Ted Quaday | California Climate & Agriculture Network

California Small Farm Conference Draws Enthusiastic Growers to Valencia

March 21, 2012 by Ted Quaday 1 Comment

More than 400 small farm operators in California came together in southern California recently for the 25^th annual California Small Farm Conference. The event provided attendees with opportunities to learn the ins and outs of developing successful and sustainable farm businesses.

Bringing the next generation of growers into farming was an area of concern, as were means of protecting farms against invasive pests. Farmers also got a chance to learn more about evolving energy and carbon markets as the state of California implements its cap-and-trade program.

Dave Runsten (left) and Bob Corshen with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers in Davis, CA confer during tabling activities at the 2012 Small Farm Conference in Valencia.

As a presenter in the “Alternative Energy & Carbon Markets: Promises and Pitfalls” workshop, I briefed farmers on the challenges climate change will bring including the potential for increased flooding in winter and deeper droughts in summer. Erratic and extreme weather events already seem on the way to becoming the norm. Yield reductions, shifting crop patterns and increased and changing pest and disease pressures are also likely to occur. All of these changes leave California’s farmers economically vulnerable.

I also talked about steps farmers can take to adapt to the changing climate. Some ideas include working to increase soil fertility and water-holding capacity, increasing biodiversity, and on-farm water storage, as well as finding ways to minimize the use of fossil-fuel based inputs including motor fuels and synthetic nitrogen fertilizer.

To learn more about what climate challenges lie ahead and ways to adapt, check out CalCAN’s web-based resource information.

On the policy front, I talked about the idea that the entire state needs to be looking for ways to invest in California’s agricultural future. One of the ways to do that is by directing some of the revenue generated by the new cap-and-trade program toward agricultural research, technical assistance and in support of on-farm practices that produce climate benefits.

Over the next few months, the state legislature will weigh in on areas where cap-and-trade revenue (estimated at between $500 million and $1 billion in 2012) should be invested. CalCAN continues to advocate that sustainable agricultural solutions be a part of the cap-and-trade investment plan.

Among folks at the Small Farm Conference, interest in ways to help farmers meet the challenges of climate change was strong. You can help CalCAN continue building statewide backing for this deeper investment in sustainable agriculture by contacting us at info@calclimateag.org.

Filed Under: AB 32 Implementation, Farmer Resources, Featured - Sidebar, Impacts of Climate Change, Uncategorized Tagged With: AB 32, California agriculture, cap-and-trade, climate change, climate legislation, effects of climate change, farmer, sustainable agriculture

U.S. Senate Ag Panel Considers Conservation At Second Farm Bill Hearing

February 29, 2012 by Ted Quaday Leave a Comment

Family farmers joined program administrators and others yesterday in telling the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee that if you want to do some environmental good and help ensure a reliable food supply, make sure federal conservation programs are well-funded under Farm Bill 2012.

California rangeland in the Conservation Stewardship Program

Conservation was the focus of the ag panel’s second farm bill hearing on Tuesday, February 28. Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White told the senators there is continued high demand for conservation programs despite rising crop prices that seem destined to move some conservation lands back into production.

According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), White singled out the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) as a particularly popular option among farmers. “I have been stunned by the demand for this program,” said White. “We have to turn millions of acres away this year. CSP is where the cutting edge in conservation will become the mainstream. It is the only way we will be able to sustain the land in order to feed 9 billion people.”

Minnesota farmer Darrel Mosel told the committee that the CSP “is a program that allows farmers to farm and at the same time enhance the conservation performance and environmental outcomes of their operation. I believe that CSP is a shining example of what’s right in farm policy.”

The NSAC staff members attended yesterday’s hearing and provided a full report on the proceedings including additional commentary from family farmers making use of conservation programs to enhance production and preserve environmental quality.

Filed Under: Farm Bill 2012, Federal Policy Tagged With: Conservation Programs, Conservation Stewardship Program, farmer, NRCS, sustainable agriculture, USDA

Farm Bill 2012 Hearings Open As Next Year’s Budget Plans Emerge

February 16, 2012 by Ted Quaday Leave a Comment

A new chapter on Farm Bill 2012 opened Wednesday with the first in a series of hearings before the Senate Committee on Agriculture. The hearing focused on energy programs and rural economic development. It featured committee chair Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) observing that the farm bill is a jobs bill as she advocated for early action to pass a new bill this spring.

