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San Luis Obispo County Agriculture News

August 28, 2023

www.slofarmbureau.org

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New Federal Regulations for Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off SLO County’s Coast Announced

On August 25, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries announced draft regulatory details of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, and NOAA has its regulatory eyes on San Luis Obispo County agriculture.


For details, review the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the text of the regulation), Draft Environmental Impact Statement, and Draft Management Plan


If approved, the designation would authorize NOAA to create an additional layer of new federal regulations on farmers and ranchers all across SLO County, not just coastal areas. How so?

  • Per the Proposed Rule, NOAA will be allowed to prohibit or regulate the “Discharging or depositing from beyond the boundary of the Sanctuary any material or other matter that subsequently enters the Sanctuary and injures a Sanctuary resource or quality … ."
  • Farms and ranches miles away from the coast raise crops and livestock along intermittent streams that eventually drain into the Pacific, meaning they could be subject to NOAA regulations. 
  • As SLO County Farm Bureau expressed in our January 2022 comments to NOAA, “This clearly demonstrates that the National Marine Sanctuary designation gives NOAA new federal authority to regulate farmers and ranchers along the Central Coast."
  • The National Marine Sanctuary designation opens the door to new federal restrictions on basic farming practices like tilling soil, applying fertilizers and pesticides (organic or conventional), grazing livestock, and irrigating crops.    


In response to our comments, NOAA pointed to collaborative efforts with the agriculture community that take place in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. But past approaches are no guarantee of the future, and these collaborative efforts may inevitably be accompanied with a new “sanctuary permit under Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary regulations” for agriculture activities (see page 30-31 of the Draft Management Plan). 


Unfortunately for farmers and ranchers, NOAA failed to put in writing any assurances it would not exercise this new regulatory authority on agriculture. Whether it’s at the local, regional, state or federal government agency level, farmers and ranchers are understandably skeptical of promises for collaboration and balanced policies.


Our local agricultural community is committed to protecting marine resources. All food production has some impact on the environment, but California agriculture is already subject to the most stringent environmental regulations in the country like the Central Coast Regional Water Board’s Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program, also known as Ag Order 4.0. 


NOAA will accept public comments on these draft designation documents until October 25, 2023. It will likely finalize the designation process in 2024 to not risk a reversal of the designation by a different presidential administration. Find info on submitting comments here. A pubic comment meeting will be held by NOAA in SLO County on September 25 at 5pm in the SLO County Board of Supervisors chambers. An online public comment meeting will be held October 12 at 1pm Pacific, register here.

This Week In SLO County Agriculture

In This Week's Issue:

  • Community: North American Truffle Growers' Association Will Hold their 2023 Congress in Paso Robles from Oct. 8-10
  • Local Government: County Ag Department’s Templeton Office Remains Open Despite Construction Activities 
  • State Government: State-Funded Study Recommends Increasing the Mill Assessment
  • Federal Government: CBP Agriculture Specialists Discover First-in-Nation Pest in San Diego
  • Environmental: California Nuclear Plant Clears Legal Challenge to Stay Open
  • Business Member Spotlight: Blaze N' Bear Insurance Services, Inc.
  • Produce: Broccoli, Lettuce Production Costs are Rising, Studies Say
  • Featured Member Benefit: CalAgXchange
  • Labor: California Employers Using Criminal History Face New Compliance Obligations
  • Wildfire: Farm Bureau president applauds Assembly passage of SB 505
  • Livestock: Cal Poly Humboldt Professor Begins Two Rangeland Studies Funded by California Farm Bureau
  • Vineyard and Wine: 3 SLO County Wineries are Among the Top 100 Wineries in the World, Magazine Says
  • Water: Paso Basin Cooperative Committee's Expanded Monitoring Network Technical Advisory Committee Meets August 30

