YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS. FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY. |
|
Cal/OSHA Focuses on Ag Industry |
It will come as no surprise to ag employers that the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (known as Cal/OSHA) is heavily focusing its outreach and enforcement efforts on the ag industry. This includes enforcing regulations on heat illness prevention, wildfire smoke, lighting for night work, injury and illness prevention, COVID-19 and more.
Below are the statistics for 2020 through July 31.
Onsite Visits:
Agriculture = 108
Construction = 314
Other industries = 353
Total = 895
Formal Training/Speech:
Agriculture = 11
Construction = 15
Heat illness presentations = 16
Other industries = 26
Total = 57
COVID-19 Taskforce Outreach (July 3-31):
Agriculture = 381
Construction = 10
Grocery stores = 925
Restaurants = 1,473
Manufacturing = 5
Automotive = 3
Other retail = 50
Total = 2,847
CAWG is an active member of the Cal/OSHA Advisory Committee and is currently pushing for an amendment to the wildfire smoke regulation to recognize that N95 masks are in very short supply during this pandemic.
-Michael Miiller / michael@cawg.org / (916) 204-0485
|
|
|
New Safety Campaign for Farmworkers |
In an effort to help farmworkers stay safe and healthy through the pandemic, the California Farmworker Foundation (CFF) has launched a campaign – La Seguridad Empieza Con Usted – that encourages safe practices and provides additional resources. Important messages and information are being shared via radio ads, CFF’s Facebook page and a free hotline (661-446-4077). The campaign is an expansion of programs and services that CFF has already implemented to keep the community safe during the pandemic, including distributing PPE, combating food insecurity and providing virtual medical consultations.
CFF and its executive director, Hernan Hernandez, were part of an Aug. 6 NBC News story about farmworkers and COVID-19. It is the first article in a new collaboration – NBC News x Noticias Telemundo Reports – which will feature reports from both news outlets (in English on NBC News platforms and in Spanish for Telemundo).
|
|
|
Paycheck Protection Program - Updated Documents |
The Small Business Administration (SBA) released its PPP report on loans approved through July 31. California businesses accounted for 608,970 loans totaling $68.1 billion. The agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting subsector (national) had 144,334 loans totaling nearly $8 billion (1.53 percent of the total amount of PPP loans).
|
|
|
Webinars: COVID-19 Industry Briefs for Agriculture |
Join The Zenith team of experts for these webinar briefings (10-10:30 a.m.):
AUG. 7: The Ins and Outs of COVID-19 Testing
AUG. 14: Employee Transportation Best Practices Under COVID-19
|
|
|
The Business Journal, Aug. 5
AgNet West, Aug. 5
North Bay Business Journal, Aug. 3
Press release, July 31
Letter to the editor from the Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers CEO.
Desert Review, July 27
Article by Amy Wolfe of AgSafe.
Lodi Winegrape Commission, July 20
|
|
CDFA, NASS Update 2019 Grape Crush Report |
The 29-page Errata to the Grape Crush Report Crop Year 2019 – released on July 30 – contains additional and revised data to the final report.
|
|
|
Government Relations Report |
INCREASE IN PERSONAL INCOME TAX
The California Legislature operates under deadlines for various legislative actions. However, through a process known as “gut and amend,” a bill can be stripped of its contents and a new bill emerges several months after the deadline for introducing a new bill. That process was used last week to create a new bill that would impose a massive tax increase. AB 1253 (Santiago, D-Los Angeles) would increase personal income tax by $6.8 billion annually.
Keep in mind that Gov. Newsom already signed legislation in June to increase taxes. Those increases were primarily on businesses, totaling about $8.7 billion over the next three years. The bulk of these tax increases comprise of a limited utilization of tax credits and a three-year suspension of the net operating loss deduction. Imposing increased taxes on businesses that are struggling to stay in business is the exact opposite approach to saving jobs and restoring the state’s battered economy.
