Seed Shorts
  


header


May 18, 2016     


Like us on Facebook

Inside This Issue.....
Mark Your Calendars: Seed Industry Conference June 30th
2016 IPM Achievement Award - Call for Nominations
California Legislative Update
All Strangely Quiet on GM Food Labeling Front; Seems Consumers Don't Care that Much
Federal Appeals Court Consolidates WOTUS Cases for "Timely Resolution"
H-2A Visa Process "Streamlined"
EPA "Final" Report says Glyphosate Unlikely Carcinogen; Agency Reverses, Says it's Still Reviewing
House Subcommittee Marks Up Bill to Block EPA Ozone Rule
USDA Reports CRP Acreage; Vilsack Wants Higher Enrollment
Forage Genetics International (FGI) And Monsanto Announce Alfalfa Commercial And Research Agreements
Value-Added Producer Grant Program Training for California
PBC May 2016 Newsletter
Safety Corner: CPR & First Aid Certification Training
Upcoming Meetings
Mark Your Calendars: Seed Industry Conference June 30th


The 2016 Seed Industry Conference will take place on June 30th at The Stanislaus County Agricultural Center in Modesto, CA.
 
Who Benefits From Attending The Seed Industry Conference?
 
Anyone who is interested in the opportunity to learn timely information on a wide variety of topics pertinent to the seed industry should plan to attend the 2016 Seed Industry Conference, (SIC). Our guest speakers are experts in their fields who will come together to share their knowledge and first hand experiences. All of the combined presenters represent decades of experience and knowledge in the seed industry.
 
We will start the day with basic phytosanitary 101: key updates from around the world, followed by presentations on the collaboration for plant pathogen strain identification (CPPSI), new plant breeding  techniques, seed treatment and techniques, the California seed law, the FBI strategic  partnership program and seed espionage, honey bee health and seed production and more. There will be time for questions following each speaker's presentation.
 
Your employees with many years of experience and those who are new to the industry will both gain invaluable knowledge and new information by attending the SIC. Students are welcome to attend and we are extending a special student registration rate. 
 
The basic purpose of the conference is to provide an educational event for both managerial and technical personnel specific to the seed industry. The conference also provides an opportunity for networking with others in our industry.  We are confident that the 2016 California Industry Conference will be beneficial to all attendees.



2016 IPM Achievement Award - Call for Nominations



The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is now accepting nominations for its NEW 2016 IPM Achievement Award. The awards are presented to groups, organizations, schools, or companies that develop and share their IPM (integrated pest management) practices and achievements.


DPR began its IPM Innovator Award program in 1994 to recognize pioneering agricultural and urban organizations for their pest management leadership and creativity. This new award will replace the IPM Innovators going forward, expanding to include a wider range of accomplishments in areas of leadership, education and outreach, and innovation, and for participation by more diverse practitioners.


To submit a nomination online, click here for the submission form. Or, visit DPR's web site, www.cdpr.ca.gov, and type IPM Achievement or Innovators in the search box at the top of the page. Select Nominate a group for an IPM Achievement Award to access the online submission form. We'll accept nominations for 2016 awards through June 30, 2016.


You can also email nominations to [email protected] by sending a message with the information requested by the online nomination form.


If you have questions, feel free to contact me at (916) 445-8411 or [email protected].

California Legislative Update
By Dennis Albiani, Legislative Advocate


The California legislature has just completed one of the first deadlines of the legislative process.  Last Friday, all bills had to be voted out of the policy committees in the house of origin.  The bills are currently being heard in the Appropriations Committees and ones costing money will move to the "suspense file" where they will sit until May 27th.  Some will be voted off suspense, others will be held and die in committee. 
 
Last Friday, May 13th, the Governor released the May Revise.  This will lead to significant attention being placed on the budget deliberations which will be completed in the first week of June. More details to follow on the May revise to the budget. More details to follow on the May revise. The budget will be passed by both houses of the legislature by June 15th. 
 
