF Field Representative
Pierce Hanning
Merced County YF&R Chair
Pierce Hanning
YF&R State Committee - District 9
Dos Palos FFA had their annual Sweetheart competition where our FFA members voted on one person from each grade level to be the grades representative for chapter sweetheart. The 4 representatives this year were as following:
Freshman - Courtney Fernandes
Sophomore - Grace Soares
Junior - Kylie Hurd
Senior - Lizbeth Mata
This contest consisted of several areas for these four young ladies.They had to take a FFA history quiz, they sold flowers around the school and community and the FFA members voted. The FFA Sweetheart was announced during FFA week at our annual FFA Carnival which was a huge success.We as a FFA chapter would like to thank everyone who bought
flower grams and bouquets from our sweetheart candidates and would also like to thank everyone who helped throughout FFA Week. Congratulations to Kylie Hurd, our 2023-2024 FFA Sweetheart.
On January 28th-29th, 14 Merced FFA members attended the Made of Excellence and Advanced Leadership Academy conference in Monterey, California. There were seven sessions, all facilitated by our 2023-2024 California State Officers. Our members had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of leadership and how each individual can step into leadership roles with the FFA and everyday life and find themselves thanks to this one-of-a-kind relationshipbuilding experience!
The Made of Excellence, or MFE, is a jam-packed conference for second-year FFA members, where they learn about their core values and how to connect with individuals. Their motto for this year's conference was “Adventure Awaits!” MFE's main objective is to have the members understand who they are and how they can build trust. They also learned to show vulnerability and empathy to develop relationships that influence those around them. This conference is about teamwork and our belief in ourselves to build confidence to serve others.
Jack Nutcher, a second year member who attended the Made for Excellence Conference shared “This was the first conference that I attended with the FFA and I was unsure of what to expect. I ended up having a great time meeting new people and I even learned how I can help to build an influence in my chapter and community.”
`The Advance Leadership Academy is a conference for third-year FFA members where members discover how to best work in a team to achieve an overall goal by experiencing the four stages of team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. Their motto for this conference is “Be The Change!” The members got to work in chapter teams, where they got to uncover the steps to develop improvement plans for one of our chapter events and showcase our
ideas to other chapters at ALA. This process analyzes program needs and improves the project or event, which is the main focus of the conference as members discover how teams of innovative leaders are in their chapter. This conference is about doing and how an individual leader and their relationships with others and how they enact change within their chapter and communities.
Corrina Sanchez, a 3rd year member, shares, “I had a great experience talking with new people at ALA and learned new ways to improve our chapter activities to get more chapter involvement.”
These conferences are great resources for all FFA members to foster inspiration and have helped shape the future leaders of our Chapter and beyond. It teaches them essential skills and values to take back to their chapter and continue in life. They're ready to make a positive difference when they return home. We are so
proud of these members and can't wait to see what your future holds! To stay updated on Merced FFA news and
events, visit www.mercedffa.org and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ themercedffa.
Nearly 41% of the California lactating cow ration is composed of byproducts. That number was calculated from responses to a 2022 survey of California dairy nutritionists. The data set represents approximately 936,700 lactating cows (26 returned surveys); 87.5% of those cows were housed in the San Joaquin Valley. Only 4% of lactating cows (38,100 cows) did not consume byproducts. In this article, we will present the data collected on dry cow and heifer rations in the State. Lactating cow ration data were presented in the April (2023) newsletter.
Byproduct inclusion rate. In the survey, we asked a series of questions about ration byproduct inclusion rates of nutritionists’ herds. The values for dry cow and heifer rations are presented in Table 1. The range in byproduct feeding amounts was large. On average, California dry cow rations include 48% byproducts and heifer rations include 50% byproducts.
Reasons to use byproducts. In a “select all that apply” question, every nutritionist selected value (worth the price) as a reason for including byproducts (Figure 1). Less chose price (they’re cheap; 38%) and availability (65%).
Determination of nutrient composition. Nutritionists fed 63 unique byproducts. Most nutritionists (58%) reported using a commercial laboratory to determine the nutritional composition of all byproducts, whereas 42% analyzed only some byproducts.
