Food And Farm News
1-15-2025
Kaweah farms find balance under SGMA
In November, water managers and farmers in the Kaweah Subbasin in Tulare County won a unique victory when their revised plan for groundwater sustainability convinced state regulators to cancel their consideration of probation for the subbasin under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. In the first edition of Ag Alert’s® new Q&A series, On the Record, published by the California Farm Bureau, water manager Aaron Fukuda talks about navigating SGMA in the Kaweah Subbasin.
Kern County immigration sweep halts citrus harvest
Scores of farmworkers stayed home last week amid an immigration enforcement operation conducted in Kern County by U.S. Border Patrol. “The crew didn’t show up,” said Peter Belluomini, who grows and packs lemons, mandarins and navel oranges east of Bakersfield, and is in the middle of harvesting all three crops. “Instead of 30 people, there were like five,” said Belluomini, referring to workers hired through a farm labor contractor for his citrus harvest. “The rest were hiding at home.”
State water board readopts drought flows for Siskiyou County
Even though hydrologic conditions point to a more positive water outlook for the Scott River and Shasta River in Siskiyou County, state water officials last week readopted drought emergency regulations that curtail water rights in the region, affecting farmers and ranchers. The regulation first took effect in 2021. Readopted for the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds every year since, the order limits surface-water diversions and groundwater pumping.
California Bountiful TV tours San Diego County
In its latest episode, California Bountiful TV explores agricultural and culinary landmarks in San Diego County. Host Aubrey Aquino visits the nation’s only producer of avocado oil, a family-owned and -operated egg ranch and a mushroom farm that’s tucked into the hills of Escondido. Aquino also enjoys a multi-course fine dining experience in a San Diego backyard with a waiting list that’s a year long. The weekly show produced by the California Farm Bureau is up for three Taste Awards this year, with voting taking place through Feb. 7.
For more information about any story in Food and Farm News, contact the California Farm Bureau Marketing/Communications Division at 916-561-5550 or email news@cfbf.com. Connect with us on Facebook, X, or Instagram: @CAFarmBureau.
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