The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Stewardship Council, formed in 2009 has released the Delta Plan, a list of 14 policies and 68 recommendations that aim to improve flood protection, restore fishery and reduce demand on the Delta as a water resource. Read about the details here.
In recent years financial support from the school district, the local agriculture industry and community members has allowed the agriculture department to thrive at Atwater High School in Merced. Half of the school's population now participate in the program which also sends students to compete in competitions including the national FAA convention in Indianapolis. Read more about the school here.
Read an Op-Ed by John Welty, President of CSU, Fresno and Deborah Nankivell, CEO of the Fresno Business council. The two argue that the entire community plays a role in the mental health of its citizens. Highlighting vulnerable populations, the piece gives examples of how communities can work together to improve the overall health of a county.
The Farm Worker Safety Act of 2012 holds growers and labor contractors jointly liable if workers are not provided adequate shade and water. Poor farm-worker conditions have been a reoccurring problem in California's agricultural valley. Enforcement of the current rules has been minimal, but legislators hope the new law will make growers and labor contractors think twice before denying adequate conditions for laborers. Read more about the new law here.