August 21 Most-Read

1. A New Avocado Variety Could Be the Fruit of the Future

2. Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin dies

3. Carrots v. Cuyama: Commercial growers sued their neighbors over groundwater rights and the first hearing is coming up

4. You’ve Got To Watch This! Laser Weeding Red Lettuce at Night

5. How Microplastics Are Making Their Way Into Our Farmland

6. The industry tapping K Street to one day dethrone beef

7. Legislature is avoiding key issues, including worsening California fire insurance crisis

8. San Luis Obispo USDA Service Center Newsletter - NAP Signup

9. Database of Demand Management Actions Under SGMA Goes Live

10. Smaller cow-calf operations still outnumber large operations, but herd sizes have increased

Executive Director Report

Here are a few things we worked on this week:

  • Monitored the August 22 SLO County Board of Supervisors meeting
  • Attended a Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement meeting
  • Held a SLO County Farm Bureau Board of Directors meeting
  • Attended a California Farm Bureau Special Review Committee meeting
  • Gave our weekly update on The Tom & Becky Show on KJUG 98.1 (Thursdays around 9:10am)
  • Worked with California Farm Bureau federal policy team and congressional staff on the EATS Act and a tomato trade issue
  • Toured Oasia Farms in Nipomo which grows and markets raw spirulina 
  • Attended the South County Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee meeting
  • Reviewed draft designation documents of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary 

Calendar- Upcoming Events & Deadlines:


  • September 18 - Deadline to apply for USDA FSA's Emergency Loan Program
  • September 23 - Young Farmers and Ranchers Meet-Up at Paso Robles Barrelhouse Oktoberfest from 2-7pm- Purchase your tickets here.
  • September 26 - SLO County Farm Bureau Board Meeting at 5pm (4875 Morabito Place SLO; All members welcome, please RSVP to office at 805-543-3654)
  • October 3 - In-Person Hazardous Ag Materials Training - English 9-11am, Spanish 1-2:30pm (Free for Farm Bureau Members! Register here.
  • October 10 - SLO County Great AGventure at Paso Robles Event Center (Email SLO County Ag Education Committee Exec. Dir. Kim Bradley for more info at [email protected])
  • October 13 - Deadline to apply for the USDA FSA's Emergency Conservation Program for January, February and March 2023 storm damages in SLO County
  • October 14 - Young Farmers and Ranchers to participate in Paso Robles Pioneer Day Parade; Meet at 8:30am to decorate float
  • October 24 - SLO County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting (details coming soon)

Advertise in San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau's

2024 Sportsmen Raffle Calendar

Sponsorship Opportunities:

Purchase a Business Card-Size Ad

  • Purchase a full-color business card size advertisement on the main calendar display for $350.

Donate a Prize

  • Donate an item or prize package with a retail value of at least $500, and you will receive a complimentary Business Card Ad on the main calendar display.
  • Your business will also be recognized on the tear-off page for the month your prize is awarded.

Deadline is Sept. 5, 2023! Ads will sell out, only 6 ad spaces remain. Learn more here.

Community: North American Truffle Growers' Association Will Hold their 2023 Congress in Paso Robles from Oct. 8-10

Water Tanks for Sale from Los Angeles-Area Aerospace Company 

The tanks are Ace Roto-Mold cylindrical tanks manufactured from medium-density polyethylene with U.V. stabilizers and could be used for water tank testing, holding chemicals, or agricultural use. Both tanks are designed for the containment of chemicals with a specific gravity of 1.7 or less. For more info contact Kerry Nock at [email protected]

 

1. $800 - LARGE TANK: 1210 gallon, with top, cylindrical shape 

• Removable crowned top is fastened to the flange with eight 3/8" bolts, washers and hex nuts

• Capacity: 1210 Gallons, Size: 64”D x 100”H, Weight: 277 lbs.


2. $150 - SMALL TANK: 360 gallon, open top, cylindrical shape

• Tank walls are translucent for level viewing and equipped with gallon indicators.

