Agriculture Daily News April 30

Agriculture:

 

Calif. bill would allow roadside farm stands to expand sales -- Current state retail regulations make it difficult for small fruit farmers to package their produce and sell it in pies, jams or bags of dried fruit at their roadside stands. A bill by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, seeks to help operators of small farms by relaxing the California retail food code. The law is designed to regulate places where processed food is sold and applies mostly to grocery stores and other retail outlets. In part, it requires those establishments to have clean running water and restrooms, something many small farmers cannot provide at their roadside stands. SJ Mercury 4/30/08

 

New farm bill retains big crop subsidies -- Subsidy payments to big crops will continue to go out automatically under a new $300 billion farm bill Congress has in the works, despite an 80 percent rise in grain prices over the past three years. President Bush issued a strongly worded warning to Congress Tuesday that he expects more reform in the farm bill, which promises to lock in the subsidies for five more years. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, was instrumental in efforts to preserve the subsidies when she pushed the legislation through the House last summer as a way to protect newly elected Democrats from conservative Midwest farming districts. SF Chronicle 4/30/08

 

California awaits sizable stone fruit crop -- Despite reports of weather damage to Washington, South Carolina and Georgia stone fruit crops, California grower-shippers will be able to fill all the gaps, according to the California Tree Fruit Agreement. At a packed 2008 spring meeting April 29, the CTFA said the state’s projected volume of peaches, plums and nectarines is slightly larger than 2007’s large deal. “We’re forecasting the volume of the three crops will be 56.6 million cartons,” a representative said. That total is 1.1 million cartons above the 2007 actual of 55.1 million cartons. The forecast is for 23.8 million cartons of peaches, 21.3 million cartons of nectarines and 11.5 million cartons of plums. The Packer 4/30/08

 

Water:

 

*Delta canal measure put on hold -- An Assembly committee on Tuesday shelved legislation to build a canal around the suffering Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, telling the bill's author to try again next year. Two years in the making, Senate Bill 27 tackled a subject so politically charged that author Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, carefully avoided using the "P" word – Peripheral Canal – as he presented the bill as a way to shore up state water supplies without harming the environment. Sacramento Bee 4/30/08

 

Bio-fuels:

 

*Ethanol maker has new plant -- Pacific Ethanol Inc.'s newest plant increases the Sacramento company's production capacity by 60 percent at a time when some analysts believe there's a supply glut. The plan becomes the company's third wholly owned facility at a time when many ethanol companies are struggling, including Pacific Ethanol, because a surplus of supply has depressed prices and profits. Pacific Ethanol's strategy is to expand so it can lock up much of the West before the market is saturated. Sacramento Bee 4/30/08

 

Health:

 

Fast-food laden areas less healthy -- Where people live affects their risk of obesity or diabetes, especially if their neighborhoods lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables, a new statewide report shows. The greater an area's ratio of junk food to nutritious food, the less healthy residents its are. CC Times 4/30/08

 

 

Transporation Daily News April 30

Infrastructure:

 

*Capitol Corridor gets $1.9M for security -- The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, which operates the popular Capitol Corridor commuter rail system connecting the Sacramento and San Jose areas via the East Bay, has received $1.9 million to upgrade its security systems. The allocation came from California Homeland Security, part of a $15 million effort this year to improve passenger rail safety statewide. Funds are coming from Proposition 1B, the $20 billion transportation package approved by state voters in November 2006. BizJournals 4/30/08

 

Judge OKs part of S.F. bike safety plan -- A San Francisco Superior Court judge on Tuesday rejected San Francisco's request for broad discretion in implementing roadway improvements aimed at making travel safer for bicyclists, but did give the OK to make lane and traffic signal modifications at the notoriously dangerous intersection of Fell Street and Masonic Avenue. The city was in court seeking exemptions from an injunction that bars implementation of the 2004 San Francisco Bicycle Plan, a blueprint adopted by the mayor and the Board of Supervisors that calls for the creation of more bike lanes, bike rack installations and similar projects. SF Chronicle 4/30/08

 

Caltrans says spike in roadway metal thefts endangers public -- A spike in roadway metal thefts, from copper wiring in traffic signals and street lights to guard rails, has state highway officials warning of dangers to the public. Caltrans and other officials say they are concerned broken traffic signals and poor lighting could increase crashes and impede emergency responders. SJ Mercury 4/30/08

 

Governor boosts deficit forecast to $20 billion as he bids to change state's spending system -- In a startling revelation, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said this week that the state's budget deficit could grow to as much as $20 billion as he prepared to unveil a revised spending plan for the coming year that is likely to include deep cuts in education, health services and prisons. SF Chronicle 4/30/08

 

Air regulation:

 

A Dirty Trucking Industry Is Trying to Clean Up Its Act  -- For years, dirty air has pitted Port of Oakland area residents against truck drivers, many of whom are immigrants working long hours for low wages. But over the past year, groups as diverse as the Teamsters, the National Resources Defense Council and the American Lung Association have joined community members and truck drivers to form the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports to take on the broader culprit: an unsustainable trucking system. Alternet 4/30/08

 

Methane to power vehicles, not pollute air -- Methane percolating out of the Altamont Landfill near Livermore could soon fuel the garbage trucks that dump trash at the site. Waste Management, North America's largest garbage hauling company, today will announce plans to turn gas from the landfill's rotting contents into a transportation fuel. SF Chronicle 4/30/08

