A special cotton zoom meeting is coming on Friday, April 21^st at 9:00 am.  This meeting will be conducted by UC Cooperative Extension and will feature topics on cotton management under the slow start, management of lygus, aphid and whitefly, as well as an update on the cotton seed bug.  We encourage all cotton growers to participate in this critical and informative meeting for the upcoming cotton season!  Here are the details:

Spring 2023 Cotton Zoom Meeting

Date/time: Friday, April 21^st, 9:00-10:20 AM

Goal: present information and discuss current and likely issues with cotton management given conditions this year, as well as updates on arthropod pests and their management

Agenda

9:00-9:20. Cotton management and a slow start to the season. Bob Hutmacher, UC Davis, Dept. of Plant Sciences, retired.

9:20-9:40. Lygus management in California cotton. Ian Grettenberger, UC Davis, Dept. of Entomology and Nematology.

9:40-10:00. Aphid and whitefly management in cotton and update on coverage/efficacy research, Buddhi Achhami, UC Davis, Dept. of Entomology and Nematology.

10:00-10:15. Cotton seed bug update. Mark Hoddle, UC Riverside, Dept. of Entomology.

10:15-10:20. Final discussion and conclusion

Zoom information

Link: Join Zoom Meeting

https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/93248697037?pwd=a2xCMlBrUnFjbGFZZDNBUllZUExXZz09

Meeting ID: 932 4869 7037

Passcode: 488512

Dial by your location**– WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE SLIDES/VISUALS (but possibly useful for audio issues)

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 646 931 3860 US

Meeting ID: 932 4869 7037

Passcode: 488512

This week, the US Department of the Interior announced a nearly $585 million investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for infrastructure repairs on water delivery systems throughout the West. Funding will go to 83 projects in 11 states to improve water conveyance and storage, increase safety, improve hydro power generation and provide water treatment.  The projects selected for funding are found in all the major river basins and regions where Reclamation operates. Among the 83 projects selected for funding are efforts to increase canal capacity, provide water treatment for Tribes, replace equipment for hydropower production and provide necessary maintenance to aging project buildings. Projects will be funded in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington.  The projects identified for California’s Central Valley Project includes:

Central Valley Project –

• $25 million for the Jones Pumping Plant Excitation Cabinet and Control Panel Refurbishment
• $25 million for the Delta Mendota Canal Subsidence Correction Project
• $22.2 million for the Friant Kern Canal Capacity Correction
• $42.53 million for the San Luis Unit – Gianelli Pump-Generating Plan Unit 8 Motor Generator, Turbine and Butterfly Valve Replacement
• $10 million for Nimbus Fish Hatchery Nursery Phase IV Modernization
• $14.74 million for Shasta Dam Refurbishment Tube Valves
• $10 million for Shasta Dam Temperature Control Device
• $42.25 million for Trinity Division, Spring Creek Power Transformer Replacement
• $65.9 million for Trinity River Fish Hatchery Building Modernization

As part of his comprehensive effort to give more insurance options to California residents and businesses, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced last week the California FAIR Plan Association has agreed to more than double its existing commercial coverage limits to $20 million for businesses unable to find coverage in the normal insurance marketplace. The FAIR Plan is an association comprised of all insurers authorized to transact basic property insurance in California and designed to be the state’s property “insurer of last resort,” writing coverage for businesses and residences when other insurance options are not available.  Commissioner Lara and the FAIR Plan have been working on this issue since the Commissioner’s investigatory hearing into the FAIR Plan last July where homeowners associations, youth recreational camps, agricultural groups, and other businesses spoke about the growing need for greater commercial coverage limits.   Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom testified at that hearing specifically asking for an increase to at least $20 million in coverage.  “Giving businesses greater options for insurance coverage is a top priority of mine. I am pleased the FAIR Plan is stepping up when insurance companies fall short in providing businesses and homeowners access to the coverage they need,” said Commissioner Lara.  Today’s agreement signed by Commissioner Lara and FAIR Plan President Victoria Roach will increase the combined coverage limits for the FAIR Plan, under its Division I Commercial Property Program, from $8.4 million to $20 million per location and, under its Division II Businessowners Program, from $7.2 million to $20 million per location.  State legislators, including Senator Toni Atkins and Senator Susan Rubio joined Commissioner Lara’s call for an increased commercial coverage limit at the FAIR Plan in letters sent earlier this year.  The new coverage limits will take effect after the FAIR Plan submits a new rule filing for approval by the Department of Insurance. The FAIR Plan has 60 days to submit a rule filing to the Department, with the goal of the Department approving these coverage limit increases, meaning coverage could be available in the fourth quarter.

