CAWG eNews: Reporting Pesticide Use, Opposite Day, and More.

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November 30, 2023

YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS

FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY

IN THIS eNEWS

This Week's eNews Includes:

CAWG News:

Reporting Pesticide Use
Opposite Day
Grower Options for Contract Matters Webinar Recording
Crop Insurance 101: Your Guide to Policy Basics Webinar Recording
November Issue of American Vineyard Magazine - CAWG @ Work Column
Unified Wine & Grape Symposium - Last Call! Sponsorship & Advertisement Opportunities

Industry News:

Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Achieves Highest Level Equivalence in Global Sustainable Agriculture Benchmark
USDA is Providing More Than $3 Billion to Commodity and Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2022 Natural Disasters
Oriental Fruit Fly Updates - Proposed Expansion of the Quarantine Boundary
Defining Regenerative Agriculture - Public Listening Session
Fire Insurance Expert Panel Tells Wine Exec's - "Mitigate, Mitigate, and Then Mitigate Some More.

Upcoming Events:

Emergency Relief Program - 2022 Losses Webinar
Crop Insurance Enhancements: Your Guide to Optimizing Coverage Webinar
New CA Laws for 2024: What Employers Need to Know Webinar
California's New Workplace Violence Prevention Law Webinar
Guaranteed Farming Revenue: Your Guide Through Whole Farm Revenue Protection Coverage Webinar
2024 Awards of Excellence Reception
WGA Annual Luncheon
CAWG PAC Event During Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

CAWG News

Reporting Pesticide Use

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is proposing a new regulation that would require reporting 24 hours or 48 hours in advance of spraying certain pesticides. DPR states, “This proposed action will allow DPR to develop and implement a statewide system to provide information to the public in advance of intended restricted material agricultural commodity applications.”

However, the reporting required by this regulation would necessitate growers reporting in advance of whenever there is an intent to spray. This would provide for no follow-up from DPR relative to whether any spraying actually occurred during the reported period.

This means for example, that if a grower intends to spray on Monday, but the wind comes up, the grower would wait until Tuesday to spray. But, on Tuesday, the crew is unavailable, so the spray is delayed until Wednesday. In this example, the grower would have to report for all three days, thereby creating a terribly inaccurate report to the public.

The reality of such a reporting scheme is that nonprofit groups that are against any use of pesticides would receive bad data from DPR which they could then mischaracterize and use that data in their effort to ban pesticides.

Consequently, CAWG is pushing back on this proposal and arguing that if DPR wants to create a system of notifying neighbors in advance of spraying, there is an opportunity for all stakeholders to come together to create such a notification system that is workable for growers and provides timely and accurate information to the public. However, that system needs to be reliable at all times and should be used only for purposes of notifying neighbors.

Opposite Day

Kids of a somewhat mischievous demeanor often hope for “Opposite Day.” Conceptually, Opposite Day is a holiday where things are said and done oppositely. Two examples of the need for Opposite Day for growers were recently revealed in Northern California news stories.

The first is relative to state regulators who are currently moving to ban agricultural burning, but reversed course recently and embraced burning as “healing, growth in sharing tradition of 'good fire'.”

Such embraced burning is being conducted by tribes in an effort to manage vegetation and prevent wildfires. It is important to note that there is a clear value to these fires. Few, if any, object to burning to manage fuel loads. However, the smoke from those fires blows into the Central Valley where, for practical purposes, burns are already banned.

The second example is relative to the Sierra Club which recently publicly opposed controversial plans to build a new city in Solano County. In opposing the development, Princess Washington, the chair of the Solano Sierra Club, criticized the plan as nothing short of a 'hostile takeover' - criticizing any development on agricultural land that conflicts with an existing county initiative.

The Sierra Club has a history of supporting legislation and regulations that would limit water availability for agriculture land and prohibit the use of essential pest management tools. So, for the Sierra Club to now fight to protect the ag industry is a bit of a twist.

Opposite Day is not a holiday on the calendar and therefore any person of youthful spirit can declare that any day of the year is Opposite Day. Let’s hope for more Opposite Day celebrations where the Sierra Club is standing up for growers and state regulators to see the public policy benefit of burning.

Quote of the Week

"This is land we cannot get back once it's developed," said Princess Washington, chair, Solano Sierra Club in fighting to preserve ag land.

BONUS: "Losing prime ag land means were losing the ability to feed ourselves," said Joe Feller who's part of the Solano Sierra Club executive team.

Grower Options for Contract Matters Webinar Recording

This week, CAWG hosted a webinar with CDFA's Market Enforcement Branch (MEB), and Downey Brand, LLC with the goal of helping members who have encountered issues with their winery buyers, particularly related to contract matters.