 

Water ballast:

 

*US proposes new ballast water laws -- BALLAST water thresholds allowed under US law could be ratcheted up to a level 100 times more stringent than International Maritime Organization standards after 2011, under a new US initiative currently taking shape. Some experts speculate that the US law, if passed, might result in the IMO convention itself becoming irrelevant, as it is yet to be ratified by the US and has not secured the required support among other nations to enforce it internationally. The US developments are being welcomed as they would bring the US in line with current IMO standards, as well as pre-empt and override state-level regulations. California is among jurisdictions that have introduced regional regulations. Lloyd's List 4/30/08

 

Senate panel passes MARPOL Annex VI measure -- The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee last week approved legislation cosponsored by Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to amend the Maritime Pollution (MARPOL) Act. The "MARPOL Annex VI Implementation Act of 2008" (H.R. 802), would amend the "MARPOL Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships" by requiring the U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to administer and enforce vessel air emission standards. Marine Log 4/28/08

 

Air travel:

 

United Airlines became the latest victim of the airline industry's woes. The airline's parent company reported a larger-than-expected loss in the first quarter, sending its stock into a tailspin. UAL also said it would cut capacity by 9% this year, on top of a 5% reduction in the fourth quarter of 2007, and remove as many as 15 more narrow-body aircraft from its operating fleet, for a total of 30 grounded planes. Heavily traveled "shuttle" markets, such as L.A.-San Francisco are prime targets for schedule cuts, analysts said. LA Times 4/23/08

Agriculture Daily News April 29

Food:

 

*Study links 'food environment' to diabetes, obesity -- In communities with an abundance of fast-food outlets and convenience stores, researchers have found, obesity and diabetes rates are much higher than in areas where fresh fruit and vegetable markets and full-service grocery stores are easily accessible. The new study builds on research released a year ago that found California has four times as many fast-food restaurants and convenience stores as grocery stores and produce vendors. The average California adult has more than four times as many fast-food restaurants and convenience stores near their home as grocery stores and produce vendors. Sacramento Bee 4/29/08

 

 

Agriculture:

 

*November initiative targets farm animal housing -- Voters will decide on an animal welfare ballot initiative in November that, if  passed,  would require farmers to provide enough space for breeding sows, veal calves and laying hens to turn around and stretch their limbs. Critics of the proposal say it would effectively require egg farmers to switch to cage-free barns or move their operations out of California. Farmers say the measure won't make egg farming more humane, but will make California's eggs more expensive and less safe. Inside Bay Area 4/28/08

 

Labor:

 

U.S. push to get more farmworkers in visa plan draws criticism -- Less than 1 percent of California's farmworkers are on H-2A visas that allow them to enter and exit the country freely. The Bush administration has promised to get tougher on illegal immigration and is trying to cajole American agribusiness to use the H-2A program instead of hiring undocumented workers. . To that end, the administration in February proposed H-2A changes it ideally wants finalized by the end of summer. Labor unions and California farmers object, though, saying many changes would make the program worse. Sacramento Bee 4/29/08

 

Organic:

 

*Suit accuses cosmetic makers of organic ruse -- Monday, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps filed a lawsuit charging many of its competitors with deceptively marketing their soaps and lotions. In the suit, Dr. Bronner's accused the firms of false advertising by labeling products "organic" that contain relatively little organic material, that contain synthetic chemicals, or that use petrochemicals in processing. There are no federal regulations governing either natural or organic personal care products. SF Chronicle 4/29/08

 

Water:

 

Bill to expand smelt hatchery draws fire -- A southern San Joaquin Valley lawmaker wants to help restore the endangered Delta smelt by dramatically increasing a tiny hatchery operation in the Delta town of Byron, but the proposal has drawn immediate fire from the environmental community. State Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, has sponsored a bill to use $5 million in water-bond funds to help the state Department of Water Resources expand hatchery operations for the little fish, possibly on Stockton's Rough and Ready Island. Critics worry that the plan would be misspent energy. Stockton Record 4/29/08

 

Biofuel:

 

Jet Fuel From Garbage -- A Washington, D.C.-based company is in the preliminary stages of developing a $250 million plant in California to make jet fuel out of garbage, manure and tree bark. Solena Group hopes to build the plant in Gilroy, Calif. and will use raw material from municipal, agricultural and forestry waste supplied by Norcal Waste Systems, one of California’s largest municipal waste and biomass collectors. AVWeb 4/29/08

 

Transporation Daily News April 29

Public transport:

 

*MUNI Announces Partnership With Google -- San Francisco's MUNI is partnering with Google to help riders get around the city, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday. Potential passengers can plan routes by visiting the Google Maps Website and clicking on a public transit link. Google has also incorporated other Bay Area transit systems into it's mapping technology including Caltrain and BART. KCBS 4/24/08

 

A Federal Transit Administration ruling stops County Connection from providing free shuttles to and from the Concord BART station. The shuttle, which serves between 300 and 700 people per concert, started when the pavilion opened in 1975. Not charging the fee could jeopardize federal funding that County Connection relies on for replacing its 131 buses as they bread down. CC Times 4/29/08

 

Infrastructure:

 

