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Customers treated to unique demonstration

Groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of the first solar project at SHS

Candy converted to alternative fuel

By KELLIE HICKS

By TODD GUILD

Of the Land

SOLEDAD — Dozens of people gathered at Soledad High School Dec. 10 to celebrate the start of the school district’s first solar project. In attendance were Soledad Unified School District officials, Soledad High School staff, Soledad City Council members, community members and employees from OpTerra Energy Services, the company completing the work. The project has been a long time coming. Last year SUSD started talking about the need for solar and other energy solutions, and SHS was chosen to receive the first phase of the solar project. The project was put out to bid in March, and OpTerra was selected through a competitive procurement process in April. Superintendent Jorge Guzman said the project will not only save the school money for power, it will also be a learning tool with two kiosks to give students exposure to STEM and sustainability careers. “We are developing those pathways,” he said. SUSD School Board Vice President Jodi Massa called the project “exciting for our district.” “We are creating as many diverse learning opportunities for our students as we can,” Massa said. OpTerra has worked with MCOE and Hartnell College and with several of the cities in South County. Please turn to Page 4

JANUARY 2017

Of the Land

Agriculture land of the Pajaro Valley meets the slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

WATSONVILLE — Science has long ago busted the myth that too many sugary treats make children hyperactive, although few would argue against the fact they are unhealthy. Now, a Watsonville-based alternative fuel company may have found a good use for the chocolate bars, gumdrops, lollipops and other sweets for which children strive and parents discourage. Blume Distillation at 371 Calabasas Road recently received a 2,000-pound shipment of unwanted Halloween candy and, after boiling it down and distilling it, produced alcohol that can be used as a clean-burning fuel alternative. Blume Distillation has long led the alternative fuel industry in ways for its customers to make fuel from waste products. The candy demonstration was a colorful and largely tongue-in-cheek way to show the efficiency of the company’s distillation process, which can convert a wide range of waste products into a useful commodity. In its large warehouse, the company produces clean-burning ethanol from crop waste and other by-products most agricultural industries would consider garbage. Please turn to Page 4

MCARLM a historic and educational friend of the community By SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

KING CITY — Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum has been selected as this year’s Friend

of the Community. “The MCARLM board is excited and honored to have been chosen for this award,” Executive Director Jessica Potts said. In the late 1970s the Monterey County

The MCARLM Board of Directors. Pictured left to right: Will Taylor, Lincoln Hatch, Jessica Potts, Raye Ann Houx, and Jim Spreng. Submitted photo

Parks Department became involved with the Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum (MCARLM) when San Lorenzo Park was chosen as a museum site. Over the next 20 years MCARLM grew to include La Gloria School, Spreckels House, The Main Exhibit barn and a blacksmith shop. The Harvester Barn, which housed the harvesters and larger piece of agricultural equipment, was added in the mid-1980s. The Railroad Depot was added in 1989 and restored to its turnof the century appearance. The museum was officially dedicated in April 1982. “When the museum started in the early ‘80s, its goal was to save artifacts and pieces of the Salinas Valley agricultural history,” Potts said. “As the museum has grown, school tours have been a main aspect of our outreach, but our focus really changed in 2012. We went through the American Alliance on Museum’s program called Museum Please turn to Page 6

Blume Distillation Plant Operation Manager Rob Re dumps candy into a cooker as part of a process to switch waste into profitable fuel. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Inside ... Farm Bureau honored

Polenta and Stew Feed

Women in Cannabis

USDA grants

2 The Land - January 2017

Use caution when collecting, eating wild mushrooms Contributed article SACRAMENTO – With seasonal rains promoting the growth of wild mushrooms, California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith is reminding people that collecting and eating hazardous wild mushrooms can lead to serious illness and even death. “It is difficult to distinguish between wild mushrooms that are poisonous and those which are safe to eat,” Smith said. “Wild mushrooms should not be eaten unless they have been carefully examined

and determined to be edible by a mushroom expert.” Wild mushroom poisoning continues to make people ill and send them to the hospital. According to the California Poison Control System, 679 cases of ingestion were reported statewide from November 2015 to October 2016. Among those cases: • Three suffered a major health outcome, such as liver failure leading to coma and/ or a liver transplant, or kidney failure requiring dialysis. • 50 suffered a moderate health outcome, such as dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea, or injury to the liver or kidney.

