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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Woodland Chapter of the California Association of Pest Control Advisers and Organic Fertilizer Association of California will host a daylong seminar on organic production and plant and health nutrition on Friday, Dec. 7.
The seminar will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 500 Bush St, Woodland.
Subjects will include IPM, biofertility, mycorrhizal inoculants, alfalfa production, disease control, weed control, cover crops/compost and processing tomato production.
The Yolo County agriculture commissioner will give an update, and there will be information on water quality regulations, role of organic inputs and nitrates, urban IPM and a grower panel discussing organic production.
There also will be exhibits by firms providing products acceptable for organic and sustainable production.
Continuing education units are offered for certified crop advisers (7.0 hours) and licensed pest control advisers (4.5 hours).
Program/registration is available at https://capcaed.com/continuing-ed-seminars/organic-production-healthy-plants/ .
For more information, contact Steven Beckley, 916-539-4107 or
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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Mendocino College 15th Annual IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Seminar, addressing such topics as weed control strategies, exotic pests in North Coast vineyards, sudden oak death, and nutrition for trees and vines, is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 16.
The seminar will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Lodge at Blue Lakes, 5135 W. Highway 20.
This year’s seminar is cosponsored by the Lake County Winegrape Commission and Mendocino College.
The enrollment fee for the daylong event is $45 for individuals who register online at http://mendocinocollegeipm2012.eventbrite.com .
Fee for registration by mail or fax is $55. Attendees may earn seven hours of continuing education approved by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR).
Deadline for registration is Nov. 11. Lunch will be provided to preregistered attendees. Walk-ins may be accommodated for the seminar, but lunch will not be guaranteed, according to the sponsors.
For information, contact Paul Zellman, education director for the Lake County Winegrape Commission, by sending an email to
Additionally, information is available from Jim Xerogeanes, director of Agriculture/Natural Resources at Mendocino College, at
Check-in for the class will begin at 7:30 a.m. Presentations will begin at 8 a.m.
Scheduled speakers include John Roncoroni, weed specialist, University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), Napa County; Kim Gallagher Horton, Biobest, USA; Tom Anderson, DPR; Paul Ryan, DPR Enforcement Branch liaison; Lucia Varela, Ph.D., UCCE, Sonoma; Jack Marshall, California Department of Forestry/CalFire; and Greg Young, soil scientist and vineyard/agricultural consultant.
A panel of growers will give a review of this year’s pest management issues in vineyards and orchards. Broc Zoller, The Pear Doctor, will be joined by Ann Thrupp, sustainability manager for Fetzer & Bonterra Vineyards, and Daniel Robledo, Crop Production Services.
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SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Kamala Harris this week began formally notifying scores of mobile application developers and companies that they are not in compliance with California privacy law.
The companies were given 30 days to conspicuously post a privacy policy within their app that informs users of what personally identifiable information about them is being collected and what will be done with that private information.
Letters will be sent out to up to 100 non-compliant apps at this time, starting with those who have the most popular apps available on mobile platforms.
“Protecting the privacy of online consumers is a serious law enforcement matter,” said Harris. “We have worked hard to ensure that app developers are aware of their legal obligations to respect the privacy of Californians, but it is critical that we take all necessary steps to enforce California’s privacy laws.”
The letters are the first step in taking legal action to enforce the California Online Privacy Protection Act (Simitian), which requires commercial operators of online services, including mobile and social apps, which collect personally identifiable information from Californians to conspicuously post a privacy policy. Privacy policies are an important safeguard for consumers.
Privacy policies promote transparency in how companies collect, use, and share personal information. Companies can face fines of up to $2,500 each time a non-compliant app is downloaded.
This action by Attorney General Harris follows an agreement she forged among the seven leading mobile and social app platforms to improve privacy protections for millions of users around the globe who use apps on their smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices.
Those platforms – Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Research in Motion – agreed to privacy principles designed to bring the industry in line with California law requiring mobile apps that collect personal information to have a privacy policy.
The agreement allows consumers the opportunity to review an app’s privacy policy before they download the app rather than after, and offers consumers a consistent location for an app’s privacy policy on the application-download screen in the platform store.
The California Online Privacy Protection Act is one of the privacy laws that the Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit is charged with enforcing.
Created in 2012, the Privacy Unit’s mission is to enforce federal and state privacy laws regulating the collection, retention, disclosure, and destruction of private or sensitive information by individuals, organizations, and the government. This includes laws relating to cyber privacy, health privacy, financial privacy, identity theft, government records and data breaches.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County Energy Watch has a program for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) commercial customers in Lake County to help improve energy efficiency and save money.
The Energy Fitness Program offers lighting retrofits at no- or low-cost for customers whose electrical demand is 200 kW or less per month.
These retrofits are available to small businesses, non-profit organizations and special districts, as well as city, state and federal facilities located in Lake County.
The retrofits include four- and eight-foot linear fixtures, high bay fixtures, light-emitting diode (LED) refrigeration case lighting, gas station canopy lights, Energy Star compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), LED exit signs, vacancy sensors, vending machine controls and faucet aerators, as well as additional LED and other cost-effective measures.
Most of these measures are available at absolutely no cost – including energy-efficient lighting upgrades – with just a few of the options requiring a nominal copay.
In a letter of support for the Energy Fitness Program, Fire Chief Willie Sapeta writes, “On behalf of the Lake County Fire Protection District we would like to extend our appreciation for the assistance with enrolling my district into the Energy Fitness/Energy Watch Program. We received new efficient lighting components at each of our facilities, which replaced 25-year old technology lighting. The new lighting provides a crisper, brighter and safer environment to work in. We also look forward to the going green aspects of the new lighting to do our part in contributing to a greener workplace.”
Lake County Energy Watch received assistance from PG&E to pay nonprofit organizations’ copay for lighting retrofits available through the program.
Lake County Energy Watch is administered by PG&E using funding from California utility ratepayers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Energy Watch partnerships are designed to help local governments and their communities lower their energy bills and enjoy a cleaner environment.
You may find information about other PG&E programs on the Lake County Energy Watch Web site, www.energy.co.lake.ca.us , under the “Energy Efficiency Specialist” link, or at www.pge.com .
For more information about the Lake County Energy Watch program, visit the Web site or contact Michalyn DelValle at 707-263-2221.