Editorial: San Joaquin Valley farmers’ new BFF? A liberal politician from San Francisco [Fresno Bee]
A year ago, Democrat Gavin Newsom swept into the governor’s office, capturing 62 percent of the vote in the November 2018 election. Farming interests in the San Joaquin Valley wondered what level of support Newsom might show for their industry. Now, a year later, the answer is that Newsom has demonstrated strong backing for agriculture in the Valley — a surprise considering Newsom’s political history as a liberal from San Francisco, not the most farm-friendly part of the state.
https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/editorials/article237376294.html
Editorial: Californians must help kill sleazy Westlands water deal [San Jose Mercury News]
The Westlands Water District has engaged in some sleazy maneuvers over the years, but this one, which threatens the Bay Area’s water supply, tops them all. The Trump administration, led by Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt, is poised to give a massive quantity of cheap federal water to the Central Valley water district — the same district that paid Bernhardt’s firm $1.3 million over a five-year period for lobbying services before he took the Interior job….Californians should pressure the Bureau of Reclamation to kill a deal that puts the interests of wealthy, Big Ag businessmen ahead of the needs of current and future California residents who rely on a healthy Delta for their supply of fresh water.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/11/15/editorial-westlands-water-deal-smells-of-politics/
More drought coming? Most of California once again ‘abnormally dry,’ monitor shows [Sacramento Bee]
…Almost all of the state has fallen into “abnormally dry” conditions, except for the furthest northern reaches of California, according to a U.S. Drought Monitor map released Nov. 12. Only about 18 percent of the state has avoided dry or drought conditions entirely, while roughly 81 percent of California is “abnormally dry” and nearly 4 percent has slipped into “moderate drought,” the U.S. Drought Monitor shows….“While reservoirs remain high, numerous indicators support dryness, including 60-day precipitation deficits, high evaporative demand, and vegetation health,” officials said in a summary of the Nov. 12 findings.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article237368339.html
Pelosi says agreement on revamped NAFTA ‘imminent’ [Associated Press]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she wants to see Congress pass President Donald Trump’s revamped North American free trade deal this year. In a news conference Thursday, the California Democrat said an agreement on the pact is “imminent.”…Democratic lawmakers have demanded changes designed to do more to protect workers and the environment and to make sure the deal’s provisions can be enforced. Pelosi’s upbeat comments suggest progress in negotiations between congressional Democrats and Trump administration officials at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
https://apnews.com/31c4e0b5755647899bdc65377d0c0d61
U.S.-China trade deal near, but Trump not ready to sign off, Kudlow says [Wall Street Journal]
The U.S. and China are nearing a trade deal, but President Trump isn’t ready to sign off, White House economic adviser Lawrence Kudlow said Thursday. They are getting close to an agreement, Mr. Kudlow said in an event held at the Council on Foreign Relations….Negotiators for the U.S. and China have been working to come up with a written “phase one” trade deal in which Beijing would commit to buying American farm products and the U.S. would agree to roll back tariffs it has imposed on Chinese imports.
Napa’s Rootstock seminar looks at pros and cons of machine vs hand pruning of grape vines [Napa Valley Register]
…The wine industry has long been hesitant to move toward the use of machines in the harvest process, especially publicly, because consumers may view hand-cultivated grapes more favorably. As the North Bay’s labor shortage grows, the product of housing shortages and a dwindling population of seasonal workers, the price of hiring a workforce to hand-tend to vineyards escalates. In the past few years, more industry members have considered the option of turning to machines….Knowing how machines might impact fruit could allow growers to adjust to their preferences accordingly, maintaining quality while lowering cost.