• 348 were children under six years of age. Usually the children ate a small amount of a mushrooms growing in yards or neighborhood parks. • 415 were treated at a health care facility. • 8 were admitted to an intensive care unit. The most serious illnesses and deaths have been linked primarily to wild mushrooms known to cause liver damage, including Amanita phalloides, also known as the “death cap” and Amanita ocreata, or “destroying angel.” These and other poisonous mushrooms grow in some parts of California year-round, but are most

commonly found during fall, late winter or spring. Eating poisonous mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage or death. Anyone who develops symptoms after eating wild mushrooms should seek immediate medical attention. People who develop these symptoms, or their treating health care providers, should immediately contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Local mycological societies offer educational resources about mushroom identification, and may be able to help people identify mushrooms they have picked.

Farr announces $440,000 grant for UCSC Staff report SANTA CRUZ — On Nov. 29, Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded UC Santa Cruz $439,676 to research sustainable practices, including pest control, pollination and water storage, for urban agriculture.

“Not only is the Central Coast a leading producer of fresh produce for tables across the nation and abroad, we’re also leaders in agriculture research,” Farr said. “During my 40-plus years in elected office, I’ve been a champion for increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables and for improving sustainable agriculture practices. As the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing USDA’s budget, I’m really pleased to support this research

and help bring this grant home for UCSC.” Across the nation, population in many urban areas is growing but many residents lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables. As a result, an increasing number of these residents are growing produce in urban gardens. This research will provide information to improve sustainable practices for urban agriculture. Dr. Stacy Philpott, Associate Professor and the Heller Chair of Agroecology at

UCSC, will lead the research team. “Urban agriculture is increasingly important in supplying food for urban residents,” she said. “Yet, we lack scientific and management information about how to enhance pest control, pollination and water conservation in urban gardens in order to improve food access. We are excited to work with diverse gardener communities in the Central Coast to fill this information gap.”

Farm Bureau receives state honors PUBLISHER John Bartlett publisher@register-pajaronian.com

EDITOR Erik Chalhoub editor@register-pajaronian.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Tarmo Hannula, Todd Guild, Samantha Bengtson, Kellie Hicks

ADVERTISING Tina Chavez tinac@register-pajaronian.com Allison Stenberg astenberg@register-pajaronian.com Sheryl Bailey sheryl@southcountynewspapers.com Jon Allred jon@southcountynewspapers.com

ART AND DESIGN Mike Lyon

The Land is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher. The Land made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. The Land is a division of the Register-Pajaronian and South County Newspapers.

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Lisa and Georgeann Eiskamp stand next to a Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau display at the California Farm Bureau Federation’s 98th Annual Meeting in Monterey. Contributed photo

Staff report WATSONVILLE — The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau was honored at the

California Farm Bureau Federation’s 98th Annual Meeting in Monterey. The farm bureau received five County Activities of Excellence Awards in

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the categories of Membership, Policy Implementation, Leadership, Ag Education and Public Relations. It also was a state finalist in the “Innovator Award Contest” for its involvement with the Down to Earth Women Luncheon. A local delegation of eight attended the meeting in Monterey from Dec. 4-7. The official delegates representing the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau are Thomas Broz, president, and Brendan Miele, first vice president. The Alternate Delegates were past Farm Bureau President David Van Lennep, and Second Vice-President Arnett Young. Also attending from Santa Cruz County were Farm Bureau Board Members Cynthia Mathiesen, Matt Bissell and Nita Gizdich along with Executive Director Jess Brown. “We are very honored to receive the Activities of Excellence awards,” Broz said. “The Annual Meeting was a great opportunity for Farm Bureau members throughout the state to discuss mutual issues that affect farming. It is an opportunity to meet, make new friends while preparing our organization for the legislative issues that lie ahead in 2017.” There are 53 County Farm Bureaus in California.

