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- Written by: Farm Bureau
The bill establishes federal policy on agricultural programs encompassing conservation, nutrition, commodities, trade, research, rural development and other topics.
The Senate bill will be reconciled in conference committee with a farm bill passed by the House last week.
“The farm bill represents a five-year agreement between farmers and the American people,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said. “We will encourage our representatives to meld the best elements of the House and Senate bills to create a modern farm bill that serves farmers, ranchers, rural Americans and everyone who depends on the nation’s agricultural production.”
Johansson noted that the bill preserves conservation programs important to California farmers and ranchers and maintains investments in trade development, organic agriculture and programs to aid production of specialty crops such as vegetables, nuts and fruits.
He said the measure also encourages research into mechanization, which offers a partial remedy for ongoing employee shortages on farms and ranches.
“This commitment to research acknowledges the need for long-term solutions for agricultural labor needs, and at the same time creates resources to develop innovative ways to harvest and care for crops,” Johansson said.
“On the other hand, the bill isn’t perfect,” he added. “We would like to see an improved risk-management program for dairy farms and changes to eligibility requirements for conservation programs that would allow more California farmers and ranchers to participate. The federal government also needs to adjust its definition of the term ‘rural,’ so more California communities could qualify for programs to improve facilities in rural regions.”
Current federal farm legislation is due to expire in September.
The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 40,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5.5 million Farm Bureau members.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Patelco’s Disaster Relief Program provides immediate access to financial resources to any member in good standing who has been affected by natural disasters.
This program includes access to no- or low-cost loans, reimbursement of non-network ATM fees, deferred loan payments, and more.
“With the wildfires affecting our members in Northern California, we are here to provide financial assistance and peace-of-mind through our Disaster Relief Program,” said Patelco’s President and CEO Erin Mendez. “From our experience with the fires last fall in the North Bay area, we know that our members will be needing support, and we will continue to act as a resource for them in the face of this disaster.”
Patelco encourages members living in the affected areas who have experienced temporary displacement or damage due to fires to call 1-800-358-8228 to find out more about the support available through the Disaster Relief Program.
Disaster Relief Program details:
● $500 cash now. Personal loans at zero-percent interest.
● An additional $10,000 at a very low, special disaster relief rate.
● ATM surcharge reimbursement. Members can use any ATM anywhere, and Patelco will reimburse ATM fees.
● No early withdrawal penalties. Patelco will waive early withdrawal penalties for members who withdraw their respective share certificates.
● Skip a loan payment. Members can skip a payment for one month on any personal, credit card, auto, boat and RV loans.
Pleasanton, Calif.-based Patelco Credit Union is a not-for-profit credit union committed to serving the financial health and well being of its membership.
With more than 330,000 members primarily in and around Northern California, Patelco is committed to fueling hope and opportunity for its members by offering personalized solutions, advice, and expertise that empower them to achieve personal financial freedom.
Founded in 1936 with $500 in assets by employees of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co., Patelco is in the top 1 percent of U.S. credit unions with more than $6 billion in assets.
For more information, visit https://www.patelco.org/.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Beckstoffer Vineyards first acquired land in the Red Hills in 1997 beginning the modern era of premium vineyard plantings in Lake County and has steadfastly been committed to proving that the Red Hills can produce ultra- premium Cabernet rivaling the best that California has to offer.
Beckstoffer and a group of growers established the Red Hills AVA in 2004.
“Vineyards and wine grapes don’t recognize California county boundaries,” he said. “The Red Hills located just north of Napa provide ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon soils and climate. There are many similarities between Napa when we arrived in 1970 and the Red Hills in 2018. Napa was not ‘wine country’ then and Lake County isn’t now. In the 1970’s, the Napa grapes had not really begun to realize their potential for ultra-premium wine. The same can be said for Red Hills. We believe that potential is there, and we plan to continue to pioneer its potential.”
With the opening of the Red Hills Station, Beckstoffer Vineyards further demonstrates its long-term commitment to the AVA and provides an office for its management and administrative employees, helmed by General Manager Pedro Rubio.
Beckstoffer Vineyards owns approximately 1,500 acres in the Red Hills of Lake County, with the 850 acre Amber Knolls Vineyard and the 650 acre Crimson Ridge Vineyard which are planted on the hillsides between 2,000-2,500 feet elevations.
As with all Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, Amber Knolls and Crimson Ridge are farmed with the long-term vision of the stewardship of the land by using innovation and sustainability to improve vine health, productivity and quality.
Beckstoffer Vineyards currently sells Red Hills fruit to more than 30 different wineries and winemakers, many of which are earmarked for ultra-premium vineyard designated wines.
