MCFB

Sunday, October 27th, 2019, was a busy day for the MCFB Directors and staff, as it was a culmination of months of planning, donation requesting, sponsor wrangling, supply packing and event hall set-up, re-sulting in a fantastic event that was enjoyed by most everyone in attendance.

The evening began with a social hour, followed by the presentation of colors and recitation of the 4H Pledge by the Chow-chilla 4H. President Nick Davis kicked of the Annual Meeting of Members by intro-ducing the 2019-2020 Board of Directors,

and having the membership accept those up for re-election

This was our third year honoring an out-standing local agriculturalist and a won-derful agriculture teacher. Kristin Shee-han, from Madera South High School, was awarded the 2019 Agriculture Teacher of the Year and Cory Broad, with Jain Irri-gation, was the 2019 Agriculturalist of the Year. Cory also serves as the Madera Co-Chair of the Fresno Madera YF&R.

A HUGE thank you goes out to every-one that helped make this event a success! Without the help of our generous spon-sors, those that donated products, ser-vices and items to the silent auction and raffle, Bright’s Catering, Le Grand FFA, Chowchilla 4H, Ray Appleton, Jimmie “JJ” Walker, Martha’s Decorations, Ma-ria Azevedo, Paulette Sesock, Auctioneer

Connor Erickson, the MCFB Board of Directors and our staff, Christina, Kristen and Stefani, this wonderful evening would not have occurred.

This event helps keep MCFB fighting for the farmer. Thank you everyone!

Sponsors: Platinum JubileeAgriland FarmingDeerpoint GroupLaura’s NutsNationwide InsuranceNutrien Ag SolutionsStanislaus Farm Supply

Gold JubileeGAR Tootelian, Inc.TEPThiel Air Care, Inc.

November 2019 Vol. 9, No. 11agriculture today CFBF ANNUAL

MEETINGDecember 8 – 11, 2019

Register Today at www.cfbf.com

Madera CountyFarM Bureau

MCFB’s 4th Annual Ag United Harvest Celebration

NEEd CoNTINUING EdUCATIoN UNITs?

WE hAvE yoU CovErEdJoin us November 12, 2019

See Page 8 for Details

CFBF News ReleaseOctober 30, 2019

Noting that California farmers and ranchers have long sought reforms and improvements to immigration laws that would enhance the lives of agricultural employees and their families, the Califor-nia Farm Bureau Federation said it sup-ports a bipartisan bill introduced today.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019, introduced by Reps. Zoe Lof-gren, D-San Jose, and Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., would improve agricultural visa

programs and accommodate immigrant agricultural employees already in the Unit-ed States, while assuring border security.

“This comprehensive legislation contains key elements that address current and fu-ture workforce needs for agricultural em-ployers and employees in California and throughout the nation,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said. “The reforms in the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 will provide much-needed solutions for agricultural employers and employees.”

The act would allow immigrant agri-cultural employees in the United States to

earn legal status through continued agri-cultural employment.

“We need to deal fairly with the existing agricultural workforce and their immedi-ate families,” Johansson said. “The people who work on farms and ranches are val-ued members of rural communities. Their contributions to our communities and our food system should be recognized by al-lowing them a chance to gain legal status.”

The bill would also modernize and streamline the existing H-2A agricultural

Farm Bureau supports agricultural immigration bill

CALENDARNovember12 Tree/Vine Irrigation Workshop, Continuing Education for NMP Certificate Holders 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.21 MCFB Board of Directors Meeting 1:00p.m. @ MCFB

December8-11 CFBF Annual Meeting in Monterey13 Pesticide Continuing Education Workshop @ MCFB 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.23- 31 MCFB Office closed in observance of holidays

January1 MCFB Office closed in observance of New Year’s Day16 MCFB Board of Directors Meeting 1:00p.m. @ MCFB

See SUPPORTS; Page 11

See AG UNITED; Page 9

2 | November 2019 Madera County Farm Bureau

Madera County

Farm Bureau news2019 Executive Committee

President: Nick Davis 1st Vice President: Michael Naito 2nd Vice President: Laura Gutile

Treasurer: Jennifer Peters Secretary: Scott Maxwell

Appointed by President: Steve Massaro Appointed by President: Dennis Meisner

Appointed by President: Tom Rogers Appointed by President: Jason Erickson

Directors at LargeRyan CosynsClay Daulton

Stephen ElgorriagaClay Haynes

Michele Lasgoity

Jay MahilNeil McDougaldJeff McKinneyPat RicchiutiChris Wylie

Fresno Madera YF&R Chair Cory Broad

California Farm Bureau - District 9 Director Tom Rogers

California Farm Bureau Committee Energy, Air, and Climate- Clay Daulton

Agriculture Labor- Jay Mahil, Nick Davis Federal Economy & Farm Policy- Scott Maxwell

Marketing, Organics and Food Safety- Tom Rogers Pollinator & Crop Production- Ryan Cosyns

Office Staff Executive Director: Christina Beckstead

Executive Assistant: Kristen Sargent

Madera County Farm Bureau 1102 South Pine Street

Madera, CA 93637 (559) 674-8871; www.maderafb.com

Advertising/Publishing Mid-Valley Publishing

1130 G Street, Reedley, CA 93654

Advertising Sales Debra Leak (559) 638-2244

Editor Kristen Sargent

Periodical Postage Paid at Fresno, California 93706

POSTMASTER Send address changes to:

Madera County Farm Bureau 1102 South Pine Street, Madera, CA 93637

The Madera County Farm Bureau does not assume responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products

advertised in Madera County Farm Bureau.

