Business News
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
In a letter addressed to Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the task force, the farm groups stressed that the nation’s food security “depends on a safe working environment for frontline agricultural employees.”
The organizations said farmers have done their best to assure safety by instituting best practices including social distancing, enhanced hygiene and sanitation procedures, employee training and use of personal protective equipment.
But given a “broad strain” on availability of such personal protective equipment, testing and other resources, the groups said, the White House Task Force could help by:
– Permitting use of alternate housing, such as FEMA trailers or RVs, to allow greater social distancing for employees who may need to quarantine or isolate due to exposure to COVID-19.
– Ensuring COVID-19 testing resources are available to agricultural employers and employees, and that test results are made available promptly.
– Increasing availability of Commodity Credit Corporation funds to help farmers offset the cost of pandemic-related expenses such as housing, transportation, workplace retrofitting, testing, training and others.
– Prioritizing distribution of personal protective equipment and any future vaccine to the food and fiber supply chain, due to the essential role of agriculture in assuring health for people in the U.S.
– Coordinating efforts among government agencies and community organizations to reduce the risk of exposure outside of occupational settings in rural communities.
The letter was organized by the Agricultural Workforce Coalition and signed by 167 organizations including the American Farm Bureau Federation; California Farm Bureau Federation and 20 other state Farm Bureaus; 14 county Farm Bureaus from California; and 18 additional California-based commodity groups and cooperatives.
“The availability of personal protective equipment for farm employees has been a top priority for Farm Bureau throughout the pandemic—even more so due to wildfires that have reduced air quality throughout the West,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said. “We hope Vice President Pence, Agriculture Secretary Perdue and other members of the White House task force will give this request their immediate attention.”
The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 34,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of nearly 5.6 million Farm Bureau members.
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- Written by: California Department of Food and Agriculture
This year’s conference will be an online webinar. The conference brings together industry professionals and academic researchers to learn about and share the latest research and innovative practices in fertilizer and irrigation management.
The conference agenda includes information on soil and crop nutrient management, irrigation and salinity management, efficient practices in almonds, sampling techniques and analyses, and managed aquifer recharge.
Additionally, there will be a virtual farm tour, which will focus on irrigation and nitrogen management in industrial hemp.
Early registration for the conference is $125; currently enrolled students pay $90 (no registration deadline); and late registration after October 14 is $190.
Continuing education units for Certified Crop Advisers and Growers are being applied for both days (Oct. 28 and 29).
To view the agenda and register online, visit the conference website.
For more information, please contact program staff at
Over the past 28 years, FREP has funded more than 250 research projects focusing on nutrient and irrigation management in California cropping systems.
For more information, visit the database of completed and ongoing research projects.
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- Written by: California State Board of Food and Agriculture
The meeting will be held Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via GoToWebinar.
The meeting link is here; webinar ID is 754-254-139.
“Our farms and ranches thrive on employing a skilled and trained workforce,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Farming requires a unique skill set that is constantly advancing to embrace new technologies while also maintaining expertise in irrigation, farm mechanics and food safety. When we look at agricultural workforce development and training – we are hopeful to provide not only a career pathway for current farmworkers, but certifications and apprenticeships for those entering and leading the industry into the future.”
Invited speakers include Ed Rood, California Department of Industrial Relations; Nancy Gutierrez, Reedley College; Holly Correa, Ventura College; Zachary Zweigle, Shasta College; Glenda Humiston, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources; Elliott Balch, Central Valley Community Foundation; and Rick Tomlinson, California Strawberry Commission.
“As a farmer in the Central Valley, I see the need for workforce training firsthand,” said President Don Cameron, California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “Agriculture is the livelihood for many rural communities and the jobs we have available are good, higher-paying jobs. The technology and equipment we are using require a new emphasis on agricultural training. We need improved agricultural workforce development and training so that those of us living in rural communities can directly benefit from the agricultural technology jobs that are here.”
The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs.
The board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials; agricultural representatives; and citizens to discuss current issues and concerns to California agriculture.
Follow the board on Twitter.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
“USDA is ready to offer all the assistance we can to the affected farmers, ranchers and communities to help them recover,” said Bill Northey, USDA under secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “As a farmer myself, I’m proud to be able to deliver on our most important mission to support them in their time of need.”
Wildfires have burned more than 2 million acres, mostly in the western states. Nearly 28,000 personnel from the local, state and federal levels are responding to 157 separate incidents, 95 of which are large, uncontained fires.
“Right now, more than 6,000 firefighters from the USDA Forest Service are battling wildfires across the nation alongside our local, state and federal partners,” said USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Jim Hubbard. “Our aggressive initial attack efforts have proven incredibly proficient in protecting the American people and our lands as crews continue to face unrelenting challenges such as high winds and dry lightning.”
In a continuing effort to serve the American people, USDA partnered with FEMA and other disaster-focused organizations and created the Disaster Resource Center.
This central source of information utilizes a searchable knowledge base of disaster-related resources powered by agents with subject matter expertise.
The Disaster Resource Center website and web tool now provide an easy access point to find USDA disaster information and assistance.
USDA also developed a disaster assistance discovery tool specifically targeted to rural and agricultural issues. The tool walks producers through five questions that generate personalized results identifying which USDA disaster assistance programs can help them recover from a natural disaster.
When major disasters strike, USDA has an emergency loan program that provides eligible farmers low-interest loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. USDA’s emergency loan program is triggered when a natural disaster is designated by the Secretary of Agriculture or a natural disaster or emergency is declared by the President under the Stafford Act.
USDA also offers additional programs tailored to the needs of specific agricultural sectors to help producers weather the financial impacts of major disasters and rebuild their operations.
Helping producers weather financial impacts of disasters
Livestock owners and contract growers who experience above normal livestock deaths due to specific weather events, as well as to disease or animal attacks, may qualify for assistance under USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program.
Livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses due to a qualifying drought condition or fire on federally-managed land during the normal grazing period for a county may qualify for help through USDA’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program. Producers of non-insurable crops who suffer crop losses, lower yields or are prevented from planting agricultural commodities may be eligible for assistance under USDA's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program if the losses were due to natural disasters.
Helping operations recover after disasters
USDA also can provide financial resources through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help with immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources. Assistance may also be available for emergency animal mortality disposal from natural disasters and other causes.
Farmers and ranchers needing to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters can apply for assistance through USDA’s Emergency Conservation Program. USDA also has assistance available for eligible private forest landowners who need to restore forestland damaged by natural disasters through the Emergency Forest Restoration Program.
USDA's Emergency Watershed Protection Program also can help relieve imminent threats to life and property caused by flood, fires and other natural disasters that impair a watershed. Orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for assistance through USDA’s Tree Assistance Program to help replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disasters.
Visit USDA's disaster resources website to learn more about USDA disaster preparedness and response. For more information on USDA disaster assistance programs, please contact your local USDA Service Center.
To find your local USDA Service Center go to www.farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
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