July 21, 2017
CapitalPress.com
9
California
Subscribe to our weekly California email
newsletter at CapitalPress.com/newsletters
Fair exhibit touts water conservation even in wet years Farmer sues Marin County over
By TIM HEARDEN
building permit requirements
Capital Press
SACRAMENTO — A state
agency is returning to the farm
at the California State Fair to
tell attendees that conserving
water is still important even
after a wet winter.
The Department of Water
Resources made irrigation tips
and displays of water-saving
landscapes a fixture at the farm
during the recent five-year
drought.
This year, officials will
highlight lessons learned and
urge fairgoers to keep the next
drought in the backs of their
minds as they use water, said
Doug Carlson, a DWR spokes-
man.
“We all have shown we
have the ability to conserve
water when called upon to do
so,” Carlson said. “The gov-
ernor (Jerry Brown) asked us
to do that in 2015 and for two
straight years, the people of
California managed to come
pretty close to his target.
“We know now that we can
do it,” he said. “So let’s contin-
ue to do something to make it a
way of California life.”
The agency’s exhibit,
“Water Conservation: Rain or
By TIM HEARDEN
Capital Press
Photos courtesy Calif. Dept. of Water Resources
Julie Saare-Edmonds, a landscape specialist for the state Depart-
ment of Water Resources, offers advice on how to water trees in a
drought at a booth in the California State Fair’s farm in 2015. The
DWR is hosting another water-saving exhibit and talks at the farm
this year, highlighting the need to save water even in wet years.
Shine,” showcases water-sav-
ing plants and other landscape
features and gives reasons
that Californians should make
conservation a lifestyle. For
instance, aquifers in many ar-
eas are still woefully depleted
as growers had to rely on them
as surface water grew scarce
during the drought.
For urban dwellers, the dis-
play will offer tips on how to
replace lawns and access up to
$2,000 in state rebates for do-
ing so.
The DWR’s booth has be-
come an annual feature at the
34-year-old farm, one of the
most popular destinations for
fairgoers. The farm’s attrac-
tions include a daily farmers’
market, an outdoor kitchen
grill, an aquaculture exhibit,
an insect pavilion and talks by
the University of California’s
Master Gardeners.
This year, the DWR is
teaming with the state Depart-
ment of Food and Agriculture
to present new exhibits in the
insect pavilion about benefi-
cial and harmful insects, ac-
cording to a news release.
The Golden State’s abun-
Water-saving plants and land-
scape features are displayed
on the farm at the California
State Fair in Sacramento.
dance of crops and farm animals
always takes center stage at the
fair. The livestock building and
adjacent shaded stalls feature
some 4,500 entries during the
course of the fair, as livestock
exhibits are shown in shifts.
Among the building exhibits
this year is one that focuses on
farmworkers and their historic
leaders, saluting their work and
sacrifice to sustain what is today
a $47 billion agriculture indus-
try, the fair’s website notes.
The 17-day fair runs
through July 30. Admission at
the gate is $12 for adults, $10
for seniors 62 and older, $8
for children 5-12 and free for
children 4 and younger. Visit
www.castatefair.org.
SAN RAFAEL, Calif.
— A turkey farmer is suing
Marin County and the Cali-
fornia Coastal Commission
over building permit restric-
tions he says could prevent
him from retiring.
Willie Benedetti, owner
of Valley Ford, Calif.-based
Benedetti Farms and Willie
Bird Turkeys, claims rules in
the county’s coastal agricul-
tural zone would require him
to stay involved in his fam-
ily’s business if he were to
build a house on his property
for his son.
The Pacific Legal Foun-
dation filed suit on his be-
half July 14 in Marin County
Superior Court, arguing the
zoning regulation amounts to
a “forced-farming mandate”
that violates the constitutional
rights to liberty and property.
“I just want to build a
house for my son,” Benedetti
said in a videotaped statement
released by PLF. “We’re not
talking about environmen-
tal issues. We’re just talking
about building a house, and I
have to stay in agriculture to
see that it gets done. Other-
wise we can’t build it.”
Brian Washington, an attor-
ney for Marin County, said he
hadn’t yet reviewed the case
but added county officials be-
lieve the regulation “would
provide flexibility for in-
ter-generational housing” and
passing on properties from one
generation to the next.
“We’ll certainly look at the
complaint with (succession)
in mind when we see it and
analyze it carefully,” he said.
Coastal
commis-
sion spokeswoman Noaki
Schwartz said July 14 the
agency’s attorneys had likely
not yet seen the complaint.