The Land - January 2017 3

Heritage Foundation Polenta and Stew Feed serves 750

The Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation Board members. Photos by Samantha Bengtson/The Land

By SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

KING CITY – The Polenta and Stew Feed served 750 people on Dec. 9 at the Salinas Valley Fair Pavilion Building. The event is hosted by the Salinas Valley Heritage Foundation, and is in its fourth year. The event also marked the introduction of the Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Scholarship winner for 2017, Matthew Umbarger. “I can’t wait to represent the Heritage Foundation at the Salinas Valley Fair,” Umbarger said. Umbarger is a senior at King City High School and is part of the King City High School FFA chapter. He serves as the senior advisor and chapter treasurer. He has been showing swine for eight years and is planning on showing another hog at this year’s Salinas Valley Fair. The Heritage Foundation had five applications that stood out and narrowed the field down to Umbarger and runner-up Brett Wilkins from Lockwood 4-H. “The Heritage Scholarship is a very important part of what we do,” Salinas Valley Fair board member Jessica Harris said. “Not only do we get to recognize an outstanding student in an FFA or 4-H program but it also helps us raise money.” Currently the Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation has raised $1.5 million over the past 11 years. Kim Tankersley organized the Polenta and Stew Feed, while Steve Tankersley, Buck Tugel and Aaron Vanoli helped out on the Kitchen crew. The King City High School FFA chapter and Lockwood 4-H members Helping served the food and the desserts. Rounding out the night was a live auction and a visit from Santa Claus.

Dre Tankersley and Teagan Soares serve the salad and rolls during the Polenta and Stew Feed.

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4 The Land - January 2017

Groundbreaking

Continued from page 1

The system will be built in the main parking lot along Gabilan Street between the tennis courts and the school. In the parking lot, the solar panels will shade the cars parked there. It is projected to save $4 million in energy costs. The project is estimated to generate more than 745,000 kWh of clean electric energy, which is the equivalent to removing 257 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere annually. Students will monitor the system at a kiosk in the school, keeping track of energy produced, peak hours and other factors in the systems dayto-day use. The project is funded through a $2 million, zero percent interest loans from the California Energy Commission. The energy savings associated with the project’s renewable energy production will save the District approximately $45,000 annually after loan payments – totaling over $4,000,000 in energy savings over the 25-year life of the project. “I am so pleased to see our community and our school district exploring alternative energy sources,” said Soledad City Councilwoman Carla Stewart. “This project not only saves money for our school district, it protects and preserves our environmental resources and creates jobs for our residents. Exploring alternative energy sources encourages our citizens, especially our youth, to consider the impacts, both positive and negative, they are making on the environment on a daily basis.” Mother Nature was kind and didn’t rain during the groundbreaking for the first of many solar projects that will be built in the Soledad The project is expected to be complete, Unified School District. The first project is modeled after a MCOE project and will generate over 745,000 kWh of clean electric energy. barring bad weather, in the spring of 2017. Photo by Kellie Hicks/The Land

Clean Energy

Continued from page 1

Queen Blessing Itua (from third left) and Senator Dr. Donzella James of Georgia are among dignitaries in a tour of Blume Distillation. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

This includes the hulls from California’s multi-million dollar almond industry and crushed sugarcane. The system serves as an arm of the adjacent Whiskey Hill Farms, producing ethanol and methane from crop wastes, which in turn are used to power farm equipment. The farm also utilizes the effluent and heat produced during distillation to feed algae and in fish production, and

provides nutrients and heat for five acres of greenhouses. At the same time, it is a customer demonstration for the distillation systems sold by Blume Distillation to agricultural companies and other businesses around the world. Many countries are starting to see bioethanol as an alternative to gasoline, important for far-flung villages whose residents are deforesting their homes in

search of wood for cooking. Bill Park came to the demonstration from Iquitos, Peru, where residents rely on a fleet of motorcycle taxis to get around. Park said he is planning to bring one of Blume’s systems to the rural town, where he estimates it will save money and clean the air. “I’m incredibly impressed,” he said. Also in attendance was Senator Donzella James, D-Georgia, who authored the Zero

Waste by 2020 legislation, which has been implemented fully or in part by 46 states. A self-described environmentalist, James said she met Blume founder David Blume at a recent environmental conference, and now wants to bring one of the systems back to her home state. “I’m overwhelmed,” she said. “All my dreams and hopes are actually being realized here at Blume.”

