A LOOK AHEAD TO 2025 By Matthew Allen, Vice President, State Government Affairs
At the time of this writing, we are awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s final action on the bills that have made it to his desk for either a signature or veto. We are crossing our fingers for a few additional vetoes of legislation that would impose unnecessary challenges for our growers. That said, it has still been a very successful legislative year for us. Western Growers has successfully helped to lead wins on the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), legislation mandating significant reforms to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and amendments to many bills across a variety of areas that will help mitigate the impact on California agriculture. Clearly, like our readers, our work is never done. In addition to our continued advocacy on regulatory issues, we will be gearing up later this fall to begin educating the many new California assemblymembers and senators who will be sworn into office on December 2. In December and January, our staff will dedicate much of its time to making rounds at the Capitol, meeting with new legislators and their teams. We’ll introduce them to WG, the growers we represent and the key issues vital to the continued success of our industry. Comprehensive overviews are offered on key topics, such as labor, crop protection, water, packaging, zero- emission mandates, energy policy and land use. These early discussions also assist us in better understanding the legislative goals of the new legislators. A major focus this year will be raising awareness on the need for key decision-making on scientific matters to remain at the designated agency level. A good example of this is the collaborative work WG
spearheaded this year, alongside allied organizations, on the pesticide mill assessment. Our coalition successfully negotiated improved registration timelines as well as other DPR reforms. Ensuring that science remains the key component on crop protection decision-making was the main impetus for WG’s constructive engagement. We also need to have DPR demonstrate that the registration process can and will work in a timely manner to incentivize new product registrations for use by our growers. Educating legislators not only about the issue but also about WG’s involvement is crucial. There are creative ways to address problems; we don’t always say no. It’s still way too early to decipher the types and number of bills that will be introduced next year. Indeed, there are routine instances where our proactive engagement has resulted in bill proposals being shelved entirely, often due to legislators receiving inaccurate information from bill sponsors or lacking a clear understanding of the issue. That’s why having a dedicated advocacy team that spends time in legislative offices going through the details is essential. The future is uncertain. What is certain, though, is WG’s unwavering advocacy and commitment to the issues that matter most to you as members. Just like the other departments within the WG Family of Companies, the state government affairs team is standing ready for what lies ahead. Of course, there will be challenges, but there will also be a great deal of opportunities. Here’s to a great close to 2024, and best wishes for a bright outlook in 2025 and beyond.
AGRICULTURE LAND INVESTMENT SALES ARIZONA & CALIFORNIA
Bobby Wuertz Agriculture Land Advisor bwuertz@landadvisors.com 520.251.1210
VISIT LANDADVISORS.COM
9 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com November | December 2024
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