• Capacity: 360 Gallons, Size: 48”D x 48”H, Weight: 125 lbs.

The North American Truffle Growers Association (NATGA) will hold their 2023 Congress in Paso Robles, California, on October 8 - 10 at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort. This emerging industry complements the wine industry and has a proven track record of discovering truffles here in Paso Robles. The three-day event includes grower break-out sessions and an orchard tour with wine and truffle pairings at Caelesta Vineyard & Truffiere. The event will close on Tuesday, October 10 with a Grand Finale Truffle Dinner prepared by Allegretto’s Executive Chef. 


Sponsorship opportunities are available at many levels between $1,000 - $2,500. Please contact Kylee Corliss to sign-up for sponsorship. Congress Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here. For more information on the North American Truffle Growers Association, please visit the website at www.trufflegrowers.com

Local Government: County Ag Department’s Templeton Office Remains Open Despite Construction Activities 

County Ag Department’s Templeton Office Remains Open Despite Construction Activities 

Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures Update - August 23, 2023

CONTACT: Templeton Office Main Line at 805.434.5950 OR David Aguayo, Deputy Agricultural

Commissioner/Sealer, 805.781.5922


“Our department office in Templeton (350 North Main Street) remains open despite the ongoing construction activities at the north county Sheriff’s office facility. We have requested that construction crews leave several parking spots available at the top of the hill near our office entrance, but we can’t guarantee that there will be spots available at all times. There will be signage near our office indicating the parking spots available for Ag Department customers. Additional parking is available at the bottom of the main driveway near the Main Street entrance. Our Templeton Office business hours are 8 – 4 Monday through Friday, with an Inspector available each day from noon to 4.”

SLO County strawberries were worth nearly $278 million last year. What about other crops?

The total value of agriculture in San Luis Obispo County exceeded $1 billion in 2022, a crop report said, led by strawberries and wine grapes.

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Santa Barbara County releases draft ag enterprise ordinance for public comment

Santa Barbara County is moving an ordinance forward that would expand some allowed uses or activities on agriculture land in an effort to ensure long-term...

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State Government: State-Funded Study Recommends Increasing the Mill Assessment

California Farm Bureau's Farm Bureau at Work - State Government Affairs Weekly Update- August 25, 2023


CalFire Defensible Space Survey Now Available

CalFIRE is working with the UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) on creating a creative campaign for Zone 0 imagery and slogans and have created this survey to collect feedback.


Big changes are coming in how we landscape our property to help protect homes and people from wildfire.


These changes are a part of California's adapting defensible space standards and are in reaction to the

severity of recent wildfires and new scientific understandings.

  1. We need your help to craft the best language to inform the general public about these important fire mitigations.
  2. Embers cause the majority of wildfire home ignitions by igniting vegetation or materials on or near a home resulting in flames touching the house.
  3. California's defensible space zones are changing to address embers. In 2025, a new defensible space zone will be added, referred to as Zone 0, which extends from 0 to 5 feet of the perimeter of buildings, including the footprint of attached desks and stairs. Zone 0 will complement the existing Zone 1 (5 to 30 feet) and Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet or the property line) in making up California's defensible space standards.
  4. These regulations will apply to most unincorporated areas in California and will likely include very high and high fire hazard zones in cities. It will apply to new construction first, and a year later, it will apply to existing structures, meaning the landscaping on existing homes will need to meet these new fuel reduction standards.


Background: California’s Mediterranean landscapes are adapted to frequent fire, but its people and

homes are not. The good news is that the odds of a home surviving a wildfire can be substantially

improved through attention to three things: careful design and maintenance of landscaping; awareness and management of combustible materials on the property such as leaf litter, woodpiles, and wood fences; and incorporation of fire- and ember-resistant construction materials with appropriate installation and maintenance. Standards for Zone 0: Note: The regulation is still in development, and some changes are expected as the regulation works through the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection's rulemaking process.


