Editorial: Fresno’s Jim Costa can help farmers by getting Ag Committee chairman post in the House [Fresno Bee]
… Costa is well deserving on the basis of his background and experience, both in farming and in helping those needing assistance. … Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, said his board supports Costa’s chairmanship campaign. … More than 70 agricultural groups are backing Costa for the post, including the California Farm Bureau, California Fresh Fruit Association, Almond Alliance of California and California Citrus Mutual. … Costa has a superb background for the post and the focus and energy to do the job.
https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/editorials/article247307289.html
Do California ag counties hold solutions to Monterey County farmworker housing crisis? [Salinas Californian]
… Housing advocates and agricultural industry experts alike agree: Farmworkers can’t continue to live in cramped, expensive conditions. But they say local government often stands in the way. … While Monterey County has struggled with adding farmworker housing over the years, other agricultural counties across California have found ways to incentivize or clear the way for potential developers. Some have created a set of building plans for farmworker housing while others created grants for farmers renovating or adding farmworker housing to their lots.
Four environmental groups sue to stop reservoir in hills west of Patterson [Modesto Bee]
The reservoir planned in the hills west of Patterson drew a lawsuit Friday from four environmental groups. They claim the project would harm plants and wildlife in the immediate area, threaten Patterson with flooding, and worsen conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Del Puerto Water District is planning the roughly $500 million reservoir. It would enhance storage for farmers on about 45,000 acres straddling Interstate 5 between Vernalis and Santa Nella.
https://www.modbee.com/article247328934.html
Opinion: Why are taxpayers footing Klamath River dam removal cost? [CalMatters]
… The dams should go because they serve no real purpose, devastate what were once one of the largest salmon fisheries on the West Coast and damage the native peoples who live along its banks. However, one must ask why California taxpayers should pay more than half the cost, a $250 million chunk of state water bonds whose repayment with interest will double the eventual bite. … Instead, Buffett’s company and its customers in other states get a $250 million gift from California taxpayers.
https://calmatters.org/commentary/2020/11/california-remove-klamath-dams-salmon-taxpayers/
Kern farmers tapped for $14 million to study delta tunnel [Bakersfield Californian]
Kern County farmers on Wednesday agreed to chip in $14 million over the next two years to kick off another attempt to move water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta via tunnel. … But Kern growers would only commit to funding a share of the process for the first two years. The stakes are high for individual water districts. … Each of those districts had to decide how much they wanted to participate in the Delta Conveyance Facility based on their individual state supplies.
Colusa Farm Show postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 [Marysville Appeal-Democrat]
The Colusa County Fair Board of Directors voted Wednesday to indefinitely postpone the 2021 Colusa Farm Show due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. … According to Ford, the decision was made because, while Colusa is currently in the red tier of the state’s Blueprint for a Better Economy system, a move back into the purple, most restrictive tier is very likely due to a surge in positive COVID-19 cases within Colusa County. … “Moving forward we will monitor the state of California’s COVID restrictions in hopes of having the 2021 Colusa Farm Show later in the year,” said Ford.
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