THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE WILL COME TO ORDER.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. HAPPY AG
DAY. IT'S UH, SO LOVELY TO SEE
YOU HERE THIS MORNING AND IN
ATTENDANCE. AS YOU KNOW, TODAY,
WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING ON
NAVIGATING THREATS TO CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE. THIS IS KIND OF AN
ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT THE
CHALLENGES THAT THAT, UM THAT WE
FACE HERE IN THE STATE AND I
WANNA BEGIN BY WELCOMING, UH,
SENATOR DAVE CORTEZ TO THE
SENATE COMMITTEE. IT'S SUCH A
IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU. AND I WANTED TO ALSO
PROVIDE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY. IF
YOU IF YOU WISH TO HAVE SOME,
UH, PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS. THANK
YOU CHAIR HER TITLE. I'M I'M
VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE AND I. I
INTEND TO PLAYS ACTIVE ROLE AS I
CAN, UH, WITH THE COMMITTEE, YOU
KNOW, GOING FORWARD, UM AS AS
YOU KNOW, AND I I'M NOT SURE
OTHERS KNOW I HAVE, UM, A LONG
TIME. UM EGG BACKGROUND AND LIKE
COME FROM AN ORCHARD FARMING
FAMILY IN SANTA CLARA VALLEY,
AND, UH, THE FAMILY STILL
INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURAL, UM,
PURSUITS TO THIS TO THIS TIME.
SO UH, MY OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE
MAKES US A AN EXCITING
EXPERIENCE FOR ME HERE IN THE
STATE CAPITOL. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, SENATOR CORTEZ. OK WELL,
WE'LL GET STARTED WITH OUR
SENATE COMMITTEE. UH, HEARING
AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH, UH, THE
FIRST, UH, PRISON HERE TO
PRESENT OUR BETANCOURT,
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA
ALMOND ALLIANCE. COME ON UP. AND
WELCOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU
FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO,
UH, CONTINUE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON
OUR PROUD AND UNAPOLOGETIC.
CALIFORNIA AG INDUSTRY MADAM
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. UM THERE'S A
LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA
TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY, BUT I'M
GONNA START I'D BE REMISS IF I
DIDN'T TALK ABOUT TWO OF THE
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS FOR US IN THE
ALMOND INDUSTRY IN THE ALMOND,
UH, COMMUNITY HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON
TWO THINGS. AND IF WE DON'T FIX
THESE TWO THINGS, THERE'S ALMOST
NÓ POINT, AND THAT'S GONNA BE
FUNCTIONALITY OF OUR MARKET AND
WATER. AND THESE ARE UNIVERSAL
TRUTHS. I JUST GOT BACK FROM TWO
WEEKS IN SPAIN STUDYING VARIOUS
AG SYSTEMS THERE. THIS IS AROUND
THE WORLD FOR OUR FARMERS, AND
OUR FARMING POPULATION IN THE
WORLD IS BECOMING SMALLER AND
SMALLER AND THE POPULATION WE
HAVE TO FEED IS BECOMING BIGGER
AND BIGGER. WE'RE SEEING ALMONDS
AND HEADLINES A LOT THESE DAYS,
BUT NOT FOR NECESSARILY THE SAME
REASONS WE ALWAYS DO. IT'S BEEN
MOSTLY ABOUT THINGS GOING OUT OF
BUSINESS, AND IT'S BEEN ABOUT
ACREAGE BEING REDUCED, AND IT'S
TRUE ORCHARD REMOVALS HAVE
INCREASED IN 2020 THREE AGAIN TO
ABOUT 80 THREE 1000 ACRES AS OF
AUGUST. 31ST OF 2020, THREE.
THAT'S UP FROM 60,000 ACRES
REMOVED IN 2022. AFTER THREE
YEARS OF RECORD CARRYING THE
ALMOND INDUSTRY IS STILL
RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC,
AND THE INABILITY TO SHIP HAS
SUPPRESSED PRICES FOR THREE
YEARS IN A ROW. ACCORDING TO
RECENT REPORTS. ON TOP OF ALL OF
THIS, THE U S¼ Dð, UH FROM THE U
S¼ Dð, A AND THE AMERICAN FARM
BUREAU PRODUCTION OF AGRICULTURE
IN GENERAL IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE
IT'S BEEN IN YEARS. 28% IT'S UP
28% THE COST OF PRODUCTION IN
AGRICULTURE ACROSS ALL SECTORS.
