OCTOBER 2020
CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL COAST
NEWS DIGEST
Driscoll’s, Plenty team up for indoor berry growing
USDA Awards $10M to SNAP U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced Oct. 9 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will award $10 million in grants to strengthen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training programs (SNAP E&T), which aims to help participants gain the skills, training, or work experience they need to move toward and into employment. USDA is providing more than $6.7 million in SNAP E&T National Partnership Grants to help four national non-profit organizations expand program capacity to serve SNAP participants and over $3.2 million in SNAP E&T Data and Technical Assistance (DATA) Grants to support improved E&T data collection and reporting across five SNAP state agencies. For information visit bit.ly/2FnFmbZ.
Initiative looks to improve environmental dairy stewardship
Proposals aim to expand California reservoirs Two federal reservoirs in California could be expanded in order to adapt aging water systems and meet “significant and steadily mounting water insecurity issues,” according to the California Farm Bureau Federation. The bureau says that expansion of Lake Shasta and San Luis Reservoir would benefit the environment and economy. On October 13 the White House announced the creation of a Water Subcabinet which aims to streamline federal water management and modernize water supplies and systems. The subcabinet will work with senior officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal agencies. For more information visit cfbf.com.
WAY TO WATER Two men team up on a tractor to lay out irrigation lines on a farm in Watsonville.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Apple harvest persists ROUGH SEASON COMES TO CLOSE AT HISTORIC ORCHARD By JOHANNA MILLER
I Reporter
t has not been an easy harvest season for California apple farmers. When temperatures shot up into the 100s in August and September, sparking wildfires across the state and harming numerous agricultural commodities, apples were one of the hardest-hit crops. The fruit is susceptible to high heat, especially when it lasts for more than a couple of days. “It’s basically like putting the apples into a convection oven—they literally bake right off the trees,” said Karell Reader, owner of Luz de Valle Farms in Corralitos. “If they’re not protected by enough leaf cover, they just turn brown and fall onto the ground.” Reader estimates that about one-quarter of their apple crops were lost this season due to the scorching temperatures. “Really, all we could do was stand by and watch,” she said. “It’s kind of a helpless feeling… but that’s farming. There’s always some sort of pestilence or foul thing from Mother Nature that wants to come get you.” Reader’s family has owned Luz de Valle Farm since 1880, when her great-grandfather, who was part of the Silva family, settled in what is now Pleasant Valley. After her uncle used the orchard as a retail outlet, it was eventually leased out—leading to it falling into disrepair. That is until Reader and her husband, Phil Reader took it over in 2012. “When we inherited [the farm], it was kind of a disaster,” she said. “It hadn’t been maintained… the barn roof was collapsing, the shop was falling apart. We started tossing around ideas about how to renovate and bring it back.” Luz de Valle now covers about 17 acres of land off of Hames Road in Corralitos and boasts more than 26 varieties of apples, including many rare heirloom varieties. They grow standards such as Fuji and
Johanna Miller
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (ICUSD), a forum that convenes dairy farmers and industry stakeholders across the industry, has launched a new effort called the Net Zero Initiative, aiming to help dairy producers across the state and nation to improve environmental stewardship practices. According to a ICUSD press release, due to new practices in cow health, feed and genetics, and modern management practices, the environmental impact of producing a gallon of milk in 2017 has shrunk significantly from 2007, requiring 30% less water, 21% less land and a 19% smaller carbon footprint. The Net Zero Initiative, a component of the center’s 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals, hopes to further implement new technologies and practices to achieve carbon neutrality, optimize water usage and improve water quality.
Tarmo Hannula
Driscoll’s and indoor vertical-farming company Plenty Unlimited Inc. have announced a joint development agreement to grow Driscoll’s proprietary strawberries year-round in Plenty’s vertical indoor farms. Plenty will incorporate Driscoll’s proprietary genetics into its advanced, indoor farming technology. Through the controlled environment, Plenty claims it can consistently deliver great flavors from Driscoll’s varieties, while also optimizing for texture and size. The two companies were introduced through John Hartnett of SVG Ventures. Driscoll’s strawberries will initially be grown and developed in Plenty’s Laramie, Wyoming farm, the largest privatelyowned vertical farm research and development center in the world.
