Newsom Declares State Of Emergency in SLO County |
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National Weather Service
CENTRAL COAST
ROCKY BUTTE.......................14.93
CAMBRIA...........................11.66
SLO - CAL POLY....................10.07
LOS OSOS.......................... 9.61
DAVIS PEAK........................ 8.47
ATASCADERO W FTHLS................ 8.16
SAN LUIS OBISPO SCG............... 7.01
ARROYO GRANDE..................... 6.62
PISMO BEACH....................... 6.18
SAN LUIS OBISPO (KSBP)............. 5.76
LAKE LOPEZ........................ 5.23
OCEANO............................ 4.25
LAKE LOPEZ REC AREA............... 3.95
NIPOMO............................ 3.00
INTERIOR VALLEYS
LAS TABLAS........................15.31
NACIMIENTO NR SAPAQUE.............14.10
SANTA MARGARITA W................. 8.12
SALINAS DAM....................... 7.45
SANTA MARGARITA E................. 7.13
TEMPLETON......................... 6.82
PASO ROBLES (KPRB)................ 4.79
ATASCADERO........................ 4.76
LA PANZA.......................... 2.33
SHANDON........................... 2.29
MOUNTAINS
BLACK MOUNTAIN.................... 8.44
BALD MOUNTAIN..................... 3.19
SHELL PEAK........................ 2.99
BRANCH MOUNTAIN................... 2.37
CARRIZO PLAIN..................... 2.01
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Sorely-needed rainfall found its way to all parts of San Luis Obispo County this week. Several residents were without power or experienced property damage from the three-day weather event. Late today, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency for San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties. The declaration opens up state and federal relief funds to assist local government response.
Pictured above, more than six inches of rain fell near a field of cauliflower in Arroyo Grande. Despite this week's storm, most of the county still remains below annual average rainfall accumulation levels. Find more weather news from local meteorologists and government sources through the links below.
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This Week in SLO County Agriculture |
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In This Issue:
- Board of Supervisors News: County's First-Ever Ordinance Requiring CEQA Review for Crops Draws Praise from Environmental Groups, Concern from Agriculture Community
- State Government News: California Farm Bureau Working on Legislative Fix to Insure Farmers at Wildfire Risk
- Community News: Applications Available for California Ag Leadership Program
- USDA News: Did You Have Fire Damage in 2020? FSA Extends Deadline to Apply for Relief Payment
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COVID-19 News: Paso Robles Daily News - Second Doses of Vaccine Could be Delayed for Now
- Business Member Spotlight: The Rice Partnership
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Livestock News: Western Livestock Journal - Stop Adding Fuel to the Flames
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Labor News: AgNet West - Look Out For Paperwork With Unauthorized Cal/OSHA Letterhead
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Produce News: KCRW - Wasted: Why The Average California Strawberry Goes Uneaten
- Vineyard & Winery News: AgAlert - Wineries May Face Shortages of Both Trucks and Truckers
- Water News: Learn What's In the Final Draft Ag Order 4.0 on February 2nd, Comments Due February 24th
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Environmental News: Bakersfield Californian - Pesticide Report Renews Debate on Health Risk
- Wisdom From the Farm and Ranch: My Farmer Father by Jasmine N. Swantz
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January 22 Most Read Stories:
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Board of Supervisors News: County's First-Ever Ordinance Requiring CEQA Review for Crops Draws Praise from Environmental Groups, Concern from Agriculture Community |
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In opposition to Farm Bureau, Grower-Shippers Association, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, and other local agriculture industry leaders, the SLO County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to proceed with a "Request to provide staff direction on land use policy development for the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin."
SLO County Farm Bureau will continue to engage with Supervisors Debbie Arnold, Lynn Compton and John Peschong who voted for the new regulation on agriculture. Supervisor Arnold argued the new "Permit Process" for planting crops in the Paso Basin will actually be an improvement over the existing Agricultural Offset Ordinance that expires January 1, 2022. County staff will have to rush to develop this new ordinance before the Offset Ordinance expires.
