Tulare County Farm Bureau Tulare County Farm Bureau NEWS NEWS In This Issue FEBRUARY 2016 | Volume 379, Number 2 www.tulcofb.org Legislative Update See the latest news from Sacramento... Page 4 Local Student Wins Imagine this... Tulare student to be published for winning annual story writing contest… Page 10 Tulare County Farm Bureau's 29th annual fundraising gala to support their Education and Scholarship Fund is set to take place Saturday, March 12 at the Visalia Convention Center. This year's event promises to be a fantastic comedic show with Tim Moffett, the “Dairy Farmer” comedian. Steak and Lobster will return as the favored menu, catered by Sue Sa's Creative Catering. Major sponsorships are available and individual tickets are $100 and available at the TCFB office. The gala has changed and evolved over the years, but its original mission and purpose still remains the same. To provide funding that supports agriculture education programs and numerous scholarships to the youth throughout Tulare County. Need Forklift Certification? We can Help! Forklift Certification Training Kaweah Lift - 10725 W. Goshen Ave in Visalia March 3, 2016 - English March 4, 2016 - Spanish 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM To register call the TCFB Office at 732-8301 Farm Bureau Member - $55 per person Non Farm Bureau Member - $75 per person Space is Limited, Sign Up Today! As an employer it is your responsibility to train and authorize your employees to operate your equipment, as required by Cal OSHA Title 8, Section 3664, Federal OSHA 1910.178 and ANSI B56.9. This training will help certify a new employee or provide re-certification for a current employee. World Ag Expo Insert Inside: Plan Your Visit As reported in last month's issue of TCFB NEWS, the County Board of Supervisors will be discussing this month the approval of a resolution on farmland conservation from the settlement agreement between the County and the Sierra Club executed in 2015. The settlement requires the county address a number of issues in their General Plan. The Ag Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which will come before the Board of Supervisors in February has been one of Tulare County Farm Bureau Raises Money for Education & Scholarship Programs 29th Annual Gala set for March 12 Farm Bureau's school garden grants, Youth Leadership program, Blue Jacket Bonanza awards, the countywide Calendar Art Contest, AgVentures Day for over 1500 fourth graders, and numerous scholarships are all made possible by generous donors and the funds raised at the gala. Join us for an evening of fine food and quality entertainment with this Farm Bureau Comments on County's Draft Farmland Conservation Program particular interest and concern amongst Farm Bureau members and those who favor the use of easements as a way to protect farmland in perpetuity and those who oppose them. The public may comment to the Board of Supervisors on their thoughts about the adoption of this program. The goal of the program is to provide a mechanism for local qualified entities to hold funds, and manage lands in conservation easements to protect farmland. In the settlement language it provides quite a bit of flexibility to the County in how they implement the easement program, and gives the County broad authority over holding easements, or extinguishing them. Tulare County Farm Bureau held a special meeting of their Land Use Committee last month to discuss the merits of the proposed Ag Conservation Easement program also being vetted by the county Ag Policy Advisory Committee. At the January 20 meeting of the APAC, Farm Bureau's comments were received and recommended for referral on to the Board of Supervisors. APAC agreed with many of Farm Bureau's points and share equal concerns about some of the ambiguities in the proposal. Farm Bureau does not support many of the statements made in the Sierra Club settlement, nor do we support conservation easements as a 'one size fits all' solution for farmland conservation. TCFB believes there are careful considerations that should be addressed to improve upon the ACEP draft program that See Gala on page 16 See Conservation Program on page 16 AFBF Elects New Leadership Georgia farmer takes the top Farm Bureau office... Page 12 Tim Moffett, the Dairy Farmer comedian.
Transcript
TulareCounty
FarmBureau
TulareCounty
FarmBureauNEWSNEWS
In This
Issue
FEBRUARY 2016 | Volume 379, Number 2 www.tulcofb.org
Legislative UpdateSee the latest news fromSacramento... Page 4
Local Student Wins Imagine this...Tulare student to be published for winningannual story writing contest… Page 10
Tulare County Farm Bureau's29th annual fundraising gala tosupport their Education andScholarship Fund is set to takeplace Saturday, March 12 at theVisalia Convention Center. Thisyear's event promises to be afantastic comedic show with TimMoffett, the “Dairy Farmer”comedian.
Steak and Lobster will return asthe favored menu, catered by SueSa's Creative Catering. Majorsponsorships are available andindividual tickets are $100 andavailable at the TCFB office.
The gala has changed and evolvedover the years, but its originalmission and purpose still remainsthe same. To provide funding thatsupports agriculture educationp r o g r a m s a n d n u m e r o u sscholarships to the youththroughout Tulare County.
Need Forklift Certification? We can Help!Forklift Certification Training
Kaweah Lift - 10725 W. Goshen Ave in Visalia
March 3, 2016 - English March 4, 2016 - Spanish
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
To register call the TCFB Office at 732-8301
Farm Bureau Member - $55 per person Non Farm Bureau Member - $75 per person
Space is Limited, Sign Up Today!
As an employer it is your responsibility to train and authorize your employees to operate your equipment, as
required by Cal OSHA Title 8, Section 3664, Federal OSHA 1910.178 and ANSI B56.9. This training will help
certify a new employee or provide re-certification for a current employee.
World Ag ExpoInsert Inside:
Plan Your Visit
As reported in last month'sissue of TCFB NEWS, the CountyBoard of Supervisors will bediscussing this month theapproval of a resolution onfarmland conservation from thesettlement agreement betweenthe County and the Sierra Clubexecuted in 2015. The settlementrequires the county address anumber of issues in theirGeneral Plan.
The Ag Conservation EasementProgram (ACEP), which will comebefore the Board of Supervisorsin February has been one of
Tulare County Farm Bureau Raises Moneyfor Education & Scholarship Programs
29th Annual Gala set for March 12
Farm Bureau's school gardengrants, Youth Leadership program,Blue Jacket Bonanza awards, thecountywide Calendar Art Contest,AgVentures Day for over 1500fourth graders, and numerous
scholarships are all made possibleby generous donors and the fundsraised at the gala.
Join us for an evening of fine foodand quality entertainment with this
Farm Bureau Comments on County's Draft Farmland Conservation Programparticular interest and concernamongst Farm Bureau membersand those who favor the use ofeasements as a way to protectfarmland in perpetuity and thosewho oppose them.
The public may comment to theBoard of Supervisors on theirthoughts about the adoption of thisprogram. The goal of the programis to provide a mechanism for localqualified entities to hold funds, andmanage lands in conservationeasements to protect farmland. Inthe settlement language it providesquite a bit of flexibility to the
County in how they implement theeasement program, and gives theCounty broad authority overh o l d i n g e a s e m e n t s , o rextinguishing them.
Tulare County Farm Bureau helda special meeting of their Land UseCommittee last month to discussthe merits of the proposed AgConservation Easement programalso being vetted by the county AgPolicy Advisory Committee. At theJanuary 20 meeting of the APAC,Farm Bureau's comments werereceived and recommended forreferral on to the Board of
Supervisors. APAC agreed withmany of Farm Bureau's pointsand share equal concerns aboutsome of the ambiguities in theproposal.
Farm Bureau does not supportmany of the statements made inthe Sierra Club settlement, nor dowe suppo r t c onse r va t i oneasements as a 'one size fits all's o l u t i o n f o r f a r m l a n dconservation. TCFB believes thereare careful considerations thatshould be addressed to improveupon the ACEP draft program that
See Gala on page 16
See Conservation Program on page 16
AFBF Elects New LeadershipGeorgia farmer takes the topFarm Bureau office... Page 12
Tim Moffett, the Dairy Farmer comedian.
Page 2 February 2016Tulare County Farm Bureau News www.tulcofb.org
We should always try to start theyear on a positive note. Today as Isit in my office at 4:00am, this isthe only time my mind will let methink about writing, the rain iscoming down slow, soft and steady- my favorite kind of rain.
The last couple of years ofdrought have been the moststressful business experiencemost of us have ever went throughand in some ways it has changedour lives as well as the ways wethink about and approach life. Isay business stress becausesometimes we have to be able toput life in perspective. The droughtand lack of water doesn't comeclose to someone in your family ora friend who is ill dealing withcancer. Most of us have all hadsomeone in our family or someonewe know battling this disease, andyou just feel helpless.
The other day on Facebook I sawa picture of Joey Feek from theRory and Joey show, which I didwatch now and then initiallybecause I knew any show with Joeyin it would have to be good. Justkidding...it actually was a veryentertaining program and she'squite a bit cuter than the averageJoey. But seeing her picture onFacebook makes you ask thequestion why? It's just so sad yourshedding tears for her, but also forall the others dealing with thisterrible disease.
Whether it’s life or business youhave to have faith. Hopefully wewill figure the cancer thing outsoon and God is helping us out inshort term on the drought.However what has made thisdrought so stressful, as all of us inagriculture know, this droughtjust wasn't caused from lack ofrain; it was mostly from lack of
leadership. Politicians havebecome vote counters and partyprotectionists instead of leadersand problem solvers.
