|
YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS
FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY
| |
|
On behalf of the CAWG board of directors and staff, we wish you a healthy and happy holiday season. As we round out 2022, we thank you for your support of the association and look forward to a successful year ahead.
There will be no eNews produced next week (Dec 29), but will resume on January 5.
The CAWG office will be closed on the following dates:
Friday, December 23, Monday, December 26, Friday, December 30, Monday, January 2
| |
|
This week's eNews has been condensed, and includes the following:
- CAWG Announces Natalie Collins as President
- O'Christmas Tree
- $1.7 Trillion Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed by the Senate
- Card Check Resources Available
- Unified Wine and Grape Symposium Opportunities
| |
CAWG Announces Natalie Collins as President | |
|
This week, California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) Chairman Tom Slater announced that the Board of Directors has named Natalie Collins the association’s president. Collins has served as Interim President since June 1, 2022, after the retirement of John Aguirre.
“The Board is extremely grateful for the job Natalie has done for the past six months and is very excited she has accepted our offer to become the President of CAWG,” said Slater. “She has been a member of our CAWG family for seven years and brings with her an enormous amount of institutional knowledge. We look forward to Natalie sharing that knowledge with the Board and all its members.”
“CAWG has a rich history of strong advocacy and commitment in representing California winegrape growers. It is an honor to accept this position as CAWG heads toward its 50th anniversary,” Collins said. “I look forward to helping our growers meet the many challenges we face in California, Washington D.C., and globally. With these challenges comes incredible opportunity for CAWG to be at the table in shaping public policy that will respect and advance our industry. I could not be more excited for this opportunity to lead CAWG’s efforts as the voice of California’s winegrape growers.”
PRESS RELEASE
| |
|
Shakespeare asked, what’s in a name? Well, when it comes to Christmas, evidently the name of the holiday has become a politically loaded word, even when it comes to referring to a Christmas tree.
Keep in mind that the University of California-Cooperative Extension reports “Christmas trees can be a lucrative specialty crop grown on California’s Sierra foothill small farms. A large variety of true fir species . . . are grown on relatively small ‘Choose ‘n Cut’ farms in traditional tree fruit and winegrape agritourism locations.”
Additionally, sixteen different sections of California law address the operation of Christmas tree farms, the potential toxicity of Christmas trees, the harvest and retail sale of Christmas trees and the taxation of Christmas trees, and Christmas tree farms. Clearly Christmas trees are a big deal in California.
Finally, KCRA TV 3 in Sacramento, repeatedly used the word Christmas as it reported on this year’s annual Christmas tree lighting at the State Capitol and later ran a feature piece on the State Parks employee from Lodi whose job it is to procure the Christmas tree, bring it to Sacramento and decorate it every year. Bonifacio Sánchez has been doing his job proudly since 1999.
Nonetheless, in announcing the big event, Governor Newsom and First Partner Siebel Newsom reported that they were hosting the “91st Annual California State Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony”. The word “tree” appeared six times in the advisory, but nowhere in the announcement was the word, “Christmas.” Newsom’s media advisory also announced that the tree is “decorated with more than 300 traditional ornaments.”
Alas, this is a holiday example of the political environment in Sacramento where meaningful public policies are developed and adopted.
Who knows if it will ever again be “politically correct” to wish someone a Merry Christmas? But we all know, (to slightly bend a Shakespeare quote), a Christmas tree by any other name would smell as sweet.
| |
$1.7 Trillion Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed by the Senate | |
|
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the congressional appropriators reached an agreement on the Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY 2023. And today, the senate voted to pass a $1.7 trillion omnibus package, sending it to the House to avoid a holiday shutdown.
Here is a breakdown on important programs in the Omnibus that CAWG has advocated for:
APHIS and Spotted Lanternfly:
The package provides $1.17 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). This is $61 million above the FY 2022 level.
Specialty Crop Pests: a net increase of $2,919,000 to $216.1 million. Appropriators highlighted increases for the control and eventual eradication of the spotted lanternfly ($500,000 increase). The agreement directs APHIS to consider options for expanding environmental documentation for spotted lanternfly treatments in areas outside the states currently included in APHIS' environmental analysis as well as the cost of such treatments and to provide a report on these topics 90 days after the enactment of this Act.
