Ag Alert. August 24, 2022

Ag Alert is the newspaper of the California Farm Bureau Federation, reaching Farm Bureau agricultural and collegiate members. Agricultural members are owners and decision-makers on California farms and ranches. The California Farm Bureau Federation is a non-governmental, non-profit, voluntary membership organization whose purpose is to protect and promote agricultural interests throughout the state of California and to find solutions to the problems of the farm, the farm home and the rural community. Farm Bureau is California's largest farm organization, comprised of 53 county Farm Bureaus. Farm Bureau strives to protect and improve the ability of farmers and ranchers engaged in production agriculture to provide a reliable supply of food and fiber through responsible stewardship of California's resources.

Grapevine threat Davis propagation center battles red blotch outbreak

Ag Alert returns Sept. 7 Ag Alert® publishes 46 times a year and will be on hiatus next week (Aug. 31). Our next issue will be published Sept. 7. In the meantime, check the California Farm Bureau Facebook and Twitter feeds, and the Ag Alert and California Farm Bureau websites at www.agalert.com and www.cfbf.com, for breaking news.

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Trees & Vines ® Dairy & Livestock ®

special report

By Kevin Hecteman Kelly Williams was in Merced one July day when he got news ranchers never want to hear: A wildfire had ignited near where some of his cattle were grazing, and the nearby town was being evacuated. He hustled back to Mariposa County, where he runs cattle and serves as presi- dent of the Mariposa County Farm Bureau, and headed for Jerseydale, which his wife had told him was being evacuated. Williams hit a roadblock on the way up. The people staffing it evidently had not gotten the word about the county’s new Ag Pass program, intended to allow ranchers such as Williams to get behind the perim- eter to look after or evacuate livestock. At first, they would not let him through. “It’s a new program that never had any time to get tested, except in a big circum- stance,” Williams said of the Ag Pass. He cited a “lack of communication” among different agencies staffing roadblocks. “You start taking 20 minutes, 30 min- utes—that’s a lot of time if we’re trying to get something out,” Williams said. Years of devastating wildfires led to farmers, ranchers, agricultural commis- sioners and emergency personnel to figure out safe ways to let ranchers look after or evacuate livestock from behind fire lines. In 2021, Assembly Bill 1103 authorized county agricultural commissioners to cre- ate Ag Pass programs for livestock produc- ers; some counties allow farmers to use the pass to turn on irrigation or water systems. But awareness of the program is lacking. In the end, all was well for Williams: A Cal Fire official called to allow ranchers through to move herds to safety. “He knew that we had cows in the area, so that’s actu- ally how we went through,” Williams said. “I give the ag office credit,” he added. “They were right there—they kept in touch with us the whole time, wanting to know we’d gotten out. I’d had all my cows out of there by 8:30 that night.” Williams does not seek to throw anyone See AG PASS, Page 19 Communication seen as vital for Ag Pass programs

As drought impacts the Colorado River, Lake Mead shrinks to historically low levels behind Hoover Dam. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced emergency water cuts for Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. Despite holding senior water rights, Imperial Valley farmers worry they may be next.

Anxiety grows over Colorado River crisis

By Christine Souza Imperial Valley farmers who have senior water rights on the severely de- pleted Colorado River say emergency water delivery cuts ordered last week by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation do not go far enough to achieve the agency’s goal of conserving water for the river’s future sustainability.

The new restrictions aren’t directed at agriculture in the Imperial Valley. Yet fears mount that farmers, who are already cutting back their water use, could lose critical irrigation supplies if an accord on 2023 water diversions isn’t reached for multiple states and agencies relying on the river. “Two months ago, (bureau officials)

said they needed 2 million acre-feet to 4 million acre-feet to solve the problem, in addition to the tier cuts,” said Imperial County farmer Ronnie Leimgruber, who farms in the Imperial Irrigation District and is based in Holtville. “They’re kick- ing the can down the road, allowing

See COLORADO, Page 10

n e w s p a p e r

Comment.......................................2 Trees & Vines...........................7-8 Dairy & Livestock...............11-12 Classifieds........................... 18-19 Inside

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In the heart of the city, kids learn the love of farming By Carrie Lawson Robertson

through my childhood memories. And I was lucky to attend vibrant agriculture pro- grams in middle and high school. I’ve seen my former students go on to careers in agriculture and environmental fields: a forestry major at Montana State, a floral designer in Beverly Hills, a chef de cuisine at a Michelin-starred restaurant and a three-day-event equestrian competitor. Agriculture-adjacent hobbies are the norm here, too. Hiking, gardening, indoor plants, pets and cooking became even more precious as we all spent more time at home and alone the past two years. Here in Los Angeles, there are millions of people longing for a personal con- nection to food, land and agriculture. As urban residents, we often have a roman- ticized or inaccurate understanding of ag- riculture, but I believe this is a challenge that can be overcome with what we pro- vide in the classroom. Agriculture is not without challenges and discomfort, and I often worry how muddy shoes or a tired back will register with urban students. A few weeks ago, we spent a lot of time and sweat equity plant- ing several young native trees in front of our classroom in very heavy, rocky soil. As we finished, one of my more challeng- ing students stopped, turned and con- fronted me. “Ms. R,” he said with a glare, “this was too hard! Why did we have to do this?” Just as I was about to answer, he cut me off. He asked excitedly, “Can we do it again tomorrow?!” Yes, we can. (Carrie Lawson Robertson is an agricul- ture teacher, farm manager and FFA advisor at Paul Revere Charter Middle School and Magnet Center in Los Angeles. She may be contacted at carrie.robertson@lausd.net.)

