madera county farm bureau - maderafb.com 2010 mcfb paper.pdf · calendar agriculture today by kate...

MADERA COUNTYFARM BUREAU

BusinessMember Profi lePage 4

Purl’s SheetMetal

Tweets Page 6

November 2010 Vol. 1, No. 1

Tweeting from the Tractor

Page 6

November2 Executive Committee Meeting,

4:00 p.m., MCFB Conference Room, 1102 South Pine Street, Madera (559) 674-8871, info @ www.maderafb.com

9 MCFB Board of Directors Meet-ing, 12:00 p.m., MCFB Ben Hayes Hall, 1102 South Pine Street, Madera (559) 674-8871, info @ www.maderafb.com

December7 Executive Committee Meeting,

4:00 p.m., MCFB Conference Room, 1102 South Pine Street, Madera (559) 674-8871, info @ www.maderafb.com

9 MCFB Board of Directors Christ-mas Party, 6:00 p.m., the Vine-yard Restaurant & Bar, 605 South I Street, Madera

CALENDAR

November 2010 Vol. 1, No. 1November 2010 Vol. 1, No. 1AGRICULTURE TODAY

By Kate CampbellAg Alert

By signing a budget “trailer” bill last week, Gov. Schwarzenegger assured interim funding for the Williamson Act farmland-conservation program.

Senate Bill 863, a follow-up bill to the recently approved state budget, contains $10 million in funding that will go toward reimbursements for counties that participate in the Williamson Act program in the 2010-11 fi scal year.

The California Farm Bureau Federation worked with legislators and the Schwarzenegger administration to develop program alternatives and the interim

funding that CFBF President Paul Wenger called key to the program’s survival.

“We appreciate, in a very tight budget year, that Governor Schwarzenegger recognized that the agricultural community stepped to the plate and provided an interim solution for maintaining this program and keeping it going with interim funding until the state budget situation gets better,” Wenger said.

SB 863 also contained technical changes to the previously adopted Assembly Bill 2530 by Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber. The new law essentially replaces AB 2530 and adds an urgency clause,

Williamson Act gains funding in new budget

See Williamson; Page 5

Raisin grapes dry on trays as farmers try to beat the onset of rainfall.

CONSERVATION DEADLINES SET

DAVIS, Calif., Sept. 13, 2010—The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California has set the application deadline for Fiscal Year 2011 Farm Bill conservation programs funding as November 12, 2010.

The deadline includes all California Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) initiatives, except the EQIP Organic Initiative. The EQIP Organic Initiative sign up deadline will be provided at a later date.

NRCS’s EQIP program initiatives eligible for this sign up include, but are not limited to: Water Quality – Animal Feeding Operations (AFO)Water Conservation / Drought ResponseWildlife Habitat ImprovementsCalifornia Air QualityGrazing Lands ManagementForest Lands Management

To date in 2010, California NRCS has obligated over $74 million in EQIP funds for over 5,600 contracts and 821,000 acres statewide. However, the number of applications received this past year far exceeds the amount of funding available.

NRCS is anticipating similar funding for 2011. Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to start their application process as soon as possible to ensure consideration for this funding cycle.

NRCS invites landowners to apply before the November 12, 2010, deadline, by visiting a local NRCS offi ce or USDA Service Center. Driving directions and contact information for the Service Centers are available on the Web at www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/.

NRCS is celebrating its 75th year of “Helping People Help the Land.” Since its inception in 1935, NRCS has worked in partnership with private landowners and a variety of local, state and federal conservation partners to deliver conservation based on specifi c, local needs.

2 | November 2010 Madera County Farm Bureau

Madera County Farm Bureau News New MCFB MembersMCFB welcomes the following new voting

(producer), sustaining (consumer) and business support members who joined in August & September:

NAME CITY P/C

Bradley Altmann San Jose CManuel Anguiano Madera CBlackwell Farming Co. Bakersfield PMark Chadwick Madera CBlake Cook Auberry CAntonio Correa Madera CGateway Village Devel. Fresno PGinger Govett Madera CAlissa Mallory Sonora C William Parker Madera CAnna Robinson Oakhurst CPeter Shinen Madera CLehmber Sidhu Madera CPatricia Stanton Lk Vw Terrace CJames Stewart Madera CEsmeralda Mariscal Madera CBen Slaughter Madera P