The big ideas are:

  • Surrounding the structure, use hardscape like gravel, pavers, concrete, or other rock mulch.
  • No combustible bark or mulch will be allowed in this zone.
  • Where there are attached wooden fences, replace the 5 feet that touch the structure with a noncombustible panel or gate, to break the pathway for fire to wick to the structure.
  • Remove all dead and dying weeds, grass, plants, shrubs, trees, branches, and vegetative debris (leaves, needles, cones, bark, etc.)
  • Where trees exist in Zone 0, limb branches above the height of the structure and providing at least 10 feet separation from all portions of the roof, including the chimney or stovepipe.

Complete the survey here!

State-Funded Study Recommends Increasing the Mill Assessment

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) recently released findings from an independent study looking at its mill assessment...

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Federal Government: CBP Agriculture Specialists Discover First-in-Nation Pest in San Diego

CBP Agriculture Specialists Discover First-in-Nation Pest in San Diego

OTAY MESA, Calif., - U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists assigned to the Otay Mesa cargo facility intercepted a rare pest while inspecting a cargo shipment on July 19 when a shipment containing pocket leaves arrived at the facility. A CBP officer referred the driver and cargo for an intensive agriculture inspection during the initial inspection of the shipment.

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McConnell concedes farm bill will be late; Stabenow eyes year-end - Roll Call

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledges what had become increasingly likely: Congress won't pass a farm bill by Sept. 30.

Read More

Is China really buying up U.S. farmland? Here's what we found

Lawmakers want to limit foreign ownership of U.S. farmland because of fears China might be snapping up land near sensitive sites. But what's the reality?

Read More
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Environmental: California Nuclear Plant Clears Legal Challenge to Stay Open

Boiling Point: Would filling a new reservoir give off lots of greenhouse gases?

Patagonia and environmental groups analyzed how much methane would be emitted by California's planned Sites Reservoir, projecting a large climate impact.

Read More

California Nuclear Plant Clears Legal Challenge to Stay Open

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. followed the law in moving to operate Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant beyond previously expected closure dates of 2024 and 2025, a California Superior Court ruled.

Read More

Business Member Spotlight:

Blaze N' Bear Insurance Services, Inc.

Blaze ‘n Bear Insurance Services, Inc. is locally owned by Barry Fisher and Susan Blais. It was created with a singular mission: to bring a focus on life, disability, and long-term insurance planning for individuals, families, and business owners. As 20+ year residents of the Central Coast, they also work closely with financial advisors and allied professionals to ensure their mutual clients have the personal insurance protection they need for a secure future.


Tune in to their broadcast, "Protecting What Matters" on KPRL1230 AM 99.3FM or listen to the live feed on Tuesdays at 1PM PST. The broadcast that helps you become better informed about services and products to protect various aspects of your life and property.  

www.blazenbear.com

PHONE: 805-635-7200

Produce: Broccoli, Lettuce Production Costs are Rising, Studies Say

Broccoli, Lettuce Production Costs are Rising, Studies Say

Courtesy of the California Farm Bureau Federation

By Bob Johnson- August 23,2023


The cost of producing broccoli and romaine lettuce hearts has gone up in the Central Coast region, according to new studies released by the University of California Cooperative Extension.


In inflationary times, many factors have increased the cost of growing and harvesting an acre of this common rotation of cool-season vegetables.


“Growing costs, in general, have continued to increase over time,” said Laura Tourte, UCCE farm management advisor emeritus. She said rising expenses for labor, custom farming, other inputs and land rents continue to impact growers’ bottom lines.


Tourte joined UC vegetable crop advisor emeritus Richard Smith, Cooperative Extension specialist Brittney Goodrich and staff research associate Jeremy Murdoch in producing a series of reports on the cost of growing and harvesting broccoli and lettuce in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties.


The cost studies were based on interviews with area growers and are intended as guidelines for farmers as they develop their budgets.


