The government will allow food producers to start zapping fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and other dangerous germs, a key safety move amid increasing outbreaks from raw produce.

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The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has just ruled that a federal district court improperly ordered the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to impose regulations mandating major reductions of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from farming operations in order to comply with federal air quality standards. Those regulations threaten to force thousands of farm acres out of production first in Ventura County and eventually the San Joaquin Valley as the use of fumigants and pesticides targeted as VOC emission contributors are restricted or entirely prohibited. A separate state court lawsuit filed by the Ventura County Agricultural Association challenges the validity of DPR’s regulatory process. That case has been argued and submitted to the court and a decision is pending.

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The recently-enacted Farm Bill legislates 2008 disaster programs covering losses to crops, trees/vines/bushes, forage, and other losses due to adverse weather.  These programs require the crops you planted, grew, produced or were prevented from planting to have been covered by federal crop insurance or FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). All of your crops on all of your acreage must be covered, not only those acres that suffered losses.

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There is still time for all members to renew their membership in Western Growers.

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