GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, SO
BEFORE WE BEGIN TO ENSURE THAT
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AND THE
PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO OUR
PROCEEDINGS TODAY, THIS HEARING
WILL WILL BE STREAMED ON THE
ASSEMBLY'S WEBSITE. AND MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE
TESTIMONY IN PERSON. WE ARE HERE
IN ROOM 126, SO IN THE ABSENCE
OF A QUORUM, WE WILL BEGIN AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE, AND SO THAT'S WHAT
WE'LL WE'LL GET STARTED, JUST
WANT TO GO OVER SOME LOGISTICS
AND PROTOCOL. SO FIRST, JUST
WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW TODAY
WE DO HAVE 11 BILLS ON OUR
AGENDA THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED
BY OUR COMMITTEE TODAY, TWO
BILLS ARE ON CONSENT FILE, WHICH
INCLUDES AB 1861 BY ADUS AND AB
2143 BY CONLEY, FOR ALL OF THOSE
WHO WILL BE PROVIDING COMMENTS
TODAY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME AND THE
ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. AND
IF YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE THE
BILL BEING CONSIDERED, ANY
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAY ALSO
SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS TO OUR
COMMITTEE THROUGH EMAIL. EMAILS
MAY BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS FOUND
ON THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE, WHICH
IS AGRI DOT COMMITTEE AT
ASSEMBLY DOT CA.GOV. SO I JUST
WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR
FIRST AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE
HEARING, SUPER EXCITED TO
CONTINUE AS THE CHAIRWOMAN OF
THIS COMMITTEE. WE HAVE AN
EXCITING YEAR AHEAD, SEVERAL
MONTHS, OF THIS SECOND
LEGISLATIVE YEAR. AND I JUST
WANTED TO SHARE BEFORE WE GET
STARTED, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE
ANY. OH, WELL, WE DO HAVE ONE
COMMITTEE AUTHOR, BUT I WANTED
TO SHARE A FUN FACT ABOUT, ABOUT
AG, SO FIRST I WANT TO SAY HAPPY
GARLIC MONTH. I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU GUYS DIDN'T KNOW, BUT APRIL
IS OFFICIALLY GARLIC MONTH, AND,
ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW
THAT CALIFORNIA PRODUCES OVER
90% OF COMMERCIAL GARLIC GROWN
IN THE US. AND A FUN FACT ABOUT
MY DISTRICT, BECAUSE I'M SURE
YOU GUYS ARE THINKING, OH YEAH,
GILROY IS THE CAPITAL OF GARLIC,
RIGHT? MANY THAT WAS COMMONLY
KNOWN. WELL, FRESNO COUNTY,
WHICH I PROUDLY REPRESENT, IS
ACTUALLY THE GARLIC CAPITAL OF
THE US. SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE
THE RECORD BE CLEAR, BUT
ANYWAYS, I WANTED TO GET STARTED
WITH THAT FUN FACT, BUT WE DO
HAVE, OUR ASSEMBLY. WELL, OUR
MAJORITY LEADER HERE WHO HAS A
BILL TO PRESENT, SO, MISS,
AGUILAR. CURRY, WOULD YOU WANT
TO GET US STARTED? I'D LOVE TO.
SO WHERE AM I AT? WHAT NUMBER IS
IT? 26. SO NOW WE HAVE,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN AGUILAR, CURVE
CURRY PRESENTING AB 2606,
CALIFORNIA COMMISSION. GOOD
AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS TODAY,
CALIFORNIA'S AGRICULTURAL
INDUSTRY IS EXPERIENCING MARKET
INSTABILITY Kò THE INCREASING
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND
PERSISTENT DROUGHTS HAVE REDUCED
WATER AVAILABILITY THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA, PLACING
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PRESSURE ON
THE STATE'S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
AND AGRICULTURE DEPENDENT
REGIONS. AGAVE IS A PROMISING
ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL CROPS
BECAUSE IT REQUIRES 10% OR LESS
OF THE WATER NEEDED BY MANY
CROPS WHILE PRODUCING NEW HIGH
VALUE PRODUCTS LIKE CALIFORNIA
GROWN AGAVE SPIRITS. THIS BILL
WILL HELP OUR FARMERS TO BE MORE
COMPETITIVE IN DOMESTIC AND
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS BY
CREATING THE FIRST AGAVE
COMMISSION IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THIS COMMISSION WILL
BE MADE UP OF GROWERS, PRODUCERS
, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND
WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
SUPPORTING THE SUSTAINABLE
PRODUCTION PROCESS, SOURCING AND
MARKETING OF CALIFORNIA GROWN
AGAVE SPIRITS. WITH ME TODAY, I
HAVE CRAIG REYNOLDS, THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA
AGAVE COUNCIL. WELCOME THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS, I
AM CRAIG REYNOLDS, THE
CALIFORNIA AGAVE COUNCIL IS A
COALITION OF AGAVE GROWERS,
DISTILLERS AND RETAILERS WHO
HAVE COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT
THIS EMERGING CROP IN
CALIFORNIA. ESTABLISHING THIS
COMMISSION IS A CRITICAL STEP IN
OUR RAPIDLY GROWING INDUSTRY
WITH INCREASING WATER
RESTRICTIONS, CALIFORNIA FARMERS
ARE FINDING AGAVES TO BE A
PROFITABLE, CLIMATE RESILIENT
DROUGHT TOLERANT, LOW WATER USE
CROP. AN ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVE
TO FALLOWING PRODUCTIVE
AGRICULTURAL LANDS, AS WELL AS
LANDS NOT ALREADY CULTIVATED. IN
ADDITION, DUE TO THE LONG
HISTORY OF AGAVE GROWN IN MEXICO
FOR DISTILLED SPIRITS, MANY OF
OUR MEXICAN AMERICAN FARM OWNERS
AND WORKERS BRING WITH THEM THE
EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE THAT
PROVIDES NEW BUSINESS AND JOB
OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR
DISADVANTAGED FARMING
COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA
AGAVE COMMISSION, WHICH WILL BE
ENTIRELY FUNDED BY THE INDUSTRY,
WILL HELP US DEVELOP THE BEST
PRACTICES, SUPPORT RESEARCH AND
MARKETING AND OTHER INITIATIVES
TO SUPPORT OUR INDUSTRY, WE'RE
GRATEFUL TO ASSEMBLYMEMBERS
AGUIAR-CURRY FOR BEING OUR
CHAMPION ON THIS. AND TO YOUR
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR AN EXCELLENT
ANALYSIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MR. REYNOLDS, BEFORE WE PROCEED
WITH ANY ADDITIONAL MEMBERS IN
SUPPORT, I DID WANT TO, GO AHEAD
AND ESTABLISH OUR QUORUM BECAUSE
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT,
MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU COULD
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. HERE
AGUIAR-CURRY. CONNOLLY. IRWIN
JOAN SAWYER, PRESIDENT. SANTA TO
HERE. HERE. WOULD. GREAT. SO WE
HAVE A QUORUM, WE CAN PROCEED IF
YOU HAVE ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT. NO SO DO WE HAVE AT
THIS MOMENT, ANY WITNESS AND
OPPOSITION IN. SO AT THIS TIME,
WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS
OF THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE
TO REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION FOR THIS BILL? NO YES
OR NO? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I
WANTED TO OPEN IT UP TO OUR
MEMBERS. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MOTION.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND
MOTION BY MR. VÆ VALLAPUDUA AND
A SECOND BY JOAN SAWYER. MADAM
SECRETARY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL AND. OH I FORGOT
TO ASK YOU TO CLOSE, SEE, THERE
WE GO. SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION
AND A SECOND, MADAM SECRETARY,
IF WE CAN PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON AB 20 AB 2606 AGUIAR-CURRY
MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE. SORIA. SORIA AYE.
ALANIZ. AGUIAR-CURRY AYE.
AGUIAR-CURRY AYE. CONNOLLY,
IRWIN. HI. IRWIN. AYE. JOAN.
SAWYER. HI. JOAN. SAWYER. AYE
SANCHEZ TO. TOR NOT VOTING. VÆ.
VALLAPUDUA AYE. VÆ. VALLAPUDUA.
I WOULD. OKAY. WE HAVE FIVE
VOTES, WE WILL HOLD IT OPEN, SO
THAT OTHER MEMBERS CAN, PLEASE
ADD ON. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYWOMAN
AGUILAR CURRY, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. IF YOU WANT TO. OKAY. AT
THIS TIME, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO
TAKE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. SINCE
WE ALREADY ESTABLISHED A QUORUM.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY
ASSEMBLYWOMAN AGUILAR CURRY. DO
WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND
BY, ASSEMBLY MEMBER VÆ
VALLAPUDUA, MADAM SECRETARY, IF
YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, WE HAVE
1861 ADUS AND AB 2143 CONNOLLY
CHAIR SORIA AYE. SORIA AYE.
ALANIZ AGUIAR-CURRY AGUIAR-CURRY
AYE. CONNOLLY IRWIN. IRWIN. AYE.
JOAN. SAWYER, JOAN. SAWYER. AYE.
SANCHEZ TO AYE TO AYE. VÆ.
VALLAPUDUA Ã. VÆ. VALLAPUDUA. I
WOULD. THE CONSENT CALENDAR IS
PASSED, BUT WE WILL KEEP IT OPEN
TO ALLOW OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT
PRESENT TO ADD ON BEFORE THE END
OF THE HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANY
OTHER MEMBERS HERE TO PRESENT?
NO. MR. MR. Þ, IS HE. OH, OKAY.
YEAH. OH, YEAH, HE IS. OKAY, WE
DO, ASSEMBLY MEMBER BENNETT,
YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE HERE. SO IF
YOU'RE READY AND IF YOU HAVE
YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR YOUR
WITNESSES AND SUPPORT, PLEASE,
GO AHEAD AND START. YOU HAVE,
YOU WILL BE PRESENTING. WHICH
BILL IS IT? AB 23, 13 THE FARM
FARMER EQUITY ACT OF 2017,
REGIONAL FARMER EQUIPMENT AND
COOPERATIVE RESOURCES ASSISTANCE
PILOT PROGRAM. WELCOME. AND, YOU
MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU. THE
WITNESSES ARE HERE. THEY'RE JUST
THAT KIND OF PEOPLE. AND SURE
ENOUGH, HERE THEY ARE. RIGHT.
ALRIGHTY. GREAT THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, AB 2313 WILL
CREATE A REGIONAL HEAVY
EQUIPMENT TOOL SHARING PROGRAM
AND, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
EXPENSES OUT THERE FOR, PEOPLE
IN THE AGRICULTURAL WORLD, BUT
PARTICULARLY SMALL FARMERS AND
BEING ABLE. TO.
SHARE. SIMILAR TO HOW BOOKS ARE
CHECKED OUT OF A LIBRARY,
BRINGING DOWN THAT OVERHEAD IS
AN EASY WAY TO IMPROVE FARM
PROFITABILITY AND INCREASE THE
FARM CLIMATE RESILIENCE. AND
WITH ME TODAY IS ANNE LARSON
FROM CALIFORNIA CLIMATE AND
AGRICULTURE, CAL CAN AND JAMIE
FANO'S, THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE
WITH FAMILY FARMERS. AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE THEM BEING
HERE TODAY AND TAKE IT AWAY. ALL
RIGHT. GREAT THANKS SO MUCH.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'M
ANNA LARSON WITH CAL KHN, THE
CALIFORNIA CLIMATE AND
AGRICULTURE NETWORK, AND WE'RE A
COALITION OF EIGHT SUSTAINABLE
AND ORGANIC FARMING
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADVOCATE FOR
POLICIES TO SUPPORT FARM CLIMATE
RESILIENCE. AND SO, MORE THAN
EVER, FARMERS NEED SUPPORT TO
HAVE VIABLE AND RESILIENT
OPERATIONS AND TO HELP MEET
AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND
CLIMATE GOALS. AND SO FARM
EQUIPMENT IS TYPICALLY THE
HIGHEST CAPITAL EXPENSE FOR
FARMERS AFTER LAND AND IN
INVESTMENTS IN SPECIALIZED
EQUIPMENT, ESPECIALLY EQUIPMENT
FOR HEALTHY SOILS PRACTICES, AND
TO HAVE VIABLE AND RESILIENT
FOOD ECONOMIES. ARE OFTEN OUT OF
REACH AND MAY ONLY BE USED
INFREQUENTLY AND SO WE KNOW THAT
THIS EQUIPMENT SHARING MODEL
WORKS. WE THERE ARE RESOURCE
CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, èC,
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICES,
AND FARMERS THAT ARE ALREADY
WORKING ON CREATING THESE
PROGRAMS. BUT THERE'S DEEP NEED
AND DEMAND FOR MORE CAPACITY AND
SUPPORT, TO BE ABLE TO HELP MORE
FARMERS ACCESS THIS EQUIPMENT.
