Opinion
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Now that Nancy Pelosi has mugged when she should have wumped and wumped when she should have mugged by passing "a non-binding" resolution rebuking Shrub on Iraq she needs to impeach the psychopath for real.
Put your mug where your wump was, Madam Speaker.
Gary Peterson
Belmont
PS: Don't forget to include "Shotgun," Dick Cheney.
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- Written by: Sarah Ryan
In an interview appearing in the January Farm Bureau newsletter, our Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik commented on new regulations from the state regarding the application of dormant sprays. It seems the state is wanting to better regulate ag runoff because it is ending in the Sacramento River. The new regulation has several conditions that need to be met before dormant sprays can be applied.
"The problem is, we don't know when you're going to be applying it and I don't see us going from place to place to examine the soil moisture," Hajik said to the growers. "So, I don't see how I'm going to be able to enforce this." (as reported in www.lakeconews.com.
Those of us in the online community have been mulling over this and other statements for the past week. I wanted to jump into the mix because I'm concerned that the farmers who have replied on this issue don't seem to be getting the source of concern: that our ag commissioner has said that the new regulation is unenforceable.
Industry needs to monitor itself. When it can't (or won't), government gets involved. It seems the farming industry has not regulated itself. Organophosphates and pyrethroids are ending up downstream. The state seems to think it comes from pesticide applications to ag - why else would a new regulation come down the pike about dormant applications?
All well and good except the chief enforcer in our county happened to believe that because of the nature of the regulation, he and his staff would not be able to enforce the new law. It appears that the state made this new reg without consulting ag or else the state would have heard the concerns of people such as Steve Hajik and given clarification before the law went into effect. It must have come as a surprise. Whatever.
This is not good. A law came into being to protect health and the environment. As citizens of the county, we are supposed to have a government that upholds the laws. Steve's admission that the new regulation was unenforceable could only mean one thing: that the Lake County Department of Agriculture is not up to the task of enforcing the federal and state laws which are enacted to protect our health and the environment. For tribes, it could be an even greater concern because some of them practice a subsistence level lifestyle which of course means they are consuming less from grocery stores and restaurants and
more from hunting, gathering and fishing.
There are many of us in this county that are counting on farmers to get out of the trap of pesticides and start practicing a sustainable agriculture which does no harm to the environment, the residents or the tourists either.
It appears to us nonfarmers that the cultural practices have killed the soils, encouraged pests and destroyed the natural predators as well as the natural defenses of the plants. In addition, these cultural practices have lead to a contamination of our soils, earth and water and have caused an unknown number of illnesses. This is not acceptable.
I don't think anyone wants to see Lake County agriculture disappear, but I think more and more people are finding that the cost has become too high for comfort. We don't know the full extent of the damage.
How can we support more farmers to move toward and then past ipm? Are more subsidies needed? More partnerships? How can we encourage them to not hide behind ag exemptions but see their responsibility toward our environment? This conversation needs to occur.
Sarah Ryan
Environmental Director
Big Valley Rancheria
Lakeport
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- Details
- Written by: John Reinhart
Are you out of your minds???
Somebody comes along and wants to increase the value of your property exponentially. They want to provide this county with a source of jobs and tax revenue that is the only remaining source left to much of America. They propose that we change our reputation from the “Meth center west of the Mississippi” to “World Class Resort.” And you want me to sign a petition to stop this? I repeat, “Are you out of your minds?????"
Let me guess ... the folks are worried about traffic! They feel that three cars traveling down Highway 29 at the same time, in the same direction, is already too much traffic! Do these people not have any children or grandchildren that may need jobs any time in the next 30 years. Maybe because they are here and have a nice enough lifestyle that’s fine by them. So what if the county government does not have enough horsepower to do anything other than have lunch, much less work to make “Clear Lake” look less green then “Anderson's split pea soup.” Or maybe they prefer rezoning small parcels one at a time so that the next generation can never really figure out if there was “a plan” for our community. The attitude of “I’m here now, so now everybody should stay away” is truly crazy. It seems to me, if the chance to acquire a first-rate resort could happen and we do not support that chance, then what will happen is sure to be more gambling tents and other such operations. That may be OK for you but I’m for something bigger and better. Something that will be competition for all the business going to Tahoe and Reno.
And that, my friends, requires COOPERATION and maybe even some risk taking. So what are the risks here? That somebody builds something ugly and nobody comes? Or maybe that the money associated with the project will not get to YOU personally? Those of us that have lived around the lake and over the years have tried to make a living and finally given up and are commuting to Ukiah or Napa or Santa Rosa, we’ll feel the pain of having to put up with summer traffic in December. But wouldn’t it be nice to be home before dark and have some time to actually enjoy the great place we live?
John Reinhart
Kelseyville Riviera
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- Details
- Written by: Steve Hajik
In a recent meeting with growers, covered by the Lake County News, I was quoted as saying that new dormant spray regulations by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation were unenforceable.
Unfortunately, this was a poor choice of words, and I want to clarify my intentions.
As with any new pesticide law or regulation, I will work with the regulated community to promote full compliance. These new regulations were created to protect our waterways from pesticide contamination during the winter months, when runoff may pose a hazard.
Fortunately, many of our local growers are already ahead of the curve. They have won statewide recognition for reduced-risk pest management practices that reduce or eliminate the need for dormant sprays.
This regulation may hold challenges, but growers bear the ultimate responsibility for complying with the rules, and it is my job to enforce them. I encourage all members of the Lake County agricultural community to contact my office if they are unclear about these new requirements.
Steve Hajik
Lake County Agricultural Commissioner
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