SWEET AND CRISP Apples thrive on a tree at Luz De Valle Farm in Corralitos. Gala, as well as Newton Pippins, which they mainly sell to Martinelli’s and Santa Cruz Cider Company. Reader said that they inherited the farm “amongst a multitude of disasters,” from labor shortage issues to high water costs due to the drought. They were also dealing with low soil fertility due to neglect, and switching from conventional to organic farming. “The orchard had been let go for so long that a lot of the bigger trees were tapped out,” she said. “We’ve had to rip some older trees out, go back in and plant.” When ash began to fall over Santa Cruz County in August due to the CZU August Lightning Complex, Reader said she was reminding customers to wash the fruit as much as possible. While ash does not harm the apples, it can affect the taste. Luz de Valle became a temporary evacuation site for friends of the Readers who had evacuated from the fires, setting up an outdoor kitchen and tents on the property.
“They were here for almost a month,” Reader said. “It was a crazy time… but absolutely the right thing to do.” Reader said that the Covid-19 pandemic has compelled the farm to focus on its community U-Pick days, which had families coming to the farm for apple-picking and to learn more about the crop. “People have been looking for positive, constructive things to do,” she said. “We really enjoy meeting and educating people… helping deepen their understanding about their food.” The 2020 apple season will soon be coming to an end. By the end of October, most apples at Luz de Valle will be harvested, and the Readers will take a short break before jumping into plans for next year. “Right before Halloween, we take a deep breath,” she said. “We kind of have to force ourselves to take a day off… the work never really ends on a farm. But we really love what we do.”
MONTEREY COUNTY
Microgrid to deliver energy security to Gonzales AG BUSINESS PARK TO REMAIN POWERED DURING OUTAGES By SEAN RONEY Reporter
Vegetable processors and wine producers in and around the Gonzales Agricultural Industrial Business
Park will have access to a reliable power supply at competitive rates under a partnership announced Oct. 8. The $70 million energy service agreement with Concentric Power Inc. will deploy a community-scale microgrid in the Salinas Valley city. It will initially have 35MW of capacity to provide locally gener-
ated and sustainable power to the industrial park. “The companies who do business here need to know that they will have the power they need, when they need it, from a variety of green and low-carbon sources,” said Gonzales Mayor Maria Orozco. “This is exactly the kind of project that benefits everyone in-
volved: dependable, independent power that helps us reach our sustainability goals. This agreement will help deliver that.” With a groundbreaking planned for mid-2021, the power produced by the microgrid is expected to begin in 2022 and will meet the ➝ See GRID, 5
A PUBLICATION OF
Gilroy Dispatch | Hollister Free Lance | Salinas Valley Tribune | King City Rustler | Watsonville Pajaronian
2
FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE
OCTOBER 2020
STATE
Contributed
FARM REVIEW California Assemblymember Robert Rivas (second from right)
visits a Driscoll’s farm in Watsonville on Oct. 9.