AND SO THIS BILL WOULD HELP
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO BE ABLE
TO MEET THAT DEMAND AND HELP
REALIZE THE POTENTIAL OF
AGRICULTURE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE
CHANGE AND SUPPORT REGIONAL FOOD
ECONOMIES. SO THANK YOU. AND I
ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON AB 2313.
HELLO GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
MEMBERS JAMIE FANOUS WITH THE
COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH FAMILY
FARMERS OR CAF. WE REPRESENT
AROUND 8000 SMALL AND MID SCALE
FARMERS ACROSS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AS OF RECENT
STATISTICS, WE ARE LOSING 1500
SMALL FARMS A YEAR, THE
CHALLENGES FACING SMALL FARMS
ARE ARE EXTREME. FROM CLIMATE
CHANGE TO RAPID CONSOLIDATION.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT SMALL FARMS
OPERATE ON RAZOR THIN MARGINS,
$5,000, $20,000 EQUIPMENT.
THAT'S NOT NOTHING TO THEM,
FINDING WAYS TO REDUCE THOSE
COSTS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT A LOT OF
THESE FARMERS ARE TELLING ME
EVERY SINGLE DAY WE ARE TRYING
TO FIND WAYS TO WORK MORE
COLLECTIVELY. WHETHER THAT IS
SHARING TOOLS, WHETHER THAT IS
SHARING, LAND, WHETHER THAT IS
SHARING HOUSING, THEY ARE
FINDING EVERY SINGLE WAY TO CUT
COSTS AND WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER
TO SURVIVE. NOT ONLY DOES THIS
PROGRAM OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ALLEVIATE THAT COST WHEN IT
COMES TO EQUIPMENT, BUT ALSO
ADDRESS, OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR
COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE TWO
PEOPLE IN THIS ENTIRE STATE THAT
HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO OFFER
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR
COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT, OR
REALLY JUST SUPPORT FARMERS
THINK THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE, THIS THIS PROGRAM WOULD
EXPAND THAT OPPORTUNITY AND
EXPAND THOSE RESOURCES. SO WITH
THAT, THIS IS A NO BRAINER IN MY
OPINION, AND RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU, FOR
THAT TESTIMONY. IS ARE THERE ANY
WITNESS IN OPPOSITION? THÀNH.
SEEING NONE, I WILL NOW OPEN IT
UP, TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENT.
IF YOU WANT TO APPROACH THE MIC,
IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND
YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WHETHER
YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE THE BILL.
GOOD AFTERNOON. REBECCA MARCUS,
REPRESENTING AMERICAN FARMLAND
TRUST, THE CARBON CYCLE
INSTITUTE, AND MY COLLEAGUES AT
CALIFORNIANS AGAINST WASTE AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. MICHAEL.
JARED, ON BEHALF OF NEXTGEN
CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU
. BETH. EXCUSE ME, BETH SMOKER
WITH THE CALIFORNIA FOOD AND
FARMING NETWORK IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. HI. ADDISON PETERSON
WITH COF, THE CALIFORNIA
CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMERS. WE'RE
IN SUPPORT. GOOD AFTERNOON,
KAREN LANG ON BEHALF OF STOP
WASTE AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
GREAT. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, TO
THE MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, MR.
VÆ, THROUGH THE CHAIR, I WANT TO
THANK THE AUTHOR FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD, I THINK WE'RE
GOING TO PROBABLY BE HEARING
MORE AND MORE OF THESE GREAT
IDEAS. I MEAN, MYSELF, MY
DISTRICT IS FULL OF AG, AND I
KNOW ALL THE STRUGGLES THAT A
LOT OF OUR FARMERS GO THROUGH,
BUT ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY ALL OF
THE NEW FARMERS THAT YOU'RE
HEARING, THE YOUNGER GENERATION
OF FOLKS AND EVEN FOLKS THAT
HAVE NOT THEY'RE NOT COMING FROM
THE GENERATIONAL FARMERS.
THEY'RE THESE ARE JUST NEW FOLKS
THAT JUST WANT TO HAVE GONE TO
SCHOOL. AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT MEANS OF HOW TO
HOW TO GET IN THIS FIELD. THEY
HAVE THE EDUCATION, BUT THE
FUNDING IS JUST SOMETIMES IT'S
VERY EXPENSIVE THAT IT DISTRACTS
THEM FROM GETTING INVOLVED. AND
IT'S GREAT TO HEAR I MEAN, NOT
GREAT TO HEAR, BUT THE FACT THAT
WE'RE WE'RE HEARING THAT, YOU
KNOW, 1500, YOU SAID 1500
FARMERS ARE NOT GETTING IN THIS
FIELD. I MEAN, IT'S WE'RE
CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S
KIND OF A WE DON'T JUST FEED
CALIFORNIA OR THIS STATE. WE
FEED THE WORLD. AND YOU KNOW, I
WORRY ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I,
THAT I, I'M GLAD THE, THE
AUTHORS BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
SO I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A
COAUTHOR TOO. THANK YOU. AND
THANK YOU THAT ASSEMBLYWOMAN
CURRIE. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER BENNETT, FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD, THIS SHOULD BE A
NO BRAINER. JAMIE I'M WITH YOU,
BUT LET'S JUST FACE IT, THE
REDUCES SOME OF THE FINANCIAL
BURDEN OF OUR FARMERS. IT
INCREASES ON FARM SAFETY,
REDUCES EMISSIONS. I MEAN, SOME
OF THE MACHINERY WE USE ON OUR
SMALL FARMS ARE OLD, AND THEY
HAVE A LOT OF EMISSIONS. AND TO
BE ABLE TO WORK WITH A GROUP OF
PEOPLE TO GET BETTER EQUIPMENT
IN THERE IS JUST, I THINK,
PHENOMENAL, INCENTIVIZING
CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND
PROVIDE NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR
PRODUCERS, I LOVE THIS BILL. I
WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A
COAUTHOR, THESE SMALL FAMILY
FARMS, AND I'M A SMALL FAMILY
FARM. I ONLY HAVE 80 ACRES. BUT
TO GO AND BUY A PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT, EVEN RAKES AND
SHOVELS AND THINGS THAT YOU
DON'T THINK COST VERY MUCH, THEY
ADD UP IN NO TIME AT ALL. AND IT
REALLY IS A HINDRANCE TO THESE
YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET IN
THE FARMING INDUSTRY AND TO
PARTICIPATE. SO I APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS THAT YOU BOTH MADE
TODAY, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. BENNETT, FOR BRINGING IT
FORWARD. ANY OTHER MEMBER?
GREAT. WELL, I ALSO JUST WANT TO
THANK ASSEMBLY MEMBER BENNETT
FOR BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD.
I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
VISIT SEVERAL SMALL FARMS, AND I
WANT TO THANK CAF, FOR MAKING
SOME OF THOSE TOURS POSSIBLE.
AND I HAD, YOU KNOW, JUST,
FIRSTHAND CONVERSATIONS WITH
THESE SMALL FARMERS THAT ARE,
OPERATING ON VERY THIN MARGINS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS TYPE OF
PROGRAM WILL GO A LONG WAY,
ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE SMALL
FARMERS THAT ARE BARELY HOLDING
ON FOR THE REASONS THAT
OBVIOUSLY ASSEMBLYWOMAN AGUILAR,
CURRY MENTIONED, I THINK THAT
THIS BILL IS GOING TO BE VERY
IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF
THESE SMALL FARMERS IN OUR
COMMUNITY. I REPRESENT A VERY
LARGE AG, DISTRICT. AND SO I
KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SMALL
FARMERS IN MY COMMUNITY THAT
COULD BENEFIT, IF THIS PROGRAM
IS CREATED. SO PROUD TO SUPPORT
IT TODAY. AND ALSO PROUD. PROUD,
IF YOU WOULD ADD ME AS A
COAUTHOR FOR THIS BILL. AND IF
YOU'D LIKE TO CLOSE, MR.
BENNETT, JUST VERY BRIEFLY,
REALLY APPRECIATE THE THREE OF
YOU, OFFERING TO BE COAUTHORS.
REALLY DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU ON
BOARD. I APPRECIATE THAT A LOT,
SECONDLY, JAMIE MENTIONED THAT
FARMERS ARE TRYING TO SHARE
EVERYTHING. THEY EVEN SHARE A
GREAT LOBBYIST. AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS AND STUFF. SO AND
I REALLY DO MEAN THAT WE'VE
WORKED WITH THESE PEOPLE NOW,
THIS IS A SECOND YEAR, AND WE
HAVE THE HURDLE OF JUST TRYING
TO GET THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN THE
BILL THIS YEAR. HOPEFULLY, THE
BILL'S GOING TO MOVE PROMPTLY
AND STUFF. SO WITH THAT, I'LL
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
. GREAT. IS THERE A MOTION? SO
MOTION. MOTION BY AGUIAR-CURRY.
SECOND BY, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
CONLEY. OKAY. MAKE SURE WE NOTE
THAT, SO THE MOTION ON THE BILL
IS Dð PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE, MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON AB 2313
BENNETT Dð PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. SORIA SORIA.
AYE. ALANIZ NOT VOTING. ALANIZ
NOT VOTING. AGUIAR-CURRY.
AGUIAR-CURRY. AYE CONNELLY.
CONNELLY. AYE. IRWIN. IRWIN.
AYE. JOAN. SAWYER. HI. JOAN.
SAWYER. AYE. SANCHEZ SANCHEZ.
NO. TO A TO. AYE. VÆ. VALLAPUDUA
VÆ. VALLAPUDUA. I WOULD I WOULD
I? SO WE DO HAVE EIGHT VOTES.
THE BILL IS OUT, WE WILL ADD ARE
THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS? NO. OH,
ALL THE MEMBERS ARE HERE. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. SO YOUR BILL
IS OUT UNTIL APPROPRIATIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. BENNETT, FOR
BEING HERE FOR THE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. NEXT, I SEE ASSEMBLYWOMAN
ADDIS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME
TO THE TABLE AND ARE YOUR
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT HERE THAT
CAN JOIN YOU FEEL LIKE I SHOULD
ASK, ASSEMBLY MEMBER, AUTHOR.
OKAY. AND PROCEDURE. SO WE WILL
BE, PROCEEDING WITH, FILE ITEM
NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS AB 1833 BY
ASSEMBLYWOMAN ADDIS ON
MUSHROOMS. YOU MAY PROCEED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, THANK
YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK YOUR
STAFF, MY STAFF AND THE
ADVOCATES THAT ARE HERE WITH US
TODAY. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE BILLS I'M MOST PROUD OF AND
REALLY COMES OUT OF MY DISTRICT.
SO I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE
CALIFORNIA GROWN MUSHROOM ACT AB
1833. AND ACCORDING TO THE US
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
CALIFORNIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST
MUSHROOM PRODUCING STATE, WITH
ANNUAL SALES TOTALING $255
MILLION. SO CALIFORNIA TRULY IS
FEEDING THE WORLD, THE DEMAND
FOR MUSHROOMS HAS INCREASED
RECENTLY, WITH THE GLOBAL
MUSHROOM MARKET PROJECTED TO
GROW FROM 15.25 MILLION TONS IN
2021 TO 24.5 MILLION TONS IN
2028. BUT THERE IS A BIT OF A
PROBLEM IN THAT THERE'S A
BARRIER PREVENTING CALIFORNIA
MUSHROOM FARMERS FROM
CAPITALIZING ON THE STRONG
MARKET DEMAND, WHICH IS
MISREPRESENTED MISREPRESENTATION
IN THE MARKETPLACE. SO DUE TO
THE UNIQUE NATURE OF MUSHROOMS,
THEY CAN BE GROWN AND, GROWN ON
MOVABLE PLANTERS OR WHAT WE CALL
LOGS. AND AS A RESULT, THERE'S
INSTANCES WHERE MUCH OF THE
GROWING PROCESS IS OUTSOURCED
OVERSEAS, LESS FOOD SORT OF
REGULATION IN TERMS OF HEALTHY
FOODS AND THIS LEADS TO OUR
LOCAL MUSHROOM FARMERS, ARE
BEING MIXED WITH NON-STATE OR
OUTSOURCED MUSHROOMS BECAUSE AS
LONG AS THE MUSHROOMS ARE
HARVESTED HERE, THEY CAN BE
LABELED AS A PRODUCT OF THE
UNITED STATES. AND SO CONSUMERS
DON'T ALWAYS KNOW THE QUALITY OF
MUSHROOM THAT THEY'RE GETTING,
AB 1833 WILL ESTABLISH A
CALIFORNIA GROWN DESIGNATION FOR
MUSHROOMS, WHERE THE ENTIRE
GROWING PROCESS TAKES PLACE IN
CALIFORNIA. AND NOT ONLY WILL
THIS HELP LOCAL FARMERS BY
MAKING THEM MORE VISIBLE IN THE
GROCERY STORE, IT WILL ALSO HELP
CONSUMERS MAKE INFORMED CHOICES
FOR THE HEALTH, FOR THEIR
HEALTH, AS WELL AS THE HEALTH OF
THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND WITH ME TO
TESTIFY ARE AARON ROSNER FROM
FAR WEST FUNGI AND ADDISON
PETERSON FROM THE CALIFORNIA
CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMER, HI.
THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN AND VICE
CHAIRMAN ALANIS AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
ADDISON PETERSON. I'M THE SENIOR
POLICY MANAGER FOR THE
CALIFORNIA CERTIFIED ORGANIC
FARMERS, OR BETTER KNOWN AS
COFF. COFF IS A FARMER LED
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT
REPRESENTS OVER 3000 ORGANIC
FARMS, RANCHES AND BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA MUSHROOM FARMERS WANT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISTINGUISH
THEMSELVES IN THE MARKETPLACE
FROM NON CALIFORNIA GROWN
MUSHROOMS, MUSHROOM ARMS ARE
UNIQUE BECAUSE THEY CAN BE GROWN
IN PORTABLE BAGS, WOOD LOGS AND
PLASTIC CONTAINERS, WHICH MEANS
THEY CAN BE GROWN ALMOST
ANYWHERE. THIS HAS CONFUSED
CONSUMERS ABOUT WHAT MUSHROOMS
ARE GROWN IN CALIFORNIA AND
WHICH ARE NOT. THIS IS ALSO BEEN
FRUSTRATING FOR CALIFORNIA
MUSHROOM GROWERS AS THEY WATCH
MUSHROOMS INOCULATED IN FOREIGN
COUNTRIES MAKE THEIR WAY TO
CALIFORNIA, WHEN THE REALITY IS
THAT THEY WERE ONLY HARVESTED
HERE AND GROWN IN TRANSPORTATION
TO THE UNITED STATES. THIS BILL
CLARIFIES THAT MUSHROOMS LABELED
GROWN IN CALIFORNIA OR MADE IN
CALIFORNIA WILL BE GROWN HERE
FROM INOCULATION TO HARVEST. WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
. THANK YOU. YOU MAY PROCEED.
THANK YOU. CHAIRWOMAN SORIA AND
VICE CHAIR ALANIS AND ALL
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS AARON RAISER. I WORK FOR
FAR WEST FUNGI, AND FAR WEST
FUNGI. HAS BEEN A FAMILY OWNED
BUSINESS SINCE 1982. WE ARE A
PREMIER PROVIDER OF ORGANIC
EXOTIC MUSHROOMS. OUR FAMILY IS
COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABILITY,
QUALITY AND PROVIDING A
REASONABLE PRICE TO OUR
CUSTOMERS. FAR WEST FUNGI HAS
RETAIL STORES IN SAN FRANCISCO
AND SANTA CRUZ, AS WELL AS FARMS
IN MONTEREY AND SANTA CLARA
COUNTY. WE SELL OUR MUSHROOMS
THROUGH CERTIFIED FARMERS
MARKETS, AS WELL AS MAJOR
GROCERS LIKE WHOLE FOODS,
SAFEWAY, MOLLIE STONE'S BERKELEY
BOWL AND GOOD EGGS. EXOTIC
MUSHROOM CULTIVATION IS A
GROWING FIELD AS MORE PEOPLE ARE
BECOMING INTERESTED IN THEIR
HEALTH AND THE VAST NUTRITIONAL
AND MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF
MEDICINAL AND EXOTIC MUSHROOMS.
THE NUMBER OF EXOTIC MUSHROOM
FARMS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES ARE
ALSO GROWING. ONE CHALLENGE TO
THE DOMESTIC CULTIVATION OF
MUSHROOMS IS THE IMPORT OF
FOREIGN SUBSTRATES THAT FRUIT
MUSHROOMS, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED
PRODUCT OF USA. ALTHOUGH THE
MUSHROOMS SPEND THE MAJORITY OF
THEIR LIFE CYCLE GENERALLY 2 TO
3 MONTHS OVERSEAS, SPENDING ONLY
7 TO 10 DAYS IN THE US BEFORE
BEING HARVESTED. THE HIGH COST
OF CALIFORNIA LABOR, LAND, RAW
MATERIAL, AND NATURAL RESOURCES
WITH NO COMPETITIVE MARKETING
EDGE PUTS CALIFORNIA MUSHROOM
FARMERS AT FINANCIAL RISK FROM
THE LOW COSTS OF IMPORTED
SUBSTRATES AND CONSEQUENTLY,
MUSHROOMS. THERE IS NO
TRANSPARENCY OR WAY TO
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN MUSHROOMS
THAT ARE GROWN ON CHEAP FOREIGN
SUBSTRATES AND ONES THAT ARE
GROWN USING THE LABOR, NATURAL
RESOURCES, AND FARMER INTELLECT
FROM CALIFORNIA OR THE USA. NOW,
MORE THAN EVER, CONSUMERS WANT
TO KNOW WHERE THEIR FOOD IS
COMING FROM. BY VOTING I FOR
THIS BILL, YOU ARE SUPPORTING
CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIAN FARMERS
BY GIVING THEM A COMPETITIVE
EDGE OVER IMPORTS AND
CALIFORNIAN CONSUMERS BY GIVING
THEM THE OPTION TO CHOOSE
CALIFORNIA WHILE FOSTERING TRUST
AND TRANSPARENCY IN OUR FOOD
SYSTEM. WE HAVE SEEN FARMS IN
OTHER STATES FORCED TO MAKE A
DIFFICULT DECISION EITHER CLOSE
THEIR DOORS OR COMPROMISE THEIR
MORALS BY BUYING CHEAP IMPORTS
TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN BUSINESS.
OUR FAMILY IS NOW IN ITS THIRD
GENERATION, WITH MY OWN YOUNG
CHILDREN SPENDING THEIR DAYS ON
OUR MUSHROOM FARM, LEARNING THE
PROCESS OF MUSHROOM CULTIVATION.
AND WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE
DON'T WANT TO BE FORCED TO MAKE
THAT DECISION. WE RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT TESTIMONY, NOW,
WE WILL GO OUT TO SEE IF THERE'S
ANY OPPOSITION. SEEING NO ONE
OUT THERE, WE WILL OPEN IT UP
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THOSE THAT
ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, YOU MAY
COME UP, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME
AND YOUR ORGANIZATION. AND
WHETHER YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE
THE BILL. MARCUS, REPRESENTING
THE CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY AND
SUPPORT. MELISSA LOVATO, ON
BEHALF OF THE COUNTY OF SANTA
CLARA IN SUPPORT. MICHAEL.
JARED, ON BEHALF OF THE
COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH FAMILY
FARMERS IN SUPPORT. GREAT. THANK
YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY, SORRY. ANY
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO HAVE A
LOT OF COMMENTS AND AGRICULTURE,
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE BILL
FORWARD, NUMBER ONE IS THAT,
FARMERS ARE ALWAYS HAVE SO MANY
REGULATIONS AND PEOPLE LOOK FOR
CALIFORNIA BRANDING AND QUALITY
PRODUCT. IT'S ALL THROUGH THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND WHEN
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE IT COMES
FROM, IT LEADS A LITTLE BIT OF
SUSPICION, I APPRECIATE HOW HOW
HARD IT IS AS A FARMER TO GET
THESE THINGS THROUGH. SO I JUST
WANT TO SAY THIS IS A REALLY
GOOD BILL. I THINK THAT WE
SHOULD BE PROUD IN CALIFORNIA
FOR WHAT WE DO FOR AGRICULTURE.
AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY
THINGS, AS I'VE DONE THESE SOME
OF THESE BILLS TOO, BUT THEY'RE
REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DOES
CHANGE THE INDUSTRY TO LOOK AT
US DIFFERENTLY. SO AGAIN, I AM
IN SUPPORT OF YOUR BILL. I'D
LIKE TO BE A COAUTHOR. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE ANY OTHER MEMBER
SEEING NONE. I JUST WANT TO
THANK ASSEMBLYWOMAN ADDIS FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD. IT
IS AMAZING TO SEE, HOW MANY
MUSHROOMS ARE BEING GROWN IN
YOUR DISTRICT AND YOU LEADING ON
THIS ISSUE, I DO BELIEVE IN
CALIFORNIA, GROWN. AND, YOU
KNOW, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
SUPPORT OUR OWN HERE IN OUR
STATE SO THAT AGRICULTURE CAN
CONTINUE TO THRIVE JUST AS YOU
MENTIONED, THIRD GENERATION,
WHICH IS AMAZING TO, YOU KNOW,
NOW THAT YOU'RE BEING ABLE TO
TEACH YOUR KIDS. SO, JUST HAPPY
TO SUPPORT THIS BILL TODAY,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN, IF YOU HAVE ANY
CLOSING REMARKS. WELL, I WANT TO
JUST SAY THANK YOU TO ASSEMBLY
MEMBER AGUIAR-CURRY. WE LOOKED
AT YOUR WORK AND IT WAS SEMINAL
IN WHAT WE WERE DOING HERE. AND
SO THANK YOU FOR LAYING A
FOUNDATION FOR THAT. AND HOPE
THAT YOU ALL ALL COME TO THE
CENTRAL COAST TO TASTE SOME OF
THE FUNGI THERE. WE HAVE SOME
GREAT MUSHROOMS ACROSS OUR
STATE, BUT I'LL JUST SAY MAYBE
THE BEST AROUND THE CENTRAL
COAST. AND WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO WE
DO HAVE A MOTION ON THIS BILL BY
, VICE CHAIR ALANIZ AND SECOND,
BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANCHEZ. THE
MOTION OF THE BILL IS Dð PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS, MADAM SECRETARY,
IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON AB 1833 ADUS MOTION DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. SORIA Ã
SORIA. AYE. ALANIZ. ALANIZ I
AGUIAR-CURRY AGUIAR-CURRY I
CONNOLLY. CONNOLLY I IRWIN.
