Gray wolf losing endangered species protection, latest Trump move to weaken environmental laws [San Francisco Chronicle]
…The widely expected announcement, made by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, attests to the rising numbers of the storied predator, but it’s also setting off widespread concern that the animal is not ready for the change and that wolf populations could perish in parts of the West, including California….The California Farm Bureau Federation and the California Cattlemen’s Association have been particularly outspoken about problems with wolves and the need to drop protections. Their anxiety echoes concerns that have flared in past efforts to support top predators on the American landscape, like grizzly bears. “This year, in particular, there have been an astonishing number of wolf degradations on livestock,” said Kirk Wilbur, spokesman for the California Cattlemen’s Association. “I can think of five instances in the past month, month and half (in California). That’s a significant burden for ranchers.”
Assemi Brothers score wins against Wonderful Pistachio & Nuts. But lawsuit’s not over [Fresno Bee]
The Assemi Brothers, one of the region’s leading nut growers, scored a legal victory this week in their lawsuit against the biggest player in the industry, Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds. The Fresno County family, which supplied almonds and pistachios to Wonderful for years, sued the agricultural giant in September 2019, alleging breach of contract after the company refused to pay them in full for their 2018 pistachio crop. The amount owed could be in the millions of dollars. The Assemis accuse the Wonderful company of retaliating against them, after the family decided to become competitors and launch their own brand of pistachios: Touchstone.
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article246788872.html
Napa wine industry organizations describe disaster losses as ‘staggering’ [Napa Valley Register]
Citing potential losses of $1 billion from the Glass Fire alone, a disaster-reeling Napa County wine industry has given county government a list of recovery requests. Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Winegrowers of Napa County submitted the letter earlier this week. They called on the county to further assist residents, businesses and landowners suffering from this year’s string of calamities….Smoke damage to grapes will cost growers and wineries hundreds of millions of dollars and crop insurance rarely equals the full market price. A preliminary analysis shows wage losses for vineyard workers could total $50 million. Some wineries won’t make a 2020 vintage.
Northern California legislators meet in Red Bluff to discuss rural COVID-19 response [Chico Enterprise-Record]
…In all, 14 or 15 counties were represented at the meeting and will go back to their respective boards to see if there is consensus regarding seeking local control, said 3rd District Assemblyman James Gallagher. Tehama County Supervisor Bob Williams attended on behalf of the county. The meeting, at the Red Bluff Elks Lodge, was not open to the public or press. “We talked about how the current state metric has us shifting back and forth between open and closed and that doesn’t work,” Gallagher said. “There’s an economic impact on our small businesses a public health impact on our kids with them not being in school and impacts with mental health.”…“It’s created a situation that’s not sustainable for us,” Gallagher said. “We need to push for something that’s different and not be pulled back into shutdown.”…“The rules were made by bureaucrats,” Gallagher said. “Elected officials were not given the opportunity to give input. We need to act as a unified group of counties. There’s strength in numbers and we want to have a unified message in moving forward on behalf of the communities we represent.”
Scaled-back Thanksgiving plans leave turkey farmers in limbo [ABC News]
…Millions of Americans are expected to have scaled-down celebrations amid the pandemic, heeding official warnings against travel and large indoor gatherings. That leaves anxious turkey farmers and grocers scrambling to predict what people will want on their holiday tables. Kroger — the nation’s largest grocery chain — said its research shows 43% of shoppers plan to celebrate Thanksgiving only with those in their immediate household. It has purchased more turkeys than usual — in all sizes — but it’s also predicting an increase in demand for alternatives, including ham, pork roast and seafood. Kroger also expects to see more demand for plant-based meats, like a vegan roast stuffed with mushrooms and squash.
Just who has rights to water from the Fresno River? A legal battle is about to be waged [Fresno Bee]
If all you’ve ever seen of the Fresno River is through Madera as you drive over it on Highway 99, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just a weed-infested, shopping-cart collector rather than a real river. But there’s a lot to this unobtrusive waterway, which just made history as the first river in 40 years about to go through a rights settlement under the State Water Resources Control Board….Following the Oct. 20 adjudication vote by the Water Board, staffers must now investigate all claims for Fresno River water.
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/water-and-drought/article246821157.html
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