California Ag Today, Author at California Agriculture News Today

Congressman Valadao Requests Answers for Central Valley Small Businesses

Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) sent a follow-up letter to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel regarding delays in processing Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) claims, a program created during the COVID-19 pandemic to help businesses keep people employed. In January of this year, Congressman Valadao wrote to Commissioner Werfel requesting answers and expressing concerns over the IRS’ significant issues with processing and payment of ERTC claims.

Congressman Valadao highlighted the lack of communication from the IRS that has frustrated many small business owners:

“Businesses with legitimate ERTC claims deserve prompt processing and payment of their claims. Unfortunately, the IRS has not yet communicated the status of these claims or outlined the process for the analysis needed to complete their processing and payment,” Congressman Valadao wrote.

While the IRS has made progress since the Congressman’s initial letter to investigate fraud and pay eligible claims, there are still thousands of small businesses waiting for their claim to be processed and paid:

“The ERTC program was designed to provide crucial relief to businesses during the pandemic. While the steps the IRS has taken in recent months are essential for addressing these claims, I am concerned that the IRS response has been inadequate,” Congressman Valadao wrote.

Congressman Valadao requested answers from the IRS on the current steps they’re taking to address these claims, including:

Will the IRS consider extending the 30-day period for taxpayers who received a disallowance letter to submit a protest? If not, why not?
How is the IRS reviewing the 60 to 70 percent of claims that have moderate level of risk? How is the IRS communicating the status of these claims with taxpayers?
In August, the IRS announced that 50,000 low-risk claims were moving into processing. Of these claims, how many have been paid?
Is the IRS working through ERTC cases that the Taxpayer Advocate Service is sending?

Read the full text of the letter here.

California Ag Today2024-10-10T15:47:46-07:00October 10th, 2024|

California Farm Labor Contractor Association Welcomes New Executive Director Kimberly Clark

The California Farm Labor Contractor Association (CFLCA) is pleased to announce that Kimberly Clark will be joining the association as the next Executive Director, effective October 14, 2024.

Kimberly brings a wealth of experience in the agricultural industry. She began her career on the coffee farms of southern Mexico, working to increase efficiency in the field in tandem with essential humanitarian improvements. Since 2020, she has managed programs and developed trainings with a focus on safety and compliance to support the people that feed our families, state, and nation.

Kimberly most recently served as Director of Programs for the California Farmworker Foundation, though she is no stranger to CFLCA. Kimberly previously worked as the association’s Programs Manager, where she expertly facilitated educational efforts for more than three years.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Kimberly back to CFLCA,” said Jeff Wenger, CFLCA Board President. “Her extensive experience supporting farm labor contractors (FLC) and her deep familiarity with the challenges facing our industry will make her an effective advocate for the farm labor contracting community.”

Kimberly is succeeding current Executive Director Nigel Bocanegra, who will continue with the association through mid-December to ensure a smooth transition. “We thank Nigel for his vision and leadership in advancing our mission through these challenging pandemic years,” said Wenger. “We are deeply grateful for his contributions and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

California Ag Today2024-10-09T11:49:03-07:00October 9th, 2024|

CDFA Announces Vacancies on Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee

Courtesy of the CDFA

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announces two vacancies on the Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee (TASC).

This subcommittee provides technical and scientific advice to the Feed Inspection Advisory Board and CDFA on animal food nutrition, safety and efficacy data review of new and unapproved feed ingredients, research project oversight and other issues that will affect the Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, Livestock Drug Program and Safe Animal Feed Education (SAFE) Program.

Applicants must demonstrate technical, applied and scientific expertise in the fields of toxicology, pathology, ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, as well as possess general knowledge of the California feed industry.

The term of office for subcommittee members is three years. Members receive no compensation but are entitled to payment of necessary travel expenses. Individuals interested in being considered for appointment should send a resume and a Feed TASC Prospective Member Appointment Questionnaire (http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/pdfs/FIAB-TASC_PMAQ.pdf) to SAFE@cdfa.ca.gov. The application deadline is October 21, 2024.