IRWIN I JONES-SAWYER I
JONES-SAWYER I SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ
I TO HI TO I VÆ VALLAPUDUA I VÆ
VALLAPUDUA I WOULD, I WOULD I
MEMBERS THIS BILL GARNER TEN
VOTES. SO IT MOVES ON TO
APPROPRIATIONS. THANK YOU. SO WE
WILL, CONTINUE AND FILE ORDER,
VICE CHAIR, IF YOU ARE READY TO
PRESENT YOUR BILL, YOU MAY GO
NEXT. RIGHT. BECAUSE MATHIS
ISN'T HERE, I THINK. WE'LL ASK
HIM. WE'LL ASK VICE CHAIR. ARE
YOU ALSO PRESENTING MATHIS'S
BILL? SO YOU'RE PRESENTING THIS
NOW? YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN
GO AHEAD WITH YOURS AND THEN YOU
CAN PROCEED. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH,
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO, WE'LL
PROCEED WITH FILE ITEM SEVEN, AB
2436 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER ALANIZ,
CATTLE AND INSPECTION FEES. YOU
MAY PROCEED. WELL GOOD. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
COLLEAGUES. AB 2436 AIMS TO
ENSURE THE BUREAU OF LIVESTOCK
IDENTIFICATION CAN PERFORM VITAL
LIVESTOCK INSPECTIONS OAN
SERVICES WHILE REMAINING REVENUE
NEUTRAL BY ADJUSTING STATUTORY
FEES TO COINCIDE WITH COSTS. THE
CFA'S BUREAU OF LIVESTOCK
IDENTIFICATION IS FINANCED
ENTIRELY BY THE BRAND
REGISTRATION FEES AND INSPECTION
FEES PAID BY THE CATTLEMEN
PRODUCERS. RECENTLY, INFLATION
PRESSURES THE TRANSITION TO
ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEETS TO, HELP
WITH THE STATE'S CLIMATE GOALS
AND OTHER ECONOMIC PRESSURES
HAVE INCREASED THE BUREAU'S
OPERATING EXPENSES IN RECENT
YEARS. THIS LEGISLATION, AB
2436, WILL SUPPORT THE BUREAU IN
CONTINUING TO SAFEGUARD CATTLE
PRODUCERS AGAINST THEFT AND
MISAPPROPRIATION OF LIVESTOCK. I
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR AYE
VOTE AND I HAVE INVITED KIRK
WILBUR FROM THE CALIFORNIA
CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION TO SPEAK
MORE ON AB 2436 AND TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. YOU MAY PROCEED. ALL
RIGHT. THERE WE ARE. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS KIRK WILBUR. I'M THE
VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS AT THE CALIFORNIA
CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION'S THE
SPONSORS OF AB 2436, A BILL
WHICH WOULD ADJUST THE STATUTORY
CATTLE INSPECTION FEES PAYABLE
TO CFA'S BUREAU OF LIVESTOCK
IDENTIFICATION. THERE ARE
ROUGHLY 60 HARDWORKING BRAND
INSPECTORS AT THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE'S BUREAU OF
LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION. THEY
SERVE A CRUCIAL ROLE FOR
CALIFORNIA'S CATTLE OWNERS AND
PRODUCERS. THROUGH ROUTINE
LIVESTOCK INSPECTIONS, THEY
PREVENT LOSS OF CATTLE THROUGH
THEFT, MISAPPROPRIATION, OR
STRAYING. IN INSTANCES WHERE
LOSSES DO OCCUR, THEY WILL
ASSIST IN THE INVESTIGATION OF
THOSE LOSSES, RETURN CATTLE TO
THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, AND WHERE
THERE HAS BEEN THEFT OR
MISAPPROPRIATION, THEY WILL
ASSIST IN THE PROSECUTION OF
THOSE CRIMES TO EXECUTE THAT
MISSION. AS THE AUTHOR NOTED,
THE BUREAU IS FUNDED EXCLUSIVELY
BY FEES PAID BY CATTLE PRODUCERS
, THAT IS, BEEF PRODUCERS AND
DAIRY FARMERS, IN RECENT YEARS,
THOSE COSTS HAVE INCREASED NOT
JUST DUE TO INFLATIONARY
PRESSURES, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF
WELL EARNED RAISES AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF SORRY AT THE
BUREAU FOR THEIR BRAND
INSPECTORS. AS WELL AS DUE TO A
SHIFT TOWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLES
FOR THE STATE'S LAUDABLE CLIMATE
GOALS. OF COURSE, AS THOSE COSTS
INCREASE, SO TOO MUST THE FEES
PAID INTO THE BUREAU SO THAT IT
CAN REMAIN REVENUE NEUTRAL, I
WANT TO MAKE TWO THINGS
ABUNDANTLY CLEAR ABOUT THIS
BILL. FIRST OF ALL, IT DOES NOT
INCREASE FEES FOR CATTLE
INSPECTIONS. IN PRACTICAL TERMS,
WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS CODIFY
FEES THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE
SINCE JANUARY 1ST AT THE BUREAU
OF LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION, AS
SET FORTH BY THE SECRETARY OF
FOOD AND AG, BASED ON A
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE BUREAU'S
LIVESTOCK ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
WHICH IS FILLED WITH PRODUCERS
FROM THE CATTLE INDUSTRY THAT IS
UNDER RELATED AUTHORITY IN THE
FOOD AND AG CODE. THE PRACTICAL
EFFECT OF THIS BILL IS REALLY TO
BE FORWARD LOOKING IF THESE COST
PRESSURES SHOULD PERSIST OR IF
THEY SHOULD INCREASE FURTHER ON
DOWN THE ROAD. WE WANT THE
BUREAU TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY
TO REMAIN REVENUE NEUTRAL IN THE
FUTURE. AND CRUCIALLY, IF THOSE
COSTS SHOULD ACTUALLY COME DOWN
IN THE FUTURE. THERE WAS RELATED
AUTHORITY IN THE FOOD AND AG
CODE THAT ALLOWS THE SECRETARY
TO FURTHER REDUCE THOSE FEES IN
FUTURE YEARS. THAT ACTUALLY WAS
INVOKED IN 2021 TO REDUCE THOSE
FEES PAID INTO THE BUREAU OF
LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION. THE
SECOND POINT I WANT TO MAKE
ABUNDANTLY CLEAR IS THAT THIS
BILL IS UNIFORMLY SUPPORTED BY
THE FOLKS THAT WOULD BE
REGULATED BY IT. OF COURSE, THE
CALIFORNIA CATTLEMEN'S
ASSOCIATION IS THE SPONSOR OF
THE BILL, AND YOU DO HAVE A
SUPPORT LETTER ON FILE FROM
OTHER CATTLE PRODUCER AND DAIRY
FARMER ASSOCIATIONS. SO WITH
THAT, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST YOUR AYE VOTE ON THIS
BILL. GREAT. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU FOR THAT TESTIMONY. WE WILL
GO. IS THERE ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION, SEEING NONE, DO WE
HAVE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE
THAT WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER
THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR
THE BILL? PLEASE COME FORWARD,
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR SUPPORT
OR OPPOSITION. CHAIR AND MEMBERS
STEPHEN FENAROLI WITH THE
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU AND
SUPPORT. MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS
JASON BRIAN ON BEHALF OF WESTERN
UNITED DAIRIES, WE'RE IN SUPPORT
AS WELL. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK
YOU FOR THAT. DO ANY MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS? SO WE HAVE A MOTION
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER VÀ VALLAPUDUA
. SECOND BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN
SANCHEZ, JUST WANT TO THANK,
OBVIOUSLY THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND I DO
WANT TO THANK, MR. WILBUR FOR
YOUR, CLARIFICATION. I THINK
THAT THAT WAS IMPORTANT, SO WE
DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND,
THE MOTION ON THE BILL IS Dð
PASSED TO APPROPRIATE, MR.
ARDALANI, DO YOU HAVE ANY
CLOSING REMARKS? I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK
GREAT, SO, MADAM SECRETARY, IF
YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON AB 2436 ALANIS MOTION. DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. SORIA Ã
SORIA. AYE ALANIS. AYE. ALANIS.
AYE. AGUIAR-CURRY CURRY. AYE.
CONNELLY. CONNELLY. AYE. IRWIN
HI. IRWIN. AYE. JOAN. SAWYER.
JOAN. SAWYER AYE. SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ. AYE. TO NØ. MØT TO NOT
VOTING. VÆ. VALLAPUDUA. ALL
RIGHT. VÆ VALLAPUDUA. I WOULD I
WOULD I? THE BILL COMES OUT WITH
THE VOTE OF NINE ZERO. SO THE
ASSEMBLY BILL 2436 IS OUT OF
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO
DO YOU WANT TO MOVE TO OKAY,
GREAT. SO WE MOVE ON TO FILE
ITEM FOUR. AB 2745 WHICH IS
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS BILL
PRESENTED BY VICE CHAIR ALANIS
ON AGRICULTURAL PESTS, PUBLIC
NUISANCE AND CIVIL PENALTY. YOU
MAY PROCEED. OKAY. I'M BACK,
PLEASED TO PRESENT AB 2745 ON
BEHALF OF ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS
, THE INVASIVE PESTS AND DISEASE
DISRUPT ECOSYSTEM ECOSYSTEMS BY
ENDANGERING NATIVE PLANTS,
ALTERING SOIL CHEMISTRY, AND
AFFECTING WATER SYSTEMS, WHICH
POSE A GRAVE THREAT TO
AGRICULTURE. TO HIGHLIGHT THE
SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM, THE
CENTER FOR INVASIVE SPECIES
RESEARCH AT UC RIVERSIDE FOUND
THAT CALIFORNIA SUFFERS AN
AGRICULTURAL LOSS EXCEEDING $3
BILLION ANNUALLY DUE TO EXOTIC
PESTS. AB 2745 WILL GIVE
AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONERS A
NECESSARY ENFORCEMENT TOOL TO
COMBAT NEGLIGENT PROPERTIES
HARBORING INVASIVE PESTS AND
HOLD PROPERTY OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THREATS TO AGRICULTURE AND
THE CALIFORNIA ECOSYSTEM. THE
AUTHOR WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
THE CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITY
ALLIANCES WITH THE FAMILY
FARMERS, AND ASSURE THAT THE
COMMITTEE'S, DOING THEIR
DILIGENT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS
THOSE CONCERNS. AB 2745 IS A
COMMON SENSE BILL EMPOWERING
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS TO PROTECT
CALIFORNIA'S AGRICULTURE AND
ECOSYSTEM. I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. AND BESIDES
ME, BESIDE ME IS KAREN LANG, ON
BEHALF OF THE COUNTY OF FRESNO,
WHO IS HERE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT
AB 2745 AND CAN ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. KAREN LANG, ON BEHALF
OF THE FRESNO COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS, TO PUT A FINE POINT
ON THE VALUE OF THIS BILL TO
THEM, THEIR MOST RECENT
EXPERIENCE ON THE WEST SIDE OF
FRESNO COUNTY, A PENSION FUND
PURCHASED ABOUT 7000 ACRES AND
PLANTED A VINEYARD AND SOME
ALMOND TREES AND THEN ABANDONED
THEM AND THE ABATEMENT COST TO
THE COUNTY WAS ABOUT $20
MILLION. THAT THEY WOULD THEN
ABATE THE PROPERTY, AND THEY
THEY FILE A LIEN AGAINST IT AND
EVENTUALLY, HOPEFULLY CAN
RECOVER THE COSTS. AND THAT IN
ITSELF IS REALLY CHALLENGING FOR
THE COUNTY. BUT ON TOP OF IT,
THE PESTS THAT INVADED THAT
PROPERTY DUE TO THE NEGLIGENCE,
INVADED ADJACENT FARMS. AND AS
YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT'S
AFFECTING OTHER FARMERS AND
OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS. WHEN
THESE PROPERTIES BECOME
NEGLIGENT AND IT AFFECTS THE
FOOD SUPPLY SYSTEM AND ALSO
CAUSES ECONOMIC HARM IN THE
COUNTY. AND FOR THOSE REASONS,
THE COUNTY IS IN STRONG SUPPORT
TODAY AND URGES YOUR I VOTE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR
THAT, NOW, IS THERE ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION THAT WILL COME TO THE
TABLE? THANK YOU. IF YOU CAN
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND THE
ORGANIZATION YOU'RE REPRESENTING
. HI, JAMIE. FANOUS. ON BEHALF
OF THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH
FAMILY FARMERS NAMED, WE MUST
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE THIS BILL
BECAUSE THE CIVIL PENALTIES
AUTHORITY AUTHORIZED IN THIS
BILL ARE TOO BROAD AND COULD
JEOPARDIZE THE FINANCIAL
SOVEREIGNTY OF SMALL FARMS,
WHILE WE APPRECIATE LIKE THE
INTENTION, AND WE SUPPORT THE
OVERALL CHALLENGES AND
UNDERSTAND THEM, AND WE OF
COURSE, WE'VE TALKED TO THE
AUTHOR'S OFFICE RECENTLY AND
HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME TO SOME
AMENDMENTS, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT
THE WAY THE LANGUAGE IS
CURRENTLY WRITTEN COULD BE WAY
TOO BROAD, IS CURRENTLY TOO
BROAD, AND COULD EXPAND TO
THINGS LIKE COVER CROPS OR
HEDGEROWS OR ENVIRONMENTS THAT,
YES, THERE ARE PESTS IN THOSE
SPACES, BUT THAT'S HOW
ECOSYSTEMS WORK AND THAT'S HOW
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT
WORKS. AND SO FOR A FARM THAT
MIGHT BE TEN, TEN ACRES, THE
PENALTIES THAT ARE IN THIS BILL
CURRENTLY COULD BANKRUPT THEM,
SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED
AROUND THOSE ISSUES, WE'RE
HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN COME TO SOME
AMENDMENTS, BUT, HAD TO MAKE OUR
STATEMENT IN THIS, IN THIS
SPACE. SO THANKS. THANK YOU. NOW
WE WILL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC
FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO PRESENT
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION, PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME AND WHO YOU'RE REPRESENTING
AND YOUR POSITION. MADAM CHAIR,
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, LOUIS
BROWN, HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA APPLE COMMISSION
AND CALIFORNIA BLUEBERRY
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS
AARON NORWOOD, ON BEHALF OF THE
ALMOND ALLIANCE AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. SEEING NO
ONE ELSE, ANY MEMBERS, THAT HAVE
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
ASSEMBLYWOMAN AGUIAR-CURRY, I'M
SURE THE AUTHOR WILL CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH CALF. I'M SURE HE WILL
AS WELL. OKAY, I'LL MAKE SURE.
