California Legislature
May 2023
Board Member Jennifer Beretta and ED Dayna Ghirardelli met with Assemblymember Damon Connolly and members of his staff to discuss AB 652 and AB 1232.
AB 652 would establish and convene an environmental justice advisory committee that would formally review the activities and programs under the jurisdiction of the department and that would provide recommendations and identify best practices for improving community protections, compliance with regulations, and enforcement of timelines. Our frustration with this is that this mechanism already exists and adds additional unnecessary oversight and guidance to an already intensively advised process. CAFB has also shared opposition.
AB 1232, authored by Assemblymember Connolly, would require the California Department of Food & Ag to establish and administer a resilient and higher welfare grant program to support the implementation of higher standards of care and more climate-smart farming practices by providing education materials, outreach, and incentives to producers and processors seeking to improve farm animal welfare and increase capacity to meet the growing demand for higher welfare and welfare-certified products, to comply with regulatory requirements, and to make necessary climate adaptations. While the conceptual intent of this bill seems appropriate, this would put more strain on the budget for something that is already being done within industries. The programs currently utilized offer a benefit to producers for management practices they already perform, as well as provide additional education through the process. CAFB has also shared opposition. (This has been placed on the Assembly’s suspense file and is now a two-year bill. This allows more time to combat this.)
ED Ghirardelli expressed strong opposition to AB 554 to Assemblymember Connolly, which would allow SPCA’S to bring civil actions against claims alleging a violation of “any law related to or affecting animals.” Any 20 Californians can form an SPCA, giving a new avenue for extremists to stop the production of animal agriculture if enacted. Further, in civil court, the same safeguards against frivolous lawsuits do not exist. CAFB has also shared opposition. (This has been placed on hold by the author until further discussion can be had.)
SCFB submitted a letter of support for AB 1016 to Chris Holden, chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee (copying Assemblymembers Wood and Connolly). This bill would allow for the expansion of the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (DPR) authority to create training programs for unmanned aerial vehicle (AUV or drone) aerial applicator licensing. The current training structure inhibits capable drone pilots from obtaining these licenses limiting the availability of these professionals. The use of drones by licensed pilots offers precision applications of products, making them more efficient and reducing contact risk. CAFB has also shared support.
April 24, 2023, letter to Chris Holden, Chair, Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
SCFB Executive Director Dayna Ghirardelli and President Doug Beretta submitted a letter supporting AB 1016. The current agricultural landscape begs for innovation, technology, and precision that promotes efficiency. AB 1016 contributes to that goal by expanding the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)’s authority to create training programs for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) aerial applicator licensing.
March 2022, AB-1218 Zero-Emission New Passenger Vehicle and Light-Duty Truck Goals Defeated Thanks to the hundreds of members at Sonoma County Farm Bureau and neighboring county Farm Bureaus who contacted legislators, the proposed AB1218 law has been defeated. This defeated bill means Sonoma County farmers, ranchers, and growers will not have to buy expensive electric farm vehicles in the near term.
January 2022, Proposition 12 Exemption Sonoma County Farm Bureau President, Jennifer Beretta, addressed Dr. Cox, the Program Manager of the Department of Food and Agriculture to urge the Department to provide a full exemption from Proposition 12 for all junior livestock exhibitions and county fairs.
Sonoma County Farm Bureau knows firsthand the positive impact that youth experiencing agriculture education through hands-on projects has on our community and the future of agriculture. An exemption to Proposition 12 is warranted as youth projects are not the same as commercial livestock production and should not be subject to the same regulations. Restrictions put on the exhibitors and the fairs will become prohibitive to youth agriculture education.
California Proposition 12, the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, was approved by voters on November 6, 2018. The law addresses minimum confinement requirements for veal calves, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens. On January 1, 2020, these minimum confinement requirements went into effect for hens and calves. On January 1, 2022, breeding pigs came under this regulation, and the floor space required for hens was increased beyond the amount required 2 years earlier.
