Compost Continued from Page 1
“We all know there’s a lot of challenges, but those challenges aren’t going to be tackled unless we move forward.” Farm and trucking groups have cau- tioned that insufficient charging infra- structure for electric trucks could leave fresh produce or livestock stranded in rural areas. As the diesel phaseout approaches, agricultural supply companies are also raising concerns. Clayton Lynch, sales and marketing representative for Agra Marketing, a Butte County company that ships bioproducts such as compost and manure to farms across the state, said he believes the limit- ed carrying capacity of electric trucks will drive up the cost of these inexpensive but heavy materials, impacting agriculture and especially organic farms. “The value of the products themselves is very low, so the predominant cost is as- sociated with transportation,” Lynch said. Batteries for electric heavy-duty trucks can weigh up to 16,000 pounds. Due to
ecology and stimulate plant growth. “We rely on it,” said Javier Zamora, own- er of JSM Organics in Monterey County. In addition to benefiting farms, compost is central to efforts by California lawmakers to combat climate change. It plays a role in the state’s goal to divert 75% of organ- ic waste away from landfills, and in the Healthy Soils Program, which helps subsi- dize farming practices that sequester car- bon in the ground, including composting. But compost suppliers say they worry a separate climate-focused policy could make it harder for some farms to afford compost deliveries. In April, the California Air Resources Board approved a landmark rule banning the sale of new diesel trucks by 2036 and requiring most trucks operat- ing in the state be zero-emission vehicles by 2042. “This is an absolutely transformative rule to clean our air and mitigate climate change,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph.
Every year, Full Belly Farm in Yolo County uses 10 to 15 tons of compost on each of its 400 acres.
“there are bigger fish to fry,” said Zamora, who farms 200 acres and also spends about 2% of his budget on compost. But for smaller farms, a markup on compost could put the soil amendment out of reach. At Farmboy Organics, a 3-acre farm in Yolo County, Andrew and Eric Walker have held off on using compost due to its cost, though they say they plan to order some this winter. “It’s expensive,” Andrew said. He pro- jected a few truckloads would make com- post “one of our larger expenses.” In multiple sectors that serve organic farms, questions linger about who will bear the financial burden of eliminating diesel. “What are the costs going to be? Are we going to be able to pass that on to the cus- tomer? Farming is a tough industry,” said Al Lopez, owner of Lopez Ag Service in Sacramento County, which supplies com- post to farms in the region. “We could only pass so much of the cost on to the farmers.” California has budgeted more than $5 billion for the transition to cleaner trucks and buses. With 2,000 zero-emission me- dium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles on California roads this year and the rule expected to impact 1.8 million vehicles, much of that transition lies ahead. Despite the state funding, Lopez said he fears a breakdown in the economic bal- ance between farms, suppliers and truck- ing companies, with only the largest play- ers able to absorb the cost of purchasing electric vehicles, hiring additional drivers and other expenses. Considering the new investments re- quired to make the transition and that the median age of a private fleet driver is 57, Lopez and Pacheco said many trucking operators have told them they will sooner quit the business than go electric, potentially worsening a driver shortage in the sector. In several years, Lopez added, “you’re going to have a hard time finding trucking companies, except the big ones.” For organic farms—and state agencies hoping to incentivize the use of compost— disruptions to the trucking sector could pose challenges. “It’s difficult to see agriculture’s transi- tion away from diesel,” Muller said. “It’s going to be complicated.” (Caleb Hampton is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at champton@cfbf.com.)