*California to Receive Federal Gas Tax Money to Implement Tolls -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Friday joined US Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters to announce that his state could receive millions in federal gas tax funding if it agreed to take away existing freeway lanes and convert them into toll lanes. Motorists across the nation would foot the $213 million bill for the proposal, paid out of funds originally earmarked for New York City's failed congestion pricing experiment. The benefit, however, would go to non-drivers as the proposal adds no new capacity to the highways. Profit from the new driving tax would instead be diverted into funding an expansion of bus service in the city. The Newspaper 4/29/08

 

Report calls for national gas tax hike to fix ailing roadways -- The Urban Land Institute issued a report today, the second this year, to push for more funds to improve interstate roads, state highways and city streets.  The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission in January also called for raising funds by hiking the gas tax. California faces around a $16 billion annual shortfall to upgrade its roads. SJ Mercury 4/29/08

 

CARB: Railyards Cleanup On Schedule, But Risk Remains -- As of this month, idle-reduction devices are on 97 percent of Union Pacific and BNSF intrastate locomotives in California, and the state should be able to reach its goal of 99 percent compliance on all locomotives by the end of June, according to a new California Air Resources Board report. The progress report on implementation of the agency's 2005 Railyard Statewide Agreement also states that California's 97 percent compliance is miles ahead of other states when it comes to idle-reduction device retrofits. Nationally, only 44 percent of trains have the devices. Cunningham Report 4/28/08

 

Air travel:

 

Airlines balk at cost of Sacramento airport expansion plan -- With a major expansion at Sacramento International Airport mere months away, local officials are pitted against angry airline executives in a debate over costs. Airlines, already stressed by high fuel prices and other financial woes, complain that airport officials are gouging them by designing an overly expensive terminal and ordering them to pay the biggest part of the bill – probably about half. Sacramento Bee 4/28/08

 

 

Transporation Daily News April 28

As boating season approaches, the Bush administration wants to enlist the country's 80 million recreational boaters to help reduce the chances that a small boat could deliver a nuclear or radiological bomb somewhere along the country's 95,000 miles of coastline and inland waterways. According to an April 23 intelligence assessment obtained by The Associated Press, "The use of a small boat as a weapon is likely to remain al-Qaida's weapon of choice in the maritime environment, given its ease in arming and deploying, low cost, and record of success." To reduce the potential for such an attack in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security has developed a new strategy intended to increase security by enhancing safety standards. The Coast Guard is part of the department. On Monday officials will announce the plan, which asks states to develop and enforce safety standards for recreational boaters and asks them to look for and report suspicious behavior on the water. Contra Costa Times 4/28/08

Guiding ships through the San Francisco Bay, with its bridges and treacherous currents, is a high-stakes business. But the board that oversees the ship pilots who ply these waters is a low-profile state agency that has operated largely under the radar for decades. The Board of Pilot Commissioners answers officially to the governor, who appoints its members, but has no formal mechanism or timeline for doing do. While its meetings are open to the public, it has not submitted a report to the governor since 1957. But State legislators want to bring new accountability and transparency to the board following last fall's incident, and the resulting spill of 53,000 gallons of toxic fuel into the San Francisco Bay. Lawmakers are considering two separate bills that would force the board to answer to the Legislature. CC Times 4/28/08

 

Feeling the political heat, San Francisco's elected supervisors and Mayor Gavin Newsom are looking to put the brakes on a plan to add $10 to parking fines in the city. What they have yet to figure out is how they would balance the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's $787 million budget without that extra revenue, estimated at $12 million or more a year. SF Chronicle 4/28/08

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his opposition to Proposition 98 on Friday, saying the June 3 ballot measure threatened to undermine public works projects by restricting the government's ability to exercise eminent domain. An analysis of the measure by the Institute for Justice, a Libertarian group from Arlington, Va., however concluded that "traditional uses of eminent domain for public use will not be affected. Roads and bridges will be built. Water projects such as drainage ditches, sewers, reservoirs, dams, drinking water and irrigation have long been accepted as public uses, and that will not change under Prop. 98." The state Transportation Commission has opposed the measure, saying it would ultimately delay projects, and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has also voiced opposition. LA Times 4/26/08

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday the state budget deficit will be "probably more than $10 billion" in the next fiscal year as the state takes in lower than expected revenues in a flagging economy. A $10 billion gap would be at least $1 billion more than previously predicted for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Sacramento Bee 4/25/08

 

Some drivers think Fresno is doing more than just enforcing once-neglected speed laws. They think the city is setting speed traps. And the National Motorist Association, which calls itself a grass-roots organization and operates the Web site speedtrap.org, calls Fresno the California city most likely to use deception to catch speeding motorists. Tricking motorists is also against a state law that says officers must wear a "full distinctive uniform," and if they are using a patrol vehicle, it must be painted a "distinctive color." But the law doesn't explicitly prohibit radar enforcement in concealed locations. Fresno Bee 4/26/08

 

A new report paints an ugly picture of gridlock on roadways from Albany to Marin County if a small Indian tribe wins the rights to build a Las Vegas-style casino in unincorporated North Richmond. CC Times 4/27/08

 

