Friday, March 19, 2021
CapitalPress.com 7
California farmers, offi cials consider
compromise on pesticide fee hike
By SIERRA DAWN MCCLAIN
Capital Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Farm
groups are in discussions with offi -
cials at the California Department of
Pesticide Regulation,
the CDPR, in hopes
of reaching a compro-
mise over Gov. Gavin
Newsom’s recent pro-
posal to increase pesti-
cide fees.
Some farm lead-
ers say conversations California
are going well; others Gov. Gavin
Newsom
say they haven’t been
included in conversa-
tions yet about how a pesticide fee hike
could impact their industries.
“I think the talks so far are good.
They’re constructive,” said Casey
Creamer, CEO and president of Cali-
fornia Citrus Mutual, a nonprofi t trade
association and advocacy group.
“We just want to have a conversa-
tion. I don’t know who they (offi cials)
are talking to, but it certainly isn’t us,”
said Roger Isom, president and chief
executive of Western Agricultural Pro-
cessors Association.
Val Dolcini, director of CDPR, told
the Capital Press he plans to talk with
more agricultural groups in the com-
ing weeks before the proposal’s May
revision.
In January, Newsom introduced the
pesticide fee hike as part of his pro-
posed 2021-2022 state budget. The
plan would update California’s pesti-
cide fee structure for the fi rst time in 16
years, approximately doubling fees for
some pesticides. The proposal’s goal,
offi cials say, is to deter farmers and
home gardeners from using high-haz-
ard chemicals.
Under existing law, the state charges
a fl at “mill assessment” fee for all pes-
ticide sales at the point of fi rst sale into
California. A “mill” is one-tenth of a
cent. The current fee is 21 mills, or 2.1
cents per dollar.
Newsom’s proposal would create a
tiered system. Chemicals EPA labels as
lower-hazard would see a gradual fee
rise to 2.6 cents per dollar, while pesti-
cides labeled as more toxic would top
out at 4.5 cents per dollar.
Climate Alliance members
testify at Senate hearing
According to CDPR, 63% of regis-
tered pesticides in the state would fall
in the lowest tier, 14% in the middle
tier and 23% in the highest, or “dan-
ger” tier.
The fee hike would be phased in
over four years, Once fully deployed,
it should bring in $45 million annually.
Some farm groups say they support
additional funding for extension agents,
research and community engagement
but do not support expanded enforce-
ment and regulation.
Growers in some crop sectors,
including nut and fruit tree grow-
ers, are especially concerned about
the proposal because it would place
higher fees on pesticide classes, such
as fumigants, commonly used in
those crops.
Creamer of California Citrus
Mutual, for example, said many inter-
national markets won’t accept Amer-
ican citrus shipments unless they’ve
been fumigated fi rst. Higher fumi-
gation costs might make exporting
unaff ordable for California growers.
Creamer estimated California exports
30% of its citrus.
Work progresses at Field Fresh Foods facility
By BRAD CARLSON
Capital Press
Field Fresh Foods Inc.
by late summer expects to
start processing, packaging
and shipping onions from its
newly renovated facility in
Nyssa, Ore.
The Los Angeles-based
company for 20-plus years
has been buying fall-har-
vested onions from the large
southeastern Oregon-south-
western Idaho growing
region.
Field Fresh targets greater
effi ciency and service capa-
bility when it fi nishes a major
renovation at 418 Commer-
cial Ave., company owner
and President Emelio Casta-
neda said.
Extreme snow in 2016-
17 substantially damaged the
building, prompting the pre-
vious occupant, Golden West
Produce, to vacate it. Golden
West built a new facility in
nearby Parma, Idaho.
Field Fresh has been
improving and outfi tting the
building since last summer.
“We already know what
works and doesn’t work, and
we are putting in signifi cant
Field Fresh Foods
Carlos Castaneda, left, and Emelio Castaneda of Field
Fresh Foods in the building under renovation in Nyssa,
Ore.
fi nancial investment in the
building and facility,” Casta-
neda said.
The project will cost
about $5 million including
property acquisition and inte-
rior improvements, he said.
“We are a growing com-
pany, and we are taking steps
to strengthen the company
and strengthen the supply
base,” he said. “Customers
are demanding these products
and we are fulfi lling these
needs.”
Operationally, having L.A.
and Nyssa facilities means
Field Fresh can reduce trans-
portation costs. The company
formerly hauled whole onions
to California, where process-
ing removed about a quar-
ter of the onion. The Nyssa
facility enables the company
to ship an all-usable product,
and direct discarded mate-
rial like peelings to local cat-
tle-feed channels.
Electric weed control research in
Oregon will zap weeds to death
By SIERRA DAWN MCCLAIN
Capital Press
CORVALLIS, Ore. —
An Oregon State Univer-
sity researcher, in partner-
ship with area hazelnut and
blueberry growers, is test-
ing a novel means of kill-
ing weeds — he’s zapping
them with high-voltage
electricity.