California Ag Today2024-10-07T13:41:11-07:00October 7th, 2024|

Westlands Water District Secures $2M WaterSMART Grants for Conservation and Drought Resiliency

Westlands Water District (District) recently secured $2 million through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s WaterSMART Initiative (WSI). Awarded funds will be made available to District growers in the form of block grants, up to $450,000 per grower, to carry out water conservation and drought resiliency improvements, such as installing irrigation pipelines, micro-irrigation systems, reservoirs, and temporary diversion pumping plants.

“As the San Joaquin Valley continues to battle the impacts of an unreliable water supply, programs that provide access to grant funding, those like the WaterSMART Initiative, for the District’s family-owned farms are essential,” said Allison Febbo, General Manager, Westlands Water District. “The District is continually working to identify resources like the WaterSMART Initiative to assist our farmers. These resources allow our farmers to continue their hard work maximizing the beneficial use of every drop of water, through use of efficient and sustainable farming practices and substantial investment in modern irrigation technology.”

District farmers are encouraged to apply for WSI grants by contacting their local Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) office as soon as possible to determine eligibility and start an application. To be considered for a WSI block grant, willing and eligible growers must complete applications by the deadline: January 31, 2025.

Today’s announcement is in addition to the $1,808,326 in grant funding the District was awarded in August through the WaterSMART initiative to retrofit 1,603 manually read surface water meters with advanced automated metering devices. You can learn more about the WaterSMART Initiative by visiting the program website

California Ag Today2024-10-03T09:00:23-07:00October 3rd, 2024|

Smoke From Megafires Puts Orchard Trees at Risk

Effects Last Months, Reducing Nut Crop Yields

By Amy Quinton | October 2, 2023

Long-term smoke exposure from massive wildfires lowers the energy reserves of orchard trees and can cut their nut production by half, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found. The smoke can affect trees for months after a megafire, depressing their bloom and the next season’s harvest. This finding reveals a new danger from wildfires that could affect plant health in both agricultural and natural environments.

Nature Plants published the study today (Oct. 2).

“A lot of research focuses on the impact of smoke on humans but there is less study on the effects of smoke on plant health,” said lead author Jessica Orozco, a postdoctoral researcher with the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. “Our study suggests that trees are just as vulnerable as humans.”

Wildfire smoke blocks sunlight

Scientists studied almond, pistachio and walnut trees at 467 orchard sites in California’s Central Valley from 2018 to 2022. In 2020, megafires scorched more than 4.2 million acres in California, filling the skies with smoke and ash. At the time, researchers were studying how trees store energy, in the form of carbohydrates, to cope with heat and drought. But Orozco said the team saw an opportunity to study how smoke affects carbohydrate levels.

“Photosynthesis produces carbohydrates, which are critical elements for tree survival,” said Orozco. “Trees need carbohydrates not just to grow but to store energy for when they’re under stress or when photosynthesis isn’t happening.”

Photosynthesis changes under smoke-filled skies. Smoke particles block some sunlight but also reflect light, creating more diffused light. The diffused light can help trees make more carbohydrates. However, Orozco said the study found that while diffused light increased, the smoke was so thick that it likely didn’t compensate for the loss of direct light.

Megafires have lingering effects on tree health

The team found that megafire smoke not only reduced the amount of carbohydrates in trees but also caused losses that continued even after the fires were out. This led to nut yield decreases of 15% to as much as 50% in some orchards. The most active time for wildfires also coincides with the time trees start storing carbohydrates to sustain them through winter dormancy and spring growth.

“We were expecting to see some impact especially in the months when the smoke was really dense, but we weren’t expecting the smoke to have such a lingering effect and result in a significant drop in yield,” Orozco said.

Orozco said researchers still don’t know what components in megafire smoke caused the decrease in tree carbohydrates. During the 2020 megafires, the smoke reduced light and increased both ozone and particulate matter levels, all of which affect photosynthesis. One or a combination of these factors could have led to the drop in tree carbohydrates.

Additional authors on the study are Professor Maciej A. Zwieniecki and postdoctoral researcher Paula Guzmán-Delgado of the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences.