Our water shortage issues is adirect result of lack of leadership.It's a pretty sad situation when youstart blaming the people who aregrowing the food you eat for thelack of water shortage, when youmade a decision driven by peoplewho don't care. If everyone eats,it's a dire shame to let most of ourwater run into the ocean. But atleast we can count on our faithfulGod to cover our mountains withsnow.
Governor Brown used badjudgment and lack of foresightfrom his first go around to pushmore water regulations on us andagain in his second go around.WOW that's real leadership.
For over 40 years the farmers ofCalifornia knew we needed to keepi m p r o v i n g o u r w a t e rin f r a s t ruc tu r e because o fpopulation growth and theincreasing demand for providing asafe and reliable source of food forour state, country and to help theneedy around the world. The worldseems to be getting really selfishand the drought has shown this tobe so true.
I was at a drought hearing inDecember which I testified onbehalf of the dairy industry, LandO' Lakes and TCBF before the stateAgriculture Committee. Themeeting started at 10am andlasted till about 1:30pm. Early inthe hearing a gentleman from UCDavis testified that the stateshould not be in panic mode.What? I thought to myself. Heneeds to move to east Portervillefor a while and get the real effect ofthis drought.
Steve Godlin (559) 804-8680Ed Needham (559) 977-7282
Terry Langiano (559) 905-2838
Sal Soriano (559) 564-1207
st
nd
TCFB Service CommitteesBy-Law Committee Roger EverettEducation (co-chairs) Sandi Gist-Langiano
David SharpFinance VACANTFundraising Larry PeltzerLand use (co-chairs) Craig Knudson
Larry PeltzerMembership Matt WatkinsNominating Committee Joey AirosoRural Health & Safety Larry Stoneburner, MDScholarship Ed NeedhamWater Resources Roger EverettYF&R State Representative Ryan Hesse
CFBF Issue Advisory CommitteeAgricultural Labor Kerry WhitsonAnimal Health & Welfare John ChampagneAnimal Health & Welfare Craig KnudsonForestry, Fish & Wildlife, andPublic Lands Larry DuysenMarketing, Crop Protection andProduce Food Safety Dan DryerState Budget, Taxation, and Land Use Mike Chrisman
(SSN 07447086, USPS NO 643-680)is published monthly for $9 annually forTCFB members and $10 annually for non-members by Tulare County Farm Bureau,737 N. Ben Maddox Way, Visalia CA93292. Periodical postage paid at VisaliaCA. POSTMASTER: Send address changesto Tulare County Farm Bureau News,P.O. Box 748, Visalia CA 93279.(559) 732-8301
Advertising: Kast & Company CommunicationsPO Box 7173, Visalia, CA 93290(559) 732-5030
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Tulare County Farm Bureau does notassume responsibility for statements byadvertisers or for products inTulare County Farm Bureau News.
Counting Our Blessings!
If you had the chance to catchthe premier of , a newfilm documentary that was shownat the Visalia Fox last November,you know the power and impact ofthis film and the story it tells soeloquently about the plight ofCalifornia's richest farmlandbeing dried up by regulatorydrought and inaction by ourgovernment. The fi lm is aprovocative and honest look at thepeople, places, farms, and lands inour central valley that have beenhit the hardest by the drought.
Local Farm Bureau member,Mark Watte is featured in the film,and shares his firsthand account ofthe challenges and struggles of the
Dead Harvest
drought through the eyes of a localfarmer.
If you missed the premier, thereare many ways to view the filmonline, including the website for theN a t i o n a l A l l i a n c e f o rEnvironmental Reform a charitable501c3 organization that is nowcollecting funds to help promote thedistribution and showing of the filma c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y , a n dparticularly focusing the film onurban areas of the state and nationto tell the story of California'sdevastating drought.
Tulare County Farm Bureauboard members were invited to theNovember premier of the film, andmany were touched and moved bythe cinematic work of the
documentary. The board at theirJanuary meeting approved afinancial donation to the film ino rde r t o p romo t e g r ea t e rdistribution and viewing of thisimportant story.
To watch the film, or make acontribution to the documentary,you may do so at the charitablewebsite for the National Alliance forE n v i r o n m e n t a l R e f o r m a tw w w . n a e r . i n f o . F o r m o r einformation about the work of NAERand the documentary, you cancontact Johnny Amaral at 559-799-6192. Johnny along with others areworking to advance the film andraise funds to get the film out tobroader audiences across Californiaand the nation.
Then at lunch time, most of theAg Committee members fromareas from outside the valley left.Aren't they the ones that need toeducate themselves the most onthese issues? And yet they leave atlunch?
I finally got to testify at about1pm and while I was giving mytestimony I got to watch the AgChairman roll her eyes severaltimes. Maybe when you're hungryyour eyes start rolling. It is sad butthe truth is nobody in Sacramentowants to accept the responsibilitythat they let thousands of familiesrun out of water and areresponsible for idling a millionacres of farmland.
Global climate change hashappened before during thehistory of this planet, but ourDemocratic leaders have figuredout that it's a great ploy forgovernment to control our lives inregulating and taxing us more.
In closing I'm giving everyone ahomework assignment. Take sometime just after World Ag Expo (Feb9-11, the single greatest event heldin CA each year which impactseveryone that eats) and by March15th take a drive across the SanJoaquin valley and admire thevalley when there is adequatewater. The trees will be blooming,the grass will be green and springis just around the corner. As aresult it's an amazing place thatfeeds millions and if you look eastthat's our water supply for thesummer.
TCFB will continue to work hardin 2016 and fight for improving ourwater infrastructure along witho u r c o u n t y F a r m B u r e a uneighbors to better take advantageof water opportunities along with
See President’s Notes on page 6
February 2016 Page 3Tulare County Farm Bureau Newswww.tulcofb.org
For more information or to sign up as a Heritage Member contact TCFB at 559-732-8301
Donations to the charitable fund are tax deductible.P.O. Box 748 • Visalia, CA 93279-0748
MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONSScott Shannon Memorial Fund
In Memory of Fred SloverEric Shannon
The various water qualitycoalitions in Tulare County heldgrower outreach meetings lastmonth in preparation for theupcoming deadlines set forth by theIrrigated Lands Regulatory Program(ILRP). Below is a breakdown of theupcoming requirements of growersand deadlines.
The workshops, held in Tulare,included information on requiredreports and provided tools to growersto meet ILRP compliance with FarmEvaluations, Nitrogen ManagementPlans and the needed certificationrequired by the water quality orderset forth by the Central ValleyRegional Water Quality ControlBoard.
Growers must complete their FarmEvaluations and submit them totheir water quality coalition byMarch 1. This includes growers whofarm 60 acres or greater and arewithin a distinguished highvulnerability area. Note that roughly80% of irrigated land in TulareCounty is designated as a highvulnerability and must meet theearlier deadlines set forth for thoseareas.
If you do not know whether yourfarm falls within a high vulnerabilityarea, contact your local water qualitycoalition. The three Tulare Countycoalitions are listed on page 6.
Farms that irrigate less than 60acres in total are required to submittheir Farm Evaluations by March 1,2018.
Farm Evaluations
This table includes the various deadlines associated with the Irrigated Lands Regulatory
Program. Note those highlighted in yellow are the 2016 deadlines. These deadlines are
subject to change.
Growers Prepare for ILRP DeadlinesFarm Evaluations are simply a
census of management practicesused on the farm which the waterquality coalitions will in turn use theinformation gathered to develop theirManagement Practices EvaluationProgram for the area required by theregional water board. It's importantto note, the water quality coalitionswill not be submitting your farmdata directly to the regional waterboard. The Farm Evaluation datawill be aggregated and summarizedon a township basis.
A Farm Evaluation template isavailable in hard copy or online fromthe various coalitions' websites listedon page 6. Farm Evaluations areNOT required to be certified by aCertified Crop Advisor (CCA), theyjust need to be filled out by someonewho is familiar with the farm andmanagement operations. They canbe submitted either hard copy to thecoalitions or via online through thecoalitions' websites.
Farm Eva luat ions repor tinformation from the previous cropor harvest year. Forms may beaudited by the regional water qualitycontrol board, so it's important tokeep a copy on farm. The deadline tosubmit Farm Evaluations to yourwater quality coalition is March 1.
Growers are required to developand submit Nitrogen ManagementPlans (NMP) for their irrigated fields.The first step in this process iscompleting the NMP Worksheet anhaving it certified by a CCA by March
Nitrogen Management Plans
1 for farms in high vulnerabilityareas.
However, DO NOT submit yourNMP worksheet to your water qualitycoalition. This document is to becompleted, certified, and kept on
farm. It will be later used incompleting the NMP SummaryReport for your farm that will be dueto the coalitions next year on March1, 2017.