Assemblyman sets off on statewide agricultural tour BY TONY NUNEZ Reporter
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ssemblyman Robert Rivas for the next few weeks will be on the road hoping to connect the dots between the fields and people that make up California’s $50 billion agricultural industry. Recently named Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair, Rivas will make stops across the state to meet with farmers, agricultural workers, industry and union leaders, environmentalists, scientists and elected officials to learn more about the issues the industry is facing and the innovations that are moving it forward. That includes studying the effects of climate change and wildfires, two topics at the forefront of many discussions as the current California wildfire season has charred more than 4.2 million acres and caused at least $1.8 billion in damage, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. “I want to be a very strong voice for farmers, growers, for our farmworkers and for all of us,” Rivas said. “We as consumers, we are all very dependent on our agriculture. That’s why we set out to plan this statewide tour,
because agriculture in California is so diverse and a lot of people are unaware of how diverse, and how much we produce.” Rivas started his tour on Oct. 9 with a visit to California’s 30th Assembly District, his home district that covers parts of Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties as well as all of San Benito County. He took a tour of the Driscoll’s Watsonville research and development facility; had lunch with representatives of the Monterey County Farm Bureau; visited Braga Fresh fields in Chular and the company’s processing facility in Spreckels; and met with leaders of the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital who guide the health center’s Agriculture Outreach program. Rivas said his visit to Pajaro and Salinas valleys was encouraging, and that he was impressed with the amount of innovation present in the region. He said the efforts of the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, which very early in the pandemic helped encourage mitigation efforts and distributed bilingual information for the area’s farmworkers, were something that could be applied statewide. Braga Fresh’s
Covid-19 modifications, which included an inhouse track-and-trace system to limit the spread of the virus in the workplace, were also eye-opening. “Having to learn about how our local agricultural employers have adjusted to these challenges— whether it’s Covid-19 or wildfires—was incredible to learn,” he said. “Very proactive efforts have been made locally, so this is a great opportunity to share a lot of this good work that we’ve seen with stakeholders across the state.” Rivas has visited the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento, the California Delta, Inland Empire, Coachella Valley and Imperial County. He also plans to visit the Bay Area and various parts of Southern California, including Santa Barbara, Ventura County, Los Angeles and San Diego over the next two weeks. The objective of the agriculture tour, Rivas said, is to listen and learn from leading experts and advocates before the start of the 2020-21 legislative session, to better inform the steps necessary in aiding recovery, combating climate change impacts and maintaining California’s agricultural leadership.
NATION
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GROWERS CLAIM THAT COMPANY UNLAWFULLY ‘DUMPED’ CROPS STAFF REPORT
A large garlic exporter dismissed its federal lawsuit against a coalition of American garlic growers on Sept. 16. Harmoni International Spice, located in the City of Industry, is the U.S. branch of co-plaintiff Zhengzhou Harmoni Spice, of Henan Province in China. According to court documents filed by the American garlic growers in 2016, foreign exporters of garlic into the United States are subject to “anti-dumping” duties collected by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The duties are supposed to ensure that products from foreign countries are not “dumped” into the United States at below-market pric-
es, disadvantaging domestic producers. The American growers alleged that Harmoni had applied to the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2004 for an exemption to antidumping duties based on its then low export volumes. The Commerce Department granted the exemption. The American growers say Harmoni then partnered with an association of four California-based agriculture corporations, including Christopher Ranch of Gilroy. The American growers allege Harmoni employed its California partners to exercise influence in the Commerce Department and ensure that Harmoni’s duty exemption wasn’t revoked, so as to permit unlawful dumping in U.S. markets. When the American growers applied to the Commerce Department for reevaluation of Harmoni’s duties, the company sued the Americans (and others) in
U.S. District Court alleging racketeering—under Civil RICO (the Federal Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations Act). The case wound through the court system for more than four years as various motions and appeals were heard. Harmoni dismissed the case on Sept. 16, while two motions to dismiss it were pending before Judge Andre Birotte in Los Angeles. The case was the subject of a documentary episode on Netflix called “Garlic Breath,” and a book later published by one of the defendants, Stanley Crawford, “The Garlic Papers: A Small Garlic Farm in the Age of Global Vampires.” The lawyers for the defendants are Anthony Lanza and Brodie Smith, with Lanza & Smith in Irvine. Lanza & Smith had previously obtained a dismissal of the case in 2017, but that decision was later reversed, in part, by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
OCTOBER 2020
3
FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE
GILROY
SERVICE
EXACTLY WHERE
YOU NEED IT..
Courtesy of Christopher Ranch
BIG SEASON Garlic harvest season is wrapping up at Christopher Ranch in Gilroy.