Electric weed control is
gaining traction in Europe
and parts of the Midwest,
but researchers say it’s still
a rare and emerging tech-
nology in the U.S. With sup-
port from a USDA grant,
Marcelo Moretti, OSU
assistant professor of hor-
ticulture, is starting experi-
ments this month as part of a
three-year project to evalu-
ate the eff ectiveness of elec-
tric weed control in Oregon.
“I suspect growers will
adopt this as an additional
tool for weed control, espe-
cially for herbicide resistant
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weeds,” said
Moretti. “I
think this
technol-
ogy has a
place
for
both organic
and
con-
Marcelo
ventional
Moretti
growers.”
Moretti said it’s import-
ant to fi nd more non-chemi-
cal tools to control herbicide
resistant weeds.
“There are some situa-
tions we can’t spray our-
selves out of,” he said.
Herbicide
resistance
develops when a fi eld of
weeds is sprayed year after
year with a single herbicide.
Weaker plants die, but some
naturally strong weeds sur-
Blaine Bickelhaupt
vive, reproduce and pass on
their resistant traits to the
next generations.
Moretti will be starting
electric weed control trials
this spring in two hazelnut
orchards, where he says her-
bicide-resistant Italian rye-
grass is a serious problem.
Moretti will also work
with a blueberry grower
to test the eff ectiveness of
electric weed control on
perennial weeds such as
fi eld bindweed, a mem-
ber of the morning glory
family.
He and his assistants will
use an electric weed con-
trol device, called an EH30
Thor unit, manufactured
by Zasso, an international
brand.
wlivestock.com/pages/6908
S234055-1
Representatives
of
the Food and Agricul-
ture Climate Alliance’s
founding
organiza-
tions testified last week
before the U.S. Senate
Agriculture
Commit- and find solutions that
tee on the role of agri- will sustain our way of
life for genera-
culture, food and
tions to come,”
forestry in deliv-
he said.
ering
climate
N a t i o n a l
solutions.
Farmers Union
F a r m e r s ,
member
and
ranchers and for-
Oklahoma farmer
est owners are on
and rancher Clay
the frontlines of
Pope said the
climate impacts
John
alliance sets a
and offer innova-
Reifsteck
new, higher floor
tive, natural solu-
tions through increased for federal policy dis-
carbon
sequestration cussions around agricul-
in trees and soils and ture and climate change
reduced
greenhouse and gives clear, farm-
gas emissions, the alli- er-backed direction to
ance said in a press policymakers.
“Congress must heed
release.
The four representa- these recommendations
tives stressed that fed- and quickly act upon
eral climate policy must them. America’s fam-
be built on voluntary, ily farmers and ranch-
incentive-based
pro- ers are already feeling
grams and market-driven the effects of climate
opportunities. It must change on their land
also promote resilience — there is no time to
and adaptation in rural waste,” he said.
Stefanie Smallhouse,
communities and be
grounded in scientific president of the Arizona
Farm Bureau Federa-
evidence.
In addition, solutions tion and member of the
proposed by Congress American Farm Bureau
and the Biden adminis- board of directors, said
tration must be strongly climate policy cannot be
bipartisan and accom- one-size-fits-all.
“Just as I have high-
modate
the
diverse
needs of producers and lighted the unique needs
landowners,
regard- of Arizona’s farmers and
less of size, geographic ranchers in the West, all
region or the commodity regions of the U.S. can
explain ways in which
they grow.
“Throughout my life- any given climate policy
time of farming, I con- may or may not work for
stantly have sought out the landscape, indus-
ways to reduce my envi- try and ecology pres-
ronmental impact — it ent in that region,” she
is good for the environ- said.
Cori Wittman Stitt,
ment, it is good for my
farm and it is the right a member of Environ-
thing to do,” said John mental Defense Fund’s
Reifsteck, an Illinois farmer advisory group
grain farmer and chair- and a partner in a diver-
man of the Growmark sified crop, cattle and
cooperative. He testified timber operation in
on behalf of the National northern Idaho, said
Council
of
Farmer the potential for farm-
ers, ranchers and for-
Cooperatives.
“I believe the tim- estland owners to con-
ing is right for all indus- tribute to the climate
tries, including agricul- change solution is well-
ture, to come together documented.
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Field Fresh sells about 240
fruits and vegetables, some of
which are further prepared.
The 27-year-old company
generates more than $100
million in annual revenue.
The separate FFF Farms
works with growers and sup-
plies Field Fresh, which in
the onion business is a year-
round provider that pulls from
the diff erent growing regions
seasonally.
“The operation here is
located in the Treasure Val-
ley because of proximity to
the product,” Castaneda said.
General Manager Carlos
Castaneda, Emelio’s brother,
said FFF Farms will be able
to grow further with the addi-
tional capacity Nyssa pro-
vides. The facility has about
50,000 square feet including
offi ce, production and cli-
mate-controlled storage.
“I would like to be opera-
tional by next harvest” if not
earlier, he said.
Work includes build-
ing improvements, equip-
ment setup and an upgrade
to higher-voltage electric-
ity. The staff of about 20 will
increase to 40 to 45 as pro-
duction begins.
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
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