January 2023

On January 5th, Farm Bureau submitted a letter of support to appoint Jordan Mahrt to an ag interest seat on the Petaluma Valley GSA Advisory Committee.

May 2022

The Sonoma County Farm Bureau sent a letter to its members that contained information regarding the Petaluma Valley GSA, Santa Rosa Plain GSA, and Sonoma Valley GSA. The letter included the schedule of upcoming GSA community meetings, sample comments members could use during the public comment section of GSA community meetings, and information on the proposed fee structure with the Regulatory Fee recommendation. The Sonoma County Farm Bureau will continue to update members on new information regarding the Sonoma County GSAs.

March 2022

GSA Fee Proposal Letter

Sonoma County Farm Bureau wrote a letter addressed to the GSA Board Members and Advisory Committee Members to request that the Santa Rosa Plain, Sonoma Valley, and Petaluma Valley GSAs consider adopting a fee mechanism that provides the GSAs and landowners with the most flexibility to address basin needs while somewhat spreading the costs to all beneficiaries and users of the basins. SCFB requested the GSA Board and Advisory Committee to consider the following principles when adopting fees to fund the GSA for years 0 to 5: all beneficiaries of the groundwater basins should contribute to GSA costs; all persons and lands adversely impacting groundwater resources should also contribute to GSA costs; the fee program should provide incentives through fee discounts for landowners who increase groundwater recharge, improve water quality or undertake other actions that benefit the basins; and utilize a fee mechanism that allows GSAs to fund implementation projects and not just administration and planning.

Groundwater Sustainability Farm Plan Workbook

The Sonoma County Farm Bureau and Sonoma Alliance for Viticulture and the Environment (SAVE) created a 174-page workbook that outlines sustainable business strategies, ecosystem management, water and viticulture, soil management, vineyard water management, pest management, and winery water conservation.