Farm Bureau Membership Benefits

InsuranceAllied Insurance, Health Net,

Nationwide Agribusiness, State Compensation Insurance Fund,

VPI Pet Insurance

News and EntertainmentAgAlert, California Country and Television

VehiclesDodge Trucks, VAns and SUV’s, Vehicle Rentals,

Avis, Budget, Budget Trucks, Hertz

Do-It-YourselfGrainger, Kelly-Moore Paints,

Dunn Edwards Paints

TravelChoice Hotels, Wyndham Hotels

Business ServicesAnderson Marketing, Farm Bureau Bank,

Farm Employers Laborers Service, Land’s End Business Outfitters

Health ServicesClaer Value Hearing,

Farm Bureau Prescription discount program, LensCrafters, Preferred Alliance

Contact the MCFB Office at (559) 674-8871or www.maderafb.com for details.

2009-2010 Executive CommitteePresident: Jim Erickson

First Vice President: Tom RogersSecond Vice President: Tom ColemanSecretary/Treasurer: Barbara Pitman

Appointed by President: Michael NaitoImmediate Past President: Dennis Meisner

Directors at LargeMathew AndrewH. Clay Daulton

Craig FarmerCarl Johnson

Jay MahilJeff McKinney

Al Sheeter

Robert CadenazziStephen Elgorriaga

Philip JanzenMichele Lasgoity Neil McDougald

Dino PetrucciKole Upton

California Farm Bureau - District 9 Director Cathie A. Pierce

California Farm Bureau CommitteePolicy Recommendation – H. Clay Daulton

Air & Environmental Issues – H. Clay Daulton

California Farm Bureau Commodity Representatives

Bee – Ryan CosynsBeef – H. Clay Daulton

Grape – Jay MahilSpecialty Crops – Tom Rogers

Office StaffExecutive Director: Julia D. Berry

Executive Assistant: Normalee G. Castillo

Madera County Farm Bureau Agrigulture Today

1102 South Pine StreetMadera, CA 93637

(559) 674-8871; www.maderafb.com

Advertising/PublishingMid-Valley Publishing

1130 D Street, Reedley, CA 93654

Advertising Sales Cheri Williams(559) 638-2244

Editor Julia D. Berry

(USPS 324-600)Periodicals

Postage Paid Madera, CA 93637 And Additional Mailing Offices

Subscripition Rates:50 Cents a year for members

Annual dues: $72/$200 per yearSingle copies: 10 cents

POSTMASTERSend address changes to:

Madera County Farm Bureau1102 South Pine Street, Madera, CA 93637

The Madera County Farm Bureau does not assume responsibility for

statements by advertisers or for productsadvertised in Madera County Farm Bureau.

By Executive Director Julia Berry

Just as many of you have been working on the ranch to complete harvest, we have been occupied here at the Farm Bureau preparing for 2011. In looking to the future, it is important to remember the past. November 2010 will mark my 6-year anniversary as Executive Director, and we have much to be proud of. In this time, our scholarship program has quadrupled the amount of awards given to deserving students. The creation of an endowment fund has allowed scholarship monies to grow, much like the attendance at our yearly wine tasting event in May has grown to almost 400 attendees. Additionally, we have created an annual water conference that receives a wide variety of media attention from written, radio and TV outlets. This event reminds our fellow Central Valley residents that Madera understands the issues; though we may be a smaller county when compared to our neighbors. Our Board of Supervisors made an important decision to remain enrolled in the Williamson Act program, when the state of California de-funded the program. Each decision like this moves our county in the direction of support for agriculture, and it is encouraging. Moreover, the Board of Supervisors just recently took a step in the right direction by sending a message to the High Speed Rail Authority that building new rail corridors through farmland is unacceptable. The Board came out in support of a corridor along Hwy 152, opposing two other options that would divide ranches and burden smaller farms. As a member of the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition Board of Directors, I am proud to report that our coalition

is regarded by the Regional Water Quality Control Board as an example and a model for other coalitions in the state. These coalitions were prescribed by the legislature and given a charge to clean up agricultural runoff into the state’s waterways. However, the state provided little guidance as to how these goals would be achieved. We have

been creative in our approach and the members (growers) of the coalition have cooperated to create real, tangible success.