See ILRP Deadlines page 6
Page 4 Tulare County Farm Bureau News February 2016 www.tulcofb.org
Local tractor pull enthusiastscome out for this year's BudweiserCalifornia Winter Nationals Tractorand Truck Pulls.
T h e e v e n t w i l l b e h e l dWednesday, February 10 at 6:00pm at the Tulare CountyFairgrounds in Tulare. Admissionis $10, kids under 5 are free.
Tickets are available at the TulareCounty Fairgrounds (559) 686-4707 or at the Ag Source and VanDe Pol Petroleum booths at theWorld Ag Expo.
Attention farmers and farm employees who need to
renew or acquire a DL-267 endorsement!
Agricultural Hazardous
Materials Transportation Training
March 2, 2016Tulare County Farm Bureau
737 North Ben Maddox Way, Visalia, CA 93292
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Spanish
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM English
No cost to attend.
To register call the TCFB Office at 732-8301
Class meets the requirements for three hours of training
towards the DL-267 Endorsement
This training is offered by the Tulare County Farm Bureau & California Highway
Patrol. The class is for persons 21 years or older who have a current class C driver's
license. Participants will receive a DL-267 certificate that will enable them to legally
transport hazardous agricultural materials on public roadways, (within a 50 mile
radius) without a commercial driver's license.
Farm Bureaum e m b e r si n t e r e s t e d i nobtaining theirC a l i f o r n i aConcealed Weaponsp e r m i t o r n e e dinstructions hours torenew their CCW permitcan attend the firearmssafety course presented byTulare County Farm Bureau.
The CCW course will take placeat the Farm Bureau office onWednesday, March 9 beginning at6:00pm and run thru 10:00pm.Refreshments will be provided byFarm Bureau.
Taught by California ConcealedCarry Permit Training, the classc o v e r s T u l a r e C o u n t yInitial/Renewal; Kings CountyRenewal; City of Fresno Renewal;City of Lemoore Renewal and theCity of Hanford Renewal.
The cost is $40 per person.Reservations and payment arerequired in advance. Accepted formsof payment are cash, check (made
Legislative Update from
Farm Bureau
Governor Brown's
Proposed Budget
As we begin the new year and theCalifornia Legislature is back towork and the legislative session isoff and running in Sacramento.
The following are some of theissues and legislative bills thatFarm Bureau is monitoring. If youhave any questions or would like tovoice your concerns on a specificissue or legislative bill, pleasecontact Farm Bureau at 732-8301.
Governor Brown unveiled asummary of his proposed StateBudget for fiscal year 2016-17 lastmonth. The plan proposes a totalbudget of $171 billion with aGeneral Fund component of $122.6billion. $3.6 billion would be setaside in the “rainy day fund”(Budget Stabilization Account) thatwas strengthened by Proposition 2.
It's important to note that all ofthe priorities and amountsdescribed below require approvalfrom the Legislature before they canbe enacted.
The proposed budget provides anadditional $323.1 million ($212.1million General Fund) on a one-time basis to the Department ofWater Resources (DWR), theDepartment of Fish and Wildlife,the State Water Resources ControlBoard, the California Departmentof Food and Agriculture and otheragencies to continue immediateresponse to the drought.
The State Water ResourcesControl Board would be provided$ 5 . 4 m i l l i o n t o c o n t i n u eenforcement of drought-relatedwater rights and curtailmentactions, and $16 million from theCleanup and Abatement Account toprovide grants for emergencydrinking water projects.
DWR would be provided anincrease of $100 million for leveerepairs to enhance flood protectionin the Central Valley, another $3
Annual CA Winter NationalsTractor Pulls set for Feb. 10
A limited amount of VIP tickets areavailable for $75 each, contactJoAnne at 559-707-0997 for VIPtickets. VIP includes a catered meal,water, punch, coffee, Budweiserbeer with track side seats at theevent.
Exhibitors and competitors fromall over California will be on displayincluding modified tractors, SuperFarm smoker tractors, classictractors and trucks. Come out for afun evening and check out the KJUGCalifornia Winter Nationals Tractorand Truck Pulls.
Farm Bureau Offers CCW Course - March 9payable to CACCP Training), orcredit card.
Sign up formsare available at
the TCFB office ando n l i n e a t
www.tulcofb.org. Youcan also sign up by
simply calling the TCFBoffice at 732-8301.The course will highlight the
following: California lawspertaining to carrying a concealed
firearm; Firearm Safety; Differentways to conceal your firearms whilecarrying; Proper storage of yourfirearms; Transportation of yourfirearms; Handling firearms safely;and Proper maintenance of yourfirearm.
Attendees are encouraged to bringa note pad, pen, pencil andhighlighter. For more information orquestions please contact TCFB at732-8301. The course requires aminimum of 10 enrollments, andclass size will be limited to availableseating.
million to identify water deliveryoperational improvements andevaluate long-term climate changeimpacts on statewide watersuppl ies , $2.5 mi l l ion forgroundwater management and $80million from Proposition 1 toexpand habitat and suppress dustat the Salton Sea.
The Department of Fish andWildlife would be provided anadditional $7.7 million and theauthority to hire 31 positions toimplement its responsibilitiesunder the new medical marijuanalaws. These responsibilities includeestablishing a statewide WatershedEnforcement Program andpermanent multiagency task forcewith the State Water ResourcesControl Board to investigatepotential environmental damagefrom marijuana cultivation.
The Strategic Growth Council isproposed to receive $40 million tofund the Sustainable AgriculturalLands Conservation Program.These funds would be for grants foragricultural land protectionstrategies and conservationeasements.
CDFA would be provided anumber of budget augmentationsunder the governor's proposedbudget. These increases include$200,000 to continue its work withthe University of California toquantify the drought impacts onCalifornia agriculture.
CDFA will receive $75 millionf rom the Greenhouse GasReduction Fund to promoteg r e e n h o u s e g a s e m i s s i o nreductions in agriculture; thesefunds would be divided among theState Water Efficiency andEnhancement Program ($20million), the Dairy DigesterResearch and DevelopmentProgram ($35 million), and theHealthy Soils Initiative ($20million).
In addition, $1 million in budgetauthority to fund the Asian CitrusPsyl l id and Huanglongbing
See Legislative Update on page 13
February 2016 Page 5Tulare County Farm Bureau Newswww.tulcofb.org
Ag Commissioner’s Cornerby Marilyn Kinoshita,Tulare County Ag Commissioner
National Plant BoardWeb Tools
The National Plant Board (NPB)website is utilized by our staff manytimes over the course of a year whenwe want to verify shipmentprotocols specific to a given state.The NPB i s a non -p ro f i torganization of plant pestregulatory agencies of each stateand the Commonwealth of PuertoRico and Guam.
The purpose of the Boardincludes:
• Providing equal representationfor the Eastern, Southern, Centraland the Western Plant regions
• Fostering effective and uniformplant health programs
• Communicating with public andprivate agencies and organizationson plant health, pest issues andpesticide related compliance whichaffects the states
• Protection of agriculture,horticulture, forestry and theenvironment by dealing with weed
pests, discussing commoditymovement and enforcing ourvarious regulations
The governing Board consists ofregulatory officials from variousagencies as well as plant-relatedi n d u s t r y o r g a n i z a t i o nrepresentatives who becomeassociate members of the Board.Having these associate membersserving in an advisory capacity tothe board assures sound policy-making for commodity groups.
A shipment of decorative cottonplants from Tulare County destinedfor a distribution center located inOklahoma is apt to cause alarm,due to their prohibition for BollWeevils and imported fire ants.
Attaching a nursery “certificate ofinspection” performed by our staffhere, easily shows compliance anda safe origin. The website isavailable for the public to utilize atwww.nationalplantboard.org.
SLATE OF POSITIONS
TULARE COUNTY FARM BUREAU
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2016-2017
The following district seats and officer positions will be up for election
(or re-election) at the Annual Meeting of the Members on May 3, 2016.
In accordance with TCFB Bylaws the nominating committee has conducted interviews and identified the
following individuals to be slated for nomination to the Board of Directors. Nominations were closed at
the January 14, 2016 meeting of the Board of Directors. The directors listed below would take their seat at
the June meeting of the board, after appointment at the Annual Meeting of Members on May 3, 2016.
Election may not be required unless a seat becomes contested.
TCFB Board of Directors
(Slate of positions that require election in 2016)
Current Directorate District Candidates for May 2016 Election
Dan Dreyer District 1 Dan Dreyer
Tom Barcellos District 2 Tom Barcellos
Beth Baxley (termed out) District 3 J.R. Shannon
Scott Lawrence District 4 Scott Lawrence
Joe Russell District 4 Bob McKellar
Matt Watkins District 5 Matt Watkins
David Vieira District 5 Greg Galloway
(The above districts match the Tulare County Supervisorial Districts)
Executive Committee Offices for Election, May 2015
President Roger Everett Office of President
1st Vice President Joe Russell Office of First Vice President
2nd Vice President John Guthrie Office of Second Vice President
Treasurer
Larry Peltzer
Office of Treasurer
*These positions are not elected, but appointed thru specified Bylaws
CFBF District Director Ed Needham CFBF District Director
Livestockyards Chair Ed Carroll Livestockyards Chair
YF&R Chair TBD in April YF&R Chair
Past President Joey Airoso Past President
The Tulare County Farm BureauScholarship program was createdfor the purpose of providing annualscholarships to the youth of TulareCounty based on academicachievement, leadership skills andfinancial need.
