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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
In May, President Trump authorized USDA to provide up to $16 billion in programs to support farmers, which is in line with the estimated impacts of unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. ATP is one of three programs that will assist agricultural producers while President Trump works to address long-standing market access barriers.
“China and other nations haven’t played by the rules for a long time and President Trump is standing up to them, sending a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate their unfair trade practices,” Secretary Perdue said. “At USDA, we are always looking to expand existing markets or open new ones and this infusion of money will do just that. American farmers are so productive that we need to continue to expand our markets wherever we can to sell the bounty of the American harvest.”
The 48 recipients are among the cooperator organizations that applied for $200 million in ATP funds in 2018 that were awarded earlier this year. As part of a new round of support for farmers impacted by unjustified retaliation and trade disruption, those groups had the opportunity to be considered for additional support for their work to boost exports for U.S. agriculture, food, fish, and forestry products.
Already, since the $200 million in assistance was announced in January, U.S. exporters have had significant success, including a trade mission to Pakistan that generated $10 million in projected 2019 sales of pulse crops, a new marketing program for Alaska seafood that led to more than $4 million in sales of salmon to Vietnam and Thailand, and a comprehensive marketing effort by the U.S. soybean industry that has increased exposure in more than 50 international markets. These funds will continue to generate sales and business for U.S. producers and exporters many times over as promotional activity continues for the next couple of years.
The list of ATP funding recipients is available at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/atp-funding-allocations .
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- Written by: Lake County Association Realtors
Nearly 60 homes will be available viewing throughout the county.
Purchasing a home is often one of the most important decisions in a person’s life and deciding on a particular house comes with many options.
Forty-five percent of recent buyers used open houses as a way to narrow down their choices and find their dream home.
“Realtors will open the doors to an assortment of homes in the local area that are taking part in this year’s Open House Extravaganza,” said Mary Benson, 2019 president of the Lake County Association of Realtors. “This event is a great way for buyers to get an idea of what they can afford and what kinds of homes are available in the local market. It’s also a chance for sellers to market their home and attract potential buyers.”
Realtors and affiliate members will be available at open houses to answer questions about the home buying process and local market conditions. Homes will be available in many of the county’s diversified neighborhoods.
The event is an excellent opportunity for both in-county residents and out-of-county buyers. In-county residents who are first time home buyers or looking to upsize or downsize their current residence will have the ability to view multiple homes at their leisure.
Out-of-county buyers will find Lake County home prices affordable and attractive be it as a second home or a new residence.
“Buyers need to have a clear idea of what features are important to them and know where they are willing to compromise;” said Benson. “That is where visiting open houses can be helpful. Also, working with a Realtor can be a real asset. Realtors visit hundreds of homes with buyers each year, and have a unique understanding of what buyers value in their local markets. Their expertise and knowledge can help you achieve the dream of homeownership.”
Consumers can go to www.lakecountyopenhouses.com to view a list of open houses that will be available and download maps to help them plan their open house viewings.
The Lake County Association of Realtors, established in 1947, provides services to Realtors throughout Lake County.
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- Written by: Pacific Fishery Management Council
The public is encouraged to comment at the September and November council meetings as management of this halibut fishery transitions from the International Pacific Halibut Commission, or IPHC, to the council.
In June, the council committed to working closely with the IPHC and stakeholders on the transition. The council will focus on a smooth transfer of management authority for the commercial directed fishery, and will rely on the IPHC to continue to issue licenses for this fishery in the near-term.
The council intends to maintain the current management structure, but may consider changes to vessel poundage limits and open periods.
At its September and November meetings, when the council typically considers changes to its halibut catch sharing plan, it will also make management recommendations for the 2020 directed commercial halibut fishery trip limits and fishing periods.
These meetings will provide an opportunity for public, agency and advisory body comment.
The Groundfish Advisory Subpanel meetings held in conjunction with the September and November council meetings will also provide an opportunity for public comment on this issue.
As always, public comment will be accepted through the council’s e-portal before the meetings.
The September meeting will be held Sept. 11 to 18 at the Riverside Hotel in Boise, Idaho. The November meeting will be held Nov. 13 to 20 at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa in Costa Mesa, California.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will hold public meetings Aug. 5 to 8 to discuss fishing periods and trip limits for the 2020 directed commercial halibut fishery.
Meeting dates and locations will be posted online; information is also available at 541-867-4741. Currently, the Departments of Fish and Wildlife for Washington and California do not have public meetings scheduled to discuss the non-Indian commercial directed halibut fishery season structure for 2020.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries 3-200 miles offshore of the United States of America coastline.
The Pacific Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.
All council meetings are open to the public.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The U.S. Department of Labor announced plans to modernize and improve the existing H-2A agricultural visa program, which allows people from certain countries to enter the United States temporarily for on-farm jobs.
“We’re encouraged by the administration’s efforts to improve the H-2A system,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said. “We continue to analyze the full proposal, but our initial reading shows that it would streamline certain aspects of the program and expand it to include additional forms of agriculture, such as reforestation work.”
More California farmers have begun using the H-2A program, he said, but added that it has generally not been flexible enough for many of the state’s crops and commodities.
“When we asked Farm Bureau members earlier this year to tell us how they are addressing employee shortages, only 6 percent of the farmers who responded to our survey said they were using H-2A,” Johansson said. “Changes proposed by the administration may increase that proportion, but farmers also need wider improvement to immigration laws that can only be addressed through congressional action.”
Farm Bureau and other organizations continue working with members of Congress on solutions that would provide legal status to current farm employees in the U.S. while further enhancing the agricultural visa program to include a portability mechanism.
“Ultimately, immigration laws need to accommodate employees and their immediate family members who are in the country now, plus allow future employees to enter the U.S. and move from farm to farm for employment,” Johansson said. “We will continue to pursue that goal with Congress and the administration. H-2A reform is only one piece of the puzzle.”
The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 36,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of nearly 5.6 million Farm Bureau members.