Farm Bureau Policies 2022 (2) Research for eradicationand/or control of potentiallydevas- tating resistant and/or virulent weeds, pest, and pathogens; (3)Adoptionof economically feasiblemeasures tomitigate these problems in the California rice industry; and (4) Efforts to develop new uses for rice straw as an alternative to burning. We oppose cuts to crop insurance that could limit its effec- tiveness as the primary riskmanagement tool available to farm- ers. (Rev. 2016)
Parcelsproposedfor selective timberharvestwhoseprincipaluse is not timber production, should have an avenue for consideration of its exemption fromthe requirement for a timber harvest plan. Weopposedepartments and/or agencies, whichareauthorized andbudgeted toperformTimberHarvestingPlan (THP) andNon- Industrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP) review, charging fees for such items as environmental review, 1600 permits, and Water Quality TimberHarvestWaivers as the practices coveredby these fees have already been reviewed and inspected in the THP/ NTMP review process. Such fees are tantamount to paying twice for the same work. We favor sound research and educational programs on: (1) Forest and landmanagement utilization, including conver- sionof coverwhere siteandcharacteristics of soils lend themselves to supporting better forage species and conditions for water con- servation and improved flow; (2) Fire deterrent andprotection, insect, disease and vertebrate pest control methods; (3) Reforestation and revegetation for continuous high yield; (4) Tree varieties for expanding development of commercial and farm forestry; (5) Fire prevention by (a) removal or burning of forest debris, and (b) public information about fire safety; (6) Forestmanagement practices on small forest ownerships, as we oppose the Forest Legacy Program; and (7) The correlation between forest management and stream- flow. (Rev. 2012) No. 106 Honey and Apiculture We support: (1) The continuationof aCommodityCredit Corporationhoney loanprogramtoprovide stability for thedomesticbee industryand to assure adequate pollination of all crops; (2) The development of a standard of identity for honey in the U.S.; (3) Programs that increase the availability andadditional plant- ing of non-noxious pollinator forage on private and government- owned or managed lands; and (4) Allowing honey bees to be placed on government-owned or managed lands. We urge Congress to continue and adequately fund and staff regionally located USDA-Agricultural Research Service honey bee research centers and theUSDANational Institute of Food and Agriculture Competitive Grants Program. (Rev. 2019) No. 107 Specialty Crops Specialty crops are an integral part of California agriculture. The term “specialty crops”, as defined in the 2008 farm bill, means fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture (including turfgrass sod and herbal crops), and nursery crops (in- cluding floriculture). We support: (1) The inclusion of a specialty crops title in future farmbills; (2) Additional research into harvest and cultural Practices; (3)Expandeddiseaseandpest researchprogramsand improved pest exclusion programs; and (4) Additional funding to promote market expansion of U.S.- produced specialty crops. (Rev. 2011) No. 108 Commodity Credit Corporation Accounting When the Commodity Credit Corporation purchases surplus commodities, or when such commodities are distributed through donation or other government aid programs, the Commodity Credit Corporation should conformtoGAAP (GenerallyAccepted Accounting Principles) and reflect the full cost of the inventory distributed in reporting the cost of the commodity price support program. The sale of the commodities should be credited back to that commodity program. (Rev. 1990) No. 109 Domestic Wine Commerce Wine should be made as available to adult consumers as any other agricultural product. States shouldnot restrictwinedistribu- tion to specially licensed stores, tax wine sales so as to favor wine produced in the same state, nor include wine in tax proposals to increase government revenue. There should alsobe an end todis- criminatory licensing procedures which impede sales by certain vintners and facilitate sales by others. The right to advertise wine and related products should be supported. (Rev. 2016) No. 110 Aquaculture The aquacul ture industry suppor ts the Aquacul ture Coordinator position at the California Department of Fish and
Wildlife with relevant agency assistance to improve the aware- ness of aquaculture within and outside of government; to seek regulatory relief at state, regional, county, and local levels; to provide information on permit and license requirements and regulations relating to each type of aquaculture; and to provide advice to aquaculture on project design and location to ac- commodate permit requirements. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) should designate a liaison to interface with the Aquaculture Coordinator and the aquacul- ture industry in the administration of CDFA-related programs affecting aquaculture. Aquaculture is thecontrolledgrowingof fish, shellfishandplants in marine, brackish and fresh water and should be treated as an agricultural enterprise. Local ordinances should be enacted recognizing that aquacul- ture is agriculture inall landusedeterminations. Furthermore, use permits should not be required for aquaculture operations unless such permits are required in precise zoning ordinances for other forms of agriculture. Allowing compatible aquaculture operations to be located in agricultural, industrial, commercial and resource management zones should be included in the development of any land use or coastal program. The lead agency for aquaculture should establish a liaisonwith local governments. TheCalifornia Legislature shouldact to assure that agriculture, including aquaculture, receives priority consid- eration in conflicts over siting in the coastal zone, including areas beingprescribed for scenic and recreational uses and inwetlands. We encourage the use of brood stock legally obtained from the wild to develop new commercial opportunities for fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. Weurge theAquaticNuisanceSpeciesTaskForce toadopt farm- level aquatic invasive species (AIS) hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) programs as ameans toprevent the spread ofAIS. EnvironmentalDNA(eDNA) andpolymerasechainreaction (PCR) testing should not be used as primary regulatory enforce- ment tools. Consideration should be given to private aquaculture for con- tractsprior tobuildingnewpublichatcheriesor expandingexisting facilities. Priority should be given to aquatic species quality and cost of production of those species. (Rev. 2014) No. 111 Horticulture Exotic pests pose a significant threat to the horticulture indus- try. Pest exclusions should be the first line of defense. When pests or diseases are detected during inspections at points of entry, or through infestation discoveries, eradication is the best option. Nursery operations that shipor receiveplant shipments require timely inspections toavoid sustainingplant losses. Duringperiods of quarantines, the office of the county agricultural commissioner should provide daily inspection services at destinations and post inspection service hours. Mitigationof infestations adds unnecessary financial and regu- latoryburdens tohorticultural producersandstate resources,while adding to the use of crop protection tools. We support mandatory general fund dollars for any action that increases regulatory activities at the federal, state, or county levels. Federal funding shouldbe increased annually to ensure adequate facilities and resources for inspectionof plants, foliage, seeds, and cut flowers todetect andprevent the introductionof pests anddis- eases. Improvements to pest and disease detection, surveillance, eradication and exclusion infrastructure, facilities, and database technologymust be a priority. Funding for horticultural-specific research should be included in each reauthorization of the FarmBill. Wewill coordinatewithaffected states toestablishworkable, vi- able, andcost-effective IntegratedPestRiskManagementMeasures for the Importationof Plants forPlanting intoNorthAmericanPlant Protection Organization (NAPPO) Member Countries, and Best Management Practices (BMP’s) plan to manage and protect the movement of plants andplantmaterial. Allmanagementmeasures should include mechanisms that ensure funding is adequate at federal, state and local levels to implement all parts of this plan. Plans must be easy to administer and monitor, while achieving balance with the requirements of any federal order or foreign im- port requirements. We will continue to work within the state educational system to promote vocational education in horticultural specific career paths. (Rev. 2010) No. 112 “Equal-to” Meat Inspection Program We support the establishment of the “equal-to”meat inspection program in California. (Rev. 1992)
No. 103 Sugar Within the sugar industry we support:
(1) A program to protect the interests of domestic sugar pro- ducers and recommend that any appropriate legislation should include a sugar title with provisions that ensure a strong and eco- nomically viable domestic sugar industry; (2) Retention of the current loan rate as aminimum; (3) Elimination of the marketing assessment fee(s) or loan for- feiture penalties; (4) Increased research and development funding for biobased energy and biobased products utilizing sugar crops; and (5) We support the passage of legislation and administrative action that prevents the circumvention of the U.S. sugar import quota. We support the reporting of sugar-containing products for this purpose. (2007) No. 104 Dairy In order to assure a safe, stable and dependable supply of milk, adegree of regulation in the industry is necessary. Such regulation should permit producers to receive a price that enables them to produce a safe, dependable supply of milk. We support: (1)California standards for solids-non-fat in fluidmilk through- out the U.S.; (2) Standards that lower bacterial and somatic cell counts in fluidmilk; (3) A pricing system that responds quickly to fluctuations in productioncosts, cost of living, andother factors thatmay influence the orderlymarketing of milk in California; (4) A pooling concept whereby producer marketing rights are controlled by the producer rather than the processor. The owner- ship by producers of marketing rights is a prerequisite to a stable supply of milk and stability within the family farmstructure of the California dairy industry; (5) The dairy industry establishing a programto bettermanage milk supplies nationwide; (6) A risk management program that offers protection based on gross margins (milk price minus feed costs) that reflect costs consistent with areas of the country wheremilk is produced; (7) The California Dairy Quality Assurance Program as long as it is industry-driven and voluntary. We urge all California dairy producers to enroll in the program; (8) Requiring everyone producing milk in California for either raw or pasteurized products to meet all relevant state regulatory animal health, milk quality, food safety, permitting, and pool re- porting requirements; and (9) Regulating state-by-state rawmilk for human consumption and selling it only within the state that regulates it. More emphasis should be placed on the development of new dairy products and the expansion of current dairy products into newmarkets. Bondingofmarket andmanufacturingmilkhandlers shouldbe at a level that adequatelyprotects producers. (Rev. 2016) No. 105 Forestry Timber is a crop and the process of growing, harvesting and storing that crop shall be treated as an agricultural enterprise. Governmental agencies should work cooperatively to provide well-integrated emergency and long-termprograms in reforesta- tion, range reseeding, watershed stabilization, brush conversion, firepreventionand researchprograms. Keeping these commercial forests economically viable is essential. The enforcement of the Forest Practice Act should be primarily the duty of the state, while providing for input from the local level. The harvesting of timber and forest products in Timber Production Zones (TPZs) should not be restricted if good forestry practices are observed. If TPZs are restricted, the costs of wildlife management, including set-asides, state regulatory expense and research, should be incurred by the public. We urge that sustainable harvest beginand continue as soonas possible in all our state and national forests. We urge voluntary development of privately owned, sustained- yield forestry with state and federal governments assisting in es- sential supplemental service.
14 Ag Alert January 26, 2022
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