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Impact of water reductions in the Westlands Water District
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» June 6, 2008 «

Court hearing on salmon could affect water supplies

Further restrictions on water supplies for the Central Valley and Southern California could result from a court hearing that starts today (Friday) in Fresno. A federal judge will hear arguments about what remedies may be needed to benefit protected salmon. The judge ruled in April that an existing "biological opinion" does not do enough to protect salmon during operation of state and federal water projects. An earlier case involving delta smelt has already led to water cuts.

Farmers consider whether to idle more land

Hundreds of thousands of acres of Central Valley farmland stands idle because of water shortages, and more land may come out of production as a result of new cutbacks. The Westlands Water District says farmers in the western San Joaquin Valley had left about 200,000 acres idle because of water shortages. A district spokeswoman says new cuts announced this week by the Central Valley Project could lead to an additional 10,000 acres or more being abandoned.

Organic farmers consider veterinary acupuncture

With increasing organic milk production in California has come interest in alternative treatments for cattle ailments. Those alternatives include acupuncture. Veterinary acupuncture has been used for centuries, according to a practitioner who conducted a demonstration at an organic-dairy meeting in Chico this spring. She said she uses acupuncture mainly to treat dairy cows for udder inflammation.

Local produce commands a premium, study says

Would you be willing to pay more for locally produced food? New research suggests that you would. The study was conducted at Ohio State University. It surveyed grocery shoppers, and found that people who shop at supermarkets would pay a premium for locally produced foods. People who shop at farmers' markets said they would pay an even higher premium. The study also indicated that shoppers would pay more for produce that is guaranteed fresh.