California Braces for Dry Year and SNAP Serves Millions

**Even though the clock doesn’t run out on winter for another eight weeks, California water officials are bracing for another dry year for the Scott and Shasta rivers in Siskiyou County.

At its December 19 meeting, the California Water Resources

Control Board unanimously readopted an emergency drought regulation that curtails water rights in the Scott and Shasta rivers, affecting farmers and ranchers.

The order limits surface-water diversions and groundwater pumping.

**The USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative are accepting applications for new members to serve on agricultural trade advisory committees.

Members of the committee provide advice to the administration on the implementation and enforcement of existing U.S. trade agreements, negotiation of new agreements, and other trade policy matters.

Committee members serve four-year terms and represent a cross-section of U.S. food and agricultural stakeholders.

Applications must be received by January 31.

**New data from USDA's Economic Research Service shows in fiscal year 2022, USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program served an average of 41.1 million people per month across the country.

SNAP is the largest domestic nutrition assistance program, accounting for about two-thirds of USDA spending on food and nutrition assistance in recent years.

SNAP participation increased nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic to a high of 12.5% of the population in fiscal year 2021.