We are all familiar with the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It’s a catch-all phrase that attempts to capture the understanding that your time should be spent focusing on the truly important matters that need urgent resolution. A closer look at the usage of this phrase also infers that most tasks take time and that the outcome should be worth the effort given. It’s not an…
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) has adopted new agricultural regulations for soil and foliar applications of neonicotinoid use. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, these regulations are intended to protect pollinators from the hazards associated with exposure to neonicotinoid pesticide products containing active ingredients: clothianidin dinotefuran imidacloprid …
At the time of this writing, the California Legislature has left town having completed the first year of their two-year legislative session. Those bills that successfully made their way through the legislative process are now sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk awaiting action via his signature or veto. He has until October 14 to do so. WG advocates are just as actively engaged in this final…
Scientific principles are not just important for doctors and researchers, they are also critically important - or should be - for California policymakers and the decisions that they are involved in creating. I spend a great portion of my day reading through bills to determine whether or not the provisions will have an impact, positive or negative, on Western Growers members. I’m fascinated by…
At the time of this writing, Gov. Gavin Newsom has submitted several budget bill proposals to the legislature that would streamline critical energy, water and transportation infrastructure projects in California. Following years of waiting on the construction of “approved” projects, the Administration has rightfully come to the conclusion that there are too many unnecessary delays in the…
At the time of this writing, we are well into the first year of this new two-year legislative session. WG staff have met with the new legislators, as well as their staff, and have been very busy advocating for and against proposals that will impact our membership. “Working the bills” has its own set of rules and rhythms. There’s a general order for assigning specific bills to specific…
Admittedly, I’m a light sleeper. This combined with the fact that I’m an avowed coffee drinker make for many nights that I’m left to my own quiet thoughts as my family peacefully drifts off to sleep. Although I realize that I need to get back to a regular sleep schedule, I’ve grown increasingly accustomed to this being a time for me to ponder legislation and regulations that are…
At the time of this writing, the 2022-2023 two-year legislative session has been called to order in Sacramento. This represents a changing of the guard from one formal legislative season to another and, this year, a sea of change in the number of new legislators who are coming to California’s capitol. In fact, approximately a quarter of the legislature is now made up of new faces. This is both…
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed AB 113, which is the supplemental language that was negotiated with the Governor, the UFW, and the California Labor Federation prior to his signing of AB 2183, the card check bill. Agricultural employers were excluded from that discussion. AB 113 removes the mail-in voting option and labor-peace election procedures from the statute. Importantly, the card check,…
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation is holding three public workshops to collect feedback and provide an update on the development of the statewide pesticide application system. The workshops will be held on Nov. 7, Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, 2022. The workshops are scheduled at the following times and locations; registration is not required ...
At the time of this writing, the 2022-2023 two-year legislative session has been called to order in Sacramento. This represents a changing of the guard from one formal legislative season to another and, this year, a sea of change in the number of new legislators who are coming to California’s capitol. In fact, approximately a ...
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) issued a notice on June 2, 2015, that effective July 1, 2015, chlorpyrifos products labeled for production of an agricultural commodity will become California restricted materials. Applicators who wish to purchase, possess, or apply affected chlorpyrifos products will have to obtain a restricted materials permit from their County ...
The first year of the 2015-2016 California legislative session has advanced beyond the June 5th deadline for bills to be voted out of their house of origin. Several key labor and employment bills that WG has been actively lobbying are updated below. AB 67 (Gonzalez, D-San Diego) – Oppose: This bill would require employers to ...
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) recently released new regulations that place additional restrictions on the agricultural use of pesticides. These new regulations apply to applications that are made within ¼ mile of public schools or child day care facilities The restrictions apply Monday through Friday from the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 ...
The second year of the 2017-2018 California legislative session has advanced beyond the deadline for bills to be voted out of their house of origin. Listed below are several key labor and environmental bills that Western Growers has been actively lobbying this year. AB 1745 (Ting, D-San Francisco) – Oppose This bill would have placed ...
The California Legislature closed out the legislative year late last Friday. Governor Brown has until September 30th to sign or veto the bills that are now on his desk. Provided below is a brief list of some of the key bills that Western Growers has been lobbying on behalf of our members. AB 1913 (Kalra) ...
The California Legislature has left Sacramento for the remainder of the year, having completed their legislative business on August 31. Governor Brown had until September 30, 2018, to take final action on those bills that made it to his desk. This has been an extraordinarily active year. Listed below are some of the notable bills ...
Applications for the Agricultural Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) Voucher Program are now open. The Ag UTV Voucher Program provides monetary incentives for the replacement of existing diesel or gasoline-powered UTVs with new, zero-emission UTVs. Qualified individuals, businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations involved in California agricultural operation, as defined by the…
Crop protection tools are again under attack in California, as a newly proposed bill would prohibit the use of a pesticide that contains the active ingredient chlorpyrifos. SB 458 (Durazo) would make this provision effective unless and until the director of the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) adopts control measures for chlorpyrifos and the Director ...
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2019 Agricultural Tractor and Mobile Equipment Survey deadline has been extended to May 15, 2019. Farmers, agricultural operators and processors are encouraged to participate in this survey so that CARB may accurately depict agricultural equipment across California. The previous survey in 2008 helped determine allocations of hundreds of millions ...