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CapitalPress.com
April 7, 2017
People & Places
Too much of a good thing in California
Joe Valente keeps
orchards, vineyards
growing despite
quirky weather
Established 1928
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By JULIA HOLLISTER
For the Capital Press
LODI, Calif. — Joe
Valente dealt with drought for
years; now he’s got just the
opposite problem.
The vineyard and orchard
manager for Kautz Farms has
water — too much of it — on
his mind.
“The old adage is ‘Save
it for a rainy day,’ but how do
we save all this rain for the
dry days? After five years of
drought here in San Joaquin
County, we are currently at
double the amount of rainfall
that is average for this area,” he
said.
It’s not just the rain that
has created problems. A levee
break has flooded parts of the
operation.
“In some areas of the vine-
yards and orchards, the water
depth has been up to 5 feet deep.
We have lost approximately
100 acres of almonds because
of the flooding of the fields,”
Valente said. “Even though
grapes can tolerate flood waters
compared to almonds, we are
very concerned with the length
and depth of water in the vine-
yards.”
The levee is along the
Mokelumne River, which flows
from Comanche Reservoir.
Making repairs has been a chal-
lenge because the levee is inac-
cessible to trucks.
“We have used ap-
proximately two thousand
2,000-pound sandbags and put
them in place with excavators,”
he said. “The break in the levee
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Courtesy of Joe Valente
Lodi vineyard and orchard manager Joe Valente says water — too much or too little — has been a problem for San Joaquin growers.
Western Innovator
Joe Valente
Hometown: Lodi, Calif.
Age: 57
Family: Wife Claudia, two grown
children, three grandchildren
Hometown: Lodi, Calif.
Occupation: Vineyard and orchard manager at Kautz Farms
overseeing approximately 3,500 acres of winegrapes, cherries and
almonds.
Quote: “I have a passion for agriculture and we in agriculture
need to tell our story, whether it is to third-grade students, high
school students, teachers, local government representatives, state
legislatures and those in Washington, D.C.”
is approximately a half-mile
from our vineyards on a neigh-
bor’s property. We have all
been working together to repair
the levee break, because the
water is not only affecting the
neighbor but also our vineyards
and orchards.”
Despite his many respon-
sibilities, Valente continues to
be active in many agricultural
organizations. He serves on
numerous boards and commit-
tees, including the North San
Joaquin Water Conservation
District Board, California Farm
Bureau, San Joaquin Coun-
ty Farm Bureau, San Joaquin
Farm Bureau Foundation for
Agricultural Education, North
San Joaquin Water Conserva-
tion, the San Joaquin County
Fair, Lodi Winegrape Com-
mission Research Committee,
Lodi Chamber of Commerce
Agri-Business
Committee,
Spray Safe Committee and To-
kay High FFA Advisory Com-
mittee.
Bruce Blodgett, executive
director of the San Joaquin
County Farm Bureau, recog-
nized Valente’s contributions.
“Joe Valente has been a tire-
less volunteer for agriculture,”
he said. “Whether it’s in the
Lodi area with his work on the
chamber ag committee, wine
grape commission or the local
water district, you will see Joe
attending so many meetings
to represent agriculture. In the
county his work on our board
and committee, as well as being
a fair board member, means Joe
is always in motion and mov-
ing onto the next meeting. It’s
great to have volunteers with
this kind of energy and time to
serve our industry.”
There is more than heavy
rainfall to challenge farmers.
“There has always been sev-
eral factors that influence our
operations and our prices: sup-
ply and demand, weather and
legislation and regulations,”
Valente said. “In the com-
ing years, California agricul-
ture will be facing the challeng-
es of a change from a 60-hour
work week to a 40-hour work
week. This will impact all of
our employees and this could
also affect the crops that we
grow. We will be looking at
more mechanization or crops
that are less labor intensive.”
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To submit an event go to the
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home page of our website at www.
capitalpress.com and click on “Sub-
mit an Event.” Calendar items can
also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400
Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301
or emailed to newsroom@capital-
press.com.
Through Saturday
April 8
86th Idaho FFA State Leadership
Conference. College of Southern
Idaho, Twin Falls. www.idahoffa.org/
conferences-conventions/
Saturday, April 8
Community Food System
Gathering. 9 a.m.-noon. Broadway
Commons, 1300 Broadway St.,
Salem, Ore. A healthy community
begins with a healthy food system.