Scholarships are available in avariety of categories, some aredirected to qualified applicantsaccording to the wishes of the fundproviders; others go to individualsseeking careers in agriculture; oneis given to a student whose parentis a farm employee; others arebased on merit.
Selected students will berecognized for their achievementsat TCFB's Annual Meeting at theHeritage Complex, May 3 in Tulare.
To apply, students must:complete and return application;s u b m i t t w o l e t t e r s o frecommendation; submit schooltranscripts; attend school currentlyor have graduated from a school inTulare County to be eligible.
Applications can be found byvisiting www.tulcofb.org andfollowing the application formslink. Applications must bepostmarked by March 1 . For morei n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t T C F Bs c h o l a r s h i p s e m a i [email protected] or call 732-8301.
Available Scholarships:• $1,000 - Mary Rankin Memorial
Scholarship: for a student pursuinga career in an ag related field at a 2-year college or 4-year university.
• $1,000 - Frank RibeiroMemorial Scholarship: for a
st
TCFB Scholarships Due March 1student pursuing a career in an agrelated field at a 4-year university.
• $1,000 - TCFB Scholarship: fora student pursuing a career in an agrelated field at a 4-year university.
• $1,000 - TCFB Young Farmers &Ranchers Scholarship: for astudent pursuing a career in an agrelated field at a 4-year university.
• $1,000 - Fred & Marilyn CollisonMemorial Scholarship: for astudent pursuing a career in an agrelated field at California StateUniversity, Fresno.
• $500 - College of Sequoias AgDepartment Scholarship: availablefor student majoring in agriculturalfield attending COS.
• $500 - College of Sequoias RRSEndowment Scholarship: availablefor student majoring in agriculturalfield attending COS. Preferencegiven to Ag Business and Dairymajors.
• $500 – Two-Year CollegeScholarship: available for studentmajoring in agricultural fieldattending a two year college or tradeschool.
• $500 - Scott Shannon MemorialScholarship: may be renewed for 3years if criteria are met giving thescholarship a $2000 value. Must bepursuing an agricultural major andenrolled in the Visalia UnifiedSchool District.
• $500 - Student of FarmEmployee: for a student who has aparent employed on a farm and/ordairy and will be attending a 2 or 4-year university. The children of thefarm owner/operator of farm arenot eligible.
Page 6 February 2016Tulare County Farm Bureau News www.tulcofb.org
Unlike the Farm Evaluations,which reports data on a previouscrop year, Nitrogen ManagementPlans report information for theupcoming crop year, basically whatyou plan to plant or plan to irrigatefor the upcoming year. NMPs arerequired to be certified by a CCA.Growers looking for a list ofCCAs in their area to certify theirNMPs can look on l ine a thttps://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/certifications/professional-search/. CCAs must have a "CACDFA Nitrogen Training" specialtycertification.
Self certification is an option forgrowers who wish to self certify theirNMPs for their operations. In orderto be allowed to self certify, growersmust attend an accredited classand pass the certification test.Growers looking to take oneof the self certification classes canf i n d t h e m o n l i n e a thttp://www.curesworks.org/growerTrainings.asp.
Growers who irrigate land in thefoothills on an elevation (not on thevalley floor), must complete aSediment & Erosion Control Plan inaddition to Farm Evaluations andNMPs. If you are a grower who needsto complete this, you will be notifieddirectly by your local water qualitycoalition and they will walk youthrough that planning process.
Sediment & Erosion Control
Kaweah Basin Water QualityAssociation
Tule Basin Water Quality Coalition
Kings River Water Quality Coalition
Tulare CountyWater Quality Coalitions
559-302-1620www.kaweahbasin.org
559-627-2948www.tbwqc.com
559-365-7958www.kingsriverwqc.org
the many other challenges that willbe coming at us.
A g r i c u l t u r i s t s a n d t h ebusinesses who support ourefforts are the only ones that cantake care of the environment andensure that everyone has anopportunity to feed their families,and we need to continue to deliverthat message louder and louder.
Agriculture equals safe reliablefood and safe reliable food equalspeace. I'm no different thaneveryone I know in Agriculture. Weare all cut out of the same mold. Welove what we do and our passion iswhat drives us to continue thefight because when we wake upevery morning we know that evenwhen what we grow may not beworth much that day or in thatyear, what we do is important toe n s u r e e v e r y o n e h a s a nopportunity to have safe reliableand affordable food for theirfamily.
We all have to continue to havefaith. The same faith that curescancer will also solve our watercrisis. So count Your blessings. Ifyou eat and appreciate what we dojoin the TCFB team, it's a greatorganization and we need yourvoice.
President’s Notesfrom page 2
ILRP Deadlinesfrom page 3
February 2016 Page 7Tulare County Farm Bureau Newswww.tulcofb.org
Visalia Technical Early CollegeHigh School establ ished ascholarship foundation in 2014 asa way to help students make collegea reality. The group is holding itsannual fundraiser, “Denim andDiamonds,” on March 11 as a wayto raise money for collegescholarships for VTEC students.
“I can say the foundation hasworked very hard to put together aspectacular evening of fun and foodand gifts, and we think thecommunity will enjoy it and thekids will get the benefit throughscholarships,” said Susan Mangini,chairperson of the event.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., the VTEC
VTEC Scholarship Fundraiser - March 11H i g h S c h o o l S c h o l a r s h i pFoundation will host the “dressy,Western event” at the Glass Barn atSeven Sycamores Ranch inIvanhoe.
The event is all about food and avariety of donated prizes which areto be distributed through rafflesand auctions.
Through silent and live auctionsand raffles, attendees will have thechance to score a variety of items —from vacation and massagepackages, wines and more. And allproceeds raised will go towardscholarships for VTEC students.
The event is not just for thosewith connections to VTEC, Mangini
said. It's for anyone who'd like tospend the evening enjoying food,possibly winning prizes, andsupporting local students, she said.However, seating is limited so getyour tickets early.
Tickets cost $40 per person andmust be purchased by March 1.They can be purchased at the VTECoffice, 2245 S. Linwood St., or bycontacting Mangini.
“It was a dream of the principalthat there would be no reason orexcuse for students to not take COScourses, because often times,parents of high school kids are notready to send kids to college,”Mangini said.
“The dream was if we get kidsenrolled in COS main campuscourses and they're halfway to theirassociate degree when theygraduate high school, they wouldfinish it. And so no kid gets leftbehind.”How to attendWhat: VTEC ScholarshipFoundation's “Denim andDiamonds” fundraiserWhen: 6:30 pm on Friday, March11Where: The Glass Barn at SevenSycamores Ranch, 32988 Road164, IvanhoeCost: $40 per personInformation: 625-1218, SusanMangini
“We need aleader who willthrive in thehighly dynamicenvironment ofC a l i f o r n i awater. Jason'sexperience withthe Bureau ofR e c l a m a t i o nand his vision,strategy andtrack record is exactly what Friantneeds. He has a proven ability toinspire, energize, and connect withemployees, partners, customersand leaders."
Jason joined the Bureau ofReclamation in 2001 and movedquickly through the Bureau'sranks. He most recently served asthe Bureau's Deputy RegionalDirector of the Mid-Pacific Region.He has helped lead and executemany of the Bureau's programs,including the Klamath Project, the
Page 8 Tulare County Farm Bureau News February 2016 www.tulcofb.org
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Friant Water Authority Board ofDirectors has selected JasonPhillips to be their first ChiefExecutive Officer.
“This is a critical time for JasonPhillips to become Friant's firstChief Executive Officer,” saidFriant Chairman Eric Borba.
Friant Water Authority Names Jason Phillips as CEOSan Joaquin River RestorationProgram, the Upper San JoaquinRiver Basin Storage Investigation,and the San Luis Drainage FeatureRe-evaluation.
“I am looking forward to joiningthe Friant Water Authority where Iwill be representing great peopleand working with an excellentteam,” said Phillips.
“Family farms, businesses, andcities depend on a reliable watersupply from Friant for theirlivelihood. Unfortunately, theyhave been severely impacted by thelack of water in recent years. I willbe committed and focused ontaking strategic action andf o r m i n g k e y p a r t n e r s h i p snecessary to improve short andlong-term water supply reliability.The confidence the Board has inmy ability to succeed in this rolemeans a lot to me and will beimportant to our overall success.”
“Jason is clearly the leader forFriant's future, and he has theunanimous support of the Board ofDirectors,” said Eric Borba, BoardChair.
