Valley Water Board Extends Irrigated Lands Program

In 2006 the Central Valley Water Board adopted a conditional waiver of wastewater discharge requirements for farmers managing irrigated lands. The board is concerned that runoff of pesticides, fertilizer, and sediment from farming operations may be contributing to impairment of water quality in the valley. The purpose of the waiver was to require the farmers to form coalitions to collectively address this issue, rather than issuing individual permits to thousands of farmers. The coalitions were required to pay for a network of water quality monitoring stations and providing training to farmers regarding irrigation best management practices. This program does not apply to food processing wastewater land application sites that have existing waste discharge permits.
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State Water Resources Control Board Needs to Exert Some Self-Control

The State Water Board (Board) released its Draft Industrial Permit for Storm Water Discharge on Jan. 28, 2011. The Board's proposal is a significant departure from the current permit requirements that facilities have operated under since 1991 and will add significant new costs to food processors. CLFP is opposed to the proposal's arbitrary and costly numeric limits as well as its escalating compliance schedule which would expose the food processing industry to criminal, civil and third-party lawsuit liabilities. CLFP and the Water Coalition have been successful in recruiting legislators to sign a letter asking the board to cease and desist all work on the Draft Permit until an economic analysis is conducted and a stakeholder process is initiated. Because the board has been unresponsive to these requests, Assemblyman Miller (R-Orange) authored an op-ed piece entitled "State Water Resources Control Board Needs to Exert Some Self-Control" that has been printed in several statewide publications. To see the op-ed piece, click the Learn More link below.
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Governor Brown Vetoes Card Check Legislation

Senate Bill 104 (Steinberg), which would have eliminated an agricultural employee's right to cast an independent vote in a secret ballot election regarding whether to unionize, was vetoed by Gov. Brown on June 28, 2011.
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CARB Compresses First Cap and Trade Compliance Schedule from Three Years to Two Years

At the June 29 hearing of the Senate Select Committee on the Environment, the Economy, and Climate Change in Sacramento, Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board (ARB), announced a one-year delay in the enforcement of the cap-and-trade program, until 2013. Companies will not be required to meet the compliance obligation in 2012 however; the total obligation for the first compliance period must still be met as CARB has essentially compressed of the three year period into two years.
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Notice of Preparation Announced for the Statewide Plant Prevention and Management Program

SACRAMENTO, June 23, 2011 – The California Department of Food and Agriculture, in accordance with CEQA guidelines, is announcing a Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Statewide Plant Prevention and Management Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
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UC Davis Extension Announces New Course in Food Safety

DAVIS, Calif. —Germany’s struggle to manage its worst outbreak of E. coli underscores the importance of food safety, an issue of critical health, regulatory, industrial and consumer concern. Gain the technical and practical knowledge to understand the scientific and societal complexities posed by toxicants in the food supply with Food Safety: Focus on Toxicology, a new course offered by UC Davis Extension.
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Upcoming Events

Supplier Host Council Golf Tournament
October 17, 2011
Stockton Golf & Country Club, Stockton, CA

Fall Board of Directors' Meeting
October 27 & 28, 2011
Carmel Valley Ranch, Carmel, CA

Tomato Processing School
January 30, 2012
Sheraton Grand Sacramento, Sacramento, CA

Expo & Showcase of Processed Foods
January 31 & February 1, 2012
Sacramento Convention Center, Sacramento, CA