California needs forests to fight climate change, but they are going up in smoke [Reuters]
California’s record wildfires pose a problem for the state’s plan to use its forests to help offset climate-warming emissions. It is unclear how much California’s plan for becoming carbon-neutral by 2045 depends on its forests. But as climate change fuels increasingly frequent and intense blazes, any plan that relies on keeping forests healthy could be frustrated. California’s climate-change agenda is among the most ambitious in the United States, but thanks to wildfires, forests are “part of the problem, not part of the solution,” Edie Chang, a deputy executive director at the California Air Resources Board (CARB), told Reuters.
Commentary: Who’s opposing Proposition 15? Land developers and Big Business [Los Angeles Times]
…Agriculture interests say the proposition doesn’t recognize their unique business structures or their reliance on prices for commodities that are related to national or global prices and that they therefore can’t control. Although the measure exempts land and ground crops such as lettuce, broccoli and strawberries, they say it leaves fruit and nut trees, as well as barns and other “improvements,” vulnerable to steep increases in property tax. Growers are “going to get killed by reassessments,” says Robert Speigel, policy advocate for the California Farm Bureau Federation, “especially if they happen to be dairy, livestock, vineyard or winery.” The agriculture industry has collected roughly $3 million in contributions to fight Proposition 15, according to the latest filings with the California Secretary of State.
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-10-09/proposition-15-land-developers
California dairy sued over hidden video that allegedly shows abuse of cows [Southern California News Group]
An animal rights organization has sued a San Jacinto dairy, alleging cows are beaten and abused, in violation of industry standards and state law….The dairy supplies Dairy Farmers of America, which in turn produces Alta Dena Dairy and other brands, including Target’s DairyPure and TruMoo. While this is not a farmer-owner of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), we are committed to tirelessly advocating and championing best practices in the areas of animal care and wellness, environmental stewardship, employee training and milk safety and quality across the industry. We do not tolerate animal abuse of any kind,” a Dairy Farmers of America statement released Thursday reads in part. “Effective immediately, the farm in question is not part of our current milk supply, nor used in our products, including DairyPure and TruMoo.”
Grocery warehouse workers, truck drivers give notice of potential strike [Inland Valley Daily Bulletin]
More than 4,000 warehouse workers and truck drivers who deliver food and supplies to Southern California grocery stores are gearing up for a potential strike amid failed labor negotiations in a move that could leave some shelves empty this holiday season. The Teamsters employees, who work for Albertsons (including Vons and Pavilions) and Kroger (Ralphs and Food 4 Less), are at an impasse over their employers’ plan to boost healthcare costs….The two sides have been in negotiations since early August over a contract that expired Sept. 20. Both parties agreed to an extension. But with no meaningful progress, the union gave a 72-hour notice on Tuesday to cancel the contract extension and prepare to strike.
New state law will finally allow UC Davis to sell wine made in classes by students [Sacramento Bee]
UC Davis’ viticulture and enology department produces thousands of gallons of wine per year. Virtually all of it goes down the drain. That’ll change next year. Senate Bill 918, authored by Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 30, will let UC Davis sell up to 20,000 gallons — the equivalent of more than 100,000 bottles. Roughly 80 to 90 percent of the wine will be sold to commercial wineries to be used in blends, viticulture and enology department chair David Block said. The cream of the crop — likely cabernet and albarino — will be bottled internally and sold at prices prohibitive to most undergrads.
https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article246312740.html
Chumash tribe seeks to recover $175K in property taxes from Santa Barbara County in civil trial [Santa Maria Times]
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians is seeking to recover $175,000 in property taxes it overpaid to Santa Barbara County originating from an erroneous 2015 assessment of its Camp 4 property, according to a lawsuit that now has gone to trial. The higher tax bill stemmed from the appraisal of the 1,400-acre piece of land, leading the tribe to apply for a refund and reduction in the property’s value, which the County Assessment Appeals Board denied in 2018. As a result, the tribe accused the Appeals Board of arbitrarily denying its application and accused the Assessor Division of taking advantage of the tribe and failing to properly investigate Camp 4’s sale in 2010, which the plaintiffs contend was not a fair market sale, according to the lawsuit filed in Superior Court on Oct. 31, 2018.
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