Newsom promised to end California’s water wars. Now that Trump is gone, can he do it? [Sacramento Bee]
… The governor appears to have so far fallen into the same fate as governors before him with grand ambitions over California’s most precious resource. The modern version of California’s water war is now a quarter-century old, with no clear end in sight. His top environmental advisors say negotiations continue on the grand bargain, which was first envisioned by Newsom’s predecessor, Jerry Brown, at the tail end of his governorship. But they acknowledge that talks have stalled over the past year, largely because of rancorous relations with the federal government.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article249035835.html
Food and farm workers wait for vaccine as California prioritizes elders [Bay Area News Group]
… Frustrated, food and agricultural businesses — whose 3.4 million high-risk “essential workers” thought they were near the front of the line to receive a vaccine, right after medical workers and people in nursing homes — now don’t know when it’ll be their turn. With hospitals dangerously full, California has recommended that counties broaden their top priority groups to include older adults, hoping to lessen the burden and reduce deaths. On Wednesday, a coalition of Bay Area health officers urged all health systems to prioritize vaccines for people 65 and older, a group at greatest risk of dying, and move essential workers such as farm workers further down the list.
Lawsuit by California Ag growers threatens ‘farmworkers’ basic labor rights,’ ALRB says [Fresno Bee]
The California labor board on Friday filed a court brief in support of protections for the state’s farmworkers as part of a legal battle the board says has aimed to do away with a regulation that provides workers information about their rights. … The American Farm Bureau Federation last month filed a brief in support of the petitioners, according to court records. … “Farm Bureau’s members have a strong interest in protecting their right to exclude trespassers from their lands and to thereby establish a safe and undisturbed work environment for themselves and their employees,” according to the federation’s court brief.
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article249045590.html
Why Fresno was trending on Twitter … and how Rihanna, Mayor Dyer and India are connected [Fresno Bee]
… Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, expressed support for India farmers upset over controversial agricultural laws imposed by India’s government, a cause that also has drawn the interest of celebrities such as Rihanna and Susan Sarandon. … In addition, the California Farm Bureau offered its support to the cause. “California Farm Bureau represents a diverse set of all farmers in our state, including Sikh farmers, and stands with you in your efforts to protect the livelihood and nourishment of the communities around you,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said in a statement released Dec. 23.
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article249030665.html
Fresno County’s stunning Blossom Trail opens [KFSN TV, Fresno]
We might still be in February, but in Fresno County, the Blossom Trail opening on Friday is the first sign that Spring is just around the corner. … The trail shows why Fresno County is exceptional when it comes to food production. “Over one-third of country’s vegetables and two-thirds of country’s fruits come from California, and Fresno County lies in the heart of this production,” said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau. While the trail is beautiful, Jacobson said it also represents the many jobs that will be available in the immediate future.
https://abc30.com/fresno-county-blossom-trail-blossoms-map-outdoor-activities/10316997/
Opinion: Farmers led water quality gains at watershed scale [Santa Cruz Sentinel]
… During the past 20 years resource ecologists have worked with farmers around Castroville to restore wetlands and construct water treatment systems that improve the quality of water draining off farmland before it flows to downstream rivers, sloughs and the Monterey Bay. … With the aid of the farmers and the support of California voters who have approved water bond funding, these nonproductive lands have been transformed into functioning wetlands that treat agricultural runoff before flowing into the Moro Cojo Slough (south of Elkhorn). … The balancing act moving forward is to find credit for the farmers that take these voluntary actions to improve water quality.
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