Strange as it sounds, I teach agriculture in the heart of Los Angeles. At the back of

campus at our ur- ban middle school, you’ll find a hidden gem we simply call “The Farm.” These 2 acres

house a traditional classroom, as well as a “land lab” that includes a vine- yard, orchard, farm plots, raised beds, pollinator and native gardens, composting yard and tiny hiking trail. Students help care for this and several goats, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, chin- chillas and my favorite resident, Daisy, the pot belly pig. Our farm property backs up to Sunset Boulevard, a traffic-clogged ar- tery that cuts across the city along the back- bone of the Santa Monica Mountains. It’s a quintessential L.A. setting, complete with frequent Hollywood filming on campus. We live amid a bastion of celebrity chefs, but growing the food yourself takes eat- ing to a new level. It’s comical to watch students so gleeful over what they grew themselves: small plots of grapes, stone fruit, alfalfa, pumpkins, kale, tomatoes, artichokes and herbs. Our immersive ag- ricultural experiences allow our “city kids” a chance to connect with the food they eat, understand the people who grow it and the natural world around them. We are working to build a land ethic that reaches far beyond our classroom. Just like real ranchers and farmers, the students ex- perience the pride and joy that comes from caring for animals, watching something grow, fixing things that break and working with their team to get the job done. Carrie Lawson Robertson

Students at Paul Revere Charter Middle School and Magnet Center in Los Angeles work in a vineyard at the school farm, where they care for animals and master growing food.

By far, the greatest teaching resource is my connection with the California Foundation for Ag in the Classroom. Judy Culbertson, the program’s executive direc- tor, and her tenacious staff provide a boun- ty of high-quality educational resources at no cost to teachers. The highlight of my teaching year is attending the foundation’s conference, a jam-packed event featuring farmers pan- els, instructive workshops and farm tours. I’ve been able to bring those living stories back to the classroom—and my students— each year. Thanks to the generous support of farmers and ranchers across the state who support the conference, students who live nowhere near a real farm get to see what modern production agriculture is really like. Farming is complex and high tech.

It requires specific knowledge, hands-on experience and risk. Natural resources are vital to agriculture—and so are people. I will jumpstart the first weeks of school using Ag in the Classroom resources, as my students explore the mystery and mir- acle that is…cotton candy grapes. Yum! The grapes—and any of our “food lab” activities—are a chance to make a con- nection. The grapes are just the road in. Ultimately, my goal is to create those “ah- ha” moments that bring agriculture into their daily lives. I have always straddled two worlds—ag- riculture and urban life. My dad and gran- dad raised cattle on land they leased on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Driving down dusty roads, throwing out hay, viewing wildlife through binoculars and catching tadpoles in the creek are a constant thread

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2 Ag Alert August 24, 2022

Farmers cautious after virus found in residential citrus

So far, no new quarantines have been triggered. It’s unclear how agricultural officials handled the infected trees. Hornbaker said CDFA and USDA re- main in “an information-gathering stage.” She noted the state has been surveying “the core area” around the detection site in Tulare County and will expand its sur- vey activities to Fresno and Kings coun- ties in the coming months to determine the extent of the virus. Key citrus stakeholders—including growers, regulatory officials of citrus-pro- ducing states, industry representatives

and residents of private property that CDFA has surveyed—have been informed about the virus detection, Hornbaker said. In addition, USDA has informed Japan and Taiwan, both of which import California citrus fruit. “Fruit is not a pathway for virus spread,” Hornbaker said, “and these countries have not expressed concerns.” Matt Watkins, director of farm opera- tions for Bee Sweet Citrus, a grower-pack- er-shipper in Fowler, said some of the