THE DYNAMIC HERE, THOUGH, IS
THIS AND THIS IS KEY THAT THE
DROP IN WHOLESALE PRICES OF
ALMONDS AS A RESULT OF THE
INABILITY TO RECOVER AND THE
INCREASED COST OF PRODUCTION IS
NOT BEING PASSED ON TO THE
RETAIL CONSUMER, AND WITH VERY
FEW EXCEPTIONS IT'S SEEN AT THE
MARKETPLACE. RETAILERS HAVE
MAINTAINED THEIR PRICING DESPITE
THE LOWEST WHOLESALE PRICES IN
ALMONDS IN SEVERAL YEARS. WHILE
YOU MAY PAY 10 TO $12.35 FOR A
POUND OF ALMONDS AT THE STORE
TODAY, THE FARMER IS RECEIVING A
DOLLAR 40 TO A DOLLAR 90. SO
IT'S LIKE JOHN F, KENNEDY SAID
SO MANY YEARS AGO FOR THE FARMER
IS THE ONLY MAN IN OUR ECONOMY
WHO HAS TO BUY EVERYTHING AT
RETAIL, SELL EVERYTHING AT
WHOLESALE AND PAY THE FREIGHT
BOTH WAYS. AND WHILE INVESTMENT
OPERATORS CAN UTILIZE CHAPTER 11
TO RESTRUCTURE AND LIVE TO FARM
ANOTHER DAY, WHO'S REALLY AT
RISK ARE SMALLER FAMILY
OPERATIONS THAT UNDER 100 ACRE
FARM. AND FOR US IN CALIFORNIA
WHERE WE HAVE 7600 ALMOND FARMS.
90% OF THEM ARE FAMILY OWNED AND
OPERATED AND 75% OF THEM ARE
UNDER 100 ACRES. THAT'S WHO I
WORRY ABOUT. BUT PIVOTING OVER
TO WATER. WHILE WE STILL HAVE AN
UNDERSIZED AND OUT OF DATE WATER
SUPPLY SYSTEM AND SOME OF THE
POLICIES THAT MANAGE THAT ARE
EQUALLY OUT OF DATE. WE'RE
SEEING SOME PROGRESS. GREAT
STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE INTO FAST
PASSING CONSTRUCTION OF KEY
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOME
, UH UH, A REALLY INTERESTING
APPROACH TO AN A SUPPLY AND
ABUNDANCE FOCUS ON BEHALF OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES.
THE GREAT CONCERN, THOUGH, FOR
OUR FARMS IS HOW DO YOU FARM IN
A POST SIGMA WORLD SUSTAINABLE
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT HAS
BEEN IDENTIFIED AS, UM, UH
HAVING PERHAPS A 2 MILLION ACRE
IMPACT ON THE CENTRAL SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY. THE QUESTION FOR
US, AND THE ONE THAT WE'VE
DECIDED TO EMBRACE AT ALMONDS IS
EXACTLY THAT. HOW ARE WE GOING
TO LEAN INTO THE SOLUTION? WHAT
DO WE NEED TO FARM IN A POST
SIGMA WORLD? AND WHILE PUBLIC
POLICY INSTITUTE ESTIMATES 2
MILLION ACRES OF PRODUCTIVE
IRRIGATED AG LAND HAS TO BE
ABANDONED. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABILITY. I WOULD ARGUE
THAT RECENT STUDIES AND RECENT
ACTIVITY PROVES OTHERWISE. FOR
UH, FOR THAT CONCLUSION IS BASED
ON A FALSE PREMISE THAT FALL
ACRES EQUALS WATER. AND THAT'S
JUST NOT THE CASE. YOU CAN
FOLLOW 10 ACRES IN ONE LOCATION
AND 10 ACRES 50 MILES AWAY, AND
I CAN SAVE YOU WATER IN ONE
PLACE AND NOT IN THE OTHER. NOT
ALL ACRES ARE THE SAME. AND WE
HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TODAY TO
IDENTIFY WHERE AND HOW TO BE
MOST EFFECTIVE TO ACHIEVE TRUE
SUSTAINABILITY NOT ONLY FOR FARM
PRODUCTIVITY BUT ALSO FOR THE
SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR
AQUIFERS. A RECENT PROGRAM AT
THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER
RESOURCES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE ALMOND ALLIANCE AND WESTERN
UNITED DAIRIES IS CALLED THE
LAND FLEX PROGRAM, AND IT HAS
PROVEN THIS CONCEPT. LAND FLEX,
THE 2023 PILOT DEMONSTRATED THE
PROGRAM'S VERSATILITY WITH
MEASURABLE RESULTS AS A
PRACTICAL TOOL FOR REAL TIME
