Farm Bureau at work California Farm Bureau’s government affairs team is at the Capitol, advocating for farmers, ranchers and agriculture’s future. Here are some key issues Farm Bureau is focused on this week.
Bill deadline Friday was California’s bill intro- duction deadline, and California Farm Bureau’s Government Affairs Division was tracking at least 40 piec- es of legislation of potential interest to agriculture. Here are three bills of note that Farm Bureau staff is working on. Endangered Species Assembly Bill 606, sponsored by Farm Bureau, was introduced last week by Assemblymember Devon Mathis, R-Porterville. The bill would remove the sunset pro- vision on current accidental take statute for endangered species or candidates for endangered species consideration. The California Endangered Species Act prohibits the taking of an endangered or candidate species. Under CESA, the Department of Fish and Wildlife may authorize the take of listed species following an incidental take permit if the take is incidental to an oth- erwise lawful activity. Until Jan. 1, 2024, the act allows acci- dental take of a candidate, threatened or endangered species on a farm or ranch during otherwise lawful routine and on- going agricultural activities. However, when an accidental take occurs under these circumstances, the bill would require a person to re- port the take to the department within 10 days. The bill would remove the sunset date and extend indefinitely the exception to the CESA that protects farmers and ranchers throughout the state. Insurance Senate Bill 505, authored by state Sen. Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, and co-sponsored by the California Department of Insurance and Farm Bureau, has been introduced as a spot bill. The bill would add commercial policy eligibility to the California FAIR Plan’s clearinghouse, to help move those pol- icies back to the admitted marketplace. Rubio previously authored SB 11, legislation strongly backed by the California Farm Bureau and Napa County Farm Bureau after devastating wine country wildfires. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021, the legislation addressed the lack of wild- fire insurance coverage for farmers and ranchers, including those who lost cov- erage after fires. As a result, many were not able to get access to basic property insurance, leav- ing commercial agriculture infrastruc- ture, wineries, farming equipment and structures unprotected. That changed with the passage of SB 11, which allowed farmers and ranchers denied coverage in fire-prone areas to access insurance through the FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort.
Ag Technology Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, has introduced AB 1016, a spot bill related to aerial pest control appli- cator credentials. The bill is sponsored by Farm Bureau. The intent of the bill is to update the credentialing process for aerial applicator
licensing to include precision agriculture. Under current law, any person who operates an aircraft in pest control must hold a valid pest control aircraft pilot’s certificate issued by the state director of pesticide regulation. The law also requires a pest control air- craft pilot’s certificate to designate the pilot’s
status as a journeyman or apprentice. AB 1016 would prohibit the issuance of a journeyman’s certificate unless the applicant has served as an apprentice for one year and has also presented proof of at least 150 hours of operation of fixed- wing aircraft or 50 hours of nonfixed-wing aircraft in pest control activities.
Join us in standing up for California’s farmers and ranchers. REGISTER NOW • MARCH 27–29, 2023 Join the grassroots process with California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson and special guest speakers. Hilton Sacramento Arden West Featuring Commodity Advisory Committee Meetings & Legislative Day
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February 22, 2023 Ag Alert 19
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