State’s first-ever wastewater administrator appointee will oversee East Orosi sewer system

Exercising new authorities under a 2024 law to protect public health and ensure access to sanitation in disadvantaged communities, the State Water Resources Control Board today appointed an administrator to provide safe and reliable wastewater services to the Central Valley community of East Orosi.

The appointment of the Tulare County Resource Management Agency to manage East Orosi’s sewer system was facilitated by Assembly Bill 805, which allows the State Water Board to require failing sewer systems that serve disadvantaged communities to contract with an approved administrator. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the landmark bill last September while visiting East Orosi with Board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel, AB 805 author Assemblyman Dr. Joaquin Arambula and community partners. The board will be responsible for eligible costs associated with the county’s administrator services.

“This appointment is another milestone in the board’s ongoing efforts to ensure that all residents, particularly in underserved rural areas, have access to clean, safe, and affordable water for drinking, cooking and sanitation,” said Esquivel. “Administrator appointment authority has been a critical tool to help us secure safe drinking water for communities, and now it can serve to broaden access to wastewater services as well.”

For nearly a decade, a poorly managed sewer system has exposed residents of the disadvantaged Tulare County community to a variety of challenges, including raw sewage leaks, maintenance backlogs, plumbing issues and billing discrepancies. The administrator will take over management of East Orosi’s system, using their technical expertise and financial support from the board to restore basic sanitation services to approximately 100 low-income households. In addition, a separate technical assistance provider will conduct an engineering study of the system and provide recommendations for system improvements.

“Tulare County applauds the board’s leadership in working to cure the longstanding problems in East Orosi,” said Tulare County Supervisor Eddie Valero. “Tulare County stands ready to remedy obstacles, provide transparent management of the sewer system and work towards a long-term solution for the community.”

Following the enactment of AB 805, the board moved quickly to update its policies to facilitate the sewer system administrator process, hold public comment periods and meetings with East Orosi residents and approve nearly $390,000 to Tulare County for the administrator services. The county was selected through a solicitation process that requires it to ensure the sewer system comes into compliance with applicable sewer and wastewater regulations sustainably into the future. Since 2022, the county has served as the administrator of East Orosi’s drinking water system.

Failing and outdated sanitation systems can threaten access to drinking water supplies or cause harmful algal blooms and other environmental harm. The board is conducting a nation-leading effort to evaluate the conditions of the state’s estimated 100,000 miles of sewer lines and more than 900 wastewater treatment plants. The ongoing assessment aims to identify financial gaps and permanent funding solutions to assist more communities suffering from inadequate sewer systems like East Orosi.

Find more information at the Sewer System Administrators: Community and Program Information | California State Water Resources Control Board page.

Fifty-four students demonstrating academic performance and community involvement will each receive a scholarship to help fund their higher education goals through Hilmar Cheese Company’s annual scholarship program. This program, which has existed since 2003, is one of the many ways Hilmar Cheese helps achieve its company purpose to improve lives together.

The scholarship program awarded $40,000 in four categories – children of employees, children of the dairy farm families who ship milk to Hilmar Cheese, part-time Visitor Center staff and students pursing an agricultural undergraduate degree in the communities where the company operates.

Fifteen children of employees of Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc., three part-time Hilmar Cheese Visitor Center staff, and eight children of the dairy farm families who ship milk to Hilmar received scholarships. A second additional scholarship was awarded to one part-time visitor center employee, three employee children and one child of a dairy family who ships milk to Hilmar.

“I am pursing a degree in Child Development at CSU Stanislaus,” explained Jordyn Hill part-time visitor center employee. “I feel fortunate to work in the visitor center and the scholarship helps pay for classes.”

An additional thirty-eight students pursuing an agricultural major living in the counties where the company is located also received scholarships. This last category is for students not affiliated with the company; but dedicated to the agricultural industry and living in Merced or Stanislaus counties in California or Dallam or Hartley counties in Texas and Ford County in Kansas.

