Wildfires taint West Coast vineyards with taste of smoke [Associated Press]
Smoke from the West Coast wildfires has tainted grapes in some of the nation’s most celebrated wine regions with an ashy flavor that could spell disaster for the 2020 vintage. … No one knows the extent of the smoke damage to the crop, and growers are trying to assess the severity. … The wildfires are likely to be “without question the single worst disaster the wine-grape growing community has ever faced,” said John Aguirre, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
California outpaced Trump’s Forest Service in wildfire prevention work: data [Reuters]
While more than half of California’s forests fall under federal management, the U.S. Forest Service consistently spends fewer dollars than the state in managing those lands to reduce wildfire risks, a Reuters data analysis reveals. … The bulk of California’s forest management falls under federal jurisdiction, with the U.S. Forest Service owning 57% of California’s 33 million acres of forests. Yet, for the fiscal year 2020, the agency spent $151 million treating 235,000 acres with practices like controlled burns meant to reduce wildfire risks, according to figures provided by the service. By contrast, California’s government spent $200 million on forest management work, and oversaw treatment of 393,282 acres of state-run and privately-held land, according to figures provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Lawmakers advocate for farm worker assistance [Imperial Valley Press]
A diverse group of state lawmakers and agricultural industry and farm worker representatives are calling on the governor to sign a package of proposed bills that would provide relief to farm workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The three proposed bills are primarily focused on increasing farm workers’ health, safety and access to services, as well as to help prevent disruptions to the nation’s food supply. The legislative package’s supporters are pushing for Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign the bills before Wednesday, which marks the last day he can sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature before Sept. 1.
Activists call for pesticide notification expansion; supervisors keep program as is [KION TV, Monterey/Salinas]
Despite calls to expand a pesticide notification pilot program, the Monterey County board of supervisors has decided to keep the program as it is. The program notifies parents when pesticides are sprayed near their children’s school, but it only applies to a limited number of schools. … Currently, families in 10 schools can sign up for notifications alerting them when pesticides are being sprayed within a quarter mile of some areas of the North Monterey County and Pajaro Valley school districts. Commissioner Henry Gonzales said about 160 people have applied for email alerts but there’s not enough interest to expand at a board meeting Tuesday. And some supervisors agree.
Having trouble finding strawberries at the grocery store? Here’s why [Cincinnati Enquirer]
Are you having trouble finding strawberries at grocery stores? You can partially blame the wildfires in California. According to the US Foods Farmer’s report, strawberry supplies are limited with good demand, as summer draws to a close. US Foods, a foodservice distributor, reports on produce trends based on United States Department of Agriculture information. “Drought, heat, and wildfires have hit California, and the strawberry growing regions are trying very hard to recover from the perfect storm of extreme weather-related events,” US Foods said.
Opinion: One water district is trying to make sure agriculture cleans up its own mess [Los Angeles Times]
A Central California water board is poised to do something rare in American agriculture: It is trying to establish enforcement mechanisms — not just toothless regulations — to limit the use of farm fertilizers that contribute to dangerous levels of groundwater pollution. … For farmers, the measure remains a hard sell. Many want to increase, not decrease, nitrate applications. … Kari Fisher, the California Farm Bureau Federation’s senior counsel, speaks for the farmers. She told me that the water board’s draft order “could lead to losses of up to 11,000 jobs and $309 million in income, mostly in disadvantaged communities.”
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