The 41^st Annual Ag Boosters BBQ for the California Women for Agriculture (CWA) and Ag One will be held on Sunday, September 9^th at the Borba Ranchlocated at the San Joaquin River and Highway 99 in Madera.  The grounds open at 4 pm, and Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30.  Individual tickets are $50 each, or you can purchase a table of 10 for $450.  Festivities include:

• CWA Country Store featuring handmade arts, crafts and baked goods
• Fresno State Farm products – enjoy award-winning wine, extra virgin olive oil, grapes, and more
• Fresno State sausage sampling sponsored by Fresno-Madera CAPCA
• Cheese tasting sponsored by Valley dairy processors
• Silent and live auctions
• Raffle prizes, a fabulous door prize and much more!

The Ag Boosters Barbecue has raised more than $1 million for both organizations. This support has played an important role in Ag One’s ability to support students and programs in the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State. Since 1979, Ag One has provided some 4,400 students with more than $6.2 million in scholarships as well as program support. More than $19.5 million is endowed with the Fresno State Foundation. In the 2018-2019 academic year, $700,000 will be awarded to deserving students and programs. Additionally, CWA uses the funds raised by the barbecue to help California agriculture through education and legislative programs and by giving nearly $100,000 in scholarships annually.  For more information, please contact the Ag One Foundation at California State University, Fresno at (559)278-4266.

The State Water Board’s proposal is devastating to the entire state of California, including farmers, farm workers, and business owners. In order to make your voice heard, a rally to stop the state water grab will be held on August 20^th at noon on the north steps of the Sacramento Capitol Building (facing L Street).

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Assemblyman Adam Gray’s District Office at (209) 726-5465.

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced in a press release that DPR’s Air Monitoring Network found that all 36 pesticides monitored at four different sites never exceeded any screening level or regulatory target. Among the 36 pesticides monitored some included, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, malathion, acephate, along with many others. The four sites that DPR used were stationed in Shafter, Santa Maria, Watsonville and Chualar. Of all the pesticides monitored 17 were only detected at trace level and nine were not detected at all!

Also in the press release was information regarding DPR’s two-year monitoring study of 1, 3-D with stations in Parlier and Delhi. Even though 1, 3-D did not exceed a human health screening level, DPR will be reviewing the current mitigation measures to determine if the interim restrictions should be replaced! The finding of the Air Monitoring Network, along with 1, 3-D’s current interim restrictions will be discussed that the Pesticide Registration and Evaluation Committee (PREC) meeting on Friday, July 20, 2018. The Association will be in attendance to provide comments commending the findings of the air monitoring program and push back on additional restrictions on 1, 3-D.

The San Joaquin Sustainable Farming Project, UCCE, and UC IPM present Midseason Cotton Field Day. The event will be held on Tuesday, July 24^th from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Pik-A-Lok Farms in Mendota. Cooperative Extension Specialist, Westside REC Bob Hutmacher will be speaking about cotton diseases and plant development issues. Dan Munk, UCCE Farm Advisor (Fresno), Cotton Specialist Center, will also be in attendance to speak about monitoring cotton for improved yield performance. Lastly, Associate Extension Vegetable Crops Specialist at the Kearney Ag Center, Jeff Mitchell, will speak about getting beyond the hype of soil health and actually doing something about it. Questions about the event can be directed to Marcia Gibbs with the San Joaquin Sustainable Farming Project at (530) 370-5325 or marcia@sustainablecotton.org.

Directions
From South/Mendota: Travel North on Hwy 33/Hwy 180 over RR tracks. Turn right on Bass Ave. Continue about 3 miles. Look for field day signs.

From North/Firebaugh: Travel South on “N” St./Hwy 33. Take Hwy 33 almost into Mendota. Just before the RR tracks, turn left on Bass Ave. Continue about 3 miles. Look for field day signs.