Byproduct use trends. Nutritionists reported increased byproduct feeding rates in the last five years (68%); 80% thought feeding rates would increase in the next five years.
Byproduct feeding is not a new practice. The wide range in feeding levels suggests it is possible to feed more byproducts on some dairies. Water regulation and reduced water availability will impact California’s
ability to produce forages. Byproduct feeding strategies may help mitigate feedstuff disruptions while contributing to the sustainability and resiliency of the California feeding program.
Thank you to the California dairy nutritionists who participated in the survey and to the California Dairy
Research Foundation for funding this project. If you have any questions
about this work, you can reach me at jmheguy@ucdavis.edu.
Roundup Ready technology incorporates genetic resistance to glyphosate into crops and it’s an excellent tool for weed control. Initial screening in the early 2000s found good alfalfa crop safety, and many growers currently rely on glyphosate as the only herbicide. Although using the same herbicide over and over is not a good idea because it may accelerate herbicide resistance in weeds, Roundup Ready alfalfa has been successfully used with few to no concerns regarding crop safety. However, the combination of glyphosate and cold weather may cause crop injury, especially in certain regions.
The problem was first observed in 2014 by Steve Orloff, former UCCE farm advisor in Siskiyou County. A Roundup Ready alfalfa field showed injury after glyphosate application followed by a frost event. The main symptoms were plant stunting, chlorosis, and “shepherd’s crook”, in which individual alfalfa stems curl over and die (Figures 1 and 2). Yield reductions were also observed for the first cutting. It was clear to Steve the injury was somehow related to the glyphosate application because a section of the field where the wheel line was sitting was not sprayed and it looked perfectly normal.
Interestingly, the injury seen was very similar to symptoms caused by frost and/or bacterial blight caused by Pseudomona syringae – a bacteria that is present everywhere. The bacteria can exacerbate frost damage due to its protein that mimics a crystalline structure and provides a starting point for ice formation, damaging the plant tissue and serving as an entrance port into the leaves and stems. Once into the plant tissue, colonization leads to infection and symptoms about 7-10 days after the frost event. Symptoms on stems start as water-soaked lesions that extend down one side. Leaves become water-soaked and often are twisted and deformed.
Steve was able to replicate the symptoms in field trials conducted in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The field trials showed yield reductions of up to 0.7 ton/ acre in the first cutting in Scott Valley. Crop injury was not observed in a similar field trial conducted in 2014, probably
because there was no frost event after glyphosate application. Similar impacts were observed in a trial in the intermountain region near Tulelake, CA; additional yield reductions were observed with higher glyphosate rates (Table 1).
As alarming as the possibility of injury might sound, its occurrence and degree are widely variable, and most fields will resume normal growth and yields after the first cutting. As of 2024, this type of injury has only been reported in the intermountain west due to its high altitude and cooler weather.
However, one field I visited in early February in Firebaugh brought my attention back to the issue. The field was planted in the fall of 2023 and had many of the symptoms described above: plant stunting, typical shepherd’s crook, chlorosis, and dead stems. While all these symptoms could be exclusively due to bacterial blight infections or frost, parts of the field where glyphosate application was accidentally skipped looked better.
Current UC IPM weed management guidelines for RR alfalfa recommend rotating herbicides with different modes
of action to reduce the development of herbicide resistant weeds and avoid glyphosate overuse during the colder winter months. Second, spray glyphosate when the alfalfa is short (< 2”) when using the higher rate (44oz/A) or 4” when spraying at the lower rate (22oz/A). Third, use the lowest glyphosate rate possible according to the weeds present and their stage of development. Finally, pay attention to the weather forecast. Applying glyphosate before frost events increases the likelihood of crop injury, especially in old stands.
On January 28th-29th, 14
Merced FFA members attended the Made of Excellence and Advanced Leadership Academy conference in Monterey, California. There were seven sessions, all facilitated by our 2023-2024 California State Officers. Our members had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of leadership and how each individual can step into leadership roles with the FFA and everyday life and find themselves thanks to this one-of-a-kind relationshipbuilding experience!
