YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS. FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY. |
|
Grape Crush Report Shows Higher Tonnage and Stable Prices |
As expected, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s preliminary Crush Report for 2021, released today, showed an increase in tonnage of wine-type grapes crushed over the prior year. The 2021 wine grape crush was reported to be 3.6 million tons, which is at the lower end of what industry experts had predicted and is the second smallest wine grape crush in the past 10 years. According to the report, only the wildfire affected 2020 crush was smaller at 3.4 million tons. The ten-year average, 2011 – 20, for the wine-type grape crush is 3.9 tons. While the report indicates average prices paid for wine-type grapes stabilized, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported today the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in January on a seasonally adjusted basis. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 7.5 percent before seasonal adjustment.
In the last twelve months the gasoline index rose 40.0%, despite declining in January, natural gas is up 23.9%, and electricity is up 10.7%. Used cars and trucks increased a shocking 40.5%. These increases mirror the continued rising costs confronting grape growers. Grape prices may have risen some, but production costs have risen a lot.
|
Long Haul COVID Affects Employers Too |
While many states are beginning to ease up on COVID-pandemic regulations and policies, California is headed in the opposite direction when it comes to employers. The state recently decided to extend and expand COVID-19 mandates for employers, even though Governor Newsom is lifting the indoor mask mandate and appears poised to shift programs and policies from a pandemic emergency response toward managing the disease as an endemic public health issue.
Masking Requirements & Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) -- Masking requirements for workplaces will continue under the ETS that is expected to be ‘readopted’ and extended for a third time in the weeks ahead. California’s ETS first went into effect in December 2020 and has twice been readopted. A third readoption is expected to occur this March and it’s expected Governor Newsom’s executive order will extend the ETS through the end of this year. CAWG and other ag groups argue the state should discontinuance its reliance on emergency authorities, like the ETS, to manage COVID-19. Instead, COVID regulations should be established through traditional rulemaking procedures which offer opportunities for public notice and comment and must adhere to certain procedural requirements under law.
Paid Leave – Yesterday, Governor Newsom signed into law new COVID paid leave requirements. Last week, the California Legislature acted to amend budget trailer bills AB 84 and SB 114 to create new COVID-19 paid leave requirements. These bills mandate employer provided leave for employees exposed to COVID-19 or who test positive, have family members who were exposed to or contract COVID-19, or who need time-off for a vaccination for themselves or their families. Under the new law, an employee may claim up to 80 hours of paid leave, which is to be considered distinct from and in addition to other types of leave: vacation, paid-time-off, sick days, etc.
SB 114 obligates employers to provide up to 80 hours of COVID-specific paid leave for the period between January 1 and September 30, 2022. Accordingly, employers will need to review any leave awarded or time off taken by employees that may be related to COVID-19 and properly account for that time under the new requirements of SB 114.
CAWG continues to push for relief in the form of a state tax credit to reimburse employers for the cost of leave provided under SB 114. California’s approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic has placed a heavy burden on the state’s employers. Regrettably, relief may not occur until the start of next year.
|
Providing the very best California crop insurance services. |
When Will Growers See Disaster Assistance for 2020 Wildfire Losses? |
CAWG continues to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make assistance under the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) available to California growers affected by 2020 wildfires. Joining the effort is U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta, from Monterey County, who sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to quickly administer the $10 billion in emergency relief funding that Congress appropriated to the department last September. Panetta noted, “Unfortunately, now months have passed, and California growers still have not received any emergency relief.”
Earlier, in January U.S. Representative Mike Thompson, representing Lake, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, called Secretary Vilsack and similarly urged quick action to aid winegrape growers. USDA officials indicate an announcement is forthcoming in March and growers with qualifying losses will be able to sign up for disaster assistance under WHIP+. The program is expected to provide payments of up to $250,000 in a crop year for disaster related losses for persons or entities who derive at least 75% of their adjusted gross income from farming, ranching or forestry. If less than 75% of their AGI is derived from farming, ranching or forestry, the WHIP+ payment will be capped at $125,000.
|
|
CAWG Regional Roadshow - SAVE THE DATES |
|
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.
|
|
· Meeting Dates and Locations · |
|
 |
March 2 | Sonoma County
LOCATION TBD
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
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
Complimentary registration for all CAWG members.
|
|
CAWG PAC Mardi Gras Fundraiser |
|
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.
|
|
WEBINAR Recording: CAWG 401k Multiple Employer Plan |
|
CAWG and Woodruff Sawyer hosted a webinar on February 10th to review the power of a Multiple Employer Plan and also discussed CalSavers considerations for the year ahead.
|
|
CAWG Foundation Scholarships - Deadline March 4 |
|
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.
|
|
Downey Brand 2022 Employment Law Briefing |
|
WHEN: Friday, February 11 @ Noon
Join Downey Brand for their 2022 Annual Employment Law Briefing. The webinar will provide an overview of significant legal developments in California and federal employment law, including a review of employment-related legislation and recent court decisions impacting employers in 2022.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