FLOOD CONTROL AND THE PROTECTION
OF COMMUNITIES AND PROPERTIES
WHILE STILL DEVELOPING A LONG
TERM GROUNDWATER, RECHARGE
CAPABILITY AND CAPTURING
GROUNDWATER OVERDRAFT. FOR
IMMEDIATE SIGMA COMPLIANCE WHILE
STILL KEEPING THE FARMLAND IN
THE FARMER'S HANDS. THE RESULTS
WERE 17,747 ACRE FEET OF WATER
RECHARGED, PROTECTING
COMMUNITIES AND WATERSHEDS
DURING MAJOR FLOODING EVENTS IN
2020 THREE PROVIDING LONG TERM
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
SUPPLY FOR FUTURE DROUGHT. IT
IMMEDIATELY PROTECTED AT RISK
WATER SYSTEMS THROUGH 56,587
ACRE FEET OF TOTAL AWKWARD FOR
SAVINGS. AND PERMANENTLY RETIRED
84,000 THREE 170 ACRE FEET OF
AQUIFER. OVERDRAFT FOR SIGMA
RAPID DRAWDOWN. THIS IS INSTANT
SIGMA COMPLIANCE. THAT IS THE
EQUIVALENT OF 16,512 HOMES.
DOMESTIC WELLS IMMEDIATELY
PROTECTED ACROSS SEVEN
CRITICALLY OVERDRAFTED BASINS TO
DATE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS
IS THE ONLY GROUNDWATER PROGRAM
THAT HAS PRODUCED REAL
MEASURABLE, WET WATER. THE
PRIMARY TAKEAWAY FROM THE 2023
LAND FIX PILOT WAS THAT
IMMEDIATE AND MULTIPLE RETURNS
ON THE STATE'S SINGULAR
INVESTMENT BY PARTNERING WITH
LANDOWNERS BY PARTNERING WITH
THE FARMER AS PART OF THE
SOLUTION. THE INCENTIVE
MECHANISM OF THE PROGRAM
PROVIDES IMMEDIATE ACTION ON TWO
THINGS. I'M GOING TO BE
REPETITIVE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT
TO REMEMBER EXPANSION OF
GROUNDWATER, RECHARGE CAPACITY
AND PERMANENT SIGMA COMPLIANCE.
AND IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT
SIGMA COMPLIANCE. THE
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF BOTH OF THESE
OBJECTIVES IS FOR FLOOD
PROTECTION AND DROUGHT,
RESILIENCE. THE TWO KEY
COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM. IT'S
EASY TO TURN ON AND TURN OFF
FROM FLOOD TO DROUGHT. IT
PROVIDES SOLUTION. AND THE
EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM CAN BE
BASED ON REAL TIME. HYDRAULIC
NEEDS AGAIN TARGETING CRITICAL
ACRES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
IN CONCLUSION. ALMONDS LIKE ALL
AROUND THE WORLD ARE FACING
INCREDIBLE CHALLENGES. AND
EMBRACING THESE SOLUTIONS. WE
LIKE TO SAY THAT WE LEAD IN
SOLUTIONS AND ALMONDS AND THE
REASON WE SAY THAT IS BECAUSE WE
HAVE WAY TOO MUCH AT STAKE AND
WAY TOO MUCH GOOD TO DO.
CALIFORNIA ALMONDS ARE THE
FOURTH LARGEST AGRICULTURAL
EXPORTER OF THE UNITED STATES,
RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY 100% OF
THE UNITED STATES MARKET AND 80%
OF THE WORLD'S ALMOND SUPPLY.
80% OF THE WORLD'S WING NUTS WE
SHOULD BE PLOWED OF THAT WE CAN
PRODUCE HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
ALMONDS HAVE REDUCED WATER USED
BY 30 3% SINCE THE 9019 NINETIES
AND ANOTHER 15% SINCE 2018.
ALMONDS ARE A ZERO WASTE CROP.
THAT PROVIDE THREE IN FOUR
INDIVIDUAL COMMODITIES WHEN
GROWING ALMONDS GROWING IN
CALIFORNIA SEQUESTER 30 MILLION
METRIC TONS OF CARBON A YEAR.
THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF OVER
THREE 1000 BOEING 737 S¼ COMING
OUT OF THE AIR AND 24 MILLION
CARS COMING OFF THE ROAD EVERY
YEAR. WHERE LEADERS IN
BIODIVERSITY 86% OF THE NATION'S
CERTIFIED BEE FRIENDLY FARMS OR
CALIFORNIA ALMOND FARMS.