The CalOSHA Standards Board has released notice the plan to hear the new Section 3396 – Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment.  This new regulation would affect all indoor work areas where the temperature equals or exceeds 82 °F when employees are present.  In these areas the employer must provide a mandatory “cool down area” that is less than 82 °F.  in addition the employer must monitor the temperature and heat index at all times.  Further, the employer must provide engineering controls to bring temperatures down to 87 °F.  Employers will also have to develop and implement emergency response procedures, employee training, supervisor training and have a written Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP).  The proposed standard is set to be heard by the Standards Board in May.  The Association is opposing the proposed standard as currently written.

Today, the Bureau of Reclamation announced an increase in Central Valley Project 2023 water supply allocations. After below average precipitation in February, Reclamation announced a conservative initial water supply allocation for the CVP on Feb. 22. Additional atmospheric river systems have since boosted hydrological conditions and storage volumes, allowing for a more robust water supply allocation.  Since making initial allocations last month, Shasta Reservoir, the cornerstone of the Central Valley Project, has increased from 59% to 81%, and San Luis Reservoir, the largest reservoir south-of-Delta, from 64% to 97%. Record-breaking snowpack conditions currently exist in the Southern Sierra coupled with significant snowpack in the Central Sierra and Northern Sierra/Trinity.  Based on current hydrology and forecasting, Reclamation is announcing the following increases to CVP water supply allocations:

North-of-Delta Contractors

• Irrigation water service and repayment contractors north-of-Delta are increased to 80% from 35% of their contract total.
• Municipal and industrial water service and repayment contractors north-of-Delta are increased to 100% from 75% of their historic use.

South-of-Delta Contractors

• Irrigation water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta are increased to 80% from 35% of their contract total.
• M&I water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta are increased to 100% from 75% of their historical use.

Friant Division Contractors

• Friant Division contractors’ water supply is delivered from Millerton Reservoir on the upper San Joaquin River and categorized by Class 1 and Class 2. The first 800,000 acre-feet of available water supply is considered Class 1; Class 2 is considered the next amount of available water supply up to 1.4 million acre-feet. Class 1 remains at 100% and Class 2 was previously increased from 20% to 70% on March 7.

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced a significant boost in the forecasted State Water Project (SWP) deliveries this year due to continued winter storms in March and a massive Sierra snowpack.  DWR now expects to deliver 75 percent of requested water supplies, up from 35 percent announced in February.  The increase translates to an additional 1.7 million acre-feet of water for the 29 public water agencies that serve 27 million Californians.  Consistent storms in late February and March have built up the Sierra snowpack to more than double the amount that California typically sees this time of year. Rainfall has also allowed for robust flows through the system, providing adequate water supply for the environment and endangered fish species while allowing the SWP to pump the maximum amount of water allowed under state and federal permits into reservoir storage south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.  Further adjustments to the forecasted allocation are likely following the milestone April snow survey measurements.  April 1 is traditionally when California’s snowpack peaks and starts to melt.  DWR is planning to host its April snow survey on Monday, April 3, at Phillips Station, weather conditions permitting.

Association President/CEO Roger Isom spent part of this past week at the State Capitol meeting legislators in an all-out effort to reinstate FARMER funding into the state budget.  The Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER) is an incentive program designed to help farmers achieve voluntary emission reductions by helping pay for new lean burning tractors and harvesters while having the farmers destroy the older higher emitting equipment.  As of last year, more than 4,200 tractors and harvesters had been replaced as well as 277 ag trucks and 66 ag pump engines with the lowest emission equipment available.  In addition, more than 2,600 fuel burning ATVs had been replaced with fully electric UTVs.  In total, this has generated more than 20,000 tons of NOx reductions, 1,200 tons of PM reductions, and more than 185,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents.  The hugely successful program has been a win-win for everyone especially air quality in the San Joaquin Valley.  The program is also part of an important State Implementation Plan (SIP) that promotes the use of the incentives as meeting as part of an effort to achieve 11 tons per day of NOx emissions by the end of 2023.  Should the goal not be achieved, it will force the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop and implement a mandatory tractor replacement rule that will require the replacement of every Tier 0, 1 and 2 tractor and harvester by 2030!  This would be devastating to farmers throughout the valley that are already battling high energy, labor, fuel and other input costs while dealing with the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).  Unfortunately, the growing statewide budget deficit is weighing heavy on legislators as they fight to keep funding in existing programs.  “Every office we visited understood the importance of the FARMER program, but many indicated this is a very tough year from a fiscal perspective”, stated Isom.  “Nonetheless, many indicated their support of the FARMER program, and we remain hopeful some amount of funding will be reinstated.”  The Association is part of a large coalition seeking $160 million in FARMER funding for FY 2023.