Researchers used a hypothetical model of a 1,500-acre coastal vegetable operation in which lettuce and broccoli are rotated with other cool-season vegetable and berry crops.


In a statement, Goodrich said the research provides growers “a baseline to estimate their own costs, which can help when applying for production loans, projecting labor costs, securing market arrangements or understanding costs associated with water and nutrient management and regulatory programs.”


As costs go up, Tourte said, Central Coast growers improvise to make their vegetable crops pencil out.


“Growers continue to innovate and adjust their businesses and practices to meet multiple pressures and challenges,” she said.


Among the innovations, she said, are investments in automated technologies being incorporated into operations. Production challenges include the impatiens necrotic spot virus, or INSV, she said.


Lettuce growers face a series of additional costs in their efforts to manage INSV, which has severely impacted the crop in the Salinas Valley in recent years, causing particular damage in 2022.


On top of crop losses, growers face expenses to monitor fields and remove weeds in and around lettuce plantings “to reduce non-crop reservoirs of INSV and thrips,” the study found.


“The seed costs shown in this study will likely increase as a result of research that is underway to breed resistance into lettuce varieties,” the report said. It also noted impacts of additional threats such as pythium, fusarium and verticillium, plus lettuce drop and foliar diseases such as downy mildew.


On labor costs, the reports noted that employer costs for workers range from $23.68 to $29.60 an hour.


Meanwhile, for crops grown with groundwater, costs for pumping and related fees range from $282 to $435 an acre-foot. The cost of fertilizer applied through a drip line has risen to more than $300 for a broccoli crop.


There are additional costs in complying with nutrient management regulations intended to reduce nitrate contamination and overdraft of the underground aquifer. The studies cite a cost of $150 per acre per year or $75 per acre per crop for compliance and fees under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and the Central Coast’s Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.


The studies say growers need good yields to just break even on cool-season vegetables. At a grower price of $16 a carton of romaine hearts, the break-even point is nearly 1,000 cartons an acre.


Researchers say it is difficult to evaluate broccoli economically. That’s because in addition to its market value, broccoli residues provide a valuable biofumigant that helps reduce the pathogen levels of many soil-borne diseases that can afflict subsequent lettuce crops.


“Broccoli is more challenging from a profitability perspective, as each ranging analysis will show, but broccoli is an essential rotational crop for growers,” the broccoli cost study said. “Broccoli may not be a profitable crop in all market conditions but is an essential crop in coastal vegetable production because it helps reduce key soil-borne diseases for subsequent crop production.”


At a price of $17 for bunched broccoli, the study estimated, the break-even point is between 600 and 650 cartons per acre. For broccoli crowns, the break-even point is around 550 cartons per acre when the price is $18 a carton.


Tourte said potential profitability depends on yields and prices or market conditions.


For lettuce, for example, she said “at a lower yield and price scenario, growers will likely operate at a loss. She added, “As yields and prices increase, returns cross over into positive net returns territory.”


(Bob Johnson is a reporter in Monterey County. He may be contacted at [email protected].)

Find the Right Robot for Your Crop Production at FIRA USA 2023, Sept. 19-21

SALINAS, Calif. -- From planting to harvesting, through fertilizing and weeding, robots and autonomous solutions for farming will showcase and demo at FIRA USA 2023,...

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OGS 2023 - General Attendee & Exhibitor Registration Open!

Organic Grower Summit Presented by Western Growers and OPN provides growers firsthand knowledge and information in a variety of areas ranging from ag tech to food safety to sustainability. Through engaging educational sessions, insightful keynote presentations, and a trade show floor featuring nearly 100 exhibitors offering supply chain and service provider opportunities for growers, OGS 2023 is an event not to be missed!

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FFAR Grant Combats Disease in Lettuce Crops

DAVIS, Calif. -- Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) is a highly contagious plant virus that causes crop losses worldwide. While the virus affects a wide...