Water
 
AB 2304 (Levine) Would establish the California Water Market Exchange, governed by a 5-member board, in the Natural Resources Agency. Oppose
 
AB 1755 (Dodd) The Open and Transparent Water Data Act - Standardizes terms and measurement standards for water transfers. Neutral
 
Positioning Above Ground Storage
 
AB 2551 (Gallagher) Would allow a local agency to use the construction management at-risk, design-build, public-private partnership, or design-build-operate method of delivery on a surface storage project.  Support
 
AB 1964 (Salas) Requires the Department of Water Resources to develop a state water policy that gives priority to the formation of joint powers authorities that are formed to address critical surface water storage projects.  Support
 
Groundwater  
 
SB 1317 (Wolk) would require a city or county overlying a high or medium priority water basin to establish a process for issuing a conditional use permit for new well construction.  Additionally, the measure would prohibit the issuance of a conditional use permit for a new well in probationary basins, or basins subject to critical overdraft. Oppose
 
Delta Fix
 
AB 1713 (Eggman) Delta Water Fix Vote Requirement - this measure will require any proposal to implement a Delta Tunnel water conveyance system to be voted upon by the people of California at the next general election.
 
AB 2583 (Frazier) Creates additional barriers to implementation of the Delta Water Fix by prohibiting the construction until legally binding financial agreements or contracts are signed by each of the state and federal water contractors that will receive water supplies that commit them to pay for the costs required for the federal Central Valley Project, State Water Project. 
 
Climate Change
 
SB 1383 (Lara) Short Term Climate Pollutants Regulation mandates a 40% reduction in Methane, 40% reduction in refrigerants, 50% Reduction in black carbon. Oppose
 
SB 32 (Pavley) Mandates GHG reductions of 40% of 1990 level by 2030 and previous version required 80% reduction by 2050.  Oppose
 
Pesticide Restrictions
 
AB 2596 (Bloom) Anticoagulants - Expanded existing restrictions on use in designated raptor feeding zones  statewide.  Contains Ag exemption but not processing.  Opposed
 
SB 1247 (Jackson) Established environmental farming zones around school and day care centers for organic farming - may have created "no pesticide zones."  Opposed
 
SB 1282 (Leno)  Would require labeling of commercially available seeds and plants sold at retail establishments, excluding noxious weed seeds and plants, that have been treated with a neonicotinoid pesticide, and, by regulation, designate neonicotinoid pesticides as restricted materials by January 1, 2018. "STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: MAY HARM BEES" and have a logo to be designed by the director.  Opposed
 
Labor Bills Could Impact Ag and Processing Industry
 
There have been a number of labor and employment bills introduced this year that could impact agriculture, input providers and processors.  The most noteworthy include elimination of the exemption to overtime for ag field employees and the potential for indoor heat requirement regulations. 
 
AB 2757 (Lorena Gonzalez) would eliminate the current 10 hour per day overtime threshold for agricultural workers by deleting the provision of Labor Code Section 554 exemption agricultural workers covered by Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order 14. AB 2757 would add a new Section 852 to the Labor Code to phase-in a requirement for overtime after 8 hours in a work day or 40 hours in a work week over a four-year period beginning January 1, 2017 and ending on January 1, 2020.
 
SB 1167 (Connie Leyva) requires Cal/OSHA to propose to the Cal/OSHA Standards Board a standard protecting indoor workers from heat illness no later than July 1, 2017.  This could impact warehouse operations, food processors, manufacturing and packing sheds. 
 
AB 1676 (Nora Campos) would prohibit an employer from seeking salary history information about an employment applicant and would require an employer to furnish an employment applicant with a "pay scale for a position to an applicant applying for employment."
 
AB 1843 (Mark Stone) would prohibit an employer from asking an employment applicant to disclose or to consider in "any condition of employment" information concerning juvenile court actions.
 
AB 1948 (Donald Wagner) provides that the penalty of one additional hour of pay to an employee who missed a meal or rest period, as provided in Labor Code 226.7, would be the sole penalty that could be imposed on the employer for that missed meal or rest period. This would disallow recovery otherwise available to the employee under the Labor Code or the Business and Professions Code.
 
AB 2197 (C. Garcia) would delete a provision from the Unemployment Insurance Code that requires that the first week of a maximum of two weeks' vacation that an employer may require an employee to take before receiving Paid Family Leave benefits be applied to the seven day waiting period for receiving Paid Family Leave benefits.
 
