The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is hosting a webinar this week to inform growers about upcoming open-burning prohibitions that will affect vineyards, citrus, tree nuts, rice and other crops.

Identical workshops will be held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, and 10 a.m. Friday, June 11.

In addition, the district is holding a virtual public workshop to present, discuss, and receive feedback on the District’s draft Supplemental Report and Recommendations on Agricultural Burning. That meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 3.

Growers are seeking alternatives to open burning after the California Air Resources Board recently banned the practice. Open burning is set to be phased out by the end of 2024.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has included $150 million in his proposed 2021-22 state budget for a burn-alternatives program that will help growers with such things as whole-orchard and whole-vineyard recycling, in which growers chip removed trees and vines and push the chips into the soil.

For detailed information about the meetings and how to attend, click here.