Governor's Executive Order May Restrict Permitting For Agricultural Well Construction In San Luis Obispo County | |
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On Tuesday, March 29, Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order directing the State Water board to develop regulations banning irrigation of decorative grasses adjacent to industrial and commercial buildings. The ban is not expected to apply to residential lawns or grass used in parks or recreation activities. The state estimates this could save “several hundred thousand acre-feet” of water per year.
Of specific concern to agriculture, the Governor’s action prohibits local agencies from approving a permit for new or replacement groundwater wells in basins that are a medium or high-priority basin without first getting approval from the applicable Groundwater Sustainability Agency. This would apply to the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, Cuyama Basin and the San Luis Obispo Basin (Edna Valley). The order does not apply to wells providing less than 2 acre-feet of water for domestic users. It is unclear how that distinction will be made. It is also unclear if this order will apply to any adjudicated basins.
As of press time, no local government agencies in San Luis Obispo County have clarified what this process will look like, or if there will now be a ban on agricultural well drilling or replacement well construction in these basins. SLO County Farm Bureau will continue to monitor this issue in coming days. Copied below is the applicable provision of the order.
“To protect health, safety, and the environment during this drought emergency, a county, city, or other public agency shall not:
- a. Approve a permit for a new groundwater well or for alteration of an existing well in a basin subject to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and classified as medium- or high-priority without first obtaining written verification from a Groundwater Sustainability Agency managing the basin or area of the basin where the well is proposed to be located that groundwater extraction by the proposed well would not be inconsistent with any sustainable groundwater management program established in any applicable Groundwater Sustainability Plan adopted by that Groundwater Sustainability Agency and would not decrease the likelihood of achieving a sustainability goal for the basin covered by such a plan; or
- b. Issue a permit for a new groundwater well or for alteration of an existing well without first determining that extraction of groundwater from the proposed well is (1) not likely to interfere with the production and functioning of existing nearby wells, and (2) not likely to cause subsidence that would adversely impact or damage nearby infrastructure. This paragraph shall not apply to permits for wells that will provide less than two acre-feet per year of groundwater for individual domestic users, or that will exclusively provide groundwater to public water supply systems as defined in section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code.”
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This Week In SLO County Agriculture | |
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If You Believe in Local Agriculture, Belong to Farm Bureau
Defending our freedom to farm and ranch in San Luis Obispo County is only possible with your support. If you derive income from agriculture, be an Agricultural Member for $275 or join hundreds of ag supporters in our community by becoming an Associate Member for $125. We cannot keep you informed of issues impacting our agricultural community (like we do through this weekly newsletter) or be an advocate for agriculture in San Luis Obispo, Sacramento, and Washington D.C. without your membership. Join online here or call our office at 805-543-3654. Is preserving local agriculture worth less than $1 day?
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Community: Paso Robles Daily News - Official Mid-State Fair Competition Handbooks Now Available | |
Cuesta College Plant Sale | Purchase different varieties of tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, tomatillos, eggplant, as well as many other plants. Select a time slot when you are able to pickup your plants at the North County Campus on Friday, April 8th, or Saturday, April 9th. Cuesta students will have your orders ready at that time. .. | | | |
Official Mid-State Fair competition handbooks now available | The 2022 horse show, livestock, and still exhibit competition handbooks are now available on the official California Mid-State Fair website. Horse show events include country rodeo, cutting, reined cow horse, RSNC sorting and 4H/FFA horse shows. Entry forms and fees for horse show events are due by Thursday, June 30 to the fair's main office. | | | |
County Government: Supervisors Meet April 5 | |
State Government: Daily Democrat - California Senate Advances Prescribed Fire Fund Bill | |
California Farm Bureau's Friday Review for April 1, 2022 - Governmental & Legislative Affairs Update | |  |
California senate advances prescribed fire fund bill | California Sen. Bill Dodd's legislation that would enhance wildfire prevention in California through the implementation of a $20 million prescribed fire claims fund was advanced by the California State Senate. "Prescribed burning is one of the most effective means of wildfire prevention, which is why I wrote the law last year to encourage greater use of this proven technique," Dodd, D-Yolo, said. | | | |
Federal Government: AgNet West - Biden's 2023 Budget Proposal | |
Biden's 2023 Budget Proposal: Ag and Rural Funds | President Joe Biden unveiled his budget proposal for fiscal year 2023, Monday. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the President's budget provides USDA with "the tools needed to support a vibrant, revitalized, and prosperous rural America." | | |
President's Trade Agenda Must Include Indo-Pacific Agreement | The American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on the Biden administration to use the proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) to grow American agriculture exports to the region. AFBF submitted a statement to today's House Ways and Means Committee hearing, "Biden Administration's 2022 Trade Policy Agenda," and tomorrow's Senate Finance Committee hearing, "The President's 2022 Trade Policy Agenda." | | | |
California Farm Bureau - Federal Policy News for March 31, 2022
Read the update here.