The Hilmar Cheese Company scholarship program reflects the company’s ongoing support of higher education and its commitment to employees, dairy farm families, the California, Texas and Kansas agricultural industries and the communities where Hilmar operates.

Qualifying students are encouraged to apply November 1 through February 1, 2026. For more information about Hilmar Cheese Company’s scholarship program, visit the About Us Overview section of www.hilmar.com.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 California Leopold Conservation Award®.

The award honors farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In California the $10,000 award is presented with Sustainable Conservation and California Farm Bureau Federation.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others to consider conservation opportunities on their land. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold advocated for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

Award nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may apply themselves. The application can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.

The application deadline date is July 18, 2025. Nominations must be emailed to CaliforniaLCA@sandcountyfoundation.org.

Nominations are reviewed by an independent panel of California agricultural and conservation leaders. Last year’s recipient was Bowles Farming Company of Los Banos. To view profiles of all past recipients, click here.

The 2025 California Leopold Conservation Award will be presented at the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting in December.

“Healthy working land benefits the water that flows through it, the food that grows out of it, and the people that depend on it,” said Ashley Boren, CEO of Sustainable Conservation, award co-sponsor since its California launch more than a decade ago. “California’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters are at the heart of our efforts to build climate resilience while nourishing communities across the nation. The Leopold Conservation Award recognizes the stewardship of these land managers who are helping pursue a future where thriving ecosystems and sustainable agriculture go hand in hand.”

“The Leopold Conservation Award provides outstanding recognition of farmers and ranchers who take steps every day to realize significant gains in managing their farms in a sustainable and profitable manner,” said Shannon Douglass, California Farm Bureau Federation President. “The awarded families are great examples of the generational appreciation farmers and ranchers have for their land. The stewardship they employ at their farms and ranches is reflective of California farmers’ and ranchers’ commitment to the environment.”

“Leopold Conservation Award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO. “Their dedication to conservation is both an inspiration to their peers as well as a reminder to all how important thoughtful agriculture is to clean water, healthy soil, and wildlife habitat.”

“As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work and dedication of the award recipients,” said John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “At AFT we believe that exemplary conservation involves the land itself, the practices employed on the land, and the people who steward it. This award recognizes the integral role of all three.”

The Leopold Conservation Award in California is made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, Sustainable Conservation, California Farm Bureau Federation, Sand County Foundation, The Harvey L. & Maud C. Sorensen Foundation, Farm Credit, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and California Leopold Conservation Award recipient alumni.

For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

Bowles Farming Company of Los Banos is the 2024 California Leopold Conservation Award® recipient.

The $10,000 award honors farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land.

Cannon Michael, Bowles Farming Company President, was presented with the award during the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting on December 9.

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In California, the award is presented with Sustainable Conservation and the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others to consider conservation opportunities on their land. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold advocated for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

Earlier this year, California landowners were encouraged to apply, or be nominated, for the award. Nominations were reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders from California.

ABOUT BOWLES FARMING COMPANY

With more than 160 years of farming the same land, the importance of responsible agriculture is not lost on the Bowles and Lawrence families. Trends come and go, but sustainability and resilience have defined this family business for generations.

Bowles Farming Company’s roots trace back to when Henry Miller began farming in the San Joaquin Valley in 1858. Miller is also credited with establishing his ancestors’ commitment to conservation.

When Miller noticed that Tule elk were being erased from the landscape by hunters, he made an investment to protect the species. At a time when conservation wasn’t top of mind, Miller had horsemen round up the last remaining Tule elk and relocate them to a protected area. From these few dozen individuals, Tule elk now inhabit various areas within their historical range in California.

Miller’s ancestor, Cannon Michael, carries on that legacy by providing leadership on habitat protection, water conservation, soil health, sustainable farming, and sound farm and environmental policy as president of Bowles Farming Company. Michael leads the business that his grandfather formed with two siblings in 1965 with curiosity, open-mindedness, and genuine concern for the well-being of people and the planet.

