California Water Quality Regulations and Farmer Sentiment Rebounds

**Winegrape growers in Mendocino and Sonoma counties say proposed water-quality regulations for waste discharge requirements for vineyards are burdensome, costly and often duplicate work by growers participating in sustainability certification programs.

Mendocino County winegrape grower Frost Pauli said vineyard farmers are concerned about proposed grower monitoring and reporting mandates being developed as part of the state’s Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.

Proposed new rules focus on nitrogen applications and removals.

**Farmer sentiment rebounded in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 17 points to 121.

June’s sentiment improvement left the index near the April reading of 123 after a one-month swoon in May.

Producers report a more optimistic view of the future as the Index of Future Expectations rose 25 points to 123, while their perception of the current situation was unchanged.

**The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee plans to release a draft Farm Bill at the end of August.

Representative Glenn GT Thompson told the Hagstrom Report he plans a markup "in mid-September," but only if the leadership has told him what week the bill will be scheduled to come up on the House floor.

The Pennsylvania Republican says, "This farm bill is going to be bipartisan, bicameral, on time and highly effective.