The State Water Resources Control Board is hosting a workshop on May 17 in Fresno to give growers and others the opportunity to testify on the proposed changes to the existing Irrigated Lands Program for growers in the Central Valley region. This Draft Order, if adopted, would become a statewide agricultural order.

The proposed order requires farm evaluation and nitrogen fertilizer information be posted on a public website so the public has more “transparency and accountability” with regard to growing practices.

It will be important for growers to attend the workshop and describe how the implementation of these requirements will remove any incentive for growers to voluntarily disclose farming practice information. The State Water Board members have mentioned how they appreciate growers’ efforts to provide information thus far, but still believe the public needs to have complete access to growers’ individual data. The hope is that if the data privacy issue is pushed hard enough (especially by growers), the State Board will withdraw this requirement from the proposed order.

Western Growers members are encouraged to attend and testify on May 17 in Fresno. Speakers typically are given 3-5 minutes but it is well worth it for the State Water Board to hear the message over and over again from growers.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Time: 9:00am
Location: Fresno Convention Center, 848 M St, Fresno, CA 93721, Exhibit Hall III

The State Water Board has posted the video recording and PowerPoint presentations from the May 4 workshop held in Sacramento here. The Draft Order can be found here.

For more information, contact Gail Delihant at (916) 446-1435 or [email protected].