Record garlic harvest meets high demand CHRISTOPHER RANCH TOTALS 100M POUNDS By ERIK CHALHOUB Reporter
C
hristopher Ranch’s fourmonth garlic harvest wrapped up in early October, garnering 100 million pounds that will help satisfy the public’s overwhelming demand for the pungent cloves. Ken Christopher, executive vice president of the ranch, said the “lion’s share” of the harvest is in long-term cold storage. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Christopher said the ranch lost a large chunk of its business from restaurants, which were forced to close as public health officials tried to prevent the virus from spreading. However, at the same time, Christopher Ranch experienced a surge in demand for fresh,
California-grown garlic from grocery stores. “Our crop has just wrapped up, one of our best crops in a long time in terms of overall quality,” Christopher said. “The overall improved quality of this year’s crop is lining up perfectly with current and forecasted demand, with more fresh garlic shipments and fewer peeled garlic shipments. Mother nature, along with our great field department team, really lined up for demand during the pandemic.” Christopher Ranch also had a record year for pounds harvested with its organic garlic crop, according to Christopher. “This is critical because demand for organic garlic, which is much harder to grow than our standard varietal, has really boomed, likely due to the Covid-19 situation,” he said. “People believe in garlic’s natural health properties, and it’s obvious from our daily shipments
that more and more Americans from coast to coast are demanding U.S.grown garlic.” Coupled with a record harvest season is the unknown nature of the pandemic, with Christopher Ranch furthering its safety measures such as mandatory temperature checks for its 1,000 employees, face masks and hand sanitizer stations, as well as eliminating facility tours. “We continue to adapt to the developing pandemic situation, and it’s been challenging at times,” Christopher said. “That being said, at the end of the day, we’re grateful to all the essential workers that continue to come in day in and day out to produce garlic, ginger, shallots, bell peppers and more for American families. There are new daily challenges, but at long last, I feel that we’ve found a way to adapt to our new normal.”
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MONTEREY COUNTY
Ag exhibition premieres at National Steinbeck Center CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
T
Contributed
he modern intersection of agriculture and technology has brought to the forefront a diverse generation of women working to overcome rising challenges through new perspectives and solutions. A special new exhib at the Steinbeck Center in Salinas will lift up stories of these innovators to help inspire and encourage young women to consider careers in agtech. "From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators in California Agtech" will utilize multimedia and digital storytelling—including video, documentary and still photography—to honor these groundbreaking pioneers. The exhibition is the brainchild of awardwinning journalist Amy Wu. “My passion to unearth underreported stories and amplify new voices is what led me to highlight the stories of emerging communities in agriculture,” says Wu. “Ultimately, I hope the exhibition, film series and book serves as vehicles to inspire youth—especially those from rural or underserved communities—to consider that agriculture extends far beyond tractors and overalls and it is a sector that offers an amazing range of opportunities that involve innovation.”
AG ART The National Steinbeck Center will soon open a new exhibit honoring women who merge farm and tech to solve modern problems. Michele Speich, Executive Director National Steinbeck Center said of the exhibit: “Women for centuries have played a vital role in farm operations across the country and globally. We are thrilled that Amy Wu has chosen to tell the stories of minority women entrepreneurs in Agtech in the Salinas Valley and beyond in a book and in an exhibition at the National Steinbeck Center.”
Presented by the group From Farms to Incubators, the exhibition kicks off Nov. 12 with a virtual opening event from 4-6pm, with viewing available through Jan. 12. The virtual opening will include special speakers including California Senator Anna Caballero, Dennis Donohue the head of Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology ➝ See EXHIBIT, 5
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4
FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE
OCTOBER 2020
BUSHELS APLENTY
Tarmo Hannula
Nick Prevedelli (second from right) of Prevedelli Farms in Watsonville works the farm's stand at the Santa Cruz Farmer's Market in downtown Santa Cruz. Prevedelli said his family-owned business has been running a stand at the market every fall season for about six years. The stand features about 14 kinds of apples, including a new apple called WineCrisp, on top of Royal Gala, Granny Smith, Enterprise and Golden Delicious. They also offered Bosc, Asian and Warren pears in addition to their homemade jams, jellies, apple butter and marmalade. Prevedelli said that that while the harvest season started strong, the heatwaves in August and September threw them for a loop. "We lost about 30 percent of our apple crop,” he said. “But what are you going to do? You can't change the weather."