Agriculture Daily News April 28

The climbing global price of rice and other staples shows no sign of leveling off, given caps placed on exports and various supply-side squeezes. As a result, food experts predict hunger and poverty in poor nations along with a restricted supply of grains coupled with rising prices in this country. The shortage reflects restrictions on exports by major rice producers, notably India, Vietnam and Egypt, followed on Wednesday by Brazil, causing imbalance in world markets. By comparison, there is an abundance of medium- and short-grain rice planted in California, the nation's second-largest rice-producing state after Arkansas. California growers will harvest approximately 4 billion pounds this year, with 40 percent of the crop to be exported, the majority to Japan. SF Chronicle 4/25/08

 

…

 

California may enact a fishing ban in a network of protected marine areas that cover 80 square miles of coastal waters stretching from Half Moon Bay to Mendocino, following a recommendation this week from a state task force. The governor's Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force released its plan Wednesday, urging the creation of 24 protected areas where fishing and seafood harvesting would be restricted or banned in state waters within three miles of shore. The aim is to protect diminishing populations of rock fish, sea lions, abalone, birds, and other aquatic life. Inside Bay Area 4/25/08

 

About 80 square miles from Santa Cruz to Mendocino County could fall under the most severe restrictions, including many areas on the North Coast that are beloved by abalone divers, fishermen, kayakers and others. Passed in 1999, the legislation envisions a network of protected marine areas from Mexico to Oregon. Press Democrat 4/25/08

 

The compromise plan calls for a network of new state marine preserves, parks and conservation areas that form the core of an ambitious plan ordered by state lawmakers in a bid to reverse plunging fish populations. Fishing would be banned in marine preserves, and restricted to varying degrees in conservation areas. SJ Mercury 4/24/08

Hoping to engineer their way out of a salmon crisis, wildlife agencies are manipulating the natural rhythms of the species to an unprecedented degree in hopes of producing more fish. California has long trucked most of its young hatchery salmon around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to avoid losing them to pumps, poisons and predators. This year, under pressure from fishing groups, it will truck nearly all of them – nearly 17 million salmon smolts. The state-bred salmon are being tracked to see if they are pushing out wild salmon. Sacramento Bee 4/25/08

 

…

 

The best hope for cold-water chinook salmon to survive global warming may be near sweltering Fresno -- in the San Joaquin River, where salmon have been extinct for 60 years. That's the latest twist in the long-running debate over restoring the San Joaquin, a project that will begin in less than 18 months. Farmers, forced by legal settlement to give up irrigation water for the project, are skeptical about the claim. They see global warming as a reason to reconsider the half-billion-dollar restoration. Warmer conditions will kill the restored fish runs, they say. Fresno Bee 4/27/08

 

Pleasanton-based Safeway Inc. said an early Easter, cost cutting and strong performance from its Lifestyles stores helped the company post solid financial results for its first quarter and beat analysts' expectations. Many retailers have reported that the recent economic concerns have compelled consumers to spend less, but Safeway still managed to grow sales. Inside Bay Area 4/24/08

 

Soaring food prices and a slumping economy are gobbling up Sonoma County restaurants' profits, forcing them to find creative ways to cut costs and draw in diners. Not only is the number of diners down, but when people do treat themselves to a night out, they're spending less. They're ordering less-expensive entrees, drinking less alcohol and skipping dessert. Press Democrat 4/28/08

 

The debate over the legality of raw milk moves to a San Benito County courtroom today, where a judge could decide whether the state can enforce new regulations that raw milk enthusiasts -- including a producer in Kerman -- say are unwarranted. The outcome could have nationwide implications. The sale of raw milk is legal in 28 states. But supporters fear new limits -- like those proposed in California -- will reduce its availability. Fresno Bee 4/24/08

 

Water authority leaders are praising San Jose residents for cutting back water use in recent years, but they warn that half the city's water supply hinges on fixing levees at the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The San Jose City Council recently met with the Santa Clara Valley Water District board to discuss water supply and delivery challenges. San Jose receives roughly half its water from the delta, and Mayor Chuck Reed said that city officials should prepare to support a potential state bond measure on the November ballot aimed at fortifying the delta. SJ Mercury 4/27/08

 

…

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his opposition to Proposition 98 on Friday, saying the June 3 ballot measure threatened to undermine public works projects by restricting the government's ability to exercise eminent domain. An analysis of the measure by the Institute for Justice, a Libertarian group from Arlington, Va., however concluded that "traditional uses of eminent domain for public use will not be affected. Roads and bridges will be built. Water projects such as drainage ditches, sewers, reservoirs, dams, drinking water and irrigation have long been accepted as public uses, and that will not change under Prop. 98." The state Transportation Commission has opposed the measure, saying it would ultimately delay projects, and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has also voiced opposition. LA Times 4/26/08

 

Schwarzenegger said he was opposing Proposition 98 in part because it might block the building of water projects crucial to farmers and residential users. Sacramento Bee 4/26/08

 

Water and flood-control projects across California could be jeopardized if voters approve a ballot measure to greatly restrict the ability of local governments to take private property, warns a state Department of Water Resources legal analysis. Proposition 98 “could seriously hamstring or thwart future water projects,” state attorney Dave Anderson wrote in a confidential memo to superiors. San Diego Union Tribune 4/25/08

 

…

 

Most Americans want the convenience of e-mail for non-urgent medical issues, but fewer than a third of U.S. doctors use e-mail to communicate with patients, according to recent physician surveys. Some doctors worry it will increase their workload, and most physicians don't get reimbursed for it by insurance companies. Others fear hackers could compromise patient privacy — even though doctors who do e-mail generally do it through password-protected Web sites. AP 4/23/08