FARMING. ALMONDS IS GOOD FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT. BUT MOREOVER, THAN
THAT UM, ALMONDS ARE PERHAPS THE
MOST PLANT THE MOST, UH,
NUTRIENT NUT IN THE MARKET
PRODUCING HIGH PROTEIN FIBER.
CALCIUM VITAMIN E RIBOFLAVIN
ESSENTIAL FOR A HEART HEALTHY
DIET, GLUTEN FREE DIET, MUSCLE
RECOVERY AND MANAGING COMBATING
DIABETES. YEP FARMING ALMONDS IS
FACING A LOT OF CRITICAL
CHALLENGES AND WILL NÓ DOUBT
CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE FARM
GOING FORWARD. HOWEVER. TWO
THINGS I WOULD SPECIFICALLY ASK
FOR ONE IS WE WOULD SPECIFICALLY
RECOMMEND LAND FLEX BE EXPANDED
ACROSS ALL CRITICAL BASINS AND
ARE MODERATELY OVERDRAFTED
BASINS SO THEY CAN GET A JUMP
START ON SIGMA COMPLIANCE AND
MAINTAINING WORKING AG LAND FOR
ALL OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT, AND MORE BROADLY
WHAT WE NEED. FROM OUR
LEADERSHIP LIKE YOU IS TO BE A
PARTNER IN THESE SOLUTIONS. TO
ENGAGE OUR FARMERS AND OUR
INDUSTRY AS THE GLOBAL EXPERTS
THAT THEY ARE AND TOGETHER WE
WILL GENERATE GREAT, SUSTAINABLE
AND PROFITABLE AND HEALTHY PATH
FORWARD FOR CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE. THANK YOU. NOW
AFTER WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
COMMITTEE. I DON KNOW. OKAY?
THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE JAMIE
AND I'M SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCE
YOUR LAST NAME BANOO COME ON UP
FROM THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH
FAMILY FARMERS. ALRIGHT. CAN YOU
HEAR ME? OK? IT'S GOOD TO SEE
YOU, SENATOR, UM SO, YEAH. GOOD
MORNING. UM MY NAME IS JAMIE
FOO. I AM THE POLICY DIRECTOR AT
THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH
FAMILY FARMERS. UM CAF CURRENTLY
REPRESENTS OVER 8000 SMALL AND
MID SCALE FAMILY FARMERS IN
CALIFORNIA AND HAS WORKED FOR
OVER 46 YEARS TO PRESERVE FAMILY
SCALE AGRICULTURE AND PROMOTE
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. I
WANNA GIVE SOME CONTEXT ABOUT
SMALL FARMS IN CALIFORNIA.
NEARLY 80% OF FARMS OPERATE ON
LESS THAN 100 AND 80 ACRES BY
FEDERAL STANDARDS. THESE ARE
CONSIDERED SMALL FARMS AND
NEARLY 70% OF FARMS OPERATE ON
LESS THAN 100,000 IN ANNUAL
GROSS SALES PER MOST RECENT
CENSUS DATA WE'RE LOSING OVER
16,500 SMALL FARMS A YEAR AND
THE CHALLENGES FACING SMALL
FARMS ARE OVERWHELMING AND MADE
THE SIMPLE ACT OF GROWING FOOD
TO FEED LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND
NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE ASK THE
REALITIES OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS,
RAPID CONSOLIDATION AND EXISTING
SUPPLY CHAINS DISPROPORTIONATELY
AFFECT PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING A
LIVING PRODUCING FOOD, WHICH
INCLUDES THE ONE IN FIVE FARMERS
WHO IDENTIFY AS BLACK,
INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WE ARE AT A DANGEROUS TIPPING
POINT IF WE HAVE ANY INTENTION
OF PRO PROTECTING OUR SMALL
FAMILY FARMS, LOCAL COMMUNITIES
AND FOOD SECURITY TODAY, I'LL BE
COVERING TWO SIGNIFICANT
CHALLENGES FACING SMALL FAMILY
FARMERS, ONE LAND ACCESS AND TWO
ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT RESOURCES.