While the Senate eases into its farm bill discussion, analysts at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition are pouring over President Obama’s FY 2013 budget proposal, which was released on Monday. It’s a “mixed bag” says NSAC. There are big cuts proposed for working lands conservation programs and some up and down adjustments in discretionary spending for other sustainable agriculture programs. NSAC has provided a detailed analysis of the President’s proposal in the web post “Obama’s FY 2013 USDA Budget Request.”

The analysis is well worth the read as we gear up to support the sustainable agriculture elements of US farm programs. It’s detailed, yet concise, and helps provide perspective to the administration’s agricultural priorities. Among the troubling signals the administration is sending is a willingness to cut deeply into conservation programs.

That, in NSAC’s view would be a mistake: “Now is not the time to do further damage to the conservation baseline. Farmer and rancher demand for conservation dollars exceeds supply by multiple factors for most programs. If anything, in the face of renewed severe erosion, climate change pressures, water depletion, and mounting energy prices, we need a bigger, not a smaller investment in farm conservation to protect the land that is our long-term food security.”

At CalCAN will heartily agree with the NSAC assessment. The budget message coming from the White House tells us that we’ll have our work cut out for us in Washington, D.C. this year as we work to build a sustainable and climate-friendly food system.

Filed Under: Farm Bill 2012, Featured - Sidebar, Federal Policy Tagged With: Farm Bill 2012, policy, sustainable agriculture, USDA

Ecofarm Conference is Call to Action

February 9, 2012 by Ted Quaday 1 Comment

The Ecofarm Conference is always an energizing experience, but this year the currents of change seemed particularly electrifying. Maybe it was the weather, which was unusually warm and sunny along California’s Central Coast in early February. Maybe it was the impressive number of young people who have caught hold of the Ecofarm vision of farming in concert with nature. Maybe it was simply the incredible enthusiasm of the 1,700 farmers and food activists who gathered at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove.

Attendees came together under the conference theme of “Raising EcoFarmers’ Voices.” Throughout the three-day gathering, that theme echoed as plenary speakers like food policy activist and current Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie reminded the group that California has always provided leadership to the food and farm movement. Engaging in the discussion and creation of public policy around food and farming is crucial, said Ritchie.

“Policy is important because policy shapes the future,” he said. “If we want things to keep getting better, we have to stay involved.”

Other presenters issued similar calls for increased participation at the local, state, and national level. As part of our work toward a climate-friendly food and farm economy, CalCAN moderated two workshops on engaging citizen participation in the push for a Farm Bill that protects conservation, organic and beginning farmer programs.

On a more hands-on level, we facilitated a workshop highlighting the climate-friendly efforts of the Fetzer/Bonterra Vineyards and those of organic walnut producer Russ Lester of Dixon Ridge Farm in Winters, CA.

Fetzer/Bonterra has done pioneering work in organic wine grape production and recently completed a survey of vineyard properties to develop a benchmark for determining the level of carbon sequestration taking place in the soils, forests and borders surrounding its vineyards.

Russ Lester told workshop attendees about the many ways he has found to create a more climate-friendly farming environment. He noted that government-funded subsidies and grants have been beneficial in helping him reduce the carbon footprint on his farm. He also showcased a system he’s developed enabling him to burn waste walnut shells to generate electricity. Thanks to a bill, the Renewable Energy Equity Act, sponsored by CalCAN, Dixon is now able to connect to the grid and cut his energy costs while lowering his carbon footprint by producing renewable energy from a waste product.

Research, innovation, policy change — all require commitment at the individual level. People coming together to move the farm and food agenda forward in a positive way. That’s the message Ecofarm delivered, and it’s the vision CalCAN carries forward in its work to be the sustainable agriculture voice for climate-friendly farming in California. In coming days, we’ll be moving to increase our organizing activity and our potential for making policy change here in California as we launch the Food and Climate Project. Through this project we’ll be reaching out to organizations, individuals, and businesses with an invitation to take action on initiatives that help California’s farmers and ranchers adapt to climate change and unleash their potential for providing climate benefits. Stay tuned for more details, or contact Ted Quaday, CalCAN’s Campaign Director, for more information.