“We initiated the formal CEOprocess several months ago,s e a r c h i n g i n t e r n a l l y a n dexternally to find the best leaderfor our membership and staff. WithJason taking the role of CEO, theBoard is very confident the FriantWater Authority will have theleadership necessary to improveand protect our water supplies.”
The Authority operates andmaintains the Friant-Kern Canal,a conveyance feature of theCentral Valley Project. TheAuthority consists of 14 waterpurveyors. The Friant Service areaincludes approximately onemillion acres and 15,000 mostlysmall family farms on the east sideof the southern San Joaquin Valley(Merced. Madera, Fresno, Tulare,Kings, and Kern counties).
See Friant CEO on page 9
The State Water ResourcesControl Board (State WaterBoard) adopted emergencyregulations last month requiringall surface water right holdersand claimants report theird ivers ions annual ly , butgenerally only those who divertmore than 10 acre-feet of waterper year must measure theirdiversions.
These new regulations are aresult of the far reaching changesto water use in California thatwere contained in
Senate Bill 88 (The DroughtBudget Trailer Bill) that waspassed last year.
The new regulations cover allsurface water diversions,including those under pre-1914and riparian water rights, as wella s l i c e n s e s , p e r m i t s ,registrations for small domestic,small irrigation and livestockstock watering and stockpondcertificates. Previously, pre-1914and riparian right holders wereonly required to report every
New Regulationson Reporting
Water Diversions
See Water Diversions on page 15
February 2016 Page 9Tulare County Farm Bureau Newswww.tulcofb.org
The 2016 Golden State DairyManagement Conference will beheld March 8-10, at EmbassySuites Monterey Bay in Seaside.
The conference focuses on stateresearch to address California dairyneeds. Speakers include Universityof California farm advisors,specialists and dairy faculty ontopics relevant to California dairyfarming.
Dairy farmers, nutritionists,veterinarians, companies andothers interested in dairyproduction are encouraged toattend. American Registry ofProfessional Animal Scientists andCalifornia Certified Crop Advisorcredits have been requested.
For more information andt o r e g i s t e r , g o t ohttp://ucanr.edu/sites/CAdairyconference.
Dairy Management Conference set for March Immanuel FFA HostsBoots & Beef Fundraiser
Immanuel Future Farmers ofAmerica (FFA) chapter is set tohost a "Boots & Beef" Fundraiseron Saturday, February 27thbeginning at 6:00pm in theImmanuel High School SouthGymnasium.
The evening will include adelicious beef dinner, liveauction, silent baked good
auction, door prizes and more!The cost to attend is $40 perperson or $400 for a reservedtable.
Ask any Immanuel FFA memberor contact Mrs. Smith atImmanuel School by calling 559-638-2529 to purchase tickets.Immanuel High School is locatedat 1128 S. Reed Ave. in Reedley.
Friant Division water suppliesare also relied upon by severalcities and towns, including theCity of Fresno, as a major portionof their municipal and industrialwater supplies.
Phillips received a Bachelor ofScience degree in civil engineeringat Portland State University.Before joining the Bureau ofReclamation, he worked as a CivilEngineer and Project Manager forthe Army Corps of Engineers forboth the Sacramento and PortlandDistricts. Jason currently lives inRoseville, California with his wifeand three children ages 16, 14,and 12.
Friant CEOfrom page 8
Reproduction; Update from Tulare CAFHS;and more.
For registrat ion forms and moreinformation, please contact Julie Finzel at6 6 1 - 8 6 8 - 6 2 1 9 o r b y e m a i l a [email protected]. The event is sponsored byRural Ag Insurance Services.
PUT YOUR BUSINESS CARD HEREFOR AS LOW AS $50 A MONTH
CALL (559)732-5030
Page 10 Tulare County Farm Bureau News February 2016 www.tulcofb.org
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Local Tulare County studentauthor, Tyce Griswold of Tulare,has been named a winner ofCal i fornia Foundat ion forAgriculture in the Classroom'sImagine this… story writingcontest.
From more than 10,000 essayswri t ten by 3rd-8th gradestudents across the state,Griswold was selected for hiscreativity, writing skills, andpos i t i ve in terpre ta t ion o fCalifornia agriculture industry.His story, , will beThe Calf Ranch
UC Cooperative Extension is hosting itsannual Southern San Joaquin LivestockSymposium set to take place on Feb. 25 at theExeter Veterans Memorial Building in Exeter.The program is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. andlast until 7:00 p.m.; a meal will be included.
The cost is $15 per person if registeredbefore Feb. 19 and $20 per person afterFeb. 19. Registration will also be availableat the door. For more informationa n d t o r e g i s t e r o n l i n e v i s i thttp://cekern.ucanr.edu/Livestock/ or bysending in a registration form to the UCCEKern County office in Bakersfield.
Reproduction is the focus for this year'sevent and topics include: Selecting a Sire; BullBreeding Soundness Exams; ArtificialInsemination; Impact of Nutrition on
Tulare County Student Wins State Writing Contestpublished in the 2016
book and distributed fromthe California Farm Bureau andother educational media.
Griswold, an eighth grader fromLive Oak Middle School in Tulare,is the latest local winner fromTulare County in the contest forover five years.
Hundreds of California teachersparticipate in the annual contestby assigning their students thetask of researching an aspect of theag r i cu l tu r e indus t r y , andchallenge them to incorporate
Imaginethis...
these facts into their own creativestory. The success of this contest islargely attributed to the fact that itmeets state English-Language Artsteaching requirements, and alsoprovides an opportunity forstudents to explore topics theyhave limited knowledge of.
As a State winner Griswold willhave his story printed and visuallyadapted into a book, also entitled
, f e a t u r i n gillustrations by students from fourCal i fornia high school artdepartments. The book will debut
I m a g i n e t h i s …
during Capitol Agriculture Day inMarch in Sacramento.
Griswold's story tells a typicalday in the life of a boy who workson a calf ranch. His story bringsgreat awareness about ourvalley's agricultural and dairyindustry. Griswold was able touse this story as a platform toeducate other children on thedairy industry.
It's exciting and a great honorfor Griswold, the school, the city,the ag community, and the schooldistrict.
Annual Southern San Joaquin Livestock Symposium in Exeter
This year's YF&R LeadershipConference will take place Feb. 25 -27 at the Embassy Suites Hotel inSan Luis Obispo.
Registration is now open andavailable at www.cfbf.com/yfr orfor more information call the TCFBoffice at 732-8301. TCFB's YF&Rc o m m i t t e e w i l l r e i m b u r s econference registration and mealfees to those YF&R members inTu l a r e Coun t y . Fo r moreinformation contact the TCFBY F & R c o m m i t t e e a [email protected].
The YF&R Leadership Conferenceis a great way to learn and grow as ayoung agriculturalist, as well asnetwork with other YF&R membersfrom throughout California.
Register for YF&R Conference Today!The conference features tours of
f a r m s a n d a g o p e r a t i o n sthroughout the county. Attendeescan choose from a variety of tourtracks to places such as the NorthCounty San Luis Obispo, SouthCounty San Luis Obispo, or CoastalSan Luis Obispo County.
The three day conference alsoincludes breakout sessionsf o c u s i n g o n p r o f e s s i o n a ldevelopment, YF&R committeeac t i v i t i es , PCA cont inu ingeducat ion, and more. Theconference also includes theCollegiate Discussion Meet contest.Saturday evening, February 27,includes the annual YF&R awardsbanquet.
YF&R Grocery Cart RaceTulare County Farm Bureau's
Young Farmers and Rancherscommittee members are set tohost their annual Grocery CartRace on March 20 at the FoodsCoin Tulare.
Signups are now open for teamsto participate. Local farms,businesses, families, and FFAchapters are we lcome toparticipate. A team mustcomprise of four members and a$250 entry fee is required.
If you are interested in enteringa team for this year's YF&RGrocery Cart Race contact RoryVietti at 209-202-8802 to signup.
YF&R's Grocery Cart Race
event is a fun, yet competitiveevent, similar to SupermarketSweep, where teams “race”around a grocery store trying toc o l l e c t i t e m s f r o m apredetermined shopping list inthe shortest amount of time.
All food is donated to FoodLinkwhich distributes foods toindividuals and organizations inneed throughout Tulare County.The Grocery Cart Races are afavorite among the YF&Rcommittee because it engagesothers in Farm Bureau and the agcommunity and raises awarenessof the role that agriculturalistsplay in providing an abundant,safe and affordable food supply.
Page 12 February 2016Tulare County Farm Bureau News www.tulcofb.org
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(559) 562-2522 • 111 W. Honolulu • LindsayW E S T
IBA
A m e r i c a n F a r m B u r e a uFederation voting delegates electedVincent “Zippy” Duvall to serve astheir new president, succeeding BobStallman who decided not to run forreelection after 16 years at the helmof the nation's largest farmorganization.
Scott VanderWal was elected vicepresident at the 97th AmericanFarm Bureau Federation AnnualConvention.
