New coalition aims to protect California’s pollinators The California Pollinator Coalition aims to protect the state’s bees and butterflies, something of vital importance to Stanislaus County as almond pollination was the eighth-most profitable commodity locally in 2019, valued at nearly $84 million (Journal file photo).
It’s no secret that almonds reign supreme when it comes to crops in Stanislaus County, but it can be easy to forget that pollinators like bees and butterflies are essential for the orchards to thrive. A diverse coalition announced this week is aiming to protect the vital, six-legged friends of farmers in order to make sure that the state’s robust farming industry continues to provide.
A new California bill, if passed, could help Central Coast families retain family-owned farms and ranch land as they are passed down from generation to generation.
This week, Congressman Jimmy Panetta introduced the Preserving Family Farms Act which aims to help family-owned farms continue operations by updating the special use valuation provision of the estate tax.
Joined by Jackie Walorski (R-IN-02), Panetta s act would increase the amount of farmland that can be valued for family farming operations and decrease the amount of farmland that must be valued for development purposes when someone inherits the property.
“Estate taxes on family-owned farms have forced families to split up the land they have spent generations building,” Panetta said in a press release. “Our Preserving Family Farms Act would ease this burden by ensuring that these farms are appraised by the value of their business, rather than development value.
California, almond growers join forces on bees, butterflies desertsun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from desertsun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Todd Fitchette
Protecting and promoting managed honeybees and other pollinators in California is the object of a new coalition between various agriculture, government, and non-governmental organizations. The groups aim to provide habitat and forage for pollinators and beneficial insects across California s agricultural landscape.
A coalition of agriculture, natural resource organizations and conservation groups announced a partnership to boost pollinator habitat on farms and elsewhere across California. While the goal implies efforts to benefit the bees used to pollinate the state s almond crop, there are other benefits said to be borne from the effort.
The newly formed coalition between the Pollinator Partnership and a host of groups, including the Almond Board of California and California Department of Food and Agriculture, aims to provide habitat and forage for pollinators and beneficial insects across the state s agricultural landscape. Common practi
YF&R program, leaders pivot in response to adversity
Lindsey Mebane
Allen Hancock College YF&R members assemble care packages to be distributed to members of their community in Santa Barbara County.
Kern County YF&R members partnered with a produce company in 2020 to donate 4,400 pounds of food to hospitals for their front-line employees.
Napa County YF&R members, assemble garden kits to be distributed to local residents to grow their own food.
Nick Rocca, past co-chair of Fresno-Madera YF&R, led the group to serve more than 600,000 meals and 1.2 million pounds of food to people in need during the pandemic.