Filed Under: California Policy, Farm Bill 2012, Federal Policy, Renewable Energy Tagged With: CalCAN's work, California agriculture, climate change, farmer, Food & Climate Project, on-farm energy, on-farm renewable energy

Comprehensive Farm Bill Analysis Provided by National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

November 24, 2011 by Ted Quaday Leave a Comment

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has carefully analyzed the farm bill scramble that evolved over the past few weeks in a two-part blog. The write-up provides comprehensive information regarding the status of the 2012 Farm Bill in the wake of the demise of the Super Committee.

Part one looks at likely next steps for the farm bill and the budget : http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/2011-farm-bill-part-one/

Part two looks at known details of the farm bill as it was developed by the ag leadership in the House and Senate. This is the so-called “Secret Farm Bill: http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/2011-farm-bill-rip-part-two/

And we wish you an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday with family, friends, and lots of good food raised by family farmers near you.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

New Reports Flag Climate Change Food Challenges

November 23, 2011 by Ted Quaday 1 Comment

World climate and agriculture research scientists weighed in heavily last week with two new reports that underscore the urgent need to address climate change and its potential impact on our food supply.

The first report, Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation, was issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of 220 leading climate scientists. It makes clear there is a direct link between the short-term weather extremes we’ve been experiencing and the longer-term climate changes brought on by greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere.

The atmosphere is warming and has been for decades. The new IPCC analysis says that globally there is no doubt we will see increased and more extreme heat waves, droughts, and flood conditions. Each of these extremes has implications for food production in California, as we discussed in a recent blog.

The second report, produced by 13 scientists on the international Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, is entitled Achieving Food Security in the Face of Climate Change. It cautions that the time is now to begin transforming our food production, distribution, and consumption activities. It lays out a set of action points that are sobering in their scope. As the authors put it, what is required is a “transition to a global food system that satisfies human needs, reduces its carbon footprint, adapts to climate change and is in balance with planetary resources requires concrete and coordinated actions, implemented at scale, simultaneously, and with urgency.”

The scientists warn that “business as usual in our globally interconnected food system will not bring us food security and environmental sustainability.” They add that “greatly expanded investments in sustainable agriculture, including improving supporting infrastructure and restoring degraded ecosystems, are an essential component of long-term economic development. The sooner they are made, the greater the benefits will be.”

Though these two reports are global in focus, they contain important warnings that could easily apply to food and farming here at home.

We know the obesity epidemic will have a huge financial impact on our health care system, and huge personal impacts on individuals, families, and communities. It is another indication that business as usual is neither healthy, nor sustainable.

Never has consumer interest in food been greater and better informed. The rise of the good food movement is already prompting shifts in farming practices, food policies, and consumer buying preferences. Organic sales continue to rise despite the on-going economic slide. People are demanding access to locally produced foods that are raised sustainably and arrive in the marketplace fresh and flavorful. They are using their food dollars to say clearly that they want their local family farmers and farm laborers to thrive.

New federal programs aim to improve the quality of school lunch and to provide universal access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Other programs encourage on-farm conservation practices that have provided tremendous opportunities to reverse environmental damage that is often the result of industrial agriculture practices. But these programs are under constant threat of being scaled back or eliminated.

As with most complex problems, a systems approach to the solutions is needed, and these solutions must address multiple challenges. We agree with the authors of the global food security report — sustainable agriculture solutions, grounded in a system-wide reconfiguration of how food is produced and distributed, are the most powerful way to solve many of the limits and shortcomings of our current approach.

While the international commission offered its recommendations in a global context, we believe that their call for a coordinated framework of sustainable agriculture policies and programs is applicable in California as well. Here are some actions we can take at the state level to help ensure our own food security and the economic security of our food producers:

Invest in more research to identify the best farming practices for mitigation and adaptation to climate change,
Provide more technical assistance to help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change,
Reward farmers who adopt climate-friendly food production systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change,
Strengthen support for on-farm conservation, and
Encourage renewable energy production through grant support and farmer-friendly policies.