Duvall is a poultry, cattle, and hayproducer from Greene County,Georgia, who served as president ofthe Georgia Farm Bureau for nineyears. He is the 12th president of theAmerican Farm Bureau Federation.
“We are American farmers andranchers; the people that lead andfeed and fuel the world,” Duvall saidto AFBF members shortly after beingelected.
“I know you're proud of it, but it isa responsibility that comes to myshoulders that I want to carry eachand every day realizing the burdensthat you're carrying on yourshoulders.”
Duvall pledged to Farm Bureaumembers that he would “fight for(their) freedoms” around the worldthrough his service as AFBFpresident.
Scott VanderWal is a third-
Six women have been selectedas the 2016 honorees for theCommon Threads Award, whichrecognizes women from the SanJoaqu in Va l l ey fo r the i ragricultural, philanthropic andcommunity service.
The Common Threads Awardrecipients for 2016 are LaurieA i roso , T ipton; Fe lomenaBarcellos, Tipton; GeorgeneDiener, Five Points; MatildaMaddox , R i v e rda l e ; L i l i aGiacomazzi, Hanford; and SandraWitte, Clovis. These six Valleywomen have strong agriculturalbackgrounds and are activeparticipants in their communitiesthrough philanthropic endeavorsand community service.
The honorees will be recognizedat a special luncheon onWednesday, March 16, at theInternational Agri Center HeritageComplex in Tulare. The 20thAnniversary of the CommonThreads luncheon will begin at 11a.m. and will feature award-
Cultivate California, an outreachprogram describing how Californiafarmers and ranchers use waterefficiently to produce the food andfarm products Californians dependo n , r e c e n t l y l a u n c h e dCultivateCalifornia.com.
As detailed on the website,'Cultivate California tells the storyof our state's farmers and ranchers,who, armed with generations ofwisdom, are helping to keep ourstate on your plate. CultivateCali fornia is supported byindividuals and organizations, thatrepresent California farmers,ranchers, non-profits, companiesand cooperatives of all sizes andshapes.
Supporters of Cultivate Californiainclude the California Farm Bureau
California air quality should geta boost from farmers using loweremission harvesting equipment,according to USDA's NaturalResources Conservation Service inCalifornia. Beginning in 2016, theagency is offering a new incentiveoption for almond and walnutfarmers (and potentially others) touse cleaner harvesting technology.
According to Carlos Suarez,State Conservationist for NRCS inCalifornia, eligible farmers mayr e c e i v e a n i n c e n t i v e o f$10.52/acre for up to three yearsto adopt harvesters that have beencertified through peer-reviewresearch to reduce particulatematter (PM) associated withharvest by at least 30 percent.
The new low-emiss i onsharvesting opportunity is fundedthrough the NRCS EnvironmentalQuality Incentives Program (EQIP).Information on the specific modelsof harvesters currently covered bythe program can be obtained at theNRCS Service Centers.
California is home to some of thebiggest air quality challenges inthe nation with much of the statefailing to meet federal ambient airquality standards for one or moreair pollutants. The new cleanerharvest technology joins a list ofother on-farm air quality optionsfor which NRCS provides technicaland financial assistance. Suchoptions include cleaner stationaryand mobile engine equipment (e.g.irrigation pumps, tractors etc.)
generation family farmer from Volga,South Dakota, and has beenpresident of the South Dakota FarmBureau since 2004. After beingelected, he said he thinks FarmBureau is “right on track as far ashelping educate consumers andhelping educate people who use ourproducts,” but added that he islooking forward to doing more toadvance the cause of food securityas a national security concern.
Both men will serve two-yearterms in their respective positions.
American Farm BureauElects New President Valley Women to be Honored
winning Fresno State wines, araffle and the Common ThreadsAward presentation.
Tickets are $50 per person ifpurchased by March 7; $60 perperson after March 7. Space islimited. Net proceeds raised fromthe luncheon support theC a l i f o r n i a A g r i c u l t u r a lLeadership Foundation (AgLeadership), Ag One Foundationand charities of the honorees'choice.
Contact Ag One for moreinformation at 559-278-4266.
New Air Quality Incentives for Nut Farmersto Adopt Low-Emission Harvesters
r o a d t r e a t m e n t o p t i o n s ,conservation tillage, smart sprayertechnology, and incentives to chiprather than burn orchard debris.
The cleaner harvest technologywas studied in part using theNRCS Conservation InnovationGrants (CIG). The grants aredesigned to stimulate thedevelopment and adoption ofi n n o v a t i v e c o n s e r v a t i o napproaches and technologies. “Inthis case the CIG grants havefunctioned precisely as intendedto bring California farmers newopportunities to protect naturalresources,” said Suarez.
Those interested in conservationplanning and in Farm Billprograms should contact theirl o ca l NRCS f i e l d o f f i c e .Applications are taken year-roundat all NRCS field offices, contactour local office today at (559) 734-8732. Eligible projects will beperiodically evaluated andprioritized for funding.
NRCS has provided leadershipin a partnership effort to helpAmerica's private landowners andmanagers conserve their soil,water and other natural resourcessince 1935.
Cultivate California - Telling Our Story
Federation and 30 county FarmBureaus, Western Growers, theCalifornia Farm Water Coalitionand California Farm Credit.
CultivateCalifornia.com featuresfarmer profiles, a fact sheet thatdemonstrates the value of farmingand ranching in California andsocial media campaigns including#CAonMyPlate.
Visalia Convention Center14 Youth Leadership Congressional Insight Seminar, 5:00 pm, TCFB15 Farm Bureau Calendar Art & Ag Day Presentation, 9:00 am, Board of
Supervisors' Chambers16 Common Threads Luncheon, 11:00 am, Heritage Complex, Tulare20 YF&R Grocery Cart Race, 8:00 am, FoodsCo. in Tulare
25 TCFB closing at Noon on Good Friday31 Land Use Committee Meeting, 3:00 pm, TCFB31 Spring School Garden Workshop, 4:00 pm, COS Tulare College Center, Tulare
March
22 Education Committee Meeting, 4:15 pm, TCFB
Mitigation Project; $6.62 million topay for CDFA's new responsibilitiesto regulate medical marijuanaproduction; $1.39 million to fundCDFA's implementation of SB 27 toaddress antibiotic resistance; and$4 million for county fairs tocomplete deferred maintenanceprojects.
The proposed budget includestotal funding of $16.2 billion for allprograms administered by theTransportation Agency. The focusin the Transportation section of thebudget is infrastructure repair,maintenance and the efficientoperation of the highway system.
This is part of a 10-year budgetplan that is projected to provide atotal of $36 billion, with the focuson repairing and maintaining theexisting infrastructure as well as alarge investment in public transit.
The key elements proposed toprovide the revenue includes aRoad Improvement Charge from anew $65 fee on all vehicles; anincrease the Gasoline Excise Tax;an increase the Diesel Excise Tax;and a $10 increase in the vehicleregistration fee.
AB 1244 - Water rights: small
irrigation use. (Gray, D-Merced)
AB 1244 is a Farm Bureausponsored measure to streamlinepermitting of small on-farmirrigation ponds was approvedunanimously by the AssemblyAppropriations Committee. Thismeasure expands the State WaterResources Control Board's abilityto expedite permitting of small (20acre feet or less) on-farm waterstorage by addressing significantf inancial and bureaucrat icimpediments to developing suchprojects. Farm Bureau supportsthe measure.
AB 1244 wou ld addresss i g n i f i c a n t f i n a n c i a l a n dbureaucratic impediments todeveloping such projects. In 2011,AB 964 was enacted to address thissituation with a focus on the northcoast region. AB 1244 would be thefirst step to afford farmers in otherregions of the state the sameopportunities.
Legislative Updatefrom page 4
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BECOME A BUSINESS SUPPORT MEMBERwww.joinfb.com • 559-732-8301
Tulare County Farm Bureau offers a special category of membership for those interested in supporting Farm Bureau as business owners. If you have a business, ormerely want to show your support for the organization, your membership in the Business Support category is encouraged.Here's what you get in return for your annual dues:
• A free listing every month on this page and in the new online directory.• Discounts on display advertising in this newspaper.• All the benefits and services of Farm Bureau membership.• News of events and issues in TCFB News and E-News.
You will also receive the appreciation and support of the agricultural industry and Tulare County Farm Bureau members. Join us to accomplish our mission:To promote and enhance the viability of Tulare County agriculture.