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High Stakes at the High Court | The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit we filed with the National Pork Producers Council to stop California's Prop 12 from going into effect. ... | | | | | |
Elections: Help Us Repeal The Death Tax! | |
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Your Signature Is Needed! Come By SLO County Farm Bureau Office This Week To Make Sure 'Death Tax' Repeal Initiative Qualifies For Ballot
Time is running out to return signature sheets to the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. SLO County Farm Bureau is helping collect signatures at our office, and we'll be mailing signatures back to HJTA this Friday, April 8.
Our SLO County Farm Bureau office is usually open 7:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday, but please call or email ahead if you plan on stopping by so we can make sure to be here. We are currently down a staff person, and sometimes have to close the office for meetings. Call 805-543-3654 or email bburchett@slofarmbureau.org.
Background: Proposition 19, passed narrowly in November 2020, and changed Proposition 58, the law regarding parent-child or grandparent-grandchild transfers of property, requiring reassessment to market value upon transfer, with limited exceptions. Family farms were granted an exception, but farms that consisted of more than one parcel were not clearly protected by the language of the measure.
The Repeal the Death Tax Act: This proposed initiative will restore Proposition 58– the ability of parents or grandparents to transfer a home of any value plus certain other property to their children or grandchildren without reassessment. The exclusion from reassessment for “other property” had previously been capped at $1 million of assessed value; the Repeal the Death Tax Act adjusts that figure (set in 1986) for inflation and now excludes up to $2.4 million of assessed value of property other than the principal residence. A home of any value would once again be excluded from reassessment when transferred, even if the children do not live there.
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Business Member Spotlight:
C&N Tractors
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At C&N Tractors, we are passionately committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products, most innovative solutions, and services delivered with integrity and professionalism.
Visit your Kubota dealer, C&N Tractors, in Paso Robles for new and used equipment, parts, small engine repair, rentals and more.
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CANDNTRACTORS.COM
2690 Ramada Drive Paso Robles, CA 93446
805-237-3855 pasoadmin@candntractors.com
Mon - Fri 8am to 5pm | Sat Appointment Only | Sun CLOSED
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Wildfire: Four Days Left To Report Property Insurance Problems | |
Older Wildfire Smoke Plumes Can Affect Climate | Aerosols carried in wildfire smoke plumes that are hundreds of hours old can still affect climate, according to a study out of the University of California, Davis. The research, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, suggests that wildfire emissions even 10 days old can affect the properties of aerosols - suspended liquid or particles that are key to cloud formation. | | | |
Having Insurance Problems? Reporting Your Situation Will Help Insurance Commissioner Make Changes
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the California Department of Insurance (CDI) seek input from California Farm Bureau members about your insurance coverage and problems you are experiencing with your coverage. Please take a moment to complete the survey below to provide feedback directly to CDI. The deadline to complete this survey is April 5, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.Complete the Survey Here Pictured here, Commissioner Lara meets with SLO County agriculture leaders at a winery in Paso Robles.
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Thank You Farm Bureau Members | |
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New Members
Todd Fisher and Emily Van Saun
Renewing Members
Michelle Mitchell, Greg Frye, Bob Schiebelhut, Alvis Cantrelle, Farm Supply Company, Grapevine Land Management LLC, Jerry Handley, FARMstead ED, Justin Smith of Saxum Vineyards, Gary Kanawyer, Hope Family Wines, Les Simmons, Jean Studer, Willy Cunha, Robert McCorkle
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Feature Member Benefit: Discounts on Grainger Industrial Supply | |
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Grainger Carries The One Item You Need + 1.5 Million More
One example? Safety Products. Need to replenish your chemical safety supplies? Grainger offers Farm Bureau members free shipping and deeper discounts on all regular orders of safety goggles, rubber gloves, first aid kits, protective clothing, and even respirators.
Start saving today at Grainger.com/FarmBureau.