Nick Davis,President

Last month, during the Pri-mary Debate among the Demo-cratic Party, Labor seemed to be a fa-vored discussion topic. The general theme amongst most candidates was to award im-migrants, who have crossed the

United States Border illegally, citi-zenship. This rubbed me wrong initially, but then I got to thinking about the men and women I work with and provoked interested of wanting to hear about their individ-ual immigration-journey story.

The week following the debate, mid-morning on a weekday, my ranch foreman asked if he could take me to lunch. I don’t often get asked, so I joined. My shop me-

President’s Message

See PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE; Page 4

To BECoME A DoNoR CALL 674-8871

new MCFB donorsMCFB would like to thank all our members who

help support our work through their voluntary contributions for the month of October

Matt Angell

Basila Farms LLC

Robert L. Bitter

Keith M. Bursey

D & D Ag Services LLC

Dorothy Campbell

Richard A. Cosyns

H. Clay Daulton

J &V Farms

John M. Garcia

Laura Gutile

Houlding Brothers

J Troost Dairy LP

Lazy K Ranch

Ray Pool

Carson Smith

Norma Stretch

Will Gill and Sons

Isla Vista Farms

Jan Mytych

Tesei Petroleum

Edgar Thomasson

Leeroy Tucker

To BECoME A MEMBER CALL 674-8871

NAME CITY P/C/B

new MCFB MembersMCFB welcomes the following new Agricultural (producer),

Associate (consumer) Collegiate, and Business Support members who joined in October

Michael D. DeLaGuerra Madera P

Mike Frankfort Hanford P

Farm Bureau Membership

BenefitsInsurance

Nationwide Travel Insurance,Nationwide

Agribusiness,VPI Pet Insurance

News and Entertainment

AgAlert,California Country

Mag & T.V.Vehicles

Avis,Budget,

Ford,Do-It-Yourself

GraingerKelly-Moore

Paints,Dunn Edwards

Paints,Case IH,

CAT,Grainger and

Western Square Ind.,O'Reilly Auto

Parts

TravelChoice Hotels,

Wyndham HotelsBusiness ServicesAnderson Marketing,

Farm Bureau Bank,Farm Employers Laborers Service,

A4 PromotionsHealth Services

Clear Value Hearing,

Farm Bureau Prescription

Discount Program,LensCrafters,

Preferred Alliance

Contact the MCFB Office

at (559) 674-8871 or

www.maderafb com for details.

Christina Beckstead,Executive Director

What season are we in? One minute it feels like fall, the next it’s summer and then suddenly, it’s winter…I wish mother nature would make up her mind already and get with the program. Some rain would be nice, although I’m not sure I’m ready for it, but I’m guessing

all of you are, and I know our aqui-fers sure are.

Now that November is here, wa-ter (as usual) is on everyone’s mind. Will we get rain, how much will we get, and so on and so forth, but the question that I’m guessing is re-ally lingering on everyone’s mind is

Executive director’s Address

See ED’S ADDRESS; Page 11

Madera County Farm Bureau November 2019 | 3

BUSINESS MEMBER DIRECTORYBecome a Madera County Farm Bureau Business Member

Business Support: $450/yr. Applies to any company who receives income from the local farming industry or a company who does not, but supports local farming

• Agricultural Member Voting Rights and Benefits • Eligibility to provide benefits to MCFB members • Discounted advertising in our monthly newsletter • Free job postings in our E-Newsletter • Name, phone number, and website in our Business Member directory (print and online)

ACCOUNTING

Moss Adams970 W. Alluvial Ave., Ste. 101Fresno, CA 93711(559) 432-2346www.bpfcpa.com

AGRICULTURE/FREIGHT TRUCKING

Mazon Trucking, Inc.(559) 673-1552Email: mazoninc@yahoo.com

AG INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES & SERVICES

Agrigenix403655 Brickyard Drive, Ste. 105Madera, CA 93636(559) 753-2900www.agrigenix.net

D &D Ag ServicesP.O. Box 1246 Madera, CA 93639(559) 871-2290

Fresno Equipment Company4288 S. Bagley Ave.Fresno, CA 93725(559) 486-8020www.fresnoequipment.com

G3 Enterprises Inc.502 E. Whitmore Ave.Modesto, CA 953581-800-321-8747www.g3enterprises.com

GAR Tootelian Inc.8246 S. Crawford Ave.Reedley, CA 93654(559) 638-6311gtipros.com

H.M. Holloway, Inc.12806 Road 26, Ste. 3Madera, CA 93637(559) 662-8820www.hmholloway.com

Madera Ag Supply Inc.23400 Road 24Chowchilla, CA 93610(559) 665-2300www.maderaagsupply.com

Madera County Ag Commissioner332 S. Madera Ave.Madera, CA 93637(559) 675-7876www.maderacounty.com

Pica Trade Co., Inc.www.specialtyfood.com

Star Pump Company5588 Road 16Madera, CA 93637(559) 673-2917starpumpcompany.com

NutrienFresno: (559) 233-0585Madera: (559) 674-6741www.nutrien.com

Pacific Distributing907 Helms LaneModesto, CA 95350(209) 480-2863www.orchard-rite.com

Stanislaus Farm Supply Co Inc.624 E. Service RoadModesto, CA 95358(209) 538-7070www.farmsupply.coop

TECO Hardware880 S Pine StreetMadera, CA 93637(559) 673-3504Email: dougg.teco@sbcglobal.nettecohardware.stihldealer.net