The Made of Excellence, or MFE, is a jam-packed conference for second-year FFA members, where they learn about their core values and how to connect with individuals. Their
motto for this year's conference was “Adventure Awaits!” MFE's main objective is to have the members understand who they are and how they can build trust. They also learned to show vulnerability and empathy to develop relationships that influence those around them. This conference is about teamwork and our belief in ourselves to build confidence to serve others.
Jack Nutcher, a second year member who attended the Made for Excellence Conference shared “This was the first conference that I attended with the FFA and I was unsure of what to expect. I ended up having a great time meeting new people and I even learned how I can help to build an influence in my chapter and community.”
`The Advance Leadership Academy
is a conference for third-year FFA members where members discover how to best work in a team to achieve an overall goal by experiencing the four stages of team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. Their motto for this conference is “Be The Change!” The members got to work in chapter teams, where they got to uncover the steps to develop improvement plans for one of our chapter events and showcase our ideas to other chapters at ALA. This process analyzes program needs and improves the project or event, which is the main focus of the conference as members discover how teams of innovative leaders are in their chapter. This conference is about doing and how an individual leader and their relationships with others and how they
enact change within their chapter and communities. Corrina Sanchez, a 3rd year member, shares, “I had a great experience talking with new people at ALA and learned new ways to improve our chapter activities to get more chapter involvement.”
These conferences are great resources for all FFA members to foster inspiration and have helped shape the future leaders of our Chapter and beyond. It teaches them essential skills and values to take back to their chapter and continue in life. They're ready to make a positive difference when they return home. We are so proud of these members and can't wait to see what your future holds! To stay updated on Merced FFA news and events, visit www.mercedffa.org and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ themercedffa.
Election continued from page 1
to his third term in office. His District 4 seat represents the unincorporated areas of Snelling, Winton, Ballico, Cressey, Delhi, Stevinson, Hilmar, and the small town of Gustine.
There are two challengers in District 4 race: Dennis Brazil, a former mayor of Gustine who also ran for State Senate in 2018; and Jim Soria, a former mayor of Livingston, who also ran for sheriff in 2014.
Pacheco in nice spot
Jim Pacheco, the challenger for
the District 1 seat on the Board of Supervisors, was surrounded by wellwishers on Tuesday night at Club Mercedes in south Merced.
“We’re excited,” he told the Times. “We hope it keeps trending our way. We’ve been working hard to get here.”
Pacheco appeared surprised with the night’s tally.
“I was thinking it would be a little bit closer,” he said. “It was unexpected, and we’re very excited about it.”
District Attorney Nicole Silveira was at the party, saying “Jim is the best candidate for District 1. I’m so happy to support him, and so happy with these first returns.”
Friend, Ellen Burk, chimed in: “He’s honorable. He believes in justice. … I have known him for so many years, and he’s a stand-up guy. He will never let you down. He’s amazing.”
If Pacheco, a retired Sheriff’s sergeant, stays above 50 percent of the vote, he will win the District 1 seat outright. However, incumbent Supervisor Rodrigo Espinosa, currently in second place with 22 percent of the vote, could still make it into a runoff election if the numbers change in the coming days.
Supervisor Espinosa was with supporters at Club Morelos in south Merced on Tuesday night.
He told the Times: “The farmers tend
to vote first, but I think it will come out closer. Of course I want to win right now, but I think it’s going to come to a run-off.”
“I think in November it’ll be easier for me. … People are fed up with politics right now. … We’re going to win, either today or November.”
The District 1 seat represents the communities of Livingston, south Merced, El Nido, Le Grand, Planada and Santa Nella.
Two other candidates are also in the primary race. Maria Soto is an educator who currently sits on the Livingston City Council. Sonia Alshami is a business owner who ran against Espinosa in 2020.
Animal welfare activists are a step closer to getting an initiative on the Sonoma County November ballot that would put an end to what they call factory farming — a definition vehemently contested by local agricultural operations.
On Monday morning, Sarah Van Mantgem, of Windsor, and Kristina Garfinkel, of Santa Rosa, both volunteers with the grassroots Coalition to End Factory Farming, hand-carried a plastic tub of signature forms into the county’s Registrar of Voters as supporters looked on.
