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farms

Floodwaters on farms help boost aquifers

in Agriculture/Community/News

The historically wet winter early this year motivated greater adoption of a water management strategy known as flood-managed aquifer recharge, or flood-MAR, in which excess flood flows are diverted onto farmland to boost depleted groundwater aquifers.

“We knew from the previous year, even in intense drought years, we have opportunities with these big storm events and need to do everything we can,” said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth, addressing water managers, farmers, government officials and others, as part of the Flood-MAR Forum in Sacramento last week. “Our ability to respond to those kinds of intense rain events is becoming increasingly important.”

Continue reading on Valley Voice

New Foster Farms CEO talks about staffing, products and more as family ownership ends

in business/Employment

The new ownership at Foster Farms plans to retain its 12,000-strong workforce and the company’s mix of poultry products, Chief Executive Officer Donnie Smith said.

“There’s no reason for anybody at Foster Farms to be concerned about whether or not they’re going to have a job,” he said on a Zoom call Tuesday with The Modesto Bee. “Our intent is to grow the business.”

Smith spoke two weeks after Atlas Holdings, based in Greenwich, Connecticut, purchased Foster Farms from the family that founded it in 1939. The price was not disclosed. The operation includes turkey processing in Turlock and chicken plants in Livingston, Fresno, Porterville, Oregon, Washington, Louisiana and Alabama.

Continue Reading in The Modesto Bee

TID fears state orders will deprive farms

in News

The California State Water Resources Board issued curtailment orders to 45 water rights holders in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta, including the Turlock Irrigation District. These orders could cause water shortages in the coming years if they stay in place for an extended period of time.

The curtailment order instructs local agencies to immediately stop diverting flows to rivers. The Turlock Irrigation District, along with the Modesto Irrigation District, owns and operates Don Pedro Reservoir that is a collection site from the Tuolumne River and main source of irrigation water.

The current water year will be coming to a close on Oct. 1, and there is enough water stored for the rest of the year, according to TID. Also on Oct. 1, the state water board will rereview the curtailment and determine whether to lift it or not.

Continue Reading on Ceres Courier

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