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8 CapitalPress.com March 18, 2016 California Subscribe to our weekly California email newsletter at CapitalPress.com/newsletters March storms could boost CVP water deliveries By TIM HEARDEN Capital Press SACRAMENTO — While they’re giving informal up- dates to water districts, fed- eral water oficials in Califor- nia have put off announcing Central Valley Project alloca- tions until they see what this month’s storms will bring. U.S. Bureau of Reclama- tion spokesman Shane Hunt didn’t linch when asked if the “March Miracle” of abundant rain and snow that many had hoped for is com- ing to fruition. AP Photo/Eric Risberg Mustard is seen between the rows of vineyards looded by water from the Russian River March 11 in Forestville, Calif. Flood watches and warnings blanketed Northern California as the latest in a series of storms moved through, adding more moisture to an already wet March. He responded by noting that the agency’s eight weath- er stations along the Sac- ramento River in Northern Agricultural education teaches students about agriculture, food and natural resources. Through these subjects, agricultural educators teach students a wide variety of skills, including science, math, communications, leadership, management and technology. Ag teachers never have the same day twice. One day they might be in a classroom or laboratory, the next visiting students in the field, preparing teams for an FFA Career Development Event, or leading a community service activity with their FFA Chapter. • Teach by doing, not just telling • Share their passion for agriculture California had received their average precipitation for the month by about March 9. “It’s changed so signii- cantly from the irst of the month,” Hunt said of the state’s water outlook. He noted that Shasta Lake, the centerpiece of the federal Central Valley Project, had an inlow of 325,000 acre- feet just in the irst 10 days of March. “Those Shasta numbers are encouraging,” he said, adding that continued rain and snow “will help us build a cold water pool and pro- tect the winter (salmon) run, which is vital for us to oper- ate the system.” In the San Joaquin Valley, growers are becoming more conident they’ll get at least some federal water for the irst time in three years, as some estimates have put the amount of agricultural water south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta at 15 percent. “We’re trying to stay op- timistic, hoping that it will mean a larger allocation is coming,” said Laura Brown, California Citrus Mutual’s director of government af- fairs. “We’ve seen them at least thus far giving us above a zero allocation, which is what we had. … I understand the bureau is being very cau- tious.” The early March del- uge throughout the state broke precipitation levels in some areas and pushed the statewide snow water content, which had been 80 percent of normal at the beginning of the month, to 88 percent of normal as of March 14, according to the state Department of Water Resources. Tim Hearden/Capital Press Valerie La Haie of G and S Farms in Brentwood, Calif., arranges corn at a farmers’ market in Davis, Calif., in September 2015. The Center for Produce Safety is halfway to its goal of raising $20 million for research into food safety issues. Donation helps group’s search for solutions to produce safety issues By TIM HEARDEN Capital Press WOODLAND, Calif. — An organization’s effort to help produce growers and distrib- utors avoid contaminating the food they handle is halfway to its goal of raising $20 million for research. A $1 million donation from Western Growers has enabled the Center for Produce Safety to reach the $10 million mark for such projects as closely watching how pathogens be- have and determining which sanitizers work best for differ- ent contaminants. The center, which is based in Woodland, hopes to reach its fundraising goal by 2020 to continue to help the industry develop safety precautions as the Food Safety Modernization Act starts to be implemented. The donation from West- ern Growers, which represents farmers who grow fresh pro- duce, continues nearly a decade of collaboration between the two organizations, president and chief executive oficer Tom Nassif said. “The safety of consumers is a top priority for our industry,” he said, adding that he encour- ages “every farm-to-fork stake- holder” to consider how they can contribute to building “the strongest food safety system in the world.” In addition to the grant, indi- vidual Western Growers mem- bers have given $4.4 million for the center’s research, Nassif told reporters in a March 10 conference call. Founded in 2007, the Center for Produce Safety is a part- nership involving people in the industry, government and the scientiic and academic communities, according to its website. In total, the center has given out $18.4 million over the years for such projects as assessing the food-safety im- pacts of delays between pista- chio harvest and drying, Research funded by the center has led to improved safety practices, including des- ignating buffer zones for haz- ard management, validating the eficacy of the washing process and identifying con- trols that prevent salmonella from building tolerances to treatments, according to a news release. New wheat commission director starts March 22 work to expand advantage to have somebody Fernandez hopes to research by col- who was familiar with the reg- laborating with ulatory environment in Cali- meet farmers, hear academia and fornia,” Motter said. “She was the private sec- quite involved in the off-shore their priorities tor and educate marketing efforts of the raisin • Create lessons that are hands-on • Reach students, including those who might not be successful in a traditional classroom • Teach about cutting edge topics, like cloning, satellite mapping, biofuels, alternative energy and more. By MATTHEW WEAVER • Travel in state, nationally, and even internationally. The California Wheat Commission has a new direc- tor. Deanna Fernandez will join the commission March 22. She was previously in- ternational program director with the Raisin Administra- tive Committee in Fresno, Ca- lif. She replaces Janice Coo- per, who took over as director of the Wheat Marketing Cen- ter in Portland in December. “I have ideas and a vision that will position California wheat as a premium product on a global scale,” Fernandez said in an email to the Capital Press. The commission will also • Work with new and emerging technology from agribusiness companies. Currently there is a national shortage of agricultural educators at the secondary level. It is estimated that there will be hundreds of unfilled positions across the United States this year, simply because not enough students are choosing to be agricultural educators. Capital Press Fernandez the public about the health bene- its of wheat, she said. Fernandez plans to meet as many farmers as possible before the end of the calen- dar year, she said. She expects to conduct meetings in each growing region. “I want to meet each farmer — I want to know what issues farmers are most concerned with because, ultimately, I work for each California wheat grower,” she said. Roy Motter, chairman of the commission, said an executive search irm proposed Fernan- dez with several other candi- dates from outside the state. “It was a pretty substantial commission.” Fernandez will work to get familiar with wheat, Motter said. “I think she’s a quick study,” he said. “We’re pretty excited to have her on board here. I think she’s going to hit the ground running. She’s going to be a strong administrator for our marketing efforts and research efforts.” Fernandez said she grew up in agriculture, as her par- ents were farmers. She found mentors at the raisin commit- tee and fostered relationships with raisin growers and han- dlers, Foreign Agricultural Service employees and “the plethora of fellow ag nerds around the globe.” 12-1/#13 Reap the Rewards Find Your Next Job in Capital Press Print and Online. 1.800.882.6789 www.cpmarketplace.com www.capitalpress.com 12-4/#13