Certainly some landowners in the Basin who currently cannot irrigate would benefit from the proposed "Three-Tiered Structure," but significant questions remain about the new requirement for farmers to get a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review before planting new crops. Supervisors directed County staff to structure the new permit process for the Basin as follows:
- Tier 1: Exemption Clearance Permit - Allow new crop plantings using up to 25 acre feet per year, per site to be exempt. (Under the current Offset Ordinance, only 5 ac/ft/year is considered exempt or "de minimus" use.)
- Tier 2: Ministerial Permit - Issue ministerial permits if new crop plantings can be determined by the County to be water neutral. (Essentially this is the same process as the current Ag Offset Ordinance, except the look-back period will now be 6 years.)
- Tier 3: Discretionary Permit with CEQA Review - Any new planting of crops not considered water neutral will be required to undergo a CEQA review.
You can watch a replay of the January 26 Board of Supervisors meeting on Agenda Item 28 here and review documents here.
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SLO County Water Resources Advisory Committee will meet at 1:30pm on Wednesday, February 3. This meeting will be held online via GoToMeeting. There is also a phone-only feature. The Agenda, GoToMeeting link, and call-in information are available here. |
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State Government News: California Farm Bureau Working on Legislative Fix to Insure Farmers at Wildfire Risk |
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Community News: Applications Available for California Ag Leadership Program |
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Farmers hope to see more rain in the coming weeks
A Central Coast farmer is hopeful the rain over the coming days will help his crops after a dry start to the season.
Read more
www.ksby.com
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Meet the 'Sod Father': 91-year-old NFL groundskeeper...
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - When the Buccaneers take the field on Super Bowl Sunday, they'll be playing on turf perfectly manicured by a man known as the "Sod Father" or "Sultan of Sod."
Read more
www.wfla.com
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Apply for California Ag Leadership Program
Applications are now being accepted for Class 51 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program
Read more
www.morningagclips.com
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North County Farmers Markets Provide Local Fresh Food...
There was a time when everyone grew their own food. Everyone had a garden, a flock ...
Read more
pasoroblespress.com
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Top 10 New Ag Products
Winners of the World Ag Expo 2021 Top 10 New Products Competition focus primarily on technology solutions and equipment upgrades.
Read more
www.agalert.com
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USDA News: Did You Have Fire Damage in 2020? FSA Extends Deadline to Apply for Relief Payment |
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Let USDA Help You Prepare for Tax Season
If you participate in USDA programs, including our farm loan program, it's time to start preparing for tax season. USDA technical assistance is free, but it is important to not overlook USDA payments when calculating your taxes. USDA issues...
Read more
www.farmers.gov
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Emergency Conservation Program Signup Deadline has Extended 41 California Counties Impacted 2020 Wildfires
DAVIS, Calif., Jan. 28, 2021 – USDA’s California Farm Service Agency (FSA) has extended the signup deadline for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from the 2020 wildfires that affected 41 counties (including San Luis Obispo) in California. The start-up date was November 30th and the deadline is now March 1, 2021.
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COVID-19 News: Paso Robles Daily News - Second Doses of Vaccine Could be Delayed for Now
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SLO County Vaccine Updates - Jan. 28
- We are in early Phase 1b of our distribution efforts and, as of Friday, Jan. 22, have vaccinated 10,539 people who are 75 and older and/or are health care workers or community health workers.
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The local COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force has determined the next group should include anyone age 65 and older, but we likely will not have enough vaccine to begin vaccinating this group for a few more weeks.
- Thousands of eligible community members now have first-dose appointments scheduled at County COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics next week. We opened up next week’s appointments online today at 9 a.m. and most sites were fully booked by around 3 p.m. However, there are still a small number of appointments available for tomorrow and next week at the Paso Robles clinic. ...
SLO County Farm Bureau continues to encourage individuals and agriculture industry employers to complete our COVID-19 Vaccine Survey to help guide the vaccine rollout to our industry.
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SLO County hopes private health care can ramp up...
Since COVID-19 vaccines arrived in December, the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department has mobilized to open three local vaccine clinics, while developing a new website and online appointment system to get residents signed up for...