The Land - January 2017 5

Tapping into a growing industry Group helps women interested in marijuana By TODD GUILD Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — In a small meeting room above the Appleton Grill Dec. 8, a group of women gathered to have lunch and talk shop about pot. The meeting included business professionals, blue- and white-collar workers and nurses, all of whom were hoping to learn about the burgeoning marijuana industry, and what their place could be in it. Some were merely curious about cannabis, while others were hoping to network for business reasons. Still others are considering getting involved in the industry. Bay Area Women In Cannabis was formed about two months ago to help women answer those questions, which became all the more relevant after Californians legalized recreational use of marijuana on Nov. 8. The move has untold implications for millions of weed consumers, and offers a virtually untapped industry of products and services for aspiring entrepreneurs. Better still, it has not yet been dominated by males, as have industries such as entertainment, agriculture and technology, said cofounder Kyra Reed. “Cannabis is really the first industry in the United States where women have the opportunity to have a level playing field,” she said. “We have the opportunity to own as many businesses, and dictate and determine the way this industry grows, and how businesses succeed in the industry.” But with all its potential, the industry also has pitfalls, as do all businesses. Hence the need for a clearinghouse of information by a group of women already in the know, she said. Some might need tips on securing

business loans, some advice about balancing their family life and others on making a shift from the corporate world to owning a business. “The focus of it is, what are the challenges that women face in business,” Reed said. “What are the challenges that women face in balancing their families and their business? What are the challenges that we face when it comes to security in this industry?” Reed, who has worked in the music, tech and marketing industries, said the group is open to anyone interested in the industry, but offers a leg-up for women, who all too often find themselves fighting for survival in male-dominated industries. “It’s brutal for women,” she said. “It is sexist, and it is hard to make your way, and as a result oftentimes women are not very open with each other and supportive and holding each other up.” That is not true in the cannabis industry, she said. “It is the most open network of people,” she said. “There is no industry like this.” Co-founder Linda Rosewood said Bay Area Women In Cannabis could also serve in part as a political advocacy group. That will be vital as local governments begin to hammer out their own tax structure and regulations on how they deal with legalized marijuana. On Dec. 13, for example, the Watsonville City Council considered an emergency ordinance essentially reaffirming its own prohibition on the “cultivation, processing, manufacture, distribution, testing, and sale of non-medical cannabis.” The ordinance is intended to give the council time to analyze potential new policies as the state moves to legalized sales next year. Rosewood said that, if jurisdictions are too heavy-handed on taxation, or if they

Bay Area Women in Cannabis founders Kyra Reed (left) and Linda Rosewood at Appleton Grill during a monthly meeting. Photo by Todd Guild/The Land

establish outright bans on grows they could price medical marijuana users out of the market. Another complication is that marijuana is still illegal on a federal level, and business expenses are therefore not taxdeductible, Rosewood said. “Unless the people who care about it are organizing locally, we will never be able to help the local regulators and the

local elected officials to understand what’s really the most important thing about cannabis which is the medicine,” she said. ••• Bay Area Women In Cannabis meets on the second Thursday of every month at locations around the Bay Area. For information, visit the group’s Facebook and Meetup.com pages.

City adopts urgency ordinance regarding non-medical marijuana By KELLIE HICKS Of the Land

GONZALES – With the passing of Proposition 64 on Nov. 8, the Non-Medical Marijuana Act, the use of non-medical or recreational marijuana has been legalized. Individuals 21 years old or older are now allowed to smoke, ingest, possess, process, transport and purchase of up to 28.5 grams of non-medical marijuana or eight-grams of concentrated non-medical marijuana product. They are also allowed to grow up to six marijuana plants indoors or outdoors for personal use. However, local cities have the right to regulate certain parts of the proposition to the wishes of their city councils. The indoor cultivation of medical and nonmedical marijuana cannot be banned by a municipality, but can be reasonably regulated. Also, outdoor marijuana cultivation may be regulated and/or completely prohibited. The Gonzales City Council voted five to zero to accept Urgency Ordinance No. 2016-98, and place in some city restrictions to the use and cultivation of non-medical marijuana. The ordinance will be in effect for 45 days from the date it was voted on, meaning if the city would like it to run longer, the ordinance will have to be on the agenda of the one of the next two City Council meetings or it will finish its run and time out. The Urgency Ordinance may be extended twice, first time for an additional 10 months and 15 days, and subsequently for one year. Any extension also requires a four-fifths vote for adoption and no more

than two extensions may be adopted. As part of the urgency ordinance, outside cultivation of non-medical marijuana is prohibited. Inside cultivation is allowed but is restricted to six plants per residence, regardless of how many people who live in the residence. There are 21 restrictions included regarding inside growing of non-medical marijuana, most are in place to ensure the security of the house, and the people that live in the house. Residents under the age of 21 are restricted from entering the room where the plants are grown, also no room that is used for cooking of meals, sleeping and bathing can be used for cultivation and the room has several other restrictions. In the city itself the use of marijuana products is banned, “where smoking of tobacco products or electronic smoking devices is prohibited by state and federal law, including but not limited to indoor workplaces, bars and restaurants, state county and city buildings, tot lots and playgrounds, within 1,000 feet of any school, day care center, or youth center while children are present, while driving or riding in the passenger seat of any vehicle used for transportation, and in all places in the city where smoking of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices in recreational areas is prohibited.” Copies of the Urgency Ordinance #201698 are available on request at the Gonzales City Hall or it can be read online from the City Council, Dec. 5 Agenda Packet. The ordinance will be reviewed again at either the Jan. 3 or Jan. 17 City Council meeting.