As I look to the future, the strongest challenge we face is our growing disconnect with the consumers who need agriculture’s services most. It is a strange thing that people think about food at least 3 times a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner; but they rarely think of the farmer. Agriculture doesn’t have to go very far to find advocates who are already working on our behalf. Some are doing it in high profile ways, such as the Food Network, others are touching the consumer at farmer’s markets. The greatest marketing tool at our disposal is emotion. Marketing experts work so hard to make you feel an emotion about

what they are selling. Just observe the lengths that the auto industry will go to – just to get you to FEEL something about their car. We don’t have to evoke emotion for our products, it’s built in. Food is a part of every celebration, upcoming Thanksgiving memories, the first meal you share with someone special, the mess all over your baby’s face memorialized forever in a photograph. Fast food chains have capitalized on this idea effectively: pay close attention to your TV – McDonalds has an advertisement airing right now that is designed to appeal to you and your specific demographic. In my opinion, unless agriculture starts to get the attention of consumers, we will see more of the same punitive regulation that is slowly disabling our industry. Until we get consumers (and voters) on our side, it will be the same game. We need to lighten up on the image of agriculture as big business and employ a softer approach with a “feel good” message. Humans like food, and they like the reliability of it. That’s where agriculture comes in…we make memories possible, and our products support culture and family tradition. There is a time and a place for agriculture to puff its chest and defend ourselves as the powerful employer and tax generator that we are. Perhaps we should spend a little more time in the business of selling taste, enjoyment, pleasure and celebration. These are ideas that can bring everyone to the table.

You may have noticed our paper has a new look. If you are interested in advertising in our newspaper please contact Cheri Williams with Mid Valley Publishing at (559) 638-2244. We welcome submissions from our members. Please let us know how we can share your news.

Executive Address

Julia D. Berry, Executive Director

Madera County Farm Bureau November 2010 | 3

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By Executive Director Julia Berry

Many thanks to our members who have contributed over the years to our efforts to curb unruly air regulations. The “Air Coalition Team” (ACT) was created to fight unreasonable efforts to tighten air regulation on industry and agribusiness. By partnering with other agricultural organizations with common interests, we have been able to combine our resources to provide for more activity on these issues. A history of our actions, beginning in 2003, is chronicled here:

El Comite, et al v. Helliker (District Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal Action)

Re: VOC regulationsIn El Comite, et al. v. Helliker,

environmentalists challenged the Pesticide Element of the State Implementation Plan (“SIP”), urging the court to order the Department of Pesticide Regulation (“DPR”) to adopt regulations reducing Volatile Organic Compounds (“VOC”) emissions from pesticide applications by 20%. Such a finding would have been devastating to agriculture and the use of fumigants. ACT intervened and prevailed. Following the District Court’s erroneous order that DPR draft new regulations meeting a 20% reduction, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal held the District Court was without jurisdiction to make the orders sought by the environmentalists and further ruled only a 12% reduction in VOC emissions was required for the Valley.

Latino Issues Forum, et al v. EPA (9th Circuit Court of Appeals)

In this action, Petitioners sought to overturn EPA’s adoption of SIP revisions related to fugitive dust sources. Unfortunately, the court denied ACT’s intervention in this action. Ultimately, Petitioners were not successful in overturning the SIP Revisions.

Latino Issues Forum, et al v. USEPA (Conservation Management Practices-Rule 4550)

In Latino Issues Forum, et al v USEPA, environmental groups were again defeated when ACT intervened in a law suit challenging Rule 4550, part of the Conservation Management Practices Program implemented by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to control PM-10 emissions. The Rule allows farmers to choose one control practice or option from each of five categories for cropland and poultry operations, and one from each of four categories for dairy and beef operations. Environmentalists challenged the Rule, alleging that because it provided options, it did not include the “best available” and “all feasible” control measures. ACT intervened and participated in settlement discussions and briefing of the issues. The Ninth Circuit disagreed with Petitioners, finding the flexibility of the Rule, which resulted from the collaborative efforts between the District and agriculture, complies with the Clear Air Act.