TEP10700 Road 30Madera, California 93637www.tep-ag.com

Thiel Air Care Inc.P.O. Box 605Chowchilla, CA 93610(559) 665-7830Email: info@thielair.net

WiseConn Engineering4589 N. Marty Ave., Ste. 102Fresno, CA 93722(559) 326 7613www.wiseconn.com

ATTORNEYS

Sagaser Watkins & Wieland PC5260 N. Palm Ave., Ste. 400Fresno, CA 93704(559) 421-7000www.sagaserlaw.com

AUTOMOTIVE

Advanced Automotive, LLC311 S. Pine StreetMadera, CA 93637(559) 661-8744

Gill Auto Group1100 S. Madera Ave.Madera, CA 93637(559) 674-5661www.gillautogroupmadera.com

J’s Car Wash904 N. D StreetMadera, CA 93637

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION, CONSULTANTS

Tesoro Viejo Inc.www.tesoroviejo.com

TSB Ag Inc.P.O. Box 58Madera, CA 93639

COMPOST/LANDSCAPING PRODUCTS

Recology Organics(800) 208-2370www.recology.com/organics

CONSERVATION

California Farmland Trust8788 Elk Grove Blvd.Building 1, Ste. IElk Grove, CA 95624(916) 687-3178www.cafarmstrust.org

DISPOSAL & RECYCLING

Mid-Valley Disposal, LLC15300 W. Jensen Ave.Kerman, CA 93630(559) 567-0532www.midvalleydisposal.com

FARMS

Cressey RiverFagundes Fagundes FagundesForebay FarmsTF FarmsP.O. Box 2717Merced, CA 95344Email: office@fagundesdairy.com

Laura’s NutsLaura Gutile(559) 706-5586

Parichan Farms Inc.8344 Road 33Madera, CA 93636Email: parichanfarms@gmail.com

Triangle T Partners LLCP.O. Box 109El Nido, CA 95317(559) 665-5319

Valley Pride Farming5 E. River Park Place E., Ste. 101Fresno, CA 93720Email: herb@valleyprideag.org

FARM MANAGEMENT

Agriland Farming Company Inc.23400 Road 24Chowchilla, CA 93610(559) 665-2100www.agrilandfarming.com

FIGS

California Fig Advisory Board1925 Howard RoadMadera, CA 93637

FINANCIAL

Central Valley Community Bank7100 N. Financial Dr.Fresno, CA 93720(559) 323-3472www.cvcb.com

HULLER/ PROCESSORS

Horizon Nut Company26487 N. Highway 99Tulare, CA 93274(559) 685-3663www.horizonnut.com

Sierra Valley Almonds850 Commerce DriveMadera, CA 93637(559) 661-8800svalmonds.com

INSURANCE

Foster & Parker1643 N. Schnoor Ave., Ste. 103Madera, CA 93637www.fosterparker.com

Nationwide1-877-669-6877www.nationwide.com

INTERNET

Unwired Broadband(844) 719-FAST(3278)fbspecial@getunwired.com

PETROLEUM & PROPANE PRODUCTS

Valley Pacific Petroleum1633 E. Mineral King Ave.Visalia, CA 93292-69371-800-266-3782www.vpps.net

Van De PolP.O. Box 1107Stockton, CA 95201-1107https://vandepol.us

REAL ESTATE

Miracle Realty17073 Road 26Madera, CA 93638(559) 674-0091miracle-realty.com

SECURITY

Zaks Security1906 Howard RoadMadera, CA 93637559-673-4525

WATER, IRRIGATION & ENERGY

Aanonson Sprinkler Company19254 Golden State Blvd.Madera, CA 93637559-673-4261www.aanonsonsprinkler.com

Chowchilla Water DistrictP.O. Box 905Chowchilla, CA 93610(559) 665-3747www.cwdwater.com

Deerpoint Group Inc.1963 Independence Dr., CA 93637(559) 224-4000deerpointgroup.com

*Bold listings indicate Friend of Farm Bureau members. For information on Friends of Farm Bureau please contact our office at (559) 674-8871

interested in advertising? contact: DEBRA LEAk at Mid-Valley publishing (559) 638-2244

4 | November 2019 Madera County Farm Bureau

Ag Truck ParkingCall 559-288-7902

FOR LEASE

0055

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ShreddingBurseyAlmonds • Walnuts • Pistachios • Citrus

Madera, CA(559) 352-0926

By

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By Dom McAndrew October 29, 2019

FRESNO, California (KGPE/KSEE) – The California Transporta-tion Commission will meet in Fresno next month to hear the public’s opinion on redirecting funds originally intended to improve sections of Highway 99.

The Governor’s signing of Executive Order N-19-19 in September allowed gas tax money to be used for the railway system and other state projects.

In a letter to California’s Transpor-tation Commission, Assemblymember Jim Patterson expressed his concern that the people impacted by the propos-al in both Tulare and Madera Counties would not be able to object to it easily as

the closest public comment meeting was to be held in Modesto.

Patterson asked that the 2020 Inter-regional Transportation Improvement Program could meet in Fresno so that the people impacted by the proposal could more easily speak out on it. That request has been granted and the Cali-fornia Transportation Commission will meet in Fresno next month.

The public meeting will be held on Friday, November 15th at 11 a.m. inside the Fresno Council of Governments’ boardroom. The address is 2035 Tulare Street #201.

