On March 16, 2006, the Central Valley Water Quality Control Board and the
Hilmar Cheese Company entered into a settlement agreement regarding
Administrative Civil Liability Complaint No. R5-2005-0501. This settlement
required Hilmar to fund a Supplementary Environmental Project (SEP).  The
SEP is a study of the management of salinity in wastewater in the California food
processing industry.  The study, which began in May 2006, will be completed by
November 2007.  It is directed by Professors David Sunding and
Yoram Rubin of the University of California, Berkeley.

For further information regarding the study please contact the study directors, or
Dr. Mark Berkman, the study administrator at the following email addresses:


Professor Sunding    sunding@are.berkeley.edu
Professor Rubin        rubin@ce.berkeley.edu
Dr. Berkman              mberkman@crai.com
About the Hilmar SEP
Hilmar SEP