CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY

August 12, 2024

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CDFW Releases New Wolf Depredation Investigation Reports
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on Wednesday released five new “livestock loss determination” reports detailing investigations of suspected livestock depredations by wolves in the one-week span of Wednesday, June 26 through Tuesday, July 2. Of the five investigations, four were confirmed wolf kills, with three of those attributed to Siskiyou County’s Whaleback Pack and one attributed to the Harvey Pack in western Lassen County (the remaining investigation reported a non-depredation loss).

So far in 2024, CDFW has confirmed that 20 livestock animals have been killed by gray wolves in the state, including four lambs, a llama and 15 cattle, with half of those losses attributed to the Whaleback Pack.

As previously reported in California Cattleman Weekly, CCA recently secured $600,000 in the FY 2024-25 State Budget to fund CDFW’s Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program. CCA continues to work with state and federal officials to identify additional resources for California ranchers impacted by wolves.

CARB Releases Fact Sheet on Agricultural Vehicles’ Compliance with Clean Truck Check Regulation
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Saturday announced that the agency has released a fact sheet which “provides an overview of the requirements for agricultural vehicles to comply with” CARB’s Clean Truck Check regulation.

The regulation – also known as the heavy-duty inspection and maintenance (or “HD I/M”) regulation – applies to nearly all non-gasoline vehicles (including diesel vehicles) with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or more which operate within California. The regulation requires all regulated vehicles to be reported in CARB’s Clean Truck Check Vehicle Inspection System (CTC-VIS) Portal and to undergo periodic emissions compliance testing beginning January 1, 2025.

The fact sheet details the steps owners of agricultural vehicles must take to comply with the regulation. For additional information about the Clean Truck Check regulation, see CARB’s “Clean Truck Check (HD I/M)” Resources webpage.

State Water Board Issues Scott River Curtailments
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) announced late last month that it has imposed water rights curtailments for surface water diversions and groundwater diversions in the Scott River watershed. The curtailments come as flows of the Scott River (as measured at the Fort Jones gage) are below the minimum August flow of 30 cubic feet per second established in emergency regulation.

Curtailment Certification forms were due last week for impacted water rightsholders (though additional time has been granted to rightsholders who were subject to evacuation orders or warnings due to the Shelly Fire); those who have not yet filed certification forms are encouraged to do so without further delay. A curtailment certification form tutorial video is available here.

For additional information, see the July 29 edition of California Cattleman Weekly or visit the Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds Emergency Regulation webpage.

2024 CCA Scholarship and Internship Applications Now Open 
The application period for the 2024 California Cattlemen’s Association Scholarships and Convention Internship are now being accepted. To learn more, click here. Any young, regular or feeder member are eligible to apply for the scholarship and internship. Past recipients and interns are eligible to reapply. If you are not currently a CCA member and would like to join visit https://calcattlemen.org/join. Contact Maureen in the CCA office at maureen@calcattlemen.org with any questions.

Farms and Ranches Required to File Ownership Information with U.S. Treasury 
From the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)
Many farms and ranches will be required to file “beneficial ownership” information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In 2021, Congress passed a law called the Corporate Transparency Act that requires businesses to report the identity of their owners with the goal of reducing financial crime. Unfortunately, many small businesses like farms and ranches are required to comply with this requirement.

Who must file: Any producer whose farm or ranch employs 20 employees or less, is a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), partnership, or was formed as another type of entity by filing a document with the secretary of state or similar state office is required to file a Beneficial Ownership Report with FinCEN.

When to file: Companies that were registered before January 1, 2024, have until January 1, 2025, to file their report. Any companies created between January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025, have 90 days from their creation or registration with the state to submit this report to FinCEN. Additionally, any updates or corrections to beneficial ownership information must be submitted within 30 days.

Where to file: To comply with the Corporate Transparency Act, you must fill out a form online at https://www.fincen.gov/boi. The form will require your name, date of birth, residential or business address, and a unique identifying number like your driver’s license or passport number.

Producers are encouraged to consult with their attorneys to determine if the CTA applies. Penalties for non-compliance can include a $500 per late day fine, up to $10,000 in fines, or even prison sentences for refusing to comply with the law.

Resources: For more information, visit https://www.fincen.gov/boi or review FinCEN’s Small Entity Compliance Guide at https://www.fincen.gov/boi/small-entity-compliance-guide. This information is not professional advice, and you should always consult with a tax professional and/or attorney for advice as to whether the Corporate Transparency Act applies to you.

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CCA in the News

State of the Agriculture Industry: California farmers face uncertainty, diminishing profitability ABC10 “Steve Arnold, president of the California Cattlemen’s Association, told ABC10 that the cattle industry is seeing higher freight costs and pressures from insurance and regulatory agencies, but this year brought some positives for the industry as well.” To continue reading, click here.

Industry News

USDA Invests $22 Million in 29 Projects to Expand Conservation for Livestock Producers USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $22 million for 29 selected projects in 36 states that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increases the use of conservation practices on grazing lands. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is funding the cooperative agreements through its Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), which empowers partners to increase availability of grazing land technical assistance for livestock producers, including historically underserved producers, as well as Native American tribal governments.” To continue reading, click here; a full list of awardees, including five projects serving California, is available here.

Construction of biomass plant to reduce wildfire risk in Northern California foothills gets green light CBS Sacramento “The Yuba River Watershed is one of the only watersheds in California to be untouched by wildfires and they want to keep it that way. Construction can now move forward for a biomass plant that will help reduce the risk of wildfires after a funding vote was approved Tuesday by the Yuba Water Agency.” To continue reading, click here.