By Ching Lee California citrus growers are on the lookout for a new disease threat to their orchards. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed findings of citrus yellow vein clearing virus, or CYVCV. It was first de- tected in March in residential citrus in the city of Tulare during routine tree surveys by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. It represents the first discov- ery of the virus in the United States. The virus has not been detected in commercial orchards, CDFA said. “We’re still learning a lot about it,” said Imperial County farmer Mark McBroom, who chairs the state Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program. CDFA describes the virus as “a disease of quarantine significance to the United States,” as it can lead to “significant eco- nomic losses” and “cause serious damage to most citrus species” by diminishing fruit marketability. It has also been re- ported in grapes, beans and weeds. Before being found in Tulare, the dis- ease was restricted to Pakistan, India, Iran, Turkey and China, where it is in nearly all citrus-producing areas, ac- cording to CDFA. The virus is transmitted by aphids, in- cluding the green citrus aphid, cowpea aphid and melon or cotton aphid. The cit- rus whitefly also is a vector. Plants become infected as insects feed on the foliage. The virus is so called because leaves of in- fected young lemon and sour orange trees show a water-soaked appearance and yel- low, clear veins on their front side. The leaves may also display crinkling and warping. Symptoms vary depending on citrus va- riety, viral strain and environmental con- ditions, especially temperature, according to CDFA. Some infected trees show irreg- ular ringspots on leaves and mosaic-like patterns on the fruit. The virus can be as- ymptomatic in some cultivars. In infected lemon and sour orange trees, CYVCV is less pronounced in the summer. In severe infection, the fruit is malformed, and trees die back. Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner Tom Tucker said there are protocols for invasive pests and dis- eases. But with CYVCV being new to California and the U.S., federal and state officials have yet to determine an appro- priate response. Victoria Hornbaker, CDFA director of the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division, said the department “continues to conduct intensive delimitation surveys to better un- derstand the current presence and poten- tial impacts of CYVCV.” This work will help CDFA and USDA develop “an appropriate regulatory approach,” she added. Because the virus is spread by insects that are known to be present in California, McBroom said it “makes it much more challenging to get your arms around it,” as eradicating the vectors “would be next to impossible, if not impossible.”

What’s encouraging, he said, is that CYVCV doesn’t appear to be “as detri- mental as HLB,” referring to huanglong- bing, or citrus greening, which eventually kills the trees. With CYVCV, fruit from the infected residential trees remains edible and “doesn’t appear different”—at least in the early stages—even though their leaves display symptoms, McBroom said.

See CITRUS, Page 9

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August 24, 2022 Ag Alert 3

Center rallies to save vineyard stock after virus hits By Edgar Sanchez

For more than 70 years, a little-known complex in Davis—Foundation Plant Services—has supplied healthy plant material in high demand for grape grow- ers and vineyards that sustain California’s nearly $45 billion retail wine economy. The self-supporting center in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis, dis- tributes virus-tested grape, fruit and nut- tree propagation stock in cooperation with federal and state agricultural agencies. Now FPS is mobilizing against a vine- yard virus: grapevine red blotch disease, a severe vineyard threat identified in California’s North Coast, Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley grape-growing regions, as well as in seven other states since 2012. The virus is forcing FPS itself to stop growing in one of its two open-field vine- yards in Davis. “It is a threat for us, and we are taking action to protect our valuable collection,” said Maher Al Rwahnih, director of FPS and a plant pathologist. Some vineyard stock is being moved to temporary greenhouses on the Davis cam- pus. Those facilities will be replaced by a permanent $5.25 million, 14,400-square- foot, insect-proof greenhouse that is being built to protect grapevines from red blotch and other disease threats. Funded with urgent contributions from

After grapevine red blotch disease rav- aged a Foundation Plant Services vine- yard in Davis, funds were raised for a $5.25 million bug- proof greenhouse.

agricultural research and advisory groups, the facility is due to be completed by late 2023, with a second greenhouse planned within the next two years. “We are being proactive,” Al Rwahnih said. The aggressive steps being taken in Davis to safeguard vineyard propagation materials underscore concerns about red blotch in California, America’s leading wine-producing state. Named for the un- sightly red blotches it leaves on vineyard

leaves, the virus slows the ripening of red and white grapes, impeding sugar accu- mulation and flavor compounds coveted by the wine industry. Once red blotch strikes, “You need to hang your grapes longer to get the sugar content you need,” said Anita Oberholster, a Cooperative Extension specialist in the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. The virus can also render that sweetness

moot by devastating vineyards, because the only known treatment is to remove entire vines. As FPS rallies to contain the threat in Davis and safeguard vineyard propaga- tion materials, Oberholster and other researchers from UC Davis, UC Berkeley and Oregon State University are inves- tigating red blotch and trying to identify

See BLOTCH, Page 5

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Blotch Continued from Page 4

which gave $100,000. Another $450,000 came from FPS. In addition, the CDFA Pierce’s Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board has awarded $648,000 to propagate and test priority grapevine selections in the new greenhouse. The greenhouse will be the reposito- ry—“kind of like the ground zero”—for clean plant material in the U.S. for “mul- tiple decades,” said Dustin Hopper, the Improvement Advisory Board chairman. By repelling virus-carrying vectors, Hooper said it will benefit “not only the grapevine industry, but it can be used for many of the different crops that FPS grows.” “We were lucky enough to have some excess funds available, so we chose to step up and support the project (to show) that we are committed to FPS for the long term,” Hooper added. “This is a long-term investment for FPS.” Al Rwahnih said FPS is grateful for the support, as the fight against grapevine red blotch disease continues. He said virus likely won’t be wiped out anytime soon. “Like COVID-19, red blotch is here to stay,” he said. “It is too complex. Now, it’s all about the best disease manage- ment strategies.” (Edgar Sanchez is a reporter based in Sacramento. He may be contacted at edgar.chez@yahoo.com.)

