Immigration bill creating green card process for farmworkers passes House, legislation now goes to Senate [USA Today]
The House on Thursday passed legislation that would create a pathway for undocumented farmworkers to earn a green card, sending the bill to the Senate. The bill, called the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, cleared the chamber in a bipartisan 247-174 vote. Thirty Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the bill. … Unlike the American Dream and Promise Act, which also passed the House Thursday by a slim majority, Republican House leaders did not urge other GOP lawmakers to vote against the bill. … The bill passed the House in 2019 with bipartisan support, with 34 Republicans voting for it at the time.
Forecast for spring: Nasty drought worsens for much of US [Associated Press]
With nearly two-thirds of the United States abnormally dry or worse, the government’s spring forecast offers little hope for relief, especially in the West where a devastating megadrought has taken root and worsened. Weather service and agriculture officials warned of possible water use cutbacks in California and the Southwest, increased wildfires, low levels in key reservoirs such as Lake Mead and Lake Powell and damage to wheat crops. … Meteorologists also say the California megadrought is associated with long-term climate change.
Reclamation’s proposed operations draw criticism from all sides [Klamath Falls Herald and News]
Though the Bureau of Reclamation has yet to announce an official allocation to the Klamath Project for this summer, hydrologic projections for Upper Klamath Lake are looking worse by the day — and no one is happy with the agency’s draft operations plan. Irrigation district managers in the Project received a notice from Reclamation last week that diversions of water from Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River will be delayed until April 15 at the earliest. … Many irrigators will likely idle land to reduce demand on the Project, for which compensation is available through the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency.
Chowchilla farm on a mission for vaccine equity for ag workers [KSEE TV, Fresno]
On Thursday, over 450 food and agricultural workers were vaccinated for COVID-19 at Agriland Farming Company in Chowchilla. … This was the fourth vaccine clinic in recent weeks held at Agriland. … There are several paths ag workers can take to set up a vaccine appointment. “I’d suggest reaching out to their employer, contacting the United Way,” said Christa Beckstad of the Madera County Farm Bureau. “There’s a farm bureau in each one of the counties. We’re all working closely with the counties and the individual providers.”
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine into the arms of farmworkers where they work [KXTV, Sacramento]
Edith Sanchez is a married mother of an 8-year-old. She is all about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. She is just one of 600 farmworkers at Duarte Nursery in Hughson to get vaccinated on-site, without having to find a clinic. … Duarte Nursery grows permanent crops like almonds and grapes. Other area growers are also sending their workers to the three-day clinic. … An on-site clinic by Community Medical Centers at LangeTwins Winery and Vineyards in Acampo vaccinated 130 farmworkers Thursday.
Editorial: Cozy ties between Fresno County public health, Foster Farms during pandemic are disturbing [Fresno Bee]
… The strong impression is that, far from being a true overseer, public health instead abdicated its role and chose to soft pedal Foster Farms through its COVID problems. … Merced County health officials dealt with Foster Farms in a much different way last summer when a COVID outbreak occurred at the firm’s Livingston plant. … Key differences also exist between the two counties when it comes to disclosing where outbreaks are happening. … Fresno County officials also involved Foster Farms when it came to deciding what information to release to the media.
https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/editorials/article250017739.html
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