YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS. FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY. |
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California Nursery Grower Challenges Biden Water Rule |
In 2019, the California State Water Resources Control Board approved dredge and fill procedures involving “Waters of the State.” The procedures are intended to protect against the loss of wetlands. CAWG and other ag groups successfully pressed for modifications to help ensure the board's procedures respect prior converted crop land and allow for routine agricultural activities.
At the core of this issue is how the Clean Water Act applies to vernal pools, other seasonal wet spots, isolated wetlands, ditches or ephemeral drainages under the provisions of §404. The intent of §404 is to protect navigable waters and adjacent wetland areas from adverse environmental effects due to discharges of dredged or fill material, but the scope of waters and wetlands subject to regulation has proven very contentious, pitting environmental interests against private property rights. The Obama rule proposed an unprecedented and highly controversial expansion of regulatory authority under §404.
While Duarte is asking the EPA to delay the Biden rule, the U.S. Supreme Court has also agreed to take up the same issue in Sackett v. EPA. The Sackett case and Duarte’s actions show that expansive definitions to broaden the scope and reach of the Clean Water Act threaten every farm in the United States.
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Future Use of Two Crop Protection Products Under Challenge |
Sequoia CA and Transform CA, two crop protection products containing sulfoxaflor, were registered in California in May of 2020. When limited use of these products was approved, the state Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) said their application on crops would have an overall beneficial effect. However, two groups, focused on protecting the health of pollinators, disagreed and filed a legal challenge against DPR. The Pollinator Stewardship Council and American Beekeeping Federation claimed that when registering Sequoia CA and Transform CA, DPR’s environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) failed to meet certain requirements.
In court filings, DPR dismissed predictions of damage to bees as “speculative.” On December 3, 2021, the Alameda County Superior Court issued a ruling against the DPR, putting in question the continued use of these two products. These products are used in vineyards in part to fight mealybugs, aphids and leafhoppers.
This is a procedural case, not a challenge to the safety or benefits of sulfoxaflor. Extensive pollinator studies show the active ingredient - when used according to the label - does not cause harm to bees and other pollinators.
DPR will likely appeal the ruling as state agencies have historically pushed back when accused of failure to comply with CEQA. However, if DPR does not appeal in the next two weeks and allows the decision to stand, Sequoia CA and Transform CA may need to be pulled off the market in California. This would be an unfortunate loss of an important tool used to fight mealybugs.
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Providing the very best California crop insurance services. |
Growers Buy Up to Manage Risks |
Federal crop insurance is an important risk management tool widely used by California winegrape growers. Information provided to CAWG staff by the Risk Management Agency's California, Davis Regional Office shows a significant increase in winegrape acres covered by crop insurance, and many growers chose to 'buy up' coverage for added protection against loss. For 2021, RMA reports that 603,442 winegrape acres were insured, which is 63,000 acres more than the previous year. Of that acreage, 78% is covered by policies that provide a higher level of payout, in the event of loss, than the lowest level of protection offered by Catastrophic Risk Protection (CAT) coverage.
CAT coverage provides the lowest level of yield protection available. CAT insures 50% of production at 55% of the base price for a fee of $655 per crop, per county. The most popular level of buy-up for winegrape growers is 70% and 75%. The average paid premium per acre in 2021 was $40.72 and indemnity payments for the year total $50.3 million, substantially lower than the prior year. In 2020, crop insurance indemnity payments totaled $287.1 million for growers' losses, most of which was related to wildfire smoke.
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CAWG Joins Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance
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The CAWG Board of Directors has made the 2023 Farm Bill a major policy priority for the association and as part of the effort, CAWG recently joined the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance and is a member of the steering committee. The Alliance is a national coalition of more than 120 organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, and is the most influential group in advocating for federal agricultural policies that benefit specialty crop producers. CAWG's primary areas of focus for the farm bill reauthorization process are crop insurance, research (with a special focus on mechanization and automation), and plant pest and disease programs. |
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CAWG Regional Roadshow - REGISTER NOW |
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CAWG is excited to hit the road and reconnect with growers and industry providers in a series of regional meetings throughout the state. This is the perfect opportunity to network, socialize and catch up on CAWG news.
Four of the regional meetings will feature guest speaker John Roncoroni, Weed Farm Advisor Emeritus, UC Cooperative Extension. Roncoroni is well known to winegrape growers having spent 38 years as a UC Cooperative Extension advisor specializing in vineyard weed management in Napa County.
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· Meeting Dates and Locations · |
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March 2 | Sonoma County
Vino Farms
10617 East Side Road, Healdsburg
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
Guest Speaker: John Roncoroni
March 15 | Paso Robles
JUSTIN Downtown Tasting Room
811 12th St, Paso Robles
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
March 16 | Monterey County
Monterey Farm Bureau
1140 Abbott St, Suite C, Salinas
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Lunch Provided
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May 12 | Lake County
The Ripe Choice Farm
2550 Soda Bay Rd, Lake Port
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
Guest Speaker: John Roncoroni
May 17 | Madera
The Vineyard Restaurant
605 S I St, Madera
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
Guest Speaker: John Roncoroni
June 27 | Lodi
Woodbridge Golf & Country
800 East Woodbridge Rd, Woodbridge
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Wine Social
Guest Speaker John Roncoroni
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Complimentary registration for all CAWG members.
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CAWG PAC Mardi Gras Fundraiser |
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WHEN: Thurs, Feb 24 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm
WHERE: Toca Madera Winery | 36140 Ave 9, Madera
Join CAWG for a evening of wine tasting, live music and networking as we raise funds for the CAWG PAC.
2022 is shaping up to be quite the year in California politics. There will be more than 30 races in the Senate and Assembly to keep an eye on. These are races where a moderate or fiscally conservative candidate can potentially defeat an anti-business candidate.
Those moderate or fiscally conservative candidates need our help. CAWG PAC has been one of the most active agricultural PACs in California and we need to continue that effort. To do so, we need your help.
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CAWG Foundation Scholarships - Deadline March 4 |
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For more than 20 years, the CAWG Foundation has awarded thousands of dollars annually in college scholarships to students whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) are employed by a California winegrape grower.
The four-year scholarships are $8,000 each for students attending a University of California or California State University campus. The two-year scholarships are $2,000 each for students attending a California community college. The Robert Miller Scholarship for Viticulture and Enology is awarded to a Central Coast student who is enrolled or will enroll at Allan Hancock College or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
The application deadline is March 4, 2022.
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