CALENDAR OCT. 24
24th Annual Progressive Dinner Casserly Hall, 562 Casserly Rd., Watsonville
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The organization AgriCulture’s biggest fundraiser of the year will once again be held. However, due to Covid-19, this year’s event will be a take-out dinner. Guests will be provided a large bag and box of local produce. All 2020 guests who purchase tickets will have exclusive access to tickets to next year’s event prior to the public. Local wine will be available for sale and an online auction will be held. For more information call AgriCulture at (831) 722-6622 or visit agri-culture.us.
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Sign up for one of two 2 ½ hour wine camp tours to walk through the vineyards and discuss grape growing, pruning techniques, when to harvest, and other insider nerdy farmer tips from winemaker Matt Oetinger. Then venture to the outside of the winery and discuss winemaking techniques, and observe some DESIGN DEPARTMENT machinery. For information weeklys.com and to order tickets visit fernwoodcellars.com.
OCT. 31
Halloween Ranch-Thru 19014 Pesante Rd., Prunedale Hosted by nonprofit organization Hidden Hills Ranch, this drive-thru event invites families to dress up in costume and take a drive through the ranch to trick-or-treat with its animals. Will be held Halloween between 10am-1pm. To buy tickets and for more information about the ranch visit hiddenhillsranch.org.
NOV. 7
Friendsgiving Benefit Farm to Table
NOV. 5-6
California Dairy Sustainability Summit Virtual event to be held via cadairsummit.com. Join this virtual event to gain insight into the policies, strategies and technologies that are driving innovation and helping dairy farmers in California and across the globe as they aim to improve their environmental and economic future—ultimately ensuring the availability of nutrient rich, enjoyable foods. Featured speakers will include Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor at the University of California, Davis, among others. For information and to register visit cadairysummit.com.
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Live Earth Farm, 172 Litchfield Ln., Watsonville Through October and November Farm Discovery at Live Earth Farm will be hosting a number of Family Farm Walks in Watsonville. Come enjoy the healing nature of time outdoors with family. Take a self-guided tour of our organic fields, Discovery Garden and animal pens. The $30 admission donation (per family) gives you private access to the upper farm and will help our nonprofit organization weather the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis. For more information visit Farm Discovery’s Facebook page.
FARMERS MARKETS
Watsonville Farmers Market 328 Union St., Watsonville
NOV. 9 – DEC. 4
Sustainable Ag Expo & Winegrower Summit Virtual event to be held via vineyardteam.thinkfic.com. Discover the latest viticulture research and technology from the world's top experts to help you be competitive in the ever changing business landscape. This year's virtual format gives you access to a greater diversity of topics and speakers accessible at your convenience. For information and to register visit vineyardteam.thinkfic.com.
NOV. 21
35th Annual Harvest Dinner Agricultural History Project, 2601 East Lake Ave., Watsonville The Agricultural History Project’s annual Harvest Dinner will be a drive-thru event this year. Pick up a special dinner prepared by Monterey Bay Caterers between 3-6pm. If you order four or more dinners you will receive a bottle of red or white wine from Martin Ranch Winery. Prepurchased tickets will be required to enter the drawing. Call the AHP office at (831) 724-5898 to purchase tickets.
Friendsgiving.eventbrite.com A special virtual event will benefit Farm Discovery at Live Earth, a local organization aiming to empower youth to make regenerative choices for their health, their community and the environment. The farmto-table cooking event will be held along with Capitola Garden Feast. Received a curated box of Live Earth Farm produce, your choice of beer and wine and a shopping list before gathering online to cook a meal together. For information and tickets visit fd-friendsgiving. eventbrite.com or call (831) 728-2032.
