Agriculture Daily News 12/14

The consequences of an e.coli crisis from spinach fell heavily on California's Central Coast farmers, who are now being pressed by buyers to comply with many new food-safety measures, some of which, according to the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory agencies, are costly, scientifically unproven and environmentally harmful. But the growers must follow these measures in order to market their crops to the larger contractors or handlers. An article in the SF Chronicle examines the history of reaction to the break-out in length, and poses the question of whether response tactics have been more damaging than beneficial. 12/14/07

 

Warning the business lobby and farmers to back off, state Senate Democrats said Thursday that it should be up to the governor and Legislature to decide how to control the state's water supplies next year. Frustrated with the inaction, the California Chamber of Commerce and its allies last week announced their own water bond initiatives -- a move Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, said exacerbated the political gridlock at the Capitol. The chamber is circulating four versions of an $11.7 billion bond initiative that would set aside billions of dollars for dams without the Legislature's approval. However, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata chastised the group, saying, "We're not going to have any interruptions, disruptions or alternatives." CC Times 12/14/07

The No. 3 U.S. grocery-store operator, Safeway, said Thursday it's striking partnerships to sell its "O Organics" line in Asia and South America. Since its launch, O Organics has grown to 300 items, including milk, chicken, food entrée and juice products. Marketwatch 12/14/07

 

An effort to limit government payments going to the largest farms failed in the Senate Thursday, quashing the best chance consumer and environmental groups had to promote healthier diets and better environmental stewardship of the nation's nearly one billion acres of farmland in the $288 billion farm bill now steamrolling to passage. California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, both Democrats, voted to limit payments despite pressure from the state's cotton and rice producers. SF Chronicle 12/14/07

 

The California Fish and Game Commission expanded the ban on lead hunting ammunition adopted by the California legislature earlier this year. Lead fragments and slugs from big game hunting ammunition have been blamed for the poisoning of endangered California condors which eat the fragments in the remains of butchered game left in the field, and the legislature banned lead ammunition for big game and coyote hunting within condor range. Last week, the commission defined what constitutes "lead free" for the regulations and expanded the regulation to ban popular .17 and .22 rimfire ammunition for the hunting of all non-game animals - not just coyotes - in condor range. San Bernardino County Sun  12/14/07