The Almond Board of California, the California Pistachio Research Board, the California Walnut Board and the California Department of Food and Agriculture supported the research.

California Ag Today2024-10-02T08:04:22-07:00October 2nd, 2024|

Westlands Water District Supports use of Adaptive Management

Courtesy of Westlands Water District

Westlands Water District is encouraged by the recent decision to employ adaptive management as part of implementing a regulation affecting our federal and state water projects. The decision was related to the implementation of the Fall X2 measure, one piece of a set of operational measures set to enforce the Endangered Species Act. This example of relying on recent scientific information and real-time monitoring is an encouraging example of how flexible management can contribute to achieving the co-equal goals of ecosystem protection and a reliable water supply for the farms that feed that nation.

Based on the broad body of scientific knowledge, which includes a recent peer-reviewed scientific assessment of the benefits of implementation of the Fall X2 action, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) modified the Fall X2 action using an adaptive management component of the action. The Fall X2 action is intended to provide beneficial habitat conditions in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta for endangered Delta smelt and other native species after a wet or above-normal water year. Through adaptive management this year, the Fall X2 measure was implemented in September while adding an action to operate the Suisun Marsh Salinity Gates, providing much-needed additional food and habitat for the species.

The Fall X2 action for Delta Smelt has the potential to result in a large water supply reduction for cities and farms. In 2023 the water cost to implement the Fall X2 action was greater than 730,000 acre-feet between the Central Valley and State Water projects. This year’s action demonstrates the ability to use recent scientific information and monitoring to adaptively manage the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act while providing similar or better outcomes for the species. This year’s action also acknowledges the value of preserving our water resources for future purposes, including fish and wildlife benefits.

Allison Febbo, General Manager of Westlands Water District, stated, “Water is the lifeblood of our valley. We are encouraged to see the dedication from both State and Federal agencies to maximize the value of our limited water supplies while improving fishery conditions through flexibility and innovation. We applaud operators of both projects and fisheries agencies for their demonstrated commitment to science-based decision-making and their efforts to make transparent adaptive management a fundamental practice in the Delta.”

Fall X2 action modification aligns with the intended protections outlined in the 2020 Incidental Take Permit (ITP) and the 2019 Biological Opinion while smartly conserving our water supplies. Westlands looks forward to continuing our partnership with State and Federal agencies to refine these processes further, enhancing outcomes for both fisheries and water supply across California.

California Ag Today2024-10-02T07:59:08-07:00October 2nd, 2024|

Almond Alliance Calls for Swift Passage of Agriculture Disaster Relief Bill

Congressmen David G. Valadao (R-CA) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) have introduced the bipartisan Agriculture Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act after months of collaborative work on agricultural disaster relief. This legislation was developed in partnership with the Almond Alliance and a coalition of agricultural groups across California.

The bill aims to provide crucial support for farmers and rural communities that have been severely impacted by catastrophic natural disasters in 2023, including floods, droughts, and wildfires. This initiative comes in response to the significant challenges faced by California’s agricultural sector, which suffered billions in damages and losses due to severe weather events in 2023 alone.

The bill proposes $14 billion in disaster relief funding to the Office of the Secretary for Agriculture for 2023 disaster expenses, aimed at helping farmers recover from crop and livestock losses. It incorporates provisions from past relief programs, including drought definitions and direct payments, and ensures simultaneous payment administration for all producers. With California’s almond industry severely affected by ongoing drought and flooding, the Almond Alliance sees this relief package as vital to ensuring both the immediate recovery and long-term sustainability of the nation’s farming communities.

“Our almond growers and farmers across the nation faced significant losses in 2023 due to natural disasters,” said Blake Vann, Chairman of the Almond Alliance. “This bill will ensure they have the resources needed to recover and continue feeding our markets. It’s critical that Congress moves quickly to get this aid to the producers who are counting on it.”

The Almond Alliance thanks Rep. Valadao and Rep. Panetta for their leadership in introducing the Agriculture Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. Their efforts are crucial to supporting farmers impacted by recent natural disasters.

