2015 Salute to Agriculture

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2 | CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Citrus orchards thriving in West Side foothills Shiraz Ranch produces variety of crops NEWMAN - A citrus ranch in the rolling West Side foothills is the base of operations for an enterprise which has expanded into almonds, pitsachios and olives at three locations in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. Shiraz Ranches, owned by a coalition of families, has nearly doubled in size at its original West Side location and branched out to add an almond ranch in Westley and an almond and olive ranch in the Woodland area. Manager-partner Barat Bisabri oversees the operation, having completed the transition from a career in the research and development of agricultural chemicals to fulltime farming. His life’s journey and path to the West Side started in Iran, where Bisabri was born and raised. After completing his undergraduate work in ag studies at Tehran University, Bisabri attended UC Davis to complete his Ph.D in ag entomology. Given the changes

which had occurred in Iran by the time he graduated in 1981, Bisabri decided against returning to his native country and instead went to work for an ag chemical company. In that capacity, Bisabri first set foot on the property which he now oversees. “This orchard in 1987 was one of my complaint calls, involving one of the products of the company. I fell in love with this ranch at that time,� he recalled. Fifteen years later, while driving along I-5, Bisabri spotted a “for sale� sign on the property and put together a group of four families to purchase the 280-acre ranch. “Most of the land we purchased was bare ground that we developed into orchards. We nearly doubled this ranch in size, and we expanded into a couple of other locations,� said Bisabri, who three years ago retired from research and development to concentrate solely on the farming operation. The holdings of Shiraz Ranch include 530 acres at the Newman site, which is planted in a variety of citrus crops as well as 70 acres of pistachios;

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250 acres of almonds in Westley and 480 acres in Woodland which are devoted primarily to almonds but have some olives as well. In terms of acreage, almonds are the biggest crop but not the biggest management demand. “In diversity and complexity, the citrus takes most of my time,� Bisabri explained. “The almonds are in big blocks, with not too many varieties. Here, we have 12 different varieties of citrus. They all have different nutritional requirements, and at harvest you have to manage them individually.� Citrus represents a long-term investment. If managed properly, Bisabri said, citrus trees can produce well beyond 30 years. When citrus orchards are removed, he explained, the motivation is often to shift to a different, more popular variety rather than to replace trees that have outlasted their productive life. Citrus acreage in California has not increased significantly since he started, Bisabri told Mattos Newspapers, but the industry has seen a shift in varietal demand.

Barat Bisabri looks after a number of citrus varieties on the Shiraz Ranch. Acreage devoted to Valencia and navel oranges is decreasing, while fruit such as mandarins and blood oranges are growing in popularity. The water crisis is also driving growers toward varieties which command a higher price. “The water situation is putting a new paradigm

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on farming. It is a new ball game. You cannot survive with star grapefruit or navel oranges making $500 an acre,� Bisabri pointed out. “The varieties I am planting are hopefully more in demand, and will bring us enough income to pay for the expensive water.� Shiraz Ranches, which

employs seven people year-round and another 15 or so during at least half of the year, is no stranger to the impacts of the drought. Bisabri removed orchards from production last year, choosing in-

See SHIRAZ | PAGE 4

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 stead to concentrate the water he had available on growing a high-quality crop on fewer acres. This year, Bisabri said, he has been able to secure about 75 percent of the water he needs through the supplemental purchases of the Del Puerto Water District. “We might get another 5 percent from our small wells, and I will look for additional supplies for the other 20 percent. I am sure we will find some. It is expensive water, but at least you keep your trees alive,” he commented. Bisabri considers the Endangered Species Act - which he says must change if ag is to be sustainable - and the water crisis as the foremost challenges facing the industry. “In general, water is going to be our challenge,” he emphasized. “Depleting our groundwater is not sustainable for the long term. We have to find ways to utilize the surface water for the benefit of both the environment and agriculture.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Bisabri has seen agricultural practices and regulations change dramatically over the past three decades. He was directly involved in some of those changes. When he started, for example, the emphasis was on developing broad-spectrum insecticides which indiscriminately killed harmful and beneficial insects alike. “I worked developing chemicals that were safer to the environment and to beneficial insects,” Bisabri stated. “The chemicals that we have today in the hands of farmers are far different than what we had 2030 years ago.” Bisabri enjoyed his career in the ag chemical field, which included extensive teaching work and technical presentations up and down the state to farmers and pest control advisors. Now, he has settled into his new ag role. “It is a good time to be involved in farming,” Bisabri reflected. “I am very optimistic. I think it is a good and noble thing to be farming. If you can make money every now and then, so much the better.”

Barat Bisabri has overseen the development of Shiraz Ranch, which operates orchards in Newman, Westley and Woodland.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Merced County takes difficult but necessary steps to preserve groundwater By DEIDRE KELSEY MERCED COUNTY SUPERSIVOR

The Merced County Board of Supervisors on March 17 adopted a groundwater mining and export ordinance which is intended to prevent the depletion of groundwater resources within the unincorporated regions of Merced County. Implementation occurs 30 days after final adoption. After nearly a year of discussion, research, collaborative meetings and a fair share of disagreement, the Supervisors concluded that it was imperative to seek measures for the protection of the health, welfare and safety of Merced County residents by seeking unprecedented authority over the current and future use of our underground water resources. Four years of ongoing drought has forced local farmers, ranchers and homeowners to sink deeper wells to service their needs. Historically, the county annually receives permit requests for 250 wells of all types. The last

