The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing protection for the monarch butterfly and is seeking input on a proposal to list the species as threatened with species-specific protections and flexibilities to encourage conservation. Public comments will be accepted on the proposal until March 12, 2025.  The Service will then evaluate the comments and any additional information on the species and determine whether to list the monarch butterfly.  In North America, monarchs are grouped into two long-distance migratory populations. The eastern migratory population is the largest and overwinters in the mountains of central Mexico. The western migratory population primarily overwinters in coastal California. In the 1980s, over 4.5 million western monarchs flocked to overwintering grounds in coastal California. In the mid-1990s, an estimated 380 million eastern monarchs made the long-distance journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico, completing one of the longest insect migrations in the world.  According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the eastern migratory population is estimated to have declined by approximately 80% today. The western migratory population has declined by more than 95% since the 1980s, putting the western populations at greater than 99% chance of extinction by 2080. During this same period, the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56 to 74%, according to the Service’s most recent species status assessment.  To assist with monarch conservation efforts, the Service is also proposing critical habitat for the species at a portion of its overwintering sites in coastal California. In total, the Service is proposing 4,395 acres of critical habitat for the western migratory monarch population across Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura counties in California. A critical habitat designation imposes no requirements on state or private land unless the action involves federal funding, permits or approvals.  A 90-day comment period will open on December 12, 2024, and will close on March 12, 2025.

This past week the Association promoted Director of Technical Services Christopher McGlothlin to Assistant Vice President of Technical Services.  With this advancement, Christopher’s role will expand into more leadership responsibilities.  In the past year, Chris graduated from Class 52 of the California Ag Leadership Program, was elected to the AgOne Foundation Board of Directors and was most recently appointed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Air Quality Task Force by the Secretary Tom Vilsack.  McGlothlin has also represented the Association at several regulatory hearings at the State Water Resources Control Board, California Air Resources Board and San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.  In addition, McGlothlin testified before the California State Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.  The Association applauds Christopher in this latest chapter of his professional life and thanks him for his dedication, loyalty and service to the Association and its members!

The Association coordinated and co-hosted a metal theft meeting in Merced County this week to discuss a recent major uptick in copper wire theft in Merced and Stanislaus Counties.  Merced County Supervisor Lloyd Pareira and Stanislaus County Supervisor Vita Chiesa chaired the meeting with the Sheriff’s Departments from Merced and Stanislaus Counties.  The meeting was held at Hilltop Ranch in Merced county and in attendance was Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse, and a few sheriff deputies and officers from both Merced and Stanislaus counties.  Representing the Association was President/CEO Roger A. Isom and Director of Technical Services Christopher McGlothlin.  Isom wrapped up the meeting by thanking the Sheriff’s Departments and the California Rural Crime Prevention Task Force for their tremendous efforts in working to address this growing issue.  Isom stated “ We are members of the Rural Crime Prevention Task Force and they are an important tool against ag theft in this valley.  Today’s meeting was to bring folks together and make sure the lines of communication are open as we all work together against this menace that is once again resurfacing here in the valley.”   Coincidentally, the Merced and Stanislaus County Sheriff’s office announced a significant arrest had been made earlier that morning of the owner of an illegal wire and catalytic converter operation in Turlock.  Co-hosting the meeting with the Association was the Merced County Farm Bureau. 

Immediate Notice

Effective January 1^st, our newsletter will no longer be available in print format.  We were notified by the United States Post Office that the 20 pound paper we currently use is no longer approved, and we must immediately switch to 70 pound paper for printing our newsletter.  This will increase our paper cost by more than 245%!  Coupled with postage cost increases, folding cost increases, it is no longer feasible to produce a printed version of our newsletter.  We sincerely apologize, but we will email you the newsletter or it will be available online at https://www.ccgga.org/ .

If you currently get the print version and would like it emailed to you directly, please email our office at mandy@ccgga.org.

We are truly sorry for this inconvenience.

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced an initial State Water Project (SWP) allocation forecast of five percent of requested supplies for 2025.  The December initial water supply forecast is the first allocation of the new water year and is based on current reservoir storage and conservative assumptions for precipitation to come. For comparison, last year, the initial allocation for Water Year 2024 was 10 percent of requested supplies and it eventually increased to 40 percent by the end of the season.

The initial allocation forecast announced today does not take into account the series of strong storms that brought precipitation to above average across Northern California in the last two weeks of November. These storms will be taken into account along with other variables for future allocation updates. Prior to these storms, the start of the water year had been dry and warm.  “Based on long-range forecasts and the possibility of a La Nina year, the State Water Project is planning for a dry 2025 punctuated by extreme storms like we’ve seen in late November,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “We need to prepare for any scenario, and this early in the season we need to take a conservative approach to managing our water supply. Our wettest months of the season are still to come.” 