The meeting will also be streamed online visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCASI3gyTEuhZffC13Rb-G4xQ ■

Highway 99 improvements could be eliminated; objections to be heard

Photo Contributed

interested in adVertising? contact:

dEBrA LEAk MId-vALLEy PUBLIshING (559) 638-2244

PrEsIdENT’s MEssAGEContinued from Page 3

chanic also joined us since the work-load in the shop was light. At lunch with my foreman and shop mechanic, I learned after a full plate of tacos, and super delicious chips and salsa, a simple, swift and merit-based pathway to citizenship for hardworking immi-grants is necessary and beneficial to our economy.

My foreman immigrated to the Unit-ed States on a work visa, then eventu-ally worked through the legal system to

obtain citizenship. He has been a US citizen for twenty years, has six chil-dren, all educated and two with gradu-ate degrees. He sits on his local school board and has for the last four years. He works five days a week, sometimes six or seven, as required by different times of the year. Before finally resid-ing in California, he crossed the border five times in the seventies and eighties. At the time it cost $350 per crossing.

My shop mechanic has a very similar story.

I heard of an ag laborer who recently paid $24,000 to get himself, wife and

two children into the United States from Mexico. How many family mem-bers and friends contributed to get this family of four across the border? This seems like a mound of debt when the father of this family is earning $12.50/hour and a fraction of this working in Mexico. This very well may be worse than school loan debt! Could I do what this father did with his wife and two little children? I don’t know.

For me, I am fortunate to have been born in the United States thanks to my immigrant forefathers, and very much appreciate it. I also recognize we have immigrants living in the US who contribute more than I do. These immigrants I’m talking about work

daily, pay taxes, share their time and money with volunteer organizations, help their neighbors, sit on boards and generally, contribute above and beyond to whatever is necessary. These are the type of people I want on my team and therefore advocating for a simple, swift and merit-based pathway to citizen-ship is a simple decision. Recently, the Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 was released, and I urge you to take a look at it, as it touches on many of the things needed to achieve such a feat. If you have any questions about it, feel free to call Christina at the office, or reach out to me directly. ■

Madera County Farm Bureau November 2019 | 5

Soil AmendmentsCOMPOST - GYPSUM - SULFUR - LIME

Conventional & Organic Fertilizers

844-299-8311Americanaginc.comOffice@americanaginc.com

Ask about our Custom Blends!

0064

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6131

Media Release Contact: George KostyrkoGeorge.Kostyrko@waterboards.ca.govOctober 16, 2019

SACRAMENTO – The State Wa-ter Resources Control Board today ap-proved an ambitious, long-term plan to address the buildup of salt and nitrates in Central Valley groundwater basins and surface water, and ensure delivery of clean drinking water to disadvan-taged communities impacted by nitrates until impaired aquifers are restored.

Approved after more than 13 years in development by stakeholders and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, the plan is the result of an unusual collaboration among agri-cultural interests, environmental justice advocates, water agencies and residents from impacted communities to address one of the region’s most challenging water quality problems.

“This plan is a better, more durable solution because it represents the work of diverse interests coming together to find common ground,” said State Wa-ter Board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel. "Salinity and nitrate challenges are not unique to the Central Valley or Califor-nia, but what is unique is the leadership, collaboration and creativity, that led to development of this critical plan. Im-plementation is the real focus and chal-lenge now. Further delay only increases the cost and harm to our communities."

The buildup of nitrates in Central Valley groundwater, due largely to de-cades of irrigating and applying fer-tilizer to some of the nation’s most productive farmland, has made ground-water unsafe for consumption in many rural communities from Colusa to Kern counties. Dairies, wastewater treatment

plants and other sources also contribute to nitrate contamination, which can be harmful to human health, particularly for infants.

The first goal of the Central Valley-wide Salt and Nitrate Management Plan is to provide safe drinking water to residents whose water supplies are contaminated with nitrates. Over the longer term, the plan requires farms, dairies and other sources to reduce ni-trate discharges so they no longer con-taminate groundwater. Ultimately, the goal is to clean up groundwater to meet water quality standards.

The plan allows groups of discharg-ers to form nitrate management zones and develop implementation plans to provide safe drinking water to impacted residents and implement measures to reduce nitrate pollution. The Central Valley Board would issue permits to ensure dischargers are meeting their goals. In approving the plan, the State Water Board directed the Central Val-ley Board to return in one year with tar-geted revisions aimed at strengthening the plan. These revisions include:

· Strengthening requirements to re-duce nitrate contamination of ground-water basins.

· Accelerating the timeline for achiev-ing this goal. Dischargers will be re-quired to reach this goal within as short a time as practicable, but not to exceed 35 years.

· Requiring enforceable interim dead-lines and a final compliance date for dischargers to meet their goal of reduc-ing nitrate discharges.

· Requiring residential sampling pro-grams that provide water quality testing for residents whose water supplies may be contaminated.

Dischargers must identify a meth-

od for funding their implementation plans, including paying for replacement drinking water. They may seek funding from other public sources, including lo-cal, state and federal funds, but the dis-chargers are ultimately responsible for timely implementation of their plans.

In addition to addressing nitrate con-tamination, the Central Valley Board’s

plan also requires dischargers to develop a comprehensive strategy for addressing their contribution to the buildup of salts in surface waters and groundwater in the Central Valley.