Morning Family Farm Walk
RECURRING
Fall Days at Swank Farms 4751 Pacheco Hwy, Hollister Come visit Swank Farms in Hollister, a real working farm made up of 29 acres of wideopen space! Enjoy the farm’s sunflower fields and pick your own! Fields are open 10am-sunset. Prices are per bloom. Guests are required to bring their own scissors to pick sunflowers. Tickets may be used during the 2020 Fall Season or any 2021 event of equal or lesser value. For more information visit swankfarms.com.
This year-round market is held every Friday 2-7pm. Come and shop for fresh local produce and flowers straight from farmers, as well as prepared food including baked potatoes, kettle corn, hummus and more. For information follow the market’s official Facebook page.
Gilroy Farmers Market 6000 Miller Ave., Gilroy Held every Saturday 9am-1pm. Come and enjoy local vegetables and fruit, homemade soap, bakery items, hummus, garlic, flowers, and more. For information visit tcfm.farm/
Salinas Farmers Market 12 W. Gabilan St., Salinas Market is held year-round, Saturday from 9am-2pm. Come for an assortment of fruits, vegetables and street food. For information, visit wcfma.org/salinas
Bolado Park Farmers Market 9000 Airline Highway, Tres Pinos Power Broadcasting and Medina Farms will host a new farmers market beginning Aug. 23 at Bolado Park. The market will run Sundays from 9am-1pm, weather permitting. It will feature farms from throughout the state, as well as food trucks and a flea market. For information, call 831-722-1122.
Alisal Farmers Market 632 East Alisal, Salinas The Alisal Market is located in the parking lot of the WIC center and happily accepts EBT/WIC and conducts a Market Match program for EBT customers to increase their spending power. Ask about Market Match at the Information Booth. Held every Tuesday from 11am-4pm. For information visit everyonesharvest.org.
OCTOBER 2020
5
FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE
MONTEREY COUNTY
Stiff fines issued over 2018 pesticide vapors incident STAFF REPORT
The County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner announced fines and violations on Oct. 13 over a 2018 incident that sickened several Salinas residents, including seven children. On Oct. 22, 2018, a soil conditioning and fumigation firm began applying the pesticide Tri-form 80, a fumigant produced by Gilroy-based Tri-Cal Inc., to 16 acres of pre-plant strawberry beds. Its main ingredients are 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin. The chemicals, used to kill pests such as microscopic worms known as nematodes that feast on strawberries, are applied by drip irrigation underneath tarps to prevent exposure. Product literature warns that the pesticide’s “poisonous liquid and vapor” can be “fatal if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the skin.” During the morning application, workers observed
a large amount of flooding in low-lying furrows and attempted to cover the flooded trenches with dirt to contain the spread of gas. From noon to 9pm, 13 residents in the nearby neighborhood experienced eye, nose and throat irritation, along with coughing. Two residents sought medical care. An investigation into the incident found several violations under the Food and Agricultural Code and Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations, including failing to perform pest control in a careful and effective manner and failing to abide by County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner’s Restricted Material Permit conditions. The County has proposed a $26,200 fine against Salinas-based Ramirez Jr. Berry Farms, and issued a proposed $62,400 fine against Trical, Inc. The latter is the largest fine ever issued by the County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner.
In another recent case, the Agricultural Commissioner proposed a $33,000 fine against Reiter Rodriguez, a strawberry grower with operations along the Pajaro River border with Santa Cruz County. In the 2018 case, six Reiter Rodriguez employees complained of symptoms including headache and nausea after being exposed to a pesticide application. Workers reportedly did not receive the required notifications, and only one worker was taken to receive medical attention. “We have the most robust pesticide enforcement program in the nation, but it only works if all the laws and regulations are followed,” Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales said. “Strong enforcement of the laws and regulations help to protect the health and wellbeing of workers, children and other Monterey County residents.”