Latino Issues Forum, et al. v. EPA et al.9th Circuit Court of Appeal – (Review of

EPA’s Determination of Attainment re: PM-10)In Latino Issues Forum v EPA,

environmental groups challenged the EPA’s finding that the Valley met Clean Air Act standards for fine particulate matter (PM-10). ACT intervened, supporting EPA and the District’s rationale that extraordinary exceedances should not be considered when determining attainment. The Ninth Circuit agreed and denied the environmentalists’ claims that the EPA acted “arbitrarily” and relied on faulty scientific evidence. This ruling also resulted in the dismissal of a related

suit challenging EPA’s finding of PM-10 attainment in the Valley.

Center for Biological Diversity v. San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District

(Van Der Kooi Dairy)In this matter, environmentalists filed a

verified petition for a writ of mandate as related to the district’s approval of the Van Der Kooi Dairy project on the grounds of violation of CEQA. ACT monitored this matter, but it was ultimately unnecessary that ACT intervene as the matter was

AIR COALITION TEAM UPDATE

See ACT; Page 6


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also brought along the need for system designers/installers (such as {Purl’s Sheet Metal) to use new and more innovative ways to assemble comfort systems to meet the new requirements of our clients and regulatory agencies.

Are you concerned with the water issues that we face in the Central Valley? What are your specific concerns?

Obviously, water runs our community’s agricultural based economy. Purl’s Sheet Metal’s survival and growth is heavily dependant on the basic fitness of agriculture. The general health of our water storage and delivery system is, whether its use is agricultural, other industrial, commercial or residential, is fundamental to all of our well being.

What hobbies do you enjoy when you are not working?

Tinkering with my collection of antique fire trucks and model railroading. I am also a member of the Madera Method Wagon Train Team, but I really enjoy being a grandfather.

What value do you receive from your Farm Bureau membership?

Supporting the Farm Bureau, I hope, demonstrates my/our support and appreciation of agricultural community and what that community has meant to livelihood of Purl’s Sheet Metal and most all the other businesses of Madera.

I also appreciate the bureau for its efforts in trying to relieve all of us of the bureaucracy and regulatory intrusion we all feel in trying to keep our businesses afloat.

Michael Purl - Purl’s Sheet Metal. Farm Bureau Member since 1970.

Business Member ProfileFB ADDS PET INSURANCE TO MEMBER BENEFITSCalifornia Farm Bureau Federation

Farm Bureau members in California now qualify for a discount on pet insurance covering dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets.

The California Farm Bureau Federation announced an agreement with Veterinary Pet Insurance, known as VPI, which provides a 5 percent discount to Farm Bureau members. A Nationwide Insurance company, VPI is the nation’s oldest and largest provider of health insurance for pets.

VPI plans reimburse pet owners for eligible veterinary expenses to care for accidents, illnesses and injuries to their pets. Owners may also purchase optional “Care Guard” coverage for routine care such as checkups and vaccinations. Discounts are available when enrolling more than one pet.

Customers of VPI may use their choice of licensed veterinarian, with no pre-approval necessary. VPI plans are licensed in all 50 states.

Farm Bureau members interested in taking advantage of the pet insurance discount may contact VPI online at www.petinsurance.com/affiliates/cfbf_npr or via a toll-free telephone number: 888-899-4874.

The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of 81,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 6.2 million Farm Bureau members.


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allowing counties to move forward in implementing it for 2011.

Because Williamson Act funding had been virtually deleted from the previous state budget, some counties have considered not renewing their contracts and exiting the program.

In 2008, state general fund contributions for reimbursements to counties with a Williamson Act program amounted to about $33 million. Last fi scal year, the program funding was a mere $1,000.

The act, created 45 years ago, currently protects about 16.5 million acres of farmland. Farmers and ranchers who enroll in the program enter into 10-year or 20-year contracts with the county, by which they promise to keep the land in agriculture rather than opting for some other land use, such as commercial or residential development.

In exchange, the land is taxed based on its agricultural income, its acquisition value under Proposition 13 or its current market value, whichever is lower. The contracts automatically renew each Jan. 1, unless counties vote not to renew them.

Wenger said the program modifi cation contained in the new law provides fl exibility and gives counties a way to recoup some of their lost revenue from the drastically reduced state reimbursements.

SB 863 allows counties voluntarily to

implement new contracts that can be 10 percent shorter in duration—in return for a 10 percent reduction in the landowner’s property tax relief.