The suit centers on ele-
ments of the county’s Local
Coastal Program, a land-use
document required of coastal
counties under state law. Up-
dates are subject to the coastal
commission’s approval.
The document identifies
the location, type, densities
and other ground rules for fu-
ture development in the coast-
al zone.
Both advanced and beginning parliamentary procedure teams, and
Sutherlin FFA freshman Sydnee Tilley accepts the 1st place Beginning Parliamentary Procedure
extemporaneous speaker Mackenzie Price pose with their 1st place
banners at the Oregon FFA State Convention (from left to right: Esten banner from Oregon FFA State President Shea Booster at the Oregon FFA State Convention (from
Harrington, Mackenzie Price, Tristan Vincent, Cassidy Leatherwood, left to right: Sydnee Tilley, Nolan Carson, Hailey Boehm, Grace Matteo, Zach Lor).
Madelyn Higgins, Lee Wesenberg, Zach Lor, Sydnee Tilley, Regan
Leatherwood, Nolan Carson, Hailey Boehm, Grace Matteo).
Sutherlin FFA Prepares for Nationals
During the 2016-2017 school year, 23 Sutherlin FFA
members placed first in six different state level FFA
competitions, or Career Development Events (CDE’s), and
earned the opportunity to compete at the national level. Now,
with the exception of the Soils team who competed in May at
National Land Judging in Oklahoma, these students are
preparing in their respective areas of Extemporaneous Public
Speaking, Prepared Public Speaking, Advanced Parliamentary
Procedure, Beginning Parliamentary Procedure, and
Veterinary Science for their trip this fall to Indianapolis,
Indiana where they will compete at the FFA National
Convention.
The level of achievement shown at the state level took hours
of studying and practice on behalf of all participants and even
more preparation will be required before nationals in October.
The students will continue to prepare for their contests in a
variety of different ways. The Veterinary Science and
Parliamentary procedure teams will study written materials
and hold several team meetings and practices, and the
extemporaneous and prepared public speakers will spend
hours reviewing, revising, and practicing their speeches.
Sutherlin FFA freshman Nolan Carson is a member of the
Beginning Parliamentary Procedure team and said about the
workload, “We invested a lot of time and effort into the state
competition and it paid off, so hopefully as we continue to
work hard we’ll be successful at nationals.”
Beyond the work that needs to happen in order to be ready to
compete, the members planning on attending National
Convention also need to fundraise nearly twenty two thousand
dollars to pay for travel and lodging expenses. However, while
this is a difficult task, fundraising along with the support of
local organizations, such as the Sutherlin School District,
Sutherlin FFA Alumni, and other groups will make it possible.
Suffice it to say, there is a lot to be done. Nevertheless, the
students are up to the challenge, and are thrilled about the
opportunity to represent their chapter and state nationally.
Extemporaneous speaker Mackenzie Price expresses her
enthusiasm saying, “I have always loved public speaking and
am so excited and honored to represent Sutherlin and Oregon
FFA at Nationals. Competing is a really fun, thrilling, and
memorable experience, and I am looking forward to meeting
other people from across the nation.”
The 90th National FFA Convention and Expo will be held
October 25-28, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Twenty-five
career development events will take place at the convention,
and Sutherlin FFA will represent Oregon in five of these.
Results:
State Extemporaneous Public Speaking
• 1st place - Mackenzie Price (junior)
State Prepared Public Speaking
• 1st place - Lee Wesenberg (senior)
State Advanced Parliamentary Procedure
• 1st place team - Chair Cassidy Leatherwood, Tristan
Vincent, Madelyn Higgins, Taylor Moser, Hailee Holder
(juniors), Esten Harrington (senior)
State Beginning Parliamentary Procedure
• 1st place team - Chair Regan Leatherwood, Grace Matteo,
Nolan Carson, Hailey Boehm, Sydnee Tilley, Zach Lor
(freshmen)
State Veterinary Science
• 1st place team - Taryn Whelchel, Raichel Wolfe, Destiny
Pedersen (juniors), Kalana Granger (senior)
State Soils
• 1st place team
National Land Judging - May 4, 2017 in Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma
• Sutherlin FFA - 10th out of 92 teams
• 3rd High Individual - Keaten Clarno (sophomore) (out of
363 competitors), Kalana Granger, Mackenzie Price, Taryn
Whelchel, Patrick Gerstner
About Sutherlin FFA: Sutherlin FFA is a student-led organization, and is part of the National FFA Organization. FFA teaches students leadership skills. It is an integral
part of Agriculture Education, combining agriculture with high school curriculum, as well as teaching students the skills they will need for the rest of their lives. Sutherlin
FFA strives to help students develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.
29-2/#13