2 bills could decide fate of critical Friant-Kern Canal in 2020. Will reps outside Valley care? [Visalia Times-Delta]
A duo of bills, at the state and federal level, will likely determine the fate of the Friant-Kern Canal in a legislative year that is shaping up to be pivotal for Central Valley growers and ag communities….The repairs are crucial as the implementation of the Groundwater Management and Sustainability Act begins this year, meaning farmers will have to be increasingly reliant upon surface water provided by the Friant-Kern with new restrictions to be placed on groundwater pumping in times of water scarcity. How Friant-Kern officials secure those funds will depend largely on legislators in Sacramento and Washington, who will each weigh separate bills this year.
North Coast wineries line up against Trump proposed tariffs on European wines [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
As the Trump administration considers imposing tariffs up to 100% on a vast majority of European wines, the North Coast wine sector voiced strong opposition to the proposal, fearing an escalating trade war that would hurt both sides….“Instead of putting tariffs on unrelated products, like wine and sparkling wine, the U.S. and EU should increase their efforts to resolve these serious trade-related problems between them so the unrelated trade in wine products are not unintentionally harmed,” wrote Michael Haney, executive director of the Sonoma County Vintners trade group. American vintners ultimately expect retaliation by the European Union, the largest export market for them with $469 million in caseloads shipped out in 2018.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/10554295-181/north-coast-wineries-line-up
China won’t hike grain import quotas for U.S. trade deal: Caixin [Reuters]
China will not increase its annual low-tariff import quotas for corn, wheat and rice to accommodate stepped-up purchases of farm goods from the United States, senior agriculture official Han Jun said on Tuesday, according to local media group Caixin. The move could make it harder for Beijing to meet import commitments in a Phase 1 trade deal due to be signed next week. U.S. President Donald Trump said last month the agreement would likely double China’s $24 billion in pre-trade war purchases to $40-$50 billion annually. China has not confirmed the amount. Han’s comments underline China’s desire to protect its farmers even as it is under pressure to dramatically boost purchases of U.S. agricultural goods.
Sonoma County supervisors agree to lift ban on commercial hemp cultivation [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
Sonoma County supervisors Monday took a critical step that signals they will lift a ban on hemp cultivation that would allow farmers to plant the first commercial crop in the county later this year, a decision made over objections from residents concerned about the plant’s similarity to cannabis. Supervisors unanimously agreed the county should treat hemp like any other crop: allow it to be grown on properties zoned for agricultural uses with light regulation akin to other types of farming and less strict than the long list of rules governing cannabis….Tawny Tesconi, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, urged the board at Monday’s hearing to approve the ordinance and avoid requiring farmers interested in hemp to go through an expensive and time-consuming process, such as the one required for cannabis cultivation.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10553547-181/sonoma-county-supervisors-agree-to
Salas responds to alarming State Auditor report with bill to tighten state’s oversight of fairs [Bakersfield Californian]
…On Monday, Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, introduced legislation aimed at putting in place new accountability and transparent measures to prevent the kinds of problems noted in a State Auditor report last year targeting an unnamed fair that The Californian has pinpointed as being the Kern County Fair. Salas said Assembly Bill 1841 would require the California Department of Food and Agriculture to make sure that directors at all the fairs it oversees participate in annual ethics training and that fair associations report salary information. It would also require compliance audits and the development of policies to prevent the use of state funds.
Editorial: The beef industry is freaking out over plant-based meat? Too bad [Los Angeles Times]
…What’s appealing is the prospect of enjoying a juicy burger without the bitter aftertaste of guilt. Because, let’s face it, there are tremendous environmental costs to eating cows….Humans also know full well that many animals live short, brutal lives in appalling conditions for the sole purpose of becoming bacon, chicken thighs, pork loin, veal cutlets, filet mignon and other foods for humans to enjoy at dinner….A plant-based meat that satisfies meat cravings and delivers protein but with a smaller climate footprint is a potential environmental game changer and the reason Impossible Foods was one of the recipients of the U.N. Global Climate Action Award in 2019. No wonder the meat industry is on guard.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-01-07/tasty-burger-without-a-supersized-side-of-guilt
