March 10, 2021
CARB Approves Phased-In Agricultural Burning Ban in San Joaquin Air Quality Management District
Farmers and ranchers in the San Joaquin Valley (Valley) must now implement alternatives to agricultural burning to comply with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved “near-complete phase-out” of agricultural burning by January 1, 2025. Agricultural burning is a vegetation management tool farmers and ranchers use to remove crop residue from harvested fields, control pests, prevent diseases, and eliminate vineyard and orchard pruning and removals. It is an effective and cost-efficient tool, especially for farmers and ranchers in California’s most agriculturally productive areas, such as the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. However, its use creates fine particulate emissions impacting the air quality of nearby communities and inhibiting attainment of federal air quality standards. … Read More
Written by Alyson E. Ackerman