 

Transporation Daily News April 24

Train ridership is surging on BART's rail extension to the San Francisco International Airport, nearly five years after the tracks to five new stations opened with far fewer passengers than expected. Average weekday passenger totals on the airport extension increased 16.4 percent, to 35,107 riders a day, from Jan. 1 through March 1, compared with the same months in 2007. SJ Mercury 4/24/08

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top air pollution regulator Wednesday denounced the federal government's proposal to demand higher fuel efficiency in new cars because a 24-word passage written into the Bush administration's 417-page plan would block California's aggressive efforts to enact its own emissions standards. SJ Mercury 4/24/08

 

With the price of regular gasoline creeping toward $4 a gallon, commuters in Davis, North Natomas and Placer County are reporting a shocking sight when the bus pulls up. All the seats are taken. Suddenly, it's standing room only on commuter buses around the region. "I think we're heading for big demand that the region's (bus services are) frankly not ready for," said Sacramento Regional Transit official Mark Lonergan. Sacramento Bee 4/24/08

 

Bay Area commuters are slowly undertaking a revolution in the way they travel, an analysis of data shows. More and more, regional commuters are being turned off by record gas prices and turned on to public transit, ditching cars at home at a higher rate than last year. BART and Caltrain are both operating with record ridership; other public transit agencies — including VTA, the Golden Gate bus and ferry. and ACE train service — experienced a climb in ridership in March as compared with the same time frame last year. Examiner 4/24/08

 

Governors of California, Oregon and Washington Request Congressional Support for Maritime Pollution Prevention Act: “We write to request your support of H.R. 802, the Maritime Pollution Prevention Act of 2007. The legislation would authorize the Environmental Protection Agency and the Coast Guard to issue enforcement regulations for the MARPOL Annex VI, which was approved by the Senate in 2006. Implementing the international treaty amendment is an important first step in protecting the health of our citizens in coastal regions and in expanding international global trade by vessels to and from the United States.” All American Patriots 4/23/08

 

A federal court has denied an appeal by California air quality regulators who sought to force strict environmental fuel regulations on thousands of ships visiting the state's seaports. The fuel regulation request, which the city of Long Beach supported in court, would have required ocean carriers to use low-sulfur fuels in their auxiliary engines within 24 miles of the state's coastline. Press Telegram 4/24/08

 

 

 

Agriculture Daily News April 24

The East Bay's largest water supplier is likely to impose mandatory rationing next month that could include higher water rates, limits on outdoor sprinklers or possibly a ban on car washing. Elsewhere in the East Bay, residents are expected to be asked to conserve water voluntarily. SJ Mercury 4/24/08

 

East Bay water managers are mulling a slew of measures - from ordinary bans on car washing to drastic water bill increases - to protect their critically low reservoirs. SF Chronicle 4/24/08

 

A state task force recommended Wednesday a permanent ban on fishing in selected spots of ocean from Mendocino County to Santa Cruz, a move designed to protect 80 square miles of California's most pristine habitat. The proposal by the Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force would protect dozens of species, including rockfish - yellow eye, canary, bocaccio - northern red abalone, seabirds and sea lions and other marine mammals underwater and all along that section of coast. SF Chronicle 4/24/08

 

…

 

The two biggest U.S. warehouse retail chains are limiting how much rice customers can buy because of what Sam's Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., called on Wednesday "recent supply and demand trends." The broader chain of Wal-Mart stores has no plans to limit food purchases, however.  USA Rice Federation spokesman David Coia said there is no rice shortage in the United States.  "It's possible that small restaurants and bodega-type neighborhood stores may be purchasing  rice in larger quantities than they do typically to avoid higher prices," Coia said about the warehouse chain restrictions. CC Times 4/24/08

 

On Wednesday, Sam's Club said customers would no longer be allowed to purchase more than four bags of jasmine, basmati or long-grain white rice on each visit. By midafternoon Wednesday, the Costco in Alhambra -- which had not placed limits on purchases -- said it had run out of rice.  LA Times 4/24/08

 

Some Asian restaurants are even reconsidering their longstanding policy of refilling rice bowls for free on the doubling prices of rice. In a valley where nearly 30 percent of residents are of Asian descent, people are increasingly frustrated by the soaring cost of the staple of Asian cuisine. Latino restaurants have been hurt, too, but the price of the standard long-grain rice that is the staple of Mexican diets hasn't gone up nearly as much as the imported aromatics. SJ Mercury 4/24/08

 

…

 

The worst spring cold snap in more than 30 years is threatening to wreak havoc on the wine industry as three recent days of frost have killed grapevine buds up and down the crucial North Coast vineyard region. So far, grape growers estimate that as much as 10 percent of their crops could be lost, an unusual occurrence in an industry that hasn't seen a significant spring frost since the early 1970s. SF Chronicle 4/24/08

Imported food would have to meet domestic U.S. safety standards under a bill Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, introduced Wednesday. Wading into a food fight that has long stymied other lawmakers, Costa and a Republican colleague offered a bill that they said would boost consumer confidence. At least in part, the legislation would lift other states to some food safety standards already imposed in Florida and California. Backed by farm industry groups such as the Western Growers Association and the United Fresh Produce Association, the new bill vies for attention with a more aggressive effort introduced previously by other House Democrats. Sacramento Bee 4/24/08