Adoption of the new, shorter contracts will require a majority vote of county supervisors and the program modifi cation will only be allowed in years when counties receive replacement funds of less than one-half of their foregone property tax revenue related to the program.

“Farm Bureau sponsored this alternative funding approach in order to save a very successful land conservation program that not only provides farmers with signifi cant property tax relief, but also the certainty that they can continue to farm without incompatible, non-farm uses coming in next to them,” said John Gamper, California Farm Bureau taxation and land use director.

For growers, the new law is an important development, Wenger said.

“If you’re in the Williamson Act, this legislation means that rather than losing 100 percent of your benefi t, you’ll keep 90 percent of it,” he said. “If this solution had not been developed, many counties would not have renewed the program and taxes on agricultural property would have skyrocketed at rates not seen in many years.”

Although the new law provides immediate support, Wenger noted it includes a four-year sunset provision. That means the agricultural community will

need to be engaged in maintaining the Williamson Act program into the future, he said.

“Maintaining this program is important,” Wenger said. “What most people don’t realize is that there is going to be a lot of land transitioning from one generation to the next. When that happens, the land will be reappraised. The values placed on that land at transfer will make the taxes cost-prohibitive. It’s imperative that this land conservation tool be available, because I see more land needing to be enrolled in the Williamson Act, rather than less.”

Wenger said county Farm Bureaus have been instrumental in supporting the recently signed legislation. He said Farm Bureau would encourage members to become involved in their counties to see it implemented. The revamped program will work, he said, if properly implemented.

“This legislation offers a proactive solution,” Wenger said.

(Kate Campbell is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at [email protected].)

WILLIAMSONContinued from Page 1

M T Trading Co. Inc.Domingos Ribeiro

Steve BolderoffJoseph B. Van LoonPistoresi Agriculture

ServiceGeorge AndrewChester Andrew

Dorothy CampbellDennis Meisner

Al SheeterMike Urrutia

Blankenship and Co. CPASJames W. MyersRobert L. BitterJohn M. Garcia

Glen S. GotoDonald L. Mercer

Nick Tolmachoff, Jr.Will Gill and Sons

Royal Madera VineyardsBen Slaughter

Isla Vista FarmsLorraine Bennett

Rod ParichanRay Seibert

Carson W. SmithJoe R. Vierra

Fagundes Dairy

New MCFB DonorsMCFB would like to thank all of our members who help support our

work through their voluntary contributions for the months of August, September and October.


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As the wave of new media builds, the agricultural community is changing the way it communicates — taking advantage of tools such as Facebook, Twitter, wikis, podcasts, YouTube and others — to communicate with a variety of audiences.

To help agriculturists make better use of these new tools, a workshop titled “New Media: Making Marketing Personal,” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, in UC Davis’ Wellman Hall. The workshop is sponsored by the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation, in conjunction with UC Davis’ College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Department of Animal Science.

“Many farmers and others working in production agriculture are increasingly using new media to market products, provide useful information and tell their stories about farm life,” said Annie King, an animal science professor and workshop coordinator. “Imagine a dairy producer standing in his dairy barn talking on Twitter about how he cares for his cows or a vegetable producer answering questions on Facebook about her basket of produce,” she said.

“The goal of the workshop is to help participants explore both new and established ways to promote agriculture and its issues and organizations, as well as enhance the marketability of the highest quality agricultural products,” King said.

She noted that UC Cooperative Extension specialists are among those who already are incorporating new media into their communications efforts. For example, viticulturist Matthew Fidelibus at the UC Kearney Agricultural Center uses Twitter and Facebook to disseminate information about vineyard diseases, while aquaculturist Fred Conte in UC Davis’ animal science department provides information on his website about freshwater and marine aquaculture production: http://aqua.ucdavis.edu/. Private agricultural consultants also are offering information

to clients and other entrepreneurs via social media, such as a Million Cooks: http://www.amillioncooks.com/.

The November workshop will include speakers from industry who are effectively using social media. They will discuss the possibilities and challenges of different types of new media, provide examples of successful efforts, delve into new terminology and introduce a primer on how to begin using social media. Afternoon breakout sessions will feature speakers who will help participants learn how to tell their stories, develop concise messages, and expand their vision of ways that technology can be used to market agriculture and its products.

