Get Vaccinated to Have More Freedom

CDPH Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

This week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated its recommendations for individuals who are fully vaccinated. A few key points from this guidance are below.

Fully vaccinated people can do the following:

• Spend time with other fully vaccinated people, including indoors, without wearing masks or physical distancing (outside a workplace setting).
• Spend time with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Refrain from wearing face coverings outdoors except when attending crowded outdoor events, such as live performances, parades, fairs, festivals, sports events, or other similar settings.

Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic.
Following a known exposure at work, fully vaccinated
workers do not need to quarantine if asymptomatic.
In the workplace, employers subject to the Cal/OSHA
COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards
(ETS) must ensure that employees are following the
current ETS face covering and testing requirements.

Fully vaccinated people should continue to take precautions in public including wearing a well-fitted mask indoors, and when attending crowded outdoor events, as described above. Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. If fully vaccinated people test positive for SARS-CoV-2, they should follow CDPH and local health department guidelines regarding isolation and/or exclusion from high-risk settings. For workplace settings, employers should follow the exclusion provisions of the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards.

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated when it has been two weeks or more after they have received either their second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or their single-dose vaccine (J&J/Janssen).

As reported by Kahn, Soares & Conway (KSC), for workplace settings, employers should follow the exclusion provisions of the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards. The Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) applies to all employers, employees, and to all places of employment with three exceptions:

• Workplaces where there is only one employee who does not have contact with other people.
• Employees who are working from home.
• Employees who are covered by the Aerosol Transmissible Diseases regulation.

KSC as reported, in correspondence with this week’s CDPH recommendations, and per Executive Order N-84-2020, the Cal/OSHA ETS now stipulates that fully vaccinated individuals who have had a COVID-19 exposure and are asymptomatic no longer need to be excluded under the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards. More information is available in the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards FAQs.

California Ag Today2021-06-08T17:11:54-07:00May 23rd, 2021|

Potato Imports Can Enter Mexico

U.S. Potato Industry Celebrates Mexico’s Supreme Court Decision Overturning Decades-long Ban on Fresh U.S. Potato Imports

By Russell Nemetz with the Ag Information Network

The Mexican Supreme Court has ruled by a unanimous vote of five to zero in favor of overturning a 2017 lower court decision that prevented the Mexican federal government from implementing regulations to allow for the importation of fresh U.S. potatoes throughout the country. The ruling, cheered by the National Potato Council and Potatoes USA, marks the end of a decade-long legal process that began when Mexico’s potato industry sued its government to prevent competition from imports.

“This ruling is consistent with Mexico’s obligations under the USMCA and the WTO. It represents a major step forward in the U.S. potato industry’s efforts to provide consumers throughout Mexico access to fresh, healthy U.S.-grown potatoes,” said Jared Balcom, Vice President of Trade Affairs for the National Potato Council (NPC) and potato grower from Pasco, Wash. “After decades of delay, we hope this ruling represents a light at the end of the tunnel and that Mexican regulators will immediately begin working on regulations to allow for the importation of fresh U.S. potatoes throughout their country.”

“Mexican consumers and the chip manufacturers in Mexico have waited way too long to access fresh U.S. potatoes,” stated Jaren Raybould Chair of Potatoes USA and a potato grower in Saint Anthony, Idaho. “We are hopeful that with this ruling the authorities will quickly reimplement the market access agreement and allow for high-quality U.S. potatoes to be enjoyed throughout Mexico.”

Since it first allowed for the importation of fresh U.S. potatoes in 2003, Mexico has restricted those potatoes to a 26 kilometer-area along the U.S.-Mexico border. That restriction has violated Mexico’s obligations under numerous trade agreements, including NAFTA, WTO, and now the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The Mexican government finally agreed to allow U.S. potatoes full access to their market beginning in May 2014; however, immediately after that was implemented, the National Confederation of Potato Growers of Mexico (CONPAPA) sued its government, claiming Mexican regulators have no authority to determine if agricultural imports can enter the country.

The Supreme Court decision rejected CONPAPA’s arguments and affirms that the Mexican government does indeed have the authority to issue regulations about the importation of agricultural and food products, including fresh U.S. potatoes.

“Mexico offers a significant opportunity for U.S. potato growers,” stated John Toaspern, Chief Marketing Officer at Potatoes USA. “The trade-in fruits and vegetables between the U.S. and Mexico is hugely beneficial to growers and consumers in both countries. In fact, Mexican avocados were granted access to the U.S. at the same time as U.S. potatoes to Mexico in 2003. Since that time, the U.S. government has honored the agreement, and imports of Mexican avocados are now over $2 billion. The U.S. can supply a wide variety of fresh high-quality potatoes to Mexico, russets, reds, yellows, whites, fingerlings, and chipping potatoes year-round that are not currently produced there. Mexican retailers, foodservice operators, food manufactures and ultimately Mexican consumers will benefit from this wide array of high-quality potatoes available year-round.”

“This is a significant step that effectively ends the legal process that has blocked our access to the Mexican market,” said NPC CEO Kam Quarles. “This effort has spanned numerous administrations and sessions of Congress, but the U.S. position never wavered. We are thankful for everyone at USDA, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and Members of Congress who have worked for years to encourage Mexico to lift these protectionist restrictions. We now look forward to working with the Mexican government and its regulatory agencies in immediately reinstating the rules to allow for fresh U.S. potatoes to be shipped and the normalization of trade between our countries.”

U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) said, “The Mexican government agreed in 2014 to open trade to fresh U.S. potatoes, and it’s long past time our farmers are granted real market access. Today’s ruling comes as welcome news for Idaho potato growers. I’m proud to continue advocating for the Gem State’s ag producers so people across the world can enjoy our state’s most famous product.”

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said, “Today’s decision by the Mexican Supreme Court is a positive step forward. I will not, however, consider the matter finished until Idaho’s farmers are able to sell high-quality potatoes to every family in Mexico — as is their right under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Moreover, I remain concerned that Mexico is maintaining or enacting new restrictions on other U.S. agricultural products that lack any scientific justification. I will continue to work with USTR to ensure that Mexico upholds its commitments under the USMCA.

Mexico is the third-largest export market for U.S. potatoes and products valued at over $270 million in 2020. Despite the restriction to the 26-kilometer border region Mexico is the second-largest market for fresh potato exports accounting for 106,000 metric tons valued at $60 million in 2020. The U.S. potato industry estimates that access to the entire country for fresh U.S. potatoes will provide a market potential of $200 million per year, in five years.

California Ag Today2021-05-10T18:26:05-07:00May 10th, 2021|

Feds Rescind 5 Percent Allocation

5% Water Allocation Rescinded By Feds

By Patrick Cavanaugh, with the AgInformation Network

The original initial allocation of 5% water for Federal water users on the Westside of Fresno and Kings Counties has been rescinded. The Bureau of Reclamation has announced that the contract supply of 5% is not available until further notice, which could push tree nut growers into a zero-water supply for 2021.

“It sounds like we still have the 5%, but we don’t know when we’ll get it,” said Joe Del Bosque, who farms almonds in a Federal water district on the Westside.

“That doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed to get it. It just means that it’s not going to be available now,“ Del Bosque said.

Joe Del Bosque

“And it wasn’t like we didn’t have any rain or snow in California this year,” said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau. “Northern California is at 51% of average precipitation for the year statewide average snowpack levels are at 63% of average,” Jacobsen said

It’s, instead, just another example of a broken system.

“The unfortunate reality that our farmers here in Fresno County have to deal with now. It is truly a complex issue of what’s going on in the Delta. And it’s very unfortunate because we’re having the full ramifications of it,” Jacobsen said.

“Historically, going back over a decade ago, this would have been at least some kind of an allocation here, you know, it could have been as high as the 10 20, 30 percentile. However, because of the restrictions and our inability to get water in years like this year, it truly does reflect the broken system we have in the Delta,” noted Jacobsen.

California Ag Today2021-03-25T16:04:01-07:00March 25th, 2021|

American Dreamer and Workforce Modernization Act Passes

Congressman David G. Valadao Statement on the Passage of the American Dream and Promise Act, Farm Workforce Modernization Act

Recently, Congressman David G. Valadao released the following statement on the final passage of the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, both of which he voted in favor of:

“I am proud to protect our Dreamers. My Congressional District is home to more than 7,000 DACA recipients. These young people go to work, attend school, pay taxes, and are actively involved in our communities. We must ensure that people who were brought here as children through no fault their own, and call the United States home, are welcome here.

“As the son of immigrants and lifelong dairy farmer, I know firsthand how desperately our agriculture workforce needs meaningful reform. Many industries in the Central Valley rely heavily on immigrant labor. Our farm workers are absolutely critical to our collective mission of reliably feeding America, yet many live in fear due to an inability to gain legal status through our broken immigration system. Ensuring that our essential farmworkers already in the states receive legal status, while also simplifying and streamlining the process for future flow of workers, is just common sense, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor on this very important legislation.”

