Snowfall in much of the Sierra remains sparse. Is California in another drought? [Sacramento Bee]
The Sierra Nevada’s snowpack is disappointingly thin, and California’s drought-like conditions continue despite a wet weather forecast for the New Year’s holiday. The overall mountain snowpack is just 52% of average for this time of year as dry conditions persist for a second consecutive winter, the Department of Water Resources said Wednesday. A closely-watched index of rain and snow gauges in the northern Sierra is registering just 55% of average.
https://www.sacbee.com/article248172935.html
Climate change spells trouble for the Colorado River. But there’s still hope [Los Angeles Times]
… The river is in trouble: Hotter temperatures caused by climate change are sapping its flow, and even without global warming the amount of water that’s been promised to cities, farmers and tribes over the last century is almost certainly unsustainable. … With the seven western states that draw from the Colorado notifying the federal government this month that they’re ready to start renegotiating their water use ahead of a looming deadline, I decided to call up Jeff Kightlinger. For 15 years, Kightlinger has served as general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Employee dies following major coronavirus outbreak at Foster Farms Fresno facility [Fresno Bee]
Following a 193-person COVID-19 outbreak at the Cherry Avenue Foster Farms poultry plant in south Fresno earlier this month, a worker recently died from complications related to the virus. Cal/OSHA spokesman Frank Polizzi told The Fresno Bee they were notified of the coronavirus-linked death on Dec. 28. They opened an inspection the same day. “We can confirm the death and are very saddened,” said Ira Brill, vice president of communications for Foster Farms. … At least three people with ties to the Cherry Avenue plant have died from COVID-19 complications this year.
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/coronavirus/article248180850.html
Opinion: California farmworkers feed us. They deserve priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine [Sacramento Bee]
… Right now, county health department officers are making final decisions for their jurisdictions. As they do so, officials must ensure farm workers remain at the top of the list of those who will get the next batch of novel coronavirus vaccines. Yet reactions from some local officials are concerning. … Not only should local health departments prioritize field workers in their vaccine distribution plans regardless of their location, officials must provide them with access to factual, scientific information about vaccines in the languages they speak. They should also address insecurities and skepticism by farm workers — half of whom are undocumented — over vaccine costs, side effects and disclosure of their personal information.
https://www.sacbee.com/article248057320.html
Market facilitation program fails to offset trade war losses for state’s farmers [Imperial Valley Press]
Economic research measuring the overall losses to California agricultural exports resulting from the trade war shows that two years of Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments only covered roughly half of the net losses to California commodities, according to an article in the November-December edition of ARE Update. UC Davis agricultural economists Professor Colin Carter and Ph.D. student Jiayi Dong compare the 2018 and 2019 MFP payments made to California farmers affected by the trade wars with estimates of the net impact of the retaliatory tariffs on their agricultural exports.
The most overlooked wine stories of 2020 [San Francisco Chronicle]
… The word “unprecedented” has crept into so many headlines that it’s become cliche. … It was hard for any news to compete with the coronavirus, but many developments within the world of California wine deserved more attention than they received. … During this fall’s wildfires, some winemakers and other civilians took matters into their own hands (sometimes, it should be stressed, against the advisement of Cal Fire).
https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/The-most-overlooked-wine-stories-of-2020-15834528.php
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