The workshop also will also serve as a forum for participants to plan future workshops tailored to meet the needs of their various professional associations or commodity groups.

More information and registration for the workshop are available online at: http://agnewmedia.ucdavis.edu/contact.

About UC DavisFor more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged

in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 32,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $600 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

Media contact(s):• Pat Bailey, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-9843, [email protected]

Tweeting from tractors:Social media for agriculturists dismissed based upon Petitioner’s failure to meet a jurisdictional/

procedural time line to request a hearing.

Latino Issue Forum, et al v. United States EPA; (Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Case No.09-70113.) A Petition for Review Re: PM-10

On January 12, 2009, a Petition for Review, challenging EPA’s adoption of the fi nal rule entitled “Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plan; Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of California; PM-10; Revision of Designation; Redesignation of the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin PM-10 Nonattainment Area to Attainment; Approval of PM-10 Maintenance Plan for the San Joaquin Valley Air Basis; Approval of Commitments for the East Kern PM-10 Nonattainment Area,” published in the Federal Register on November 12, 2008. In essence, this fi nal rule approved the State of California’s request under the Clean Air Act to revise the designation for the San Joaquin Valley serious nonattainment area for PM-10 by splitting the area into two separate nonattainment areas and redesignating the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin from nonattainment to attainment for PM-10 national ambient air quality standards.

ACT successfully intervened in this action. The matter was ultimately dismissed when the court ruled in favor of EPA in item No. 4 above.

El Comite, et al v. Warmerdam (VOC3 CEQA litigation in Sacramento Superior Court)

In this action, Petitioners challenged DPR’s adoption of what is referenced as VOC3, DPR’s new pesticide regulations, seeking only a 12% reduction in VOC emissions in the Valley, in accordance with the Ninth Circuit’s ruling in Item No. 1 above. ACT successfully intervened in this action. Ultimately, the environmentalists’ petition for writ of mandate to overturn the VOC regulations was denied. Specifi cally, Petitioners’ action challenged the new pesticide VOC3 regulations under CEQA. However, the court found that DPR complied with its CEQA obligations and further the court recognized the necessity of balancing of air quality issues against the need to minimize the risk of loss to agriculture. ACT and DPR were successful in withstanding this challenge.

Jacobs Farmel Cabo, Inc. v Western Farm Service, Inc.In this matter, ACT drafted and fi led a joint amicus curiae brief with the

California Farm Bureau Federation. In this case, although no regulatory violation was assessed or determined, a jury found a pesticide applicator liable for a monetary damage award. All briefs have been submitted, however, oral argument has not been scheduled. It is diffi cult to determine the outcome of this matter, given the record at the trial court level.

ACTContinued from Page 3


Free ClassifiedsMCFB MEMBER RATES: Classifi ed

ads are FREE to all Madera County Farm Bureau members and must be of a NON-COMMERCIAL nature. Ads are limited to fi ve lines per member, for a maximum of THREE MONTHS. Send ads directly to: Mid Valley Publishing, 1130 G Street, Reedley CA 93654 - Cheri Williams 559-638-2244 or fax 559-638-5021.

NON-MCFB MEMBER RATES: Classifi ed ad rates are $25 for 20 words. Each additional word is $1. Ads must be paid in advance and sent directly to Mid-Valley Publishing, 1130 G Street, Reedley CA 93654 - Cheri Williams 559-638-2244 or fax completed form to 559-638-5021.

Madera County Farm Bureau reserves the right to reject, edit or cancel any advertisement at any time in accordance with its policy. Submission of an advertisement to a sales representative does not constitute a commitment to Agriculture Today to publish the advertisement, nor does publication of an advertisement constitute an agreement for continued publication. All ads must be checked for errors the fi rst day of publication by the advertiser. All advertising is subject to the terms of the current rate card.Classifi ed Ad Deadline for the November issue is Friday, November 12, 2010.

To advertise in our classifi ed section, please fi ll out the form below.

Name:

Address: City:

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Ad Copy:

YES! I am a Madera County Farm Bureau MemberMember #:(see address label)

Send ads directly to: Mid Valley Publishing, 1130 G Street, Reedley CA 93654 or fax 559-638-5021.