Reps. Reps joined Valadao and Panetta in the introduction. John Duarte (R-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Vince Fong (R-CA), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Salud Cabrajal (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Mike Thompson and Josh Harder (D-CA).

California Ag Today2024-09-30T08:37:17-07:00September 30th, 2024|

UC Davis Enters New International Strawberry Licensing Agreements

Courtesy of the UC Davis News and Media Relations

The University of California, Davis, has reached new agreements to license more than a dozen of its world-renowned strawberry varieties to growers in countries across the world.

The agreements ensure that nurseries and fruit growers in Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East have access to all available varieties developed by the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program.

Strawberry plant varieties developed at UC Davis produce about 60% of all strawberries consumed around the world.

UK-based Global Plant Genetics, or GPG, will add 15 legacy varieties of UC Davis strawberry plants to its existing portfolio in China, South America, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. GPG, which has been a UC Davis master licensee since 2018, already oversees licensing of a dozen of the more recently developed UC Davis varieties in those markets.

Fresa Fortaleza, or F2, is the new master licensee for the legacy varieties in Mexico. Since 2020, the San Diego-based company has been the master licensee in Mexico for the more recently developed UC Davis varieties.

Earlier this year, UC Davis severed ties with former master licensee Eurosemillas as to these legacy varieties.

“We are pleased to have expanded our agreements with GPG and Fresa Forteleza,” said Helene Dillard, dean of the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “We appreciate the shared commitment to maintaining outstanding relationships with our nurseries and growers and providing vigorous support for the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program.”

The new agreements cover:

The European Union, Switzerland and the United Kingdom
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay
China
Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Turkey.

The UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program seeks to address the needs of growers by developing strawberries for positive characteristics including greater yield, flavor, disease resistance, and adaptation to different growing conditions. The university directly licenses strawberry varieties to nurseries in Canada and the U.S. and offers California strawberry growers a competitive advantage through exclusive access to new varieties for two years and reduced royalty rates.

The program, funded primarily by revenue from licensing strawberry varieties, also trains students and postdoctoral researchers to be leaders in the field.

California Ag Today2024-09-24T10:41:18-07:00September 24th, 2024|

Hands-on learning, training make irrigation best practices accessible

Courtesy of UCCE

UCCE advisors provide free training to nursery and greenhouse staff

Working as an irrigator seems straightforward at first: if you’re not watering plants by hand, you’re building and managing systems that can do the watering. What could be complex about a job like this?

University of California Cooperative Extension advisors Bruno Pitton and Gerardo “Gerry” Spinelli can tell you – or better yet, show you.

Pitton and Spinelli, members of the UC Nursery and Floriculture Alliance, offer a one-day technical training in irrigation best-management practices for irrigators working with containerized nursery plants. The comprehensive curriculum – developed with input from two focus groups of California nursery and greenhouse managers – aims to improve irrigation efficiency, reduce water consumption and improve plant health.

Thanks to funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, nursery and greenhouse managers in California can request this training for free and advisors like Pitton and Spinelli will travel to conduct the training on-site.

The complexities of irrigation incorporate concepts like evapotranspiration, salinity, irrigation uniformity, capillarity, pressure and flow rate. Spinelli, UCCE production horticulture advisor for San Diego County, said that irrigators have a critical role in the industry because of all the things they must consider to do their job well.

“Our goal is to support irrigators and help them become more confident decision-makers and experts in the field,” said Pitton, UCCE environmental horticulture advisor for Placer and Nevada counties.

Interactive sessions reveal nuances of irrigation

The training consists of a presentation on fundamental concepts for managing irrigation in container plant production and hands-on demonstrations. “In the nursery industry, where precise irrigation is crucial for the health and productivity of our crops, having access to expert knowledge is invaluable,” said Mauricio de Almeida, general manager of Burchell Nursery in Fresno County. “The training’s practical demonstrations and real-world examples made the concepts easy to grasp, allowing our team to implement the strategies immediately.”

