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SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) to boost California’s growing aquaculture industry.
AB 1886 expands the role of an industry funded aquaculture coordinator within the Department of Fish and Game (DFG).
“Aquaculture is a clean, sustainable industry that has great growth potential in California, especially on the North Coast,” Chesbro said. “The coordinator program is important to the continued growth of California aquaculture, especially when it comes to helping the industry to meet high environmental standards.”
“The California Aquaculture Association requested this legislation and the industry asked for an increase in licensing fees to pay for the expansion of the aquaculture coordinator’s duties,” Chesbro added.
Specifically AB 1886:
- Requires DFG’s aquaculture coordinator to coordinate with California’s Aquaculture Development Committee, which is comprised of industry representatives, state regulators and other stakeholders.
- Increases fees for first time registration and renewal of aquaculture operations and increases the base penalties for engaging in aquaculture without paying registration or renewal fees.
- Requires the DFG to apply revenue from these fees specifically to the aquaculture coordinator program and maintain an up-to-date cost accounting and provide it to the Legislature and the Aquaculture Development Committee.
Greg Dale is the Eureka-based regional manager for Coast Seafoods, which is a major producer of oysters on Humboldt Bay. He is past president of the California Aquaculture Association and currently serves on the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District.
“The aquaculture industry is pleased the governor signed Assemblymember Chesbro’s bill,” Dale said. “The coordinator helps the industry collaborate with the DFG on sustainable aquaculture practices and relay our successes to the public.”
“The California Aquaculture Association offered to pay higher fees to expand the coordinator program and in return require the DFG to increase transparency and accountability,” Dale added. “This legislation ensures revenue from these fees is applied to the aquaculture coordinator program and that an accounting of the program is provided.”
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – At the height of local produce availability in Lake County, Lake Co-op sourced its CSA boxes from all local farms this past week while adding a new farm’s products to their individual offerings.
The boxes were filled with Bjinje potatoes and eggplants from Bio Farm in Kelseyville; Heirloom cucumbers, tomatoes and basil from Leonardis Organics in Lakeport; and Gala apples from Soda Bay Ranch in Kelseyville.
In the same week, Green Horse Wheatgrass Farm in Kelseyville, one of the largest wheatgrass farms in Northern California, added their products to the Co-op’s online ordering catalog.
Owner Michael Blum gave co-op customers free samples of their pea green sprouts.
One member used the sprouts instead of lettuce for a salad with lemon cucumbers and tomatoes from her CSA box. She added toasted sunflower seeds with a light vinaigrette. “They are so fresh and tasty! They really livened up the salad and felt so nourishing!”
The Blums will be offering the pea green sprouts and flats of wheatgrass to Co-op customers.
Wheatgrass is considered a high energy food and mostly juiced. It can be added to other juices or drank on its own.
According to the Hippocrates Institute, wheatgrass juice “increases red blood-cell count and lowers blood pressure. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. Wheatgrass also stimulates metabolism and the body’s enzyme systems by enriching the blood. It also aids in reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body.”
Situated in the Red Hills area of Lake County, Green Horse is a family-owned-and-operated certified organic farm.
Michael and Bess Blum live on the farm and do all of the work from planting and harvesting to distributing.
“We’re so fortunate to have such health conscious farmers in Lake County,” said Co-op Chair Janine Smith-Citron, “We hope all of Lake County can enjoy the flavor and health benefits of their products.”
Lake Co-op now has six convenient locations surrounding the lakeside communities – Clearlake, Riviera, Lakeport, Upper Lake, Nice, Lucerne and Clearlake Oaks – as well as two in Lower Lake, one in Hidden Valley, one in Middletown and one in the community of Cobb.
Details on all the Co-op’s drop points can be found at www.lake.coop .
Other recent efforts by the Co-op to increase local consumption of locally produced organic food through their online ordering and distribution system include wholesale sales, sales to the public, weekly subscriptions to favorite products, home/office delivery for $5 (most addresses) and telephone ordering.
Customers of the co-op can place orders from Sunday, 12:01 a.m. to Tuesday, 12:30 p.m., either through a convenient online shopping Web site or by calling 707-993-4270.
Customers can choose from their CSA box (a mix of fruit and vegetables), individual fresh and processed foods, such as oils, breads, cakes, and sea vegetables. Customers pick up their orders at the drop points throughout Lake County on Thursdays.
For a list of all producers, products and drop points, and more information on ordering, visit the co-op’s Web site at www.lakeco-op.org or call 707-993-4270.
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