A California pomegranate grower, Parry Klassen, who penned an opinion piece for the Modesto Bee, said he is happy specialty crop growers have been recognized in the current Farm Bill. He's especially pleased with a $2.6 million-a-year provision that will help farmers in the northern San Joaquin Valley institute measures to mitigate the impacts of irrigation and storm water runoff on public water supplies.

Coordinated through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the program will pay for half the cost of such practices as installing sediment basins and irrigation tailwater recirculation systems, planting native shrub hedgerows and the creation of riparian buffers for erosion control.

Klassen is encouraged that at least some of the Farm Bill focus was switched away from Midwest corn, soybean and wheat growers, and California's own dairy, rice and cotton producers.

You can read his letter here: http://www.modbee.com/opinion/national/story/863485.html

Dairy farmers continue to struggle, and 150 of them showed up at the American Legion Hall in Canisteo, New York, to talk about their problems and their prospects. Lancaster Farming correspondent Maegan Crandall covered the meeting which was moderated by Arden Tewksbury of the Progressive Agriculture Organization. Her story is in the current edition.

Let's just keep Sharky well supplied with kibble, okay? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obr7CRotuv4