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Produce: Tasting Table - The Reason California Bans Many Out-Of-State Fruits And Vegetables | |
The Reason California Bans Many Out-Of-State Fruits And Vegetables | If you've ever driven into California from another state, then you may have been asked at an agricultural checkpoint if you're bringing in any fruits or vegetables. The concern is that those fresh fruits and vegetables may include some unwelcomed hitchhikers in the form of microorganisms... | | | |
How one determined Trader Joe's shopper made this ugly orange go viral | t happens late in the season. A woman with long, salt-and-pepper hair stands in line at the Trader Joe's on 72nd Street in Manhattan, evangelizing to her fellow shoppers about the magic of Sumo oranges. We can't hear what she is saying, but whatever it is, it's effective. | | | |
20 Cauliflower Varieties That Should Be on Your Radar | Compare these cauliflower varieties' qualities to find the right one for you. Excellent plant vigor and wrap with a well-domed, white head. Maturity is similar to 'Absolute' and harvest is from May through October. Matures in 85 to 95 days. HMClause.com ... | | | |
Rising consumption of carrots over the past century influenced by fresh-cut technology | Fresh carrot per capita availability-a proxy used for per capita consumption-has trended upward over the past century, increasing from 2.2 pounds in 1919 to a projection of 8.8 pounds in 2022. Driven by rising fresh-market use, long-run consumer interest in carrots has been strong in the United States. | | | | |
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USDA Seeking Nominations for Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee
Vacancies on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC) are filled via nominations from qualified fruit and vegetable industry members. The FVIAC provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on issues of importance to the produce industry.
Qualified candidates may nominate themselves, or someone can nominate another candidate who is interested, qualified, and agrees to the nomination. Nominees must currently work in one of the agricultural capacities within the supply chain, as listed below (within the retail or commercial produce industry):
Growers/Producers
Wholesalers/Distributors
Processors
Importers/Exporters
Farmers Market Managers
Food Hubs
Industry Associations
Retailers
Food Service Suppliers
State Departments of Agriculture
Submission Deadline: May 31, 2022
Get more information here.
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Avocado: Avocado Prices Surge To 24-Year High | |
Spring 2022 Issue of From the Grove Available Online | The Spring 2022 edition of the California Avocado Commission's quarterly publication - From the Grove - is now available on the California avocado growers website. The publication can be viewed as a flipbook or as a downloadable PDF. The most current edition of From the Grove features the following: | | | |
Avocado prices surge to 24-year high | Avocado prices jumped to the highest in more than two decades amid tightening supplies in Mexico, the world's biggest exporter of the fruit, signaling pricier guacamole. An index tracking avocado from the Mexican state of Michoacan, by far the biggest source in the country, climbed 81 per cent this year to 760 pesos ($38) per 9-kilogram box, the highest in data going back to 1998, ... | | | |
The Avocado Crop Estimating (ACE) system was launched in 1986, in an effort to project annual production of California avocados. Avocado crop statistics are compiled, throughout the year, according to growing region, county and state. This valuable information guides CAC marketing programs and assists California avocado growers... | | | |
Ag Economics: NPR - Food Prices Are Going Up - And At Levels Americans Haven't Seen In Decades | |
New Study Shows 29% of American Jobs Tied to Food and Agriculture | Today, 30 food and agriculture groups released the sixth annual Feeding the Economy report, a historic farm-to-fork economic analysis revealing how these sectors influence the local and broader United States economies. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's study highlights how the industries .. | | | |
Food prices are going up - and at levels Americans haven't seen in decades | The United States Department of Agriculture released an update to its Food Price Outlook for 2022 and found that nearly everything one might ingest - whether it comes from the grocery store or restaurant - is going up in price. And yes, that's on top of the price increases consumers have already been forced to endure in the last year. | | | |
Labor: Heat Illness Prevention Compliance Resources | |
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The Latest Compliance Resources from California Farm Bureau's Farm Employers Labor Service
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A Message From Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Network: As the high-heat season approaches in California, it is important to take steps to protect outdoor workers from heat illness. Workers are more likely to get a heat illness during heat waves and when they are not yet used to working in hot weather.
When working in these hotter conditions for the first time this year, workers should be closely observed for any signs of heat illness.
Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Standard for Outdoor Workplaces requires this increased observation during heat waves, which applies to parts of the state this week where the temperatures are above 80 degrees and 10 degrees higher than the daily average from the previous five days.