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International Olive Symposium Coming to UC Davis - California Fresh Fruit Magazine

The IX International Olive Symposium grants a golden opportunity for researchers and industry stakeholders to once again share research findings and industry development, at the University of California, Davis, September 10-14th. This is not ...

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Avocado:

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California is in for an interesting avocado season


Although the California avocado crop is smaller than last year, the 2023 marketing situation is much different than in 2022, and moving this year’s volume through the supply chain will create its own challenges. That seems to be the overarching view of several grower-shippers interviewed on the subject.

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Hilary tests California avocado growers, but supplies expected to last through Labor Day

While a recent tropical storm and moderate earthquake hit Southern California on the same day, the California Avocado Commission reports the state's avocado growers experienced minimal impact.

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Thank You Farm Bureau Members

New Agricultural Member

Danny Furtado

Renewing Agricultural Members

Pankey North Ranch, Pierre Camsuzou, George Donati at Pacific Coast Farming, Anthony Bozzano at Bozzano & Co., and Paul Madonna

SLO County Farm Bureau Business Support Member List

Featured Member Benefit:

CalAgXchange

Coming September 1, CalAgXchange will offer our members the opportunity to reach a demographic beyond just the Ag Alert readership with online listings available to any website visitors. Plus, all listings online include clickable links and emails for easier connections! 


Attached is a rate card for both print and online listings. And don’t forget that ALL California Farm Bureau members receive a 15% discount on all online placements. Please contact [email protected] today to get your listing live! 

Labor: California Employers Using Criminal History Face New Compliance Obligations

California Sen. Alex Padilla pushes for outdoor workers rights after recent heat-related deaths

Alex Padilla visited the city of Delano Friday morning to highlight the Asunción Valdivia Heat Stress Injury, Illness, and Fatality Prevention Act.

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Farms focus on safety amid summer heat

By the time the sun rose over the Sutter Buttes, Leticia Hermosillo and the 22-woman work crew she supervises were knee-deep in a Colusa County squash field, separating male and female plants that farmer Mitchell Yerxa grows for seed.

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Commentary: Can D.C. lawmakers grasp the labor needs of farms?

Nearly 67 years ago, then President Dwight D. Eisenhower was giving a speech before a group at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.

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California Employers Using Criminal History Face New Compliance Obligations

Jennifer L. Mora, Senior Counsel and Pamela Q. Devata, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw

August 15, 2023


For many years, California employers have been subject to the state’s Fair Chance Act, which (in a nutshell) requires employers to:


  • Wait until after a conditional offer of employment to inquire about or consider criminal history;
  • Conduct an individualized, job-related assessment before rejecting an applicant due to criminal history; and
  • Follow a two-step notice process if action is taken based on the criminal history, which is similar, but not identical, to the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s notice requirements (and applicable even if the criminal history was not discovered from a FCRA consumer report (e.g., self-disclosure, internet search, etc.)).


On July 24, 2023, the Office of Administrative Law approved the California Civil Rights Council’s proposed modifications to the regulations applicable to employer use of criminal history, which are effective October 1, 2023.

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Wildfire: Farm Bureau president applauds Assembly passage of SB 505

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Farm Bureau president applauds Assembly passage of SB 505


California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson praised the California Assembly for today’s passage of Senate Bill 505 to expand the insurance “clearinghouse” program of the California FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort.


SB 505, by state Sen. Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, previously passed in the state Senate and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature.

 

California Farm Bureau and the California Department of Insurance co-sponsored the bill, which will allow commercial policies under the FAIR plan to move back to the competitive market with coverage protecting farming and ranching operations.


“Farmers and ranchers have truly felt the pain of California’s insurance crisis,” Johansson said. “Many lost their insurance after devastating California wildfires. We earlier worked with Sen. Rubio to help them gain access to coverage under the FAIR plan. Now we thank her for her leadership on SB 505, which will help those farmers and ranchers—and all Californians—gain access to affordable residential and commercial property insurance.