Smoke Taint Research
An additional $500,000 was included for smoke-taint research, bringing the total to $5 million.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA)
Language has been included to continue the exemption of winegrapes under FSMA. CAWG argued in past years that winegrapes are rarely consumed raw, and therefore should not be included in the rule.
Disaster Relief
The bill includes $3.7 billion in disaster relief for losses of revenue, quality, or production.
These funds will be utilized for necessary expenses related to losses of revenue, quality or production losses of crops (including harvested adulterated wine grapes), trees, bushes, and vines, as a consequence of droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze, including a polar vortex, smoke exposure, and excessive moisture occurring in calendar year 2022 under such terms and conditions as determined by the Secretary.
NASS Vineyard and Orchard Acreage Study
The agreement encourages NASS to reinstate the 5-year Vineyard and Orchard Acreage Study and resume data collection and reporting so grape, wine, and juice producers can remain competitive and respond to challenges in the industry.
| |
AB 2183 - Card Check Meeting - RESOURCES | |
|
Yesterday, a cohort of agricultural organizations, including CAWG, hosted a seminar in Fresno to discuss AB 2183, the agricultural employee unionization card check legislation that goes into effect on January 1, 2023.
Presented by Barsamian and Moody, Attorneys at Law, this seminar was attended by over 150 growers, FLCs, and supervisors.
Please see the resources below, which do an excellent job at explaining this new law and how your operation can best be prepared.
RESOURCES
AB 2183 Facts
AB 2183 Best Practices for Growers and FLC's
AB 2183 Law then and Now
AB 2183 Information in Spanish
| |
Webinars - $120 Million in Tax Credits for Businesses | |
|
The next California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) application period starts Tuesday, January 3, 2023, with $120 million in available tax credits. Businesses interested in applying can register to view a live webinar explaining the application process.
CCTC is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to come to California or stay and grow in California and create quality, full-time jobs. Tax credit agreements are negotiated by Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and approved by the CCTC Committee. For more information about GO-Biz visit: www.business.ca.gov.
The deadline to submit applications is Monday, January 23, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) and the online application website will automatically close once this deadline has passed. The online application can be accessed starting January 3, 2023, at www.calcompetes.ca.gov.
Upcoming Webinars
January 4, 2023
Details and Registration
January 12, 2023
Details and Registration
January 17, 2023
Details and Registration
For assistance, contact CalCompetes@gobiz.ca.gov or (916) 322-4051. An application guide, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), program regulations, and a downloadable version of the webinar presentation are available here.
| |
Exciting CAWG Opportunities During Unified | |
|
There are several different CAWG opportunities to take advantage of during the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium.
CAWG Member Discount
Your CAWG membership entitles you to a $200 discount on your 2023 UW&GS registration. To secure your pre-registration discount, you must register no later than January 17, 2023. The registration discount may be used for all employees of your company, so the more you register, the more you save! You will need your CAWG code to register. REGISTER HERE
CAWG Conference Room Rental
Need a place to meet during the 2023 UW&GS? The CAWG Conference Room is located just two blocks from the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center & across from the Hyatt. The room includes internet access, space for up to 30 people, screen and conference room phone. You are allowed to bring in outside food and beverage. The room is available from 8 am - 5 pm, January 24 - 26, for $100/hr. ONLY available to CAWG Members! RENTAL INFORMATION
Awards of Excellence Reception
The 2023 CAWG Awards of Excellence Reception will be taking place on Tuesday, January 24, at 6:00 PM, immediately following the Unified Welcome Reception. CAWG will be honoring Dana Merrill, Mesa Vineyard Management as Grower of the Year and Jeanne Malitz, MalitzLaw as Leader of the Year. We invite all CAWG members to join at no cost. PRESS RELEASE
CAWG PAC Event
Join the CAWG PAC for a rockin' good time at the Torch Club on Wednesday, January 25 in downtown Sacramento. Live music will be on tap by Remedy 7, featuring our very own Michael Miiller (CAWG's Director of Government Relations) on drums. Sponsorship Opportunities are available! REGISTER HERE
Questions
CAWG Member Code & Conference Room Rental
Natalie Collins | natalie@cawg.org | 916-379-8995
CAWG Awards of Excellence & CAWG PAC Event
Jenny Devine | jenny@cawg.org | 916-432-0133
| | | | |