ALL RIGHT. MAKE SURE I'M A
COAUTHOR. SO SEEING NO OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I ALSO
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, FOR
THE RECORD, I KNOW THAT MR.
MATHIS IS IN HERE. I KNOW THAT
THERE'S BEEN SOME INITIAL
CONVERSATIONS, MY GOAL IS THAT
THERE'S SOME, WORK TO BE DONE
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS AS
THE BILL MOVES ALONG. I WOULD
LIKE TO FIND SOME RESOLUTION SO
THAT, IF YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANY
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR
SMALL FARMERS THAT WE DON'T GO
IN THAT SPACE. SO JUST IF WE CAN
REMIND ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS
THAT WE NEED HIM TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE WORK TO ADDRESS ANY OF
THOSE CONCERNS, BUT WITH THAT,
MR. ALANIZ, IF YOU HAVE ANY
CLOSING REMARKS. THERE WE GO. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THOSE
COMMENTS FROM FROM EVERYONE, I'M
PRETTY SURE HE WILL BE AS WELL,
HE OBVIOUSLY CARES FOR SMALL
FARMERS AS WELL, TO PUT IT IN,
IN PERSPECTIVE, SOMETIMES FOR
THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE ACRES AND
ACRES, THINK OF THE, THE
NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR TO YOU THAT
HAS THE DANDELIONS THAT ARE JUST
GOING OUT OF CONTROL AND NOW ARE
IN YOUR YARD. AND NOW IT BECAME
YOUR PROBLEM, THAT'S THAT'S THE
WAY I LOOK AT IT SOMETIMES. AND
I'VE SEEN THAT, WORKING WITH
SOME AG CRIMES AND STUFF LIKE
THAT. I TALKING WITH RANCHERS
AND FARMERS AS WELL. I KNOW THEY
ALWAYS HAVE THEIR CERTAIN PERSON
ON THEIR BLOCK OR WHATEVER THAT
MAY NOT TAKE CARE OF THAT THEY
NOW HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF. SO
WITH THAT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU, WE
DO HAVE A MOTION BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER VÆ VALLAPUDUA. SECOND BY
ASSEMBLYWOMAN AGUIAR-CURRY, THE
MOTION ON THE BILL IS TO PASS,
TWO APPROPRIATIONS, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON AB 2745 MATHES, MOTION DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. SORIA.
SORIA I ALANIS I ALANIS I
AGUIAR-CURRY AGUIAR-CURRY I
CONNOLLY. CONNOLLY. I IRWIN.
IRWIN I JONES-SAWYER
JONES-SAWYER I SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ
I TO NOT VOTING VIA VÆ I WOULD,
I WOULD I. THE BILL HAS NINE
VOTES AND IT MOVES ON TO
APPROPRIATIONS. THANK YOU THANK
YOU.
SO I DO SEE ASSEMBLYWOMAN REYES
HERE. SO ASSEMBLYWOMAN, IF YOU
ARE READY, WE WILL MOVE ON TO
FILE ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS AB
2827, WELCOME TO THE AG
COMMITTEE, SHE WILL BE
PRESENTING AB 2827 INVASIVE
SPECIES PREVENTION. IF YOU'RE
READY, GO AHEAD AND PROCEED.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AB 2827,
WHICH PROTECTS OUR AGRICULTURAL
ECONOMY. AB 2827 WILL REQUIRE
THE STATE TO DETECT AND
ERADICATE INVASIVE SPECIES THAT
COULD HARM CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE. CALIFORNIA IS
CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING ONE OF
ITS HIGHEST LEVELS OF EXOTIC
FRUIT FLY INFESTATIONS IN ITS
RECORDED HISTORY, ACCORDING TO
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. THESE
INVASIVE SPECIES CAN RESULT IN
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LOSSES
EVERY YEAR IF THEY BECOME
PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. IN 2023, THERE WERE
OVER 900 FRUIT FLY DETECTIONS IN
15 COUNTIES. IN COMPARISON, AN
AVERAGE YEAR WOULD SEE 75 FRUIT
FLY DETECTIONS IN SEVEN
COUNTIES. HUNDREDS OF CROPS ARE
THREATENED BY INVASIVE FRUIT
FLIES, INCLUDING CITRUS FRUITS,
NUTS, VEGETABLES, BERRIES. IT IS
CRITICAL THAT WE BRING ATTENTION
TO THE IMPACTS OF INVASIVE
SPECIES HAVE ON OUR SHARED
ENVIRONMENT AND ENSURE WE ARE
IMPLEMENTING LONG TERME
STRATEGIES TO PROTECT OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY. WE MUST PROTECT THE
FOOD SOURCES OF MILLIONS OF. FOR
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. OF
AMERICANS. AB 2827 SEEKS TO
PRIORITIZE MITIGATION EFFORTS
AGAINST THE SERIOUS THREAT OF
INVASIVE PEST SPECIES IN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY ALONE,
APPROXIMATELY 260MI² WITH 2000
ACRES OF PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE
HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED AND FOR
THE ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY, THERE
WAS A PROCLAMATION OF AN
EMERGENCY PROGRAM ORDERED AT AN
AREA WIDE FRUIT REMOVAL OF ALL
HOST FRUIT FROM PROPERTIES
WITHIN HALF A MILE OF THE
CURRENT FRUIT FLY SITE. THIS
THREATENS RESIDENTIAL AND
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND COULD
BE POTENTIALLY BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN ANNUAL LOSS ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. HERE TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL ARE JACOB
VILLAGOMEZ, DIRECTOR OF STATE
AFFAIRS FOR CALIFORNIA CITRUS
MUTUAL, AND LINDSAY CARTER,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE
COMMISSIONERS AND SEALERS
ASSOCIATION. PERFECT. OH, THERE
WE GO, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, FOR
ALLOWING US TO PARTICIPATE TODAY
AND TO THE MAJORITY LEADER
EMERITA FOR BRINGING UP THIS
TIMELY BILL AS IT COINCIDES WITH
THE CHATTER WE'RE HAVING ABOUT
SPMB SUSTAINABLE PEST
MANAGEMENT, PESTICIDE
MANAGEMENT, AND THEN ALSO FRUIT
FLIES AS WE FIND OURSELVES WITH
THE SITUATION TODAY AND REALLY A
THANKFUL WE'RE THANKFUL FOR ALL
OF YOUR LEADERSHIP WITH THE
EARLY BUDGET ACTION, WE SAW THAT
THE 22 MILLION FOR THE FRUIT FLY
MITIGATION. SO WE ARE DEEPLY
APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE EFFORTS.
AND TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS
WELL, BUT THE CURRENT TOTAL OF
FRUIT FLY QUARANTINES, I THINK
THERE'S ABOUT SEVEN, SOME OF
WHICH WE HAVE NEVER SEEN,
DETECTED IN NORTH AMERICA
BEFORE. AND IT SPANS ABOUT
EIGHT, FOR THE MILEAGE WITH,
WITH AGRICULTURE, HOMEOWNERS,
HOUSES AND VARIOUS COMMUNITIES
IS ABOUT 1248MI². THAT'S LIKE
ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF RHODE
ISLAND. SO IT'S A VERY BIG, AREA
THAT IS WITHIN QUARANTINES. AND
THE ONES THAT I MENTIONED MORE
SPECIFICALLY ARE THE
MEDITERRANEAN, THE TOR, THE
ORIENTAL, QUEENSLAND, ALL ARE
WITHIN ABOUT SIX COUNTIES. AND
SO CURRENTLY OVER 230
COMMODITIES, INCLUDING CITRUS,
ARE IMPLICATED WITHIN THESE
QUARANTINE BOUNDARIES, AND WHILE
WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR
CONTAINMENT, IF NOT CONTAINED,
CALIFORNIA COULD LOSE ITS FRUIT
FLY FREE TRADE DESIGNATION WITH
VARIOUS EXPORT MARKETS THAT ARE
VIABLE FOR VARIOUS CALIFORNIA
PRODUCTS THAT WE ALL GROW HERE,
AND, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY IN
SAN BERNARDINO, RIVERSIDE AND
VENTURA, WHERE TWO, TWO OF SEVEN
FRUIT FLIES ARE FOUND. SO IF YOU
ARE A GROWER WITHIN A HALF MILE
OF THAT FIND, YOUR YOU'RE NOT
ALLOWED TO MOVE THAT FRUIT OFF,
OFF SITE OR OFF YOUR PROPERTY.
SO YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS. YOU
DESTROY IT OR YOU JUICE IT AND
WHILE THE JUICING MIGHT SEEM
LIKE A GOOD OPTION FOR SOMEBODY,
ASKING A CALIFORNIA GROWER WHO
PREDOMINANTLY PROVIDES FRESH
CITRUS TO THE MARKET TO JUICE IS
QUITE A LOSS FOR THEM. AND WHILE
THERE'S CROP INSURANCE
AVAILABLE, THERE IS NOT FOR THIS
PARTICULAR COMPONENT BECAUSE YOU
CAN STILL MARKET THE JUICE. SO
THE MARKETABILITY VÆ, DOES NOT
ALLOW YOU TO TAP INTO CROP
INSURANCE. BUT PUTTING THAT
ASIDE, THE HOMEOWNERS AS WELL,
WITHIN THOSE FINES ARE TO STRIP
THE FRUIT, WHICH IS WHAT THE
MEMBER JUST MENTIONED AS WELL.
AND THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY
WE'RE HERE TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE
LOSSES FROM HOMEOWNERS, GROWERS
AND THE COMMUNITIES HAS A
POTENTIAL TO IMPACT, YOU KNOW,
CALFRESH RECIPIENTS, FARMWORKERS
AND GROWERS ALIKE. AND SO,
AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE
TODAY IN THE BILL, WE HOPE WOULD
PLACE CALIFORNIA IN A BETTER
POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE
EXCLUSION OF HARMFUL INSECTS AND
TO, PLACE US ALL IN A BETTER
POSITION TO ACHIEVE A GOAL IN
THE FUTURE TOWARDS MITIGATIONS.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
AND MEMBERS, AND THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU
TODAY ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.
MY NAME IS LINDSAY CARTER, AND
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS AND SEALERS
ASSOCIATION, REPRESENTING OUR 55
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR WORK
PROTECTING THE AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA
. INVASIVE SPECIES AND PEST
PREVENTION IS A CORNERSTONE
PROGRAM AND PRIORITY FOR ALL OF
OUR COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR
STAFF. THEIR EFFORTS IN PEST
DETECTION AND PREVENTION ARE
VITAL TO PRESERVING THE HEALTH
AND INTEGRITY OF OUR ABILITY TO
PRODUCE FOOD AND FIBER IN
CALIFORNIA, EARLY DETECTION
PROGRAMS, SUCH AS OUR STATEWIDE
SEASONAL TRAPPING EFFORTS AND IN
OUR HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS SUCH AS
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, WHICH WE
HAVE FULL TIME TRAPPING PROGRAMS
ALONG WITH OUR 14 CANINE
DETECTION TEAMS, ALL
COLLECTIVELY WORK TO PREVENT THE
INTRODUCTION OF INVASIVE SPECIES
INTO CALIFORNIA. IN FEBRUARY,
ONE OF OUR CANINE TEAMS DETECTED
INFECTED KUMQUAT TREES DESTINED
FOR AN ORCHARD IN FRESNO COUNTY.