“Our farmers and ranchers want to focus on producing America’s food supply, not on trying to become experts in procuring what was once routine insurance coverage,” Johansson added. “We urge Gov. Newsom to support them by signing this important legislation.”


Sen. Rubio earlier carried Senate Bill 11 on behalf of California Farm Bureau. Signed into law in 2021, it allowed agricultural properties to get fire insurance coverage under the FAIR Plan.


The California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 29,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of 5.3 million Farm Bureau members.

Livestock: Cal Poly Humboldt Professor Begins Two Rangeland Studies Funded by California Farm Bureau

Group of US House members oppose bill that would overturn California animal welfare law

A significant minority of members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday said they opposed a federal bill that would overturn a California animal welfare law, arguing it infringes on states' rights.

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Cal Poly Humboldt Professor Begins Two Rangeland Studies Funded by California Farm Bureau

 In April, the short supply of agricultural land on North Coast was brought to light by several local farmers who feared an Arcata housing plan would limit the available farmland even further. Now, Cal Poly Humboldt Professor Justin Luong is studying an alternative farming method that could open up more land for farming locally.

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Vineyard and Wine: 3 SLO County Wineries are Among the Top 100 Wineries in the World, Magazine Says

Halter Ranch acquires organic certification

Certification process involved rigorous inspections and audits by accredited organic certifying body - Halter Ranch Winery has announced its official organic certification granted by California's [...]

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Tablas Creek named to 'Top 100 Wineries in the World' list

Winery makes the list for the fourth time in five years - Wine & Spirits Magazine has announced its Top 100 Wineries in the World [...]

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Harvest of sparkling wine grapes begins in Paso Robles

Sparkling wine harvest starts three to four weeks earlier than wine grapes for still wines - Sparkling wine producer Vino Vargas kicked off its 2023 [...]

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3 SLO County Wineries are Among the Top 100 Wineries in the World, Magazine Says

Wine & Spirits' Top 100 Wineries of 2023 list named J. Lohr Vineyards and Tablas Creek in Paso Robles and Deovlet Wines in San Luis Obispo.

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Water: Paso Basin Cooperative Committee's Expanded Monitoring Network Technical Advisory Committee Meets August 30

Paso Basin Cooperative Committee's Expanded Monitoring Network  Technical Advisory Committee Meets August 30


NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Paso Basin Cooperative Committee Expanded Monitoring Network Technical Advisory Committee will hold a Meeting at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at Centennial Park, 600 Nickerson Dr, Paso Robles, CA 93446. View the agenda here.

SLO residents say airport contamination cleanup is moving too slowly

Toxic chemicals have been leaking into the groundwater under and around the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport for about five decades. It's not the only airport in the state dealing with this contamination, but it is the first to address the problem with a formal plan.

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The grand jury is in, and the Paso basin is still in trouble

The plan to save the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin is failing. In 2014, the California Legislature passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), requiring local...

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UCANR: New database helps Californians understand proposed groundwater plans

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act allows for flexibility in local conservation strategies Press release from UC Ag and Natural Resources To achieve groundwater sustainability under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, demand management - policies that encourage water conservation - will be necessary, says Ellen Bruno, University of California Cooperative Extension specialist in quantitative policy analysis...

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California is Out of Its Epic Drought-For Now

Tropical Storm Hilary and a year of substantial rainfall has brought needed water to California. But the region's long-term problems remain.

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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.

Join or Renew Your San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau Membership

Thank You Platinum Members

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SLO County Agriculture News is distributed by SLO County Farm Bureau for information purposes only. Stories written by SLO County Farm Bureau may be reprinted with attribution. Some outside story links may require site registration. Opinions expressed in stories, commentaries or editorials included in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of SLO County Farm Bureau. For information on advertising opportunities, please email [email protected] or call our office at 805-543-3654.

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