The initiative they and other members of the coalition propose would phase out medium- and large-sized “concentrated agricultural feeding operations,” or CAFOs, in Sonoma County. The definition of a CAFO includes animals stabled or confined for 45 days or more in any 12-month period. The size of the farms that stand to be out of compliance would vary by animal and according to how they discharge manure.
Examples include farms with 700 or more dairy cattle, or 200+ dairy cattle if the facilities discharge manure directly into surface water; and 55,000 or more turkeys, or 16,500+ turkeys if there is direct discharge into surface
water. The calculation for chickens is more complex, with the lower threshold ranging from 9,000 to 125,000 depending on how waste is disposed of.
The organizers note that the definitions of CAFOs used in the ballot initiative come directly from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Local farmers insist they are misleading, and that none of Sonoma County’s dairies or egg farms are true factory farms.
“Just to be certified organic, my cows have to be pastured for a minimum of 120 days,” Doug Beretta, owner of Beretta Family Organic Dairy, told The Press Democrat. “We pasture for close to 200 days in a good year. We don’t lock our cows in the barn because we want to. It’s to preserve water quality and preserve our pastures.”
The Coalition to End Factory Farming, which says it is made up of more than 30 environmental and animalprotection organizations, collected 37,168 signatures, county registrar Deva Proto confirmed; they need 19,746 verified signatures to move forward with the initiative process.
Proto’s office has 30 business days to do a raw count of signatures and randomly sample 3% of them, Proto said. Because of the timing, she added, with the animal welfare activists dropping off signatures on the eve of a
primary election, it’s likely the registrar will need most of that time to complete the first phase.
Based on the results of the random sample, the petition will either pass, fail or go to a full signature check. If it goes to the full check, Proto’s team will have an additional 60 business days to complete it.
If the coalition ultimately has enough valid signatures, the initiative will head to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. The board can either adopt it as an ordinance or submit it to voters in the next statewide election or a special election.
Until the ordinance is either passed or defeated, or perhaps even after that, it promises to be an emotional, divisive and well-funded issue in Sonoma County.
The two sides could scarcely be further apart in worldview.
“This initiative is directly aligned with the Sonoma County Five-Year Strategic Plan, which aims to address climate resiliency and public health,” Garfinkel said in an email statement. Garfinkel is president of Farm Animal, Climate & Environmental Stewards (FACES) of Sonoma County. She added that, “leaders and residents alike want to enact proactive policies that address the root causes of climate change, protect
our clean air and water, and cease massscale animal cruelty.”
Meanwhile, Sonoma County Farm Bureau leaders say the ordinance is powered by the group Direct Action Everywhere, which they label “an animal rights terrorist organization,” and that the measure “would have catastrophic impacts on our local economy, consumer access to locally sourced foods, and sets a dangerous precedent for other animal agriculture producers throughout Sonoma County.”
The Coalition to End Factory Farming has estimated two dozen local agricultural facilities would be affected by the size requirements. The Farm Bureau, in contrast, said in a release that the measure “would put hundreds of family farmers out of business,” including iconic local brands such as Clover Sonoma, Straus Family Creamery and Petaluma Poultry.
“This means the death of (iconic brand characters) Clo the Cow and Rosie and Rocky the Free-Range Chickens,” the bureau said in its release.
NOTE: The original version of this story didn’t adequately describe the size thresholds for defining CAFOs. It has been updated to include a distinction based on manure being discharged directly into surface water.
Le Grand, California - On the evening of Sunday, February 25, 2024, David Serrano passed away due to complications from stomach cancer at his home in Le Grand with his four children by his side. The son of the late Florencio and Anita Serrano, Dave was 82 years young.
Born on August 13, 1941 in Coalinga, California, with his twin brother, Daniel, who only lived a short time. Through his formative years, Dave received his education from Plainsburg, Savannah, and a few Chowchilla grammar schools and graduated from Chowchilla Union High School with the class of 1959. He grew up on the Cross Ranch near Highway 99 in Chowchilla where he spent many hot summer nights sleeping on the porch with his father. There were trips to visit his abuelitos in Dairyland and Fresno but Dave spent most of his childhood engineering and playing with contraptions around their farm. Notable among his creations were a raft, built using a wooden airplane propeller and small engine to navigate the creek near his house, and a teepee which nearly burned down the house when he decided to use a can of dry grass for his fire. He was constantly busy, very creative, and forever interested in building things with metal and wood. He always had big projects on his mind but never enough time to finish them.