Development of the Central Valley-wide Salt and Nitrate Management Plan began in 2006 when the Central

State Water Board Approves Central Valley Water Board Plan to Reduce Nitrate Contamination in Groundwater and

Provide Replacement Drinking Water

See WATER BOARD; Page 9

6 | November 2019 Madera County Farm Bureau

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By Anna Genasci

Each year a percent-age of your Farm Bureau membership dues go to California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF). But, do you actually know how that money is, as they say, “working for you?” In this new series, we will get the chance to hear from several CFBF staff, from multiple divisions, about how they spend their days spreading the grassroots mes-sage of California producers.

First up, Josh Rolph. Josh is the Direc-tor of Federal Policy and has been with CFBF for almost 11 years. Josh’s depart-ment is staffed with three employees in Sacramento and one consultant who resides in Washington D.C. This team spends their time tackling a list of key is-sues that impact California Agriculture. “Water always seems to land near the top of the list,” said Josh. “Water can be hard,” mentioned Josh, “when we are in a drought it is easier to get their (represen-

tatives) attention, but in reality, water is something we should never let them forget about.”

Water isn’t the only hot topic right now, trade and labor issues have a lot hap-pening currently, not to mention the other topics Josh and his team work on; food safety, forestry, crop protection products, estate tax, Farm Bill and

more.Currently, Josh is devoting a lot of time

supporting his team as they work on labor reform. “Right now there is a bill that has been in the making for the last seven months,” said Josh. The bill will be introduced in the House next week and the Speaker has given it floor time the last week of October. There is excitement around this bill because CFBF feels like it is a good fit for California agriculture. According to Josh, “this is the first com-prehensive agriculture labor bill that ad-dresses our needs, things like; a plan for current undocumented workers, future

labor needs and a guest worker program.”For those of you following the labor is-

sue, you might recall the Goodlatte bill that failed last year. CFBF openly op-posed the Goodlatte bill because it didn’t offer solutions to California’s labor needs. This was an area where CFBF opposed a bill that was being supported by Ameri-can Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). Josh mentioned that the latest news is AFBF will most like stay neutral on the current bill.

When Josh joined the CFBF team several years ago, he brought with him six years of experience from Washing-ton D.C. Josh worked as the Associate Director for the Office of Congressional Relations for USDA. Prior to that he served as the Legislative Director and Legislative Correspondent for the U.S. House of Representatives. “I put a clock on it, I didn’t really want to spend more than three to five years in D.C.” said Josh. “I grew up in Pennsylvania, I was tired of snow and humidity, living in California was always something I wanted,” smiled Josh.

Josh now lives in Sacramento with his

wife Kristina and their four children; 12 year-old twins Michael and Sam, 9 year-old daughter Anna, and 6 year-old son Nate.

What does Josh love about his job, “When I can make a positive dent in the universe. When CFBF has made an im-pact in D.C., when a bill passes in our fa-vor or I see an article about a CFBF win.”

Josh also mention how CFBF is changing up a few things to improve communications with its members. “I am excited about our membership and com-munications teams. They are looking at new ideas to better communication with counties and their members,” said Josh. Currently Josh uses Farm Team as an avenue to communicate key issues with members, especially when there is a need for action, like sending a letter to repre-sentatives about current legislation.

Josh wanted to leave this final message for Farm Bureau Members, “Thank you. We think about you everyday as we rep-resent Farm Bureau. We need your voice, we are here to help you amplify your message.” ■

Working for you: Hear from Josh Rolph

Madera County Farm Bureau November 2019 | 7

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By Amy Wolfe, MPPA, CFRE President and CEO AgSafe amy@agsafe.org September 12, 2019

For nearly half a decade, Cal/OSHA has been considering the creation of a regulation that specifically addresses the unique hazards found while work-ing at night in agriculture. After many starts and stops, sufficient traction was reached in 2018 to meaningfully move the process forward and now the indus-try faces only a few bureaucratic hurdles before the long-discussed standard is reality. It is critical that anyone engag-ing in activities between sunset and sunrise understand the various steps to take to ensure compliance.

Lighting Fundamentally, the risks to be ad-

dressed by the new standard are the hazards inherent in the workplace when natural light, provided by the sun, is no longer available. Poor visibility that could result in physical harm or the unsafe execution of duties, as well as potential vehicular and worker traffic collisions, create the greatest pause for concern. As a result, it stands to reason

that at the core of the proposed stan-dard are lighting requirements for the various tasks or areas of outdoor work.

The following table, taken directly from the proposed standard, addresses the amount of light that must be pro-vided by the employer:

Foot-candles Lux Areas or Tasks0.09-0.19 1-2 Poultry

harvesting or catching operations3 32.29 Meeting area and

meal/rest area5 53.82 General movement

during outdoor ag operations;

Pathways leading to and around restrooms and water; Inside restrooms; Storage area accessed by employees; Areas within 25’ of agricultural equipment where workers are present

10 107.64 Intermittently exposed or exposed point of operation equipment; Operationally visible moving parts of machinery; Task lighting for active agricultural operations (harvesting, irrigation)

20 215.30 Task lighting for maintenance work on equipment

It is important to note that Cal/OSHA makes reference to foot-candles and lumens, both of which are units of measuring light. Foot candles refers to the amount of light produced from a source at a distance of one foot. In simpler terms, it is the distance unit of measurement from the source of light. However, lumens measures brightness and from a practical perspective, is the unit of measurement found on light-bulbs. As employers look to address compliance, they will find that most

Night Work in Agriculture Standard Imminent

See NIGHT WORK; Page 8

Photo / AgSafe

Foot candles refers to the amount of light produced from a source at a distance of one foot.

8 | November 2019 Madera County Farm Bureau

lighting sources will be provided to them in lumens.