Employers can read the full requirements in Title 8 section 3395, part (g) Acclimatization and visit Cal/OSHA’s website for resources 99calor.org
Editor's Note: FELS furnishes Heat Illness prevention compliance resources at FELS' website.
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UPCOMING FELS TRAININGS & WEBINARS
April 29, 2022 (webinar): Employers' Compliance Requirements Under the California Privacy Rights Act (feat. Seth Mehrten, Barsamian & Moody): The California Privacy Right Act (CRPA) imposes new privacy requirements on employee data owned by employers who have annual revenues in excess of $25 million. Seth Mehrten of FELS Group Legal Services Program partner firm Barsamian & Moody explains these new employer requirements and offers strategies for compliance. Register here.
May 19, 2022 (webinar): Employers' Requirements and Enforcement with the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (feat. ALRB Chair Victoria Hassid): Rights to protected concerted activity and other rights protected by the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA) apply to employees even in non-union workplaces. ALRB chair Victoria Hassid will offer insight into the Board's enforcement of these rights. Register here.
You can find more information and registration at Webinars by Farm Employers Labor Service.
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How a California agency uses an Indigenous-language podcast to reach farmworkers | A California county has launcheda new trilingual video podcast for farmworkers. Why it matters: Most of the approximate 165,000 Indigenous farmworkers across California speak Mixtec and Zapotec, according to a study. As essential workers, many have been hard hit by COVID-19 and need reliable information about health and worker rights. | | | |
United Farm Workers members and activists call for voting rights without 'intimidation' | People across California spent Thursday reflecting on the legacy of civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. Although many people who marched alongside Chavez in the 1960s and 70s say farmworker conditions have improved, they also believe more work needs to be done. On Thursday, farmworker rights activists stood outside ... | | | |
Environmental: Report Finds California Has Fifth-Most Polluted Water In U.S. | |
Report Finds California Has Fifth-Most Polluted Water In U.S. | SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A new report is painting a dire picture of California's waterways. In fact, it shows the state has some of the highest levels of water pollution in the country. The Environmental Integrity Project, a non-profit, looked at rivers and streams in all 50 states and found California is the fifth-most polluted. | | | |
KSBY: Coastal California Sunflower no longer endangered | |
The beach layia has been classified as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after 30 years of being endangered, according to a press release by the Center for Biological Diversity.
This reclassification means the beach layia is no longer in danger of extinction in most or all of its habitat.
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Calif. sprints to install batteries but can't find parts | California is racing to add batteries to its electric grid in an attempt to prevent blackouts, cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the closure of the state's only nuclear power plant in 2025. A plan finalized by state regulators last month calls for almost quintupling California's storage capacity over the next four years. | | | |
Livestock: SLO County Cattlemen's Spring Meeting April 12 | |
More details on this Emergency Livestock Relief Program and others in the California Farm Service Agency Monthly Newsletter for March 31. Read it here. | | |
USDA to Provide Payments to Livestock Producers Impacted by Drought or Wildfire | WASHINGTON, March 31, 2022 - The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that ranchers who have approved applications through the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for forage losses due to severe drought or wildfire in 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments for increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021 through the Farm Service Agency's (FSA) new Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP). | | | |
2022 SUMMIT PRESENTATIONS | Many thanks to the many presenters who are dedicated to healthy rangelands and ranching stewardship, and to emcee, Michael Delbar, California Rangeland Trust. Learn the value of California rangelands and how the ranchers who steward them an help address the state and federal climate strategy goals, protect 30% of land and water by 2030. | | | | |
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San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen's Spring Meeting is April 12
Please join us on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 for the Annual SLO County Cattlemen’s Spring Meeting. The meeting will take place from 2:30pm to 5:30pm at the Paso Robles Event Center in the Frontier Building, with dinner to follow.
The meeting will have updates from our CCA officer team and inform producers of the Rancher Technical Assistance Program (RTAP). RTAP provides regulatory assistance and is available to all cattle ranchers at no cost. Plus updates from the CA Bureau of Livestock Identification and from SLO County Sherriff’s Department.
Also, in conjunction with the Spring Meeting, don’t forget to voice your vote either “for” or “against” the Repeal to SLO County’s Modified Point of Origin brand inspection requirement.