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Mary Bannister to retire Saw PVWMA through legal troubles, basin management plan

MCARLM

Continued from page 1

Assessment Program which focused on community engagement.” MCARLM went through an indepth self-evaluation, which prompted organizers to continue to strive to save and preserve Salinas Valley history, but also to repurpose the organization to focus on educational programming. “This included growing and improving the school tour program to be a stronger, curriculum-based program, added historical lectures, created the fourth grade History Jamboree, created community outreach program such as the Holiday Open House and the Ghost Stories Bon-Fire,” Potts said. “We have our two main fundraisers, but we consider the other programs, such as the lectures, Ghost Stories Bon-fire, Holiday Open House, Exhibit Openings, etc. to be our ‘friendraisers’ that strengthen

our community ties.” More than 15,000 Monterey County students have taken part in the hands-on learning provided by MCARLM school tours over the last decade. The main fundraisers of MCARLM are the Drury Tankersley Clam Chowder Dinner and the Prime Rib Dinner. The Museum also hosts three farm days, and the Rotary/Chamber All-American Barbecue that kicks off beautification week in June. MCARLM has also begun hosting annual traveling exhibits and the High School Internship Program. MCARLM will be recognized along with Bassetti Farms and Anita McKean during the Big Event hosted by King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture on Feb. 11 at the Salinas Valley Fair Orradre Building.

USDA awards $6.7 million for research to support agroecosystems Contributed article

Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency General Manager Mary Bannister stepped down at the end of 2016. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

By TODD GUILD Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — After 17 years working with Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, General Manager Mary Bannister announced her retirement recently. Bannister’s retirement was effective on Dec. 31. The agency will announce an interim director in December. Bannister, a certified engineering geologist, started at PVWMA in 1999 after working for consulting firms in Alaska and California. Bannister took the management position during a time of controversy and lawsuits. In 2011, the agency finished paying back $11 million to customers, which came from a 2007 ruling that fees collected between 2003 and 2007 were violated state law. In 2013, the agency saw a victory in court when a panel of judges ruled that a controversial water augmentation charge from 2010 was valid, a decision that ended a legal battle that cost the agency more than a half-million dollars. All the while, the agency was battling overdraft from the groundwater basin that irrigates the Pajaro Valley, and the subsequent saltwater intrusion.

But Bannister stabilized the agency even as she oversaw the adoption of a Basin Management Plan update and fee structure to support it, in advance of the state’s new laws regulating groundwater. In addition, she worked with the City of Watsonville — under a partnership that is considered a model in California — to develop a Recycled Water Facility that provides more than 4,000 acre-feet per year of irrigation supply to coastal growers. This project, and the 20-plus miles of delivery pipeline and other facilities, were constructed with the help of more than $50 million in state and federal grants won during Bannister’s tenure. Bannister, 63, said she wants to spend time with her family, and on growing dahlias and helping at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. “It’s been a long, gratifying – sometimes very challenging – experience,” she said. “I think we’re in such a good place right now.” Bannister has a daughter, Lisette Parks, 24, who is an accountant with Deloitte, and a son, Joey Parks, 20, who is a commercial fisherman. Her husband, Rick Parks, is a geotechnical engineer with the County of Santa Cruz. She lives in Watsonville with three dogs, two cats and 16 chickens.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced 18 grants totaling more than $6.7 million for research to discover how components of the agroecosystem from soil, water and sun to plants, animals and people, interact with and affect food production. These awards are made through NIFA’s Bioenergy and Natural Resources Program, Agroecosystem priority area of the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). “Population growth, along with environmental factors, including the growing threat of climate change, are putting increasing demand on the land, water and other resources that produce our food,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These investments will help us understand how we can farm more

effectively and sustainably to feed the growing global population.” NIFA’s AFRI Foundational: Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment Program supports research on healthy agroecosystems and their underlying natural resources essential to the sustained long-term production of agricultural goods and services. Agroecosystems may include crop production systems, animal production systems, and pasture, range and forest lands that are actively managed to provide economic, societal and environmental benefits. Projects funded through this program area contribute to the knowledge needed for sustainable production of agroecosystems while retaining needed ecosystem services-such as drinking water, pollination and climate regulation.

