EDC Farm Bureau

10/15/2026

Free Workshops (Nov 13): CE Units & GWSS/Pierce’s Disease Update

Attention license holders, w**e grape growers, and pest control businesses:

On Friday, November 13, 2026, two free workshops will be held at the Board of Supervisors Chambers (330 Fair Ln, Placerville). You and your staff are invited to attend either or both sessions:

Session 1 (9:30 AM – 11:30 AM): Pesticide Applicator Continuing Education

Session 2 (12:00 PM – 2:00 PM): GWSS & Pierce’s Disease Briefing

Status of El Dorado Hills infestation & eradication efforts

Latest GWSS & PD research presentation by UCCE Farm Advisor MacKenzie Patton

To RSVP: Contact us at (530) 621-5520 or [email protected]. See attached flyer for the full agenda.

10/12/2026

Working Farms Need Working Solutions
El Dorado County is hosting three public open houses to gather community input on agricultural lodging.

The County's adopted General Plan recognizes the importance of a healthy, stable, and competitive agricultural industry. It also expressly addresses visitor-serving uses that support agriculture, including lodging facilities and campgrounds, when compatible with agricultural production.

Why does this matter? Many people assume farms and ranches can survive on crop income alone. Today's reality is more challenging. Rising costs, climate pressures, water constraints, and market volatility make it increasingly difficult for agricultural operations to remain financially viable.

Agritourism and other agriculture-compatible activities can provide additional income that helps keep working lands in production, support local families and jobs, and preserve the agricultural character of El Dorado County. Agriculture is the attraction, even when the transaction extends beyond the sale of a crop.

The challenge is developing practical, workable standards that support viable farms and ranches while protecting agricultural resources, rural character, and neighboring properties.

Your input matters. Attend one of the County's three public open houses to learn more, share your perspective, and help inform the County's approach to agricultural lodging.

Tuesday, October 27th
Garden Valley Fire Station No.51
4860 Marshall Rd, Garden Valley, CA 95633
5:30pm - 7:00pm

Tuesday, November 10th
Pioneer Park
6740 Fair Play Rd, Somerset, CA 95684
5:30pm - 7:00pm

Wednesday , November 18th
Po***ck Pines-Camino Community Center
2675 Sanders DR, Po***ck Pines, CA 95726
5:30pm - 7:00pm

The County is exploring updates to our zoning ordinance to better support the growing interest in agricultural lodging and to evaluate whether the State's low impact camping program (AB 518) is a good fit for our community.

Starting Tuesday October 27th, we're hosting a series of open houses where you can learn more, ask questions, and share your thoughts.

First stop: Garden Valley fire station number 51 from 5:30 PM to 7 PM.

Join the conversation – and scan the QR code for details! Email [email protected] with questions.

09/26/2026

09/07/2026

The California Agritourism Summit will be September 23-25, 2026 in Paso Robles, CA. 🌱

Agricultural producers offering agritourism, industry partners and tourism or marketing professionals will have the opportunity to network, learn and grow as well as discuss the future of agritourism in the state.

Learn more + register at: na.eventscloud.com/website/83086/

09/01/2026

California’s single-use plastic packaging regulations are underway, with requirements that may affect your business! 📦🌽🥩

Farmers who grow, harvest and package a commodity at the same location where it is produced may qualify for an exclusion and may not be considered the “producer” of covered materials under SB 54. However, different requirements may apply when packaging is added after the commodity leaves the field, such as at a warehouse.

Understanding where your operation fits matters. California Farm Bureau has compiled guidance and resources to help producers navigate SB 54 compliance requirements.

🔎 Explore producer guidance, helpful tools, important deadlines, and additional resources at cfbf.com/SB54

08/28/2026

Oversupply of grapes, declining consumer demand and rising production costs are forcing California w**egrape growers to make choices about whether to keep farming or tear out their vines.

Some are trying a third option: “mothballing,” a term borrowed from storing equipment or other assets out of service while preserving them for future use. In vineyards, it means temporarily halting production while maintaining vines with minimal labor and inputs so they can be returned to full production when market conditions improve. The practice remains relatively rare, but interest is growing.

Christopher Chen, a University of California Cooperative Extension viticulture adviser for Mendocino, Sonoma and Lake counties, estimates mothballing can now be seen in roughly one in 20 vineyards in his region, up from virtually none three years ago. Chen is studying the practice to fill a major information gap. “I don’t know that there’s any information in the viticulture books on what to do if you’re tight on cash and the industry has collapsed,” said Chase Thornhill, owner and general manager of Mendocino W**e Company in Ukiah.

Read more in Ag Alert: bit.ly/4wLDBch

**egrapes

08/09/2026

Welcome back to The Scenic Route 🚗

This edition of The Scenic Route is all about overnight getaways that invite you to slow down, unplug and experience a different side of California. Whether you're sipping w**e by the lake, riding into the backcountry or staying on a working farm, your next adventure is waiting.

Start planning your getaway at CaliforniaBountiful.com.

08/01/2026

Lindsey Carter’s message hits close to home in El Dorado County. As foothill producers face evolving biological threats, strengthening California’s pest prevention infrastructure is essential to safeguarding our local agricultural heritage and economic stability.

While California has developed new strategies to prepare for wildfires, protect water supplies and respond to public health emergencies, the state’s agricultural pest prevention system has fallen behind even as producers face more threats than ever before, Lindsey Carter, executive director of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association, said in a recent Ag Alert® commentary.

“The stakes could not be higher. For growers, invasive pests don’t just threaten yields—they jeopardize export markets, increase production costs and create uncertainty that can last for decades,” Carter added.

To address the issue, Carter said the association in the coming year will invite growers, commodity organizations, environmental interests, university researchers, state and federal agencies, and other stakeholders to help develop a comprehensive Statewide Pest Prevention Plan.

📸: Courtesy of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association

Read more in Ag Alert: bit.ly/45qEfk2

07/30/2026

A fresh perspective on Sierra Foothills agriculture. Boeger W**ery planting its first tea crop is a prime example of growers experimenting with new possibilities—balancing tradition with forward-thinking innovation to expand what’s possible on working lands."

This week on the Voice of California Agriculture podcast, we visit a Sierra Foothills w**ery that's exploring a surprising new venture: growing tea. From handcrafted teas and botanicals to tea-infused w**es, hear how one operation is thinking outside the vineyard. 🎙️🍷🍃

We'll also hear the latest From the Fields report, with updates from farmers and ranchers across California on this season's crops, livestock, and growing conditions.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at cfbf.com/podcast. 🎧

**e

07/28/2026

Every photo tells a story…What’s yours? 📸

From harvest moments to life on the ranch, the Photo Contest is your chance to capture what agriculture means to you.

Whether it’s family, food or the land itself, your perspective helps tell the story of California agriculture.

🏆 Win up to $1,000 and be featured statewide
🗳️ People’s Choice voting Sept. 1–7
📅 Submit by August 31

Submit your photos at cfbf.com/PhotoContest