federal restrictions on how much a rig can weigh, the battery could reduce what a truck can haul by around a third, requiring more trips to move the same freight. “It would raise the cost exponentially for all of these products that a lot of people who are environmentally conscientious are usually very excited to utilize,” Lynch said. “It’s a huge concern.” Pacheco of Lucky Diamond Trucking, whose family owns a Sonoma County dairy and a cheese company, made a similar price forecast. “It will skyrocket big time,” he said, adding that freight costs are “a big deal when it comes to compost.” The truckload Pacheco delivered last week cost $1,825, a rate that included up to five hours of round-trip trucking. Every year, Muller of Full Belly Farm ap- plies 10 to 15 tons of compost to each of his 400 acres. “We do watch compost costs,” he said, though next to other inputs, he add- ed, it is one of many “escalating costs that are out of our control.” Muller estimated compost shipments account for roughly 2% of the farm’s annual budget. When looking at organic farming costs,
0% for 60 Months 1 plus no payments for 90 days OR Cash Back! 2
0% for 60 Months 1 plus no payments for 90 days OR Cash Back! 2 New Holland 24 to 55 gross hp compact tractors are roomy, easy to operate and powerful enough for ev- eryday jobs or weekend-warrior projects. Get ready to roll with a new WORKMASTER™ sub-compact, WORKMASTER™ compact or Boomer™ compact tractor. Get more convenience, more comfort and more savings during the Ready to Roll sales event. Hurry, offers end June 30, 2023. Stop in today for complete details or visit nhoffers.com.
www.californiabountiful.com
A Farm Bureau Production
LOCAL STATIONS KERO/23 Bakersfield Sat. 5:00 p.m. KHSL/12 Chico/Redding Sat. 7:00 p.m. Sun. 6:00 a.m. KVPT/18 Fresno/Visalia Sun. 11:30 a.m. KCBA/35 Monterey/Salinas Fri. 12:00 p.m. KPSE/50 Palm Springs Sat. 10:30 a.m. KSBY/6 Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo Sun. 5:00 p.m. SATELLITE TV RFD-TV: Dish Ch. 231, DirectTV Ch. 345
TULARE GARTON TRACTOR INC. 559-686-0054 www.gartontractor.com TURLOCK GARTON TRACTOR INC. 209-632-3931 www.gartontractor.com UKIAH GARTON TRACTOR INC. 707-468-5880 www.gartontractor.com WOODLAND GARTON TRACTOR INC. 530-615-2828 www.gartontractor.com
NEWMAN GARTON TRACTOR INC. 209-862-3760 www.gartontractor.com SANTA ROSA GARTON TRACTOR INC. 707-586-1790 www.gartontractor.com STOCKTON GARTON TRACTOR INC. 209-948-5401 www.gartontractor.com
FAIRFIELD GARTON TRACTOR INC. 707-425-9545 www.gartontractor.com FRESNO GARTON TRACTOR INC. 559-485-9090 www.gartontractor.com MADERA GARTON TRACTOR INC. 559-674-2496 www.gartontractor.com MODESTO GARTON TRACTOR INC. 209-538-0911 www.gartontractor.com
Sun. 8:00 a.m.*
*Times listed are Pacific Time
Now trending
1 For commercial use only. Customer participation subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital America LLC or CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. See your participating New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. Eligible equipment limited to dealer inventory in stock. Previous retail sales are not eligible. Offer good through June 30, 2023. Not all customers or applicants may qualify for this rate or term. CNH Industrial Capital America LLC and CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. standard terms and conditions apply. Canada Example: Based on a retail contract date of April 1, 2023, with a suggested retail price on a new WORKMASTER 25S Tractor with Loader of C$27,015 customer provides down payment of C$0 and finances the balance of C$27,015 at 0% per annum for 60 months. There will be 56 equal monthly installments of C$473.95 starting July 1, 2023 and one final payment of $473.80 due April 1, 2028. The total amount payable will be C$27,015 which includes finance charges of C$0.00. 2 Cash back amounts vary and are applied at time of sale. Taxes, freight, setup, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in suggested retail price. Offer subject to change or cancellation without notice. Offer is nontransferable, subject to change or cancellation without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. ©2023 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. CNH Industrial Capital and New Holland are trademarks registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.
@cabountiful
16 Ag Alert June 21, 2023
Powered by FlippingBook