Secretary Ross: “It was a very good visit about opportunities to cooperate and also to learn from one another. The discussion included the possibilities of future partnerships that would allow California to be a supporting team member on Algeria’s exciting development agenda to ensure food security – it was a lively discussion.”
The California Energy Commission has released a grant funding opportunity for eligible renewable energy projects installed on agricultural operations. Awarded grants can range from $25,000 to $350,000. Applications will be accepted until March 5, 2019, at 5:00 p.m.
The application for the program formally known as the Renewable Energy for Agriculture Program (REAP) may be accessed at https://www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/renewables.html#GFO-18-401. The application materials include information about upcoming workshops being held in Sacramento, Fresno, and Imperial, CA. The first one is scheduled for January 24th in Sacramento.
Additional information for REAP can be found at https://www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/reap/.
By Todd R. Hansen
Note – CDFA’s Division of Measurement Standards works closely with county sealers of weights and measures who, under the supervision and direction of the CDFA secretary, carry out the vast majority of weights and measures enforcement activities at the local level. Ensuring fair competition for industry and accurate value comparison for consumers are the primary functions of the county/state programs.
In the fall of 2014, the Solano County division of Weights and Measures received an unusual request from an area farming family interested in a Guinness Book of World Records legacy.
“The big corn maze (Cool Patch Pumpkins) . . . wanted to go for a Guinness record for the size of the corn maze,” said Doug Echelberger, the deputy sealer of Weights and Measures for Solano County. “So we went up there and measured the size of the field and certified the acreage.”
The maze, officially Oct. 3, 2014, was certified as 242,811 square meters – or about 60 acres – and remains the largest temporary maze on record.
Echelberger said very little of what he and his staff do on a regular basis is even remotely as unusual as that task, but there is little that they do that does not have a direct or indirect impact on the daily lives of Solano County residents.
“Most people don’t even know Weights and Measures exists, and most Americans believe when they buy a gallon of gas they get a gallon of gas, and if they buy a pound of meat, they get a pound of meat,” Echelberger said.
And in general terms, consumers do get what they pay for in large part because of what Echelberger and his staff do.
“I have about 700 businesses I visit each year,” Echelberger said.
“And I would say the biggest part of that is the gas pumps. We have 4,000 of them,” he said, adding there are 17,413 devices the staff checks – most of them annually.
And each device must be sealed as “correct,” which not only includes the accuracy of the device, but that it also meets all other design standards for that device.
The division of Weights and Measures falls under the umbrella of the Agriculture Commissioner’s Office, though its ag-related work represents between 25 percent and 40 percent of what they do any given year. And his staff is shared with the ag commissioner’s side.
“The way it works is everyone is shared, so in Weights and Measures, I have five (staff members) and I get them two to three days a week,”Echelberger said.
The division has a $679,000 budget.
One ag-related job the office not long ago completed was the certification of the truck scales at the new Caymus bottling facility, not far from the ag commissioner’s Cordelia Road office.
Most of the work is in retail and wholesale.
They measure weight, volume, mass, length, speed, quantity, distance and mileage, as well as watt hours.
A bigger share of time and effort is focused on vehicle fuels with the advent of electrical and hydrogen vehicles, and what is expected to be a boon in compressed gas engines to replace diesel engines – particularly in the trucking industry.
There are 39 hydrogen stations in the state, with directives to reach 200 in the next decade.
Gasoline and other vehicle lubricants, by the way, are the only products in which Weights and Measures are also concerned with quality testing. That is because of a 1931 law, so the state laboratories are charged with making sure the octane levels and other promised properties are as designed.
It is just one of a host of labs at the state office, located in a remote area of Sacramento.
It includes an environmentally controlled precision weighing rooms, scales which are so sensitive they can pick up earthquakes from as far away as Alaska and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
The temperature in the rooms are regulated because the air above the scale can affect the balance. One scale is designed to handle objects of 1 gram or lighter.
Of course, the division also checks scales that measure in tons.
Also in the precision room are the state’s kilogram weights, from which all other weights derive. They in turn were measured against the national kilograms located at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The institute is under the control of the Department of Commerce.
The national kilograms were, in turn, measured against those kept in Paris, France, point zero in the weights and measures industry.