Awards for 2016 include: • Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $439,080 • The Regents of the University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Calif., $439,676 • National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., $50,000 • Archbold Expeditions, Venus, Fla., $499,921 • University of Florida Board of Trustees, Gainesville, Fla., $438,705 • Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill., $ 440,000 • Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill., $439,892 • Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $474,632 • Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $49,500 • University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., $ 149,736 • North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., $498,995 • The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $499,094 • The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $439,966 • Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $ 375,000 • The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., $471,324 • New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M., $145,205 • The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $375,000 • Utah State University, Logan, Utah, $499,884

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The Land - January 2017 7

Work has begun on a new Community Park By SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

GREENFIELD — Landscaping and construction work has begun at the corner of Apple Avenue and Third Street for the Prop 84 Community Park. Stockbridge General Contracting Inc. is working on the landscaping for the park as well as the construction work for the amphitheater. Stockbridge General Contracting Inc. was awarded the $1.9 million contract in June. The park plans to have activities and attractions for all ages including a pathway

surrounding the park to walk, run or jog around. “The park should be completed in March 2017,” Community Services Director Mic Steinmann said. A pergola directly above the amphitheater will provide shade. The three-acre park will include climbing rock features, a restroom facility, a full-sized tennis court, half-court basketball court and a turf play area. The Prop 84 Community Park will include a parking lot with four parking spaces and will be located next to The Vines at Greenfield.

Construction workers work to bring the park together on Dec. 12. Photos by Samantha Bengtson/The Land

The amphitheater is under construction for the new community park.

USDA announces new conservation opportunities Contributed article Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes new CRP practices to protect water quality and adds an additional 1.1 million acres targeted to benefit wildlife, pollinators and wetlands. “The Conservation Reserve Program is an extremely popular voluntary program that offers producers and landowners a wide variety of opportunities to prevent erosion, protect wildlife habitat and reduce nutrient runoff,” said Vilsack. “With the program close to the legal enrollment limit of 24 million acres, USDA has been working to use all of the tools at our disposal to maximize benefits by combining multiple soil, water and wildlife objectives in the areas where it is needed most.” Vilsack unveiled a new conservation initiative known as Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR), which will add new tools to CRP that can help to improve water quality. CLEAR will assist landowners with the cost of building bioreactors and saturated buffers that filter nitrates and other nutrients from tile-drained cropland. Early estimates indicate that CLEAR could help to reduce nitrate runoff by as much as 40 percent over traditional conservation methods. CLEAR may cover up to 90 percent of the cost to install these new practices through

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incentives and cost-share. These new methods are especially important in areas where traditional buffers have not been enough to prevent nutrients from reaching bodies of water. USDA will also add an additional 1.1 million acres to a number of key CRP practices that are critically important to wildlife and conservation. These include 700,000 acres for State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) efforts, which restore high-priority wildlife habitat tailored to a specific state’s needs. In addition to SAFE, 300,000 acres will be added to target wetlands restoration that are nature’s water filters and 100,000 acres for pollinator habitat that support 30 percent of agricultural production. The continued strong demand for CRP combined with the limited acreage available for enrollment and lower land rental rates, allows USDA to modify certain program components without affecting the integrity of the program. Signing incentives are being reduced by $25 per acre on certain practices for fiscal year 2018 enrollments (incentives are currently between $100 and $150 per acre) and a cap on the maximum soil rental rate is being instituted for Continuous CRP at $300 per acre. The savings from these changes are being reinvested back in CRP, including the additional acres for SAFE, pollinator habitat and wetlands restoration. To learn more about FSA’s conservation programs, visit www.fsa. usda.gov/conservation or contact your local FSA office. To find your local FSA office, visit offices.usda.gov.

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www.AToolShed.com 1-800-A-TOOL-SHED

Morgan Hill

408-779-7368 95 E. MAIN AVE.

Santa Cruz

Salinas

3700 SOQUEL AVE.

210 W. MARKET ST.

831-477-7133 831-424-7368

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