insect vectors that transmit the disease. Their work is funded by a $3 million grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Additional research is un- derway at New York’s Cornell University. FPS first detected red blotch in late summer 2017 at its Russell Ranch vineyard in Davis. Then, five vines—or 0.1% of the total tested—had the disease. Recently, nearly 50% of the Russell Ranch vines were infected, Al Rwahnih said. “Russell Ranch cannot be restored,” he said. Red blotch has been detected on less than 1% of the vines at FPS’s second vine- yard called the Classic, and it remains op- erational for now. But no more grapes will be grown at Russell Ranch, and propagation materi- als from that vineyard are no longer being sold. The property will be used for crops such as roses, pistachios, olives and fruit trees, which red blotch doesn’t harm. “We’re pretty confident grapevines are the only host of this virus,” Oberholster noted. Researchers say the virus may have been transmitted to the Davis vineyards by three-cornered alfalfa hoppers or other pests. Al Rwahnih said three-cornered alfal- fa hoppers—green insects with clear wings that feed on alfalfa and grapevines—have been captured at both FPS vineyards. “We know that under greenhouse conditions, the three-cornered alfalfa hopper can transmit the virus, and we

Maher Al Rwahnih, director of Foundation Plant Services at the University of California, Davis, says vineyard stock had to be moved to protect the materials from red blotch and other disease threats.

Al Rwahnih said. “We decided the best way forward was to put the vines under a screenhouse, or greenhouse protection, away from insect vectors.” Agricultural groups have provided $4.6 million toward building the first FPS green- house on the Davis campus. That includes $4 million from the California Fruit Tree, Nut Tree and Grapevine Improvement Advisory Board and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Other funders include the California Grape Rootstock Research Foundation, which provided $500,000, and the California Grape Rootstock Commission,

have other option insects that we are currently looking into,” said Oberholster, who is coordinating research to identify the vineyard culprits. “We’re at the stage where we’re almost certain that the three-cornered alfalfa hopper is not the only vector” spreading the virus, she added. She said preliminary transmission studies at UC Berkeley point to another vector as also transmitting it. But she said researchers still “need to be certain” be- fore announcing findings. Meanwhile, FPS is reaching out to California’s grape nurseries for assistance in guarding against red blotch spreading. “We had a meeting with the industry,”

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August 24, 2022 Ag Alert 5

Survey: Farms face sweeping impacts from drought As persistent drought continues to hammer the western half of the United States, a new survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation reveals the toll it has had on farmers and ranchers—and how parched conditions put production of certain commodities at risk. and ranch businesses. AFBF conducted similar surveys in June 2021 and October 2021. The more than 600 survey responses illus- trate the far-reaching implications of drought on food availability and affordability. Some 74% of respondents rated a re- duction in harvest yields as prevalent or higher, while 42% rated the intention to switch planned crops due to drought as prevalent or higher.

year. Similarly, 33% reported destroying and removing orchard trees and other multiyear crops as prevalent or higher. Fifty percent of California respondents reported that factor as prevalent or higher. In one case, a California farmer men- tioned dropping all fruit on 5 acres of young cabernet grapes to help them sur- vive with no applied water during the past two years, removing all revenue-generat- ing potential for the current year. Because the Golden State produces 80% of the world’s almonds, the survey results suggest its drought conditions risk global access to the tree nut. The surveyed region provides more than 70% of the nation’s hay, and 90% of respondents reported an increase in local feed costs as prevalent or higher in their area. Two-thirds of respondents re- ported prevalence of selling off portions of their herds or flocks, with average herd sizes expected to be down 36% in the survey region. In many Western states, where the federal government owns the majori- ty of land, drought has diminished any usable forage, with 57% of respondents reporting impaired use of public lands as prevalent or higher and 71% reporting removing animals from rangeland due to insufficient forage as prevalent or higher. Of the 67% of respondents who report- ed reducing herd sizes in 2021, nearly 50% were further reducing their herd or flock this year; 37% were maintaining the reduced herd size; and 14% were building their headcount back up. Producers also reported additional regulations on well drilling that have stunted access to groundwater. One California farmer noted that drilling a new well would be more than a year and a half away. Still, more than 60% of re- spondents continue to report increased use of groundwater, with the highest uses in California at 63%. In some cases, wells do not guarantee reliable water access, the survey found. “Discussing with adjacent landowner use of his well by agreement for a source of groundwater to replace anticipat- ed loss of my well because of dropping groundwater levels and no source of surface water,” one California farmer ex- plained in the survey. Overall, respondents said they expect their farm-related revenue to be down 38% from the average year due to drought, with the highest expected declines in Texas at 54% and New Mexico at 50%. “The effects of this drought will be felt for years to come, not just by farmers and ranchers but also by consumers,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Many farmers have had to make the devastating decision to sell off livestock they have spent years raising or de- stroy orchard trees that have grown for decades,” Duvall added. “Long-term solutions to drought mitigation must be discussed and implemented to ensure farmers in drought-prone regions can continue to provide safe, affordable and abundant food for their states and the rest of the country.”