Solano County must take all of its testing equipment, except those two or three devices that cannot move, to the state to be re-certified every four years.
An 1836 quote by President John Q. Adams hangs on the wall at the state Division of Weights and Measures, expounding the need for a standardized system of weights and measures.
More than four decades earlier, President George Washington had called for a uniform system of currency and weights and measures, referring to it as an “object of great importance.”
But it was not until President Andrew Johnson signed the Metric Act of 1866 that a national standard was officially adopted in the U.S. It is a system that has been at the center of American commerce ever since.
“It really is a fundamental infrastructure in civilization,” Tony Gruneisen, a state meteorologist with the Division of Weights and Measures, said prior to a tour of the laboratories.
And the responsibilities must evolve with the times.
When on-demand transportation services, such as Uber, came on the scene a decade or so ago, traditional taxi firms turned to the state Division of Weights and Measures with a significant concern.
After all, taxi meters were periodically subject to inspection – so how were these in-the-cloud, app-based companies going to be regulated?
Kristin Macey, director of the state Division of Measurement Standards, admits it created a new set of problems for an agency that had been calibrating mechanical and scaled systems for a century or more.
In the end, it would take legal threats and an actual lawsuit for the state to gain access to the proprietary information necessary to make sure customers of the services were being protected.
“It was a very interesting time. But in the end, we did access the (technology) . . . which are as accurate as the taxi cab meters,” Macey said.
Echelberger said his office does get consumer complaints that are investigated. The goal is to work with the parties involved to correct any violations that are found.
If that cooperation does not come, the division does have the regulatory muscle to force resolution, and outside whatever fines may be included, the business cost can be significant.
“And most of the violations I do are from gas stations. We have a number of small independents that can be lax and we need to get their attention,” Echelberger said.
But Weights and Measures does not only protect the consumer; it also protects business as well. Faulty scales, after all, can work against the companies, which may be providing more goods than those for which the companies are being paid.
A recent investigation at the state level saved a company hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, because their scales were faulty.
California governor Gavin Newsom submitted his 2019-20 “California for All” budget proposal to the Legislature today – a fiscal blueprint that builds a strong financial foundation by investing an unprecedented $13.6 billion in budget resiliency and paying down unfunded pension liabilities
The total proposed state budget is $209 billion. For CDFA, the budget would be $565.9 million. Here are the highlights:
Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Resources – This proposal requests $2.5 million and 65 positions to build a dedicated Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division within CDFA to enhance Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) detection, suppression, and eradication activities throughout the state. HLB is the most devastating of all citrus diseases. A dedicated Citrus Division will allow CDFA to better handle the sudden and unexpected increase in HLB detections in 2017 and 2018, and the establishment of ACP in citrus growing regions. This will help preserve California’s $3.4 billion citrus industry and protect California’s economy.
Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation – A request for $18 million for the implementation of conservation management techniques to improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on California’s farmlands and ranchlands through CDFA’s Healthy Soils grant program.
Also, $25 million is proposed for for the reduction of methane through CDFA’s Dairy Digester and Alternative Manure Management grant programs.
Both of these items would be funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Biodiversity Initiative –This proposal requests $4.22 million and eight positions to initiate planning and coordination of the workload associated with the “California Biodiversity Initiative – a Road Map for Protecting the State’s Natural Heritage.” This proposal also requests funding to restart CDFA’s noxious weed management program.
The goals of this proposal include establishing the California Biodiversity Initiative working group to be co-chaired by the Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture; accelerating and streamlining prevention,detection, and management of invasive species and pests; expanding seed and germplasm banking as a hedge against permanent loss of native plant biodiversity; and establishing a soil carbon map of California.
Industrial Hemp –A request for six positions for development, enforcement, and administration of the Industrial Hemp Program. CDFA anticipates registrations to begin in Spring 2019 with approximately 300 registrants and enforcement activities in all 58 counties in the first year, and 1,000 registrations by FY 2020-21.
