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- Written by: United State Department of Agriculture
Approximately $3 billion in payments will be made under the ARC and PLC programs for the 2017 crop year, and approximately $1.8 billion in annual rental payments under CRP for 2018.
“Despite a temporary lapse of Farm Bill authorities, farmers and ranchers can rest assured that USDA continues to work within the letter of the law to deliver much needed farm safety net, conservation, disaster recovery, and trade assistance program payments,” said Perdue.
The ARC and PLC programs were authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and make up a portion of the agricultural safety net to producers when they experience a substantial drop in revenue or prices for their covered commodities.
“These program payments are mandated by Congress, but the Department has taken measures to ensure we meet our deadlines and get capital in the hands of those folks that need it most. Unfortunately, 2018 has proven to be another tough year for producers across the Nation, making the timeliness even more critical. Our resilient farmers, ranchers, and producers are battling more hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, floods, and even lava flows,” said Perdue.
PLC payments have triggered for 2017 barley, canola, corn, grain sorghum, wheat and other crops. In the next few months payments will be triggered for rice, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, mustard seed, rapeseed, safflower, crambe, and sesame seed.
Producers with bases enrolled in ARC for 2017 crops can visit www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc for updated crop yields, prices, revenue and payment rates.
The estimated payments are before application of sequestration and other reductions and limits, including adjusted gross income limits and payment limitations.
Also, this week, USDA will begin issuing 2018 CRP payments to over 362,000 landowners to support voluntary conservation efforts on private lands. “CRP has long been a useful tool for the Department to encourage farmers to take that environmentally-sensitive, more unproductive land, out of production and build-up their natural resource base. These CRP payments are meant to help encourage land stewardship and help support an operation’s bottom line,” said Perdue.
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- Written by: Shannon Ridge Family of Wines
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Shannon Ridge Family of Wines has announced the release of its 2016 Buck Shack Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon.
Grown in Lake County, the 100-percent Cabernet Sauvignon was first aged in traditional French and American oak barrels for 15 months, followed by 3 months in freshly emptied, or “wet” Kentucky Bourbon barrels. The wine was then bottled in a clear bourbon/whiskey bottle and sealed with a custom made cork.
"We thought aging our Cabernet Sauvignon in bourbon barrels was a perfect fit for our Buck Shack brand," said Clay Shannon, owner of Shannon Ridge Family of Wines. "The Buck Shack is a 100-year-old deer-skinning shed, discovered on our property when we were clearing land for a vineyard. We restored it and converted it into a whiskey bar on our property we call Sheep Camp."
Four thousand cases were produced, with a retail price of $24. The wine is currently being rolled out nationwide.
The Shannon Ridge Family of Wines portfolio includes Buck Shack, Cross Springs, Dalliance, High Valley, Playtime, Vigilance, Shannon Ridge and Shannon Reserve.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The forum will take place from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Joy Madeiros Veteran Museum, 857 11th St. in the 11th Street Plaza building across from Round Table Pizza.
They are inviting employers, local business owners and the public to come and explore the benefits workers with disabilities can bring to your workplace.
Come hear what local employers like Foods Etc., Marvel Sentry and Dusty D’s Work Wear have to say and learn about local resources that can benefit your business such as a $10,400 per year paid internship that can go towards wages and payroll costs, paid training, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, diversity in the workplace, reasonable accommodation myths and support, and free on the job coaching assistance for certain individuals.
Join the efforts in building a strong and inclusive economy for Lake County and bring your human resource or fiscal staff to meet your local subject matter experts while learning about how these programs are designed for local businesses like yours.
You can register for the forum at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/employer-forum-lake-county-tickets-50929601810 or just drop by.
For more information call 707-263-0630.
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- Written by: California Treasurer’s Office
The grant is being made directly to program partners, Small Business Majority and the United Ways of California, and will be used to educate small business owners and other stakeholders — through presentations, webinars, and online resources — on how they can participate in CalSavers and its pilot program, and provide feedback as CalSavers is implemented.
“Next month marks a milestone for CalSavers as we launch our pilot program and open up employer registration for the greatest expansion in retirement security since the passage of Social Security more than 80 years ago,” said Treasurer Chiang. “We are grateful to the Arnold Foundation for their generous support as we create a pathway for more than 7.5 million hard-working Californians to save for a dignified retirement.”
“People deserve to retire at the end of their careers. But many hourly-wage workers, small business owners, and others don't have a way to save for retirement. CalSavers is a low-cost, professionally managed retirement savings program that will finally give workers a means to prepare for their future,” said Kelli Rhee, president and chief executive officer at the LJAF.
“CalSavers is a game changer for the millions of California small businesses and employees struggling to access retirement savings,” said Mark Herbert, California Director for Small Business Majority. “Once CalSavers is up and running, it will go a long way toward leveling the playing field for the many small firms that simply lack the resources to enroll their employees in a retirement savings program. We are glad to have the opportunity to help educate employers, media, and the general public about CalSavers and the good it can do for the Golden State’s small firms.”
And Pete Manzo, president and CEO of United Ways of California, added, “More than seven million private-sector employees in California work for employers that do not offer retirement plans. As a result, too few California workers save for retirement and far too many retire into financial hardship. CalSavers is a public-private partnership that will ensure nearly all Californians working in the private sector have an option to save for retirement through payroll deduction, which research has shown sharply increases savings rates, while giving employers a no-cost, hassle-free way to help their employees save for the future.”
CalSavers is a state-backed program that will help workers – from millennials to baby boomers – save for their retirement. It will give employees access to a completely voluntary, low-cost, portable retirement savings vehicle, with professionally managed investments, overseen by a public and transparent board of directors chaired by Treasurer Chiang.
Additionally, the program is fully sustained by participant fees, meaning taxpayers will not spend a single penny on it. Similarly, there are no fees for employers. Funding from the grant also will go toward lowering initial program costs, ultimately serving to lower fees on savers.
Next month, Treasurer Chiang will join supporters in a series of events around the state to introduce the CalSavers pilot program for employers. And beginning in mid-2019, the program will open fully for statewide enrollment.
Employers with 100 or more employees, who do not already offer a retirement plan, will have one year from the full program launch date to register. Employers with 50 or more employees will be required to register within two years, and those with five or more employees in year three. Employers of any size can register at any time, as can individuals who want to start saving for their retirement immediately.
In 2012, California was the first state in the nation to enact legislation aimed at remedying the personal financial crisis faced by millions of working people in California and nationwide. California was also the first to enact legislation establishing a board and program, providing a model for other states, including Oregon and Illinois, which followed California’s lead.
The Laura and John Arnold Foundation, with offices in Houston, New York, and Washington, D.C., focuses on improving lives by strengthening social, governmental, and economic systems. Small Business Majority represents more than 58,000 small business owners in supporting policies that promote small business growth. United Ways of California advances opportunities for low- and moderate-income people to lead successful lives.
For more information about CalSavers, visit the CalSavers website, email
For more news, please follow the Treasurer on Twitter at @CalTreasurer, and on Facebook at California State Treasurer's Office.