THESE TREES WERE POSITIVE FOR
HER HUANGLONGBING OR HLB, AND
THROUGH THEIR THAT THAT
DETECTION, NOT ONLY WERE WE ABLE
TO PROPERLY, TREAT THOSE
INFECTED TREES, BUT THE INTENDED
ORCHARDS WAS ALSO INSPECTED FOR
ANY ADDITIONAL TREES THAT MAY
HAVE BEEN DELIVERED. THIS
DETECTION PREVENTED THE
INTRODUCTION OF HLB INTO FRESNO
COUNTY. THESE DETECTION AND
PREVENTION EFFORTS ARE DONE IN
CONJUNCTION WITH BOTH OUR STATE
PARTNERS AT CDFA, AS WELL AS OUR
SUPPORT OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS
AT USDA AND CBP. JUST LAST
MONTH, CDFA BORDER STATION
INSPECTION STAFF DETECTED AN EGG
MASS FOR SPOTTED LANTERNFLY ON A
METAL ART PIECE DESTINED FOR
SONOMA COUNTY. THE DETECTION OF
THIS HIGHLY INVASIVE AND
DANGEROUS SPECIES LED TO THE
PROPER TREATMENT AND QUARANTINE
OF THAT MATERIAL, AND PREVENTED
THIS PEST FROM BEING INTRODUCED
INTO CALIFORNIA. THESE ARE JUST
A FEW OF THE EFFORTS BEING
CONDUCTED DAILY TO COMBAT
INVASIVE SPECIES FROM ENTERING
CALIFORNIA. THE AB 2827 WOULD
MAKE EFFORTS LIKE THESE THE
PRIMARY GOAL OF CALIFORNIA, AND
WOULD FURTHER ENHANCE OUR
ABILITY TO PRIORITIZE THESE
PREVENTION EFFORTS. PEST AND
INVASIVE SPECIES PREVENTION IS A
KEYSTONE ACTION IN THE
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT
ROADMAP THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY
DPR LAST YEAR, AND IF WE ARE
GOING TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS SET
FORTH IN THAT ROADMAP,
PREVENTION NEEDS TO BE AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THESE EFFORTS. IF
THE GOAL IN CALIFORNIA IS TO
REDUCE THE USE OF MATERIALS TO
MANAGE PESTS, THEN PREVENTING
THEIR INTRODUCTION IS THE FIRST
STEP TO ACHIEVING THAT INVASIVE
SPECIES PREVENTION WILL NOT ONLY
PROTECT OUR AGRICULTURAL LANDS,
BUT ALSO OUR WORKING LANDSCAPES,
NATIVE HABITAT AND OPEN SPACE
THROUGHOUT OUR STATE. WE SUPPORT
THIS EFFORT AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO
PRIORITIZE INVASIVE SPECIES
PREVENTION. AS THE FIRST LINE OF
DEFENSE IN PROTECTING
AGRICULTURE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.
FOR ALL OF CALIFORNIA, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. IS THERE
ANYONE IN OPPOSITION SEEING
NONE? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT
TO THE PUBLIC, ANYONE THAT WANTS
TO SHOW SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO
THIS BILL, IF YOU COULD PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR
ORGANIZATION AND YOUR POSITION.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. TRICIA
GERINGER WITH AGRICULTURAL
COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA,
REPRESENTING OVER 15,000 FARMERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
APPRECIATE, AUTHOR AND SPONSORS
AND VERY MUCH SUPPORT THIS BILL.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. BRENDA BASS WITH
THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE IN SUPPORT. GOOD
AFTERNOON, AARON NORWOOD, ON
BEHALF OF THE ALLMAN ALLIANCE
CURRENTLY DEALING WITH THE
BEETLE. SO VERY APPRECIATIVE OF
ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS AND URGE
YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
MATTHEW ALLEN WITH WESTERN
GROWERS. PLEASED TO SUPPORT THE
BILL TODAY. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. I'M MICHAEL MILLER,
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF WINE
GRAPE GROWERS. WE'RE A
CO-SPONSOR OF THE LEGISLATION.
THANK THE AUTHOR FOR THE
LEADERSHIP. AND WE ASK FOR YOUR
I VOTE. SHARON GONSALVES, ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
CUCAMONGA IN SUPPORT. KIRK
WILBUR WITH THE CALIFORNIA
CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION ALSO IN
SUPPORT. STEVEN FENOLI WITH THE
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU IN
SUPPORT PAUL POISTER WITH
NUTRIEN AG SOLUTIONS IN SUPPORT
TAYLOR OCEAN WITH THE CALIFORNIA
APPLE COMMISSION, AVOCADO
COMMISSION, BLUEBERRY
COMMISSION, WALNUT COMMISSION,
THE CALIFORNIA BLUEBERRY
ASSOCIATION, AND THE CALIFORNIA
COTTON GROWERS AND GINNERS
ASSOCIATION. CALIFORNIA FRESH
FRUIT ASSOCIATION, GROWER
SHIPPER ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN
AGRICULTURAL PROCESSORS IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MARY CREASY
ON BEHALF OF THE SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, IN
SUPPORT, I. DENNIS ALBIANI, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION WHEAT GROWERS,
CALIFORNIA SEED ASSOCIATION, AND
SEVERAL OTHER ASSOCIATIONS IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. DO
ANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CONLEY, WE'LL
START WITH YOU. AND THEN
ASSEMBLYWOMAN AGUIAR-CURRY.
YEAH, JUST REALLY WANTED TO
THANK THE AUTHOR AND SPONSORS
FOR THE WORK ON THIS AND WOULD
BE HAPPY TO BE LISTED AS A
COAUTHOR. THANK YOU. FOR
APPROVING THIS. I'LL SECOND IT,
SO SOME OF YOU AREN'T AS OLD AS
I AM, BUT I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY
I THINK IT WAS IN 1989, THE
MEDFLY, AND IT STOPPED
PRODUCTION AT AND IT WAS A BIG
KERFUFFLE IN OUR AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTS GETTING MOVED FROM
POINT A TO POINT B OVER COUNTY
LINES AND THEY WERE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO ERADICATE IT.
AND THEY ENDED UP. AND LUCKILY
I'M LOOKING THIS UP. THEY THE
STATE OPTED TO TRY VOLUNTARY
INTRODUCTION OF MILLIONS OF
RADIATION STERILIZED MEDFLIES TO
INTERRUPT THE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE
AND CONTROL THE POPULATION. SO
THIS HAS BEEN GOING A LONG TIME,
BUT THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT BILL. AND I REALLY
WANT TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES
TO VOTE FOR THIS BILL. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I'LL BE A COAUTHOR IF
I'M NOT ALREADY, VICE CHAIR
ALANIZ. AND THANK YOU TO THE
AUTHOR. I WOULD BE MISSED IF I
WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THIS AFTER
THE BILL I JUST PRESENTED
EARLIER AS WELL. AND ALSO ASK IF
I COULD BE COAUTHOR. THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE SEEING, NOTHING
ELSE? ASSEMBLYWOMAN ALSO JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR,
PRESENTING THIS BILL. OBVIOUSLY,
IT IS A CRITICAL ISSUE, NOT JUST
YOU KNOW, IN YOUR AREA, BUT I
THINK THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. I KNOW I'VE HEARD
IT, CONSISTENTLY FROM SOME OF MY
LOCAL FARMERS IN TERMS OF THE
ISSUES, YOU KNOW, JUST LAST YEAR
WITH THE COTTON GROWERS, AND,
THE PEST AND INVASIVE
INVASIVENESS THAT WE SAW LAST
YEAR. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THIS
BILL. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK
TO DO, TO DO ON PREVENTION,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE SUSTAINABLE
PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN AS WAS
PRESENTED. THIS IS A TOPIC THAT
INTERESTS ME AND THAT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS,
BECAUSE I THINK THAT IN ORDER TO
ENSURE THAT OUR AGRICULTURE
ECONOMY CONTINUES TO THRIVE, WE
HAVE TO BE VERY SERIOUS AT THE
FRONT END TO COMBAT THESE PESTS.
THANK YOU AGAIN. AND DO WE HAVE
A MOTION AND A SECOND? WE DO
HAVE A MOTION BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
CONLEY AND SECOND, BY
ASSEMBLYWOMAN AGUILAR CURRY,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN REYES, IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE, THANK YOU.
FIRST ASSEMBLY MEMBER, MAJORITY
LEADER, ASSEMBLY MEMBER, I'D
LOVE TO ADD YOU ON AS COAUTHORS.
ABSOLUTELY. OUR CHAIR THAT'S A
THAT'S A GREAT SIGN. I THANK YOU
ALL. I DO WANT TO THANK OUR
WITNESSES HERE TODAY THAT GAVE
TESTIMONY. THEY ARE THE EXPERTS.
I CAN SEE IN MY COMMUNITY THAT
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS
DEVASTATING OUR COMMUNITY. AND I
KNOW IT'S NOT JUST MY COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. AND, MADAM CHAIR,
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. WE
NEED TO DO MORE. AND THIS IS ONE
STEP IN MAKING SURE THAT WE DO
MORE AND WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR,
OUR, OUR AGRICULTURE, OUR CROPS
AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE
GROWING THEM ARE PROTECTED. SO
WITH THAT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. GREAT. SO WE
DO HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND.
THE MOTION ON THE BILL IS TO
PASS TO ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND
TOXICS COMMITTEE. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON AB 2827 REYES MÐI THÀNH Dð
PASS TO ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND
TOXICS MATERIAL COMMITTEE. SORIA
AYE. SORIA AYE. ALANIZ ALANIZ.
AYE. AGUIAR-CURRY. AGUIAR-CURRY
AYE. CONNELLY. CONNELLY. AYE.
IRWIN. AYE AND I WOULD LIKE TO
BE ADDED AS A COAUTHOR. THANK
YOU. IRWIN AYE. JOAN. SAWYER.
JOAN. SAWYER. AYE. SANCHEZ
SANCHEZ. AYE. TO T I. VÆ.
VALLAPUDUA AYE. VALLAPUDUA. I
WOULD, I WOULD I? GREAT. THIS
BILL IS OUT TO S TÌM WITH TEN
VOTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
CONNELLY, YOU ARE NEXT. SO WE'LL
MOVE ON TO FILE ITEM NINE AB
2734 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
CONNELLY. RELATED TO
AGRICULTURAL CANOLA, THE CANOLA
ENVIRONMENTAL FARMING ACT OF
1995 AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER
CONNELLY, PLEASE PROCEED WHEN
YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU, CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. AB
2734 PROPOSES SEVERAL AMENDMENTS
TO THE HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM TO
ENSURE ALL FARMERS CAN ACCESS
IT, PROMOTING CLIMATE SMART
PRACTICES ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
SPECIFICALLY, THE BILL DIRECTS
CDFA TO OFFER GRANTS FOR ON FARM
DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS LASTING
UP TO FIVE YEARS, REQUIRES
CONSULTATION WITH THE CALIFORNIA
ORGANIC PRODUCTS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS BARRIERS TO
ORGANIC OR THAT ORGANIC
PRODUCERS FACE WHEN APPLYING TO
THE HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM AND
DIRECTS CDFA TO PROVIDE ADVANCED
PAYMENT RATES OF UP TO 50.
ADDITIONALLY THE BILL ALLOWS
CDFA TO CONSIDER REGIONAL
VARIATIONS IN INPUT COSTS WHEN
DETERMINING INCENTIVE RATES.
