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.
Ag Technology California Farm Bureau-sponsored legislation, Assembly Bill 1016, by Assembly Member Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, creates a training pro- gram for the use of drone technology for pesticide applications. Current regulations require farmers to complete a time-consuming apprentice- ship program before they can be licensed to use drones for pesticide applications. AB 1016 would enable the Department of Pesticide Regulation to establish mod- ernized requirements more suitable for farmers who want to use drones for pest-control applications on their farms. The bill passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee last week with no opposition. It has passed two policy committees and now the Appropriations Committee with little or no opposition. It next goes to the Assembly floor, where broad support from both Democrats and Republicans is anticipated. Agricultural Employment Policy Gov. Gavin Newsom on May 15 signed Assembly Bill 113, which implemented the September 2022 deal between the California Labor Federation, United Farm Workers and Newsom that led the governor to reverse his prior opposition to unionizing legislation. AB 113 eliminates the “labor peace” provisions in the original version of AB 2183, leaving “card-check”—or the col- lection of signed cards or petitions—as the means for qualifying labor unions seeking to represent an agricultural em- ployer’s employees. The bill enacts major changes to the la- bor code without any consideration by the Legislature’s policy committees. California Farm Bureau opposed the bill because it did not restore farm employ- ees’ former rights to an Ag Labor Relations Board-supervised secret ballot election, which served to protect those employees from intimidation and coercion.
Insurance Senate Bill 264, authored by state Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, passed from the Senate Appropriations Committee with a recommendation to be placed on the Senate floor consent calendar. California Farm Bureau supports SB 264. The bill would extend disaster loss deduc- tions incurred in any city or county that is
proclaimed by the governor to be in a state of emergency to taxable years beginning before Jan. 1, 2029. It would extend for those taxable years the provision prohibiting any law that suspends, defers, reduces or otherwise diminishes the deduction of a net operat- ing loss from applying to these specified disaster losses.
AB2183alsoharborsanotherproblematic provision that has been little discussed. For the first time, the ALRB will have authority to levy penalties up to $25,000 for unfair labor practices that previously warranted only remedial remedies such as back pay. The highest penalty amounts will be re- served for unfair labor practices the board deems discriminatory or retaliatory.
yf&r farmpac Clay shoot Fundraiser
Benefiting the Fund to Protect the Family Farm ( FarmPAC ® )
Saturday JUNE 24 2023 Coon Creek Trap & Skeet Club 5393 Waltz Rd. Lincoln, California 95648
Registration Open $100 per person $450 for a team of 5 includes traps and lunch Limited to 100 shooters
Tulare Continued from Page 15
and levees and with debris clearing were things people in Tulare County did without hesitation. They volunteered for duty with no promise of being paid for their work. When we talk about heroes and selfless individuals working without fanfare in our communities, our farmers and ranchers top the list. Through extreme weather, catastrophic forest fires and now excessive floodwaters, our county has seen some difficult years, making our jobs as agriculturalists much harder and costing us more to stay in busi- ness. I am reminded why our role at Farm Bureau is so important to be a voice for those hard-working men and women, and to have their backs. We must be resilient in the face of adversity and work aggressively to protect them and our critical agricultural resources we all rely upon.
sponsorship opportunities available
For more information and to register, visit www.cfbf.com/farmpac. Contributions or gifts to FarmPAC are not tax-deductible. Paid for by California Farm Bureau Federation Fund to Protect the Family Farm (FarmPAC ® ).
May 24, 2023 Ag Alert 17
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