General Ag Bills
 
AB 2487 (O'Donnell) This legislation would be a review of the seed program by the Seed Advisory Board.  The report must be completed by July 1, 2017. 
 
AB 1826 (Stone) Legislation would revamp the state organics program. 
 
AB 2596 (Bloom) This bill would extend a provision that prohibits the use of anticoagulants in wildlife areas to apply to the entire State of California. 
 
AB 1575 (Bonta, Cooley, Jones-Sawyer, Lackey, and Wood) This bill is sponsored by the local governments to address marijuana regulation.  The bill includes many non ag related issues, but they include a section that would override the Secretary of CDFA authority to approve all local ordinances as related to marijuana.   
 
AB 1810 (Levine) This measure amends the CA Seed Act by exempting seed libraries and seed exchanges from the CA seed law.  Additionally, it would allow "micro enterprises" engaged in less than $5000 of seed sales in a year to have a separate, less stringent and less costly registration and testing requirements.
 
AB 1811 (Dodd) Revises the organic fertilizer program at CDFA to allow for more flexibility for licensing, contracting and inspections. 


Ag Trailer Bill The administration has stated that they would like to have a section in the ag trailer bill that would override the authority of the Secretary to approve all ordinances on seed and invasive plants.
 
Governor Issues Executive Order on Water Conservation
 
The governor's executive order, B-37-16, directs the California Department of Water Resources to work with the State Water Resources Control Board to develop new water use targets as part of a permanent framework for urban water agencies. The targets will build on existing law requiring the state to achieve a 20% reduction in urban water use by 2020. The press release from Governor Brown's office on this Executive Order can be found here.
 
While the new targets will be tailored to local conditions, the order directs DWR to consider indoor residential per capita water use, local outdoor irrigation needs and climate, commercial, industrial and institutional water use and water lost through leaks and issue a proposed draft framework by Jan. 10, 2017.
 
Additionally, the order:
  • Directs DWR to take actions to minimize water system leaks statewide;
  • Directs DWR to strengthen standards for local Water Shortage Contingency Plans, including common statewide standards and requirements that plans assume droughts last at least five years, as well as more frequent and severe periods of drought;
  • Directs DWR to work with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to update and require Agricultural Water Management Plans by water suppliers with more than 10,000 irrigated acres of land;
  • Continues current bans on wasteful water use such as hosing off sidewalks, driveways and other hard surfaces; and
  • Directs the State Water Board to develop a new proposal for mandatory water use reductions in 2017, should the drought persist.
DWR Director Mark Cowin said strengthening water shortage contingency plans as proposed would create a "playbook" tailored to local agencies to deal with future shortages.
 
State Water Board Staff Revise Conservation Mandates
 
The State Water Resources Control Board released a staff proposal last week to modify the existing emergency water conservation regulation to reflect improved conditions and allow for more local decision making. The proposal was released in conjunction with an executive order issued by Gov. Jerry Brown outlining long-term water conservation measures aimed at achieving a top priority in the California Water Action Plan - making conservation a way of life.
 
The State Water Board's staff proposal would replace the existing state-imposed mandatory conservation standards with locally developed standards based on local conditions and supply availability. It would require local urban water agencies to self-certify their water supply availability assuming three additional dry years and customer demands based on 2013 and 2014 averages. Local agencies would determine the combination of conservation, alternative supplies and other strategies needed to assure adequate supply over that time.
 
The proposal also would require both urban water suppliers and wholesale suppliers to report the underlying basis for their water supply assessments and require urban water suppliers to continue reporting conservation levels on a monthly basis.
 
If approved by the State Water Board on May 18, the amended regulation would take effect June 1 and remain in effect through January 2017.
 
Local water agencies would be required to file their supply assessments and targets with the state. The state would then monitor to see that those targets are met.
 
Governor Signs ADA Reform Legislation
 
The Americans with Disabilities Act, coupled with the Unruh Civil Rights Act, has provided Californian's with disabilities increased access to public and private buildings and accommodations since they were enacted in 1991.  However, it has also proven to be a litigation lightning rod attracting unscrupulous lawyers who file claims against private businesses across the state.  There are a small number of lawyers who have become known for filing hundreds of these claims against private businesses and demanding significant fees to settle.  The California Legislature has been grappling with balancing appropriate access with necessary reforms.  This week the Governor signed SB 269 (Roth) attempting to provide small business owners with a 120 day litigation protection when presented with the fact their businesses do not meet ADA standards if they have acted proactively to identify issues and a 15 day "right to cure" for technical violations that do not impede access.  
 