Another essential distinguishing fac-tor is in the standard is that light will be measured 30” off the ground. To ensure adequate lighting is available, employers will need to use a light measuring de-vice and place it at that height from the ground for accurate analysis. Requests to Cal/OSHA, at the time of writing, for insight into the type of light mea-suring tool they intend to be used by en-forcement staff have gone unanswered.

In this final draft language of the proposed standard, Cal/OSHA has not dictated the type of lighting that must be provided. However, an employer is responsible for providing personal hands-free lighting, if needed, to meet the illumination requirements. As such, it is up to each agricultural operation to evaluate their current work systems and decide the best sources of light that en-

sure the greatest possible protection for their workers.

Written Programs, Training and PPEWhile lighting is at the heart of this

proposed standard, fundamental occu-pational safety elements exist to round out its core tenants. Employers will be required to train workers at the start of each shift, reviewing the following de-tails:

• Locationofmealandrestareaandhow to safely access it in the dark

• Locationofrestroomsandhowtosafely access them in the dark

• Location of drinking water andhow to safely access it in the dark

• Location of bodies of water andother potential hazards, including high traffic areas

As with any training, this must be documented, and records appropriately maintained. In addition, employers must provide at no cost and require em-ployees to wear Class 2 high visibility

safety clothing. This could be a vest or jacket; the type of clothing is at the dis-cretion of the employer.

Lastly, while the proposed standard does not specifically state as such, Cal/OSHA has an expectation based on the Injury and Illness Prevention Pro-gram regulation, that employers docu-ment the specific program elements that are unique when working at night. In simplest terms, an employer needs to evaluate their operating procedures and make note of how work is done differ-ently at night so as to ensure the health and safety of workers. This includes identifying new hazards, which are ad-dressed during employee training, as well as considering how emergency re-sponse procedures would unfold outside of “normal” business hours. Ultimately, as the agricultural industry continues to use the hours between sunset and sun-rise as a viable time to work, it is will soon be incumbent upon us to comply with a standard designed to ensure con-tinued workplace safety.

For more information about worker safety, human resources, labor relations, pesticide safety or food safety issues, please visit www.agsafe.org, call (209) 526-4400 or email safeinfo@agsafe.org. AgSafe is a 501c3 nonprofit providing training, education, outreach and tools in the areas of safety, labor relations, food safety and human resources for the food and farming industries. Since 1991, AgSafe has educated over 85,000 employers, supervisors, and workers about these critical issues. ■

NIGhT WorkContinued from Page 7

Photo / Wine Country Table

Employers will need to train workers at the start of each shift on the location of meal and rest areas, restrooms, drinking water, and bodies of water and other potential hazards, including high traffic areas.

Photo / James Collier Photograpy

Almond night harvest.

Madera County Farm Bureau November 2019 | 9

Business Directory at your Service

1300 S. Gateway DriveP.O. Box 1263Madera, CA 93639

• Fuels• Lubricants• Propane

(559) 673-3597(800) 421-3370(559) 673-6608 fax

IRRIGATING THE VALLEY SINCE1967

DESIGN THROUGH INSTALLATION559-673-4261559-674-4078

19170 HWY 99MADERA, CA 93637

Valley Feed

Tree & Vine Supplies

121 N. Gateway DriveMadera, CA 93637

Ph: (559) 674-6735 • Fax: (559) 661-7200

1100 South Madera Ave (Hwy 145), Madera

(559) 674-5661

For all your Service, Parts & Sales Needs

AG UNITEdContinued from Page 1

Silver JubileeAgrigenixAgriworld CooperativeConsolidated Insurance

ServicesCoreteva AgriscienceD&D Ag ServicesKirk FarmsFermin Campos Farms, Inc.Foster & Parker InsuranceFresno Madera Farm CreditG3 Enterprises, Inc.Helena Chemical

Madera PumpsMcKinney FarmsMidland TractorPacific Distributing Inc. Recology OrganicsRoot Creek Farms Steve’s Chevrolet of

ChowchillaTECO HardwareTesei Petroleum UPLVan De PolProduct & Service DonorsBeckstead FamilyBlue Diamond Growers

CA Fig Advisory BoardCDI -CA Dairies Inc.Chukchansi Gold Resort &

CasinoConnor EricksonCosyns Bee CompanyCosyns FarmsCreative CopyCru WineryDavis VineyardsDiccico'sDonaghy SalesE & J Gallo Winery Enzo's TableFresno Madera Farm Credit

Full-O-BullHilmar CheeseKirk FamilyKuckenbecker Tractor Co.Mad CreationzMadera Ag ServicesMadera Martial ArtsMarkarian Family LPMassaro FarmsN & S Tractor-Dos PalosNick & Alli DavisPanoche Creek Paula VinzantPearl CropPeters Brothers Nursery

Plaza Flower ShopQuady WineryRoot Creek FarmsSargent FamilyScoto Brothers Farming San Joaquin Wine Co.Setton PistachioSheryl BerrySierra Valley AlmondsStellar Distributing Stefani DiasThe Tap HouseVictor PackingWarnock Foods ■

Valley Water Board initiated a collab-orative stakeholder initiative, known as Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS).

Following input from stakeholders, state and federal agencies, and the pub-lic, the Central Valley Water Board ad-opted Basin Plan Amendments in May 2018 that implement the salt and nitrate management program across its three

major basins – the Tulare Lake and the Sacramento and San Joaquin river ba-sins.

