On March 7, 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered CalRecycle to pull back its final SB54 regulation and restart the one-year regulatory process. This comes after a lengthy and uphill battle for Western Growers (WG) and other industry leaders to ensure produce safety, protect agricultural businesses and keep fresh food affordable.

In Gov. Newsom’s announcement, he said that the draft regulation would impose unacceptable burdens on businesses and add costs to consumers. In addition to industry voices on the infeasibility of the regulation, the Producer Responsibility Organization contracted by the state and tasked with implementing the regulation, also supported the need for more time to get the regulation right.

There has been a tremendous amount of pressure from the bill author, co-authors and environmental groups to simply push the regulation through without full consideration. WG is pleased by the Governor’s acknowledgement that a tremendous landmark piece of legislation such as SB54 should prioritize quality regulation development over expediency.

This opportunity allows WG to continue working toward resolving the outstanding issues regarding exemptions and regulatory costs for our members. Stay tuned for updates and future informational webinars on this matter.