The mission of the MEB is to objectively enforce laws enacted to ensure confidence and stability in the agricultural marketplace and to protect against unfair business practices between producers, handlers, and processors of California farm products.

Webinar Recording

Crop Insurance 101: Your Guide to Policy Basics Webinar Recording

Earlier today, CAWG hosted a webinar with Relation Insurance exploring crop insurance policies. Whether you are new to crop insurance or have been purchasing it for years, this webinar provided timely information on reviewing your policy to ensure you are getting the most out of it as we plan for 2024.

The winegrape industry has seen its share of turbulence over the past two years. From hurricanes, to smoke exposure, to extreme drought and lighter yields. With the 2023 harvest under our belts, it is time to start planning for next year. An important part of your 2024 planning process is risk management of your most valuable asset - your winegrapes.

Webinar Recording

November Issue of American Vineyard Magazine - CAWG @ Work Column

The November issue of the American Vineyard Magazine is now available featuring CAWG's new monthly column, CAWG @ Work.

Each month CAWG will contribute to the magazine, discussing relevant industry trends. November's article featured Governor Newsom signing SB 659 (Ashby, D-Sacramento), which is co-sponsored by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG). SB 659, The California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023, puts California on a path to develop additional groundwater recharge opportunities that increase the recharge of the state’s groundwater basins.

Read the November column online, hint - it's on page 9.

Unified Wine & Grape Symposium - Last Call! Sponsorship & Advertisement Opportunities

It is not too late to take advantage of the exciting 2024 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium sponsorship and advertising opportunities available for any budget!

New This Year! Thursday General Session Light Breakfast & Networking Sponsorship. Be the exclusive sponsor of the first annual Thursday General Session Light Breakfast and Networking opportunity, taking place at the Hyatt Regency. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a continental breakfast and networking with the general session speakers prior to the start of the session. We have an excellent line-up of speakers, true trailblazers, and game-changers within the industry. Learn more.

Additional opportunities available:

Breakout Session Sponsor: $3,500 – we have several timely and informative breakout sessions to choose from.
Keynote Speaker Table Sponsor: $1,500 – we are excited to celebrate our 30th Anniversary with CDFA Secretary Karen Ross as the keynote speaker.
Spanish Workshop Sponsor: $3,500 & $1,500
Welcome Reception Hors d’oeuvres Sponsor: $3,500
NEW! WiFi Sponsor $15,000
NEW! Charging Station: $7,500 - with the networking and places to go, we always need a place to charge our phones!
Regional Wine Tasting Sponsor: $2,000
Hotel Key Cards: $6,000
Escalator Decals: $8,000
Column Wrap: $6,000
Glass Decals: $3,500
Program Advertisements ($660 - $2,700) - The Program & Exhibit Directory is the definitive source for information during the conference. We expect to hand out over 14,000 copies of the program were distributed to attendees with a wealth of information on the symposium educational program, exhibitors, and schedules of special events.

Industry News

Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Achieves Highest Level Equivalence in Global Sustainable Agriculture Benchmark

Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing, a third-party vineyard, winery, and wine certification program that is administered by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), is the first sustainable winegrowing certification to achieve Gold Level equivalence against the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) version 3.0. FSA provides a globally recognized framework for sustainable agriculture certification and a consistent approach to demonstrate and validate alignment.

CSWA joins over 100 sustainability programs that have been benchmarked against the FSA. Only 20%, now including CSWA, have achieved Gold Level equivalence.

“CSWA uses internationally recognized best practices for sustainability certification and verification programs — such as the FSA — to develop and maintain a credible and meaningful program,” said Allison Jordan, CSWA executive director. “We’re proud to be the first winegrowing certification to achieve Gold Level Equivalence.”

Learn more about CSWA here.

USDA is Providing More Than $3 Billion to Commodity and Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2022 Natural Disasters

USDA will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers that were impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program is designed to help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters in 2022.

ERP 2022 covers losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines due to qualifying, calendar year 2022 natural disaster events including wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought and related conditions.

CAWG is hosting a webinar on December 6 to learn about both Tracks 1 and 2 of ERP 22 and explore the program benefits that may be available for producers. Presenting will be Natalie Collins, CAWG President, and Navdeep Dhillon and Kaye Rydberg with the FSA State Office.

Oriental Fruit Fly Updates - Proposed Expansion of the Quarantine Boundary

The Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Boundary has changed in the San Bernardino County – Highland and San Bernardino Areas. Effective November 28, 2023, the Department is expanding the San Bernardino and Riverside Quarantine Boundary. A map of the proposed boundary can be found here.

Grapes are a known host fruit for this pest. Regulated articles and conditions for intrastate movement under the quarantine can be found at Title 3 California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 3423.

For questions about the quarantine, please contact Vince Arellano with CDFA at vince.arellano@cdfa.ca.gov or (916) 654-0312.