Deidre Kelsey two years approximately 850 well permits have been requested. Groundwater basins are not being adequately recharged and the ever-expanding demand on our existing supplies has outstripped the ability of the latest technologies to provide an answer to what annual rainfall and snow packs have supplied in the past. Some of the areas bordering the eastern side of Merced County have seen massive conversions of thousands of acres of native pasture and range lands to permanent tree crops such as almonds and pistachios. Other lands on the western side of the county have been fallowed due to

water cutbacks by regulatory agencies. All of these events combined have led to an extraordinary number of new wells being installed with nearly all being set at much deeper levels to match the dropping water levels throughout the county. The costs to individual homeowners, farming operations, water district ratepayers, environmental and conservation districts as well as the overall economic impact of our ground water supplies dropping is not yet known. But the costs will be enormous and the negative impacts will be long lasting. While some believe the Merced County Board of Supervisors has acted too slowly to protect our groundwater resources, others are crying foul that any additional regulations have been developed and are being implemented by the county. Merced County has chosen to take on the responsibility for groundwater management because the state of California would assume this responsibility if the county did not step up to the

plate. For some there is a measure of comfort working with those in government who you know and are local, versus those you do not know and who are seated in Sacramento. The Sustainable Ground Water Management Act of 2014, spearheaded by Governor Jerry Brown and signed into law in September of last year, requires that local and regional agencies, specifically the county, develop and implement sustainable groundwater management plans. The state will step in as the backup, if necessary, to adopt an interim plan. Counties, working with water districts and cities, must cooperate and agree on the aspects of a management plan that creates a steady and sustainable groundwater management plan and implement cooperative strategies to maintain responsible management and use of our groundwater. We have 20 years to achieve a sustainable and stable groundwater management system. There is so much more we have to get done to be able to comply.

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The Merced County ordinance specifically defines a two-step development of new rules and regulations. Initially the ordinance prohibits the mining and export of groundwater outside the basin of origin. This stop-gap measure is directed at the exportation of groundwater for profit to an outside groundwater basin with no or inadequate environmental re-

view. There are those who believe water exportation from under the ground, which also belongs to the neighbors who farm the adjacent property, is a commodity to be sold. A selfish and irresponsible act, which could damage the economic viability of farming operations nearby

See KELSEY | PAGE 6

Merced County Supervisor DEIDRE KELSEY Salutes West Side Agriculture “Farming in partnership with local government for a prosperous future.” (209) 385-7366 FAX (209) 726-7977 e-mail: Dist4@co.merced.ca.us 2222 M Street Merced, CA 95340

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 and cause land subsidence as well as a drop of the existing groundwater levels. As of today, those who are sustaining any damages related to groundwater mining by their neighbors have no choice but to hire their own legal representation to stop this taking of their property rights. With the implementation of the first step in the county’s ordinance, such activities will be strenuously regulated, with full environmental review of any and all water mining activities and the ability to protect our county from for profit water mining activities. The development of the Groundwater Management Act of 2014 will be an evolutionary process. Cities, water districts, farmers and every stakeholder who has an interest in a sustainable water supply will cooperatively create a sustainable plan and implement that plan as per

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

state standards. If Merced County fails to make progress with this mandate, the state will take over and manage our groundwater resources for us. This is the least favorite option considered by the supervisors. The ordinance will also require that each new well permit be scrutinized by the Environmental Health Department and the County Planning Department. All applications will be reviewed for either an exemption from environmental review or a determination that a California Environmental Quality Act review is required. There will be new rules and regulations to obtain new wells. With deep wells, the regulations will require extensive review prior to being approved for construction. Replacement of dry agricultural wells with new wells that pump basically the same amount of water that has been historically drawn from that site, will most likely qualify for an exemption from environ-

mental review. Household wells drawing no more than two acre-feet will also qualify for an exemption. And yes, there will be new fees attached to all of these new regulations. For those who believe the county should have and could have moved more quickly to avert the current groundwater crisis, I couldn’t agree more. At the same time, the regulations I have briefly outlined and their long-term impact on the average farmer and homeowner are certainly enough to cause concerns. It takes time for people to realize the potential for the spectrum of ramifications, and this is only the beginning. The state mandates, with all of the uncertainty surrounding the eventual outcome not to mention the unknown costs, made the decision by the Board of Supervisors an extremely difficult one to support. However, these changes are imperative and we must find a way to make them work.

Merced County ag sets record Milk, almonds are leading commodities The agricultural bounty of Merced County reached an all-time high in 2013. Collectively, the county’s farmers and ranchers produced commodities valued at nearly $3.8 billion in 2013, the most recent year for which an annual crop report is currently available. That figure represents an all-time high for the county, and marks the fourth year in which Merced County agriculture has eclipsed the $3 billion mark. In 2012, Merced County agriculture generated commodities valued at $3.3 billion. Those values reflect the crop production and market prices for commodities ranging from milk and almonds to pears and pecans, but do

not account for production costs or net income to the producer. By far, milk and almonds continued to be the leaders in the Merced County ag industry. A rebound in milk prices was reflected in the report, issued by the Merced County Department of Agriculture. The price for market milk increased nearly 21 percent over 2012 averages, pushing the value of all milk produced in Merced County during 2013 to nearly $1.15 billion. That represents an increase of more than $209 million. Milk represents nearly 35 percent of the county’s total ag values for the year. Almonds were a clearcut second at $672.7 million, representing 20 percent of the county’s ag values. A significant price hike and modest increase in acreage and production were factors