Across the surveyed region, respon- dents said they expected average crop yields to be down 38% this year because of drought conditions. Those who reported tilling under crops jumped from 24% last year to 37% this

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6 Ag Alert August 24, 2022

A SPECIAL GROWERS’ REPORT OF AG ALERT ® CALIFORNIA Trees & Vines ®

Benina Montes manages the almond orchard at Burroughs Family Farms in Stanislaus County. Using livestock such as sheep to graze orchard floors provides nutrients for the trees and remains a key part of the regenerative farming process.

Sheep nourish almond orchards and create income

By Bob Johnson For six months of the year, a flock of 750 sheep grazes freely in the Burroughs Family Farms’ almond orchard in Stanislaus County. The sheep feed on the volunteer grasses that cover the orchard floor. They cycle it into nutrients that feed the almonds and add a diverse source of income to the farm. “It reduces our mowing costs and increases income by selling lamb,” said Benina Montes, who manages the family almond orchard. The sheep reduce the need to use fossil fuels to manage the cover crop, which builds soil health by keeping roots in the ground. Montes is among an increasing number of farmers looking to a future of integrating livestock production into growing crops. The effort increases revenue and reduces the need for chemicals or fuels to manage cover crops, which build healthier soil. “We don’t mow; we move the sheep through 5-acre blocks,” Montes said. “We don’t mow at all until the last minute before harvest.”

In a University of California Cooperative Extension webinar, Montes joined research- ers and other growers in discussing the integration of livestock into orchards. The Burroughs orchard is the first almond orchard to be certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, a group established in 2017 to promote regenerative organic practices on farms around the world. The sheep and chickens simplify the process of managing grass that covers the orchard floor year-round and provide nutrients for the trees. But they also complicate the orchard operation. Irrigation hoses are raised to accommodate the sheep, and copper was eliminated from dormant sprays. But Montes said the major complexity is in learning animal hus- bandry along with horticulture. “We bit off a huge project,” she said. “It was a challenge learning the nutrient needs

See SHEEP, Page 8

August 24, 2022 Ag Alert 7

Sheep Continued from Page 7

of lambs of different ages and having feed year-round for the young heifers and the chickens. We’re also not grazing in the young trees.” Montes said the sheep leave the tree bark alone if they can find enough food on the ground. Researchers are discovering that live- stock can be helpful in regenerating soil degraded by using systems based on chemical solutions to address crop issues. “Input systems focused on aboveground management intensify soil degradation,” said Krista Marshall, a UC Davis gradu- ate student who is studying the soil im- pacts from adding livestock to orchard production systems. “Integrating livestock increased the ability to build carbon in the soil and sup- ply nitrogen to the crop,” she said. “It also increases soil biodiversity. More diverse microorganisms help manage soil pests and cycle nutrients.” Livestock foraging must cease when the lambing season approaches. Food safety is another challenge that must be overcome when bring- ing livestock into the orchard. The ani- mals must be removed the last 90 days before harvest. “Animal manure can be a source of pathogens like salmonella and E. coli

Benina Montes, left, says integrating sheep into orchards requires mastering animal husbandry and horticulture. At Massa Organics, sheep, above, were brought in “as weed whackers” and are removed 90 days before harvest.

Photo/Burroughs Family Farms

157,” said Alda Pires, UC Cooperative Extension associate specialist in urban agriculture, food safety and veterinary epidemiology. “There will be a similar risk as in manure application.”

While there has been little research on the safety of orchard grazing, studies of manure applications indicate that safety is a complex question. “There are many factors that influence the risk of contamination, including the health status of the animals, their diet, the stocking density, the cover crop type, the irrigation system and the soil type,” Pires said. Farmers who use livestock in their or- chards follow restrictions. “We can’t have them in during the harvest even if the nuts are caught with- out hitting the ground,” said Raquel Krach, co-owner and operator of Massa Organics south of Chico. “There is an exclusionary period of 90 days before the harvest when the sheep can’t be in the orchard.” Massa Organics occupies 250 acres, mostly in rice, with about 50 acres de- voted to borders and a riparian corridor. The farm began using sheep years be- fore it planted almonds in 2016.