While modest, SB 269 seeks to incentivize businesses to proactively take steps to become accessible by providing them with 120 days from receipt of a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) report to resolve any violations identified without being subject to statutory penalties or litigation costs. This proposal will assist businesses who are trying to ensure they are compliant from being subject to frivolous claims or litigation.  SB 269 also provides 15 days from the service of the summons and complaint to resolve any alleged violation regarding signage, parking lot conditions, and detectable warning surfaces. This limited period will provide a small business owner with the opportunity to devote their financial resources to resolving these minor issues before being subjected to statutory penalties and attorney's fees.
 
SB 269 further requires the California Commission on Disability Access to post educational materials for business owners regarding how to comply with California's construction-related accessibility standards, as well as share that information with local agencies and departments. Notice and education are key components to helping create more accessible public accommodations and limiting frivolous claims or litigation.


The bill only provides this treatment to smaller business with less than 25 employees.  However, it is a start and the author as well as supporters vowed to continue to work to get these provisions expanded to all businesses.
 
Governor Makes Appointments to Fish and Game Commission
 
Two weeks ago the Governor made two appointments to the California Fish and game Commission.  These are important because they review all designations of "endangered Species Petitions" which can greatly impact agriculture operations across the state.  Additionally they make regulations on hunting, recreational fishing and commercial fishing. 
 
Russell Burns, 55, of Napa, has been appointed to the California Fish and Game Commission. Burns has been business manager at Operating Engineers Local Union 3 since 2006, where he has held several positions since 1994, including treasurer, financial secretary, district representative, special representative to the business manager and business agent.
 
Peter Silva, 63, of Chula Vista, has been appointed to the California Fish and Game Commission. Silva has been president and chief executive officer at Silva-Silva International since 2011. He served as assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2009 to 2011, senior policy advisor at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California from 2005 to 2009 and vice chair at the State Water Resources Control Board from 2000 to 2005. Silva was deputy general manager at the Border Environment Cooperation Commission from 1997 to 2000 and served in several positions at the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department from 1987 to 1997, including deputy director for water utilities, assistant deputy director for the clean water program and civil engineer. He was a resident engineer at the International Boundary and Water Commission from 1983 to 1987. Silva was an engineer at the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board from 1982 to 1983, at the Otay Water District from 1980 to 1982 and at the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board from 1977 to 1980.

All Strangely Quiet on GM Food Labeling Front; Seems Consumers Don't Care that Much



While supporters of a federal solution on the labeling of foods with genetically engineered (GE) ingredients had hoped to hear last week of a meeting of the minds between Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Pat Roberts (R, KS) and committee ranking member Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D, MI), the drumbeats have been few. 


In a related development, the annual consumer survey conducted by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and released last week, found while only 22% of surveyed consumers may have a "favorable view" of genetically engineered crops, it also shows consumers don't rate GE labeling as a high priority.  Only one in six consumers surveyed said they want more information on food labels.  When that small percentage was asked what new information they want to see, only 20% of that small number said they wanted to know more about GE crops.


After several meetings with Stabenow's staff to plead their case for not only preemption of such state laws - Vermont's goes into effect July 1 - the ag/food industry felt confident with the response by staff to most of their requests, most notably clarification that meat and poultry, simply because they came from non-GE animals fed GE feeds, need not disclose ingredient information. 


Roberts last week said any proposal from Stabenow needed to pass muster with ag and food groups to be successful.  "I want two things. A, I want to know what it is, and B, I want to see it vetted" by ag groups and Congress, Roberts said.  Some groups have seen a draft of the Stabenow language, according to reports, but are staying quiet until Roberts signals agreement.  Stabenow said Roberts has to be realistic about what can be negotiated that will garner enough votes to pass the Senate.


