Agriculture Daily News June 3

Agriculture:

 

New alternaria fungicide gets California Section 18 for almonds -- The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has granted Section 18 emergency exemption approval of Inspire fungicide from Syngenta for use on Alternaria in almond orchards. Though new to this market in the United States, difenoconazole has been used extensively for more than two decades in 96 other countries on more than 100 crops. Western Farm Press 6/2/08

 

*Scientists Argue Apple Moth Spray Plan Won't Work – The scientific community is divided over whether the plan to use aerial spraying to control the apple moth population will actually work. A group of prominent University of California Davis scientists have written a letter warning that California's plan to eliminate the bug will not work. "There's some mountains that can't be moved and there's some insects that can't be eradicated and this is simply one of them and so you need a reality check here," said Jim Carey, UC Davis Entomologist. NBC 11 6/2/08

 

*Ag Summary: Corn Planting Delays, Soybean Emergence Gains Momentum -- California rice emergence was well ahead of average at 92 percent complete. Cotton planting is complete in CA. Cattle Networks 6/3/08

 

*Agricultural research and extension symposium set for June 18-19 -- At a symposium June 18-19 in Sacramento, agriculture professionals and policymakers will get a first look at new research that shows the rate of growth of public funding for agricultural research and extension has declined and the rate of growth in agricultural productivity is also slowing. Western Farm Press 6/3/08

 

Little change in vegetable consumption expected in US -- The good news for U.S. vegetable growers is that consumption of their products rose in 2007. The bad news is that, given the current sluggish economy, little change is expected in the domestic use of vegetables and melons during 2008, according to the latest USDA Vegetables and Melons Outlook. California, which accounts for more than half of spring vegetable area, expects to harvest 1 percent fewer acres, with much of the reduction due to tomatoes, head lettuce and carrots. Fresh Plaza 5/29/08

 

New South Korean president under fire over handling of US beef imports -- After weeks of protests, the government announced Tuesday — Lee's 100th day in office — that it was backing away, at least for now, from an agreement to resume imports of U.S. beef. The government, in the words of Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun, was acting to "humbly accept the people's will," following large-scale street protests over the weekend. International Herald Tribune 6/3/08

 

Japan Pledges Stockpiled Rice Exports of 300,000 Tons -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda pledged to export 300,000 metric tons of stockpiled rice to alleviate a global shortage that drove prices to a record and contributed to deadly food riots around the world. Japan is self-sufficient in the grain and has about 1.2 million tons of imported rice stockpiled. It has already received a request from the Philippines for 200,000 tons and one from Sri Lanka for as much as the same amount. Fukuda, speaking at a World Food Security Conference in Rome today, didn't say where the stockpiled rice would go.  Bloomberg 6/3/08

 

*EcoChef: Bee troubles changing industry -- Roll is among a new breed of beekeepers who are experimenting with radical ideas to confront issues affecting bee populations.  Her hives have no artificial foundation — the stamped honeycomb template beekeepers use to regulate size. Inside Bay Area 6/3/08

 

California lettuce industry notes detection of INSV in Salinas Valley -- The last thing the California lettuce industry needs is another disease, but a new one, impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV), turned up in Salinas Valley fields in 2007. The disease, which makes heads of infected plants unmarketable, has been confirmed on iceberg, romaine, and greenleaf lettuces. It has been found in fields around Castroville, Chualar, Gonzales, Greenfield, Salinas, and Soledad. Western Farm Press 5/29/08

 

Health:

 

California legislators revive plans to expand healthcare insurance -- The California Legislature is moving to curb some of the health insurance industry's most profitable and contested practices as lawmakers resurrect portions of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's unsuccessful proposal to expand medical coverage. More than a dozen health bills are advancing through the Legislature, many over the objection of insurers. The bills would require insurers to spend at least 85% of their earnings on patient care; block insurers from canceling policies of patients who need extensive care; and force them to cover more procedures, such as maternity services. LA Times 6/3/08

 

Labor:

 

Key element in workers' comp limits upheld -- In a ruling that could restrict the benefits available to injured workers in California, a state appeals court on Monday upheld numerical limits on state-funded treatments, a key component of the cost-cutting workers' compensation measures backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003-04. SF Chronicle 6/3/08

 

Bio-fuels:

 

Gates set to dump half his stake in Pacific Ethanol -- Bill Gates is on track to dump half his original stake in Sacramento's Pacific Ethanol Inc., reflecting growing investor dismay with the industry. Gates' Cascade Investment LLC, an early major investor in Pacific Ethanol, sold 1 million shares last week at prices ranging from $3.45 to $3.83 a share, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sacramento Bee 6/3/08

 

Water:

 

*Feds reduce water to Valley farms -- Federal officials told hundreds of farmers in the Westlands Water District on Monday that they will get even less irrigation water -- just days after the district announced a rationing plan. Two members of Congress and district officials urged Gov. Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency. Fresno Bee 6/3/08

 

*DWR unveils pumping plant energy efficiency improvements The Department of Water Resources today announced that the first pump refurbishment project at the A.D. Edmonston pumping plant has been completed. This is the first step of a project to refurbish four of the 14 pumping units at the plant to improve State Water Project (SWP) energy efficiency. (05/29/2008)  Press Release...

