12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY july 27-august 2, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Much discussion this year about the state of the agriculture industry in Monterey County has been about how productivity suffered from winter storms. But the annual crop report, released Tuesday, July 25, looks back to the calendar year of 2022, when the overall output for the ag industry was good: Gross production value was $4.6 billion, an increase of $530 million, or 13 percent, compared to 2021. Strawberries were again the top crop in Monterey County, with a value of $958.7 million. The number two and three spots were claimed by leaf lettuce and head lettuce, respectively, which each increased in value—by 13 percent and 21 percent—over the previous year. That was despite the Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV), which causes brown spots and has been partly responsible for a nationwide lettuce shortage and skyrocketing prices. “INSV continues to impact leafy greens production here locally, causing entire fields to be lost,” Monterey County Farm Bureau Executive Director Norm Groot said at a press conference on July 25 as Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo released the crop report. Cannabis ranked third in 2021, with a higher value than head lettuce; in 2022, it fell to fifth place, below broccoli, with a production value of $283.2 million, reflecting a 54-percent fall-off from the year prior. The industry has experienced a nosedive, with 32 local operators closing in the past year. But cannabis production value still exceeded wine grapes. Grapes are another crop that was down in 2022 (to $173.8 million) from 2021. Instead of smoke and wildfires, spikes in warm summer weather and aging vines affected vineyard productivity. Despite consistency in acres planted, the value was down by over 20 percent from the year before. Overall, while the gross value of agricultural products increased by over $500 million, the crop report—produced annually pursuant to sections 2272 and 2279 of the California Food and Agricultural Code—does not reflect cost increases growers faced. “Farmers are still continuing to face challenges to make the bottom line work,” Groot said. For example, he said fertilizer prices rose by 250 percent. This year, the strawberry season started up to six weeks behind schedule after floods inundated the Pajaro Valley in March. Yet overall, the consumer market wasn’t impacted because of an overproduction in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. What if a single, pedestrian-only bridge was a missing link that could unlock a regional network of trails? That’s the vision for the Carmel Area Wastewater District’s footbridge across the Carmel River, which dates back to the 1930s and provides employees access to CAWD’s wastewater treatment plant just south of the Carmel Mission, on the southern bank of the Carmel River, in the event that road access to the plant is cut off due to flooding. On Thursday, July 27, the CAWD board is set discuss the project—which has been dubbed the “Bridge to Everywhere”—and consider whether to take the ministerial step of forming a standing committee to discuss the project going forward. (Currently, there’s an ad hoc committee to discuss it; a standing committee will mean public meetings on the topic.) CAWD General Manager Barbara Buikema says getting the public involved going forward is the goal— it’s a regional project, and one she feels confident the community will welcome with open arms. “This has so much to offer the community, especially those people who like to get out and walk,” she says. “It’s a beautiful area.” The bridge would provide a connection between those walking on the beaches of Carmel and Carmel River, the Mission Trail and the Big Sur Land Trust’s Carmel River FREE project, which is yet to be completed but will have trails that connect to Palo Corona Regional Park. The idea is something Buikema’s had on her mind for about 20 years, but only now is the district pushing to make it a reality. “Sometimes I think in life lightning strikes,” she says. “I don’t know why.” One reason, perhaps, is that the district needs to retrofit the bridge. The cost of doing that—about $10 million, Buikema says—will largely have to come from grants. “Everyone has been very positive,” she says. “If we can show this is a community-wide benefit, this will help with grant funding, and we’re optimistic.” Berry Big Monterey County’s ag industry increased sales to $4.6 billion in 2022. By Celia Jiménez news School Days Alisal Unified School District’s Extended Learning Department hosts an open house and invites families to learn about after-school activities your kid can participate in. 6pm Thursday, July 27. Alisal Community School, 1437 Del Monte Ave., Salinas. Free. 753-5700, alisal. org/alisal. Money Talks The state’s Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) is a new $600 million funding opportunity to help communities continue recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. Join a community meeting to learn about the process and weigh in on what you think the state should fund in the Central Coast region. This meeting will be bilingual in English and Spanish. 6-8pm Wednesday, Aug. 2. Teamsters Hall, 931 E. Market St., Salinas. Free. 254-4916, mbep.biz/uplift-centralcoast. Democracy in Action Pacific Grove City Council meets and, as always, accepts public comment. You can attend just to listen in, or tell your elected officials what you think they’re doing well and what they can do better. 6pm Wednesday, Aug. 2. City Hall, 300 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove; virtual option available as well. Free. 6483100, cityofpacificgrove.org. Booming Business Cal Coastal Small Business Development Center is partnering with Google to offer a free, in-person workshop to help small business employees in Salinas and the surrounding area build new skills. The workshop will teach you how to create and manage a Google Business Profile, make your information available on Google Search and Maps, and how to use those profiles to connect with potential customers. 10am Thursday, Aug. 3. CSUMB at Salinas City Center, 1 Main St., Salinas. Free. 676-2017, g.co/grow.salinas. Funding Deadline The deadline for homeowners and renters to register for FEMA assistance has been extended to Sept. 1. If the recent storms have affected you and your family, the government can provide disaster relief help. Residents and business owners affected by a major disaster—including citizens, permanent residents (green card holders), and mixed immigrant households—may be eligible for FEMA federal assistance. Deadline is now Friday, Sept. 1. Free. 800-621-3362, bit.ly/ StormResources2023. Apply online at disasterassistance.gov. Bridge Building A utility bridge over the Carmel River might be the missing link to connect the region’s trails. By David Schmalz Strawberries were Monterey County’s top crop for three years in a row, accounting for over 20 percent of the total industry value in 2022. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX Cannabis production value still exceeded wine grapes. Daniel Dreifuss
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