After high school, he ventured to Fresno and graduated from Fresno State College with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. Dave, with the help of friends, created their own camera club at Fresno State. He photographed for the school yearbook, as well as several local weddings, and converted his apartment bathroom and bedroom into his darkroom. He somehow also found time to help build the animal pens at the Fresno State Dairy unit. Dave enjoyed frequenting his tios' restaurant, the Santa Fe Basque Hotel, as well as hunting squirrels in the rural areas of Herndon for a bit of fun with his buddies. He was actively involved with the Newman Center at Fresno State, where he met RoseAnn Burkart, the love of his life. After mustering the courage to ask RoseAnn if she "wanted to marry a farmer," Dave and RoseAnn were married May 13, 1967 at the Newman Center with Father Sergio Negro presiding.
Dave and RoseAnn were married for a total of 50 years and brought
four children into the world: Christine, Danielle, Matthew, and Michael. Prior to meeting RoseAnn, Dave worked hand-in-hand with his father on their farm, first in Chowchilla and then in Le Grand. Dave did the majority of the shop work and his father did most of the field work. It wasn't until RoseAnn joined the family farm that Dave and RoseAnn became a true partnership, working alongside Dave's parents. They took much pride growing almonds, corn, wheat, sorghum, apricots, walnuts, and his favorite, cotton. Dave and RoseAnn also raised a small herd of sheep to keep Dave's grandfather's legacy alive. Once the farm was passed down, RoseAnn was an integral part of their farming operation, yet Dave "steered the wagon." They endured many challenges over the years as a husband and wife farming operation, specifically overcoming tough times in the 80s. Food was top of mind for Dave and RoseAnn and, regardless of their financial status, they never skimped on it. There was always plenty on the table and in their garden to be enjoyed by family and friends alike.
Faith, family and community were all extremely important to David. He made a point of being involved and offering anything and everything to make a difference within his community. Dave's faith was number one in his life. He was a God-fearing man and proud of his Catholic faith. He served as a lector, Eucharistic minister, and took up the collection most Saturday nights during Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Le Grand. He instilled a good life is a faithful life in all of his children, even if they each chose their own way to live that lesson.
Education was an integral part of his service to others, with seats on the Plainsburg Elementary School board and the Le Grand Union High School board, as well as the Agricultural Advisory committee. He held these seats as his children progressed in their education, having a sense of pride in seeing them excel and graduate. Agricultural organizations were also highly important to Dave. He served as president of the Merced County Farm Bureau, was a long standing board member of the Le Grand-Athlone Water District, on the board of directors for the Minturn Cotton Gin, and was a member of Class 12 of the California Ag Leadership program, which afforded him the ability to observe agricultural practices in several countries around the world. He was a member of numerous other agricultural entities and publications.
Dave was actively involved with the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Dinner, the Le Grand FFA Football Concession Stand, the Le Grand FFA Agricultural Mechanics team, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Fresno and Los Baños Basque Clubs, and the Le Grand Annual Community Day, cooking the beans every year with his son, Michael, by his side.
Over the years, Dave mostly kept busy with his farm. He loved farming and watching plants grow, especially cotton; it brought him lots of joy to see the circle of life. Dave also loved his Basque heritage and was able to travel to the Basque country twice to see where all of his family began. He kept his heritage alive with involvement in the local Basque clubs, but mainly with his large extended family's Easter gathering that doubled as a big family reunion every year. Hand him one Picon drink and he was happy, and a "sober" Bosko.
David was acknowledged for all the hard work that he put into his family and farm through numerous accolades over the years including the State of California Governor's Small Business Person of the Year, Merced County Outstanding Tree and Vines Award, Le Grand Community Day Citizen of the Year, and the Merced Feast Farming Family of the Year, as well as being honored by Catholic Charities at the Harvest of Hope. In the 1980s, he was featured with RoseAnn on KRON TV San Francisco in a segment about the agricultural economy's collapse and in the 2000s on a segment of the cable show, American Trucker. His latest claim to fame was being featured on a local radio and TV commercial for the company Pickett Solar, where he relished comments from family and friends regarding his expression that it "pops his buttons" to save money with the installment of solar panels.