“We’ve had sheep since 2011,” Krach said. “We brought them in as weed whack- ers. We have around 1,125 ewes and lambs depending on the time of the year.” At Massa Organics, the sheep are kept out of the orchard during another four- month period to allow the cover crop to become established, plus another month for lambing. In its older blocks, Burroughs Family Farms allows volunteer plants to grow with the cover crop. Massa Organics plants a cover crop mix of 15 legumes, grass, clover and brassica species. Along with the cover crop, Krach also uses compost. However, she said she has found the sheep do a better job of pro- moting soil health. “There doesn’t seem to be much help from the compost,” she said. “I think the sheep are more helpful.” (Bob Johnson is a reporter in Monterey County. He may be contacted at bjohn11135@gmail.com.)

8 Ag Alert August 24, 2022

Klamath Project irrigators’ water cut off at last minute

When it did rain, Simmons said, the bu- reau divided the water between irrigators and fish. KWUA President Ben DuVal said, “Reclamation keeps changing the rules.” He said the bureau’s announcement to cease diversions goes beyond the min- imum level needed for the suckerfish, which was conservative to begin with. He added that more water has not shown any improvement to the species. Ceasing diversions now, DuVal said, means “crops are going to burn up in

the field.” Growers without other water sources will not be able to finish the sea- son. Local wildlife refuges are also affect- ed, he said. “This is the same story that other farmers are dealing with,” DuVal said. “They built these reservoirs to weath- er droughts, and the management has changed so much that reservoirs are be- ing used for other purposes.” (Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)

By Christine Souza With a few weeks left in the season, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the Klamath Water Project, pulled the plug on irrigators last week. On Aug. 18, the agency informed Klamath Basin water districts that divert water from Upper Klamath Lake—the major reservoir for the Klamath Project— that they must stop diverting water, ef- fectively cutting the season short. The announcement comes on the heels of 2021, when the bureau shut down project irrigation entirely. Klamath Water Users Association Executive Director and Counsel Paul Simmons said drought is a factor, but in the Klamath Basin, reckless federal water management is the real problem. “This irrigation season, there will be about 335,000 acre-feet of inflow to Upper Klamath Lake, yet the government is requiring that 407,000 acre-feet be re- leased for Klamath River flow,” Simmons said. “Upper Klamath Lake ended the year at elevations far above any level ever claimed to be necessary for endangered sucker species.” The bureau announced in mid-April that the water supply for producers and

wildlife would be about 15% of actual demand. KWUA estimates about 100 square miles of farmland, or one-third of the project, received zero water this year, while the rest received limited water. Simmons said the bureau keeps in- creasing the amount of water to be left in the lake. Irrigators were told they would receive water if it rained after April 15.

Citrus Continued from Page 3

known symptoms of the disease aren’t all that uncommon in citrus, making it hard to tell if an orchard has infected trees. Hornbaker said the best mitigation measure is to control the known vectors that can carry the virus. Because the virus can also be transferred on contaminated tools and equipment, she urged growers to sanitize them in between jobs or when moving from grove to grove. Tulare County fruit grower, packer and shipper Doug Phillips noted that be- cause of HLB and other citrus diseases that are already here, the state for years has maintained a robust program to pro- tect its $3.63 billion citrus industry. Even though the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program was creat- ed because of HLB, McBroom said the state started doing routine annual tree surveys years ago because of diseases such as tristeza and citrus canker. With CYVCV added to the list of poten- tial threats, McBroom said it’s a concern because it could affect how growers har- vest, move and sell their fruit. Every new pest or disease that pops up, he added, could lead to a regulatory response and trade ramifications. He said that means “additional costs (and) hoops to jump through…that become that much more detrimental to being able to make a profit and stay in business.” (Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@cfbf.com.)

With the UPL Crop S.A.F.E. application, growers like you can monitor smoke and fire events in real time, as well as air quality and temperature changes. It provides cumulative metrics of data from up to eight days prior, that allows you to make more informed decisions. Try using it today and get a better sense of the conditions affecting your crops. To use the CROP S.A.F.E application, scan the QR code or visit uplcropsafe.com . SEE IT COMING BEFORE YOU SEE IT COMING… WITH CROP S.A.F.E. ™

August 24, 2022 Ag Alert 9

Colorado Continued from Page 1

junior water-right holders to overrun their allocations, and this exacerbates the problem.” Prolonged drought conditions and his- torically low reservoir levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which store water from the Colorado River and the two largest res- ervoirs in the U.S., have triggered water cutbacks for junior water-right holders, including those in a few western states. The Colorado River system supplies drinking water and irrigation to 40 million people across the upper-basin states of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, and the low- er-basin states of California, Arizona and Nevada. Water is also shared with Mexico. After states failed to reach an agreement to conserve water as requested by the bu- reau, the agency last week issued 2023 operating conditions for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, including a 21% reduction for Arizona, 8% for Nevada and 7% for Mexico. “The Colorado River basin is in its 23rd year of historic drought,” said U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, during last week’s press conference. “Both Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs in the United States, are at historically low levels, with combined storage of 28% of capacity. “The system is approaching a tipping point,” she added, “and without action, we cannot protect the system and the