Beckstoffer’s opening of the Red Hills Station is the second significant visible commitment to the Red Hills in recent years: in 2016 Beckstoffer Vineyards initiated a new program wherein the company pledged to offer an acre of grapes for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 vintages, farmed to Beckstoffers’ Napa Heritage Vineyards standards, to several key winemakers who applied for the opportunity. The winemakers’ names and wines will be revealed and premiered respectively in 2019.
Established in 2004, the Red Hills AVA is located in the northern Mayacamas Mountains on the southwest edge of Clear Lake. At the foot of Mount Konocti, the AVA is comprised of dozens of volcanic hills ranging from 1,350 to more than 3,700 feet above sea level.
Grapes are grown in mountain climate conditions with the majority of the AVA’s acreage planted at or over 2,000 feet allowing for greater levels of sunlight.
The exposure to sunlight, combined with low humidity and temperate climate create a perfect growing season, allowing grapes to ripen without dramatic fluctuations, resulting in bright, balanced wines with complex flavor.
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- Written by: Better Business Bureau
These frauds concentrate on older people, targeting them by direct mail, cold calling, social media, even text messages and smartphone pop-ups. BBB warns consumers to be on guard against these serious and pervasive frauds and their perpetrators.
The report – “Sweepstakes, Lottery and Prize Scams: A Better Business Bureau Study of How ‘Winners’ Lose Millions Through an Evolving Fraud” – notes these scams bilked $117 million out of half a million Americans and Canadians in 2017 alone, with actual victims and losses likely numbering much higher.
BBB’s Scam Tracker received 2,820 sweepstakes and lottery scam reports in 2017, with a median loss of $500. Older people are the most frequent target and suffer the largest losses by far in these scams, which commonly originate in Jamaica, Costa Rica and Nigeria.
The report recommends stronger law enforcement efforts on three fronts -- in Jamaica, which has seen an upswing in violence related to lottery fraud profits; in the U.S., where law enforcement is urged to step up extraditions and prosecutions of overseas fraudsters operating in the U.S.; and globally, as law enforcement agencies worldwide are encouraged to take steps toward holding deceptive mailing organizations accountable and ending fraudulent mail. It also urges Facebook and other social media platforms to take steps to stamp out fake, fraudulent profiles and make fraud reporting easier.
“Whether it’s here in the Bay Area or nationwide, if you win a sweepstakes, you will never be asked to wire money to claim a prize,” said Lori Wilson, San Francisco BBB president and CEO. “It’s heartbreaking knowing that fraudsters continue to find new ways to prey on people who are dreaming of winning big.”
Among the victims is a man in his 80s who was told in a 2015 phone call that he had won $60 million. He began sending money to get his “winnings,” as callers insisted that he needed to pay transfer fees and taxes on the money.
In multiple instances, he was informed that an armored truck awaited him with the money if he would first pay taxes on the funds. Fraudsters even showed up at his house to collect funds in person.
A successful businessman, he did not need the “winnings,” but hoped to donate them to worthy causes like the university he had attended. Ultimately, he lost nearly $8 million.
Among the report’s key findings:
– The majority of lottery or sweepstakes scam victims are between 65 and 74 years old. Among that age group, people who recently experienced a serious negative life event, and who expect their income in the near future to remain steady or decline, are even more likely to be victimized.
– Sweepstakes/lottery fraud can strike through many channels – phone calls, text messages, pop-ups on a smartphone’s Internet browser, social media and mailings.
– In 2017, 2,820 individuals reported sweepstakes and lottery scams to BBB Scam Tracker. These reports show a median loss of $500, with wire transfer the most frequent method of payment.
– Jamaica is a major source of “cold calls” to victims who are told they have won money. Although similar calls come from Costa Rica, the scam has had a major impact in Jamaica, where the amount of money generated by lottery fraud has resulted in gang wars between rival fraud groups, leading to a dramatic spike in violence. More than 95 percent of reported fraud in Jamaica involves lottery or sweepstakes scams.
BBB offers the following tips for consumers to avoid being caught in lottery or sweepstakes fraud:
– True lotteries or sweepstakes don’t ask for money. If they want money for taxes, themselves, or a third party, they are most likely crooks.
– Call the lottery or sweepstakes company directly to see if you won. Publishers Clearing House (PCH) does have a sweepstakes but does not call people in advance to tell them they’ve won. Report PCH imposters to their hotline at 800-392-4190.
– Check to see if you won a lottery. Call the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries at 440-361-7962 or your local state lottery agency.
– Do an Internet search of the company, name, or phone number of the person who contacted you.
– Law enforcement does not call and award prizes.
– Talk to a trusted family member or your bank. They may be able to help.
The report was prepared by C. Steven Baker, BBB International Investigations Specialist. Baker is the retired director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Midwest Region.
In his role with BBB, Baker is working with an alliance of five BBB’s, including the San Francisco office, in analyzing and reporting on some of the most pervasive fraud issues that impact American consumers. Studies on puppy scams, tech support scams, and romance scams he authored met with worldwide media coverage.