Industry News

In Memory: Henry Kalfsbeek

The California and U.S. Rice industry extends condolences to the family and friends of Henry Kalfsbeek, who passed away Wednesday, January 24, as the result of a hunting accident.

“Henry had an amazing ability to connect with people,” said fellow California rice farmer Josh Sheppard.  “His positive, gracious, caring, and humble persona, along with his tireless work ethic, was admirable.  We are all better off for knowing Henry and having him be a part of our lives.  He will be missed dearly.”

Henry farmed in the Arbuckle area and was a pest control advisor for Grow West for the past 24 years.  He was 49 years old and had been married to his wife, Renee, for 16 years.  They have a son, Tyler (13), and a daughter, Blake (11).  Henry was a family man; his wife and kids meant everything to him.  Their life revolved around activities and vacations for the whole family.  They visited national parks, hiked, fished, hunted, and golfed together. 

A 2008 graduate of the Rice Leadership Development Program, Henry will be remembered as “a great asset to the rice industry.”  Dr. Steve Linscombe, current director of the Leadership Program, got to know Henry well over the last few years and says, “Henry facilitated leadership class trips to California.  He was such a nice guy who was so willing to share his knowledge and experience with others.”

A Rosary is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, February 5 at McNary-Moore Funeral Chapel, 107 Fifth Street, Colusa. A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on February 6 at the Holy Cross Catholic Church, 408 Laurel Street, Arbuckle with a private burial immediately following at the Arbuckle Cemetery. A celebration of Henry’s life will follow at the Yolo Fliers Golf Course, 17980 Road 94B, Woodland.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to The Henry Kalfsbeek Family Trust in c/o Umpqua Bank, PO Box 1218, Arbuckle CA 95912; Arbuckle Golf Course or Arbuckle Fire Department.

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CRC Grower Meetings – January 15

CRC Grower Meetings – January 15

Join us for the CRC Annual Grower Meetings on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in Williams and Yuba City. Discover the latest developments on important issues facing our industry, including the Rice Footprint report, the next farm bill, state and federal policy, the water year outlook, and key CRC programs. 

Meeting Details: 

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Morning Meeting – Williams 

Granzella’s — Banquet Hall (one block West of Granzella’s restaurant, parking lot located behind the old bank building)
457 7th St, Williams, CA
8:00 a.m. Doors Open
8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Meeting

Afternoon Meeting – Yuba City

Hillcrest Catering — Plaza Room
210 Julie Drive, Yuba City, CA
12:30 p.m. Doors Open
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Meeting

*Information presented at both meetings will be the same

Scheduled speakers include:

  • Logan Wilson, Vice Chair, California Rice Commission – Welcome and Introduction 
  • Louie Brown, Kahn, Soares & Conway – 2024 Election impacts – California perspective 
  • Tyson Redpath, The Russell Group – New President, New Senate, New House and the Farm Bill
  • David Guy, President, Northern California Water Association – The Power of the Floodplain; Water Outlook 2025
  • Steve Lerch, CEO, Story Arc Consulting – Impact of Digital Advertising – CA Rice Case Study
  • Tim Johnson, CEO, California Rice Commission – The Rice Footprint and Key CRC Programs 

For more information, contact the CRC’s Communications Manager, Katie Cahill, at kcahill@calrice.org.

California Adopts New Zero-emission Forklift Regulation

California Adopts New Zero-emission Forklift Regulation

For several years, CRC worked in partnership with a few other agricultural groups to intensively focus on California’s Zero-emission Forklift (ZEF) Regulation. In the Summer of 2024, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) formally adopted the regulation after multiple years of work by our coalition resulting in solid regulatory relief for CRC members and all of California agriculture.  

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