California Ag Today2021-03-23T16:52:53-07:00March 23rd, 2021|

CA Outlook 2021 Conference March 24-25

California Outlook 2021 Agribusiness Conference

March 24-25 | Zoom Webinar

On March 24-25, join the ASFMRA California Chapter for its Outlook 2021 Virtual Agribusiness Conference – “It’s All About California Agriculture.”

The special two-day event will highlight key topics related to agribusiness as well as commodity updates and new regional breakout sessions in a webinar format. In addition, all attendees will receive a PDF copy of the California Chapter’s 2021 Trends® in Agricultural Land & Lease Values report.

Among the topics to be covered are:

California Agriculture – Economic Overview
Irrigation Water Update
Grape Crush Report/Wine Grape Industry Update
Tree Nut Industry Update
Ag Land Trends® General Session
California Legislative Update
Berry Industry Update
Dairy Industry Update
Much More!

View the event flyer here, and use the button below to register! For questions regarding the event, contact the California Chapter office at (209) 368-3672, or via email.

California Ag Today2021-03-16T18:11:16-07:00March 16th, 2021|

Help Needed for Smoky Vineyards

Long Term Solutions for Smoke-Affected Vineyards

By Tim Hammerich, with the Ag Information Network

The fires of this past year have prompted many in the winegrape industry to rethink how they want to handle smoke-affected vineyards. Glenn Proctor is a partner at the Ciatti Company, which brokers wine and grapes based in Navato.

“We can’t afford to go through 2020 again. We need to be better organized in terms of how we do it. And everybody got bruised. I mean, it was a tough year just because of the unknowns and what it meant,” said Proctor. “So we are seeing things go in a place like analysis of baseline numbers. Because we really don’t know what kind of compounds are going to be in the grapes in a year when there are no fires. We haven’t measured that. So let’s say we see Guaiacol at some level when there’s a fire. Well, we really don’t have the numbers that say there was no fire this year, what is the level it’s naturally at? We just don’t have some of that data.”

Proctor says growers and wineries need to work together to come up with solutions that are both fair and equitable.

“The winner in this should not be who has the thickest contract or the biggest clause on smoke, whether grower or winery. I think we need to try to work together on this. Fires are probably going to happen again. Now, you know, for a while there in 2015, I’m like, Oh no, this is just a one in 20 year event. Sure doesn’t look like that’s the case. So I think we’re going to have to adjust expectations,” said Proctor

Proctor is hopeful that buyers and suppliers will find solutions that will maintain their interdependent working relationships.

California Ag Today2021-05-13T16:09:44-07:00March 8th, 2021|

Hemp in the Produce Department?

Hemp as a Leafy Green

By Tim Hammerich, with The Ag Information Network

You’ve probably heard of a wide variety of uses for hemp, but you may not have heard of this one. Researchers down in Yuma County Arizona are experimenting with hemp as a leafy green, similar to kale or spinach. Robert Masson with the Yuma County Cooperative Extension, says he sees real commercialization potential.

“We planted it just like how we would plant baby leaf spinach. So we had really high planting densities, 3 million seeds per acre. And that makes it grow up and etiolates it so that there’s a lot of tenderness in the leaves,” said Masson. “And, you know, we just wanted a similar comparison to spinach. Because we figured it would be something similar where you’d plant, sprinkler up, we definitely sprinkled it, and then flood irrigated it to complete. We planted it on big beds, 84-inch beds, just like we do baby leaf spinach.”

To be clear though, these are not the same varieties used to produce CBD or THC.

“We are specifically looking at the industrial grain and fiber varieties. So these are used to make rope and to make clothing and also to grow seeds. These are not varieties that produce high levels of cannabinoids. So these are no risks to the grower of going hot for THC,” noted Masson.

Masson says there are regulations in progress that could allow for state-by-state legalization of hemp for this purpose.

California Ag Today2021-02-25T18:02:44-08:00February 25th, 2021|

Dibble’s Law for Spraying–Go Slow

Go Slow for Best Spray Coverage

By Patrick Cavanaugh, with the Ag Information Network

It’s called Dibble’s Law and it’s named after Dr. Jack Dibble, a retired UC Berkeley and UC Kearney Agricultural and Extension Center Research Entomologist.