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Senators release updated Cattle Market Reform Bill | PUBLISHED ON WASHINGTON - On Monday, Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) released a revised Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act. The updated bill comes after hours of deliberation with... | | | |
Guide to Regenerative Grazing Leases: Opportunities for Resilience | More than 40% of California's rural land is active rangeland, and at more than 19 million acres, these lands host diverse ecosystems, support clean water, and provide nutritious forage for grazing animals. Rangelands also hold promise for agricultural practices... | | | |
NCBA response to Bill Gates advocating for synthetic meat | PUBLISHED ON CENTENNIAL, Colo. - Editor's Note: This op-ed by NCBA CEO Colin Woodall is offered as a response to recent comments by tech mogul Bill Gates, suggesting that consumers in wealthy nations should switch to "synthetic beef" as an alternative ... | | | |
Vineyard & Wine: SLO Coast Wine Classic Is April 2 | |
Paso Wine Fest: Winemaker Seminars🍷 | Seminar 1: Cab Icons of Paso Seminar 2: You Are What You Drink Critical acclaim has found Paso Robles in these icons of Cabernet Sauvignon, whose wines ... | | |
Column: Paso Robles gaining acclaim for its white wines | Over the last few decades, Paso Robles has gained a reputation for world-class red wines. The best Paso red Rhone blends, Cabernet Sauvignons, and Zinfandels ... | | | |
SLO Coast Wine Classic April 2 - SLO Coast Wine | Join us on April 2nd at Dinosaur Caves Park in Pismo Beach for the SLO Coast Wine Classic. The event includes two winemaker seminars moderated by Matt Kettmann, contributing writer for Wine Enthusiast, sparkling wine reception, three-course winemaker lunch catered by Chef Jeffrey Scott, followed by our premier wine and lifestyle auction. | | | |
Water: CalMatters - Newsom Imposes New Water Restrictions, Leaves Details To Locals | |
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Update on Pesticide Detections in Surface Water by Preservation Inc and its Pilot Follow-Up Program: Stewardship Practices for Pyrethroid and Neonicotinoid Insecticide Use in Vegetable Crops
April 5 in Santa Maria from 10am-Noon
April 12 in Salinas from 10am-Noon
Under Ag Order 4.0 Preservation Inc. continues monitoring water quality of Central Coast agricultural-dominated waterways. Sarah Lopez of Preservation Inc. will review past and current sampling results from the Cooperative Monitoring Program. 2 hours DPR CE credits; Laws and Regulations have been approved. Please RSVP to Monica.Quezada@cureswork.org if you plan to attend or call 831-240-9533.
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State Auditor needs to investigate water agency over inaccurate data | We need to talk about what happened to all the water that was lost. We already know what happened to thousands of farmers: They went without. We know what happened in cities up and down the state: They went dry. We know what happened to salmon eggs and juveniles: More perished than usual. | | | |
Newsom imposes new California water restrictions - leaves details to locals | Still resisting statewide water rationing for parched California, Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking local suppliers to tighten water limits. As a dry summer looms, California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered water suppliers across California to step up their local drought responses, but fell short of requiring water rationing or setting a statewide conservation target. | | | |
Trade: Ever Wanted to Export Your Farm Product? | |
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Ever Wanted to Export Your Farm Product?
CalAgX training program is California’s premiere export training program developed and offered by the Center for International Trade Development in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture since 2006. CalAgX is a 10-part training series offered weekly over Zoom (Thursdays, 9-11 am) and has evolved over the years into a more comprehensive export training program specifically for California’s food and agricultural industry. This in-depth training serves individuals/companies with little-to-no export experience as well as experienced exporters looking to update their skill sets with the latest tools, foreign market information, legal regulations, and industry trends.
Farm Bureau members can use Promo Code: CALAGXFARM to receive 25% off their registration fee. The upcoming CalAgX series starts May 12, 2022. Please visit www.calagx.net for more information and to register. If you have any questions, please contact me at your convenience
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Farm Bureau Membership Matters | | |
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We cannot support your freedom to farm and ranch without your membership.
Join SLO County Farm Bureau now or renew your membership online. Go to slofarmbureau.org to join, or download the membership form PDF.
Have your renewal notice available to speed up the process; you will need to enter your membership number, name and ZIP code. Renewal dues may be paid online or over the phone by credit card.
We're here to help! Call us if you need us to lookup your member number or we can process your membership for you, at 805-543-3654.
All California county Farm Bureau memberships are processed through the California Farm Bureau Federation, but please reach out to our SLO County office if you need your membership number or have questions.
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Thank You Platinum Members | | | | |
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