Read more
www.newtimesslo.com
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Second doses of COVID-19 vaccine could be delayed for now
Due to limited supply of the COVID-19 vaccine, people in San Luis Obispo County who get their first dose may need to wait up to six weeks to get a second dose, which is in line with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
Read more
pasoroblesdailynews.com
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California seizes control over vaccine delivery
But the administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom provided few ...
Read more
abcnews.go.com
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UFW Foundation Pushes For State and Local Officials To...
Advocates say meeting farmworkers at their workplace to distribute vaccines is the best way to ensure all farmworkers get the vaccine. Fresno County began it's soft rollout of vaccines to farmworkers on Monday, with 50 ag workers receiving their...
Read more
www.kvpr.org
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Business Member Spotlight:
The Rice Partnership
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At the Rice Partnership, we understand what it means to own and operate ranches over multiple generations. Like you, our roots have long been in family ranching so we know firsthand how to grow property assets to create a strong financial base and a lasting legacy.
Whether you’re looking for customized asset management, cash flow into retirement or ways to fund the education of your grandchildren, The Rice Partnership can be your trusted and very personal wealth advisor.
To learn more, contact Senior Wealth Manager Ashley Wilken, 805.517.4122, ashley@thericepartnership.com.
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MARKET UPDATE JANUARY 2021: INFLATION OUTLOOK
The Rice Partnership’s Chief Investment Officer, Orest Saikevych, comments on the outlook for inflation, the velocity of money, and what we are doing to mitigate inflation risk.
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1304 Santa Rosa Street | San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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Thank You Farm Bureau Members |
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Renewing Members
Monte Soto, Jill Heely, Cara Crye, Lori French, Ben Higgins, Richard Kitzman, Jerry Mendes, Fordens Corp, Mike Buzzetti
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Livestock News: Western Livestock Journal - Stop Adding Fuel to the Flames
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US beef exports in danger of triggering Japanese tariff
U.S. beef exports to Japan have been very good in recent months - maybe too good. The Japanese have imported so much U.S. beef, it's looking like they will hit a "safeguard trigger"
Read more
www.agri-pulse.com
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Stop adding fuel to the flames: Wildfires continue to...
Many fires blazed across the West last summer, with record numbers of burned acres and cattle producers impacted-with grazing acres lost, fences destroyed, and cattle losses...
Read more
www.wlj.net
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Labor News: AgNet West - Look Out For Paperwork With Unauthorized Cal/OSHA Letterhead
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Social Security Administration Changes Course on Mismatch Letters |
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California's big stake in immigration reform
The anthropological history of California is one of periodic waves of migration beginning at least 20,000 years ago
Read more
calmatters.org
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UC Davis Launches $3 Million Project to Improve...
California's 800,000 farmworkers have been hit hard by COVID-19, the disease that has infected more than 25 million people and killed more than 420,000 in the United States.
Read more
www.ucdavis.edu
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Look Out for Paperwork with Unauthorized Cal/OSHA Letterhead
Industry members are being advised to watch out for misleading paperwork coming in the mail. The California Farm Labor Contractor Association (CFLCA) has been notified that companies have been sending paperwork out using the official letterhead...
Read more
agnetwest.com
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Produce News: KCRW - Wasted: Why The Average California Strawberry Goes Uneaten
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Wasted: Why the average California strawberry goes uneaten
KCRW's new series, "Wasted," introduces audiences to uncovering neat solutions to the dirty problem of waste. You can listen to more from the two month-long series here. At a small, quiet farm on the northern border of San Diego County, Kenny...
Read more
www.kcrw.com
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Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Avocados star again
Mandarin Orange Chicken may be the big winner, but Teeny Tiny Avocados remain the little darling of the produce department at Trader Joe's. The toast-size bagged avocados have been a hit for the Monrovia, CA-based retailer ever since...
Read more
www.producebluebook.com
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Outbreak Investigation of E. coli - Leafy Greens...
FDA sample analysis complete; outbreak strain detected; final report forthcoming The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, investigated a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections in the fall of 2020. The epidemiology and...
