Agriculture Daily News July 16

Health:

 

Congress Easily Overrides Medicare Veto -- President Bush sought to block a bill yesterday aimed at forestalling an 11 percent cut in payments to doctors taking care of Medicare patients, but Congress quickly overrode his veto. At issue in this bill was how the government should respond to a planned reduction in Medicare doctors' fees, mandated by a formula that requires the cuts if certain spending targets are not reached. Washington Post 7/16/08

 

Water:

 

Sacramento hires sleuths in case of missing water meters -- Scott Johnston spends his days looking for Sacramento's lost water meters, lifting heavy concrete hatches in yards and on sidewalks, meticulously recording serial numbers. Johnston works for U.S. Metering & Technology, a Colorado-based consultant Sacramento hired to help locate 4,492 water meters that are missing from the city's inventory. The Sacramento Utilities Department does not know where the meters are. They were labeled "unaccounted for" in a recent city investigation. Sacramento Bee 7/16/08

 

*Local Company Turns Sewage Into Profit -- Currently the EWA treats 30 million gallons of wastewater a day, turning it into a solid material that resembles coal particles. Every day, four truckloads of it are then hauled to farmland at an expense of $2.2 million. A new part of the treatment facility is under construction in North County. Currently it is about 80 percent complete. When finished, it will take even more water out of the sludge and turn it into a different kind of solid substance that feels grainy and looks like fertilizer. The finished product can be used in biofuel or sold as fertilizer. NBC San Diego 7/16/08

 

Meetings Set for Irrigated Lands Program -- Almond and other growers or interested parties are encouraged to attend meetings to hear about the development of a long-term Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program and an overview of monitoring results and regulatory activities in response in the current ILRP. California Farmer 7/16/08

 

Agriculture:

 

Mosquito spraying starts today -- The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District plans to spray 23,000 acres in two areas of south Sacramento for three consecutive nights starting tonight in an effort to control the spread of West Nile virus. Sacramento Bee 7/16/08

 

'Dry farming' starting to take root with California winegrowers -- They call it "dry farming," the way agriculture used to be before plastic hoses hooked up to a water supply made deserts bloom. It's something a few vintners are returning to, driven by factors including concern over dwindling water supplies, the belief that the method produces more intensely flavored fruit, or, as is the case at Kunde, to forge a link with old traditions. Growing wine grapes without artificial irrigation is practiced in various countries such as Spain and France. LA Times 7/16/08

 

*USDA sees decreased production -- For the 2008-2009 crop year, USDA's July report projects a US crop of 14.00 million bales, down 500,000 bales from the June report. Mill use increased 100,000 bales to 4.40 million bales while exports were lowered 500,000 bales to 14.50 million bales. The estimated total offtake stands at 18.90 million bales, resulting in ending stocks of 5.30 million bales. The projected ending stocks-to-use ratio is 28.0%. Western Farm Press 7/16/08

 

USDA announces $28.4 million in funding for specialty crop research -- Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced today that USDA is making available $28.4 million for research and extension projects in fiscal year 2008 to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by developing and disseminating science-based tools to address needs of specific crops. Western Farm Press 7/16/08

 

*Which produce has the most pesticide? -- To help consumers make informed decisions, the Organic Center has published a pocket guide to the conventionally grown produce that poses the greatest risk of residual pesticide. Topping the non-profit's list are domestically grown cranberries, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, pears, green beans, sweet bell pepper, celery, cucumbers and potatoes. Among the imported products, the organization lists grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, celery and tomatoes. SJ Mercury 7/16/08