He has worked primarily in tree crops and a big part of his career was on spray techniques and he is well known for Dibble’s Law, which states the best spray coverage is when the driver goes less than two miles per hour down the row.

“We found out right from the outset and continued to prove this with growers and commercial spray applicator companies that speed of travel is very important,” said Dibble.

“The faster you go, the whippier the spray gets, and the spray that is released must be pushed up into the tree by the spray behind it,” said Dibble.

“If the driver is going too fast, there is no spray pushing the spray you just released. Therefore, you lose control of the spray project because you are not getting coverage in the centers at the top of the tree.”

“By going two miles per hour or less, the spray released will be pushed up into the tree by the spray behind it. It just pushes it up,” said Dibble.

“It’s hard for a grower to do that because it’s a dirty, wet job,” noted Dibble.

However, returning to the orchard for another spray is even more costly. Of course, lack of good coverage will lead to more pest damage before you get back at it.

Speaking of spraying, growers should assess the diseases present in their orchards and select materials carefully. Not all fungicides are equally effective against all diseases.

California Ag Today2021-05-13T16:17:03-07:00February 24th, 2021|

Pandemic Still Effecting Wineries

Ongoing Effects of the Pandemic on California Agriculture

By Tim Hammerich, with the Ag Information Network

Throughout the pandemic, we have regularly brought you stories of how various agricultural groups are faring during this difficult time. Here are a few more of those stories courtesy of the California Farm Bureau.

With tasting rooms closed due to the pandemic, many California wineries struggle to adapt. Some small wineries say their business has declined to “virtually zero.” Others have found success in online sales and tastings conducted via videoconference. Smaller wineries in particular tend to depend on tasting-room sales. Larger wineries that sold wine primarily through restaurants have suffered more than those that focus on retail sales.

Stress-related to the pandemic has affected the mental health of farmers and farm employees. A survey by the American Farm Bureau says two-thirds of farmers and employees reported mental-health effects since the pandemic began. Among rural adults more generally, more than half reported effects. Farm Bureau has advocated for improved mental health care in rural communities and offers resources on a website, farmstateofmind.org.

Efforts to grow the local-meat business in California have been hampered by a lack of processing facilities. A group of 16 ranchers in the Bay Area has tackled the problem by forming a cooperative. The Bay Area Ranchers Cooperative wants to raise enough money to purchase a mobile facility to process animals for local sale. The co-op president says demand for local meat has picked up during the pandemic, but there aren’t enough small meatpackers to serve that demand.

Souce: Califonria Farm Bureau

California Ag Today2021-01-19T16:24:57-08:00January 19th, 2021|

Effort to Stop Colony Collapse Disorder Underway

Scientists Developing Electronic Honeybee ‘Veterinarians’

By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside, Senior Public Information Officer

The University of California, Riverside, is leading a new effort to stop and reverse a worldwide decline in honeybees, which threatens food security and prices.

Honeybees pollinate more than 80 agricultural crops, which account for about a third of what we eat. Several factors, including pesticide exposure and the spread of parasites and environmental changes, are to blame for the widespread collapse of bee colonies over the past decade.

To boost dwindling honeybee populations, the University of California’s Office of the President has awarded $900,000 to a four-campus network of bee researchers and engineers.

“This will become one of the largest honeybee health networks in the country,” said Boris Baer, a professor of entomology at UC Riverside and principal investigator of the project. “I’m very excited about so many different kinds of bee expertise joining forces through this project.”

The network, which includes researchers from the Davis, San Diego and Merced campuses, is approaching the problem in three main ways.

The first is through breeding programs — a particular focus of Baer’s laboratory. “We seek to identify and breed bees that are better able to cope with environmental stress,” he said.

A second goal of the new network is to develop medications and treatments for sick bees. Certain types of honeybees generate molecules that make them more tolerant of pesticides and parasites. New technology will enable the scientists to isolate those molecules and use them as a basis for drugs.

Finally, the group is looking to give beekeepers tools to better monitor bees’ health. Small devices will be able to ‘listen’ and ‘smell’ inside hives to give beekeepers indications about the health of the hive.

“We know bee queens have a special pheromone they give off when they’re hungry or dying, and these can be traced,” Baer said. “We are essentially building ‘electronic veterinarians.’”

Preventative devices like these are key to keeping bees alive, because once the colony collapses, it’s too late to bring it back, Baer said.

California Ag Today2021-01-11T18:21:20-08:00January 11th, 2021|