321 E. Noble Ave., Bldg. A,, Farmersville 592-9681
Steven C. Lansdowne8601 W. Roosevelt Ave., Visalia 651-1760
Craig Smith1695 E. Prosperity Ave., Tulare
737-1750
Jim Olivas3447 S. Demaree St., Visalia 732-7300
Marc Schuil5020 W Mineral King Ave, Visalia 734-1700
Dan Miller6908 Avenue 304, Visalia 651-2676
302 S. F St., Exeter 592-5210
Pete Kistler2861 S. K St., Tulare 686-1447
9817 W. Grove Ave., Visalia 651-0802
Brian Geary139 N. Cain Street, Visalia (855) 622-7837
Jean Houle2955 S. K St., Tulare 685-0340
30548 Road 196, Exeter 594-5020
Timothy J. Witzel22741 Avenue 178, Porterville 781-5515
Steve Meza6944 Avenue 304, Visalia CA 651-9887
Joe Hallmeyer193 S. Mariposa Ave., Visalia 747-1313
686-1688
Tom McGuiganP.O. Box 7087, Visalia 907-0023
Wade Brown5103 W. Goshen Ave., Ste. E, Visalia 625-1133
Rob Taylor882 W. Henderson Ave., Porterville 359-3020
Tom Babb1607 N. Plaza Drive, Visalia 651-1633
Bill Gargan15499 Avenue 280, Visalia 747-0755
Valley Real Estate
Brown's Custom Jewelry
Stafford’s Chocolates
VSI - Veterinary Service, Inc.
Kaweah Pump, Inc.
DIRECTORY OF FARM BUREAU BUSINESS MEMBERS
Food Processing
Forestry Products
Insurance
Irrigation Systems, Supplies& Districts
Livestock
Orchard Services
Other Organizations& Individuals
Marketing
Medical Services
Bell-Carter Olive Company
Crisp California Walnuts
Horizon Nut Company
Sierra Forest Products
Buckman-Mitchell, Inc.
DG Insurance Agency, Inc.
Mitchell Insurance Services
Karen Munger Insurance Services
Nielsen & Associates Insurance
NSE Insurance Agencies, Inc.
Bowsmith, Inc.
Fruit Growers Supply Company
Irritec USA
Rain for Rent
Arrow Head Cattle Co., Inc.
A-Peltzer Enterprises
Baker Topping, Inc.
Barnett Land Leveling Company
Peltzer Topping & Hedging
Reynolds Ranches
College of the Sequoias
Exeter Chamber of Commerce
International Agri-Center, Inc.
Porterville Chamber of Commerce
Tulare Chamber Of Commerce
Tulare County Fair
Tulare County Office of Education
Tulare County Sheriff's Department
Visalia Chamber Of Commerce
PO Box 338, Orange Cove 626-4411
David Silveira20500 Main St., Stratford 947-3800
Andrew Howe26487 N. Highway 99, Tulare 685-3663
9000 Road 234, Terra Bella 535-4893
500 N. Santa Fe, Visalia 733-1181
309 N. Garden St., Visalia 733-0221
Kelly Mitchell1039 N. Demaree St., Visalia 713-1315
Karen Munger4142 S. Demaree St., Visalia 737-9660
David Nielsen502 N. Kaweah, Ste. A, Exeter
(800) 842-8818
Ken Stevens160 S. D St. , Exeter 592-9411
131 Second St., Exeter 592-9485
131 S. Blair Rd., Woodlake 564-3525
Greg Gostanian5540 W. Buena Vista Ave., Visalia 275-8825
Mitch Martin21500 W. Manning, San Joaquin 693-4315
Bill Freeman9303 W. Airport Dr., Visalia 651-1800
Larry Peltzer17396 Avenue 344, Visalia
(888) 798-1034
Michael BakerPO Box 1537, Tulare 804-4045
Lonnie Barnett2300 N. Gill Rd., Exeter 592-2767
Tim D. PeltzerPO Box 10209, Terra Bella 789-9446
Scott Reynolds1389 S. Westwood Ave., Lindsay 287-0000
915 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia 730-3700
Sandy Blankenship101 W. Pine St., Exeter 592-2919
Jerry Sinift4450 S. Laspina St., Tulare 688-1751
93 N. Main St., Ste. A, Porterville 784-7502
220 E. Tulare Ave., Tulare 686-1547
215 Martin Luther King Jr., Tulare 686-4707
Jim Vidak2637 W. Burrel, Visalia 733-6101
Tom Guinn36000 Road 112, Visalia 735-1913
Gail Zurek222 N. Garden St., Suite 300, Visalia 734-5876
CIG Central Valley Insurance
Rural Ag Insurance Service, LLC
Consolidated Peoples Ditch Company
Eurodrip U.S.A., Inc.
Netafim USA
Stuhaan Cattle Corporation
Valley Industrial & Family Medical Group
Scott L. Bosler4142 S. Demaree, Visalia 802-4094
594-5500
Scott Hyder323 North D Street, Porterville 782-3696
James Silva, Jr.PO Box 366, Farmersville 747-1177
1850 W. Almond Ave, Madera 673-9100
Domonic Rossini5470 E. Home Ave., Fresno (661) 809-6282
Dane Stuhaan1255 N Cherry St PMB 573, Tulare 688-7695
R. Steven Alcocer225 S. Chinowth St., Visalia 627-3222
741-0951
Bennett & Bennett Irrigation
Meras Engineering
Allflex USA
MC Solutions
McKellar Agricultural Group
Mitch Barnett Land Leveling
Muller Farming
Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber
Tyler Bennett955 S. Commerce Way, Lemoore 896-0200
Matt Imoto4848 W. Hemlock Ave, Visalia 474-7977
Tom Polich31045 Tower Road, Visalia 783-6989
Mandy Critchley1384 Ave. 384, Kingsburg 799-4744
P O Box 189, Ivanhoe 798-0557
Mitch BarnettPO Box 44051, Lemon Cove 597-1500
Patrick Muller1576 N. Kaweah Ave., Exeter 592-1450
Armondo Apodaca1100 W. Main Street, Visalia 734-6020
Agriculture Services andCustom Harvesting
Attorneys & Legal Services
Auctions
Automotive Dealers
Automotive Service & Repair
Banks & Financial Services
Composting & Compost Sales
Computer Sales & Service
Contractors
Cooperatives
Ag Theft & Security Services
Brian Black Farming
Bank of the Sierra Ag Credit
Farm Credit West
Valley Business Bank
F & L Construction Inc.
Dan Freitas Electric, Inc.
Brian Black16760 El Rio Drive, Visalia 594-6834
PO Box 1930, Porterville 782-4432
Don O’Dell200 E. Cartmill, Tulare 684-1478
Terry Culotta701 W. Main Street, Visalia 622-9000
Raymond Lamarsh467 Atwood Ave., Exeter 594-4907
Dan Freitas983 E. Levin Avenue, Tulare 686-9572
E & M Ag Services, Inc.
Good Fellas Harvesting
Central Valley Community Bank
Farm Credit West
Golden State Farm Credit Associate ACA
Stifel Nicolaus
Suncrest Bank
Tri Counties Bank
Matthew BakkePO Box 7208, Visalia 625-5020
P.O. Box 9, Tipton 359-1907
Don Kelly120 N. Floral Street, Visalia 625-7366
Jon Kennedy200 E. Cartmill, Tulare 684-1478
PO Box 1838, Hanford 584-5401
David C. Sharp217 E. Caldwell Ave., Visalia 622-1040
400 W. Center Ave., Visalia 802-1000
AAA Security, Inc.
Smokin’ Barrel Firearms
Houk and Hornburg, Inc.
Will Tiesiera Ford Mercury
Bryan Company
Ralph Fuller Electric
Skip Rouch Construction
Valley Cleaning & Restoration
321 E. Noble Ave., Bldg C, Farmersville 594-5600
Robert J. Gaalswyk3222 N. Demaree St., Ste. D, Visalia 625-5855
Thomas E. Hornburg206 S. Mooney Blvd, Visalia 733-1065
Bruce Boren2010 E. Cross Ave., Tulare 688-7471
Ken BryanP.O. Box 2565, Visalia 732-3516
383 W. Pine, Exeter 592-4633
54773 Chinquapin Dr., Springville 542-3000
Robert J. Lassotovitch641 S. Plano Street, Porterville 781-4800
Dias Law Firm
Horswill, Mederos & Soares, Attorneys at Law
Rauber & Johnson, Attorneys at Law
Ward R. Stringham, Attorney at Law
Tulare County Stockyard, Inc.
Visalia Livestock Market
Groppetti Automotive Family
Jim Manning Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram
Battery Pro
Gross & Stevens, Inc.
Pixley Auto Parts & Farm Supply
Quality Paint & Body
Tucoemas Federal Credit Union
Westwood Capital Services
New Era Farm Services, Inc.
EMD, Inc.
Doug DeLeo Welding, Inc.
W & E Electric
Cal Bean & Grain Cooperative
Land O' Lakes
Mid-Valley Cotton Growers, Inc.
