With all eyes watching the nation’s capital, Sacramento has been slow to respond to a new study showing farmers have seen a roughly 1,400% rise in regulatory costs over the last two decades.
The state water board issued a statement to Agri-Pulse on Wednesday stressing the importance of managing harmful agricultural runoff. The study listed fees and monitoring requirements under the board’s irrigated lands program as some of the many cost drivers.
Just looking at fees and costs “misses the important context of what has been achieved” through a close partnership with the ag sector, according to a board spokesperson. That success includes mitigating “the very real negative impacts on the environment and communities” over the last 20 years.
The agency pointed to a project to streamline food safety and water quality reporting requirements, in partnership with CDFA and CalEPA. It focuses on irrigated lands as well as the board’s winery order.
Thousands of protestors on Wednesday demonstrated in opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies in cities across the country, including outside the California Capitol. (photo: Chloe Lovejoy)
New bill on composting as an alternative to open burning
Sen. Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton has introduced a bill to permit on-farm composting for large quantities of ag waste.
McNerney said SB 279 would help address the state’s ban on open ag burning. The bill has environmental and ag support, from The Climate Center, the Western Tree Nut Association and the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
CAWG director of government relations Michael Miiller warned the industry must remove tens of thousands of acres this year to rebalance the supply.
Keep in mind: In December CDFA environmental scientist Dana Yount told Agri-Pulse farmers are still struggling to comply with the burn ban, given the lack of affordable alternatives. Transportation costs have long restricted farmers from composting such material.
On that note: Asm. Diane Papan of San Mateo has filed a measure to allow on-farm composting of livestock if certain conditions are met.
HPAI genotype detected in dairy cattle for first time
A genotype of highly pathogenic avian influenza previously identified in wild birds has been found for the first time in dairy cattle, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.
Genotype D1.1, which the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says has been the predominant genotype of the virus in North American flyways this past fall and winter, was confirmed in a herd of Nevada dairy cattle last Friday.
Read our full report at Agri-Pulse.com.
Farmers warn senators policy uncertainty weighing on U.S. ag economy
Farm groups warned senators Wednesday that the industry is facing an increasingly uncertain policy environment – with trade, immigration, tax policy and funding questions weighing on U.S. farmers – adding to the many long-running economic challenges.
“Recent executive actions are creating concern for farmers and communities,” President of the National Farmers Union Rob Larew told the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Among the top drivers of new uncertainty, farmers warned, is uncertainty around U.S. trade policy. President Donald Trump has threatened Mexico, Canada, the European Union, Colombia, and BRICS nations with new tariffs, at various times, and has actually implemented a new 10% duty on China. Canada and China have already outlined plans to retaliate against U.S. agriculture exports, and Mexico has vowed retaliation would follow.
Read our full report at Agri-Pulse.com.
Senators to grill Trump’s USTR pick on tariffs
President Donald Trump’s nominee to helm the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will appear before the Senate Finance Committee today in what promises to be a tariff-heavy hearing.
International trade attorney Jamieson Greer’s nomination comes the same week new tariffs on China went into effect and Trump walked back duties on goods from Mexico and Canada hours before they were set to begin. Greer has been an outspoken advocate of tariffs. During the first Trump administration, he served as chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s trade policy architect.
“Greer and Trump are a like mind on tariffs,” Senate Finance ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told reporters on a call this week. “So, there's a big challenge coming up,” he added, telling reporters to expect more “tariff chaos.”
Take note: Greer has previously advocated for the U.S. pursuing new sectoral trade deals with partners to secure additional market access in specific industries. He has also suggested that the U.S. should annually consider whether to keep normal trade relations with China.
With USAID to be shuttered Friday, protesters flood Capitol Hill
The U.S. Agency for International Development will be shuttered Friday when nearly all employees around the world will be placed on leave. Those stationed overseas will have 30 days to return to the United States.
The only exceptions will be “designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs,” according to the USAID.gov website.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Senate Park Wednesday to voice their opposition to the decision, yelling chants of “U-S-A-I-D” and “Let them work,” among others.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., stepped away from the Senate Ag Committee hearing to address the crowd.
By the way: Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran has raised concern about the amount of food aid left in limbo with the shutdown of USAID. Asked whether he would support folding the agency into the Department of State he said, “I think that requires hearing and legislative debate to determine what the right answer is. I think there’s problems at USAID [that] need to be addressed. But this is an agency that Congress needs to be involved in making a decision on what it should look like.”
Final word:
“Jamie Johansson is a farmer who knows what it means to work hard, get his boots dirty and get the job done.” — Blain Moffitt, president of the Butte County Farm Bureau, which endorsed Johansson this week in his run for Assembly.