Read more
www.fda.gov
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Vineyard & Winery News: AgAlert - Wineries May Face Shortages of Both Trucks and Truckers
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Wineries may face shortages of both trucks and truckers
By Dennis Pollock, Ag Alert - Jan. 27, 2021
An army of truckers transports winegrapes on California highways, about 7 million miles in a season and 170,000 loads of them, which makes trucking a key piece of the farm-to-winery picture. During a San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association webinar, Yvonne Sams, senior director for California logistics with G3 Enterprises in Modesto, took a hard look at what the future could hold for the trucking industry. ...
Farm Bureau members can continue reading here. If you need your membership number so you can access Ag Alert news, send us an email.
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San Juan Creek District
The Paso Robles American Viticultural Area (AVA) was established in 1983 and at that time there were 556,765 total acres with a little over 5,000 under vine...
Read more
pasowine.com
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California issues 1st statewide rules governing winery...
Hundreds of California wineries will for the first time be governed by statewide wastewater processing rules...
Read more
www.pressdemocrat.com
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Bright energy: Albariño finds a home in the Edna Valley
Edna Valley might be the coolest AVA (American Viticultural Area) in California. Yeah, it's a chill spot to find a winery, do a little tasting, and take in the rolling hills...
Read more
www.newtimesslo.com
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Water News: Learn What's In The Final Draft Ag Order 4.0 on February 2nd, Comments Due February 24th |
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The Regional Water Board released the final draft of Ag Order 4.0 this week, with comments due Feb. 24. While some changes advocated by the ag industry were incorporated in the final draft, many more were not. As presented, this new regulation will create a significant new regulatory burden on irrigated agriculture in the Central Coast region.
Ag groups will be hosting an informational meeting for farmers about the Order on Feb. 2nd at 10am via Zoom (Meeting ID: 867 0492 7626 Passcode: 192860).
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FEATURE: The What, Why, and How of Groundwater Modeling...
Abishek Singh, Ph.D., is Vice President of Intera's Western Region based out of Los Angeles. His professional experience has focused on research...
Read more
mavensnotebook.com
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California must change course to avoid water shortages
Californians have recently endured increasingly aggressive wildfires, rolling power outages, and smoke-filled air for days.
Read more
www.dailybulletin.com
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CDFA Holds Water Trading Meeting Feb. 2
The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will discuss water trading and futures, with a specific focus on the Nasdaq Veles California Water Index at its upcoming meeting.
Read more
www.cdfa.ca.gov
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Environmental News: Bakersfield Californian - Pesticide Report Renews Debate on Health Risks
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Pesticide report renews debate on health risks
A new report showing greater use of pesticides in Kern and other Central Valley counties has rekindled a discussion about whether enough is being done to protect local communities
Read more
www.bakersfield.com
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Planting crops - and carbon, too
Maryland farmer Trey Hill pulled in a healthy haul of corn last fall and then immediately planted rye, turnips, clover and other...
Read more
www.washingtonpost.com
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Advertise with SLO County Farm Bureau |
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Get Your Message in Front of Over 1000 San Luis Obispo Countians!
Our weekly E-News is sent out every Friday to our membership. If you're interested in an effective, low-cost advertising campaign ($150 a month) please give us a call or send an email to SLO County Farm Bureau Executive Director Brent Burchett.
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Wisdom From the Farm & Ranch |
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My Farmer Father – Jasmine N. Swantz
My father is a farmer,
His heart is in the soil
It’s there he finds his solace,
Among the grimy toil
He plants the seed in springtime,
The corn, the beans, the hay,
He prays that God would bless it,
A harvest, Lord, I pray.
He tills and cultivated it,
Provides the most tender care,
Believes that come October,
He’ll reap a harvest fair.
Blue Skies are his cathedral,
A tractor, his altar of prayer,
God meets him in the cornfields,
They have communion there.
My father is a farmer –
That’s all he’ll ever be.
The values that the land taught him,
He handed down to me.
I love my farmer father –
I’m thankful that he’s mine…
I pray that God would bless him,
Today and for all time.
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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 some assistance with membership, 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 San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau
Platinum Members
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