The not-so-subtle war being waged against California farmers by pro-labor sympathizers continued in the Assembly yesterday with the hearing of a bill that resets overtime requirements for agricultural employees. Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) authored the legislation (AB 2757) that would repeal the longstanding 10-hour daily overtime requirement and replace it with more onerous…
As previously announced in our March 24, 2016, Spotlight article, Western Growers and industry partners have filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of provisions of AB 1513 that effectively carves-out two growers from taking advantage of the bill’s safe harbor provisions. The brief was drafted by Pacific Legal Foundation ...
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has issued a new pregnancy rights poster for employers to use in satisfying posting requirements under California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave law. The new poster has the same title, “Your Rights and Obligations as a Pregnant Employee” as the previous pregnancy rights poster known as Notice A. ...
On April 11, 2016, California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation into law that expands the state’s Paid Family Leave program allowing more Californians to care for an ill family member or bond with a new child. AB 908, sponsored by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles), increases wage replacements from the current level of 55 percent ...
It’s April and that means WG members are likely in Annual Meeting limbo; far enough removed from the activities of the 90th Annual Meeting held in San Diego last November to be reflecting on them and perhaps not thinking ahead to this year’s Annual Meeting. Well, it’s our job to bring you out of limbo ...
Last week, Western Growers sent an Action Alert to members asking them to contact their respective assembly members as soon as possible and urge a NO vote on Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) farmworker overtime bill (AB 2757). A follow-up Action Alert will be sent out next week to those who have not acted reminding them ...
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced it will present an update on the Groundwater Sustainable Plan (GSP) Emergency Regulations to the California Water Commission (CWC) at the CWC’s public meeting in Sacramento April 20, 2016. The proceedings will also be webcast. DWR is required to adopt emergency regulations by June 1, 2016. The ...
With the possibility of additional H2A processing delays threatening farming operations in California, Arizona and elsewhere, WG board members flew to Washington, D.C. and met with representatives from the three federal agencies responsible for processing applications. Board members used the opportunity to highlight the increasing usage of H-2A and why there is every expectation the ...
George Minoru Tanimura, farming giant and family patriarch of the Tanimura family, passed away on April 15, 2016, at the age of 100. The eldest of twelve siblings, George was forced to shepherd his family through such events as the Great Depression and World War II following the death of his mother, and some years ...
In a recent survey of our members who use the H-2A program, more than half experienced delays in getting their workers last year. This year, with the influx of H-2B visa applications at the Department of Labor (DOL), and the greater overall demand for the H-2A program, there is a real concern that H-2A visa ...
John R. Norton III, who served as Western Growers’ Chairman in 1980 and was an Association Award of Honor recipient in 1985, has died. He was 87. Norton passed away on Sunday April 17, 2016, in Arizona, surrounded by family. His contributions as an industry pioneer and visionary are impossible to overlook and profoundly contributed ...
Today, after steadily increasing the State Water Project (SWP) allocation from 10% in December to 45% in March, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) again increased its water delivery for most recipients to 60% of requests for 2016. The extra allocation is primarily due to March storms that provided substantial precipitation to Northern California, filling ...
Due to recent Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) and cadmium standard violations on shipments to Taiwan, Western Growers reminds members that while the U.S. may have established tolerances on a particular pesticide/fungicide, other countries’ threshold limits may be lower or non-established. Such violations will not only place the individual shipper on enhanced surveillance, but in many ...
Ralph Bodine, former Chairman of Western Growers and an Award of Honor Recipient, passed away on March 7, 2016, at age 73. Bodine was born on October 1, 1942, and was married to his wife Linda for 35 years. Together they had six children. A graduate of Princeton University, Bodine was a great leader, man ...
The State Water Resources Control Board (the “Board”) issued a Draft Order revising the Eastern San Joaquin Agricultural Coalition’s General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR). The WDR is part of the Boards’ Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program to address discharges of waste from irrigated agriculture. These revisions are in response to three petitions the State Water Board ...
In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, Peter Gleick derides efforts by Sen. Feinstein and Rep. Valadao to pass legislation that would alleviate some of the damage done to farms and farmworkers in the San Joaquin Valley who have watched El Niño water flow past their farms and out to sea. The crux of Gleick’s ...
Declares “government has lost its moral compass” IRVINE, Calif., (April 1, 2016) — The following statement was issued by Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif in response to the announcement by regulators of the Central Valley Project (CVP) that farms and cities south-of-the-Delta will receive only a five percent water allocation this year: “For ...
IRVINE, Calif. (April 5, 2016) — Western Growers and industry partners have filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of provisions of AB 1513 that effectively carve out two growers from taking advantage of the bill’s safe harbor provisions. The brief was drafted by Pacific Legal Foundation on behalf of ...
Western Growers is proud to announce that former ambassador, presidential cabinet member and politician, Jim Nicholson, will be our 91st Annual Meeting PAC Lunch speaker being held at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai on Monday, November 7. Nicholson will make the end of an exciting presidential campaign season even more interesting as he provides attendees ...