Nominations closed this past week for the seats up for election on the Board of Directors of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association (CCGGA).  There were 8 seats up for election, 4 ginner positions and 4 grower positions.  On the Ginner side, all four incumbents were re-elected including Matt Toste with Olam Silver Creek Gin and Pacific Ginning Company, Wade Van Hooser with Mid Valley Cotton Growers, Rosie Navarro with Modern Ginning and Adriane Carbonel with Farmers Coop Gin.  On the growers side, two seats were up in Kern County and both incumbents were reappointed including Jake Cauzza and Bryan Bone.  Merced County also had 2 open seats, one of which had been vacant. The incumbent Cannon Michael was re-elected and Kirk Teixeira as newly appointed to fill the vacant seat.  In addition, a long-time vacant Fresno County seat was filled Renato Serrano.  

For those with equipment under the Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released an updated timeline for phase-out requirements of equipment for two equipment categories. On December 31^st, 2024 Large Fleets will be required to phase-out Tier 3 equipment, while smaller fleets will have to replace their registered Tier 2 equipment.  As part of the PERP phase-out requirement, any operation of use of Tier 3 engines by larger fleets past the 12/31 deadline will be required to submit a Modification Request to either CARB or their local Air District.  Equipment granted this extension must meet Level-3 Emission Control technology, or else it will not be permitted to remain in use. Stay tuned for more updates!

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association (CCGGA) and Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) in partnership with Cardinal Professional Products conducted a day long tour and training session on cotton gins and tree nut hullers and processors on air pollution permitting and issues.  24 engineers from all three regions (North, Central and South) of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District attended the training which included classroom training on fumigation practices and procedures, as well as cotton gin operation and how its air pollution control works.  In addition, basic tree nut huller operation was introduced and demonstrated.  The purpose of the training was to help permitting engineers know and understand the process of these operations to help expedite permitting times.  The group toured Perfect PAC  LP, led by WAPA Board Member Jason Baldwin, Sierra Valley Almonds, led by WAPA Board Members Jim Sears, and Olam Cotton’s Silver Creek Gin, led by CCGGA Board Member Matt Toste.  The training was led by the Association’s Director of Technical Services Christopher McGlothlin and President/CEO Roger A. Isom.  Representing Cardinal Products was Doug Belle and Kevin Willet.

Last week, the Association’s Director of Technical Services Chris McGlothlin was given the opportunity to speak at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s (Air District) Annual Study Session.  The Study Session meeting provides an opportunity for the Air District and stakeholders to strategize on upcoming rules and tightening air emissions regulations.  The event kicked off with a press conference, where McGlothlin highlighted the importance of incentive programs such as the Tractor Trade In program, while emphasizing the current state of the industry.  “The industry is facing the worst commodity prices in the last 5 years, difficult export markets, and tightening regulations across all aspects of the industry.  Even amongst all of these conditions, the agricultural industry goes above and beyond to do its part to meet and exceed emission reduction goals”.  

During the meeting portion, the Air Resources Board (CARB) as well as EPA Region 9 provided updates on compliance plans for various standards.  Both agencies took the time to highlight the Air District’s success in meeting the stringent standards.  A significant amount of credit goes to the ag industry for turning over enough equipment to not only meet the proposed emission reduction requirement, but to do it in a quicker timeframe than a traditional regulatory approach.  Unfortunately, many Valley businesses face an uphill battle with the recently passed 2024 Rule, which lowers the particulate concentration limit from 12 micrograms to 9 micrograms.  Stay tuned for more!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing approval of a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of California to meet Clean Air Act (CAA or ‘‘Act’’) requirements for the 1997 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality  standards in the San Joaquin Valley ‘‘Serious’’ nonattainment area.  The EPA is also finalizing a one-year extension of the applicable attainment date from December 31, 2023, to December 31, 2024, for the 1997 annual PM2.5 San Joaquin Valley, California, nonattainment area based on their evaluation of air quality monitoring data and the extension request and supporting information submitted by the State of California.  Earlier this year, EPA proposed two actions including  ‘‘Amendments to the 15 mg/m3 SIP Revision and Agricultural Equipment Incentive Measure for the 1997 PM2.5 Standard’’  as a revision to the California SIP.  These amendments seek to amend a SIP approved measure, the ‘‘Accelerated Turnover of Agricultural Equipment Incentive Projects’’ (‘‘Valley Incentive Measure’’), to include a quantification of the emissions reductions for the year 2023 from existing agricultural equipment projects from the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program (‘‘Carl Moyer’’) and CARB’s Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER) program and seek EPA approval of those emission reductions for SIP credit.   This action now formally recognizes the emissions reductions created by farmers replacing their tractors and harvesters voluntarily and formally acknowledges the Valley Incentive Measure has achieved emissions reductions of 5.0 tons per day (tpd) of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and 0.27 tpd of direct PM2.5 in the year 2023.   In the second action, based in part on our proposal to approve the 15 mg/m3 Plan Amendments, the EPA proposed to grant California’s request for a one-year extension of the applicable attainment date from December 31, 2023, to December 31, 2024, for the 1997 annual PM2.5 San Joaquin Valley, California, nonattainment area.  The proposed action to extend the applicable attainment date for this nonattainment area was based on the EPA’s evaluation of air quality monitoring data and xtension request submitted by the State of California, and our determination that the State has satisfied the two statutory criteria for a one-year extension under the Clean Air Act.  This is huge news for the San Joaquin Valley.