A Basin Plan contains the regulations adopted by each of the nine regional water boards to control the discharge of waste and other controllable factors af-fecting the quality of waters of the state within the boundaries of the respective regional board. The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act defines “waters of the state” to mean any surface water or groundwater, including saline

waters.The goals of the program are to sus-

tain the Central Valley’s lifestyle, sup-port regional economic growth, retain a world-class agricultural economy, maintain a reliable, high-quality wa-ter supply and protect and enhance the environment. To support the goals, the amendments include recommendations for new policies and regulatory strate-gies.

To learn more, visit the regional board CV-SALTS resource page. ■

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10 | November 2019 Madera County Farm Bureau

8798

Nationwide Contact Information–Disaster Team

Water Yield from Forest Thinning Depends on How, Where and How Much

In the event you have been impacted by a disaster in your area, contact Na-tionwide Insurance day or night to re-port a claim by calling 1-800-421-3535. We are here to help you get your home back in order and we work with local authorities on all events. Thank you.

If you have room, you can use this version instead, which contains tips for preventing contractor/repair fraud:

In the event you have been impacted by an event in your area, contact Na-tionwide Insurance day or night to re-port a claim by calling 1-800-421-3535. We are here to help you get your home

back in order and we work with local authorities on all events.

Nationwide offers the following tips for homeowners to help protect from contractor/repair fraud:

• Request an itemized written esti-mate for any proposed work from con-

tractors.• Be wary of estimates that seem

wholly unreasonable. Nationwide will provide compensation for reasonable es-timates for the correct method of repair. Policyholders can call and ask us about an estimate.

•Bewareofprofiteersandfraudulentcontractors. Contact your local Better Business Bureau or the California De-partment of Insurance if you have any concerns with a contractor you decide to use for repairs.

•Avoidpaying anyupfront fees andbe wary of cash deposits. One common

scam is to show up with equipment to perform the work, promise to return in a few hours and never come back.

•Itisalwaysagoodideatotakepic-tures of any damage before repairs be-gin.

• If youhave anyquestions, call theNationwide claims hotline at 1-800-421-3535 or your local agent immedi-ately.

As always, please let me know how I can be of assistance.

Thank you!

By Professor Martha Conklin, Professor Roger Bales and Philip Saksa, UC MercedOctober 30, 2019

Even a little forest management signifi-cantly increases water runoff in the Central Sierra Nevada and other semi-arid regions, while drier forests need more extensive treatments, according to a new study pub-lished recently in the journal Ecohydrol-ogy.

“The result is more runoff to down-stream water users,” said UC Merced Pro-fessor Martha Conklin , who led the study.

Founding faculty and School of En-gineering professors Conklin and Roger Bales, recent Ph.D. graduate Philip Saksa, now the director of research at Blue For-est Conservation, and collaborators con-ducted the study. They looked at the fuel-treatment strategies — such as prescribed

burns and thinning — applied across over-stocked forests in California to reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire, which also

reduces the forests’ demand for water.They analyzed extensive multi-year mea-

surements in both the central and southern Sierra Nevada, and conducted comprehen-sive hydrologic modeling to extend results to larger watersheds.

Averaged over wet and dry years, an 8 percent decrease in vegetation in the American River basin resulted in a 12 percent runoff increase; whereas the gain from similar fuels treatments in watersheds just south of Yosemite National Park only yielded a 3 percent increase in runoff.

“A key reason for the difference is the relative annual precipitation in the two ar-eas,” Conklin said. “In the central Sierra trees had excess water every year, whereas in the south trees are more water limited, and those remaining after the thinning ap-parently used the newly available water to grow more.”

“Our hydrology modeling, which was integrated with others studying the effects of fuels treatments on wildfire, showed that runoff after a fire produced a similar disparity in response,” Saksa said. After a simulated wildfire that reduced vegetation biomass by about 40 percent — bringing it closer to forest densities about a century ago — the increase in southern Sierra run-

off was only about 25 percent of that in the central Sierra.

“The implication of these findings is that it matters how the treatments are applied as well as where and how much,” Bales said.

For light treatments, Conklin said, changes in water balance were more sensi-tive to changes in the forest canopy than to total biomass, though both affect the runoff outcome. Canopy cover affects the sunlight and temperature at the forest floor, influencing snowmelt, evaporation and water use by understory vegetation.

“This means that water-yield changes observed in areas with different precipi-tation, temperature, soil, and vegetation characteristics are unlikely to be a good in-dicator of what to expect in other forests,” Saksa said.

Through this research the team demon-strated how detailed measurements from 200-acre sized headwater catchments can be extended to larger, 10,000-acre forest-treatment areas, by accounting for differ-ences in vegetation, soils, precipitation and temperature.

The results from one project might not be directly transferable to another, but the methods used in these studies can be ap-plied more broadly, even in areas that lack the rich set of measurements developed at these study sites, Conklin said.

Much of the research conducted for this study was part of Saksa’s dissertation, with data gathered and analyzed under the Si-erra Adaptive Management Project.

As highlighted recently in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-10-19, us-ing natural infrastructure such as forests is a basic principle for the state’s water-resil-ience portfolio, Bales said.

“Our research on how forest water use and runoff change through forest restora-tion and disturbance is central to account-ing for and realizing benefits from those natural-infrastructure investments,” he said. ■

Photo Contributed

Studies of Sierra sites show impacts of forest management on water runoff.

Madera County Farm Bureau November 2019 | 11

visa program, to provide more flex-ibility for employers and ensure critical protections for foreign employees.