Dave had many interests including drawing, building models, photography, engineering, World War II history and airplanes, and religiously watching the soap opera "One Life to Live" during his lunchtime. However, the activity that he was most associated with was his daily journaling. Dave kept a journal of his activities along with the daily temperatures and precipitation records. He would wake up every morning to write about what had happened the day before. He documented his entire married life in little 6 x 8 inch At-AGlance yearly journals. His life revolved around his journal, and writing in it could often impact family plans.
Dave advocated opening his house for friends and family to stay for lunch or even just a glass of water so they could sit and catch up about current events. He and RoseAnn had an open door; not a single person left their house without tired cheeks from laughing and a full belly from all the food and drink that were offered. Dave enjoyed having company and the company always knew that he was just a car ride away for a chat lasting an hour, or sometimes more. Dave was never very good about ending a conversation or saying good-bye. His love and friendship knew no bounds.
Dad, your time here on Earth has endedAnd we will miss you everywhere we look.We will cherish our memories we have of youAnd if we can't remember, we'll reference your books We know you are now with Mom, No question that you are holding her in your arms.We know you will always be by our side, And within the legacy of Serrano Farms.
Dave was preceded in death by his brother, Daniel; his parents, Florencio and Anita Serrano; and his wife, RoseAnn. He is survived by his four children: Christine Serrano of Le Grand, Danielle Serrano of Chowchilla, Matthew Serrano and his wife Kimberly of Emerald Hills, and Michael Serrano and his wife Erika of Le Grand. Dave also leaves behind five grandchildren: Isabela, William, Catalina, Madison, and a baby girl arriving in May.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Le Grand with recitation of the rosary following at 6:30 PM. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 10 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with interment following at Plainsburg Cemetery. As stated in our mother's obituary, the thirteenth is a special day for our family with numerous birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions all occurring on that day. Dave and RoseAnn were truly soul mates. Both were born on the thirteenth and both passed on the twentyfifth; a Sunday of final rest.
David's children would appreciate donations in his memory be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Building Fund, 14075 E. Le Grand Road, Le Grand, California, 95333; The Carole Stinson Literacy Foundation, P.O. Box 65, Menlo Park, California, 94026-0065; or Catholic Charities Diocese of Fresno, Merced County, 149 North Fulton Street, Fresno, California, 93701.
local vendors, a silent auction, raffle, photo booth, live music, cowboy poetry, stamp mill demonstration, open house, cowboy & cowgirl costume contests, and gold panning sessions. This event will help support the Student Docent Program, which allows the museum to employ local high school students as docents.
The Mariposa County Museum and History Center will be holding their first ever Cowboy Day Saturday, March 16th at 5119 Jessie Street in Mariposa. This will be a day of honoring past and present cowboys and ranchers. This will be an all-day event from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The event will feature
According to event organizers, “This program teaches youth not only about the employment process, but important skills and qualities such as accountability, community work, and customer service. These students will perform a variety of responsibilities including greeting guests, providing tours, operating the gift store, inventory, research, managing archival collections, fundraising, and more. It has become an essential part of the museum and is beneficial to the staff and community, in turn providing a positive work experience for the participating students.”
Continuing the spirit of support, the Mariposa County Farm Bureau Rib
Dinner is the following Saturday, the 23rd at the Stagg Hall in Hornitos from 4:00 to 7:00. I will be ordering 600 pounds of ribs to be barbequed by our infamous chefs on site. Tony Toso will be stirring up his renowned homemade beans once again this year. The kitchen crew will be serving coleslaw and rolls to complete the dinner. Single tickets are $40.00, and racks of ribs are $40.00. For more information,
please contact Danette at (209) 604-1423 or mcfarmbureau@sti.net or dwtccr@aol.com
Tickets are also available at the Visitors Center in Mariposa.
We hope to see you at these worthwhile fundraisers this month. With that, I encourage you 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.