Turlock Animal Health and Food Safety Lab – This proposes $3.946 million for the Performance Criteria Phase of the design-build project to build a new full-service California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS) facility in the northern San Joaquin Valley to replace the existing, obsolete CAHFS Turlock laboratory. The new work site will be multifunctional, serving as a regional incident command post for emergency animal disease and food safety outbreaks, directly benefiting animal agriculture through rapid detection and disease eradication response.
CDFA’s major revenue sources (in millions):
| Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Agriculture Fund (AF) | 179.4 |
| Federal Fund | 107.7 |
| General Fund (GF) | 116.2 |
| Cannabis Control Fund | 43.7 |
| Reimbursements | 37.5 |
| CA Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access Fund | 8.1 |
| Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund | 43 |
| Other Funds[1] | 26.4 |
| General Fund, Capital Outlay | 3.9 |
[1] Other funds include: Motor Vehicle Account, California Agricultural Export Promotion Account, Fair and Exposition Account, Drainage Management Subaccount, Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund, Pierces Disease Management Account, Antiterrorism Fund, Specialized License Plate Fund, Cost of Implementation Account, and Prevention of Animal Homelessness and Cruelty Fund.
News release from the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom:
Karen Ross of Sacramento has been reappointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the state cabinet-level department established in 1919 to promote and protect a safe, healthy food supply, local and global agricultural trade, and environmental stewardship.
Ross successfully served as CDFA Secretary under Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. for 8 years. She has unmatched leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally, and here in California.
Prior to joining CDFA, Ross was chief of staff to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a position she accepted in 2009. Prior to that appointment, she served as President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers from 1996 to 2009,and as Vice-President of the Agricultural Council of California from 1989 to 1996.
Before moving to California, Secretary Ross served as Director of Government Relations for the Nebraska Rural Electric Association and as Field Representative for U.S.Senator Edward Zorinsky. Ross grew up as a 4-H kid on a farm in Western Nebraska. She and her husband, Barry, own 800 acres of the family farm where her younger brother, a fourth-generation farmer, grows dryland wheat, feed grains, and cattle. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a graduate of the Nebraska Ag Leadership Program. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $209,943. Ross is a Democrat.
Secretary Ross: “I am humbled and honored to be able to serve our new governor, Gavin Newsom, and work with the great team he is putting together. And I am thrilled to be able to continue to serve California agriculture and work with the outstanding employees at the California Department of Food and Agriculture.”
From Morning Ag Clips
Pollination Network, a mobile app that helps local farmers and growers find bees and beekeepers, launched this week in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app helps beekeepers to find jobs with nearby growers, and it allows growers to post public listings and hire beekeepers within the app.
“It’s become more and more difficult for growers to find bees over the years,” said Brandon Bouye, owner and founder of the app. “But it’s been just as hard for beekeepers to keep their hives growing and their businesses afloat. We wanted to change that.”
When beekeepers download the app, they will have access to a map featuring job listings from growers across the country who need bees. They can filter by location, expected price rate, and quality of bees, and apply for jobs straight from the app.
Growers will be able to post listings from their smartphones, customizing each job listing to their specific needs. Then, employees at the Pollination Network headquarters will manage the listings and notify growers when a suitable beekeeper is found.
“Strengthening the grower-beekeeper relationship doesn’t just improve a tiny corner of the economy,” Bouye said. “It protects the environment, and it puts food on the table for people across the country.”
The Pollination Network app can be downloaded for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more detailed information, visit https://www.pollinationnetwork.com/.
Steve Edwards hadn’t been back to Paradise since the Camp Fire destroyed much of the town and surrounding areas in November, including his home. When he returned to see the aftermath earlier this week, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
“I was devastated. Once I saw everything I just broke down into tears,” Edwards said.
Immediately after the fire, Edwards said, he had no plans to move back to the area effected by the wildfire that killed 86 people and claimed more than 153,000 acres of land. But that changed after he had returned for the first time recently.
“I wasn’t planning on moving back, but now that I’ve seen it, I’ve realized it’s my home,” said Edwards, who grew up in a military family before joining the service himself. “That was my first real home having moved around so much in my younger years. Even if I don’t end up rebuilding, I’ll still be up there helping others rebuild.”
For the time being, Edwards is living in a trailer at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. His temporary residence is located at the tip of an eastern lot at the site, amongst 39 other trailers either occupied by displaced Camp Fire victims or soon to be occupied.