Michael A. Dias502 W. Grangeville Blvd., Hanford 585-7330
Dennis Mederos791 N. Cherry St., Tulare 686-3861
James C. Johnson1007 N. Demaree St., Visalia 741-1800
Ward R. Stringham756 E. Tulare Ave., Tulare 686-1747
Jon Dolieslager9641 Avenue 384, Dinuba 591-0884
Randy Baxley733 N. Ben Maddox Way, Visalia 625-9615
Mike MoraPO Box 1431, Visalia 334-6202
James Manning194 W. Tulare St., Dinuba 591-4910
Joey AguiarPO Box 2032, Tulare 687-9413
1121 E. Acequia Ave., Visalia 734-4649
William W. Van Scyoc418 S. Main St., Pixley 757-3574
739 N. Ben Maddox, Visalia 734-3501
509 S. Pinkham St., Ste. B, Visalia 741-2940
Linda Reese2300 W. Whitendale Ave, Visalia 732-8892
Dennis Sexton813 W. Oak Ave., Ste. C, Porterville 741-9400
Douglas L. Graham2904 E. Oakdale, Tulare 686-3833
Lolen East4930 W. Kaweah Ct., Ste. 200,Visalia 636-7000
Doug DeLeoPO Box 878, Lindsay 562-3700
Larry W. Edwards12686 Avenue 416, Orosi 528-3866
PO Box D, Pixley 757-3581
Steve Ballard400 S. M St., Tulare 687-8287
Stan CreelmanPO Box 149, Tulare 686-2823
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Employment Services& Safety Training
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Farm Labor Contractors
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Feed and Nutrition
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Energy & Utilities
Airoso Dairy Farms
Nunes Bros. Dairy
Riverview Dairy
Valley Nutrition
Wasnick Bros. Dairy Supply, Inc.
World Wide Sires, LTD
Hester Orchards, Inc.
R. L. Schafer & Associates
Keller & Wegley Engineering
Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group
Alberto C. Robles, Farm Labor Contractor
Agricultural Services, Inc.
Anton Caratan & Son
Crinklaw Farm Services
Foothill Ag Services
ABAA Visalia Ranch
Barcellos Farms
Halopoff and Sons, Inc.
Bob Nuckols Hay, Etc.
Peterson Farms
Tri T Farms
Nutrius, LLC
Western Milling, LLC
Soil Basics Corp
P.O. Box 1087, Tipton 757-3598
20445 Road 124, Tulare 686-3065
Randy W. Gorzeman9295 Avenue 88, Pixley 757-3522
Dan Waldner113 N. Church, St., Suite 403, Visalia
Robert M. Wasnick1012 N. J St., Tulare 686-4581
5545 Avenida De Los Robles, Visalia 622-2222
Gary Hester26800 A Road 164, Visalia 594-5025
Richard Schafer2904 W. Main, Visalia 734-1348
Dennis Keller209 S. Locust, Visalia 732-7938
130 N. Garden St., Visalia 636-1166
Alberto Robles20456 Avenue 256, Exeter 909-0630
Daniel W. DreyerPO Box 335, Exeter 592-4844
PO Box 2797. Bakersfield (661) 747-7700
Dave Crinklaw13837 S. Zediker Ave., Kingsburg 897-1077
Edward Needham3921 E. Mary Ave., Visalia 977-7282
Claude Atkins15430 Avenue 296, Visalia 733-7350
Tom Barcellos14857 Road 168, Porterville 752-4360
John Halopoff
19480 Road 244, Strathmore 568-1102
Bob C. Nuckols13144 Road 216, Porterville 784-2793
Jay Peterson26789 Road 188, Exeter 592-5274
John P. Toledo29630 Road 44, Visalia 651-1301
Brian McCutcheon39494 Clarkson Dr., Kingsburg 897-5862
PO Box 1029, Goshen 302-1001
PO Box 2609, Visalia 651-2772
Leal Dairy
Valley Pump Dairy Systems
Altsys Solar Inc.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Southern California Gas Company
Micke Farms
Joe Russell Farms
Ultra Gro Plant Food Co.
Steve Leal7027 Ave. 208, Tulare 688-8367
909-2594
Michael Graham2280 S. K Street, Tulare 686-2000
1434 E. Tulare Ave., Tulare 688-2544
Ann Kloose705 P St., Fresno 263-5308
Matthew Hendrick404 N. Tipton St., Visalia 739-2389
Gerald MickeP.O. Box 11026, Terra Bella 784-4322
Joe Russell13603 Ave. 352, Visalia 731-8200
Harold Peters1043 S. Granada Ave., Madera 661-0977
Johnston Calf Pens
California Safety Training Corporation
CalCom Solar
Coldwell Solar Inc.
Southern California Edison
PB Ranches
Pitigliano Farms
R & M Ranch
Terra Bella Honey
Barry Johnston12385 Rd. 96, Tipton 916-803-2253
Ben Laverty2130 Brundage Lane, Bakersfield (661) 377-8300
Nic Stover9716 W. Grove Ave, Visalia 661-376-0543
Rita Edwards121 Main Street, Suite 107, Visalia (888) 705-5055
2425 S. Blackstone St, Tulare 685-3213
Gabriel Pena12094 Ave. 408, Cutler 528-6997
Josh PitiglianoPO Box 9, Tipton 752-4319
Edward Maurer30698 Road 196, Exeter 592-9318
Roger EverettPO Box 1656, Porterville 333-0283
Tulare County Workforce Investment Board, Inc.Adam Peck309 W. Main St., Ste. 120, Visalia 713-5200
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Page 14 February 2016Tulare County Farm Bureau News www.tulcofb.org
February 2016 Page 15Tulare County Farm Bureau Newswww.tulcofb.org
three years, and measurementrequirements could be avoided ifthe right holder deemed them notlocally cost effective.
The new regulations also providefor phasing in requirements forinstalling measurement devicesand a tiered approach to accuracya n d r e c o r d i n g f r e q u e n c y
standards, all based on the size ofthe diversion.
For instance, those with aclaimed right to take 1,000 acre feetof water or more per year arerequired to have a measuringdevice or measuring method inplace by January 1, 2017 that iscapable of recording at least hourly;those with claimed rights to divert100 acre feet or more must complyby July 1, 2017 and record at least
daily; and those with claimed rightsto divert more than 10 acre feetmust comply by January 1, 2018and record at least weekly.
These regulations also allow theState Water Board to require morefrequent reporting when availablewater supplies are determined
All diverters, regardless of size,
are now required to report their
monthly diversions on an annual
basis.
insufficient to serve all water rightholders in a watershed or necessaryto protect the environment. Failureto comply with the regulations is aviolation subject to civil liability ofup to $500 per day under the WaterCode.
The new emergency regulation isexempt from the CaliforniaEnvironmental Quality Act (CEQA),and will remain in effect untilrevised.
Water Diversionsfrom page 8
Page 16 Tulare County Farm Bureau News February 2016 www.tulcofb.org
year's down on the farm comedianTim Moffett.
Tim is definitely not a politician,salesman, or motivational speaker.Tim is a Florida dairy farmer andstand-up comedian otherwise
known as “Tim the Dairy Farmer”.His experiences on and off the farmallow him to bring out the humor ofeveryday farm life.
You don't have to be a farmer tounderstand Tim's humor. Whetheror not you are blue collar, redneck,or even a city slicker Tim will haveyou doubled-over with his laughsper minute style.
Tim travels the U.S. and Canadaperforming at agricultural relatedevents. Tim's true passions in lifeare farming, eating beef jerky andmaking people laugh.
Returning again is the popularwine giveaway and a chance to wina one of a kind piece of jewelrycustom made by Brown's CustomJewelry in Visalia. High qualitywines will be sold that night bydrawing and a separate raffle will beheld to win a beautiful piece of
jewelry during the evening'scocktail hour.
This year's diamond pendant ismade with black and whitediamonds to underscore this year'sblack and white theme. The jewelryprize will be sold by individualticket this year separate from thewine drawing.
The 29 annual TCFB Gala willtake place Saturday, March 12,2016 at the Visalia ConventionCenter. Tickets are available forreservation by phone at 732-8301or by visiting the TCFB office.
Don't miss out on a night ofexceptional entertainment and theopportunity to support localeducation programs that benefitthe youth of Tulare County. Raffletickets for the jewelry prize, andadmission tickets to the event areseparate.
th
Galafrom page 1
Conservation Programfrom page 1
the County anticipates approvingin February as a condition of thesettlement agreement with theSierra Club.
The key points of consensusadvanced by the Farm Bureauread:
• [TCFB] supports the voluntaryuse of conservation easementswith a willing seller and buyer
• Supports only qualified landtrusts be allowed to be designatedas 'qualifying entities' for thepurpose of the Tulare CountyACEP
• Opposes the county or citydesignating themselves to be a co-holder or qualified entity to holdeasements
• Opposes the land be heldoutside the County of Tulare
• Due to the inherent conflict ofinterest, mitigation banks shouldnot be allowed to be owned oroperated by a government agencyor agencies when they haveregulatory responsibilities over theprivate property or operator.
T h i s h a s l o n g b e e n acontroversial issue with FarmBureau, having members on allsides of this debate. For moreinformation, contact the FarmBureau's director at 732-8301.