Across the 11,200 acres under his management, Michael has embraced innovative conservation practices including cover crops and precision technology to optimize water and nutrient management. Bowles Farming Company participates in rigorous certification programs for its crops of tomatoes, corn, herbs, garlic, wheat, alfalfa, melons, carrots, almonds, and cotton.

With farmland adjacent to the San Joaquin River, key riparian corridors have been restored and 650 acres of wetlands dedicated in a federal easement provide critical habitat for migratory birds. Michael’s concern for California’s water resources stretches beyond his farm gate.

Michael is described as a natural convenor among farm, NGO, and water-user communities, who seeks lasting policy solutions. He regularly hosts large group dinners at his farm for agricultural and conservation leaders to build trust and identify areas of common ground on challenging water and land issues. As a member of the Environmental Defense Fund’s Ecosystem Committee, he helped shape its approach to water policy, climate-smart farming, and Endangered Species Act implementation.

Bowles Farming Company boasts a growing list of collaborations with state, federal, and NGO partners. With assistance from Pollinator Partnership, it established a 1.5-mile hedgerow around the perimeter of its managed wetlands. Michael credits Audubon Society biologists with helping him see how cropland can be managed to provide better bird habitat. In addition to conducting bird surveys, he invested time and resources into protecting raptors by trapping pests in crop fields instead of using poison to control them.

Michael’s openness to innovation led him to be an early adopter of installing solar arrays on his farm and utilizing composted green waste from nearby municipalities. The diversion of organic, green waste from landfills reduces methane emissions, which helps California meet its climate change goals.

Michael’s appreciation for the environmental benefits of native plants led to the creation of Great Valley Seed which uses his farming expertise to scale up the production of cost-effective native plants. It’s that sort of resilience that has always served as this farm’s cornerstone. 

This Merced County landscape has witnessed a lot of changes over the past 165 growing seasons. Under the conservation-minded leadership of Cannon Michael, the Bowles Farming Company has found a way to a way to innovate, adapt, and thrive.

ACCOLADES

“We are honored to recognize the extraordinary efforts of California farmers and ranchers who go above and beyond in their stewardship of natural resources,” said Shannon Douglass, California Farm Bureau Federation President. “Bowles Farming Company has championed sustainable farming, habitat protection and so much more for decades. Their pioneering and innovative spirit demonstrates the ability of California farmers and ranchers to find solutions for environmental issues while continuing to grow crops to feed and clothe the world.”

“Bowles Farming Company exemplifies what a large operation can do to care for and better the land they manage,” said Ashley Boren, Sustainable Conservation CEO, which has co-sponsored the award since its launch in California in 2006. “Their attention to on-farm practices, community leadership, and partnership on statewide resource issues make an important difference for wildlife and people who rely on nutritious food, clean water, and green space to thrive.”

“These award recipients are examples of how Aldo Leopold’s land ethic is alive and well today,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and CEO. “Their dedication to conservation is both an inspiration to their peers as well as a reminder to all how important thoughtful agriculture is to clean water, healthy soil, and wildlife habitat.”

“As the national sponsor for Sand County Foundation’s Leopold Conservation Award, American Farmland Trust celebrates the hard work and dedication of the award recipients,” said John Piotti, AFT President and CEO. “At AFT we believe that exemplary conservation involves the land itself, the practices employed on the land, and the people who steward it. This award recognizes the integral role of all three.”

Among the many outstanding California landowners nominated for the award were finalists: Hat Creek Grown of Hat Creek in Shasta County, and Stemple Creek Ranch of Tomales in Marin County.

The California Leopold Conservation Award is made possible thanks to generous contributions from American Farmland Trust, Sustainable Conservation, California Farm Bureau Federation, Sand County Foundation, The Harvey L. & Maud C. Sorenson Foundation, Farm Credit, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of California, McDonald’s, and California Leopold Conservation Award alumni.

To view all past recipients of the California Leopold Conservation Award, visit: https://sandcountyfoundation.org/our-work/leopold-conservation-award/state/california

This evening, FCFB announced the winners of its 30th annual Journalism Awards.