Edwards signed up to live in the trailer on Nov. 21 through a program offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that supplies temporary housing to victims of a natural disaster. Wednesday was his move-in day.
“I cannot believe the support I’ve received since everything happened. I would’ve never dreamed of people being this supportive. Every step of the way, people have been there and willing to step up and help,” Edwards said.
Dave Dillabo, CEO of the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds, said FEMA has been setting up the brand-new trailers for move in for the past couple weeks and they are beginning to house Camp Fire victims at the site. As more and more trailers become available for move in, he said, the location will slowly begin to fill up.
FEMA reached out to Dillabo and staff to see if the Yuba City facility would be willing to house temporary mobile units. They also set up similar sites in Chico and Glenn County, Dillabo said.
“While fairs are typically a four-day event, this is an example of the importance of having a fairgrounds in a community. It allows us to provide these types of services after a disaster,” Dillabo said.
The current contract allows for the trailers to remain at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds for up to six months, Dillabo said.
Throughout the entire region, FEMA has more than 350 units set up at various locations to help Camp Fire victims with temporary living quarters, said Michael Hart, a FEMA spokesperson. FEMA has 40 trailers at the fairgrounds in Yuba City and another 23 mobile housing units in Yuba County.
For those displaced by the Camp Fire and in need of temporary housing, Hart said there are three ways to register. He said they can either call the FEMA helpline at 1(800)-621-3362, visit www.disasterassistance.gov, or by going into one of FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Centers – one is located at the Chico Mall inside the former Sears store and another is located at 2140 Feather River Blvd., Oroville.
Pasta fundraiser planned to assist Camp Fire victims
While many have already donated to assist Camp Fire victims recover from the devastation that occurred in Butte County late last year, Yuba-Sutter residents will have another opportunity to help in February.
Pasta for a Purpose, a fundraiser for Camp Fire victims, is planned for Feb. 7 at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. The event is being put on by the fairgrounds, Recology Yuba-Sutter, Stephens Farmhouse and 4G Foundation.
“It’s been amazing to see the outpouring of support and donations from this community since the fire,” said fairgrounds CEO Dave Dillabo. “This event is a great opportunity for the community to get involved and help.”
The fundraiser will be held at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds Main Hall from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The event will include a spaghetti feed and dessert.
Community members can donate either through gift cards or cash. Donations will be collected at the door and attendees are asked to give what they can, according to the Facebook event.
The California Agricultural Statistics Review for crop year 2017 has been released. It reports that California’s farms and ranches received more than $50 billion in cash receipts for their output. This represents an increase of almost 6 percent compared to 2016.
California’s agricultural abundance includes more than 400 commodities. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. California is the leading US state for cash farm receipts, accounting for over 13 percent of the nation’s total agricultural value. The top producing commodities for 2017 include:
California agricultural exports totaled $20.56 billion for 2017. Top commodities for export in 2017 included almonds, dairy and dairy products, pistachios, wine and walnuts. Export statistics are produced by the University of California, Davis, Agricultural Issues Center.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has reached a milestone: 2019 is our centennial year, the 100th anniversary of the Legislature’s decision to establish the protection and promotion of agriculture as necessary and important for our state’s success.
The generations of farmers who have worked the land over the past century have achieved remarkable success. CDFA’s challenge has often been to keep pace with – and in many cases to encourage – the progress driven by these innovators. We protect farms and the larger California environment from pests and diseases that would pose a risk to the food supply, to our plants and pets and livestock, and to our citizens. We help maintain a fair and efficient marketplace, both for consumers and for our farmers and ranchers and the many businesses that serve and support this great industry. We invest in research, demonstration projects and the development and deployment of key on-farm innovations that keep our growers on the cutting edge of agriculture.
CDFA’s centennial provides an excellent opportunity to take stock of these achievements as well as the goals and aspirations that lead our focus ever forward. Keep watching this blog for examples. This is a fitting time to honor the innovative nature of our California farmers and ranchers, who show the nation and the world what is possible – and it’s also a chance to acknowledge the value of steady leadership, collaborative progress, and a bright future.
Happy 100th, CDFA!
#CDFACentennial