While AB 1253 attempts to raise income tax only on the wealthy, it would ultimately affect everyone. This is because the top 1 percent of California income earners pay 46 percent of personal income tax revenue, and the top 5 percent pay 67 percent. When any of these taxpayers leave the state, and take the tax revenues with them, this could result in a tax increase for every one of us to backfill that lost revenue.
Preston Young of the California Chamber of Commerce said it best, “At a time when the state and country are in an economic free-fall, AB 1253 would...depress business growth and state revenue in California and amplify an already-historic crisis.”
-Michael Miiller / michael@cawg.org / (916) 204-0485
|
|
|
Podcast: Pierce's Disease Vaccine |
The Vineyard Team’s Aug. 6 podcast features Steven Lindow, professor of plant pathology at UC Berkeley. He and his team are researching bacteria that can grow in grapevines that sensitize them to the Pierce’s disease (PD) pathogen. Once inoculated with the new bacteria, the plant induces its innate immune system to combat PD. Since the EPA considers beneficial bacteria a pesticide, Lindow is pursuing the registration process so this technique can be used commercially.
|
|
|
CA Cropland Value Up Slightly from 2019 |
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service today released its annual land values report. For California, the farm real estate average value per acre was $10,000, no change from 2018. The cropland average value per acre was $12,900, up 0.5 percent from 2019. The report also shows statistics for irrigated and non-irrigated cropland, as well as farmland and buildings.
|
|
|
 |
With over 30 harvests, the G3 Ag Team has deep experience in winegrape hauling. Our operational expertise and agile planning combine to provide responsive service for wineries and grape growers large and small. Click on image to view video. |
|
|
|
|
CAWG's preferred partner for insurance products for more than 20 years. Group workers' comp, wine industry package, federal crop insurance, employee benefits...and more. For more information: 209-955-2600 or email.
|
Providing the very best California crop insurance services. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
CAWG & CAWG PAC VIRTUAL EVENTS |
|
Virtual Town Hall Event Series |
CAWG actively engages with legislators and candidates who consider the realities of our industry and how legislation affects winegrape growers and our workforce.
Join us for a special virtual series – brought to you by CAWG PAC and our sponsors – with four legislators who understand and support the winegrape industry.
AUG. 12 / 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) – INVITE
AUG. 12 / 3 to 4 p.m.
Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) – INVITE
AUG. 18 / 3 to 4 p.m.
Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-SLO) – INVITE
AUG. 20 / 3 to 4 p.m.
Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – INVITE
|
|
|
Webinar: Property Tax Ballot Measures |
Learn more about two ballot measures in November that change Proposition 13: Proposition 15 (known as split-roll) increases property taxes for winegrape growers, while Proposition 19 keeps property taxes unchanged for family winegrape growers. CAWG will continue to provide updates on these ballot measures and their implications. Contact Michael Miiller if you have additional questions.
|
|
|
Yolo County: Major Increase in Winegrape Production Value |
Winegrapes were valued at $108.1 million in 2019, a significant jump from $83.6 million in 2018. Statistics for red varieties: 7,870 harvested acres (5,020 in 2018); 47,100 tons (26,400 in 2018); $1,050 per ton ($1,010 in 2018); and $49.5 million value ($26.7 million in 2018). Statistics for white varieties: 11,200 harvested acres (9,730 in 2018); 89,600 tons (70,200 in 2018); $655 per ton ($811 in 2018); and $58.7 million value ($56.9 million in 2018). For acreage, petite sirah was the top red, while chardonnay dominated as the top white.
|
|
|
Vineyards & Wine
August
July issue
Press release, Aug. 5
Growers put AI crop estimation to use in vineyards.
Good Fruit Grower, Aug. 4
Article by viticulturist Stan Grant.
Lodi Winegrape Commission, Aug. 3
Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Aug. 3
North Bay Business Journal, July 31
Water
Climate events that led to mass evacuations due to the Oroville Dam spillway failure in 2017 could result in similar disasters in the future.
Capital Public Radio, Aug. 4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