Arrowhead Field Repair 658-5250
Cab Air Systems 551-3301
SS Blue 722-2583
Mid Cal Pipeline & Utilities, INC 383-7473
M-Mig Construction, Inc. 724-9488
Garton Tractor, Inc. 726-4600
Holt Ag Solutions ............................... 723-2021
Kirby Manufacturing ......................... 723-0778
Laird Mfg LLC 722-4145
N&S Tractor 383-5888
Flanagan Realty 723-4337 (Merced)
Flanagan Realty (559) 665-1313 (Chowchilla)
Property Team 769-4698
Dick Templeton Property Team 761-4441
Valley Real Estate Sales, Inc. ........... 854-1000
Blue Diamond Growers ........... (559) 474-2996
California Farmland Trust ....... (916) 544-2712
California Sweet Potato Council ....... 385-7403
California Women for Agriculture 723-5878
Central CA Irrigation District 826-1421
Cortez Growers Association 632-3118
Dos Palos Co-op Gin 387-4151
Gustine Drainage District ................ 854-6782
Hilltop Ranch Inc. ...............................874-1875
Livingston Farmers Assoc 394-7941
Merced Boosters 761-0815
Merced Irrigation District 722-5761
Merced College Ag Division 384-6250
Turlock Irrigation District 883-8205
UCCE Merced ..................................... 385-7403
Water & Land Solutions .................... 677-4700
A-Bar Ag Enterprises ........................ 826-2636
Agri-Valley Consulting 769-2357
Caddy Shack Rodent Servc.....(559) 363-3315
Cal Ag Safety 351-0321
Cal Corn Growers Inc. (559) 665-5775
Chipponeri Electric 634-4616
Dutch Door Dairy ............................... 648-2166
Farm Management Inc. .................... 667-1011
Farm(x) (559)608-4410
GAR Bennett (559) 480-3029
J & F Fertilizer Custom Spreading & Compost
La Follette Enterprises, Inc. 632-1385
Mass Energy Works. ................ (530) 710-8545
Mid Valley Ag Service 394-7981
Silva & Sons Custom Spreading 667-2566
Stone Family Spreading 756-1491
The Pollination Connection ..... (877) 970-BEES (2337)
WTS McCabe LLC 854-6818
A V Thomas Produce ......................... 394-7514
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
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
Allison Sierra, Inc. 966-4082
Agri-Valley Irrigation 384-8494
IJ Larsen Pumps ............................... 634-7276
Pacific Southwest Irrigation 460-0450
Precision Aqua 756-2025
Quality Well Drillers 357-0675
Rain for Rent/Westside Pump (559) 693-4315
San Luis Pump Company. 383-0464
Shannon Pump Company 723-3904
SWAN Systems (661) 335-2649
Environmental Spraying Service ..... 667-1038
Malm Ag Pest Management 392-6905
Star Creek Land 704-1790
Ag Flag .............................................. 357-3424
American River Ag 385-9553
Cal Farm Service 358-1554
Kellogs Supply 722-1501
Livingston True Value ........................ 394-7949
Marfab 826-6700
Pacific Bay Equipment (800) 640-1227
Stanislaus Farm Supply 723-0704
Amarants Propane Service 358-2257
Hunt & Sons, Inc. (916) 383-4868
Pazin & Myers Inc .............................. 725-2050
Western States Petroleum Assoc. (661) 321-0884
Valley Pacific Petroleum .................... 948-9412
Van De Pol Petroleum 667-0236
Barlocker Insurance 383-0220
Fluetsch & Busby Insurance ............ 722-1541
Rico, Pfitzer, Pires and Associates 854-2000
Walter Mortensen Insurance 353-2700
Western Valley Insurance ................ 826-5667
Winton Ireland Insurance 394-7925
Alice B. Contreras CPA 722-6778
American Ag Credit 384-1050/826-0320
Central Valley Community Bank........725-2820
Farmers & Merchants Bank 626-4100
Grimbleby Coleman CPAs 527-4220
Yosemite Farm Credit ....................... 383-1116
The Hat Source 357-3424
Merced County Fair 722-1506
Merced County Nut Festival ............. 761-8279
P. B. Iyer, M.D. 854-1120
Sunset Pool Service 286-7665
DCB Farming LLC
GS Farms
J&J O'Banion Ranch, LLC
Live Oak Farms
Migliazzo Farms