AMENDS THE CDFA CLIMATE SMART
AGRICULTURE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
GRANTS PROGRAM TO INCLUDE
EQUIPMENT AS AN ALLOWABLE COST
FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
ASSISTANCE GRANTS, AND,
CRUCIALLY, IMPLEMENTS A COMMON
APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ALL
CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE GRANT
PROGRAMS BY JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
THIS BILL HAS NO OPPOSITION ON
FILE. I WILL NOW PASS IT TO MY
WITNESSES. ADDISON PETERSON,
SENIOR POLICY MANAGER
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMERS, WHICH
IS THE BILL'S SPONSOR, AND
STEPHEN CARDOZA, FARMER WITH
DUANE CARDOZA RANCHES. HI,
EVERYONE. THANK YOU. CHAIRWOMAN
SORIA, VICE CHAIRMAN ALANIS AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I AM
ADDISON PETERSON, SENIOR POLICY
MANAGER FOR THE CALIFORNIA
CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMERS,
BETTER KNOWN AS COUGH. A COUGH
IS A FARMER LED NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING OVER
3000 ORGANIC FARMS, RANCHES AND
BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. AB 2734 SEEKS TO
UPDATE THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL HEALTHY
SOILS PROGRAM BASED ON FARMER
INPUT. FARMERS HAVE APPLIED TO
THE HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM FOR
NEARLY A DECADE TO IMPLEMENT
CLIMATE SMART CONSERVATION
PRACTICES ON THEIR FARMS. THE
HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM IS
CRITICAL BECAUSE IT IS ESSENTIAL
FOR REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS. WE ARE APPRECIATIVE
OF CFA'S LEADERSHIP SPEARHEADING
THE HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM AND
MAKING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
IT IS WHAT WE NEED TO COMBAT
CLIMATE CHANGE, HEALTHY SOILS
HELP REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS BY SEQUESTERING CARBON
DIOXIDE FROM THE AIR IN THE SOIL
AND RETAINING MORE WATER IN THE
SOIL, WHICH HELPS TO REDUCE
FLOODING. WE'RE ASKING FOR
PROGRAM CHANGES TO ENHANCE THE
PARTICIPATION OF SMALL SCALE AND
ORGANIC FARMERS, SO THIS BILL
WILL DIRECT CDFA TO OFFER GRANTS
FOR ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS LASTING UP TO FIVE
YEARS. DIRECT CDFA TO PROVIDE
ADVANCE PAYMENT RATES OF UP TO
50% FOR INCENTIVE PAYMENTS,
REQUIRE CONSULTATION WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ORGANIC PRODUCTS
ADVISORY COMMITTEE. BETTER KNOWN
AS COPAC, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL
FARMING ACT. SCIENCE ADVISORY
PANEL, BETTER KNOWN AS EFA. SAP
TO ADDRESS BARRIERS ORGANIC
PRODUCERS FACE WHEN APPLYING TO
HEALTHY SOILS. PROGRAMS RAIMES
ALLOW THE CDFA TO CONSIDER
REGIONAL VARIATION AND INPUT
COSTS WHEN DETERMINING INCENTIVE
RATES. IMPLEMENT A COMMON
APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ALL
CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURAL GRANT
PROGRAMS BY JANUARY 1ST, 2027,
AND LASTLY AMEND THE BILL AMEND
THE CDFA CLIMATE SMART
AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM TO
INCLUDE EQUIPMENT SHARING AS AN
ALLOWABLE COST FOR TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE GRANTS. CDF HAS
ESTIMATED THAT THE HEALTHY SOILS
PROGRAM IS CONTRIBUTING TO
REMOVING OVER 350,000 METRIC
TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE
ATMOSPHERE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
INCREASING THE PARTICIPATION OF
THIS PROGRAM TO REMOVE MORE
CARBON DIOXIDE FROM OUR
ATMOSPHERE. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME,
CHAIRWOMAN SORIA AND VICE CHAIR
ALANIZ. REALLY APPRECIATE IT, MY
NAME IS STEPHEN CARDOZA. I'M AN
ORGANIC RAISIN GRAPE FARMER FROM
EASTERN CALIFORNIA. WE FARM JUST
UNDER 400 ACRES, AND I'VE BEEN
USING REGENERATIVE PRACTICES
SINCE 2018, I'M HERE TODAY TO
SUPPORT AB 2734 IMPROVEMENTS TO
THE HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM. THIS
IS. THESE CHANGES WILL IMPACT MY
BUSINESS AND MY BOTTOM LINE IN
VERY POSITIVE WAYS, AS A FARM
WITH A HEALTHY SOILS INCENTIVE
GRANT AND ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WITH LIKE
CDFA TO ESTABLISH AN ADVANCE
PAYMENT RATE OF UP TO 50% FOR
INCENTIVE PAYMENTS, FARMERS IN
MY COMMUNITY HAVE TAKEN OUT
LOANS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THE
UPFRONT COSTS CAN BE SO,
ASTRONOMICAL, FARMERS SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO GO INTO DEBT TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. AND
A 50% ADVANCE WOULD, POTENTIALLY
ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM, I ALSO
KNOW THAT A COMMON APPLICATION
FOR THE CLIMATE SMART
AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM WILL SAVE
FARMERS TIME. AND MONEY. FARMERS
DON'T HAVE GRANT WRITERS ON
STAFF AND TAKING TIME AWAY FROM
YOUR YOUR FIELDS CAN BE
DETRIMENTAL TO THE FIELDS FOR AN
APPLICATION PROCESS. YOU MAY NOT
EVEN RECEIVE, FINALLY, I SUPPORT
THE REQUIREMENT TO CONSULT WITH
COPAC, THE CALIFORNIA ORGANIC
PRODUCTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
ORGANIC FARMERS HAVE UNIQUE
CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO THE
HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM. ORGANIC
FARMERS CANNOT FULLY UTILIZE THE
HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM BECAUSE
CLIMATE SMART PRACTICES ARE
ALREADY REQUIRED FOR ORGANIC
CERTIFICATION IN MANY OF THE,
AND THE GRANT ALLOWS ONLY FOR
NEW PRACTICES. THIS MEANS THAT
MANY ORGANIC FARMERS ARE
INELIGIBLE BECAUSE THESE
PRACTICES ARE NOT NEW. COPAC
WHICH REPRESENTS ORGANIC
FARMERS, COULD CHALLENGE LIKE
THIS ONE WITH CDFA AND SUPPORT
CREATING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS SO I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT ON THIS BILL. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED
THERE'S NO OPPOSITION REGISTERED
ON THE BILL, BUT JUST MAKING
SURE IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE, FOR
OPPOSITION, GREAT. SO WE'LL OPEN
IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. IF THERE
ARE, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE
PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK
IN SUPPORT, IN OPPOSITION,
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR
POSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
BETH SMOKER WITH THE CALIFORNIA
FOOD AND FARMING NETWORK IN
SUPPORT. HI. ANNA LARSON WITH
THE CALIFORNIA CLIMATE AND
AGRICULTURE NETWORK IN SUPPORT.
REBECCA MARCUS, REPRESENTING THE
CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY, AND MY
COLLEAGUES AT THE CALIFORNIANS
AGAINST WASTE AND SUPPORT.
GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. DO WE
HAVE ANY, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WITH QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? SEEING NONE IS THERE A
MOTION MOVE? MOTION BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER AGUIAR-CURRY. SECOND BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WOOD, I JUST,
YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU CLOSE,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER, I DID WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
FORWARD. I LIKE A NUMBER OF THE
PRINCIPLES THAT YOU GUYS ARE
MODIFYING, LIKE THE 50% PAYMENT,
WHICH I KNOW IS A BIG BARRIER IN
ESPECIALLY FOR THE SMALLER
FARMERS, THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE
THE UPFRONT CAPITAL TO START
THOSE PROJECTS. AND SO, VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THE BILL. BUT IF
YOU'D LIKE TO CLOSE. YEAH, I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
. GREAT. SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION
AND A SECOND, THE MOTION IS TO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE, MADAM SECRETARY, IF
YOU COULD CLOSE, CALL THE ROLL
ON AB 2734 CONNOLLY A MOTION DUE
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. SORIA
AYE. SORIA AYE. ALANIZ. ALANIZ.
AYE AGUIRRE. AGUIAR-CURRY AYE.
CONNOLLY. AYE CONNOLLY. AYE.
IRWIN. IRWIN I JOAN. SAWYER
JOAN. SAWYER. AYE. SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ. AYE TO. AYE TO. AYE.
VÆ. VALLAPUDUA A B I WOULD, I
WOULD I. GREAT. THE BILL IS OUT
WITH TEN VOTES. CONGRATULATIONS
NOW WE'LL GO TO FILE ITEM TEN.
AB 2090 BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN IRWIN,
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A
SECOND. BUT ASSEMBLYWOMAN IRWIN,
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN
PLEASE PRESENT. THIS WILL, KEEP
IT SHORT. THIS IS ABOUT
INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHY
FOOD FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, WHICH
HAS BEEN A GOAL FOR THE STATE,
EACH AND EVERY YEAR. AND IT AN
IMPORTANT ASPECT OF INCREASING
FOOD ACCESS IS THE NEED FOR
ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEMS IN SPIRIT OF BETTERING
OUR STATE'S EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE
FOOD DESERTS, AB 2090 WOULD
AUTHORIZE THE OFFICE OF FARM TO
FORK TO WORK WITH THE
TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES TO
PROMOTE FOOD ACCESS WITHIN
CALIFORNIA'S FOOD DESERTS AND
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND,
WITH ME TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL IS LUIS BROWN,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
GROCERS ASSOCIATION. MADAM
CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
LOUIS BROWN, HERE TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA GROCERS
ASSOCIATION AND ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. GREAT, IS THERE ANY
OPPOSITION? THÀNH SEEING NONE.
WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC,
FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
COMMENT. IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR
NAME, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOUR
POSITION. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON,
AARON NORWOOD ON BEHALF OF THE
ALLMAN ALLIANCE, WANT TO THANK
THE AUTHOR AND THE SPONSOR FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD.
ALMONDS ARE A VERY HEALTHY FOOD,
AND WE ARE TRANSPORTATION
EXPERTS. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH THE AUTHOR TO HELP THESE
GET INTO THE FOOD DESERTS, WHERE
THEY'RE NEEDED. THANKS GOOD
AFTERNOON, SAVANNAH JORGENSON
WITH THE LUTHERAN OFFICE OF
PUBLIC POLICY, CALIFORNIA, IN
SUPPORT DENNIS ALBION ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA PEAR GROWERS
AND A FEW OTHER AG ASSOCIATIONS.
WE SUPPORT CITRUS. GREAT, SO DO
WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE, WE
ALREADY HAVE A MOTION AND A
SECOND, THE MOTION ON THE BILL
IS TO PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE. BUT BEFORE WE GO ON
TO A VOTE, JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE. WE ASK
FOR YOUR AYE VOTE. MADAM CLERK,
IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLL ON AB
2090 ERWIN MOTION Dð PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. SORIA. HI.
SORIA. AYE. ALANIZ ALANIZ. AYE.
CURRY. CURRY AYE. CONNELLY.
CONNELLY. AYE. ERWIN. AYE ERWIN.
AYE. JOAN. SAWYER. HI. JOAN.
SAWYER. AYE. SANCHEZ SANCHEZ. I
TO I VIA. AYE. VÆ. VALLAPUDUA. I
WOULD I WOULD I THAT BILL MOVES
OUT TO APPROPRIATIONS, WITH TEN
VOTES. CONGRATULATIONS NOW WE
WILL MOVE ON TO OUR LAST BILL,
FOR THE DAY. AND THAT'S FILE
ITEM 11, AB 2635 BY
ASSEMBLYWOMAN ERWIN, RELATED TO
CALIFORNIA AGRITOURISM LIABILITY
ACT, AND AGRITOURISM CIVIL
LIABILITY. YOU MAY PRESENT WHEN
YOU'RE READY, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT AB
2635, WHICH SUPPORTS WHICH
NARROWLY SUPPORTS, IS IT
NARROWLY TAILORED TO SUPPORT OUR
AGRO TOURISM INDUSTRY? AND THIS
WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY A FAMILY
FARMER THAT ALL OF US BRING OUR
KIDS TO. WE HAVE STRAWBERRY
PICKING DURING THE SPRING AND
PUMPKIN PICKING DURING THE FALL,
AND THEY HAVE A GREAT FARMERS
MARKET. ALSO, CALIFORNIA IS HOME
TO HUNDREDS OF AGRO TOURISM
OPERATORS. IT'S ESTIMATED THAT
OVER 2.4 MILLION PEOPLE
PARTICIPATE IN CALIFORNIA'S AGRO
TOURISM EACH YEAR, INCLUDING
FARM TOURS AND U-PICK
ACTIVITIES. FARMERS AND RANCHERS
OFTEN OPERATE AGRO TOURISM
BUSINESS ON THEIR LAND IN ORDER
TO EARN EXTRA INCOME TO
STABILIZE THE FARM DURING
SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS AND
PERIODS OF MARKET VOLATILITY.
UNLIKE OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES,
THESE OPERATIONS HAVE RISKS THAT
ARE UNCOMMON FOR BRICK AND
MORTAR STORES, BUT A FACT OF
LIFE ON A FARM. AS SUCH, THESE
BUSINESSES NEED TO ALERT FARMERS
OF THE HAZARDS THEY WOULD NOT
NORMALLY ENCOUNTER. AB 2635
WOULD REQUIRE AGRITOURISM
OPERATORS TO POST SIGNS WARNING
PARTICIPANTS OF INHERENT RISKS
OF AGRO TOURISM ACTIVITIES, AND
THEN LIMITS LIABILITY IN CERTAIN
INSTANCES. THIS BILL DOES NOT
REMOVE OR LIMIT CIVIL LIABILITY
IN AGRO TOURISM PROFESSIONAL OR
OPERATOR. IF THEY ARE GROSSLY
NEGLIGENT IN THEIR OPERATION AND
HAVE WILLFUL OR WANTON,
DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF
PARTICIPANTS, OR HAVE KNOWLEDGE
OF DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ON THE
LAND, AND FAIL TO WARN A
PARTICIPANT. AND I WILL ALSO SAY
THERE ARE AT LEAST 25 STATES
THAT HAVE SOME FORM OF LIMITED
LIABILITY FOR THESE AGRO TOURISM
BUSINESSES. THANK YOU. I WOULD
LIKE TO INTRODUCE JAMIE FURNISS,
WHO IS HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH FAMILY
FARMS, AS WELL AS DANNY KROLL
FROM THE POLESTAR FARMS. HI, I'M
DANNY, I AM WITH POLESTAR FARM.
WE ARE A VERY SMALL FAMILY OWNED
AND OPERATED ORGANIC ORCHARD.