in the $201 million increase - which represented a 43 percent gain over the previous year. Overall, Merced County’s top 12 ag commodities for 2013 were as follows. 1) Milk, $1.15 billion 2) Almonds, $673 million 3) Chickens, $330 million 4) Cattle and calves, $284 million 5) Sweet potatoes, $207 million 6) Alfalfa hay, $134 million 7) Corn silage, $129 million 8) Tomatoes, $125 million 9) Eggs, $77 million 10) Cotton, $65 million 11) Grapes, $63 million 12) Nursery products, $61 million The full 2013 crop report may be viewed online at the Merced County Agricultural Commissioner website.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Hay growers association celebrates 75th year An association formed to market hay for growers - and ensure that they are paid for their product - is celebrating its 75th year. The San Joaquin Valley Hay Growers Association serves as the marketing arm for its members, providing a link between producers and the buyers who depend on hay for their operations. The grower-owned cooperative numbers nearly 500 members from Arbuckle to Mendota, said President/CEO Rick Staas and Vice President Norman Beach. About 200 of those are active members, Staas noted. “We started in 1940 with 30 members and about 2,600 acres,� Staas told Mattos Newspapers. “We currently have around 45,000 acres.� The association plays a critical role in the success of its growers. Not only does the association secure buyers for hay products - primarily alfalfa - it guarantees that the growers will be paid for their commodity. “We are responsible for the sales and collections, so they do not take that risk,� Staas emphasized. “Once the grower puts it in the stack, we do the rest,� Beach noted. Bell Farms of Gustine is among the association membership. The association, Nancy Bell and her son Ryan Bell said, is “like a partner� in their operation. “We are constantly in contact, and they work with us,� Nancy Bell stated. Before becoming a member, Bell Farms marketed its hay independently and often had difficulty collecting payment, she added. As an association member, the operation now gets checks twice a month, which helps create and maintain a regular cash flow. Association sales representatives will sample

each stack for quality and agree upon a price point at which the hay will be marketed. Growers, Beach pointed out, have the option of holding the hay to market at a later time if they choose. The testing determines hay quality based on the content of total digestible nutrient and crude protein. Dairy producers, who represent the majority of the association’s buyers, value hay with high nutrient and protein values, Beach and Staas explained. Lesser quality hay is often destined for the export market. Staas said about 80 percent of the association’s sales are to domestic users, with the remainder exported. “The exporters want a different product than most of us do,� he commented. “The dairies are looking for the upper end (quality) numbers, but the exporters are not quite as particular.� Like producers of all ag commodities, hay growers have experienced the cyclical nature of farming. Soft prices several years ago contributed to a decline in acreage as growers shifted to competing crops. In 2010, Staas noted, the association membership was growing 58,000 acres of various hay products. Even though the overall acreage represented by the association has declined, Beach noted, its membership has grown in that time. Hay prices have rebounded and the past five years have produced solid returns for growers, Staas and Beach said. Last year in particular delivered strong returns per acre on alfalfa. “As the price comes up we are anticipating more (hay) acreage, but the tree crops are so good right now that it is hard to say,� Staas reflected.

cles they required. Typically, Beach noted, growers irrigate after each cutting. That resulted in an increase in hay tonnage, he said, but also tended to reduce the quality of hay produced. Through the ebb and flows created by market forces, commodity prices and weather, Staas and Beach said, hay remains in demand. “As long as we have dairies we are going to need hay. There are certain things in hay that they just can’t get in other commodities,â€? Beach stressed. They believe the Tracybased cooperative is the San Joaquin Valley Hay Growers Association members Ryan Bell, left, and Nancy Bell, right, of Bell Farms in Gustine discuss options with association leaders Rick Staas, left center, and Norman largest of its kind in the world. Beach. The association employs 11 people. The demand for hay is in production and in the ers extended the amount It is governed by an influenced by the prices market. of time between cuttings 11-member board of diof other commodities. Last year, with water in in an effort to reduce the rectors, who are elected With the price for com- short supply, many grow- number of irrigation cy- by the membership. modities such as corn dropping sharply this year, for example, dairy producers are opting to feed more grain and less hay. “We have a lot of peoYour Local Full-Service ple feeding two to four pounds of hay per cow per day,â€? Staas stated. “Last year, most of our guys were feeding eight pounds, but corn is more affordable (this year).â€? “Committed to Service, That could have the afQuality and Youâ€? fect of sending more hay to the export market, the association leaders said, $JULFXOWXUDO ‡ &RPPHUFLDO ‡ ,QGXVWULDO ‡ %XVLQHVV although if grain prices increase dairy producers :RUNHUV &RPSHQVDWLRQ ‡ 5LVN 0DQDJHPHQW will shift back to using /RVV 3UHYHQWLRQ ‡ 26+$ &RPSOLDQFH more hay. Staas has been with the association for 34 years. Personal Lines When he started, most "VUPNPCJMF É .PUPSDZDMF dairies were feeding 25-JGF É )FBMUI 30 pounds of hay per cow UI 4USFFU per day. That practice has )PNF É 37 #PBU .PSF radically evolved as new herd nutrition strategies Agricultural & have emerged, but the Commercial Insurance expansion of the dairy industry in California over Worker’s Comp the years has kept deand more! mand for hay strong. Weather and water alXXX SQQJOT DPN É -JD so play prominent roles

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Open Space Meats serves diverse customer base Family venture produces grassfed beef NEWMAN - A local family’s venture into grassfed beef has blossomed into a business which today provides meat to patrons ranging from top-flight chefs to backyard barbecuers. Open Space Meats, established by Seth and Mica Nitschke in 2006, focuses on raising all-natural, grass-fed beef - and is seeing a growing demand for its product. For Seth Nitschke, Open Space Meats is the latest chapter in his long-standing love of working with cattle - an interest that has taken him to ranches in western Australia, Colorado and Oregon as well as California. “I always liked cowboying, so I was always looking for the next adventure,” he commented. Nitschke was raised in Clovis, where he gained his first experience with cattle. “Clovis was predominantly a cattle ranching area. The first jobs I had were delivering hay and working cattle,” he recalled. He went on to attend Cal Poly, where he studied animal science, and after graduating went to work as a cattle buyer for a subsidiary of Cargill. After five years in the Midwest, Nitschke took a job in California and moved to Gustine in 2003. That job lasted only about 18 months until the Kentucky-based company decided to pull of out the Golden State, and Nitschke found himself looking for work. “I wrote the business plan for Open Space. I went to work for another company, but about a year later I pulled that business plan off the shelf. It was something I always wanted to do,” he related.