“Improvements to the H-2A pro-gram would make it much more flex-ible and valuable to California farm employers and employees,” Johansson said. “For example, a pilot program in the bill would allow H-2A employees to move from farm to farm for employ-ment, a portability option California producers have long sought. And, for the first time, the bill would accommo-date guestworker visas for year-round operations such as dairies and nurser-ies.” ■

sUPPorTsContinued from Page 1

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to adVertise in the

MADERA COUNTY FARM BUREAU

(559) 638-2244

“What’s going to happen on February 1st once the GSPs have been submit-ted?” Well for those that have been following along, the Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) are out for most of the sub-basins and are current-ly open for public comment (until No-vember 5th & 9th for the Joint Madera and Chowchilla plans), comments will be reviewed, changes will be made, and then it will be up for approval by each of the Groundwater Sustainability Agen-cies (GSAs). Once all of the GSAs ap-prove, it will be sent to the Department of Water Resources for review. So, come February 1st, GSAs will start im-plementing actions to achieve sustain-ability (if they haven’t done so already). The plan includes “tools” going to be used to reach sustainability but doesn’t necessarily explain what those “tools” are, how they will be used or when they will be used. That will be determined, in my opinion, on a trial and error basis,

and it probably won’t be until 2025 that we will really know what works and what doesn’t. Patience is key here…no one wants to do anything drastic that would upend the communities or the economy in Madera. We need to work together to find creative solutions and continue to add “tools” to the tool box. This is going to be a long process, but I believe we can get through it.

On another water note, I know you’ve all heard me talk about CVSALTS and it coming, and probably haven’t paid too much attention to it, but IT’S HERE! The State Water Board approved the plan with a few modifications, and first up to bat in our area will be Chowchil-la. Chowchilla is classified as a Prior-ity 1 basin; therefore, they will have to come up with a plan to find a solution not only to the nitrate problem, but a solution for providing clean drinking water to the impacted areas. Madera will be next since they are a Priority 2 basin. We can expect to see compliance letters from the Regional Water Board in February or March of 2020. Once

those are received, the 270-day time clock will start. For more information please contact me directly.

Now for something positive…We just wrapped up our annual Ag Unit-ed Harvest Celebration and Annual Meeting, and it was a huge success. Jimmie “JJ” Walker had the entire room falling out of their chairs laughing, the food was excellent, and the desserts were on point! This event has become quite a hit over the past couple of years, and I’d encourage you to join us next year. I want to thank everyone that helped make the night possible; all of our sponsors and product donors, those that donated raffle and silent auction items, and of course the MCFB Board and our great staff, Kristen and Stefani. This is MCFB’s one BIG fundraiser that specifically funds our advocacy ef-forts. Because of it, we’ve been able to continue to fight the fight to keep farm-ers farming while avoiding dues in-creases. So, thank you for making this event such a success!! ■

12 | November 2019 Madera County Farm Bureau

PESTICIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION WORKSHOP WHEN December 13, 2019 8:00 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.

WHERE Madera County Farm Bureau 1102 S. Pine Street Madera, CA 93637

FEATURING PRESENTATIONS BY *line up subject to change Corteva * Fresno DPR Madera Ag Commissioner Stanislaus Farm Supply Co-op * UCANR * USDA * Valent

WWW.MADERAFB.COM

APPLYING FOR 6 HOURS OF CE WITH DPR

COST $75 Members $125 Non-members Refunds will not be issued for non-attendance or cancellations with less than 24 hours notice.

REGISTRATION www.maderafb.com or 559-674-8871 Lunch provided for registrants

PRESENTED BY

New locations in Kerman and Merced.

By Brian German, Ag Net WestOctober 11, 2019

An agreement was reached between the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and product manufacturers pro-hibiting chlorpyrifos sales in California beginning in 2020. The agreement will allow farmers to continue using their existing supplies until the end of next year, afterward, the possession or use of chlorpyrifos products will no longer be permitted. DPR and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will be continuing to work to-ward finding an alternative product that will be as effective as chlorpyrifos has been for California farmers.

The agreement reached between DPR and chlorpyrifos’ manufacturer Corteva Agriscience will forgo years of adminis-trative hearings and appeals. All chlor- pyrifos sales in California will officially end on February 6, 2020. In a statement

to the Associated Press, Corteva indi-cated that the agreement would serve the “best interests” of those who will be impacted by the absence of the product.

“Through recent actions, the State of California has improvised and imple-mented several uniquely challenging regulatory requirements for chlorpy-

rifos,” the statement read. “These new, novel requirements have made it virtu-ally impossible for growers to use this important tool in their state.”

More than $5 million has been bud-geted for DPR to work with CDFA on the development of a chlorpyrifos al-ternative. More than $2 million will be awarded by DPR for the purpose of identifying and developing sustainable alternatives to chlorpyrifos. Another $2 million will be granted by CDFA to expand outreach for biologically in-tegrated farming systems. CDFA will also be funding approximately $1.5 mil-lion in other research and development of chlorpyrifos alternatives.

The process of banning chlorpyrifos in California began earlier in the year after being labeled a “toxic air contami-nant” by DPR. Farmers who continue to use chlorpyrifos until the December 31, 2020 cutoff date, will still need to comply with all existing restrictions. DPR has stated that the agency will be aggressive in its enforcement of the reg-ulations. Chlorpyrifos has been used in multiple different crops including almonds, walnuts, citrus, grapes, and cotton to control pests. ■

Chlorpyrifos Sales to End in California by February 2020

Photo / Ag Net West

Tractor spraying wheat field with sprayer pesticides and herbicides.

8858

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