For one of the demonstrations, the advisors used sponges to model soil saturation when water is applied. Ana, an irrigator at Burchell Nursery, appreciated the step-by-step explanations, which helped her better understand how water pressure differs in drip irrigation, sprinklers and watering by hand. Doing this out in the field, as an example of how irrigation audits occur, was extremely helpful for attendees.

Francisco “Frank” Anguiano, production manager of Boething Treeland Farms in Ventura County, observed his team of irrigators as they learned how to measure distribution uniformity with water collected from sprinklers. “This training isn’t just about irrigation and plant management. It’s also about savings, both water and costs. Who doesn’t want to save money and use less water?” Anguiano said.

Reducing the barriers to learning

Many of the irrigators attending these trainings gained their skills and knowledge from life experience rather than a college education, explained Peter van Horenbeeck, vice president of Boething Treeland Farms. “It’s important that my irrigators learn from external experts, but it’s more important that they can relate to them. And that’s what Gerry was able to do,” van Horenbeeck added.

Regarding content and delivery, and referencing what he learned from the focus groups, Pitton wanted the trainings to be easy to understand and engaging. For example, scientists use the term “matric potential” to describe how soil particles hold water against gravity, which is the same as capillary rise. “We demonstrate this concept with a paper towel held vertically and dipped into a beaker of dyed water that it absorbs,” said Pitton.

Many of the irrigators in attendance agreed that hands-on activities and visual aids were instrumental to their learning. Charli, another irrigator at Burchell Nursery, shared that the in-field examples and hosting the training in Spanish kept them engaged. To address language barriers, Spinelli has been conducting trainings in Spanish – a common request from many nurseries with eager participants.

Maintaining state regulations and partnerships

Although the technical aspects of irrigation management are key elements of the training, regulatory compliance is also addressed. Recognizing the finite availability of water and the environmental impact of pollution, the advisors highlight irrigation and fertilizer management and runoff prevention as critical components of compliance.

Under Ag Order 4.0 administered by California’s Water Resources Control Board, growers must comply with stricter policies regulating nitrogen use. As irrigators learn from the training, better control of irrigation can certainly make a difference.

Deanna van Klaveren, chief operating officer and co-owner of Generation Growers in Stanislaus County, said the most valuable aspect of the training was learning on-site and completing an audit on her own systems. “It is so much more impactful to have trainings like this on-site where our staff can learn and then go out into the nursery and actually put it into practice while the presenters/experts are there,” van Klaveren said.

Pitton and Spinelli described the partnership between UC Cooperative Extension and CDFA as “symbiotic” given the technical and educational capacity of UCCE advisors who conduct research and extension.

“It’s a great example of how the two institutions can collaborate successfully. Californians are the ones who win because they get a service for free,” added Spinelli. “And it’s rewarding for us to see so much interest in what we, as advisors, do.”

If you are a nursery or greenhouse operator and would like to request the Irrigation Best Management Practices training, please contact the UCCE advisor assigned to the region that corresponds with your nursery location below.

Northern California

Jessie Godfrey, UCCE environmental horticulture and water resources management advisor, jmgodfrey@ucanr.edu

Central Coast (Santa Cruz County to Ventura County)

Emma Volk, UCCE production horticulture advisor, evolk@ucanr.edu

San Joaquin Valley

Chris Shogren, UCCE environmental horticulture advisor, cjshogren@ucanr.edu

Southern California

Grant Johnson, UCCE urban agriculture technology advisor, gejohnson@ucanr.edu

Spanish Trainings Only

Gerry Spinelli, UCCE production horticulture advisor, gspinelli@ucanr.edu

California Ag Today2024-09-03T13:18:48-07:00September 3rd, 2024|

AVIAN INFLUENZA CONFIRMED IN THREE CALIFORNIA DAIRY HERDS

Courtesy of CDFA News

Three Central Valley farms quarantined; no human cases detected; no threat to the milk or food supply

Cows at three California dairies located in the Central Valley have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

When herds began showing clinical signs consistent with HPAI on August 25, 2024, the dairy owners worked with their veterinarians and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to submit samples to the California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) laboratory network for preliminary determination. The samples were then submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL), where the test results were confirmed today.