Everyone involved in creating the
Mid-Valley Food System, including
farmers, gardeners, food proces-
sors and eaters are invited. The
purpose is to give all stakeholders
in the Mid-Valley food system a
chance to network and discuss
pressing issues with their peers.
The event will also feature a key-
note address about “The Future of
Oregon’s Agricultural Land” from
Nellie McAdams with Rogue Farm
Corps. It will conclude with an op-
tional tour of the Salem Saturday
Market. Cost: Free. Website: http://
bit.ly/2mZy2oy
Goat Seminar. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
7211 40th Ct. NE, Olympia, Wash.
Learn about goat healthcare and
nutrition, along with a short session
about packgoats. Cost: $25 public;
$7.50 4H/FFA. Website: http://edel-
weissacresobers.com/
Tuesday, April 11
Oregon Ryegrass Seed Growers
Commission. 6-8 p.m. Cascade Grill
Restaurant, 110 Opal St. NE, Albany,
Ore. The meeting will involve prepar-
ing the budget for the coming year.
www.ryegrass.com
Do Your Kids Want the Busi-
ness? Planning for Yes or No. 7:30
to 9 a.m. Hayden’s Lakefront Grill,
8187 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Road,
Tualatin, Ore. Presented by Steve
Bennett, Farleigh Wada Witt and
the Austin Family Business Pro-
gram, Oregon State University.
800-859-7609, http://bit.ly/2h3k8Ck
Wednesday, April 12
Exploring the Small Farm
Dream. 5-8 p.m. OSU SOREC
Research Building Library, 569 Ha-
ley Road, Central Point, Ore. This
three-session course provides an
excellent framework to help new
farmers assess their skills and in-
terests, learn the realities of farm
business ownership, and become
connected to local resources. The
aim is to help those thinking about
small-scale commercial farming
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
www.oxarc.com
learn what it will take to start and
manage a farm business, and de-
cide whether that is something
they really want to pursue. $50 per
person, $75 for two from the same
farm. Website: http://bit.ly/Jackson-
SmallFarmDream
of the commission’s 2017-18 pro-
posed budget and the assessment
rates for the 2017 crop year. Mem-
bers of the public are welcome to
present their comments, either oral-
ly or in writing. Written comments
must be submitted before April 20.
Local Meat Marketing and
USDA Processing Workshops. 11
a.m.-2 p.m. Expo Center, 45224
284th Ave. SE, Enumclaw, Wash.
Workshops will focus on market
demand for local meats, eco-
nomics and processing options
to help determine what is best for
your livestock enterprise. Contact:
Patrice Barrentine at King County
Agriculture Program at Patrice.
Barrentine@kingcounty.gov
or
(206) 477-1556. Cost: Free. Web-
site: https://goo.gl/forms/JENmH-
1PAWkQfZDaH2
Friday-Saturday
April 21-22
Thursday, April 13
Oregon Mint Commission bud-
get hearing. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. White
Buffalo Bistro, 4040 Westcliff Drive
(Exit 62 I-84), Hood River, Ore. Any
producer of Oregon mint oil has the
right to be heard on the commis-
sion’s budget for next year.
Saturday, April 15
Oregon Women for Agriculture
30th annual auction and dinner. 5-9
p.m. Linn County Fair & Expo Cen-
ter, 3700 Knox Butte Road E, Alba-
ny, Ore. Website: owaonline.org
Wednesday-Friday
April 19-21
National Organic Standards
Board meeting. 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel,
1550 Court Place, Denver, Colo.
During meetings, the board listens to
public comments, discusses agenda
items and then votes in a public fo-
rum. Website: http://bit.ly/2gKsKgb
Thursday, April 20
Four-Part Farm/Ranch Succes-
sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30
p.m. Canby High School, 721 SW
Fourth Ave., Canby, Ore. A free
four-part workshop on succession
planning with one-hour personal
counseling sessions for your family
after each workshop. Light dinner 6
to 6:30, workshop 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Course 1 on April 20 is an Over-
view of Farm Succession planning.
