Reclamation has new leader for Great Basin region Karl Stock is the new director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s California-Great Basin Region, which oversees management of the state’s fed- eral water infrastructure. University of Colorado, Denver, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University. offstream storage facility. Stock will oversee Oregon’s Klamath Project, Nevada’s Truckee Storage projects, and California’s Orland, Solano, Cachuma and Ventura river projects.
Central Valley Project, which supplies wa- ter to one-third of California’s farmland. Major CVP projects include: Shasta Dam and Reservoir on the Sacramento River; Trinity Dam and Reservoir on the Trinity River; Folsom Dam and Reservoir on the American River; Friant Dam and Reservoir on the San Joaquin River; New Melones Dam and Reservoir on the Stanislaus River; and San Luis Reservoir, a joint federal-state
“I am honored to take on this respon- sibility and look forward to advancing Reclamation’s mission in the California- Great Basin Region by working collabora- tively with all of our partners,” Stock said in a statement. As regional director, Stock manages one of the nation’s largest water projects, the
After joining the bureau in 2001, Stock served in many leadership positions, including most recently as manager of the Reclamation Law Administration Division. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the
Stock replaces Ernest Conant, who was appointed regional director in 2019. Conant, who comes from a farming fam- ily in Northern California, assumes the role of senior advisor to the bureau’s deputy commissioner for operations.
Organic Continued from Page 5
disease resistance is an important part of what we do at Driscoll’s,” Moutafian said. Cooperation with other innovators is important if organic produce is to remain competitive, producers said. “It’s worth it to take the time to let the innovators integrate with your operation,” Giampaoli said. “It will pay off.” Western Growers has made it a priority in recent years to serve as a facilitator be- tween technological startup firms, farmers who are willing to host trials and investors who are able to help small firms scale up their more promising ideas. During its annual Ag Sharks compe- tition, Western Growers gives startups a chance to compete before a panel of grow- ers and investors. The prize is investment capital of at least $250,000. The three finalists in the 2023 compe- tition included a company with a mo- bile biochar unit that can produce the soil amendment at a fraction of the cost. Another was a software company that can automate the process of producing re- ports required by regulators and buyers. The third was a firm producing material that protects fruit from sun, heat and wind damage by strengthening the cuticle, or microscopic layer encompassing the fruit. Despite inflationary pressure, the re- cent trend in organic produce sales has been promising. Walt Duflock, senior vice president of innovation at Western Growers, said the organic sector enjoyed $60 billion in sales nationally in 2022, $22 billion of that in produce. There has been a $10 billion in- crease in sales over four years, he noted. He also pointed to demographic factors that should help the organic produce mar- ket in the next few years. “Millennials and Gen Z are starting to build their families, and they prioritize health,” Giampaoli said. There must be a reliable supply of quali- ty organic produce if growers are to benefit from potential growth in the market. “We need to make sure consumers re- tain their confidence in the organic label,” Moutafian said. “If the consumer is going to spend that money, they want it to be for something they really want to eat. There is going to be more demand, and my job is to figure out how to supply that.” (Bob Johnson is a reporter in Monterey County. He may be contacted at bjohn11135@gmail.com.)
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12 Ag Alert January 10, 2024
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