The Nitschkes, who by that time had moved to Newman, started Open Space Meats with three head of cattle and grew from there. Their business office and freezers were in their garage. “When we first started, there were probably a dozen people in the state who were doing grass-fed beef and selling it commercially. Now there is a tremendous amount of that,” Seth Nitschke reflected. The demand, he added, comes from increasing interest among consumers and chefs in knowing the source of their food. “More and more, you have people who really want to know where their food comes from, and they want to trust the people who are doing it” Nitschke commented. “I think that we in agriculture, all of us, need to embrace that.” Through the years, Nitschke has cultivated close relationships with many of the chefs whose restaurants he supplies. “They want to know, and their customers want to know, where their beef is coming from,” he explained. “They like the fact that it is all-natural and local, and that they know who is producing it and how. We have an open door policy. We have chefs and food service people who come out to the ranch, and we show them around.” While the relationships and knowledge of the food source are important considerations, Nitschke said, the success of the operation still comes down to delivering a high-quality, consistent product. “We just produce a good quality product, with a different flavor profile than traditional beef. It doesn’t mean that grain-fed steak is bad, we just feel like ours is better,” he told Mattos Newspapers. “At a lot of restaurants we are in, they tasted us alongside others and we won.”

Open Space Meats, founded and operated by a Newman family, produces all-natural, grass-fed beef. Pictured is Seth Nitschke, who operates the business with his wife Mica. Grass-fed beef does have its own flavor profile, which Nitschke describes as robust but without the aftertaste which some beef can leave. It does have to be cooked differently, he acknowledged. “We recommend 25 percent less heat and 25 percent less time. It is easier to overcook a grass-fed steak because it cooks a little bit faster,” Nitschke said. Open Space Meats has evolved through the years. The company relied solely on online sales when it started. It began developing a solid Southern California following, and then made inroads into the Bay Area. “In 2008-09 I would drive down to Southern California once a month

and deliver,” Nitschke recalled. “Now we have a truck taking two to three pallets of meat a week to Southern California.” Now, Nitschke said, Open Space is looking to make greater inroads into the local market. “We are a product that is a little different. It is not conventional beef. For a long time the market wasn’t here for it, but I think that is improving,” he stated. The company has also expanded its individual sales and now offers shipping across the lower 48 states. Today, Nitschke said, boxed beef shipments to stores and restaurants comprises about twothirds of the companies business. Online sales to individual customers

makes up the rest. The company has also added chickens which are sold to individual customers online, and may venture into pork as well. The product is pricier than the typical supermarket version of beef, Nitschke said, but at the same time he strives to keep a price point affordable to a broad range of customers. “I never wanted to raise snob beef. I have never wanted to just produce a food product that only rich people can afford,” he remarked. “We have always prided ourselves on having products available for every budget.” On the ranch Open Space Meats runs its cattle on leased pasture. “Right now, we are on

native grass up in Mariposa County, and in the summer we will move over to irrigated pasture,” he explained. “We buy a lot of grass-fed yearlings, predominantly heifers, and we will finish those out on our pastures.” Open Space cattle never see the inside of a feedlot, and are never fed concentrated grains or administered hormones or antibiotics. Nitschke leans toward heifers because they tend to finish better on grass than steers will, he explained. His herd is predominantly Black Angus and Black Angus crossbred which he acquires at about 800 pounds and feeds out

See OPEN SPACE | PAGE 9

CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE | 9

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

OPEN SPACE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 to a finished weight of 1,150-1,200 pounds, which typically takes about six months. At any given time, the operation has 150-200 head of cattle on its pastures. Cattle are harvested at a plant in Merced and the beef then goes into cold storage. Boxed beef orders to commercial vendors are shipped from there. Freezers in the company’s Turlock office, which was acquired after the business out-grew the Nitschke family garage, are restocked daily for shipments to online customers. The business has remained small in terms of staffing. The Nitschkes and one employee currently operate the business. The growth of the business has not been without its challenges, and Open Space has not been im-

mune to the impacts of California’s drought. Last year, lack of feed forced the operation to cut back on the number of cattle it harvested and to sell off a cow-calf herd which Nitschke was attempting to build. “We just didn’t have enough feed for the fat cattle and the cow-calf pairs,” he explained. That took a toll on the business. Harvesting about 400 head of cattle instead of the 450 or so processed in 2013, Open Space was unable to meet its customer demand, and one employee who left was not replaced. “This year is better than last year, but it is certainly not great for feed,” Nitschke said. “If I never have another 2014 I will be just fine.” He envisions future growth for the company - but only within its limitations. “We are going to expand as far as the market will let us, but we can only grow with what our re-

sources will allow us to. We want to grow our business as much as we can, but we have to grow responsibly,” Nitschke commented. There is a certain paradox that has come with the success of Open Space Meats, as Nitschke finds himself spending more time on the business side of the operation and less time on the ranch. “We started this because I wanted to run cattle, but the more cattle I run the more time I sit right here,” he said from his office. “I love being out on my horse, and I like the ranch work. That is my favorite part, but what pays the bills is right here, talking to chefs and shipping out orders.” Still, he is enjoying the journey. “I’m a lucky guy,” Nitschke reflected. “I get to raise cattle the way I think it should be done, and we get to meet the people we are feeding. That is just super rewarding.”

A love of cattle ranching led Seth Nitschke into his family’s Open Space Meats venture.