This week, the Bureau of Reclamation announced initial 2023 water supply allocations for Central Valley Project water users. Water supply allocations are based on an estimate of water available for delivery to CVP water users and reflect current reservoir storage, precipitation, and snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.   “While we are cautiously optimistic, we are also cognizant of the uncertainties that exist and the fluctuating nature of California’s climate with the possibility that dry conditions will return,” said Reclamation Regional Director Ernest Conant. “We received a much-needed dose of rain and snow in December and January that helped boost the water levels at our CVP reservoirs. The projected runoff from the snowmelt later this year will further benefit the state as we head into the summer months. However, we are all too aware of the precarious nature of recent weather patterns and must proceed prudently as we move through the water year—especially with below average storage in the state’s largest reservoir, Shasta.”   This year’s initial allocations reflect the improved hydrologic conditions caused by the winter storms that left the Sierra Nevada snowpack at well above normal conditions.

Currently, reservoir storages in Trinity and Shasta reservoirs are below the historic average for this time of year and runoff forecasts indicate that overall storage for these reservoirs may be limited if substantial spring precipitation does not materialize. Other CVP reservoirs, such as Folsom and Millerton, are in better shape with above average water storage levels for this time of year.  

Central Valley Project Reservoir status (as of Feb. 19)

“Three years of record-setting drought in California will take some time to recover from,” said Reclamation Regional Director Conant. “In the short-term, the early winter storms have helped, but in the long-term, we still have much catching up to do, especially in the northern part of our system.”   Based on current hydrology and forecasting, Reclamation is announcing the following initial CVP water supply allocations:

North-of-Delta Contractors 

Sacramento River 

• Irrigation water service and repayment contractors north-of-Delta are allocated 35% of their contract total. 
• Municipal and industrial water service and repayment contractors north-of-Delta are allocated 75% of their historic use or public health and safety needs, whichever, is greater.   
• Sacramento River Settlement Contractors’ water supply is based upon settlement of claimed senior water rights. The 2023 water year is currently determined as non-critical, as defined in their Settlement Contracts, which allows for 100% of their contract supply. 

 South-of-Delta Contractors 

• Irrigation water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta are allocated 35% of their contract total. 
• M&I water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta are allocated 75% of their historical use.   
• San Joaquin River Settlement Contractors and San Joaquin Exchange Contractors’ water supply is based upon settlement/exchange of claimed senior water rights. The 2023 water year is currently determined as non-critical, as defined in their contracts, which allows for 100% of their contract supply. 

 Eastside Water Contractors 

• Eastside water service contractors (Central San Joaquin Water Conservation District and Stockton East Water District) will receive 100% of their contract total. 

 Friant Division Contractors 

• Friant Division contractors’ water supply is delivered from Millerton Reservoir on the upper San Joaquin River via the Madera and Friant-Kern canals. The first 800,000 acre-feet of available water supply is considered Class 1; Class 2 is considered the next amount of available water supply up to 1.4 million acre-feet. Given the current hydrologic conditions, the Friant Division water supply allocation is 100% of Class 1 and 20% of Class 2. 

As the water year progresses, changes in hydrology, actions that impact operations, and opportunities to deliver additional water will influence future allocations. Reclamation will continue to monitor hydrology and may adjust basin-specific allocations if conditions warrant an update.    

This is an urgent advisory!  This week one of our members was approached by a student from UC Merced to ask if they would be allowed to place an air quality monitor on their facility grounds (see attached letter).   This effort is being led by the SJV Center for Air Assessment and Injustice Reduction at UC Merced.  This is not scientifically valid as it would not meet Federal EPA citing requirements and could lead to very misleading results.  DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO OCCUR ON YOUR PROPERTY! Nothing good will come from this study other than to try and regulate you even more than you already are and based on scientifically flawed information.  You are not required to comply with their request in any way.  If you are contacted, please tell them NO, and then let us know.