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Timber producer's comments about the continued cleanup from New Year's storms

Timber farmers assess storm damage

As more storms head toward the Northern California coast, timber farmers continue to repair damage caused by the New Year's weekend floods. For example, the Mendocino Redwood Company reports damage to roads and culverts throughout its timberland, and says neighboring farms have similar problems. During the heavy rain, landslides cascaded down slopes, plugging culverts and causing erosion. Humboldt, Siskiyou and Mendocino counties lead the state in timber production.

Storms briefly slowed orange harvest

Dry weather in the Central Valley has helped the flow of navel oranges to market. Rains slowed the orange harvest last week, according to a government crop report. Some orange packers ran out of fruit when wet weather halted picking. The heavy winds and rain caused some smaller oranges to fall off of trees. Farmers sent those oranges to juice processing plants, which were reportedly running at full capacity.

Survey: Consumers prefer California wines

Wine marketers from California have a head start in appealing to American consumers. A survey commissioned by the Wine Institute says U.S. wine drinkers prefer California-grown vintages to those from 11 other regions. The study suggests that wine makers do more to capitalize on images of California's scenic beauty and perceived lifestyle. California produces two-thirds of the wine consumed in the U.S.

Farm leader encourages active involvement

Congress will debate federal farm policy during the coming year, and the leader of the nation's largest farm organization encourages farmers to be active during that process. American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman spoke during the group's annual meeting in Nashville. He said farmers have both an opportunity and an obligation to follow the farm-policy debate closely. Stallman said Farm Bureau will also advocate for increased domestic energy production.

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