IT'S JUST FOUR OF US, MY IN-LAWS
OWN IT. THEY ARE RETIRED. MY
FIANCE AND I ARE ARE HELPING RUN
IT AND HOPING TO TAKE IT, AS THE
NEXT GENERATION. AND THEN ON AND
THEN ON, BECAUSE WE'RE SO SMALL
AND WE ONLY DO FRUIT, OUR INCOME
COMES ABOUT ONCE A YEAR,
RECENTLY I HAVE, STARTED
ORGANIZING FARM DINNERS,
CONCERTS, TOURS, FRUIT PICKING,
ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT CAN
HELP BRING US IN INCOME WHEN
WE'RE NOT ACTIVELY HARVESTING
OUR FRUIT, FROM THE OWNERS
THEMSELVES. MY IN-LAWS, THEY
JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY THAT THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT, WE
CONTINUE TO BRING FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITY TO EXPERIENCE WHERE
THEIR FOOD IS GROWN AND
EXPERIENCE THE FARM AS A WHOLE,
COMING OUT AND ENJOYING THE
SERENITY THAT IS ORGANIC FARMING
, IS THAT IT? GREAT. JAMIE
FINISHES WITH A CALF. YOU'VE
HEARD FROM ME. YOU KNOW WHO WE
ARE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE
ARE LOSING FARMS VERY QUICKLY,
FINDING WAYS TO INCREASE NEW
REVENUE STREAMS IS ESSENTIAL,
AND WE HAVE FOUND DURING THE
COVID PANDEMIC AND MANY OTHER
WAYS, THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS
SQUEEZE OF SMALL SCALE FARMERS.
AGRITOURISM IS A WAY TO INCREASE
REVENUE ON THESE FARMS,
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THE
FARMERS THAT WE WORK WITH ARE
FACING THREATS TO THEIR SUCCESS.
LIABILITY INSURANCE COSTS IN
PARTICULAR, WE'VE HEARD THIS
YEAR ALONE THAT SEVERAL FARMERS
HAVE SEEN THEIR INSURANCE COSTS
DOUBLE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY
MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BRING FARMS
ON OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ONTO
THEIR FARMS, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT
DEALING WITH LAWSUITS COULD MEAN
BANKRUPTCY IN WAYS THAT THESE
SMALL FARMS CANNOT HANDLE, SO IT
IS A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY TO
ACTUALLY INCREASE REVENUE FOR
SMALL FAMILY FARMS AND,
ENCOURAGE YOUR I VOTE. THANK
YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT
TESTIMONY. IS THERE ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION? IF YOU CAN COME TO
THE TABLE, STATE YOUR NAME. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JACKIE
CERNE, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE CONSUMER ATTORNEYS OF
CALIFORNIA. UNFORTUNATELY, WE
HAVE AN OPPOSED POSITION ON THIS
BILL. AB 2635 WOULD IMMUNIZE A
BROAD RANGE OF BUSINESSES THAT
TARGET AND ARE AIMED AT FAMILIES
AND CHILDREN. THESE INCLUDE
APPLE HILLS, PUMPKIN PATCHES,
U-PICK FARMS, PETTING ZOOS AND
CARNIVALS. WE ARE PARTICULARLY
CONCERNED THAT THESE BUSINESSES
OFTEN CHARGE AN ENTRY FEE IN THE
CASE OF PUMPKIN PATCHES, OFTEN
HAVE FIELD TRIPS IN THESE
FACILITIES. I MYSELF SUPERVISED
A TRIP LAST FALL FOR MY
KINDERGARTNER OUT IN WEST
SACRAMENTO AT A PUMPKIN PATCH,
AND IT WAS PACKED FULL OF SEVEN
YEAR OLDS. CðC DOES NOT BELIEVE
THAT A BUSINESS WHOSE NEGLIGENCE
KILLS OR HARMS CONSUMERS SHOULD
BE RELIEVED OF LIABILITY FOR ITS
NEGLIGENT CONDUCT. FURTHER THE
DEFINITION FOR INHERENT RISK OF
AGRITOURISM ACTIVITIES
INCREDIBLY BROAD IN THIS BILL,
THIS LANGUAGE COVERS ANYTHING
THAT THESE BUSINESSES MIGHT DO
ON THEIR LANDS. TRAIN RIDES,
TRACTOR RIDES, PETTING ZOOS,
UNMARKED DANGERS AND WATER
FISHING, SWIMMING, YOU NAME IT.
IMMUNITY LAWS SUCH AS THIS ONE
DISCOURAGE BUSINESSES FROM
TAKING STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEIR BUSINESSES ARE SAFE FOR
PUBLIC VISITORS, AS WE COULD BE
HELPING THESE BUSINESSES IN
OTHER WAYS. FOR EXAMPLE,
PROVIDING A TAX CREDIT FOR
LIABILITY FOR THEIR INSURANCE
PREMIUMS. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS
APPROACH WILL DO MORE HARM THAN
GOOD AND LEAD TO LESS SAFE
CONDITIONS FOR CALIFORNIA AND
FAMILIES. AND IT REMOVES
INCENTIVES TO ADDRESS SAFETY
ISSUES PROMPTLY. WE LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE
AUTHOR'S OFFICE AND TO ADDRESS
THESE CONCERNS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. NOW DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS
OF THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE
TO REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION FOR THE BILL? THANK
YOU. CHAIR STEVEN FENAROLI FROM
THE CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU IN
SUPPORT. AND JUST WANT TO THANK
THE AUTHOR FOR A REALLY GOOD
DISTRICT. BILL JACOB VÆ GÓMEZ
WITH THE CALIFORNIA CITRUS
MUTUAL AND SUPPORT. BOB
GUTIERREZ, ON BEHALF OF DELLOSO
FARMS IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
GREAT. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? ASSEMBLYWOMAN
AGUIAR-CURRY AND THEN ASSEMBLY
MEMBER CONLEY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE
VERY THOUGHTFUL WHEN YOU DO YOUR
BILLS. SO I'M GOING TO BE
SUPPORTING YOUR BILL TODAY. I
KNOW PEOPLE HAVE STILL SOME
ISSUES, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM, I
FEEL LIKE WE SOMETIMES, HANDCUFF
OUR FARMERS AND TRYING TO BE
CREATIVE AND THINK OUTSIDE THE
BOX. I UNDERSTAND THE LIABILITY
PIECE, BUT I ALSO THINK WE CAN
COME TO SOMETHING THAT WOULD
WORK FOR ALL OF YOU. SO THANK
YOU. YEAH. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE
AUTHOR'S WORK. WE HAVE
AGRITOURISM IN MY DISTRICT, TO
SAY THE LEAST, THAT HAVING BEEN
SAID, I AM GOING TO, AS
PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, ABSTAIN
TODAY SIMPLY BECAUSE I'M ALSO ON
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. I DO
BELIEVE THERE ARE THESE ISSUES
AROUND THE LIABILITY K¾T
QUESTION THAT WE HAVE TO WORK
THROUGH. SO I THINK THAT'S GOING
TO BE THE MORE APPROPRIATE FORM,
AT LEAST FOR ME TO HAVE THAT
DIALOG. SO TO SPEAK. SO, THAT'S
WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW. THANK
YOU, VICE CHAIR ALANIZ, I WANT
TO THANK THE AUTHOR FOR THIS
BILL. ALSO IN MY DISTRICT AS
WELL, WE HAVE AG TOURISM GOING
AS WELL. I WANTED TO BRING UP WE
HAVE THE ALMOND BLOSSOM CRUISE
THAT COMES BY LIKE FOUR TIMES
FOUR WEEKS OF THE YEAR. SO THAT
BRINGS IN A LOT OF TOURISM AND
ALLOWS OUR FARMERS ALSO TO ENJOY
AND SHARE WHAT THEY DO FOR THE
COMMUNITY ALSO LETS THEM SEE,
MAYBE HONEY BEING MADE OR THE
BEES, THOSE KIND OF THINGS AS
WELL. WE HAVE LIKE, WE HAVE A
FARMER THAT BASICALLY MADE A
PLAY AREA FOR PEOPLE TO GO. MY
GRANDKIDS HAVE GONE TO THAT. SO,
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT THEY'RE
ALSO DOING THAT, ALLOWING OUR
KIDS TO GET OUT THERE AND SEE
THAT, AS HAVE OUR FAMILIES DO
THAT, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH THE OPPOSITION. I
JUST SEE MAYBE ATTORNEYS NOT
BEING ABLE TO SUE PEOPLE AND
MAKE MONEY IS WHAT I SEE OUT OF
THERE. SO THANK YOU AND I'LL BE
SUPPORTING THIS. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND, IN
VOTE TO GET IT OUT TODAY, I
AGREE THAT A LOT OF THESE ISSUES
NEED TO BE WORKED OUT IN
JUDICIARY, AND SO I'LL BE
LETTING YOU OUT NOW, BUT BEFORE
IT GETS TO THE FLOOR, IF IT
MAKES IT THE FLOOR, I'M GOING TO
HOLD IT HERE, SEE WHAT HAPPENS
THERE IN JUDICIARY BEFORE BEFORE
YOU GET MY FINAL VOTE. THANK YOU
. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE
AUTHOR FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND IF
I CAN BE ADDED AS A COAUTHOR.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE SEEING
SEEING NO OTHER, MEMBERS WANTING
TO COMMENT? I DID WANT TO ALSO
THANK, ASSEMBLYWOMAN. WOMAN
IRWIN FOR THIS BILL, IN MY
DISTRICT ALSO, THIS IS VERY
COMMON. AGRITOURISM IS BIG,
ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE SMALL, MOM
AND POP TYPE OF FARMERS, I KNOW
THAT, MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN
THEM STAYING, ABLE TO CONTINUE
TO BE IN AGRICULTURE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. TOTALLY UNDERSTAND
THAT THERE IS CONCERNS IN TERMS
OF THE LIABILITY, BUT I DO HAVE
CONFIDENCE THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE
ABLE TO ADDRESS MAYBE EVEN A
PART OF THAT AS THE BILL MOVES
FORWARD. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT
THE INTENT OF THE BILL IS A GOOD
ONE, AND THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO
SEE THIS BILL FORWARD. AND SO
TODAY, I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT
AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS
COME TO THE FLOOR LATER. SO IF
YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING REMARKS,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN IRWIN, I JUST,
REALLY APPRECIATE THE
CONVERSATION. AND AS ASSEMBLY
MEMBER CONNOLLY MENTIONED, WE
STILL ARE GOING TO BE GOING
THROUGH JUDICIARY AND WE'LL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
CONSUMER ATTORNEYS. GREAT THANK
YOU. SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND
A SECOND, THE MOTION IS, FOR IT
TO MOVE TO JUDICIARY COMMITTEE,
SO WITH THAT, MADAM SECRETARY,
IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON AB 2635 ERWIN MOTION Dð
PASS TO JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
SORIA SORIA. AYE. ALANIZ. ALANIZ
I AGUIAR-CURRY. AGUIAR-CURRY I
CONNOLLY. CONLEY. NOT VOTING
IRWIN I IRWIN I JONES-SAWYER.
JONES-SAWYER I SANCHEZ TO I TO I
VÆ VALLAPUDUA. I WOULD, I WOULD
I. SO WE DO HAVE EIGHT VOTES.
THE BILL WILL MOVE ON TO
JUDICIARY. AND CONGRATULATIONS
AGAIN. THANK YOU. AND I THINK
THAT CONCLUDES RIGHT Þ ADD ONS.
OKAY AND. OKAY WE'RE DOING OKAY.
SO NOW, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR
BEING HERE. AND I APPRECIATE US,
GOING DILIGENTLY THROUGH, ALL
THE BILLS WE ARE GOING TO DO,
ROLL CALL FOR ADD ON BILLS. SO,
MADAM SECRETARY, IF YOU COULD
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST BILL ON THE
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, ALANIZ.
ALANIZ. AYE. CONNELLY. CONNELLY.
AYE SANCHEZ. WOULD I'M SORRY. HE
SAID OH. THANK YOU. SORRY SO THE
CONSENT CALENDAR IS PASSED AND
ON. AB 2606 AGUIAR-CURRY. THE
MOTION WAS TO PASS TO JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE. ALANIZ. ALANIZ. AYE.
CONNELLY CONNELLY. AYE. SANCHEZ.
WOOD. AYE WOOD. AYE THAT BILL
GETS OUT WITH EIGHT VOTES.
SO SORRY. ON AB 2013 2313,
BENNETT ALANIZ CHANGING FROM NOT
VOTING TO YES. THANK YOU. GREAT.
THANK YOU. I THINK THAT IS IT. I
WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE. AND, WE
GOT OUT PRETTY QUICK. SO THANK
YOU. AND THE HEARING IS
ADJOURNED. HERE.
YOU SEE ME DO THAT TO THE SAME
THING. MAKE SURE THAT'S ALL THEY
GOT TO GET A LITTLE. MAKE SURE
IT'S OFF. ALL RIGHT