No human cases of HPAI have been confirmed in California related to this incident. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is working in collaboration with CDFA and will work with local health departments to monitor any individuals who may be exposed to infected animals to ensure prompt clinical and public health interventions, and CDPH would provide official confirmation of any human cases associated with this incident.

“We have been preparing for this possibility since earlier this year when HPAI detections were confirmed at dairy farms in other states,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Our extensive experience with HPAI in poultry has given us ample preparation and expertise to address this incident, with workers’ health and public health as our top priorities. This is a tough time for our dairy farmers given the economic challenges they’re facing in a dynamic market, so I want to assure them that we are approaching this incident with the utmost urgency.”

According to CDPH and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this influenza virus is not considered a significant public health threat and the risk to humans is considered low. The primary concern is for dairy workers who come into close contact with infected dairy cows. As we have learned from recent cases in other states, these workers may be at risk of contracting avian influenza. Public health officials have experience working with agricultural partners and supporting farm workers working with infected poultry to prevent and monitor for infection. CDPH recommends that PPE (masks, gloves, caps, face shields, and safety goggles) be worn by farm workers and emergency responders when working with animals or materials that are infected or potentially infected with avian influenza.

Earlier this summer, CDPH supported a one-time distribution of protective equipment for dairy farm workers and others handling raw dairy products, as well as for slaughterhouse and commercial poultry farmworkers. CDPH will continue to support dairies with confirmed positive cases with PPE. Furthermore, affected farms can take advantage of a USDA grant that provides financial support for producers that supply PPE to employees. The CDC has confirmed four human cases of HPAI in dairy workers in other states since April 2024: one each in Texas and Colorado, and two in Michigan. CDFA is working with public health officials and dairy owners to inform and monitor workers at affected dairies in California, and to assist the dairies with education and resources to protect their workers, including providing PPE.

For CDC guidance for employees and employers, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/avianflu/protect-yourself-h5n1.pdf

California’s supply of milk and dairy foods is safe and has not been impacted by these events. As a precaution, and according to longstanding state and federal requirements, milk from sick cows is not permitted in the public milk supply. Also, pasteurization of milk is fully effective at inactivating the virus, so there is no cause for concern for consumers from milk or dairy products. Pasteurized milk and dairy items, as well as properly handled meat and eggs, continue to be safe to consume.

The affected dairies have been placed under quarantine on the authority of CDFA’s State Veterinarian, and enhanced biosecurity measures are in place. Sick cows are isolated and are being treated at the dairies; and healthy cows have been cleared to continue shipping milk for pasteurization.

Animal movement is being tracked and evaluated, as are other potential introduction pathways. Additional testing will be prioritized according to epidemiologic risk.

Background on HPAI in California

The HPAI virus has been detected in wild birds in the U.S. since 2022, with occasional transmission into domestic poultry or wild mammals in almost all states, including California. In March, 2024, the first US detection in cattle was confirmed in Texas, most likely due to a single spillover event from wild birds. Since that time, the USDA has linked new detections in cattle to the interstate and regional movement of infected or contaminated livestock, people and equipment.

CDFA has been engaged for years with an extensive network of private veterinarians, farmers and ranchers, backyard bird enthusiasts, and local, state and federal partners to actively monitor for this disease in livestock and poultry throughout California. The department has taken steps to reduce the risk of entry of infected dairy cattle into the state, has extensive experience responding quickly and effectively to past detections of HPAI in poultry, and is fully prepared to respond to detections in cattle.

Most infected livestock and dairy cattle fully recover from an HPAI infection within a few weeks

No California domestic poultry flocks are affected by the current incident. Avian influenza viruses continue to circulate normally among migratory and wild birds. Monitoring of both wild and domestic bird populations is performed on a continuous basis by multiple public agencies, as well as farmers and ranchers and private bird owners.

For the most up-to-date information regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in livestock in California, please visit CDFA – AHFSS – AHB – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 Virus in Livestock.

California Ag Today2024-09-03T08:24:45-07:00September 3rd, 2024|