Almond Industry Headline Environmental News  Dec. 20, 2007

   Air Quality

• Farmers join clean-air fight - - On his Madera County almond ranch, Chester Andrew is far from air-quality politics. But he's in the middle of the fight. Andrew just finished switching diesel engines on almost three dozen massive water pumps to clean-running electric motors. He hasn't burned almond prunings for years; he grinds them up instead. And he uses stingy drip irrigation to save water and electricity, which, in turn, reduces air pollution from fossil-fuel power plants. Andrew says clean air protects his family and his business. "We live out here right in the middle of the farm," he said. "We want to be on the forefront of keeping the environment clean. We know a lot of farmers doing this." <more> Dec. 18, 2007 Fresno Bee
   

• Proposed diesel truck regulations will be costly to agriculture - - By Gabriele Ludwig, Senior Manager, Global Technical & Regulatory Affairs, Almond Board of California - - Newly proposed air quality regulations could dramatically alter the fleet of heavy-duty diesel trucks on California’s roads and highways, including those used to transport farm inputs and harvested agricultural products. New regulations in development by the State Air Board will require significant and expensive retrofitting of older diesel engines to bring trucks into compliance, including seasonal diesel trucks used to transport harvested almonds and other agricultural commodities to and from the field and processing facilities. It may also impact delivery costs for farm inputs if suppliers pass on the cost of retrofitting their fleets to their customers. Air Board staff are currently surveying diesel truck operators, including a separate survey for agricultural vehicles, to obtain information about truck ages, mileage, and vehicle use patterns in advance of submitting a formal proposal to the Air Board by mid-2008. <more> Dec. 4, 2007 Western Farm Press
   

Water Quality

• Water Quality Goals - - The Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program, previously known as the Conditional Ag Waivers Program for Irrigated Lands, turned four years old this summer and water quality sampling has revealed a number of problems in key almond growing regions. As more becomes known about water quality runoff issues near almond orchards, growers are implementing strategies that can help reduce the impact of almond production on surface water quality. <more> December 2007 California Almonds Newsletter
   

• Farmers urged to keep water pollutant-free. Coalition says action is needed now to avoid more costly measures later. - - They know when you are seeping. They know if you foul a lake. They know if you've been bad or green. So be green for the water's sake. "They" in this case are Regional Water Board officials -- and maybe even some state assembly types -- who are worried about an influx of farming-related pollutants into local water sources. At the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition's annual meeting Wednesday, Merced County farmers were warned they need to step up their clean-water efforts or expect future restrictions and costs. <more> Dec. 19, 2007 Merced Sun-Star
   

• Water leader: '08 supplies grim. Smelt protections will leave parts of state 35 percent drier - - A Nov. 13 water seminar presented by the Almond Board of California left no doubt about the grim outlook for agricultural water supplies should the 2008 rainfall season be a repeat of 2007. "There are 216,000 acres of almonds south of the delta that rely on water deliveries. Chances are it will be tough next year unless you can find water to buy," said seminar speaker Mike Wade. Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition, presented a statewide picture of surface farm water supplies. "Storage has fallen drastically since January. We have the lowest overall storage since 2001. Without a wet winter, 2008 will be a tough year," Wade said. <more> Nov. 27, 2006 Capital Press
   
• Ag, water leaders at Almond Board  water forum discuss how to keep taps flowing - - The prospect of a dry 2008 is just one of the threats facing farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, experts said at a Modesto forum Tuesday. Another threat is legal -- a possible reduction in West Side water deliveries so more can be used to sustain fish. And another threat is seismic -- the chance that an earthquake could shatter the delta levees that keep seawater from mixing with the state's main fresh supply. "It seems like we move from crisis to crisis over there on the West Side," said Bill Harrison, general manager of the Del Puerto Water District, which irrigates about 40,000 acres in that area. The forum, held by the Almond Board of California, drew about 100 people to the State Theatre. It dealt not just with the water needs of almonds, the second-highest-grossing farm product in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, but with the state's agriculture overall. <more> Nov. 14, 2007 Modesto Bee

Endangered Species

• EPA Updates Website on Pesticides and Endangered Species Protection Program - - U.S. EPA has updated and redesigned its Pesticides and Endangered Species Protection Program website to make it easier for visitors to find relevant information about the program and to reflect enforceable limitations on pesticides that will be put in place through its Endangered Species Protection Program (ESPP).  Visit http://www.epa.gov/espp/ to view the website that now includes a more streamlined interface and more visible and useful links on the homepage, allowing the user to quickly navigate through the many different topics.  Topics include: Endangered Species Protection Bulletins; Risk Assessment; Effects Determinations, and Species Information Aug. 28, 2007 EPA Press Release
   

Crop Protection

• Methyl Bromide Alternatives- - The Almond Board’s Gabriele Ludwig attended the annual Methyl Bromide Alternatives Outreach Conference in October to stay informed about the latest research and regulatory issues related to soil fumigants. Much of the research was focused on finding alternatives to methyl bromide and tools to reduce emissions from soil fumigants in light of increased regulatory scrutiny over bystander exposure and VOCs. <more> December 2007 California Almonds Newsletter
   

• Pesticide use declined in 2006, reports DPR - - The California Department of Pesticide Regulation today reported 2006 pesticide use statistics that showed continued progress toward safer, less toxic pest management. Overall statewide pesticide use declined by nearly six million pounds from 2005 to 2006 (from 195.3 million to 189.6 million). While use increased in landscape maintenance, public health and other categories, production agriculture saw a 10 million pound drop. Use of many high-toxicity chemicals dropped for the third consecutive year. "DPR works hard to promote least-toxic pest management, and our efforts are paying off," said DPR Director Mary-Ann Warmerdam. "At the same time, we will continue to strive for long-term success in pest management, and we have more work to do.” <more> Nov. 29, 2007 DPR Press Release

General Industry News

• Almond Pest Management Alliance Honored by DPR with Second IPM Innovator Award - - The Almond Pest Management Alliance’s latest recognition as an IPM Innovator is the result of a cooperative effort between growers, industry groups, researchers, and regulatory agencies to help integrate economically and environmentally sound production practices into commercial orchards, according to project participants. The Almond Pest Management Alliance (PMA) was selected by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to receive an unprecedented second IPM Innovator Award for 2007 for its publication of “A Seasonal Guide to Environmentally Responsible Pest Management Practices in Almonds.” The IPM Innovator award will be presented in a ceremony Jan. 17 at the Cal EPA headquarters in Sacramento. “For the first time this year, we will honor repeat IPM Innovators,” said DPR Director Mary-Ann Warmerdam. “Our partners in the almond industry are being honored for the second time, as the Almond Board won an Innovator Award in 1997. It’s especially gratifying to see commodity groups that continue to distinguish themselves as leaders in reduced-risk pest management, and our Almond Pest Management Alliance friends are most worthy of this second award.” <more> Dec. 20, 2007  Almond Board of California Press Release
   

• Meeting Environmental Challenges - - By Dave Baker Chairman, Environmental Committee, Almond Board of California - - Growers face a growing number of environmental challenges as new technology allows more scrutiny on the impact of production practices. The almond grower has always been proactive in meeting past challenges to the betterment of society and we are working toward an enhanced understanding of these new ones. <more> December 2007 California Almonds Newsletter

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