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Contributed
BIG PLAN A rendering of the new power microgrid that will serve Gonazles.
GRID
➝ From page 1
clean energy requirements of the Gonzales Climate Action Plan. Concentric’s plan for the microgrid integrates a mix of 14.5MW-AC of solar energy, 10MW/27.5MWh of battery energy and 10MW of thermal generation. The design will allow the business park to function as an island of energy within the power grid, providing power 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even during grid outages. It will even include a privately owned substation, which can sell energy to the California electricity grid. “Gonzales has a long history of being proactive with our economic development programs, and the Ag Industrial Park’s tax revenues provide economic resilience in tough times,” said Rene Mendez, Gonzales city manager and ex-
EXHIBIT ➝ From page 3
including California Senator Anna Caballero, Dennis Donohue the head of Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology and Karen Caplan the president and CEO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce, a panel discussion led by leading women innovators in ag and agtech, and a sneak preview of the exhibition and films. Attendees have the opportunity to win prizes, including a copy of the forthcoming book "From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators in California Ag-
ecutive director of Gonzales Electric Authority. “This green, dependable power expansion project supports current landowners within the Park and provides the needed infrastructure for future development.” The effort started in 2017 with the City of Gonzales conducting early development and feasibility studies, with consultants ZeroCity and OutEnergy, which led to the solicitation in late 2019. The project will be funded primarily by Concentric, with supplemental funding from Gonzales Electric Authority and Gonzales Municipal Electric Utility to go toward ownership of the distribution infrastructure. “Multi-customer microgrids meet an urgent need for energy resilience and lower cost for communities and industry,” said Brian Curtis, founder and CEO of Concentric Power. “Fortunately, the related technology and business models have reached criti-
cal mass and are ready for large scale adoption. We’ve been fortunate to work with a visionary, progressive municipal utility like GEA on this watershed project. I believe this marks an inflection point that will open up the opportunity for more diverse applications while solving an immediate bottleneck in the Ag Industrial Park.” Concentric will develop, design, build, operate and maintain the microgrid, including generation and distribution, with those assets to eventually be transferred to Gonzales Municipal Electric Utility. The initial term for the services agreement is 30 years. In addition to the microgrid, Concentric plans to build an operations center and field office to support work in the region.
tech," telling the stories of women entrepreneurs who use technology to help solve problems ranging from climate change and limited water to uncertainties in immigration policy. The book will be published in April 2021 under Linden Publishing's Craven Street Books division, specializing in titles on California and the history of the western United States. Many of those portrayed are women of color who come from diverse backgrounds, the first in their families to complete higher education. What drew them into the nascent but fast-growing sector of agtech? What caused them
to uproot themselves to pursue a start-up dream in an industry that continues to be dominated by men? How are they getting their innovation into the hands of growers? The exhibition and the book attempt to answer these questions and create awareness of women leaders and entrepreneurs. The National Steinbeck Center is dedicated to John Steinbeck's creative legacy: To participate, to inspire, to educate, and to understand one another. Find out more at www.steinbeck.org.
Cannabis Chronicle CANNABIS CULTURE & NEWS FOR THE BAY AREA & CENTRAL COAST • FALL 2020
What Happened to Hemp? Behind its boom, bust and uncertain future P12
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CannabisChronicle.net
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FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE
OCTOBER 2020
50 CELEBRATING
YEARS
Gracias a
GAVINO DAVID CARDENAS POR 50 AÑOS
After 50 years working for the Braga family of companies, David has touched the lives of each Braga family member and even taught Chris Braga how to plant, cut and bale hay as a child. The Braga family is honored to celebrate this milestone with David.
Después de 50 años de estar trabajando para la familia Braga, David ha tocado la vida de cada miembro de la familia Braga e incluso enseñó a Chris Braga a plantar, cortar y embalar heno/ paja cuando era niño. La familia Braga tiene el honor de celebrar este hito con David.