CAWG is closely monitoring the increased exotic fruit fly activity around the state this year and will keep growers informed as CDFA responds to the situation.

If you wish to receive notifications from CDFA, please sign up for updates through the email notification ListServ.

Defining Regenerative Agriculture - Public Listening Session

CDFA in collaboration with the State Board of Food and Agriculture, will be hosting the first of five public listening sessions that will help define “regenerative agriculture” for state policies and programs. The public listening sessions will help to inform the State Board’s process, and to help provide recommendations on a definition of “regenerative agriculture.”

The public listening session will be held on December 6 at 12 pm.

Webinar Link: https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrceyorzguGdzSvdREDefGblLjG9-uKtPs

Updates on the public listening sessions and the process for defining “regenerative agriculture” are available on CDFA's website.

Fire Insurance Expert Panel Tells Wine Exec's - "Mitigate, Mitigate, and Then Mitigate Some More

During the Fire Insurance Panel at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium held on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at COPIA in Napa, panelists advised wine executives to give precedence to fire risk mitigation efforts. They emphasized the availability of government cost-sharing funding to support initiatives aimed at minimizing fire risk and improving overall safety.

Elizabeth Bishop, Executive Vice President of Heffernan Insurance Brokers and an insurance broker on the panel, stressed, "The more you mitigate, the less you have to insure."

The panelists also discussed encouraging signs indicating that mitigation efforts could positively influence the reduction of insurance rates.

Upcoming Events and Trainings

Emergency Relief Program - 2022 Losses Webinar

USDA will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters.

ERP 2022 covers losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines due to qualifying natural disaster events including wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze, smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought, and related conditions.

Join CAWG to explore Tracks 1 and 2 of ERP 22 and the program benefits that may be available.

When and Where:

December 6, 10 AM, Zoom

Crop Insurance Enhancements: Your Guide to Optimizing Coverage Webinar

Whether you are new to crop insurance, or you’ve been purchasing it for many years, CAWG is committed to bringing you education on the most current industry topics. Join CAWG to learn more about how to enhance your crop insurance coverage, what qualifies under the Federal Crop Insurance program as a claim, and how various claims scenarios are handled.

When and Where:

December 7, 10 AM, Zoom

New CA Laws for 2024: What Employers Need to Know Webinar

Join CAWG for a webinar providing a roundup of state labor legislation, guidelines, and regulations that recently took effect or will take effect in January 2024.

Governor Newsom signed some significant labor and employment legislation with which California employers will need to comply. Learn how these changes may apply to your operation and how best to ensure compliance.

When and Where:

December 12, 10 AM, Zoom

California's New Workplace Violence Prevention Law Webinar

Join CAWG for a webinar aimed at helping growers understand the extensive mandates under SB 553 - California’s new Workplace Violence Prevention law requiring employers to create and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan.

The webinar will include in-depth information about how the requirements of this new law apply to vineyard operations. As these requirements are quite extensive and preparation by the July 1 compliance date will take considerable time, all CAWG members should register for this webinar.

When and Where:

December 12, 1 PM, Zoom

Guaranteed Farming Revenue: Your Guide Through Whole Farm Revenue Protection Coverage Webinar

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

Join CAWG to learn more about Whole Farm Revenue Protection and if it is right for your operation.

When and Where:

December 14, 10 AM, Zoom

2024 Awards of Excellence Reception

Join CAWG to honor Sangiacomo Family Vineyards as its 2024 Grower of the Year and California Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross, as its 2024 Leader of the Year.

All CAWG members are welcome to join in celebrating the remarkable achievements and invaluable contributions of both the Sangiacomo Family and Secretary Ross to California's winegrape industry.

The awards reception will follow the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium welcome reception at the Sheraton Grand, Sacramento. Registration for the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium is not required and there is no fee for attending the reception.

When and Where:

January 23, 6 PM, Sheraton Grand, Sacramento

Sponsorship Opportunities are available, contact Jenny Devine for more information.

WGA Annual Leadership Luncheon

It’s that time of year when nationwide industry members come together for the Winegrape Growers of America (WGA) Annual Leadership Luncheon. The luncheon will take place during the 2024 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, at the Hyatt Regency, in Sacramento.

Please join WGA on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, for lunch, networking, a presentation from our keynote speaker, and the honoring of an individual with the Rich Smith Distinguished Service Award.

CAWG PAC Event During Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

Join CAWG for a rockin' good time while supporting the CAWG PAC during the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium at Ace of Spades!

Last year's event was a sold-out success so we are bringing it back this year and expanding to a bigger venue. Live music will be on tap by Remedy 7, featuring our very own Michael Miiller (CAWG's Director of Government Relations) on drums.

When and Where: