December 15, 2022

YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS

FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY

IN THIS eNEWS

New COVID-19 Workplace Standards
Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2022 Introduced
Last Minute Push to Pass Bipartisan Immigration Deal Fails
Deadline TOMORROW for ERP Phase 1 - Dec 16
CAWG December Issue of The Crush Newsletter
Ciatti Releases its November - December CA Report
CAWG Webinar Recordings + Slide Decks
5 Takeaways from the Front Lines of the Inflation Fight
AB 2183 - Ag Industry Card Check Meeting
UW&GS - Last Call - Sponsor or Advertise Today!
Nutrition Facts Will Soon Appear on Some Wine Bottles
CAWG Co-Hosts Healthy Soils Tour
Webinars - $120 Million in Tax Credits for Businesses
Exciting CAWG Opportunities During Unified!
Call for Applications for the Ninth Annual California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards

NEWS ITEMS

New COVID-19 Workplace Standards

Today, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved a new COVID-19 workplace safety standard. The new standard is very similar to the Emergency Temporary Standard, which has been in place for two years, but with some minor improvements.

Even though Governor Newsom announced he will end the COVID-19 state of emergency on February 28, 2023, the new COVID-19 standard will take effect January 1, 2023 and remain in effect until December 31, 2024. At which point, the Board intends to put in place a standard to protect employees from any infectious disease.

The Board’s goal is to treat the workplace as a place where community spread diseases including viruses must be stopped. In doing so, employers are being asked to act as the social safety net to protect against the economic impacts of a disease. This is even though exposure to viruses, happens most often in social settings including at the home, a concert, or a place of worship.

The new standard is now going before the Office of Administrative Law for final review. If it is approved, CAWG will seek legislation requiring the State of California to reimburse employers for the cost of compliance with the new standard.

Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2022 Introduced

Today, Sen. Bennet (D-CO) officially unveiled his Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2022 to address farm labor challenges, seeking to reform the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker program. The legislation specifically seeks to provide H-2A visas for year-round jobs, modernize the application process, and lower the cost of rural housing for farm workers.

During this morning's announcement, Bennet was joined by several U.S. Representatives, farm workers, and agricultural organizations. Bennet said the legislation is the “last, best chance” to accomplish an H-2A overhaul to help support farmers faced with continuing labor challenges.

RESOURCES

BILL TEXT / ONE-PAGE SUMMARY / MYTH vs FACT SHEET

Last Minute Push to Pass Bipartisan Immigration Deal Fails

Negotiations in the Senate to reach a last-minute immigration compromise have failed once again. Senators Sinema and Tillis had been discussing a potential deal that would have included a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers as well as measures aimed at reducing illegal crossings, but the two senators were not able to strike a compromise, which would have been able to secure the necessary 60 votes in the Senate. Multiple congressional sources have said that they hope the framework stemming from the Sinema-Tillis talks could serve as the basis for a bill in the next congress. However, with Republican control of the house in the upcoming congress, the prospect of a pathway to citizenship for dreamers is only further diminishing.

Deadline TOMORROW for ERP Phase One

Winegrape growers and producers who are eligible for assistance through ERP Phase One have until Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, to contact FSA at their local USDA Service Cente r to receive program benefits. If you have not received your pre-filled application, please reach out to your local FSA office!

Going forward, if any additional ERP Phase One prefilled applications are generated due to corrections or other circumstances, there will be a 30-day deadline from the date of notification for that particular application.

MORE INFORMATION

CAWG December Issue of The Crush Newletter

This morning, the December issue of The Crush was released.

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

Feature Story: Challenges and Opportunities for 2023.
State Update: They're Baccckk - What's on the agenda for next year?
CAWG Announces 2023 Grower and Leader of the Year.
Full write-ups on Dana Merrill, 2023 Grower of the Year and Jeanne Malitz, 2023 Leader of the Year!
In-Person Meeting in Fresno - How to Prepare for AB 2183, Card Check
Opportunities During Unified Wine and Grape Symposium
Webinar Recordings from November and December
CAWG PAC Event at The Torch Club
Advertisers: Pan American Insurance Services and Unified Wine and Grape Symposium!

READ DECEMBER ISSUE

Ciatti Releases its November - December California Report

CAWG associate member, Ciatti, released its latest report ahead of CDFA's preliminary Crush Report; which will be release in February. Ciatti's report includes details on activity that has occurred on the bulk wine and grape markets in the final quarter of the year, as well as a harvest recap.

REPORT

Webinar Recordings + Slide Decks

CAWG has hosted a series of webinars in November and December. Below you will find recordings and slides decks for the most recent webinars.

CROP INSURANCE: UPDATES AND INTRICACIES

This webinar provided additional details on crop insurance policy options/enhancements, specific issues related to the new “norm” of growing in California, and the claims process in relation to smoke, weather, and wildlife damage.

RECORDING / PDF OF SLIDES

WHOLE FARM REVENUE PROTECTION

Want to protect your crop against price and market losses? Maybe Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) is for you!

This webinar reviewed the ins-and-outs of Whole-Farm Revenue Protection as an avenue to insure your crop.

RECORDING / PDF OF SLIDES

WORKERS COMPENSATION - ARE YOU GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR POLICY?

This webinar discussed considerations for your Workers Compensation policy and HOW TO SAVE MONEY, now and into the future.

RECORDING / PDF OF SLIDES

NEW CA LAWS FOR 2023: WHAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW

This webinar provided a roundup of state labor legislation, guidelines, and regulations that recently took effect or will take effect January 2023.

RECORDING / PDF OF SLIDES

5 Takeaways from the Front Lines of the Inflation Fight

Article by NPR:

Here are five takeaways from the inflation fight this week.