Course 2 on May 4 is Goal Setting
for You and Your Family, Course 3
on May 18 is Getting Organized,
and Course 4 on June 1 is Pass-
ing on Management Roles. RSVP
required. Organized by Clackamas
Small Business Development Cen-
ter and Rogue Farm Corps. Cost:
Free. http://bit.ly/2opTHqO
Oregon Processed Vegetable
Commission. 7 p.m. Oregon Farm
Bureau Building, 1320 Capitol St.
NE, Salem, Ore. A public hearing
will be held to receive comments
Second Annual Horsedrawn
Vehicle and Equipment Auction, 10
a.m.-5 p.m. Yamhill County Fair-
grounds, 2070 NE Lafayette Ave.,
McMinnville, Ore. Preview starts at
8 a.m. both days. Auction benefits
the Youth Educational Scholarship
Foundation. www.pacificoverland-
expo.com
Saturday, April 22
Local Meat Marketing and USDA
Processing Workshops. 10 a.m.-2
p.m. Carnation Farms, Carnation,
Wash. Workshops will focus on
market demand for local meats, eco-
nomics and processing options to
help determine what is best for your
livestock enterprise. Contact: Patrice
Barrentine at King County Agricul-
ture Program at Patrice.Barrentine@
kingcounty.gov or (206) 477-1556.
Cost: Free. Website: https://goo.gl/
forms/JENmH1PAWkQfZDaH2
Map & Compass Workshop. 9
a.m.-4 p.m. University of Idaho Ex-
tension Office in Kootenai County,
1808 North Third St., Coeur d’Alene,
Idaho. The program features 2-3
hours indoors interpreting various
natural resource maps, followed by
field activities using magnetic com-
passes. Those wishing to participate
should pre-register by Friday, April
14, at the University of Idaho Exten-
sion office in Kootenai County. Cost:
$10. Website: www.uidaho.edu/ex-
tension/forestry/calendar
Saturday-Tuesday
April 22-25
California FFA State Convention.
Fresno Convention & Entertainment
Center, 700 M St., Fresno, Calif.
Website: www.calaged.org
Monday, April 24
Oregon Blueberry Commis-
sion. Noon. Chemeketa Events at
Winema, 4001 Winema Place NE,
Salem, Ore. A public hearing will be
held on the commission’s proposed
budget for the next fiscal year. For
information, call 503-364-2944.
Thursday, April 27
Growing Forest Mushrooms
workshop. 6:15-8:45 p.m. The
workshop will cover techniques for
growing a variety of edible forest
mushrooms, including oyster and
shitake mushrooms. Kootenai
County Fairgrounds, Building 2,
4056 N. Government Way, Coeur
d’Alene, Idaho. Cost: $15 by April
21. Website: http://www.uidaho.
edu/extension/forestry.
20 Northwest Locations
Friday, April 28
Forest Edibles workshop. 1-5
p.m. This workshop will cover the
range of edible non-timber products
that can be harvested from forests.
Kootenai County Fairgrounds, Build-
ing 2, 4056 N. Government Way,
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Cost: $15 by
April 21. Website: http://www.uidaho.
edu/extension/forestry.
Saturday-Sunday
April 29-30
Oregon Ag Fest. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330
17th St. NE, Salem, Ore. Ag Country
activities, a petting zoo, pony rides,
toy tractor races, a craft and garden
show and family entertainment make
for a fun and informative day. A ranch
breakfast is served on Saturday from
8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Cost is $6. Sunday
Ag Fest hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ag
Fest cost: Free for 12 and under. $9
for 13 and older. Free parking. http://
oragfest.com/
Thursday, May 4
Four-Part Farm/Ranch Succes-
sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30 p.m.
Canby High School, 721 SW Fourth
Ave., Canby, Ore. A free four-part
workshop on succession planning
with one-hour personal counseling
sessions for your family after each
workshop. Light dinner 6 to 6:30,
workshop 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Course 2
on May 4 is Goal Setting for You and
Your Family, Course 3 on May 18 is
Getting Organized, and Course 4 on
June 1 is Passing on Management
Roles. RSVP required. Organized by
Clackamas Small Business Develop-
ment Center and Rogue Farm Corps.