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10 | CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Water–or lack thereof–at forefront of ag challenges By STANISLAUS COUNTY FARM BUREAU Many of today’s issues regarding our number one industry, agriculture, pale in comparison to the issue of water. In fact, that would apply everywhere in California, not just Stanislaus County. When water is scarce for agriculture, growing a crop becomes a very big challenge. Things like pesticides and other regulations that seem to still continue to hit the ag industry at alarming rates have to take a back seat when it comes to trying to survive without water. In the immortal words of Mark Twain: “Whiskey is for drinkin’ and water’s for fightin’ over!� This is the fourth year of a major drought in California and our reservoir levels range from 7 percent to 80 percent of capacity in March. That supply rep-

resents most of our available surface water. When surface water is not available, agriculture relies on groundwater to make up the difference. Groundwater serves as a bank when surface water is not available. Last year, Stanislaus County squeaked through with minimal fallowing of land, especially on the east side of the San Joaquin River. This year will bring a much bigger impact on the production of all crops. Permanent crops will probably fare better than annual crops. There is such a long-term investment in trees and vines that most diversified farmers will transfer or divert what water they have in order to keep their investment alive. It is too early to gauge how this year will affect production in Stanislaus County, but be assured it will be sig-

Stop S top in at

nificant. We see in the media how almonds have taken over the landscape of our local area. Reports also talk about how much water almonds need for production, but almonds generally require about the same amount of water that any other annual crop would need. Farmers today use many tools to conserve water. However, flood irrigation, which the public sees as wasting water, is actually a great resource to recharge the groundwater on which we all depend. Technology has brought agriculture a long way in the last 20 years and agriculture continues to produce more with less. Now, let’s switch gears and talk about some of the other things that aren’t weather-related but still affect our water supply. In 2014, Governor Brown

signed a package of three bills into law that many called “game changers� and “the most significant water law changes since the creation of our water rights system in 1914.� These laws require monitoring and accounting of our groundwater resources. So, the state wants to measure and manage our groundwater. That seems reasonable, but flies in the face of private property rights. The Governor also called for fast-tracking legislation in 2015 for the adjudication of groundwater basins. California already has some adjudicated basins – mostly in Southern California. Adjudicated simply means that the amount someone can pump from the groundwater basin is assigned by a court of law. Let’s add two more processes that affect us

locally. They are the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) re-licensing of the Don Pedro Powerhouse on the Tuolumne River and, the Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan (Substitute Environmental Document) SED. SED is the fancy name for what many of us refer to as “unimpaired flows.� So how do these processes affect us? They both will take more water out of the Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced rivers. FERC is a federal agency which will require more flow on the Tuolumne for fish and species. The Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts will cumulatively spend in excess of $100 million to conduct numerous studies regarding water temperature, archaeology, fish studies, tribal effects and last but not least – the socioeconomic effects on their cus-

tomers. Out of 30 studies conducted – only one is focused on how the people of Stanislaus County use and benefit from the Tuolumne River water. We can think of a few uses: Flood control, agriculture irrigation, recreation, drinking water, environmental uses, and groundwater recharge. Most of the studies pertain to fish. Now, let’s switch to “unimpaired flows.� Simply put, from Feb. 1 to June 30 each year, upward of 40 percent of the water that runs into Don Pedro, New Melones and Exchequer will have to be released downstream. Why is this significant? That is traditionally the time of the spring snow melt and runoff – the time when we try to store water. It is also a loss of hydroelec-

See CHALLENGES | PAGE 11

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

CHALLENGES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 tric production capacity. So guess what? When it turns hot in the summer and you want to run your air conditioning, the power will cost more because the hydro-generators are going to have less water with which to produce power. Demand will not decrease, so the power providers will need to purchase outside supplies – usually at a higher price than they could have produced it. The real crime is that the state admits that there will be a “significant and unavoidable impact” on our already

tenuous groundwater supply. The state estimates an increase in pumping of 25 percent to cover the increased flows. Now what genius passes three laws that say you can’t pump more groundwater then turns around and takes river water for fish and tells people they will have to pump 25 percent more? The State of California, that’s who! Which master do we serve? Now comes your part – please contact the local irrigation districts and ask how you can help or tell your story of how this will affect your family, your business or your employer. You can make a difference!

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Recycled water project moving forward

See PROJECT | PAGE 13

Modesto would produce 16,500 AFY of recycled water when the NVRRWP goes into service, expanding to 30,600 AFY as Modesto population increases to buildout in 2045.

Ceres sends 785 AFY of wastewater to Modesto and 1120 AFY of wastewater to Turlock for treatment, contributing to recycled water available for reuse.

Recycled Water will be conveyed to DPWD via the DMC

Wildlife Refuges DPWD provides water for 45,000 acres of farmland that grows over 30 different crops using a variety of state-of-the-art & high efficiency irrigation methods. DPWD has irrigation water needs of approximately 90,000 AFY. Receiving only 20% of its CVP contract allocation this year (2013) results in a shortfall of ~62,000 AFY.

Turlock currently treats 9,700 AFY to Title 22 standards, ready for recycled water use. Turlock’s recycled water production would increase to 28,400 AFY as Turlock population reaches build-out in 2030 and Ceres sends additional wastewater to Turlock.