 

WANING WATER: Tahoe, reservoirs forecast to drop sharply as summer progresses -- A second slow winter in a row could mean water stops spilling over the dam at Lake Tahoe, cutting off flow at the top of the Truckee River. Despite abundant snow early in the winter season, a uncharacteristically dry spring has meant runoff hasn’t kept up with evaporation, dropping Lake Tahoe in months that traditionally refill the lake. Sierra Sun 6/3/08

 

Decision urged on desalination -- With the threat of drought looming, a decision on desalinating bay water and piping it to Marin homes should happen sooner rather than later, and without voter approval. That's the opinion of the Marin County civil grand jury, which has issued a report: "Sustaining Marin's Fragile Water Supply," urging action on the desalination plan. Marin Journal Independent 6/2/08

 

Editorial: Slowly, slowly water legislation advances -- Water is one of those California conundrums in which progress seems tortuous. Unless a deal can be struck that rewards all water interests – farmers, cities, environmentalists, etc. – one or more factions is often able to kill any step forward. Last week, a splintered Assembly approved Assembly Bill 2175, which would require the state to reduce per capita water use in cities and suburbs by 20 percent by 2020. It also calls on agriculture to reduce usage by 500,000 acre-feet – enough water to supply 1 million households a year. Sacramento Bee 6/3/08

 

Food and wine:

 

*South Bay Supes Want Nutrition Info On Menus – A proposal made by Santa Clara Supervisor Liz Kniss would make restaurants print calorie counts on menus and post them up on menu boards on fast food places. The California Restaurant Association is fighting the plan, saying most restaurants have nutritional information available upon request. CBS 5 6/2/08

 

Fast Food Goes Organic -- Co-ops brought organic food to more people. Farmers markets caught on, even blocking traffic on busy streets in big cities like New York and Washington. Whole Foods transplanted the idea into corporate America, helping the growth of vast fields of organic produce throughout California. Now there is organic fast food. Washington Post 6/3/08

 

*Average Shoppers Are Willing To Pay A Premium For Locally Produced Food – A study also showed that shoppers at farm markets are willing to pay almost twice as much extra as retail grocery shoppers for the same locally produced foods. Both kinds of shoppers also will pay more for guaranteed fresh produce and tend to favor buying food produced by small farms over what they perceive as corporate operations, according to the study. Science Daily 6/3/08

 

US: California winemakers lose access to Illinois -- An anti-shipping law to be implemented in Illinois this week will result in hundreds of California winemakers losing their right to ship wine into the state's wine markets. The law, which has taken immediate effect, is a result of many California winemakers not technically being licensed as "wine producers", but as retailers and distributors, it was warned today (2 June). Just Drinks 6/2/08

 

Wine bill makes way through Assembly -- The State Assembly passed a bill by Assemblymember Noreen Evans aimed at helping California's wine industry compete in an increasingly competitive environment, according to a statement from Evans' office. AB 2090 creates a new special temporary wine license enabling regional wine grape grower associations and professional wine making organizations to conduct up to six wine tasting events annually to promote a particular agricultural region or as part of an educational event. Times Herald 5/30/08

 

*Legislation introduced to modernize America’s food safety network -- California U.S. Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) and Adam Putnam, a Republican colleague representing a rural Florida district, recently introduced legislation to modernize America’s food safety network. The Safe Food Enforcement, Assessment, Standards and Targeting Act, “Safe FEAST Act,” would establish new food safety requirements for domestically produced and imported food to identify and prevent potential sources of food-borne illness. For the first time, the measure grants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) statutory power to recall contaminated food in the case of adulteration. Western Farm Press 5/30/08

 

Forests:

 

PG&E pays to offset Democrats' carbon emissions -- California Democrats have recruited Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to offset carbon emissions related to the national party convention this summer. The state's largest utility will buy $8,440 worth of carbon credits that will come from a Northern California redwood forest. California's is the first Democratic delegation to announce such an arrangement as part of a national push by the Democratic Party to reduce or offset carbon output at its convention. SF Chronicle 6/3/08