The 2018 American Pima Grade Standards Guide Box Review and Standards Matching event was held today at the Visalia USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Classing Office in Visalia.  Several participants including growers, ginners, merchants, mills and associated industry representatives attended the event hosted by USDA AMS representatives Greg Townsend, Area Director and Jimmy Knowlton, Director – Standardization Division.  The guide box review and standards matching for pima takes place each year in Visalia and gives the entire industry an opportunity to review the standards and make sure there is industrywide consensus in matching previous standards.  160 boxes were reviewed and approved today

Last week, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) released their third, and final, draft for the proposed Bay-Delta Plan.  This proposed draft, considered a Substitute Environmental Document (SED), establishes new flow water quality objectives on top of pre-existing drinking water quality standards, irrigation supply, as well as fish and wildlife habitat supply requirements for the Bay-Delta Region.  The SED sets flow requirements for the Lower San Joaquin River and the three salmon-bearing tributaries connected the Stanislaus, Tuolumne and the Merced Rivers.  The plan also revises the salinity water quality objectives in the southern Delta.  This action comes in response to several studies showing decline in native species in the Delta, specifically the reduction in Chinook Salmon, as well as the degradation of habitat for the various other species within the aquatic regions.

The revised plan sets flow requirements for certain times of the year to be maintained by all Lower San Joaquin River tributaries, which in turn will reduce the amount of water made available to agricultural and urban water users.  The proposed plan sets the unimpaired flow releases to be set at 40% to provide adequate habitat and wildlife support from February to June.    The State Water Board evaluated the potential impact to other water users along these tributaries and acknowledged the impact to agricultural operations, as well as the future reliance on groundwater with the reduction in surface water availability.  The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) will also lessen the amount of available water in the upcoming years, and so the State Water Board is encouraging these affected regions to look for other ways to make the water available last longer through enhanced groundwater recharge projects as well as encouraging irrigation efficiency upgrades.  In the end, these upgrades will only do so much, and the implementation of SGMA as well as these unimpaired flow requirements only puts agriculture in a more difficult position.

As temperatures continue to rise, heat illness prevention remains at the forefront.  The Heat Illness Prevention Tool Kits have been created to aid our members and clients stay in compliance.  The kit contains a heat illness prevention training guide for supervisors, toolbox talks in English/Spanish, heat illness poster, heat illness prevention cards, etc.   For more information visit our website www.agprocessors.org and click on the Heat Illness Kit link for order information.

Please join us to review, comment, and approve the six guide boxes of the 2018 American Pima Grade Standards on July 10 @ 9am at the Visalia Classing Office. Once approved, the guide boxes will be used as the reference to match all of the 2018 American Pima Grade Standards.

Industry participation is key to this process and we hope you all can come and be a part of this important annual event.

For additional information please contact:

Greg Townsend, Area Director
Email: gregtownsend@ams.usda.gov
Visalia Classing Office
7100 West Sunnyview Avenue
Visalia, CA 93291
Phone: (559) 651-3015

Jimmy Knowlton, Director
Email: james.knowlton@ams.usda.gov
Standardization Division
3275 Appling Road
Memphis, TN 38133
Phone: (901) 384-3030

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, represented by President/CEO Roger Isom, Chris McGlothlin, Director of Technical Services, and Jodi Raley, Director of Regulatory Affairs, ventured to San Diego to take part in a unique opportunity for the cotton industry to give back to those who have served our country. Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins represents the 39^th Senate District, which includes La Jolla, Del Mar, Downtown San Diego, Point Loma and other surrounding communities. With Point Loma Naval Base and the San Diego Marine Base within her district’s bounds, there is a large population of veterans, some of which who are struggling. CCGGA learned earlier this year that Pro Tem Atkins was passionate about assisting these veterans and hosts on an annual basis a Stand Down event in her district. Stand Down events offer food, shelter, clothing, health screenings and other services to homeless veterans. One of the most requested items for these events is, of all things, socks. Once CCGGA learned of this event and the high demand for good quality socks for these veterans, we started thinking on how we as a fiber industry can contribute to this cause. In partnership with Supima, CCGGA was able to donate 1,000 pairs of California Grown, American Made pima cotton socks. The socks will be distributed at San Diego’s 31^st Annual Stand Down taking place June 29^th through July 1^st. The Association was honored to be able to use our grower’s cotton to be put forward towards a great cause. CCGGA looks forward to continuing this momentum and finding additional opportunities to give back as an industry. CCGGA would like to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks to Supima and Harris & Covington Hosiery Mills for partnering with the Association to make this happen!

As a reminder, all employers – including California – are advised to comply with the directive from federal OSHA to submit their workplace injuries and illnesses electronically.  Employers must submit injury and illness data from their 2017 Cal/OSHA Summary 300A form electronically by July 1, 2018.  For specific instructions go to federal OSHA’s website https://www.osha.gov/injuryreporting/index.html.  Should you have any questions or need assistance, please call our office.