CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY

June 22, 2026

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SWRCB Reimposes Conditional Curtailments for Certain Shasta River Water Rights
On Tuesday, the State Water Resources Control Board announced that it has reinstated conditional curtailments of surface water rights within the Shasta River watershed with a priority date of November 1, 1912 or later. The SWRCB announced the curtailments after flows dipped below the minimum flow target of 50 cubic feet per second as measured at the Yreka gage.

Under the conditional curtailments, diverters with a water right priority date of January 1, 1958 or later must cease diversion immediately and “water rights with a priority date between November 1, 1912 and December 31, 1957 must coordinate with the Scott Valley and Shasta Valley Watermaster District…to determine if they should be curtailed.”

Meanwhile, surface water and groundwater curtailments within the Scott River watershed reported in last week’s California Cattleman Weekly remain in effect.

For additional information, visit the SWRCB’s Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds Emergency Regulation webpage. Ranchers in the Shasta River and Scott River watersheds are encouraged to sign up for direct email alerts from the SWRCB by selecting “Scott-Shasta Drought and Flow Efforts” under “Water Rights” within the SWRCB’s email subscription list and clicking “submit.”

California Legislature Reaches Placeholder Budget Agreement, but Negotiations Continue
The California Legislature last week passed a budget bill, meeting legislators’ June 15 constitutional deadline. The Budget is effectively a placeholder as the Senate, Assembly and Newsom Administration continue to negotiate a final Budget agreement ahead of the July 1 beginning to the fiscal year. Several funding issues – including Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund allocations, Proposition 4 funding and other matters – are expected to be addressed as late as August via budget trailer bills and other legislative vehicles. CCA will continue advocating for the Association’s Budget priorities, including Wolf Program funding, until all Budget details are finalized. For additional information, see last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

Forest Service Issues Directive to Expand Grazing Access on National Forests
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has issued a directive instructing all U.S. Forest Service line officers to take a variety of actions in support of grazing on Forest Service lands. Under the directive, staff are to prioritize access to vacant and closed grazing allotments, promote permit flexibility and streamline permit authorization. Rollins’ directive is in furtherance of a March 31 memorandum of understanding “Advancing Grazing on Forest Service and BLM Lands” and the USDA-Department of Interior Grazing Action Plan. For additional details, see last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

CA Producer’s Grant Request for Proposals for Rancher Lead Learning Projects
The California Grazing Lands Coalition is seeking proposals from California ranchers to conduct local producer-led and hosted learning opportunities. The California Producers Grant aims to learn and share with one another and with the public about grazing lands stewardship and the continued viability of ranching. Awards are up to $5,000 for individual projects.

Events or activities will share information on sustainable grazing and ranching systems and the co-benefits of well-managed grazing lands. Projects and activities may include peer-to-peer or hosted workshops, clinics, and/or pasture-walks for ranchers and young producers or for the public. Projects may be the development and or distribution of materials and other outreach media, or a public presentation.

For more information and to view the application, click here.

Represent California on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board
Interested in helping shape the beef checkoff? Now is your chance to get involved! The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking nominees for the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. Nominees will be considered to represent the Southwest Unit (California and Nevada) for a three-year term that will start in February. The Board is authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 and is made up of 101 members representing 34 separate states, four units of geographically grouped states and one importer unit.

Any beef producer who owns cattle may be nominated by a USDA certified producer organization (including CCA) and submit a completed application. USDA will select appointees from the nominated producers.

To learn more about the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and being nominated, reach out to Gracie LeCheminant at gracie@calcattlemen.org.

UPDATE: USDA & Industry Deploy New World Screwworm Response Playbook
As of last night, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has identified 15 total cases of New World screwworm in domestic animals in Texas and New Mexico. The agency’s dashboard of confirmed detections is available here. As previously reported in California Cattleman Weekly, there is a robust framework in place for NWS response, including the federal government’s New World Screwworm Response Playbook; the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s entry requirements, reporting procedures and other resources; and industry resources for preventing and identifying New World screwworm.

While producers should be vigilant, there is every reason to be confident in the federal, state and cattle industry response. Additionally, it should be stressed that New World screwworm is not a food safety concern for beef consumers.

Producers Encouraged to Complete Livestock Veterinary Care Access Survey
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has partnered with California Farm Bureau to gather feedback on veterinary access throughout the state. According to California Farm Bureau, “The information collected may help support future veterinary shortage designations and strengthen participation in the USDA’s Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program.” Cattle ranchers and other livestock producers are encouraged to take the survey no matter their level of access to veterinary care.

To take the survey, click here. The survey closes on June 30.

Upcoming CCA Events

Industry News

California Water Commission approves $268.9 million funding for Sites Reservoir KRCR “The California Water Commission on Wednesday, June 17, approved $268.9 million in conditional supplemental funding for the Sites Reservoir Project, a proposed water storage project in Colusa County designed to improve water supply reliability, drought preparedness and wildlife habitat support.” To continue reading, click here.

Scientists are on the lookout for the New World screwworm fly in California CBS News “A fight is ramping up against the New World screwworm fly as it spreads to the United States, and, in what sounds like science fiction, it lays eggs that hatch into flesh-eating parasites. So far, the fly has not been detected in California, but scientists are on the lookout.” To continue reading, click here.