Lois Henry: Collaboration is the new game in California water [Bakersfield Californian]
If agriculture in the valley is going to survive, water leaders need to get cozy with new ideas and new allies….There were multiple examples given throughout the day of similar joint projects, from using rice fields to grow bugs for baby salmon, to flooding other farm fields for temporary habitat for migrating birds. Farmers got water, fish and fowl got a boost and no one went broke doing it. Speakers encouraged summit attendees to work with larger, more diverse groups to find similar opportunities.
Opinion: Own up to bringing water to farmers and help put food on American families’ tables [Bakersfield Californian]
…While the current federal administration has prioritized ensuring food security in the long run, state leadership, current and in the recent past, has continually attacked farmers….Just two weeks ago, we witnessed the president of the United States come to the San Joaquin Valley and keep his promise to fight for California farmers and ranchers….Like clockwork, within 24 hours, Gov. Newsom sued the federal government over these measures, despite the serious consequences this lawsuit would have….This lawsuit is far more important than being just a political symbol for Gov. Newsom — it has the ability to decimate the valley in a drought year, disrupt the American food supply and inhibit water from flowing to tens of millions of Californians.
As bees fill Stanislaus County almond orchards, buzz continues around their health [Modesto Bee]
Rented bees by the billions have been at work in Central Valley almond orchards, tasked with pollinating the 2020 crop. It has happened amid renewed scrutiny over whether this process – crucial to growing 80 percent of the world’s almonds – is sustainable….The Guardian, an international newspaper based in London, summed it up with this headline: “Like sending bees to war. The deadly truth behind your almond milk obsession.”…The story was shared on various other media websites and drew a swift rebuttal from the Almond Board of California. The grower-funded group, based in Modesto, noted its efforts in recent years to enhance conditions for bees.
https://www.modbee.com/news/business/agriculture/article239544803.html
New studies boost pistachios’ profile as healthy food [Bakersfield Californian]
One of Kern’s County’s top crops just got more appealing — and potentially more marketable — with news that pistachios qualify as a “complete protein” with nutritional benefits superior to those of soybeans, quinoa and chickpeas….People in the pistachio business say it won’t be long before the protein-related finding makes its way into advertising campaigns and packaging, potentially leading to more domestic and overseas sales. There’s also speculation the new findings could lead local farmers to invest in greater pistachio acreage.
Swine fever was supposed to boost cattle prices. Then the coronavirus hit. [Wall Street Journal]
It was supposed to be a big year for U.S. cattle stockyards, but the coronavirus epidemic is calling into question forecasts for rising beef demand around the world. The expectation for cattle prices was that they would continue a sharp climb begun last year as consumers in Asia replaced pork in their diet amid a meat shortage related to African swine fever…. But in 2020 they have shed about 16%, or about 20 cents a pound, on fears that the novel coronavirus’s economic toll will crimp consumers’ budgets and that quarantines will keep meat eaters at home and steer consumption toward nonperishable foods.
Sonoma County Farm Bureau cancels Ag Days over coronavirus concerns [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
Sonoma County Farm Bureau announced Friday it decided to cancel the 2020 Ag Days, amid concerns about coronavirus. The popular Sonoma County event, which hosts 4,000 kindergarten through sixth-grade students and 5,000 people at Sonoma County Fairgrounds, was set for March 10 and 11….Tawny Tesconi, executive director of the farm bureau, said that it was a tough decision but the safety and health of our community comes first.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/10792762-181/sonoma-county-farm-bureau-cancels