Roberts offered a voluntary disclosure system to be created at USDA to give consumers a means by which to find out if GE ingredients were used in a product.  Stabenow has insisted that on-label disclosure be mandatory.  Other areas of debate include how narrow a definition of "bioengineering" is acceptable, and whether USDA or FDA should be in charge of the labeling regime.  Roberts says USDA is his choice because that keeps oversight within congressional agriculture committees. However, both agree they do not intend any form of federal disclosure to include animal foods or meat and dairy products. 
Federal Appeals Court Consolidates WOTUS Cases for "Timely Resolution"



Having already removed the cases from local federal district courts in favor of its own jurisdiction, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals last week moved to consolidate the nearly 30 cases brought against EPA over its "waters of the U.S. (WOTUS)" rulemaking, saying it's in everyone's best interest to see "timely resolution of these cases."


The WOTUS rule, in which EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seek to expand their regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA) beyond "navigable" waters of the U.S. to all waters, has been called bureaucratic overreach by opponents who argue EPA lacks the legal authority to expand its own regulatory authority.  EPA says the rulemaking is the result of Supreme Court decisions compelling the agency to modernize and clarify its and the Corps' authority under the CWA.  While the rule is on hold thanks to an order by a Texas district court judge, federal legislative efforts to force EPA to withdraw the rule and start over have been blocked.   


The court's order combines all challenges of the federal rulemaking into a single case, and the petitioners - presenting "a limited number of legal issues and the parties represent(ing) discrete sets of interests" - were ordered to name three lawyers as "liaison counsel."  One attorney will represent states and state agencies which have challenged the WOTUS rule; a second lawyer will represent "business petitioners," including national and state chambers of commerce and companies, and the third attorney will represent "associational petitioners," including environmental groups challenging the rule. 


The three lawyers are not legal representatives, but are to "facilitate efficient communication in relation to this and future case management matters."  The court said "clarity and efficiency" are critical in resolving the case.  The court also said if it had not consolidated the cases, "the petitioner briefing alone would exceed 308,000 words," not counting intervenors or those filing amicus briefs.


The decision the cases would be heard at the appeals court level came in February, but the appeals court decision was split.  Several petitioners filed to have the cases heard en banc - reviewed by 23 judges - but those petitions were denied in late April.

H-2A Visa Process "Streamlined"


In hopes its actions will stem criticism over the inefficiency of the federal visa program, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) and the Department of State last week announced actions to speed up the processing of H-2A visas for immigrant farm labor. 


The visa process allows farmers to temporarily bring into the U.S. the labor necessary for planting and harvesting crops.  Efficiencies have been pushed hard by Western Growers Assn. and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), who say the visa situation is reaching a crisis point.  Both groups accused USCIS of running a costly and slow visa processing program that causes workers to arrive too late for harvest or miss important planting deadlines.  Worker shortages in 20 states are the result of processing that can take up to 30 days or more, the groups said.


USCIS said beginning May 11, all applicant information will be transmitted electronically by USCIS to State, and the agencies will begin using pre-paid mailers provided by petitioners for sending notices back to petitioners.  Groups said it's too early to tell if the new system is working, but a representative of one labor group said if USCIS can do its part of the processing job in 10 days or less, "then we're OK." 


In 2015, growers requested 145,874 worker visas nationally, and the Department of Labor approved 139,832.  Overall, about 10% of farm jobs are filled by H-2A visa holders.

EPA "Final" Report says Glyphosate Unlikely Carcinogen; Agency Reverses, Says it's Still Reviewing



EPA's seemingly never-ending safety review of glyphosate - known to the world as Roundup - took a decidedly odd turn two weeks ago as the agency played a game of "who's on first," initially posting to its website the agency's finding that the world's most widely used herbicide is "unlikely" to cause cancer, then removing that announcement and telling everyone the agency has not concluded its cancer review.


The agency has been evaluating glyphosate's registration since 2009, to determine if its continued use is safe, and on April 29 posted to its website the October 1, 2015, "final report" of its internal Cancer Assessment Review Committee (CARC) that included the "unlikely to cause cancer" conclusion.  Two weeks ago, EPA pulled down the report, said it had been posted "inadvertently," and removed a slew of related documents because they're also "preliminary."


The agency's actions were odd enough to elicit from Rep. Lamar Smith (R, TX), chair of the House Science & Technology Committee, a demand the agency explain its fumble of the glyphosate posting.  In a letter to EPA, Smith said, "Removal of this report and the subsequent backtracking on its finality raises questions about the agency's motivation in providing a fair assessment of glyphosate." 


