State program to compensate ranchers for wolf attacks runs out of money

Less than a year after the state fully implemented a pilot program to compensate ranchers for livestock losses and other economic impacts caused by wolves, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says it has run out of money. Ranchers say the $3 million allocated for the program does not begin to pay for the rising financial damage created by the presence of wolves, apex predators that are protected under state and federal endangered species acts.  In an announcement, the department said it had received 102 applications for compensation and that there may not be enough money to cover future applications.

As rice planting surges after drought, waterfowl flock to fields

The return of fully planted rice crops to the Sacramento Valley following years of drought has restored another essential feature of the region: migrating waterfowl. After harvest, reservoirs replenished by last year’s historic storms enabled farmers to flood more of their fields this winter, creating wetland habitat for birds. “You can’t drive down the road without seeing thousands of geese,” said Kim Gallagher, who grows rice along Highway 45 in Yolo and Colusa counties and participates in government-funded programs that incentivize rice farmers to flood their fields for wildlife conservation.  

American Farm Bureau Federation sets policy agenda

The American Farm Bureau Federation has wrapped up its annual convention in Salt Lake City by approving policy changes to guide the organization’s legislative priorities for the year. AFBF delegates reversed policy by allowing caps on the annual number of temporary guest worker visas, as long as they do not restrict farmers and ranchers from using the program to meet labor needs. Delegates also agreed to address the growth of artificial intelligence in agriculture, which has the potential to enhance farming practices but raises some privacy rights concerns.

Researchers: Wet weather could increase almond orchard threat

University of California researchers are warning almond growers to be on the lookout for a rare disease that can cause severe damage to their orchards. Phytophthora, soilborne microorganisms dubbed “water molds” because of their dependence on water, can cause root and crown rot at the base of trees. With heavy rains in the forecast for late January and early February, one species–Phytophthora syringae–was drawing attention due to an unprecedented outbreak last winter, fueled by the atmospheric rivers that lashed California.

A Service of the California Farm Bureau

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