When natural disasters strike, people in their path usually have a very short time to organize their priorities before they’re forced to evacuate. Too often, cherished pets and working animals are left behind to contend with the onrushing catastrophe. Understandably, people can be reluctant to leave without their animals.

To help manage those conflicts, the State of California has created the California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES), through the joint efforts of CDFA, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and their partner, the California Veterinary Medical Association. CARES is an operational guidance system to assist with all aspects of animal care and control in the event of a disaster or emergency.  In addition, CARES provides resources for the public, for animal businesses, for shelters, and for emergency planners. For example, the system may activate local fairgrounds as animal shelters during emergencies.

California is home to nearly 19 million domestic animals, including an estimated 6.7 million do.gs and 7.1 million cats. Approximately one out of every three households in California owns a dog or a cat. There are also reportedly more than 5.5 million cattle, 570,000 sheep, 141,000 goats, 670,000 horses, approximately 100,000 hogs, and millions of chickens. That’s a lot to protect, and the CARES partnership is an important link in making it happen.

The next segment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “Almond Futures.”

http://www.water.ca.gov/news/newsreleases/2013/121713.pdf

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has mobilized a new drought management effort to prepare for and reduce potential impacts of what is expected to be a third straight dry year in 2014.

DWR Director Mark Cowin said the department is focusing its personnel and programs “to offset potentially devastating impacts to citizen health, well-being and our economy.”

Cowin has appointed Bill Croyle to lead the effort as department drought manager. Croyle has 30 years of experience in water operations, including seven years as DWR’s flood operations chief and 23 years with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Jeanine Jones, DWR’s interstate resources manager, was appointed deputy drought manager. A 30-year DWR veteran, Jones has directed the department’s statewide planning program and worked on climate change adaptation programs.

Among DWR’s principal concerns is the plight of farmers who must operate with markedly less water than needed for crops. Especially vulnerable to dry conditions will be farmers –and the farm communities that depend on agricultural jobs — on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. DWR will also be watching for drinking water impacts in small rural communities whose fractured rock groundwater sources will be stressed by a third dry year.

Today, Tuesday, December 17, DWR is conducting an agricultural drought-preparedness
workshop for agriculture professionals at California State University, Fresno. The workshop is being held in Alice Peters Auditorium from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Topics include statewide water conditions and preparing for a dry 2014; State Water Project (SWP) supplies; ground water conditions; water transfers for 2014; pumping efficiency preparedness for drought conditions, and getting by with less water in orchards and vineyards.

In addition, at a January 7 meeting of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and DWR will be discussing additional actions by the state to address drought conditions and impacts.

Director Cowin noted that DWR is working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the
SWRCB to expedite transfers of water from areas with relative abundance to locations with
critical water needs.

“Voluntary water transfers will be key to DWR’s drought response, as they hold the potential to alleviate critical shortages,” Cowin said. “We are making arrangements to bring additional resources with expertise in water transfers to advise the Drought Management Team to assure that the 2014 water transfers approval process is administered efficiently.”

DWR has released a schedule and process for streamlining water transfers in 2014, as directed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s May 20 executive order. “We will continue to work with voluntary buyers, sellers, the State Water Resources Control Board and the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure an efficient process,” Cowin said.

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross complimented DWR on its efforts to respond quickly. “While 2014 water allocations are not finalized until spring, farmers and ranchers make key decisions in January and February,” said Secretary Ross. “By acting now to streamline water transfers and provide clarity, the administration is helping our agricultural communities prepare for the coming water year.”

Cowin last month announced an initial water allocation of only five percent of requested
deliveries to SWP contractors in 2014. The initial allocation is a conservative estimate of what DWR expects it can deliver as a percentage of the total amount requested by the public water agencies that contract for SWP deliveries. “We hope things improve with this winter’s storms,” Cowin said in making the initial allocation, “but there is no guarantee that 2014 won’t be our third consecutive dry year.”

Supplementing the water transfer program, DWR is working with the Bureau of Reclamation and the federal and state wildlife agencies to improve Delta operations next summer to enhance water delivery capability while meeting endangered species protections.

Cowin said DWR recognizes there will be regional impacts due to dry conditions next year. “It’s still early in the water year,” he said. “The January and February snow surveys will allow us to evaluate water conditions on a statewide basis. As we monitor water conditions, we will consider actions to be included in a potential governor’s drought proclamation.”

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With the holiday season now fully upon us, I’d like to take moment to suggest a gift you may not have considered – the California Agriculture License Plate. This is an excellent way to show support for California agriculture while participating in a program that actually gives back. A portion of Ag license plate fees provides funding for agricultural education programs that are crucial to our future.

These programs are important for several reasons. The disconnect between consumers and the farming community has grown over the decades as fewer and fewer people have been involved in production agriculture.  Fortunately, there is a renewed interest by consumers to know where their food comes from, how it is produced and who produced it.  This provides an opportunity to help people understand the unique advantages we enjoy because of the bountiful diversity California agriculture provides to this state, our nation and, increasingly, the world.  Agricultural education programs introduce our young people to the wide variety of exciting career opportunities available throughout the agricultural production system in addition to environmental stewardship, leadership skills, community service and making nutritious food choices.

Just last week, I had a fabulous visit to the FFA Chapter at Pioneer High School in Woodland.  The chapter is the state’s second largest (850 students) and continues to see dramatic growth.  The officers who escorted me around campus were smart, articulate, confident and enthusiastic! The hands-on learning and leadership development they are exposed to in addition to rigorous studies have already equipped these young people with life-long traits that any employer would value.  Because of students like these, I am very optimistic about our future and our ability to double food production to feed a fast-growing world population that is expected to number nine-billion people by 2050.

Our future is in good hands if we pay attention to our food production infrastructure.  It starts with Ag education programs like 4-H, FFA, Ag in the Classroom and many other worthy programs.

So, please, take a look at the agriculture specialty license plate for the holidays. You’ll help raise agricultural awareness and help us prepare future generations to enter an honorable profession.

California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has sent the following letter about the Farm Bill to Congressional leadership in Washington D.C.

CDFA’s Report a Pest mobile app–available on iPhone and Droid operating systems–has been nominated by the web site govfresh as the Civic App of the Year. Please help us win by casting a vote for us!