More than 70 workers attended the Cotton Harvest Safety Training Event at the Westside Field Station in Five Points this past week. The event was co-hosted by Fresno County Farm Bureau, California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and The Zenith. Hands-on and in-classroom training was provided by The Zenith.
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol (USCTP) will be hosting a Grower Enrollment webinar tomorrow September 29, at 8:00 a.m. CST for growers interested in learning more about signing up for the USCTP.
The virtual session is a wonderful opportunity for producers to learn how the Trust Protocol helps U.S. growers verify their sustainable production practices that are already being incorporated on their operations to meet the changing demands from their end customers. The webinar will also detail how the program enables U.S. cotton growers to prove their sustainable stewardship and drive commitment to continuous improvement.
You can click the following link to register for the session. Please feel free to share with fellow producers or members who may be interested in enrolling in the USCTP. Please contact NCC staff if you have any questions.
| Webinar Registration |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will soon publish Requests for Applications (RFAs) for new grant programs – the Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant program to support agricultural stakeholders who haven’t yet received substantial federal financial assistance in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. These grant programs will provide assistance to small businesses in certain commodity areas, including small scale specialty crop producers and processors, shellfish, aquaculture and other select producers, meat and other processors, distributors, farmers markets, seafood facilities and processing vessels.
Specialty crop producers, meat processors, and famers markets will be able to seek reimbursements for pandemic-related expenses, such as workplace safety improvements, medical costs (i.e., for vaccines/testing), retrofitting facilities, transportation etc., through this program. Find the full list here.
USDA released grant forecast for these new programs to help potential applicants determine their eligibility and to prepare to apply for funding. Approximately $650 million in funding is available for the PRS grants and $50 million is available for SPRS. The new programs are funded by the Pandemic Assistance provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
For the PRS grants, eligible entities are detailed in the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program forecast. Eligible entities should visit the PRS grant portal at https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov/usda for complete information on the program. Applicants will be required to have a DUNS number to apply, to obtain a free of charge DUNS Number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) for USDA PRS Grant Applicants click here.
The application period will open on September 23rd and close on November 8th; entities will need their DUNS number to submit an application.
The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations (CCGGA) and the Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) participated in, and supported, the 2021 AgOne Foundation BBQ held at the Panoche Creek River Ranch. The very successful event was held this past Sunday, September 12th. The Associations hosted State Senator Melissa Hurtado, along with several members from both Associations. Joining the Association was CCGGA Chairman Bryan Bone and his wife Linda, CCGGA 2nd Vice Chair Gary Martin and his wife Mari, CCGGA Board Member Wade Van Hooser and his wife Josie, WAPA past Chairman Butch Coburn and his wife Lori. Also in attendance was CCGGA Board Member, and current AgOne Chairman, Jim Razor from the JG Boswell Company, WAPA Board Member and AgOne Board Member Jason Baldwin, and WAPA past Chairman Mike Kelley. The Association was represented by President/CEO Roger Isom and Director of Technical Services Christopher McGlothlin, both of whom were put to work at the event manning the bar! All proceeds from the event go to fund scholarships to ag students at Fresno State. This year, AgOne will provide more than $950,000 in scholarships!
In 2019, a cotton seed bug was found and identified in Los Angeles, California. At the time it was a single find, and no other specimens were found in the vicinity. Unfortunately, in 2020 the cotton seed bug was found and identified in five more locations across three counties, including Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties. While the locations remain more than 100 miles from the nearest cotton fields, we are concerned with the potential spread of this devastating pest to cotton fields in California.
This pest, as the name suggests, attacks the cotton seed, but damages the lint on its way into the seed. More importantly, if this pest were to be found in cotton it could end the shipment of cotton planting seed out of California as more than likely a quarantine area would be established. We are currently working with USDA and CDFA to find a way to trap the pest and possibly keep this pest in the LA Basin, maybe even eradicate it. In the meantime, we are asking growers and PCAs to be on the lookout for this pest. Attached is a technical bulletin that describes the pest in detail and includes pictures of the pest in various life cycles. Should you see one of these bugs, please contact your local county ag commissioner or the local CDFA Field office. It is imperative that we stay ahead of this devastating invasive pest.
the Association submitted comments on the Biden Administration’s proposal to reconsider the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rulemaking. The Association expressed concerns with reopening the rulemaking, stating that under the Trump Administration the Navigable Protection Waters Rule (NWPR) brought clarity to a regulation that had caused consternation and conflict for years. The NWPR finally eliminated debate and questions on issues like whether drainage ditches were navigable waters, and numerous other contentious examples of inconsistency with implementation of the rules. The NWPR finally brought the clarity and understanding necessary for farming to move forward. The Association expressed concern that reopening the regulation would only serve to bring back the inconsistency and questions.
No Cost to attend. Registration is Free!
SESSION INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, September 23
Time: Check-in at 8 a.m.; Training from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: UC West Side Research and Extension Center, 17353 W. Oakland Ave., Five Points
Cost: No-cost
The training will cover equipment safety (preparation and operation), electrical hazards, heat illness prevention and road safety. All information will be provided in English and Spanish. Certificates will be given upon completion. The training will be provided by Zenith Agribusiness Solutions.
The training is sponsored by California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and FCFB.
| Register Here |
Meeting #1 – Dos Palos
When: Tuesday, August 17th at 9:00 am
Where: Dos Palos Cooperative Gin, 7870 W.
Hutchins Road, Dos Palos, CA
Gin Manager – Mike Davis
Meeting #2 – Corcoran
When: Wednesday, August 18th at 8:00 am
Where: Cross Creek II Gin, LLC, 2411 Whitley,
Corcoran, CA
Gin Manager – Kirk Gilkey
The meeting will be put on by UC Cooperative Extension, represented by Dr. Bob Hutmacher, State Cotton Specialist, and Dr. Ian Grettenberger, CE Specialist – Entomologist. The sessions will last approximately 1 ½ hours. Please call the Association office at (559) 252-0684 or email at shana@ccgga.org to RSVP.
The VW Mitigation Trust announced that up to $175,000 per forklift is available to help forklift owners buy all-electric forklifts. Applications will be accepted on first-come first-served basis through September 22, 2021.
Key Program Details
How It Works
For more information regarding the program or to apply visit the Program Website or reach out to CaliforniaVWTrust@baaqmd.gov.
The Association is working with Cal Poly researchers to review and examine maintenance and repair costs, as well as fuel efficiency for tractors. Agribusiness professors Drs. Michael McCullough and Lynn Hamilton have developed a brief (10 minute) questionnaire regarding operating and maintenance time and rates for agricultural tractors. The information will supplement data collected from tractor service providers in California and tractor technical specifications obtained from the University of Nebraska Tractor Test Lab. No personal or identifying questions are asked and all responses collected are anonymous. We would appreciate if you could take a few minutes to provide information for your tractors.
You can also find this link by going to our website:
https://calpolycafes.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3w9nVHgJg7fjEyO
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me by email at chris@ccgga.org.