March 12, 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.

Waste Management Plan Deadline Looming

As part of the ongoing, overall water quality requirements, dairy producers must complete a Waste Management Plan (WMP) by July 1, 2010. The deadline to complete the WMP is quickly approaching.  Our goal is to provide the dairy producers with quality service, while at the same time saving you money as you face the challenges of compliance with the Waste Discharge Requirements of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. To this end, WUES has partnered with engineering firms to ensure our customers get quality service at a discounted rate.  To obtain a list of our Preferred Provides, please contact your WUES representative today. The rates for the WMP will increase on all contracts signed after March 31, 2010.  

Environmental stewardship classes set for Modesto March 16, Tulare March 18

The California Dairy Quality Assurance Program (CDQAP) is once again offering free classes in air quality, one of the components needed for environmental stewardship certification.  Dr. Frank Mitloehner, UC Davis,  will teach the classes, which cover air quality-related environmental issues, regulatory requirements and management practices for dairy producers. Producers wishing to pursue certification in the Environmental Stewardship Program must complete two hours of air quality (if operating in an air basin with air quality regulations for dairies) and six hours of water quality education prior to the third-party evaluation. The classes will be offered March 16 in Modesto and March 18 in Tulare.  <more> Feb. 18, 2010 Dairy Herd Management  

Changes in medicated milk replacer regulations

The FDA ruling that the combination drug of neomycin and oxytetracycline can no longer be used in its current 2:1 dosage in milk replacer will influence the medication options that milk replacer manufacturers offer their customers in the near future. The change in medicated milk replacer regulations gives calf raisers an opportunity to focus on preventing coccidiosis from day one. Anticoccidials are common in starter feeds offered to calves, yet most calves are not consuming enough starter - and, therefore, adequate levels of the medication - until several weeks of age. This has left a gap in the protection against coccidiosis. Having the anticoccidial in the milk replacer along with the anticoccidial in the grain can effectively 'bridge the gap' for solid coccidiosis control. <more>   March 8, 2010 Dairy Herd Management

Recession has caught up with organic milk business

Organic milk may yet provide North Coast dairy farmers with the niche market they need to survive, but this year it won't protect them from the pain of overproduction amid a sluggish economy. "The recession has caught up with the organic business," said George McClelland, a Two Rock dairy farmer who sells both organic and conventional milk to Clover Stornetta Farms. Clover, the North Bay's largest dairy processor, on April 1 will cut the price it pays for organic milk by 16 percent compared with a year ago. John Taylor, a dairy farmer near Point Reyes Station, said both Clover and its 17 organic farmers mutually agreed on the cut and a planned retail price drop as the best strategy to fight back against increased competition. "We're in this for the long haul," he said, "and it's very tough for everybody right now." The price cut marks a reversal for a young industry that has enjoyed double-digit annual sales growth for much of the past decade. Demand is down across the U.S., and the bankruptcy and subsequent sale of Fernbridge's Humboldt Creamery has exacerbated the downward pressure on organic prices in the region. <more>  March 8, 2010 Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Water increase might come next week

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will announce any possible increase in water supply next week for Westlands Water District and other federal water contractors on the Valley's west side. Usually, the announcement would come in the third week of the month, but federal officials are aware that west-side farmers need to know of any increase as soon as possible. At the end of February, federal officials announced the deliveries would be 5% of the west-siders' contractual allotment. But they said farmers might get 30% if storms continued pounding the state, as they have. Statewide, the snowpack already is at 100% of average for April 1, the day most experts say the precipitation season unofficially ends. <more>  March 8, 2010 Fresno Bee 

CALENDAR OF MONTHLY MONITORING ACTIVITIES

March 2010

To receive more information on WUES, please contact your WUES Environmental Technician or WUES Office:

Phone (209) 238-3818

Fax (209) 238-3808

Email: info@wuenvironmental.com

www.wuenvironmental.com