CAWG Board of Directors meeting, Napa
July 17
CAWG Summer Conference, Napa
July 17
CAWG Awards of Excellence Program and Dinner, Napa
July 18
CAWG PAC Golf Tournament, Napa
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Mission: We provide creative, integrated solutions for our beverage and ag industry partners with quality packaging products and supply chain services.
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CAWG's preferred partner
for insurance products
for more than 20 years.
Group Workers' Comp
Wine Industry Package
Federal Crop Insurance
Employee Benefits
& More...
888-640-0593 or
Paid Sponsorship
CA LIC No. 0F89850
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Providing the very best California crop insurance services.
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PLACE YOUR AD HERE!
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Government Relations Capitol Report
SMALL VICTORIES
Michael Jordan said, "Winning isn't always championships." In the California Legislature, where bills that create huge costs on businesses seem to sail through, it is nice to have some small victories now and then. In the last few days we have had three such wins:
- AB 2841 (Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego) would have required employers to provide five days of sick leave to all employees annually. This costly legislation was held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.
- AB 2069 (Bonta, D-Alameda) was also held in Assembly Appropriations Committee. This dangerous bill would have required employers to accommodate any worker who has a medicinal cannabis card.
- AB 2975 (Friedman, D-Los Angeles) would have jeopardized water supply by creating an administrative process for designating certain waterways as a wild and scenic rivers. CAWG led the effort to amend this bill to protect the public vetting process and legislative review of such designations.
Today is the deadline for the Legislature to pass Senate bills out of the Senate and Assembly bills out of the Assembly. We are hopeful for a few more victories.
PROTECTING GROWERS FROM COSTLY LITIGATION
CAWG is working with the California Chamber of Commerce and Civil Justice Association of California to oppose three bills -- AB 2074, AB 3080 and SB 1121 -- that could potentially lead to an explosion of lawsuits, increasing costs for Californians, clogging courts and driving jobs out of state. >
LEARN MORE
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Thank You for Supporting CAWG PAC
About 40 members joined us for our CAWG PAC fundraiser last night in Oakville. The event was hosted by Vine Hill Ranch, Napa Wine Company/Yount Mill Vineyards and Walsh Vineyards Manageme
nt, and sponsored by Balletto Vineyards, LangeTwins,
Nemerever Vineyards,
Pauli Ranch, Rancho Chimiles, Stipp Ranch and Vino Farms. Thanks to all for your support!
>
PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK
Remember to vote on Tuesday, June 5
:
Click
HERE
for voting information, including early voting, drop-off locations and polling places.
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2018 CAWG Foundation Scholarships: Read About the Recipients
Scholarship applicants were required to write a 500-word essay about their lives, achievements and goals. Excerpts from their moving essays -- and from letters of recommendation -- were included in a press release from the foundation.
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Unified Announces New Chair, Vice Chair
Dr. Tom Collins and Nichola Hall will serve as chair and vice chair, respectively, for the 2019 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Program Development Committee. Collins is an assistant professor of grape and wine chemistry at Washington State University and previously served as chair in 2015 and 2016. Hall, a staff scientist at Scott Laboratories in Petaluma, serves on three Unified committees. They lead a group of nearly 30 wine and grape industry representatives who are developing the 2019 program.
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TTB Adds More Guidance on Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has added five more FAQs to its wine page. One of the new questions is:
Our company has bonded wineries at three different locations. We currently file separate excise tax returns for each of the wineries. Does the act change how many federal excise tax returns we are supposed to file for return periods in 2018 and 2019?
>
ANSWERS
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Sonoma State's $11M Wine Spectator Learning Center Opens
The
15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Wine Spectator Learning Center -- the new home of the Wine Business Institute -- celebrated its grand opening this week.
"The research aspect of what's going to take place in this building is not only going to help the wine community, it's not only going to help the business aspect, but it's going to help public policy folks as well," said Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena).
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UC Agricultural Issues Center Director Daniel Sumner and CAWG President John Aguirre and participated in a 12-minute interview.
KCRW-National Public Radio/Los Angeles, May 31
LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards hosted a recent ag trade news conference, during which sustainable farming was highlighted. Aaron Lange is interviewed.
Western Farm Press, May 30
Nat DiBuduo reflects on his long career at Allied Grape Growers.
Growing Produce, May 26
A panel of experts at the recent Innovation + Quality conference in Napa discuss studies on smoke issues and treating the problem.
Wines & Vines, May 25
GOVERNMENT
The article analyzes the governor's race and the top-two system - will it be two Democrats or a Democrat and Republican?
Public Policy Institute of California, May 30
Brown and his allies are on a defensive campaign to save the unpopular fee hike.
Sacramento Bee, May 30
Republican congressmen regarded as most at risk in this year's election have been trying to force the House to vote on four immigration bills involving Dreamers and increased border security.
Sacramento Bee, May 29
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Water-Related Federal Legislation Approved in House, Senate Committees
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 23 unanimously approved the bipartisan
Water Resources and Development Act of 2018
(H.R. 8).
WRDA will provide for improvements to the nation's ports, inland waterways, locks, dams, flood protection, ecosystem restoration and other water resources infrastructure.
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The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on May 22 unanimously approved the bipartisan
America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018
(S. 2800). Among the key provisions, the legislation will cut bureaucratic red tape, increase water storage in the West and provide protection from dangerous floods.
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DPR Seeks Comments on Proposed Regulatory Action: Ground Water Protection Areas
The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is proposing to amend the document entitled "Ground Water Protection Areas" by adding 121 GWPAs and identifying each area as either a leaching GWPA or runoff GWPA. According to DPR, the regulation will be a benefit to the environment and would have an impact on small businesses. It will protect ground water from contamination resulting from the agricultural use of pesticides, thus preventing pesticide pollution of California's ground water aquifers that may be used to supply drinking water. Individuals must submit comments by July 9 to
[email protected].
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Brown signed SB 606 to help the state better prepare for droughts and climate change by establishing statewide water efficiency standards.>
BILL TEXT
Press release, May 31
Common sense does not reside in California water politics.
Is there any wonder why people are increasingly frustrated with the political process?
Western Farm Press, May 21
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CAWG Summer Conference
JULY 16-18 |
SILVERADO RESORT AND GOLF COURSE
PROGRAM: Click here for details.
HOTEL:
CAWG has negotiated a discounted room rate of $249 at the Silverado Resort and Spa (book by June 15 for this rate). To book under the CAWG room block, contact the hotel at 707-257-5440.
SPONSORSHIPS: Please contact the CAWG office at 916-379-8995 if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities.
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2018 National Winegrape Policy Conference - Three Weeks Away!
Join growers from around the country June 18-20 -- visiting
with federal lawmakers and
participating in discussions on immigration legislation, free trade, the farm bill and research funding.
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Free H-2A Roundtables Slated for June
H-2A informational events - hosted by Agricultural Personnel Management Association - will be held in Salinas, Sonoma and Napa June 19-21.
*Issues and trends - H-2A certification and compliance
*H-2A implications for human trafficking and workers' compensation
*Avoiding pitfalls and landmines of the program
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Viticultural Research Roadshow
WHEN: June 6 / 1-5 p.m.
WHERE:
FEOC Nielsen Conference Center, Fresno
HOSTS: San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association and UC
Cooperative Extension
COST: $10/member; $25/non-members
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UC Davis Grape Day at the Oakville Station
WHEN: June 6 / 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
WHERE:
UC Davis Oakville Station, 1380 Oakville Grade Road
COST: $45 includes breakfast, lunch and demos
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