2008: Year in review

Issue Date: December 24, 2008

By Steve Adler

Starting with hurricane winds in January and exiting with a series of much-needed storms in December, 2008 had a little bit of everything. There was drought (both natural and regulatory), government regulation and intervention, monumental court cases, elections with statewide and national implications, and much, much more.

As farmers and ranchers around the state prepare for what 2009 may bring, we reflect back on 2008 and some of the most impactful events as reported in Ag Alert®.

Orchard trees such as these almond trees near Corning fell victim to the strong winds that swept through the state in early January. Thousands of trees were toppled or broken as a result of the powerful storm.

January
The lead story in our Jan. 9 issue reported on hurricane-force winds and driving rain that "knocked down trees, blew roofs off barns and disrupted electrical power in widespread locations."

By the time the extent of damage was calculated several weeks later, it was learned that the winds toppled tens of thousands of trees, mostly almonds and prunes. In some Northern California locations, entire blocks of trees were knocked over.

Other significant events in January included:

The state Air Resources Board proposed sweeping changes that would impact about 400,000 instate, on-road diesel vehicles and about 1.2 million vehicles from out of state. The proposed regulations, adopted in December, provided owners of most farm trucks additional time to comply with requirements to retrofit or replace diesel engines.
A Farm Bureau-sponsored drive for enhanced property-rights protection gained added momentum, as an initiative to enact meaningful reforms qualified for the statewide ballot. The measure, known as the California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act, appeared on the June ballot but did not pass.

February
Labor concerns came into focus in February as a federal agency addressed the issue of creating a mechanism for foreign workers to be in the United States legally. The U.S. Department of Labor proposed rules to reform the H-2A program for employing foreign workers in temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs. Final rules were published this December, but farm groups said they would only marginally help in assuring the availability of harvest employees.

Also in February:

The California Department of Food and Agriculture announced that the state's dairy sector set new production records for both milk and cheese in 2007, re-asserting California's role as the nation's leading dairy state.
Coastal vegetable growers, who had been prevented from shipping crops into Canada because of the light brown apple moth, learned that an agreement had been reached allowing shipments to British Columbia with certain restrictions. California Farm Bureau was instrumental in the successful negotiations.

Despite being squeezed by urban growth, Derrick Lum of Solano County says he hopes to pass the family farm to his children.

March
Two reports released in March dealt with one of agriculture's most serious problems--the loss of productive farmland to urban encroachment. First came a report from the American Farmland Trust saying that unless a different approach to land-use planning and development is adopted, another 2 million acres of farmland could be lost by mid-century.

It was followed two weeks later by a report from the California Department of Conservation, noting that from 1990 to 2002, about 280,000 acres of the state's farmland were converted to urban uses, including about 96,600 acres of prime farmland.

Also in March:

Gov. Schwarzenegger introduced his water plan for California that included conservation, protection of delta levees, study of delta water conveyance and three surface-water storage projects.

Several crops suffered damage from the mid-April freeze, including the prunes shown here.

April
U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger made several rulings in 2008 relating to declining fish numbers. The first came in April, when the judge found that a 2004 biological opinion by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not adequately protect sensitive salmon populations when authorizing long-term operations of the state and federal water projects.

Also in April:

Several crops, including grapes, pears and walnuts, suffered damage during a severe cold snap.
Drought conditions continued to plague livestock producers and drove many to sell their cattle early, because the lack of forage could not sustain their herds.

May
Farm Bureau leaders from throughout the state took their concerns to Washington, D.C., educating lawmakers on crucial issues affecting California agriculture, including the Clean Water Act, immigration and trade.

Also in May:

The California Highway Patrol granted a one-year extension to haulers of tomatoes and other agricultural commodities, regarding the transport of harvested crops, without having to immediately adhere to new federal cargo-securement regulations.
By a strong, veto-proof margin, Congress passed a five-year, $307 billion farm bill that contained a greater emphasis on fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops than ever before. The farm bill would spend more than $1 billion on specialty crop programs, including research, marketing and an expanded role for specialty crops in government nutrition programs. The bill also expanded conservation programs popular with California farmers and ranchers.

June
In an announcement that had a far-reaching impact on agriculture in 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation cut water deliveries to farmers to 40 percent of contract amount, from the 45 percent declared previously. The sobering news caught many who farm on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley by surprise. They had planted crops based on the percentage of contract water announced earlier in the year.

Also in June:

Westside processing tomato growers Jim and Tod Diedrich walk their fields near Mendota, trying to figure how to continue farming with very limited water.

The California Farm Bureau and other farm groups launched a massive educational program to prevent heat illness.
Spurred by skyrocketing fuel prices, thieves armed with bolt cutters and empty tanks converged onto farms and ranches to extract diesel fuel from large tanks and equipment that farmers use on a daily basis to run their operations.

July
Firefighters battled nearly 1,800 lightning-sparked wildfires that exploded across the state, burning more than 800,000 acres of forests, grazing lands and watersheds, along with homes, barns, equipment, fences and roads. The fires were so numerous that firefighters were assisted by crews from throughout the United States, as well as Canada, Australia, Greece, Mexico and New Zealand.

Also in July:

Another ruling by Judge Wanger concerning endangered salmon and steelhead meant continued uncertainty for California farmers and ranchers who depend on water delivered through state and federal water projects. Wanger said, "The species are unquestionably in jeopardy. The (Endangered Species Act) does not permit jeopardy to a listed species to be considerably increased" as agencies rewrite a biological opinion for the fish.
The California water crisis stimulated a cascade of proposals to resolve the problem, including an announcement by Gov. Schwarzenegger and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to qualify a $9.3 billion water bond for the ballot, a report by the Public Policy Institute of California that endorsed the idea of a peripheral canal, and a work plan by the State Water Resources Control Board that it said would increase its efforts to improve water quality and habitat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

August
A bill to crack down on metal theft cleared the Senate Public Safety Committee with the help of a coalition of supporters including the California Farm Bureau Federation, California State Sheriffs Association, utility companies and an assortment of law enforcement agencies, cities, counties and others. The bill would later be signed into law.

Also in August:

Hundreds of farmworkers from throughout the Central Valley rallied at the State Capitol to raise awareness about the effect that the state's drought is having on valley communities.

A court decision clarified and strengthened the Williamson Act, a key law that helps to conserve millions of acres of California farmland. The appeals court ruling corrected a misinterpretation that could have led to inconsistent enforcement and widespread residential development on contracted land.
Several hundred farm employees rallied at the state Capitol to pressure lawmakers to find a solution to California's chronic water problems, which have had a devastating impact on farming communities throughout the state.

September
California posted record total sales of agricultural commodities: $36.6 billion in 2007, an increase of 15 percent over the previous year's total, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

But the increase in farm sales told only one side of the story. California farmers across the board struggled to afford increased costs for fuel and fuel-based products such as fertilizers, as well as water, wages, equipment, government fees, taxes and supplies needed to produce healthy crops.

Also in September:

Values for farm and ranch property in California and nationwide defied the soft real estate market plaguing many U.S. cities. An annual report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture set the average value of an acre of California farmland at $6,500, up 8.3 percent from the previous year.
In a move that would place additional burdens on farmers and ranchers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it plans to quadruple the land area in California designated as critical habitat for the California red-legged frog.
Foods such as meat, fruits and vegetables will carry country-of-origin labeling, under federal legislation that took effect requiring retailers to inform consumers where certain agricultural products come from. The new rule represented a victory for California farmers and ranchers, who have long fought for country-of-origin labeling.

October
Analysts said strong commodity prices, high land values and a low rate of farm loan delinquencies should insulate the farm credit market from the Wall Street woes that have tightened the nation's overall credit market. Lenders said California farmers and ranchers should have little problem obtaining loans, but would face more scrutiny and higher interest rates.

Unlike financial institutions devastated by subprime mortgages, the agricultural lending sector remained on solid financial footing because of its strict lending practices.

Also in October:

The new state water year began on Oct. 1, but officials warned it will take several good water years to replenish California's depleted supply. The federal Central Valley Project carried over about 3.9 million acre-feet of water, 35 percent of system capacity, into 2009.
Congress reinstated funding for schools and roads in timber-producing counties by approving a four-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The act compensates rural counties for funding lost as timber harvests declined on national forestland.

November
The worldwide financial crisis hit California hard as state officials projected a shortfall this year in excess of $11 billion. To help ease the situation, Gov. Schwarzenegger laid out an action plan that included $4.7 billion in tax increases and $4.5 billion in budget cuts. Several proposed cuts could affect programs serving farmers, ranchers and rural Californians. They include the Williamson Act and rural crime prevention programs.

Also in November:

Daniel Arena, a state pest control specialist, uses a backpack vacuum to check for Asian citrus psyllids in a San Diego County nursery. Discovery of the pest resulted in a 1,200 square-mile quarantine in Southern California.

Officials with the State Water Project announced a 15 percent water delivery allocation for 2009, the second lowest allocation in project history.
Egg farmers said they faced a huge cloud of uncertainty, after California voters approved an initiative to end use of modern housing systems for egg-laying hens. Election Day victories for agriculture were posted in Napa and Solano counties, where voters overwhelmingly approved separate land-use measures sponsored by county Farm Bureaus.
A new biological opinion by the National Marine Fisheries Service could place far-reaching restrictions on three common materials (chlorpyrifos, diazonin and malathion) that California farmers depend on to protect a variety of crops. The opinion represented the first of 34 additional pest control product evaluations that the NMFS is obligated by court order to issue before Feb. 29, 2012.

December
Several water agencies filed lawsuits against the California Department of Fish and Game to challenge emergency regulations that could impose drastic new restrictions on pumping water out of the delta to protect the longfin smelt.

Also in December:

San Diego County farmer Burnet Wohlford says the 2009 avocado crop will be smaller due to a variety of reasons. The statewide avocado crop may be the smallest in history.

Under newly proposed rules issued by the state Department of Pesticide Regulation, California farmers who rely on fumigants to control disease, weeds and pests in their soil will have more flexibility in how much they use these products. The regulatory effort aims to reduce volatile organic compound emissions that contribute to smog in regions with poor air quality. The rules target seven products used for field fumigation.
An increased demand for electricity and renewable energy has resulted in a number of utility-proposed transmission line projects being considered throughout the state. Farmers and ranchers expressed concern, because many of the proposed routes crisscross hundreds of acres of orchards and other private land.

Stories included in this report are available in their entirety at www.cfbf.com.

(Steve Adler is associate editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at sadler@cfbf.com.)

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item. Top