Agriculture Daily News April 23

Rice, however, is a special case. The rice price increase is a result of a domino effect. Drought in Australia led to a severe decline in rice production, that in turn led the world's largest rice exporters to restrict exports. That spurred higher rice prices and hoarding in Asian countries. Now, in the United States, rice prices have skyrocketed. NBC 4/23/08

 

Many parts of America, long considered the breadbasket of the world, are now confronting a once unthinkable phenomenon: food rationing. Major retailers in New York, in areas of New England, and on the West Coast are limiting purchases of flour, rice, and cooking oil as demand outstrips supply. There are also anecdotal reports that some consumers are hoarding grain stocks, the New York Sun reported on Monday. At a Costco Warehouse in Mountain View, California, on Sunday, shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy. Times of India 4/23/08

 

Costco Wholesale Corp. is reportedly moving to ease buying limits some of the chain's managers imposed recently on staples like rice, cooking oil, and flour. The Sun 4/23/08

 

Since January, the price of rice has jumped more than 100 percent around the world, and this means Bay Area stores are now changing policies for their customers. A 20 pound bag of basmati rice at Costco sold for $8.99 just two months ago. Today it’s nearly doubled at $15.99. KCBS 4/23/08

 

…

 

The rise of community-based farming in the last 20 years has begun to bring consumers closer to farms, and also has given rise to a new breed of farmers. Nevada County is following this trend. In the past five years, several new farms have been established, and a vital new interest in locally grown food has fueled a rising demand for the county's farm-grown products that hardly existed a few years ago. The Union 4/23/08

 

Fewer doctors were disciplined in California in 2007 than the previous year, causing the state to fall in a nationwide ranking a consumer group released Tuesday. California ranked 36th in the nation in disciplinary actions against doctors, which include the revocation, surrender and suspension of medical licenses, according to a report released by Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit consumer advocacy group. LA Times 4/23/08

 

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is calling on labor unions representing city employees to renegotiate their contracts to help reduce the massive $338 million budget deficit projected for next year. SF Chronicle 4/23/08

 

In a significant reversal, major meat and dairy industry groups backed a total ban on so-called downer cattle from entering the food supply. Calls for such a ban have come from watchdog groups and some lawmakers in the wake of the large beef recall from a Southern California slaughterhouse in February, but the industry had resisted. NY Times 4/23/08

 

…

 

Japan has suspended imports from a California plant of National Beef Packing Co after it found a box including a beef part it bans due to the risk of mad cow disease, a Ministry of Agriculture official said on Wednesday. Reuters 4/23/08

 

The illegal shipment was among 700 packs or 17 tonnes of beef imported through Japanese trading company Itochu last August, the ministry said in a statement. AFP 4/23/08

 

It was found in one of 700 boxes shipped from a plant in California owned by Kansas City-based National Beef, a statement said. USA Today 4/23/08

 

…

 

State agriculture officials are targeting the crop-destroying light brown apple moth next week with pheromone-infused twist ties in areas of Carpinteria. The California Department of Food and Agriculture says the pheromones, which disrupt mating by confusing the moths, will be applied April 30 on fewer than 30 properties northwest of Carpinteria High School. SJ Mercury 4/23/08

 

In a long-awaited decision, a federal court in Fresno found that a 2004 biological opinion by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not adequately protect sensitive fish populations when authorizing long-term operations of the state and federal water projects. The California Farm Bureau Federation was among the organizations that intervened in the case on the side of the water projects and water users. The case is similar to the delta-smelt case, in which CFBF also intervened. Supplies have already been reduced because of last year's ruling to protect delta smelt. The impact of this decision, Chris Scheuring, CFBF managing counsel for the Natural Resources and Environmental Division said, will depend on whether more water must be saved or released for salmon at additional times of the year. California Farm Bureau Federation 4/23/08

 

Transporation Daily News April 23

The pilot of the container ship that struck the Bay Bridge in November and spilled more than 50,000 gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay was charged Tuesday with two felony counts of lying in annual physical exams about the medications he was taking. Cota's lawyer called the new criminal charges "spurious and irrelevant" and said tests conducted two hours after the accident found that Cota had not been under the influence of alcohol or drugs. SF Chronicle 4/23/08

 

Tucked deep into a 417-page "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" for the Bush administration announced proposed regulations was language by the Transportation Department stating that more stringent limits on tailpipe emissions embraced by California and 17 other states are "an obstacle to the accomplishment" of the new federal standards and are "expressly and impliedly preempted" by federal law. California Attorney General Jerry Brown called it a covert assault on California's rules. Environmentalists said the language will be used by automakers in their legal challenges to two recent federal court rulings that sided with the states. SF Chronicle 4/23/08

 

If the very first “community meeting” about the Transit Effectiveness Project – a proposed massive 5 year overhaul of MUNI – is heavily structured and organized from the top down, that’s because organizers know that any meeting about MUNI is, right from the get go, about damage control. There’s something a little odd about the premise of these meetings, the first of which was held Saturday at the West Portal Elementary School. MUNI is presenting its proposed changes to the public … while claiming that it’s doing exactly what the public told it to. SF Weekly Blog 4/23/08

 