Program Overview Map

Recycled water from the cities of Modesto, Turlock and Ceres could be nurturing West Side fields and orchards in years to come. The North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program, which has been in the planning stages for five years, would deliver treated wastewater to Del Puerto Water District for irrigation use. That water is now being discharged into the San Joaquin River by the cities of Modesto and Turlock (Ceres sends water to both plants for treatment). For Del Puerto, a 45,000-acre federal district which runs along the Interstate 5 corridor from Vernalis to Santa Nella, the project holds the promise of delivering a reliable water supply which would partially meet the district’s needs year in and year out. The district has been at the mercy of fluctuating water allocations, and for a second consecutive year will receive no canal water in 2015. “We have been struggling with decreasing allocations for two decades. As each law or regulation is passed, things just seemed to be getting worse and worse,” reflected Anthea Hansen, Del Puerto’s general manager. Traditionally, Hansen said, the district would turn to the spot market to acquire supplemental water supplies, but that source of water has become unreliable and prohibitively expensive. “You cannot count on it from year to year, which we are really seeing now. This year we will be much more limited in our ability to access transfer supplies,” she explained. Discussions between the district and partici-

CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE | 13

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

PROJECT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 pating cities about the feasibility of recycling the treated water started more than five years ago. “We determined that it was an idea whose time had come,” Hansen recalled. “It looked to be the type of solution that Del Puerto needed to put some reliability back into our water supply.” Major milestones reached to date include completion of a feasibility study which found no “fatal flaws” which would preclude the project, and issuance of a draft Environmental Impact Report which was recently released for public comment. The district and city of Modesto have also formed a joint powers authority. “Turlock is not yet part of that authority, but we have left the option open for them to become when

the time is right. I think the city of Turlock very much wants to see this project through to completion,” Hansen told Mattos Newspapers. Turlock and Modesto are both active partners with the district in the planning process, she noted, while the city of Ceres and Stanislaus County are supportive partners. One question surrounding Turlock’s participation is the interest of the Turlock Irrigation District in acquiring that city’s recycled wastewater in offset should TID agree to provide drinking water to the city from its surface water allocations, Hansen explained. “The project team has made a lot of progress. Del Puerto and Modesto are intent on continuing (with the project). It is my true hope that Turlock is a partner in this project when we bring it to completion,” she re-

flected. “The best result is if all three parties are in, because this provides a larger reliable supply for our growers, it meets the cities’ goals of having a right to utilize their resource and get their discharge out of the river, and it increases revenue streams to their constituents.” Essentially, Hansen said, the project would transform treated wastewater into a marketable commodity for the cities while providing muchneeded irrigation water to Del Puerto. The $96 million project cost would be the responsibility of the district. A Prop. 218 election would be required, asking the district property owners to authorize the repayment of that investment through higher rates. The district is pursuing grant funding as well to offset a portion of that investment.

thank you farmers...

Hansen, who traveled with a delegation to Washington, D.C., last week to promote the project, said that a number of other regulatory approvals and permits are required to make the project a reality. The project involves construction of a pipeline to convey the treated water to the Delta-Mendota Canal. The district would store the water in San Luis Reservoir. “It is actually a simple project. The pipeline will travel less than eight miles, and almost all the distance will be on county right-of-way,” Hansen explained. Hansen said the goal is to have the project begin delivering recycled water by 2018. With the participation of both Modesto and Turlock, the project would deliver about 30,000 acre-feet of water to Del Puerto growers initially.

As the cities grow in the decades to come, that amount could double. Plans call for some water also to be delivered to designated wildlife areas as well, Hansen noted. The amount of water would meet only a portion of the district’s needs but would represent a critically important base supply, Hansen stated. “The beauty of this is that it is reliable. It comes every day,” she said. “What that means to our growers is that they have a a base supply that they can depend on. It is only about three-quarters of an acre-foot per acre, but you can count on it, and you know how much it is going to cost.” It is, Hansen added, water the district can “desperately use.” Water is the lifeblood of ag regions such as the West Side, and its impacts ripple throughout communities.

In the Stanislaus County portion of the district alone, Hansen said, Del Puerto growers produced commodities valued at over $160 million last year despite the drought. “This is going to be an incredibly important project for stabilizing the economies of the West Side region,” she told Mattos Newspapers. “It translates into jobs and healthy farm communities, and to sustaining a way of life for families who have built their legacy farming in this area.” Hansen predicts the project could become a model for others to follow. “You have to solve your problems locally,” she reflected. “This is an example for future projects. It is going to set trends, and could be the start of something very big in the valley.”

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14 | CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

CHANGING TIMES

Almond values surpass milk in Stanislaus County County ag production at all-time high in 2013 The value of agricultural commodities produced in Stanislaus County during 2013 shot to an all-time high of $3.66 billion, according to the annual crop report issued by the county ag commissioner’s office. Increases in the on-farm value of almonds, walnuts and milk were largely responsible for the 12 percent increase in production over 2012. Almonds surpassed milk as the coun-

ty’s leading ag commodity, becoming the county’s first-ever billion-dollar crop in the process. The value of almonds produced in Stanislaus County skyrocketed from $736 million in 2012 to $1.1 billion in 2013, the most recent year for which a crop report is available. That increase was fueled by increases in harvested acres, yields and market prices. Collectively, the report reflects the values of commodities ranging from almonds and alfalfa to walnuts and melons.

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The on-farm value of the commodities 2013 were as follows. Previous year is just one part of the overall impact ranks are in parathenses. of agriculture on the Stanislaus County 1) Almond meats, $1.12 billion (2) economy, the report emphasizes. Ac2) Milk, $804 million (1) cording to the report, ag-related servic3) Walnuts, $248 million (5) es and businesses returned more than 4) Cattle, $235 million (4) $13 billion to the local economy in 2013 5) Chickens, $235 million, (3) - or more than $35 million a day. 6) Silage, $153 million (6) Stanislaus County agriculture is a 7) Deciduous fruit and nut nursery, global presence as well. Local produc$78 million (10) ers exported 133 commodities to 102 8) Tomatoes, $68 million (7) nations around the globe in 2013, the ag 9) Grapes, $62 million (8) report indicated. 10) Almond hulls, $57 million (15) The county’s top 10 commodities in