Farmland is fallowed in the Imperial Valley. Farmers in the region have dra- matically increased water conservation measures in recent years. Many have had to stop irrigating some crops due to water shortages.

millions of Americans who rely on this critical resource.” Imperial County farmer Larry Cox sug- gested that if the bureau applied another tier of cutbacks, that would have conserved another couple hundred thousand acre- feet and included California in water cuts. Cox said action taken by the bureau will not lead to “enough water to address the shortfall of all the hydrology on the Colorado River,” adding there won’t “be enough water to stabilize customers, un- less we have just an absolute monsoon or huge inflows of snowpack and rain over the next seven months.”

A major diverter of Colorado River water is the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves 19 million people in six counties. In a statement, MWD general manager Adel Hagekhalil said, “This is not simply a drought that will end, allowing reservoir lev- els to recover on their own. This is a drying of the Colorado River Basin. We are all going to have to live with less. Working together, we know we can meet that challenge.” MWD, which has junior water rights to the Colorado River, also receives significant sup- plies from California’s State Water project. Although Imperial Valley farmers have senior rights to the Colorado River, Leimgruber said he is worried the re- gion’s agricultural sector could be in jeopardy if the situation worsens. That’s because, unlike other Colorado River water users, he said, “we have no other source of water.” With the river oversubscribed, Imperial Valley farmers say they are concerned they will be asked to give up more water beyond what they have already contributed. “Farming communities are continu- ally sacrificed in Imperial County for the benefit of everyone else,” said Imperial County farmer Mark McBroom, chairman

of the IID Agricultural Water Advisory Committee. “Our community has been struck by a long-term disaster,” he added, pointing out that water has been taken from “a very productive valley” that, along with Yuma, Arizona, produces the major- ity of the nation’s winter vegetables and forage crops. Imperial Valley farmers have seen their water allotment reduced to 2.6 million acre- feet. Since 2003, the district has participated in a quantification settlement agreement and has conserved more than 7 million acre-feet of water. This year, IID implement- ed an equitable distribution plan that adds further on-farm conservation measures. Imperial Valley farmers say they have had to fallow ground and stop irrigating crops because they ran out of water. “Our community can’t handle anoth- er cut on water,” Leimgruber said, noting about 40,000 acres in the Imperial Valley have been idled. “We are fallowing ground and not irrigating it because we don’t have enough water to irrigate all our ground.” Due to drought, Cox said, “All of us have changed our farming practices to antici- pate a limited supply of water.” “There’s been a tremendous amount of sudan(grass) that has been taken out early, people not watering back ryegrass fields after seed crops,” he added. “People are sprinkling fields instead of flooding. There’s been a tremendous change in farming practices and water use at the detriment of our farm units.” When announcing the 2023 reservoir operations, the Bureau of Reclamation also highlighted that $3.8 billion in federal funding is available to support water man- agement and conservation in the Colorado River basin. The funding, to be administered by the bureau over the next four years, comes from the Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Joe Biden last week. “The $4 billion will come into play in terms of what kind of plans could be put in place and projects funded,” said Imperial County Farm Bureau executive director Rachel Magos. “When there’s fallowing, the economic impacts to our community, our service providers and our farmers is huge, so there has to be some backstop funding.” (Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)

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10 Ag Alert August 24, 2022

A SPECIAL PRODUCERS’ REPORT OF AG ALERT ® CALIFORNIA Dairy & Livestock ®

Many California dairy farmers rely on grain feed grown in the Midwest, and they’re paying more to have it transported. To cut costs, some dairies have reduced their herd sizes.

Rising feed, fuel costs challenge state dairy farmers By Bob Johnson Inflation has the state’s dairy farmers facing higher feed costs that may only be sus- tained if milk prices also remain higher. Prices for corn, soy and alfalfa feed increased by double digits the first six months of the year.

“Corn is $380 a ton or so,” said Gerald Higginbotham, a Fresno-based dairy nutrition- ist who consults dairies in the Central Valley and the Central Coast. “I can remember when it was $180 or $200 for corn.” With other costs also rising, dairy farmers depend on milk prices remaining higher, he added. “Fuel costs have also gone up,” Higginbotham said. “Fortunately, the price of milk has covered the higher costs.” There is evidence that economic factors are already leading to a diminished supply of milk and other dairy products nationwide. “California milk production has been down year over year,” Sousa said. “U.S. milk production has been down four or five months in a row.” While there has been no widespread herd reductions in the state, some dairy farmers have trimmed herd sizes to reduce costs, Higginbotham said. “Some people who were overcrowded decided to be less overcrowded,” Higginbotham said. “You can cull cows that are not cost effective, but you should do that anyway.” Even before this year’s inflated costs for growing and transporting corn, California dairy farmers traditionally depended on grain feed brought in from out of state.