AC Transit officials, faced with ballooning fuel and labor costs, are looking to balance the budget with a fare increase. Agency administrators have proposed a variety of options to boost revenue at the fare box, including hiking the regular cash fare for adults to $2, a 25 cent increase, and nearly doubling the cost of a monthly youth pass to $28. SF Chronicle 4/23/08

 

The California Air Resources Board will meet in Oakland at 9 a.m. Thursday to discuss a study that found West Oakland residents face a higher risk of getting cancer because of diesel air pollution from trucks, cars, ships and rail lines. Inside Bay Area 4/23/08

 

The Planning Commission will decide tonight whether to approve the final piece of a transit-oriented project adjacent to the future West Dublin/Pleasanton BART station along Interstate 580. San Diego-based Windstar Communities is proposing a mixed-use development with two apartment buildings totaling 350 residential units and 14,000 square feet of ground-floor retail on the Pleasanton parcel. Inside Bay Area 4/23/08

 

Opportunities In Transporation Infrastructure Conference: A roster of over 45 distinguished presenters will be led by Keynote Speaker, David Crane, the Special Advisor to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ("California's $500 Billion Infrastructure Challenge") and will spotlight a variety of state "gatekeepers" from the public sector, ranging from victorious transportation trailblazers (Virginia & Texas), current and innovative players (Pennsylvania and New Jersey) and those states who are now prepared to explore mutually beneficial partnerships with the private sector (Massachusetts, Washington, Colorado) in order to secure the essential rehabilitation -- and renaissance -- of the nation's infrastructure. Marketwire 4/22/08

 

More Californians visited Hawaii in 2007 than visitors from any other state. Of the 7.3 million visitors last year, 1.9 million were from the Golden State, according to a visitor count released Tuesday by the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Bizjournals 4/23/08

 

 

 

Agriculture Daily News April 22

The chief executive officer of Costco Wholesale Corp said on Tuesday that the warehouse club operator has seen some unusual demand in certain of its stores for items like rice and flour. James Sinegal, Costco's chief executive officer, told Reuters in an interview that the retailer had seen the increased demand in the past week and a half, and some of its stores, including certain locations in California's Bay Area, had put limits on the sales of these items. Reuters 4/22/08

 

A new report says California farmers are planting more crops that offer higher returns and require less irrigation to cope with water shortages this year. Officials with the Westlands Water District, a coalition of giant farms in the San Joaquin Valley, say their members have let one-third of their land go fallow this year because of the water cutbacks. The report by the federal government says farmers are planting almost 50 percent fewer acres of Upland cotton, while winter wheat acreage is up 20 percent and barley is up 53 percent. Contra Costa Times 4/21/08

…

A San Joaquin Valley lawmaker wants to ease restrictions on water supplies by boosting the number of endangered fish raised in hatcheries. State Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, introduced his bill to do that in response to a court ruling last year that cut the amount of water available for pumping out of the Delta by as much as one-third to protect Delta smelt. His idea is to raise enough fish to remove Delta smelt from the list of threatened and endangered species, which would eliminate the endangered species law mandate to protect the fish from Delta pumps. CC Times 4/22/08

 

Sens. Dean Florez and Darrell Steinberg say those cuts might not be needed if the Department of Fish and Game can boost the fish's numbers by breeding it in its habitat. SJ Mercury 4/22/08

 

The Delta Smelt Preservation and Restoration Act with the primary goal of building at least one hatchery by 2011 to breed the fish. LA Times Blog 4/22/08

…

A long, steady rise in life expectancy in the United States apparently isn't being shared by everyone, and hasn't been for years, according to a new study. California, by and large, fared well in the national analysis. In nearly all counties in the state, the life expectancy for men and women increased during the 40-year period. The concentration of counties in the southern and eastern portions of the country with less-favorable trends tend to be lower-income areas that also have a higher concentration of obesity and tobacco-related illnesses. SF Chronicle 4/22/08

 

Bon Appétit Management Co. rolled out its new Low Carbon Diet in 400 cafes it runs at university and corporate campuses around the country. A sign at one California university read, "Cows or cars? Worldwide, livestock emits 18% of greenhouse gases, more than the transportation sector!” The country's major food service companies are talking about energy efficiency, waste reduction and, now, how to reduce carbon emissions associated with the food they serve. LA Times 4/22/08

 

This year, for the third time in a row, President Bush has not included the Commodity Supplemental Food Program in his budget. The administration says the program, which provides funding for agencies like the Food Bank, is "duplicative" because the seniors could use food stamps instead. In California (and some other states), those seniors who get SSI (Supplemental Security Income) cannot receive food stamps. SF Chronicle 4/22/08

 

Sacramento Valley farmers are calculating the damage from unusually cold spring weather that destroyed some crops in the bud.  Sutter County Agriculture Commissioner Mark Quisenberry says farmers are reporting losses in walnuts, canning tomatoes, peaches, pears and prunes. The county's prune crop, California's largest, was hit hardest.  SJ Mercury 4/22/08

 

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB, the wine regulatory arm of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, is mulling regulations that could force all makers of alcoholic beverages to list serving sizes, alcohol content, calories, carbohydrates, fat, protein and potential allergens on the label. The Wine Institute, the lobbying arm of the California wine industry, says it will be hard to comply with the regulations. The group also notes that fitting all the required information on existing labels would be difficult and might require an expensive shift to other kinds of bottles. Connecticut Post 4/22/08

