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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
“California's agricultural and rural lands are critical to the sustainability and economic leadership of the state,” Sen. Dodd said. “This bill would help put farmers and ranchers on the leading edge of conservation while supporting their economic vitality. Ultimately, it would boost the land’s resiliency and production, allowing people and the environment to reap the benefits.”
California agriculture is a $54 billion industry that generates at least $100 billion in related economic activity. Farmland provides many benefits including preservation of open space and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities and social benefits.
In recent years, especially during and after the drought, conservation practices have declined, driven in part by the rising cost of agricultural production, including water and energy costs.
Senate Bill 253, which passed the Senate late yesterday, would revitalize conservation, providing assistance to agricultural producers who want to voluntarily make wildlife-friendly improvements on their land.
The program would provide financial and technical assistance to create fish and wildlife habitat. It would provide added environmental benefits such as improved water quality, erosion control and conserved ground water.
Eligible land would include cropland, rangeland, pastureland and other farm or ranch lands.
Among the bill’s numerous supporters are The Nature Conservancy, Rural County Representatives of California and the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts.
“SB 253 provides needed assistance for our farmers to address climate change and provide multiple conservation benefits through on-farm practices,” said Inyo County Supervisor Matt Kingsley, Chair of the Rural County Representatives of California. “We thank Sen. Dodd for his leadership on this issue.”
Dodd represents California’s Third Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. You can learn more about Sen. Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd .
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- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
On Nov. 8, 2016, CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham submitted an emergency rulemaking
to the Office of Administrative Law to close the commercial rock crab fishery north of Pigeon Point, San Mateo County upon the recommendation of the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or OEHHA.
Since that time, portions of the fishery were sequentially reopened by the director in consultation with OEHHA under new authority granted by Fish and Game Code Section 5523.
The commercial fishery was last modified in April 2018, when the fishery was opened between the Sonoma/Mendocino County line and the Mendocino/Humboldt County line.
The commercial rock crab fishery remains closed in all waters from the Mendocino/Humboldt County line (40° 00.00' N. Lat.) to 40° 30.00' N. Lat. (near Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County) and from the north jetty of the Humboldt Bay entrance (40° 46.15' N. Lat.) to the California/Oregon border (42° 00.00' N. Lat.).
This closure shall remain in effect until the director of OEHHA, in consultation with the director of the California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, determines that domoic acid levels no longer pose a significant risk to public health and recommends the fishery be opened.
CDFW will continue to coordinate with fishermen, CDPH, and OEHHA to test domoic acid levels in rock crab within the closured area.
State and federal laws prohibit the commercial distribution of seafood products that contain domoic acid levels above the federal action level of 30 parts per million in the viscera.
The recreational fishery for rock crab remains open statewide with a warning from CDPH to avoid consuming the viscera of crab caught between the Mendocino/Humboldt County line and Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County and from the north jetty of the Humboldt Bay entrance to the California/Oregon border.
Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin produced by a naturally occurring marine alga, whose levels can be increased under certain ocean conditions, and can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish.
It causes illness and sometimes death in a variety of birds and marine mammals that consume affected organisms. At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and death.
For more information visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Health-Advisories or www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab .
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
“Ensuring small businesses in our communities can rebuild after disasters is a key part of ensuring our local economies can come back even stronger,” said Thompson. “That’s why I am introducing the Small Business Disaster Relief Act which increases the flexibility of grant funding available through the SBA and improves the SBA’s ability to help small businesses get back on their feet after disasters such as the wildfires that have devastated our communities the past few years. I will continue to do everything I can to bring back federal dollars and resources to help our community recover.”
This legislation would give the SBA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency more flexibility in setting the terms and conditions of disaster loans to businesses vital to recovery such as debris removal, gasoline supply, and telecommunications.
It would also authorize SBA to make grants to small business development centers to provide technical assistance to small businesses after a disaster, and encourage SBA to use local district offices to expedite the processing of disaster loan applications.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Collectively, the Lawmaker Education & Advocacy Day, or LEAD, on Carbon Pricing is the largest business gathering on the Hill to advocate for climate legislation in over a decade.
Fetzer Vineyards' participation underscores the vintner's commitment to supporting national and international climate action through a variety of means, including lobbying Congress to enact far-reaching policies.
The businesses participating in LEAD include 20 Fortune 500 companies as well as trade associations, medium and small businesses collectively representing combined revenues of more than $1.7 trillion, a combined market valuation of nearly $2.5 trillion and more than 750,000 U.S. employees.
Fetzer Vineyards is standing with companies that span the American economy, including retail giants, manufacturers, oil majors, healthcare services, food and beverage companies, outdoors industries, technology companies and energy providers.
"At our winery, we've pursued practices for decades that minimize our climate impact from energy consumption, waste and more," said Elizabeth Drake, regenerative development manager at Fetzer Vineyards. "Looking to the future, we recognize the need for policies that support bold action on climate, which is why we're putting our voice behind a price on carbon in Washington this week."
Joseph Brinkley, vineyard director at Fetzer Vineyards, and other business representatives met one-on-one with lawmakers and congressional staff from both sides of the aisle in the House and the Senate to educate them on the economic impacts of climate change and the need for comprehensive and effective national climate policies.
Hosted by Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), these businesses made the case for a strong and effective federal carbon price and share the private sector's vision for comprehensive solutions to tackle climate change.
When meeting with legislators, Brinkley shared details of the soil study recently conducted at Fetzer Vineyards' Mendocino County vineyards, which highlights the climate benefits of regenerative agriculture and the positive relationship between soil and climate resilience.
Fetzer Vineyards actively supports clean energy and climate-smart policies at the state and federal levels and is a member of the Ceres Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy, or BICEP, Network.
In California, the company recently advocated for Senate Bill 100, which commits state utilities to using 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.
Fetzer Vineyards' participation in this week's LEAD activities supporting a price on carbon and other policy efforts complement a longstanding commitment to reducing impacts at the winery, which is now going beyond its doors to engage in meaningful opportunities to contribute to the global effort to slow climate change.