1. Inflation is coming down

After hitting a four-decade high of 9% in June, annual inflation dipped to 7.1% last month, according to the government's latest scorecard. That's the smallest annual price increase in 11 months.

2. Inflation is still too high

While some prices have come down, the overall cost of living is still climbing much faster than it was before the pandemic. At 7.1%, the November inflation rate is well above the Federal Reserve's 2% target. It's also more than three times the rate of inflation in February 2020 - before COVID-19 led to the economy shutting down.

3. Interest rates are going higher, but maybe not much higher

The Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates at the fastest pace in decades as it tries to tamp down demand and bring prices under control. This week's rate hike of half-a-percentage point was smaller than the last four. On average, Fed policymakers think rates will top out next year at just over 5%.

4. Interest rates aren't coming down any time soon

Just because the Fed has slowed the pace of rate hikes doesn't mean borrowing costs will come down any time soon. Fed policymakers aren't projecting any reduction in interest rates in 2023, and seven of the 19 members of the Fed's rate-setting committee think rates will be higher at the end of 2024 — two years away — than they are now.

5. There's still a lot of uncertainty about where the economy is headed

The central bank has lowered its forecast for economic growth next year and raised its forecast for unemployment. Changes in the weather or the war in Ukraine could cause big swings in prices at the gas station and the grocery store. Faster or slower economic growth around the world could also cause gyrations in the price of crude oil and other commodities.

AB 2183 - Card Check Meeting, Dec 21 at 1:00 pm

A cohort of agricultural organizations, including CAWG, are hosting a seminar on Wednesday, December 21 from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 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 will walk through the statutory changes to the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, including what is card check, labor peace elections, the administrative penalties, and appeal bond requirements in the new law. The seminar is intended for owner-operators, managers, human resources personnel, and farm labor contractors (FLCs) FLC representatives are encouraged to attend.

Spanish language interpretation and devices will be available for attendees. If you will need Spanish language translation, please register by Wednesday, December 14th and indicate the Spanish language option to ensure enough listening headsets can be provided.

(Please note that the content of the seminar will not constitute legal advice or counsel.)

The seminar is at no cost to attend but RSVPs are required.

Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2022 (Deadline to register is Tuesday, December 20th)

Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Location: C.P.D.E.S. Hall of Fresno (172 W. Jefferson Ave., Fresno, CA 93706)

View Invite with Participating Organizations

Unified Wine and Grape Symposium

Last Call! Sponsorship & Advertisement Opportunities

The Unified Symposium is the ideal location to promote your company to thousands of industry professionals who attend. Our varied sponsorship and advertising program offers several different options for all size budgets. Banners and signs in the newly renovated SAFE Credit Union convention center proclaim your presence, print and online ads showcase your product, and exclusive sponsorship opportunities increase your brand visibility.

This is THE wine & grape industry show to attend where you invest in your future and discover new ideas and technologies—a can’t miss!

Sponsorship & Advertisement Opportunities Include

NEW! Spanish Track Sponsorships: $1,500 - $5,000
Program & Exhibit Directory: $10,000
Breakout Session Sponsor: $3,500
Tote Bag Sponsor: $10,000
Keynote Speaker Table Sponsor: $1,500
Welcome Reception Hors D’oeuvres Sponsor: $3,500
NEW! Charging Station: $7,500
Regional Wine Tasting Sponsor: $2,000
Escalator Decals: $8,000
Free Standing Banner: $7,000
Column Wrap: $6,000

For questions regarding the opportunities available, please contact Jenny Devin e or visit unifiedsymposium.org.

VIEW BROCHURE

Nutrition Facts Will Soon Appear on Some Wine Bottles

By: SF Chronical, Ester Mobley

How many calories are in a glass of wine? How much sugar? Does it contain any protein?

If you’ve ever asked these questions, it’s probably been hard to find answers. Wine and other alcoholic beverages, unlike other food and drink products, have never been required to provide nutrition or ingredient labeling in the U.S. But that’s about to change — and the arrival of this mandatory labeling could shift the wine industry in major ways.

Starting next December, any wines sold in the European Union — as many California wines are — will be required to provide nutrition and ingredient facts, accessible via a QR code on the bottle’s label. Meanwhile, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which governs alcohol laws in the U.S., has indicated that it is considering a similar sort of rule for wines sold in this country, possibly as soon as next year. Right now, wineries may voluntarily choose to list serving facts and ingredients, but few do.

If nutrition and ingredient labeling becomes compulsory for wines, it will certainly be a win for consumers, who have shown a growing interest in the nuances of the winemaking process in recent years. The fact that many drinkers now ask for low-intervent ion wines, or wines grown from organic grapes, suggests they’d welcome more easily accessible information about how their products were made.

CAWG Co-Hosts Healthy Soils Tour

In celebration of Healthy Soils Week, CAWG, along with Wine Institute and the California Alliance with Family Farmers hosted a Healthy Soils tour on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at Bogle Family vineyards in Clarksburg. Over 50 legislators, legislative staff and key agency officials joined for a fun day of soil education.

Representatives from University of California Cooperative Extension and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service led hands-on soil experiments and hosted a roundtable discussion to address the benefits of healthy soils, how healthy soils contribute to wine quality, and opportunities for increasing adoption of healthy soils practices.

The tour provided a great opportunity for both legislators and agencies to learn more about the importance of soil health and the sustainability initiatives put forth by the wine industry.

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

Call for Applications for the Ninth Annual California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards

California vineyards and wineries are encouraged to apply for the 2023 California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards.

Vineyards and wineries that participate in a sustainability program in California are eligible to apply in four award categories, recognizing outstanding achievement in sustainability:

Leader Award, given to the vineyard or winery that demonstrates success and innovation in all of the below three areas of sustainable winegrowing and inspires others.

The 2022 California Green Medal recipients were: