May 7, 2010

Welcome to Weekly Update, a publication of Western United Environmental Services (WUES), designed to bring you valuable information and helpful tips for compliance with the Waste Discharge Requirements of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. We strive to provide your dairy with quality service, while at the same time saving you money as you face the challenges of compliance. Each week you will find features on compliance issues, regulatory changes or common questions, as well as workshop notices. If you have missed any of our past issues, they can be found on our website at www.wuenvironmental.com.

Funding for nutrient management projects available

Dairy producers in the Central Valley who have identified deficiencies in their nutrient management infrastructure or need other improvements can apply for funds for addressing those issues under the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP). The deadline to apply for funds is June 1 at any local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) office. Western United Dairymen partnered with USDA-NRCS to bring this additional $4.4 million in AWEP funding to dairy producers in the Central Valley and is working with NRCS to make dairy producers aware that the funding is available. AWEP is a voluntary conservation initiative that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to implement agricultural water enhancement activities on agricultural land for the purposes of conserving surface and ground water and improving water quality. Western United Dairymen sought this funding to assistance producers in complying with water quality regulations.  Producers have developed Nutrient Management Plans and are now developing Waste Management Plans that may indicate where improvements are needed.  This funding can help producers complete those needed improvements.  More information and applications are available at your local Central Valley USDA NRCS office.

WUD President Bledsoe tells Ag Committee hearing "profitability distant prospect"

Testifying Monday before the House Ag Committee hearing in Fresno on the upcoming farm Bill, WUD President Jamie Bledsoe told committee members that “ Some commodity prices are moving upward (butter and nonfat dry milk) but profitability remains a distant prospect for most dairy farmers.” Bledsoe, a Riverdale dairy producer, noted, “California, with a great deal of cheese production (39% of California’s pool utilization in March), will continue to suffer from depressed cheese prices until a drawdown in inventories is witnessed. The pressure current massive cheese inventories place on farm milk prices affect farmers everywhere in the country equally. Optimistic projections for the remainder of 2010 weigh heavily on demand recovery that outpaces milk production.”  Looking to the future, Bledsoe said, “Though prices are expected to increase as we move through the second half of 2010, a return to breakeven simply will not undo the damage done to dairy farmers over the past 18 months. Producers will continue to go out of business as it becomes clear that equity is gone and lenders are reevaluating operating loans with a new set of rules they must live by. Farmers must have access to adequate operating capital to continue to weather this storm.” To read Bledsoe’s complete remarks, please click here to download his testimony. 

More water flows to Westside farmers

The spigot got cranked open a little wider Tuesday for thirsty Kings County farmers dependent on water from the northern Sierra. California's biggest snowpack since 2006 means more water flowing through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta into canals snaking into the San Joaquin Valley's vast farmland. The allocation for both the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project climbed to 40 percent of Valley farmers' historic contracts. That's up from 30 percent announced last month. Snowfall from unusual April storms boosted the statewide snowpack to 143 percent of normal. That's great news for Kings River growers. The Kings River snowmelt is expected to be 120 percent of normal this summer. <more> May 6, 2010 Hanford Sentinel

Rebates available for electric ag ATVs

Applications are now being accepted by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for rebates for new, electric utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) for agricultural use state-wide. Nearly $1 million is available to offset the cost of purchasing agricultural ATVs and UTVs through the Agricultural UTV Rebate Project, awarded by the state Air Resources Board. The grant provides rebates of 15 percent of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, up to $2,500 per vehicle, for new, certified zero-emission vehicles. The Air District is administering the statewide program. “This program is greatly needed by the agriculture industry to offset the costs of zero-emissions vehicles that will benefit all of us through cleaner air,” said Samir Sheikh, the director of the District’s Strategies and Incentives department. Individuals, businesses, public agencies and entities, and nonprofit organizations involved in California agricultural operations are eligible for the rebate. There is no limit on the number of vehicles purchased per applicant. For more information about eligibility, vehicles and rebate amounts, or to obtain a rebate application, visit the District’s website at www.valleyair.org   or call 559-230-5800. Applications may be submitted online or through the mail. May 5, 2010 Air District Press Release

MAY 2010

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