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The Madera County Cattlemen’s Association (MCCA) is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2010 Cattleman of the Year Award is Al Veater, and the recipient of the Cowboy of the Year award is Lyle Harvey. Nominated and elected by past honorees, the Cattleman of the Year award recognizes an individual that has contributed and been infl uential in the cattle industry in Madera County. The recipients will be honored at the MCCA’s Fall Dinner which will be held on Friday, November 5, 2010 at 6pm at the Coarsegold Community Center on Hwy 41 in Coarsegold.

Al Veater has owned and worked with livestock all his life commencing as a young boy with his father, George Veater Sr., who merchandized and shipped lambs for Swift and Co. in California. Al’s family purchased the Coarsegold Ranch in 1937 when Al was only 7 years old and began to stock it with cattle. However, only a short 4 years later, Al’s father died suddenly which caused his mother to sell the livestock inventory. Through all this, Al’s love of ranching and livestock never wavered. As a teenager and during college, Al worked with livestock, both cattle and sheep, with one summer job spent on the North Fork of the San Joaquin River with a band of Jean Lasgoity’s sheep. Al bought his fi rst cattle in 1950 and began to fully operate the Coarsegold Ranch in 1954, after returning from 4 years of service in the U.S. military during the Korean War.

Upon returning in 1954, Al fi nished Fresno State College, and began to increase his cattle herd with cows, plus stocking the

ranch seasonally with purchased calves. Ever an energetic person, he also began to work as a contractor for fence building as well as purchasing/shipping cattle for various ranchers and for Shasta Livestock Auction. With these endeavors, he worked all over California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Idaho putting many miles on the road. His reputation followed him for being very fair, trustworthy and having an excellent eye for livestock.

Al and his wife, Linda, raised fi ve children on the Coarsegold Ranch, with two of them now residing on the ranch with their families. Al has provided service to his local community through his church and to the county serving as a director for the Federal Land Bank and Madera Cemetery District. Today, Al is a partner with his son, George Veater Jr., in the ranch operation and together they still run cattle and have a horse boarding/training business on the ranch.

Lyle Harvey has been involved with the cattle industry all of his life and is a third generation cowboy/rancher within his family. He has over 30 years of ranching experience and has covered many miles throughout the central California area.

Lyle’s passion since the day he held a rope in his hand has been team roping.

He has competed since the age of ten in junior rodeo, high school rodeo, and college rodeo (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo). Lyle currently resides in Chowchilla with his wife Cindi and his two children Jolee and Jayce.

Al Veater and Lyle Harvey will be honored at the MCCA’s Fall Dinner which

will be held on Friday, November 5, 2010 at 6pm at the Coarsegold Community Center on Hwy 41 in Coarsegold. President, David Gill, will preside over the festivities which will feature a hosted bar, silent auction, raffl e, and dinner, the proceeds of which all benefi t the various youth programs sponsored by MCCA. The Young Cattlemen’s of California State University, Fresno, will prepare the choice steak dinner and Dr. Randy Perry, Chairman of the Livestock Dept, will give a presentation regarding the overall results of the MCCA’s Madera County Fair Carcass Contest in which 4-H and FFA participants submit their beef projects for evaluation. The highlight of the evening will be the Cattleman and Cowboy of the Year Awards presentation. The event is open to the public and any persons interested in attending the event can contact Michele Lasgoity at 559-217-2985.

The Madera County Cattlemen’s Association is a local organization working to encourage support and understanding of the California cattle industry. MCCA sponsors numerous youth programs and awards with the local fairs in Madera County. Together with the Madera County Cattlewomen, MCCA also provides scholarships to youth interested in pursuing an agriculture-related fi eld in college.

Madera County Cattlemen’s Association2010 COWBOY OF THE YEAR LYLE HARVEY2010 CATTLEMAN OF THE YEAR AL VEATER

Rain benefi ts olive cropBy California Farm Bureau Federation Food and Farm News

Autumn rains should help California-grown olives gain size. Farmers have reported that their crops have more small-sized fruit this season than usual, but that rain helps the fruit to grow. While they welcome the rain for that reason, farmers say muddy groves have further delayed the olive harvest. Observers say the harvest is already 30 days behind average because of cool weather that slowed crop development.

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madera county farm bureau - maderafb.com 2010 mcfb paper.pdf · calendar agriculture today by kate...

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