 Serving as judges this year were: California Fresh Fruit Association Director of Government and Public Policy Adam Borchard; public relations specialist Tanya Osegueda; and FCFB President Mark Thompson. 

 Award winners received the coveted FCFB Tractor Trophy, which was generously donated by Fresno Equipment Company.

 The criteria for the awards were: thorough and objective coverage of issues, given time and space limitations; educational element for the agriculture industry or the consumer; and portraying the personal stories of those who make up the food and agriculture industry, making issues relevant to consumers and Valley residents.

 Dozens of entries were received. First place in each of the categories are:

 Audio

Patrick Cavanaugh, Ag Information Network, “Hurricane Hillary Devastates Central Valley Table Grapes,” September 2023

Farm Trade Print

Todd Fitchette, Western Farm Press, “California Tree Nuts Under Attack By New Beetle,” October 2023  

General Print

Edward Smith, GV Wire, “Bipartisan Effort from Congress Wants to Lower Tariffs. What Does it Mean for California Ag?” February 2024

Video

Kassandra Gutierrez and Richard Harmelink, ABC30, “Heat Wave Impacts on Ag and How Employers are Protecting Employees,” July 2023

FCFB thanks all the journalists who submitted entries this year and congratulates the awardees.

Courtesy of Center for Land-Based Learning

Apprentices explore sustainable ag on a large scale at River Garden Farms

Our Apprenticeship Program took a field trip to River Garden Farms in Knights Landing. Apprentice Javier Cervantes is working there and developing his skills in order to become a farm manager. Javier and his mentor Dominic Bruno led the other apprentices in a fun day exploring and learning about the historic 10,000+ acre operation.

Farm tours are a great opportunity for apprentices to learn from each other and gain exposure to different scales and practices in agriculture. Our favorite quote of the day: “I didn’t realize large-scale farmers faced the same challenges as small-scale farmers, just on a different level!”

Together they learned about the technical aspects and challenges of growing fresh market melons, rice, alfalfa, sunflowers, seed onions and more. River Garden Farms is a leader in sustainable farming innovation, including pollinator habitat that was planted by students in our SLEWS Program in 2020-21.

Thank you RD 108 for supporting our SLEWS Program with a new truck! 

We are so grateful to the landowners and board of Reclamation District No. 108 for supporting our SLEWS Program! RD 108 is located along the western edge of the Sacramento River and delivers water to nearly 48,000 acres of farmland within Colusa and Yolo counties.

Our SLEWS Program has led restoration projects on many farms within the district, including River Garden Farms. So when our friends at RD 108 heard we were desperately seeking a reliable truck to help us haul the equipment we need, they came to the rescue. General Manager Lewis Bair explains why: “We really support what you guys do to educate people, and especially youth, about resource management.”

A bumper crop at Riverfront Farm

Riverfront Farm is CLBL’s own urban farm in West Sacramento’s Bridge District, and last week, our staff and volunteers there harvested a bounty of fresh veggies. Our Mobile Farmers Market Truck takes that fresh, hyper-local, affordable produce to West Sacramento neighborhoods and supports a healthy and more equitable food system.

Now Hiring: California Farm Academy Outreach Coordinator

Join our team and make an impact! We are seeking an Outreach Coordinator to lead outreach and recruitment for the California Farm Academy (CFA) programs. You’ll help us in our efforts to serve aspiring farmers with training and land access, demonstrate climate beneficial practices, and provide fresh food access in underserved urban areas.

Speakers Series will be back in August

Our monthly Speaker Series event is taking a summer break for the month of July. We hope to see you next month when our special guest will be Angela Laws of the Xerces Society. We have partnered with Xerces to plant habitat for beneficial insects here at our HQ. Angela will discuss how your farm or garden can support pollinators too.

Save the date!

Wednesday, August 16th • 4:30-7:30 pm

Angela Laws • Xerces Society

Woodfired Pizza • Networking • Inspiration