First mass vaccinations for Santa Cruz County ag workers begin [KSBW TV, Monterey/Salinas]
… On Wednesday, mass vaccinations for 1,000 agriculture workers began in Santa Cruz County. … This clinic is a partnership between Dignity Health Dominican Hospital, Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and the California Strawberry Commission. … Thomas Am Rhein is a Pajaro Valley Strawberry Grower and is the Chairperson of the Farm Bureau Covid Task Force. “We need ambassadors amongst the workers. They can speak positively to the incoming workers to encourage them to get the vaccine.”
Despite recent storms, California’s dismal snowpack raises worry of dry year ahead [San Francisco Chronicle]
… Despite last week’s pounding snowstorm, which hammered roads with days of whiteouts and delivered to ski slopes as much as 10 feet of fresh powder, this month’s statewide snowpack measured just 70% of average. … While most urban water suppliers have reserves to get them through back-to-back dry years, many farmers and wildlife managers don’t. Growers have begun thinking about which crops to cut back on while administrators of animal refuges and fish restoration programs are figuring out how they’ll get by with limited supplies.
Winners and losers: SLO County supervisors are hoping new rules for the Paso Robles water basin will give smaller farmers more flexibility [New Times SLO]
… In 2013, amid drought and dried-up wells, the Board of Supervisors essentially banned any new or expanded groundwater use over the aquifer that could not be offset by a reduction in pumping. … Arnold’s complaints have finally sparked a major shift in Paso water policy at the county. And not all stakeholders are happy about it. The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Jan. 26 to direct county staff to develop a new ordinance to replace the current one.
President Biden’s EPA nominee says he will work with business [Wall Street Journal]
Michael Regan, President Biden’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, drew bipartisan support at his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, including from North Carolina Republicans who said he has a history of working constructively with businesses. … Mr. Regan said that he would give priority to collaboration with businesses and seek to avoid overly burdensome regulation. … One of the few emotional criticisms came from Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) … Mr. Booker spotlighted the pesticide chlorpyrifos, asking for a review of recent EPA changes during the Trump administration that Mr. Booker said weakened protections for farmworkers.
Bayer reaches $2 billion deal over future Roundup cancer claims [Reuters]
Bayer AG struck a $2 billion deal to resolve future legal claims that its widely used weedkiller Roundup causes cancer, the German company said on Wednesday. … The company has said that decades of studies have shown Roundup and glyphosate are safe for human use. Wednesday’s settlement would cover future claims brought by individuals who have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and were exposed to Roundup before their diagnosis. The settlement also includes benefits for people who were exposed to Roundup and develop the cancer in the future.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bayer-glyphosate-idUSKBN2A32MX
More than 120 attend virtual Colusa Farm Show Breakfast [The Appeal Democrat, Marysville]
… During his 2021 Economic outlook presentation, Roland Fumasi, North American regional head of the RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness team, provided an overview of current and projected commodity prices for many local crops… According to Fumasi, while the processed tomato industry has been impacted by the loss of food service sales due to the pandemic, indications look promising for this commodity moving forward. … It has been a painful 12 months for the almond and walnut markets, according to Fumasi, but he anticipates almond prices will rise slightly this year assuming that average yields are met.
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