We can achieve a vibrant economy that supports healthy food access, even in the face of climate change. But it will take investment. Funds generated through implementation of California’s climate change law (AB32) should go to supporting our food security in the face of challenging climate changes.

Filed Under: California Policy, General Information, Impacts of Climate Change Tagged With: California agriculture, climate change, policy, sustainable agriculture

Weather Extremes Signal Need for Bold Action to Transform California Agriculture

November 15, 2011 by Ted Quaday Leave a Comment

It seems like not a day goes by without a report from somewhere in the world of an extreme weather event. A couple weeks ago an unusually early winter storm in New England dumped two feet of snow, cut power to millions, and caused death for some. Last week, Alaska’s Pacific Coast was slammed by a so-called “monster” storm that devastated coastal villages and threatened Nome with flooding and high winds. Last spring and summer, unusually powerful tornadoes wrecked destruction and death across wide sections of the Great Plains and South. An on-going drought in the Southwestern United States continues to threaten crops and livestock.

All this extreme weather can’t help but raise the specter of climate change as a primary cause. Quite simply, a warming atmosphere fueled by increasing greenhouse gas emissions is creating dangerous weather. Sadly, the news on the emissions front seems to be going from bad to worse. Last week the US Department of Energy reported that carbon emissions worldwide made their biggest annual increase ever in 2010. That report was followed by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report that it’s Annual Greenhouse Gas Index was also on the rise.

Looking at these distressing reports, the phrase that comes to mind is the Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared.” Be prepared for weirder, wackier, more extreme weather as we continue to load the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases.

At the California Climate and Agriculture Network, we do a good bit of thinking about just exactly how we might prepare ourselves to face this on-going global crisis. Data analyzed in the report Ready… Or Not? tells a disturbing story — California farmers and ranchers will not escape climate change effects, and there are insufficient resources available help them cope.

A diminished Sierra snowpack will melt earlier, causing flooding in the spring and reducing water supplies over the summer. Scientists predict chill hours — the time fruit and nut trees need to spend in cooler temperatures to produce fruit — will decline dramatically over the next several decades. A drop in chill hours will threaten key California crops like nuts, grapes, stone fruit, avocadoes and some wine grape varietals.

State livestock producers, who generated $8 billion in revenues in 2009, will also face challenges. Water shortages will cut animal productivity. More livestock will die. Those that live will lose appetite, produce less milk and fewer eggs, and be less able to reproduce. None of this news is good.

California agriculture contributes $37 billion dollars annually to the state economy. Our farms and ranches are among the most productive on the planet. Clearly, we need to increase our efforts to slow and ultimately reverse this damage. We can’t afford to wait.

Concerns over the agricultural impact of climate change are gaining traction with state policy makers. The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will host a forum in mid-November to learn more about the risks our food producers face due to extreme weather events. In December, Governor Brown will host a conference on confronting climate change. We need to start now and we need bold action to help our food producers and the state’s agricultural economy meet the climate change threat.

Food producers are skilled at adapting to difficult circumstances, and the most innovative growers can lead the way to greater resilience. They know that healthy soil and expansive rangeland can trap carbon and slow climate change. They understand that on-farm water storage can help alleviate summer shortages. Crop diversity can reduce pest damage. Agricultural waste can be transformed into an energy resource.

But given the magnitude of the expected impacts of climate change, California’s farmers and ranchers will need more than individual actions if our agriculture system is to thrive in the coming decades. More research is needed to identify the best farming practices for adapting to climate change. More technical assistance is needed to help farmers make transitions. A state-level conservation program is needed to reward those farmers who adopt new, more resilient food production systems. CalCAN has detailed these and other suggested changes in a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to the Brown Administration.

Funds to support these initiatives could be provided by tapping a percentage of state revenue garnered through the sale of carbon allowances to the biggest CO₂ emitters. Strengthening support for on-farm conservation efforts is also crucial. On-going efforts to encourage renewable energy production through grant support and better policies and programs could reduce grower dependence on fossil fuels.

The challenges of extreme weather and climate change are daunting; the stakes for California’s food production system are high. Bold, innovative programs are needed now to help ensure a thriving farm economy.

Filed Under: California Policy, Climate & Ag Research, Impacts of Climate Change Tagged With: California agriculture, effects of climate change, policy, Weather