 

Coinciding with the launch of mosquito season, the California State Legislature declared the week of April 21 to April 25, 2008 West Nile Virus and Mosquito and Vector Control Awareness Week in California. PR News Wire 4/21/08

 

Twist Tie Treatments Scheduled to Combat Light Brown Apple Moth Infestation in Santa Barbara County View this CDFA Press Release 4/21/08

 

IRWM Grant Program Workshops: The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has scheduled three workshops to inform interested stakeholders about the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) program as funded by Propositions 84 and 1E. Press Release 4/18/08

 

Transporation Daily News April 22

The pilot of the container ship that spilled 53,000 gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay is expected to be slapped with two new felony charges, his attorney said in a court filing Monday.  In his latest court filing, Cota's lawyer, Jeff Bornstein, said he expects two felony false statement charges to be filed as early Tuesday. CC Times 4/22/08

 

Automakers would have to meet a fuel economy standard of 31.6 miles per gallon for cars and trucks by 2015, under a proposal that federal regulators are set to unveil Tuesday. The standards for vehicles built from 2011 to 2015 are more aggressive than some observers expected, and raise the possibility that the government could require U.S. automakers to meet the 35 mpg target they agreed to last year ahead of the 2020 deadline. What's not clear is whether the federal standard will be in competition with those set by states such as California, which has attempted to set greenhouse gas limits on vehicles that would result in even tougher mileage standards. USA Today 4/22/08

 

Short-term exposure to smog, or ozone, is clearly linked to premature deaths that should be taken into account when measuring the health benefits of reducing air pollution, a National Academy of Sciences report concluded Tuesday. SF Chronicle 4/22/08

 

Despite numerous efforts to green San Francisco’s vehicle fleet — which this year is expected to guzzle more than $20 million in fuel — less than 30 percent used by city departments are running on alternative fuels, according to City Administrator’s Office data. Since becoming mayor, Gavin Newsom has emphasized greening The City’s fleet. In September 2005, he issued an executive directive establishing requirements for city fleets to purchase vehicles using alternative fuels. Departments, however, continue to purchase unleaded-fuel vehicles. SF Examiner 4/22/08

 

There are signs that some drivers are abandoning their cars for the rails and busses as gas prices rise. In San Francisco the average cost of a gallon of gas was $3.47 in January. It now sits at about $4 dollars. That's a 17 percent increase. During that same time VTA ridership has increased 10 percent in the last four months. BART has seen a 4.5 percent rise in riders. Caltrain also reports more passengers, about 10 percent over this time last year. ABC 4/22/08

 

Transporation Daily News April 21

Fresno leaders have long dreamed of merging the city's two main railroads in a single corridor along Highway 99, where the Union Pacific currently runs. Now, planners of California's proposed high-speed rail line are calling the same corridor their preferred local route for a network of 200 mph trains that voters will be asked to approve in November. Fresno Bee 4/20/08

 

Nevada State officials are trying to find a way to save money on thousands of commercial flights that state workers take annually between both ends of Nevada on official business. Nevada purchased 31,460 Southwest Airlines flights between Reno and Las Vegas for a total of $3.1 million in 2007, said Kimberlee Tarter, state deputy purchasing administrator. Las Vegas Review Journal 4/21/08

 

As state lawmakers carry on a raging debate over how to solve California's fiscal crisis, they agree on one thing: The situation is getting worse. The budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, which was estimated two months ago to be at about $8 billion, is now expected to widen to as much as $14 billion. With the fiscal crisis deepening, many legislators agree that cutting expenses may not be enough by itself to balance the budget, and that generating additional revenue through taxes and/or fees will probably have to be part of the equation. SF Chronicle 4/20/08

 

The bad news comes just two months after the Legislature approved several of the emergency budget proposals by the Governor, that slashed over $7 billion in spending and made other budget changes including borrowing and delays in payments, that brought down the deficit to over $8 billion. California Progress Report 4/21/08

 

The long-planned rollout of the TransLink regional fare card has once again been delayed. The prepaid fare card, which transit leaders hope could one day be used on more than two dozen transit systems, already is accepted on AC Transit and the Golden Gate ferries and buses. But plans for wider use have fallen behind schedule for the three big agencies next in line. The regional agency in charge of the TransLink project, has pushed back the estimated start date for the San Francisco Municipal Railway and Caltrain to July 15 and for BART to Sept. 25. SF Chronicle 4/18/08

 

As NavisWorld 08 is being staged in San Francisco this week, shippers here are asking a lot of questions about North America’s fourth largest ocean gateway across the bay and its strategic direction to accommodate growth. On the eve of this important “port and terminal technology” conference, LM was given an exclusive interview with The Port of Oakland’s maritime director, James Kwon, who tried to provide insight as well as answers. Logistics Management 4/21/08

 

In an editorial, the SF Chronicle gets behind High Speed Rail, saying, “Our skepticism about the rail measure remains. It's going to be an extraordinarily expensive project, with costs projected to be at least $40 billion. Still, with a troubled national airline system, $4-a-gallon gas, and even President Bush offering goals to combat climate change, the rail system is a risk we can't afford to not take.” 4/20/08

 

California High Speed Rail Blog checks their facts. 4/20/08