2023 Sudden Oak Death (SOD) Blitz

City Farm SLO- A Night a la Ferme Youth Program Fundraiser

City of Morro Bay seeking answers on nearby offshore wind project

City officials in Morro Bay say they have some concerns about an offshore wind project planned off the north coast of San Luis Obispo County.

The offshore wind farm would be about 30 miles northwest of Morro Bay, but the project could have direct impacts on city infrastructure and the environment.

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in SLO and Salinas to permanently close Apr. 18- For January Storm Damage

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in San Luis Obispo and Salinas are set to permanently close Apr. 18.

SBA services at both locations will continue in the last week for any businesses and residents who need assistance accessing disaster and storm relief resources from the January storms.

EPA Allows California Law Phasing Out Diesel Trucks

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved California’s plan to phase out the sale of diesel-fueled heavy-duty trucks, including the big rigs that transport much of the state’s agricultural goods, in the state’s efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions.

Governor Newsom Statement on Biden Administration’s New Proposed Emissions Standards

Governor Gavin Newsom issued the below statement following new federal emissions standards proposed by the U.S. EPA. The standards, championed by the Biden-Harris Administration, would effectively require a majority of all cars sold in the U.S. to be zero emissions vehicles (ZEV) by 2032, and if adopted, they would be the most stringent federal tailpipe requirements in history.

AFBF to President Biden: You Let Farmers Down

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall today commented on President Biden’s decision to veto the Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution that would have overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s overreaching Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The CRA was a bipartisan, bicameral effort by Congress to halt implementation of the flawed rule.

AFBF: Second Judge Sides With Farmers by Halting WOTUS Rule

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall calls a second U.S. District Court ruling to halt the 2023 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule a win for farmers. Today’s ruling, out of North Dakota, stops implementation of the rule in 24 states. The first ruling, out of Texas, halted the rule in two states.

Lawsuit seeks to uphold closing California’s last nuke plant

An environmental group on Tuesday sued to block Pacific Gas & Electric from seeking to extend the federal operating licenses for California’s last nuclear power plant.

A complaint filed in San Francisco Superior Court by Friends of the Earth asks the court to prohibit the utility from sidestepping its 2016 agreement with environmentalists and plant workers to close the twin-domed Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant by 2025.

Carbajal bill would prevent development on more than 250,000 acres of Central Coast land

Yet another attempt is being made to protect more than 250,000 acres of Central Coast land from development forever.

Congressman Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, was set to reintroduce the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday.

NRC Coming to SLO to Discuss Future of Diablo Canyon. And They Want to Hear From You

Should PG&E renew its operating license for Diablo Canyon Power Plant? How safe is California’s only nuclear power plant? Members of the public can ask questions and make their voices heard at a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission meeting on May 3 in San Luis Obispo. The meeting will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors chambers at 1055 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo.

April 19- Workshop on Common Pests in Greenhouses and Nurseries

Free Workshop: Intro to INSV and Current Management Practices- April 18

Despite More Water, Most Field Crop Plantings to Drop

Having more water this year has not necessarily boosted state plantings of field crops.

Of the ones tracked by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only three—corn, rice and dry beans—are projected to increase in acreage, according to the department’s prospective plantings report released on March 31. USDA made the acreage estimates based primarily on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March.

Increase the Value of Data: A Call to AgTech Startups

AgTech Startups, we need an open data exchange format to increase the value of complementary data sets to the end customer─the grower.

I had a great conversation today about the increased value that can be created in farming operations when data from multiple activities are combined to increase the value of each (in short – 1 + 1 = 3 … sometimes). As an example, let’s say that vendor A provides a solution for planting (something like PlantTape Inc.) and vendor B provides a solution for weeding (something like Naïo Technologies).

Taylor Farms reopens Abbott Street facility devastated by fire

Salinas, Calif.-based salad grower Taylor Farms is reopening its foodservice facility at the end of April 2023 on Abbott Street in Salinas, Calif., following a devastating fire in April 2022, according to a news release.

Student-athletes from across California compete at Cal Poly Rodeo

The first student-athlete performance of the Cal Poly Rodeo kicked off Friday night.

The rodeo is sold out through the weekend and competitors say they appreciate the strong show of support from the community.

College athletes from across California showed off their wrestling, roping, and riding skills on Friday night.

4 local Riders Win Events at Rodeo During Cal Poly’s Open House

Four local riders recently won events at the Poly Royal Rodeo. The 81st annual Poly Royal Rodeo was held on campus Friday and Saturday nights at Cal Poly’s Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex as part of the San Luis Obispo university’s annual Open House. The Cal Poly Rodeo Team winners of individual events were Wyatt Wood in bareback riding; Quintin McWhorter in saddle bronc riding; Samantha Massey in breakaway roping, Jeffery Fisher, bull riding, and Skylar Alves in barrel racing.

California Vintners Welcome Higher Last-Resort Fire Insurance Limits but Await Return of Private Market

California wildfire losses topping $1 billion among wineries and agricultural operations since 2017 have sparked an up to $15 million increase in coverage limits for the state’s insurance program “of last resort” called the FAIR Plan.

Paso Robles winery Daou is expanding to Italy with new 173-acre estate: ‘It’s so magical’

The brothers behind award-winning Paso Robles winery Daou Family Estates will soon be making some of their vintages overseas. Co-proprietors Daniel and George Daou recently purchased a 173-acre property in Italy. Located in the Val d’Orcia region in southern Tuscany, the property has been on the brothers’ real estate wish list for some time, according to Maeve Pesquera, Daou senior vice president.

DWR to Use Helicopters to Map Groundwater Resources Across Central Coast

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will be conducting airborne geophysical surveys over parts of the Central Coast this month.

People may see a helicopter towing a large hoop. It'll be carrying Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) technology that will be used to measure and map groundwater levels. It will fly about 200 feet above the ground.

Atascadero residents could see water rates increase by 25%. Here’s why

Atascadero residents could see their water bills spike to pay for a new water treatment plant. The Atascadero Mutual Water Company has proposed increasing customers’ water rates by 25% for the 2024 fiscal year, and 4% for each year after that.

The 25% increase will cover increases in health insurance costs, which are expected to rise by about 8% in 2024, as well as energy expenses. Electricity is expected to increase by about 10% and natural gas by 20%, according to a staff report to the board.

Commentary: How managing flood flows can help rescue aquifers

As a changing climate stresses water supplies, a key focus for California is on how to manage flood flows in ways that store more water for drought years while reducing risk to life and infrastructure.

CDFA Accepting Applications for Water Efficiency Technical Assistance Program

The 2021 state budget appropriated $15 million for the WETA program, which funds irrigation water efficiency and nutrient management technical assistance grants. The WETA grant program is designed to facilitate technical assistance to agricultural operations for on-farm water and energy use efficiency and nutrient management.

Increasing temperatures increase California flood risk

San Joaquin Valley Flood Plain Restoration – A reduction of $40 million General Fund in 2023-24, which eliminates funding for this purpose.”

The $40 million had been a small down payment on the billions of dollars that would be needed to protect communities in the valley from disastrous floods that scientists had been warning could occur under certain meteorological circumstances.