Ag Alert October 7, 2026

State Affairs - Federal Policy - Legal Services Advocacy in Action

Diesel As California diesel prices climb to re- cord levels, California Farm Bureau raised the concerns of farmers and ranchers with state policymakers. It sent a letter to the chairs of the Assembly and Senate trans- portation committees urging immediate attention to the significant financial strain high diesel prices place on agricultural op- erations. (See related story, Page 1). Farm Bureau said it will continue provid- ing member data, testimony and technical expertiseaspolicymakersexaminepotential solutions to the state’s fuel-cost challenges. Legislation The governor finished acting on 27 bills that California Farm Bureau tracked this year. Twenty were signed, and seven were vetoed. Of the 16 bills Farm Bureau sup- ported, 12 became law. Of the nine Farm Bureau opposed, three were vetoed, and six were signed. The 12 bills that Farm Bureau supported and that became law were: • Assembly Bill 230, which extends the Pierce’s Disease Control Program indefi- nitely rather than letting it expire in 2031. But it makes the extension inoperative if the California Department of Food and Agricul- ture finds that a referendum on continuing

the Winegrape Pest and Disease Prevention Board did not receive a favorable vote. • Assembly Bill 706, which creates the Forest Organic Residue, Energy, and Safety Transformation program. Upon appropri- ation, it would use timber fund or Green- house Gas Reduction Fund monies to maintain and expand biomass power gen- eration and revitalize idle biomass facilities. • Assembly Bill 1663, which allows the agent of a property owner to submit a Josh- ua tree permit request and meet related requirements and removes the require- ment that the request includes a signed attestation or certification. • Assembly Bill 1711, which directs fair-related funds to capital outlay for Cali- fornia fairs, covering public health, fire and life safety, emergency services, regulato- ry-compliance and maintenance projects at fairgrounds. Money deposited after Nov. 1 each year must be allocated within 90 days. • Assembly Bill 1808, which authoriz- es the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to delegate to a city the authority to approve the taking of a western Joshua tree for commercial and industrial devel- opment projects. • Assembly Bill 1890, which directs the California Department of Housing and Community Development to award up

to $500,000 a year in matching funds to the Napa County Housing Authority to keep meeting the housing needs of mi- grant and other farmworkers, with the program operative once the Legislature appropriates funding. • Assembly Bill 2032, which exempts public or private water-supply operators that submit a control plan to the Califor- nia Department of Fish and Wildlife from the restricted-species permit requirement for invasive mussels when doing mainte- nance, operational and research work. • Assembly Bill 2156, which designates March 31 as Farmworkers Day and requires the governor to proclaim it each year. • Assembly Bill 2700, which requires the California Public Utilities Commission to report by Jan. 1, 2028, on verified restitu- tion shortfalls for victims of utility-caused wildfires that occurred before July 12, 2019, and to recommend ways utilities can close those shortfalls. • Senate Bill 881, which extends the state income tax credits for food bank do- nations to taxable years beginning before Jan. 1, 2032. • Senate Bill 1062, which requires CDFW to consider making Joshua tree fees propor- tionate to a project’s impact, including tiered fees by project type, size or other criteria.

• Senate Bill 1085, which requires a city or county that receives a qualifying hous- ing application to identify the public wa- ter systems involved and, within 15 days, ask each to confirm whether the project’s water demand was included in its urban water management plan. Wolf The governor also signed into law Sen- ate Bill 1135, which directs CDFW, upon appropriation, to create a Wildlife Coex- istence Program with a statewide wild- life incident reporting tool and rename the Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program as the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program. Farm Bureau took a neutral position. The law provides compensation for confirmed or probable livestock losses and indirect losses such as reduced weight gain or lower conception rates. It also ex- plicitly allows working livestock guardian dogs to pursue wolves while defending livestock. To qualify for loss payments in active wolf territory, ranchers must use nonlethal deterrents. At least half of the program’s overall funding must be directed toward providing producers with nonlethal tools and equip- ment, helping offset out-of-pocket costs.

Summer rates start June 1

Electric Rate Plan Options for Agricultural Customers For more information on electric rate plan options, visit pge.com/tariffs .

Time-of-Use Time-of-Use rate plans can help you save because they offer lower energy rates when energy demand is low. By shifting energy use to off-peak hours of the day, when rates are lower, you can reduce your business expenses. Customers who are eligible for default will transition annually each March . For more information, visit pge.com/agrateplans .

YEAR-ROUND PEAK HOURS 5–8 p.m. JAN–DEC

12am

Cost per kWh varies by season. Costs are higher in the summer than in the winter. Customers are billed on measured demand. Peak period applies for 365 days of the year. Max demand charge is now the same in summer and winter.

5pm

8pm

Off-peak Lower energy cost

Peak Higher energy cost

8 Ag Alert October 7, 2026