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Agencies focus on groundwater management A coalition of agencies is conducting groundwater studies throughout Stanislaus County with the goal of creating groundwater management strategies. Concerns about groundwater tables being depleted have magnified with the increase in ag well pumping during California’s drought. Now, county Supervisor Jim DeMartini stated, counties are under a state mandate to evaluate demands on aquifers and develop strategies to manage those vital resources. “Normally I don’t like to see state regulations, but I think it is going to be useful. We really have to get a handle on what is being pumped out in relation to the recharge,� DeMartini told Mattos Newspapers. He said four groundwater agencies are be-

ing formed in Stanislaus County, including a West Side coalition of irrigation districts and municipal water users. “The agencies are beginning to set up now. We have until 2017 but we are going to have it done well before that,� DeMartini commented. “We are charged by the state to monitor the groundwater and try to calculate how much is being pumped and what the recharge is.� He said agencies have until 2020 to gather that information. That deadline may be expedited if the drought continues, DeMartini predicted. DeMartini anticipates that the research effort will include requiring reports from water users of the volume they are pumping. “I don’t see any other

way that we can realistically come up with a figure on how much groundwater is pumped. We can keep the information confidential. We really just need the total,� he noted. In a measure to protect the valuable groundwater supply, DeMartini said, Stanislaus County recently took action to place restrictions on drilling ag wells in areas outside irrigation districts. “If you are in an irrigation district, we will allow them for the time being because they are supplementary,� the supervisor explained. Stanislaus County had previously adopted an ordinance which prohibits the sale of groundwater to users outside the county. The county as a whole, DeMartini said, has a vested interest in developing a plan which manages its

groundwater resources. “It is not in the best interest of the valley to overdraft the aquifer to the point where we have a problem with salt intrusion or subsidence,� he reflected. “We want to figure out what is really happening with the groundwater.� Ultimately, he told Mattos Newspapers, some pumping restrictions could be enacted. “I think that is a very distinct possibility, especially in the Sierra foothills,� DeMartini commented. “You are going to see some restrictions on what groundwater can be pumped. There are going to be people who are not going to like it, but we have to look at the long term. We are going to need that water for the foreseeable future.�

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16 | CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

GHS grad working to promote ag water awareness A Gustine High graduate with a longstanding interest in ag-related water issues is part of a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to serving as a voice for agricultural water users and educating the public about the benefits of irrigated agriculture in the Golden State. Brandon Souza is currently the assistant executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition, which he joined in 2005. Souza brings a long-standing interest in water issues and appreciation for agriculture to his position. “You can’t grow up around here without knowing what water is worth,” he related. “From as far back as I can remember, I have been obsessed with water. It has just been a thing with me. In so far as it relates to agriculture, I probably really first started to value it in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, when we were in a drought not dissimilar to this one.” The impact of the drought was driven home in conversations with classmates whose families were directly involved in West Side agriculture. “They were talking about how dry

See SOUZA | PAGE 17

Gustine High graduate Brandon Souza is the assistant executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition.

CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE | 17

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

SOUZA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 and rough everything was. For kids to be talking about that, it kind of stuck with me,� Souza explained. The 1997 Gustine High graduate came across the California Farm Water Coalition while working in Sacramento. He saw an ag-related, water-related position advertised, applied and was hired on. In the past decade, Souza has immersed himself in a variety of roles and responsibilities. His first seven years with the coalition focused on seeking cooperative solutions between environmental interests and irrigation districts on efficient water management. Souza later took on the responsibility of organizing the California Irrigation Institute Conference (the state’s oldest independent forum on irriga-

tion and water). More recently, his work has focused on technical and policy issues. The coalition’s responsibility, he said, is to educate the public, lawmakers and agencies about what it takes to grow food in California. “We have this wonderful climate and these soils, but as part of the benefit of aridity you need to deliver water. The California Farm Water Coalition serves as the voice of ag water,� Souza explained. His responsibility ranges from working with regulatory agencies to public outreach - an important part of the coalition’s mission. “The percentage of people with a direct connection to ag is tiny. Most of America is at least three generations separated from agriculture,� Souza reflected. That disconnect contributes to the number of people who give little thought to what it takes to put food on the super-

market shelves, he added. “There are so many people who do not have the understanding of ag as a resource with inherent value, not just an economic engine,� Souza commented. In Souza’s opinion, finding a common ground between all involved parties is crucial if California is to find solutions to its water crisis. He also advocates policy decisions being based on hard data. Agriculture is being mandated to develop a method to quantify its water use, Souza noted, but no such standard exists for water allocated to environmental purposes. “In California, 51 percent of our developed water goes to environmental purposes. Inside the state, there are not any real ways of quantifying how efficiently we are using that water to meet defined environmental goals,� Souza expressed. “You can say that the environment is great and

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should have all the water it needs. When you are making decisions on how to manage a finite resource that belongs to all of the people, there becomes this question as to whether the state is meeting its fiduciary responsibility to manage that asset as efficiently as it could if we can’t demonstrate that.� He emphasizes that water-related challenges go well beyond the drought itself, encompassing factors ranging from storage to management of the delta. Putting a face to the water crisis facing California agriculture only raises awareness, Souza added. Many may view the drought in abstract terms with little awareness of the toll the water shortage is taking on a personal level. “For too many people, I think, it is just an abstract.....just numbers on a page. It is not abstract, it is real-world,� said

Souza, who is the son of Fred and Karen Souza of Gustine. He encourages those involved to be engaged in sharing their personal stories to raise awareness of the water issues facing California agriculture. “The California Farm Water Coalition produces

information and educational material that can help,� he commented, “but personal stories, experiences and anecdotes from one person on the ground will go further than 100 charts or statistics in ensuring that the voice of ag is heard.�

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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU

Reality of ag water use far different from perception By AMANDA PRIEST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU

According to the Department of Water Resource’s October 2014 California Water Plan, agriculture only accounts for 40.8 percent of California’s water demands. This is a far cry from the misconception of 80 percent presented by the press in recent years. In reality, while agriculture water use continues to decline, 50 percent of the developed supply is allocated for environmental purposes. If this drought is any indication, environmental water demands will only increase in the near future. There is no need to remind everyone of the difficult predicament we face in Merced County and in California agriculture. Of the numerous water agencies within our county, very few have guaranteed surface water supplies, forcing our ag producers to again rely upon the groundwater table to satisfy their needs. Most of the communities and municipalities within our county boundaries also are entirely reliant on the aquifers, further complicating the challenges we face. There is no single answer to each of the districts and community’s concerns, and Merced County Farm Bureau often has to take a broader stance to look out for the diversity of issues facing residents countywide. One thing is clear: The current system is not

Amanda Priest working. December 2014 brought generous storms to Californians, but the precipitation has since eluded our parched state. That initial storm was not nearly capable of filling the huge void we have in our reservoirs or recharging our groundwater tables, but it did give us hope. Ironically, in spite of our desperation in 2014, the floods still came, erosion occurred and much of that water was washed out to sea. As a state we were shockingly unprepared to capture every drop of this precious resource. Blame it on lack of infrastructure, environmental demands or an inability to adapt our infrastructure quickly, but as a state there has been a lack of timely decisions for the benefit of all its residents. December was not a complete failure because at one point the pumps at the C.W. “Bill” Jones Pumping Plant in Tracy ran at full capacity, bringing much needed supply into the San Luis Reservoir, but then winds increased the turbidity of

the water and required an immediate reduction of the pumps. Although a brief achievement, praise must be given for each milestone we achieve. As we move into the busy season in our industry, the challenges will really begin to mount. Many will be forced to fallow land. The press will begin its critical review of agriculture’s practices with very little understanding of the basic principles of agricultural operations let alone water rights in California. Merced County Farm Bureau will continue to look out for the best interests of the agricultural community throughout the county but the best advocates continue to be farmers, ranchers and dairy families living and breathing the daily struggle that is agriculture. In addition to adapting and surviving, keeping a dialogue open on social media and within your local community with useful facts like “Ag uses only 40.8 percent of the water versus environmental demands using 50 percent” are pertinent details that to which many in our state are oblivious. These facts and conversations are even more important now than ever in order to have a truthful and honest understanding about what is really going on in these water wars. It may be the only true way we in agriculture will survive if this drought continues on to future years.

CELEBRATING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE | 19

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Gray proposes drought laws Assembly member Adam Gray proposed three new priority water bills earlier this month aimed at mitigating the impact of the drought on farmers statewide and spurring Central Valley agriculture. Assembly Bill 1242 would prohibit the State Water Board from adopting water plans that significantly harm groundwater basins. For the past year, the board has considered redirecting significantly more water away from agriculture and urban users to allow additional water to flow out to the San Francisco Bay Delta. In a Feb. 4 letter to Governor Brown, Gray called the proposal to divert over 350,000 acre-feet of water from the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Merced river basins “unreasonable, punitive and discriminatory. “It is ludicrous to demand we develop policies for sustainable groundwater and at the same time

take away the single most important recharge element - irrigation water. That the agency responsible for compliance with the new groundwater law would even consider such action in one of our most threatened groundwater basins is mind-boggling and offensive to those of us who live here,� said Gray. As rivers and streams have dried up due to the lack of rain and snow in the mountains, many users have turned to pumping groundwater to meet their needs. Unforturnately, the prolonged drought has drained the state’s normally robust supply of groundwater. Assembly Bill 1243 would help local governments and water districts pay to construct systems to put water back into the ground. “We need to be aggressive and innovative in meeting our groundwater challenges,� stated Gray.

“There are too many stories of Central Valley wells going dry, and we have too few resources in place to help local communities refill their wells and basins. We need to take some of the money going to bureaucrats in Sacramento and invest in water recharge systems locally.� Gray, whose 21st Assembly District includes all of Merced County and portions of Stanislaus County, also introduced Assembly Bill 1244, which allows farmers to construct small on-farm ponds to accommodate water storage and targeted irrigation. “Farmers on the Russian River watershed are allowed expedited reviews of small ponds and reservoirs,� Gray pointed out. “This bill simply extends that ability to all farmers in the state.� More information about the proposed legislation is available at www.asmdc. org/gray.

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P A RAR E I R A ’ S UTO REPAIR

Family Owned & Operated, since 1987

We Are Here For All Your Personal , Farm & Dairy Vehicle Needs! Ž‹‰Â?Â?‡Â?–• Čˆ Â?‰‹Â?‡• Čˆ ”ƒÂ?‡• Čˆ —Â?‡nj ’• Čˆ ‹Ž ŠƒÂ?‰‡• ‹”‡ ‡’ƒ‹” Čˆ —ƍ‡”• ĆŹ šŠƒ—•– ›•–‡Â?• ‹”‡ ‡’ƒ‹” Čˆ —ƍ‡”• ‹”‡ ‡’ƒ‹” Čˆ —ƍ ƍ‡”• ĆŹ šŠƒ—•– ›•–‡Â?• ĆŹ šŠƒ—•– ›•–‡Â?• ‡ ƒ„Žƒ Â•Â’ÂƒĂ“Â‘ÂŽ Čˆ ƒŽƒ ‡ ‘”–—‰—‡• ‰— —‡•

Serving the West Side! 424 Third Ave., Gustine

209.854.2337

Anthony Jr., maintenance Luis, manager

Christine, owner

Maryann, office

Zeb, owner office manager

Anthony Sr., owner

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