Cost: Free. http://bit.ly/2opTHqO
Wednesday-Thursday
May 10-11
Managing for Resilience: North-
west Grazing Conference 2017. 8
a.m.-7 p.m. Pendleton Convention
Center, 1601 Westgate, Pendle-
ton, Ore. Featured speakers are
Kit Pharo and Fred Provenza.
Pharo, cattle breeder and owner of
Pharo Cattle Co., says, “The most
profitable cow-calf producers that
I know of have a low-input, grass-
based program with very efficient,
low-maintenance cows. These are
also the happiest producers I know
of.” Provenza, professor emeritus at
Utah State University, is part of the
BEHAVE team. BEHAVE principles,
based on 30 years of research: If
we understand how animals learn,
we can train the animals to fit the
landscapes instead of changing the
landscape to fit the animals. Cost:
$227 by April 14, $267 after. Web-
site: http://bit.ly/2kpT9yb
Thursday-Saturday
May 11-13
87th Washington FFA State Con-
vention. Washington State University,
Pullman.
calendar/
1-800-765-9055
www.washingtonffa.org/
Thursday, May 18
Four-Part Farm/Ranch Succes-
sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30
p.m. Canby High School, 721 SW
Fourth Ave., Canby, Ore. A free
four-part workshop on succession
planning with one-hour personal
counseling sessions for your family
after each workshop. Light dinner
6 to 6:30, workshop 6:30 to 8:30
p.m. Course 3 on May 18 is Get-
ting Organized, and Course 4 on
June 1 is Passing on Management
Roles. RSVP required. Organized
by Clackamas Small Business
Development Center and Rogue
Farm Corps. Cost: Free. http://bit.
ly/2opTHqO
Family Business Charters. 7:30
to 9 a.m. BridgePort BrewPub,
1313 NW Marshall St., Portland. A
family business charter sets forth
the essential rules, obligations, and
responsibilities relating to ownership
and management of the business,
as well as the family values that will
help sustain the business for future
generations. Presented by A. Jeffery
Bird, Lane Powell PC and the Austin
Family Business Program, Oregon
State University. $40 per person.
800-859-7609, http://bit.ly/2gPuLYY
Saturday-Sunday
May 27-28
Alpaca Shearing Day and
Sale. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas of
Oregon, 21345 SW Aebischer
Road, Sherwood, Ore. Join Easy-
Go Farm at Alpacas of Oregon
and take a break from the Me-
morial Day Winery Tours to watch
the alpacas get their annual hair-
cuts. Get up close, hand feed
them and handle their luxurious
fleece. Shearing Day is Satur-
day. On Sunday, learn to felt an
alpaca gift. Phone 503-348-6954
to reserve a spot. $25-$75 cov-
ers your materials and instruc-
tion. Hand-spinners, knitters and
other fiber artists will find fleece
and yarn. Visitors can chat with
four long-time livestock breeders
who’ve raised llamas, horses,
sheep and goats. www.easygo-
farm.net/AOOMemDay
Thursday, June 1
Four-Part Farm/Ranch Suc-
cession Planning Workshop.
6-8:30 p.m. Canby High School,
721 SW Fourth Ave., Canby, Ore.
A free four-part workshop on suc-
cession planning with one-hour
personal counseling sessions for
your family after each workshop.
Light dinner 6 to 6:30, workshop
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Course 4 on
June 1 is Passing on Management
Roles. RSVP required. Organized
by Clackamas Small Business
Development Center and Rogue
Farm Corps. Cost: Free. http://bit.
ly/2opTHqO
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Index
California ............................... 9
Dairy .................................... 16
Idaho ...................................... 8
Livestock ............................. 16
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
Oregon .................................11
Washington ......................... 10
Correction
A March 24 story, “China boosts
apple exports to U.S.,” correctly
reported the volume of Chinese
apple production as 43.8 million
metric tons annually but incor-
rectly reported the equivalent in
40-pound boxes as 24.1 billion.
The correct figure is 2.4 billion.
The Capital Press regrets the error.
Correction policy
Accuracy is important to Capital
Press staff and to our readers.
If you see a misstatement,
omission or factual error in a
headline, story or photo caption,
please call the Capital Press
news department at
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newsroom@capitalpress.com.