“Milk prices have been pretty decent; otherwise, it would have been a disaster,” said Paul Sousa, director of environmental services for Western United Dairies, whose members produce more than 75% of the state’s milk. Sousa, whose family has dairy farms in Stanislaus County, said, “We don’t know how long the prices will hold.” Corn prices averaged $350 a ton the first six months of this year, which was 23% higher than a year ago and 67% more than the five-year average, according to Wisconsin-based Blimling and Associates, a dairy consulting firm. Higher feed costs have dairy farmers culling animals that are not profitable. They’re looking for more affordable feed alternatives and hoping milk prices also remain higher long enough for them to hang on. California produces about 20% of the nation’s milk supply and dairy remains the state’s largest agricultural producer, with $7.5 billion in production in 2020. But California dairy farmers rely heavily on feed corn grown in the Midwest and shipped west, and that is getting costly.

See FEED, Page 12

August 24, 2022 Ag Alert 11

California milking herds have been declining since 2014, even as cow numbers were growing nationally. Analysts say regulations and rising land values contribute to the trend, with young people choosing not to go into dairy farming.

Feed Continued from Page 11

In their presentation at the Western Alfalfa and Forage Symposium in Reno last November, they reported that California’s milking herd has largely been declining since 2014. They said the California trend was inconsistent with the pattern nationally, which saw cow numbers grow during the same period.

There are many reasons for the state’s declining number of dairy cows: urban encroachment, rising land values, strict environmental regulations and a growing number of young people from dairy fami- lies deciding there are easier ways to make a living, Sousa and LaMendola said. They noted another major reason is California dairies’ heavy reliance on purchased feed, which costs more in California than in the Midwest. While rising feed costs have not yet trig- gered a widespread move to reduce dairy herd sizes in California, the situation is volatile, Sousa and LaMendola said. “A lot of things go into the decision to reduce herd sizes—feed prices, milk pric- es and demand for milk,” Sousa said. Dairy farmers in the Midwest grow more of their own feed and commonly have enough to sell the excess. Sousa’s family is among California pro- ducers who are able to grow more of the feed needed for its operation. “We grow a lot of our own feed in Stanislaus County, and that has helped insulate us,” he said. Feed alternatives to corn also have

79720 “It lowers the feed cost quite a bit,” Higginbotham said. “But that feed is in short supply because they are sending it to the Central Valley.” (Bob Johnson is a reporter in Monterey County. He may be contacted at bjohn11135@gmail.com.) What you see: One of Higginbotham’s clients, Moonglow Dairy in Moss Landing, reduc- es costs by feeding cows broccoli, straw- berries and artichokes from local fields, and apple pulp from the Martinelli’s pro- cessing plant in Watsonville. What you see: become more expensive over the past year. The price of alfalfa this year has been as much as 35% higher than last year and 50% above the five-year average. Soybean prices have been 18% more than a year ago and 37% above the five- year average. Higginbotham cautioned dairy farm- ers not to try to save a few dollars by pur- chasing lower-quality forage. “You should focus on forage quality. The more digestible the forage, the less other feed you have to buy,” he advised. “If you can maximize forage quality, you can save a few dollars.” What we see:

Late last year, Sousa and Western United Dairies Director of Economic Analysis Tiffany LaMendola cautioned that reliance on feed grown in the Midwest was the industry’s Achilles’ heel, causing dairies to grow more slowly in California than other production areas.

What

The Produce Safety Rule is Here; ARE YOU READY?

7972

Farm Employers Labor Service (FELS), an aliated company of the California Farm Bureau (CAFB), has partnered with the Safe Food Alliance through a California Department of Food and Agriculture grant contract, as their designated training provider for Central and Southern California, to conduct the required Produce Safety training for growers. ALL TRAININGS BEGIN AT 8 AM September 7, 15 and 21:

California Farm Bureau Harvest Room 2600 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento October 5: Glenn County Farm Bureau 831 5th Street, Orland November 15: Yolo County Farm Bureau 69 West Kentucky Ave., Woodland

What you see:

What we see:

Most farms are required to have at least one designated supervisor who has been trained in accordance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety rule. Upon completion of the course, attendees will receive an ocial certicate from the Association of Food & Drug Ocials.

What you see:

What we see:

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Purina ® Omolene ® Feeds, now with Outlast ® Supplement. The textured feed you’re used to has changed for the better. Keep your horse performing with condence with the same nutritious fuel sources, now with Outlast ® Supplement for gastric support and proper pH. Talk to your local Purina retailer, or visit purinamills.com/omolene

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The Food Safety Training Partnership is offering these training courses throughout California. You can find more information and register at foodsafetytrainingpartnership.com, or call 916-561-5672. Supported by California Department of Food and Agriculture

12 Ag Alert August 24, 2022

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