"Currently, we're working through some important science, including residues of the chemical in human breast milk...a human incidents and epidemiology evaluation, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) cancer re-evaluation, and a preliminary analysis of glyphosate toxicity to milkweed...We hope to issue the draft cancer risk assessment for public comment later in 2016," EPA said. 


The agency says it will look at data from other countries, as well the Department of Health & Human Services' (DHS) Agriculture Health study, with the goal of finishing the review by the end of the year.


Despite EPA's backpedaling, Monsanto, which markets glyphosate under the trade name Roundup, said in a released statement the original CARC report and posting demonstrates EPA is the "third regulator to publish its conclusions that glyphosate is not a carcinogen."  The company cited the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Authority (CPMRA) review reports showing the chemical is "unlikely" to pose a human cancer risk.


Also two weeks ago a group called Moms Across America demonstrated in front of the White House and then moved on to EPA, demanding the agency yank Monsanto's registration of glyphosate. The group delivered a petition to the Administration with more than 80,000 signatures. 


Media reports indicate the agency also pulled off its website a draft environmental assessment of atrazine, saying the report wasn't final, and it will offer the draft final report for public comment in the next few months.

House Subcommittee Marks Up Bill to Block EPA Ozone Rule



A bill designed to rewrite EPA's proposed final rule to reduce allowable ozone levels in the U.S. was marked up and approved last week by the House Energy & Commerce Committee's subcommittee on energy and power. 


The Ozone Standards Implementation Act was one subject of the two-day mark-up.  At issue is a new ozone standard proposed by EPA in 2015 on top of an existing ozone standard proposed in 2008, which states are still struggling to comply with given that guidance was not provided to the states until last year.


The Ozone Standards bill implements the two standards sequentially instead of simultaneously. The 2008 standards would be allowed to operate until 2024, when the new standards would kick in.  The bill also changes the National Ambient Air Quality Standards requirement that the ozone regulations be reviewed every five years, setting the new mandatory review period at 10 years, while allowing EPA to consider technological feasibility when setting future air quality standards.   


"It's tough to understand EPA's rationale for forcing states to simultaneously comply with two different ozone standards," said full committee Chair Fred Upton (R, MI).  Upton said state environmental officials told the subcommittee how complex the agency compliance system is and the economic hit some communities will take if they are not in compliance.  Upton said, "There is simply no significant environmental benefit to piling the latest ozone standards on top of existing standards that have not been fully implemented," adding such non-compliance scares away community investment. 


Subcommittee ranking member Rep. Frank Pallone (D, NJ) called the ozone bill "an irresponsible attack that strikes at the heart of the Clean Air Act (CAA), and would undermine decades of progress on cleaning up pollution and protecting public health."  He said it makes no sense to dismantle the system that achieved years of successful pollution reduction. 


The bill was strongly supported by a coalition of "diverse industries" coordinated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a letter sent last week to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R, WI), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R, KY) and minority leaders Sen. Harry Reid (D, NV) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA). 


The most recent ozone requirements, Upton said, may not even be achievable in some parts of the country, and reminded his subcommittee that even EPA admitted the technology doesn't exist to bring the entire country into compliance.  He said parts of rural southwest Michigan can't meet the standards - "even if you remove all human activity" - because of the ozone generated in Chicago, Milwaukee and Gary, Indiana.

USDA Reports CRP Acreage; Vilsack Wants Higher Enrollment



More than 800,000 acres have been enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through its most recent sign-up period, USDA announced two weeks ago, predicting 2016 enrollments will likely come close to 2015's 867,000 acres, with total acres enrolled sitting at about 23.8 million.  About 1.7 million acres will expire this fall.


The 2014 Farm Bill capped CRP acres at 24 million for 2017 and 2018 - the previous cap was 32 million acres - to ensure farmers planted and harvested corn and soybeans sufficient to meet the needs of feed, food, industrial and energy production.  USDA did not support the cap during the last round of Farm Bill debates, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said the cap was all about saving money to fund other USDA efforts.  However, it's his hope the 2018 Farm Bill allows for more acres to be enrolled due to the environmental benefits of the program and record demand from farmers to participate in the program.  That hope, however, will need a scheme to pay for idling the additional acres. 


