Agriculture Daily News June 11

Parks and forests:

 

Wildfires spread in Northern California -- For a second day, Northern California firefighters are battling a series of blazes fueled by high heat and winds, including a fire in Vacaville that started in a home's garage and spread to nearby brush. The Vacaville fire started about 7:45 a.m. today. SF Chronicle 6/11/08

 

Video details Peyton Slough Wetlands restoration -- The restoration of the Peyton Slough Wetlands, once listed as one of the Bay Area's top 10 toxic spots, is the subject of a new video by the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District. The video, titled "Peyton Slough Wetlands: The Crown Jewel of Contra Costa County," describes the environmental hazards that jeopardized wildlife in the slough and highlights measures taken by the Peyton Slough Wetlands Advisory Committee and other agencies to fix those hazards. SJ Mercury 6/11/08

 

Fire group says risk downplayed -- Roughly a third of California's fleet of federal fire engines is currently unavailable due to staffing shortages, according to figures supplied by a group that represents U.S. Forest Service crews.  Statewide, only 186 of the agency's 276 engines were ready to respond to fires as of Friday, according to a report created by fire officials and released by the Federal Wildland Fire Service Association.  PE 6/11/08

 

Agriculture:

 

*State-grown tomatoes OK, but warning widens -- The federal government on Tuesday expanded its salmonella warning nationwide about three kinds of tomatoes as more retailers and restaurants stopped offering them and growers said sales are plummeting. SF Chronicle 6/11/08

 

Tomato scare worries California growers -- The California tomato industry kicked into crisis mode and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration came under attack Tuesday as federal investigators continued hunting for the source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened about 170 people across the country. Even though the FDA has cleared the state's tomato crop as safe, California farmers and agricultural officials worry consumers will avoid all tomatoes, just as Central Valley farmers are about to bring in a bumper crop. SJ Mercury 6/11/08

 

California tomatoes become a hot ticket, prompting price surge -- Local produce suppliers are seeing a rush in orders for tomatoes grown in the state, where the crop has been deemed safe. But, some say wholesale prices are rising. OC Register 6/11/08

 

Inspectors find labor violations on Central Valley farms -- In just two days, labor inspectors had reaped a dubious harvest. At least 10 confirmed or suspected minors harvesting fruit and weeding fields. A crew using short-handled weeding tools banned under state law. Worse: About 100 male migrant workers who follow crops were sleeping on the ground by night in this orchard owned by R & J Don-dero Inc., and climbing ladders by day to pick the company's cherries. Modesto Bee 6/11/08

 

Water:

 

Chino to revive dormant water well -- In a time of statewide drought, the city is reactivating a dormant well to meet the demand for water.  The city plans to repair well No. 10, at the Phillips Reservoir, to provide 1,250 acre-feet of water per year, officials said.  An acre-foot of water is about 325,000 gallons - approximately the amount of water used by a family of four in a year.  Daily Bulletin 6/11/08