The department said CRP annually provides about $2 billion to land owners to offset the costs of restoring, enhancing and protecting grasslands, shrubs and trees that help to improve water quality, prevent erosion and increase wildlife habitat.  Direct benefits added to rural economic activity total about $3.1 billion a year, the department said.


The department stressed "this was one of the most selective sign-up periods in CRP's 30-year history, with a record high Environmental Benefits Index cut-off and the lowest percentage of applications accepted."

Forage Genetics International (FGI) And Monsanto Announce Alfalfa Commercial And Research Agreements To Support Innovation For Alfalfa Growers
        
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contacts: 
Monsanto, Lee Quarles (314) 694-2330

FGI, Becky Lentz (651) 375-5949


ARDEN HILLS, Minn., and ST. LOUIS (May 17, 2016) -- Forage Genetics International (FGI) and Monsanto (NYSE: MON) announced today that FGI has acquired all of the commercial rights from the parties' existing alfalfa research collaboration and that Monsanto has licensed to FGI certain intellectual property relating to its alfalfa traits and technology.  Monsanto received a one-time upfront licensing fee of $210 million for these rights. The deal is expected to support the ongoing discovery and commercial delivery of innovative alfalfa seed products through FGI's and Monsanto's own seed brands, as well as licensed partners.


FGI and Monsanto said the agreement will support the continued expansion of the commercial reach of alfalfa technology offerings such as Roundup Ready� Alfalfa and HarvXtra Alfalfa with Roundup Ready� Technology, as well as bolster innovation for this crop in the coming seasons.


Monsanto noted that alfalfa continues to be a part of the company's portfolio approach and it will continue to offer the same quality products through its DEKALB�, Channel� and regional seed brand dealer networks.  In addition, Monsanto plans to invest in and evaluate the applicability of novel trait technologies for different cropping systems including alfalfa.


For FGI, alfalfa continues to be a strategic part of its forage portfolio and it will continue to offer the same brands and quality products that are currently in the market. This deal provides FGI with great opportunities to deliver current and future alfalfa technology offerings in the key markets where they operate.  FGI is positioned to invest in technology and advancements that will accelerate speed to market and add significant value to their growers.


"Monsanto is committed to being the collaborator of choice within agriculture and we see tremendous opportunity in expanding our network of partnerships," said Mike Frank, vice president and chief commercial officer of Monsanto Company. "Through this agreement with FGI, we're able to expand our commercial and technology reach, while bringing greater focus on unlocking resources to drive growth in our integrated solutions portfolio."


"Forage Genetics has always been interested in fully serving our customers and the grower with a complete alfalfa offering.  This deal allows us to bring a complete offering to the table while opening all other doors to future advancements," said Shawn Barnett, president, Forage Genetics International.
Forage Genetics International is a subsidiary of Land O'Lakes, Inc.



Value-Added Producer Grant Program Training for California



A webinar training on USDA Rural Development's Value-Added Producer Grant program is now available for California applicants.  The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) funds planning and working capital expenses to help agricultural producers process and market new products, expand into new markets, and strengthen the rural economy.

 


The VAPG program is now accepting applications for the FY 2016 cycle. Applications are due by mail to the Rural Development California State Office by July 1, 2016. Click here to access the webinar.


Topics Covered:
  • Applicant Eligibility
  • Project Eligibility
  • Purpose Eligibility
  • Other Requirements
  • Evaluation Criteria
  • Tools for Applicants
For more information about the Value-Added Producer Grant, visit this website. Questions? Please contact our VAPG Coordinator, Martin Zone, at [email protected] or (530) 792-5829.

PBC May 2016 Newsletter
      
The May 2016 PBC Newsletter issue is here! Read the e-newsletter here.

Safety Corner: CPR & First Aid Certification Training




Upcoming Meetings
      
2016
  • Seed Industry Conference: June 30th at The Stanislaus County Agricultural Center in Modesto, CA

     
  • Mid Year Meeting: September 20-21, 2016 at The Monterey Plaza Hotel on Cannery Row  


California Seed Association | 1521 I Street | Ph: 916-441-2251 | Fx: 916-446-1063 | Sacramento | CA | 95814