AS WE EXPERIENCE ONE SIGNIFICANT
CLIMATE DISASTER AFTER THE NEXT,
SUCH AS DROUGHTS, FLOODS AND
WILDFIRE, WHILE SMALL FARMS
CONTINUE TO GET SQUEEZED OUT OF
MARKETS, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
THE BUDGET PRIORITIES OF THE
ADMINISTRATION. IN THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS. WE HAVE WORKED
CLOSELY WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO
GET FUNDING TO PROGRAMS THAT
TRULY SUPPORT THOSE THAT NEED
STATE RESOURCES THE MOST AND
WHERE THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO THE
FURTHEST THESE INCLUDE A
PROGRAMS THAT PRIORITIZE SMALL
AND UNDERSERVED FARMERS WITH
EMERGENCY RELIEF OR SPECIFICALLY
, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. CALIFORNIA
UNDERSERVED IN SMALL PRODUCER
PROGRAM OR CUSP. PROGRAMS THAT
WORK ON BUILDING OUT CRITICAL
SUPPLY CHAIN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
SMALL PRODUCERS SUCH AS FOOD
HUBS. SPECIFICALLY THE èC Dð FA
FORMED A COMMUNITY FOOD HUB
PROGRAM, AND, LASTLY NEW
PROGRAMS THAT ARE DIRECTED TO
PRODUCERS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN
INCLUDED IN EXISTING PROGRAMS
SUCH AS URBAN FARMERS AND FARMER
TRAINING PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON BY
PRODUCT PRODUCERS, NAMELY THE
èC Dð FA URBAN AGRICULTURE
PROGRAM, AND THE èC Dð FA,
BEGINNING FARMER AND FARM WORKER
TRAINING PROGRAM. MOST RECENTLY,
THE URBAN AG PROGRAM WAS
OVERSUBSCRIBED BY 600% YET IT
WILL NOT RESET, RECEIVE ANY NEW
FUNDING AND IN ANY ADDITIONAL
YEARS, AND YET THESE ARE
PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN
REPEATEDLY PROPOSED TO BE CUT BY
THE ADMINISTRATION IN THIS
YEAR'S BUDGET PROPOSAL. THE
FOLLOWING ARE PROPOSED TO BE
CUT. 12.9 MILLION TO THE CUSP
PROGRAM, WHICH IS FUNDING FOR
DROUGHT RELIEF FOR HUNDREDS OF
FARMERS THAT HAVE YET TO SEE ANY
DOLLAR. AND 14.4 MILLION TO THE
èC Dð FA FOOD HUBS PROGRAM, A
PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED IN 2021
AND HAS NEVER BEEN SUCCESSFULLY
STOOD UP IN THREE YEARS. WE KNOW
100% OF THE CUSP FUNDING GOES TO
SMALL FAMILY FARMERS AND FARMERS
OF COLOR. MEANWHILE THE
ADMINISTRATION DID NOT ASK FOR
ANY CUTS TO THE GOBI DROUGHT AND
FLOOD PROGRAM, WHICH ONLY
PROVIDES 20 TO 25% OF ITS
FUNDING TO SMALL FAMILY FARMERS
AND FARMERS OF COLOR. WE
DISAGREE WITH THIS DECISION.
LUCKILY LAST YEAR AND WE HOPE
THIS YEAR THE LEGISLATURE HAS
STOOD UP FOR SMALL FARMS AND
PROTECTED THESE MODEST
INVESTMENTS. MEANWHILE WE THINK
THE ADMINISTRATION FOR NOT
PROPOSING CUTS TO FLOOD RELIEF,
UM FOR SMALL FARMS, WHICH IS $5
MILLION IN THE CUS PROGRAM, BUT
IT'S A BIT TROUBLING THAT THESE
FUNDS ARE NOT YET PROVIDED TO
RELIEF FOR FAMILY FARMERS MORE
THAN A YEAR AFTER THE PROGRAM
TOOK PLACE WHERE THE FUNDING WAS
OFFERED. OVERALL THESE PROGRAMS
ARE HANDS DOWN SOME OF THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL AND ACCESSIBLE FOR
SMALL AND BY FARMERS, AND YET
THEY ARE CONSISTENTLY ON THE
CHOPPING BLOCK. EVEN IN TIMES OF
BUDGET DEFICIT, WE SHOULD
PROTECT THESE MODEST
INVESTMENTS. PROGRAMS THAT CAN
MAKE OR BREAK A FARM BUSINESS
ACROSS CALIFORNIA FOR FARMERS
THAT HAVE ZERO SAFETY NET. ON
LAND. WHILE OUR NATURAL
RESOURCES AND LAND INCLUDING
LAND AND WATER, ARE INCREASING,
INCREASINGLY CHANGING HANDS FROM
FARMS TO CORPORATE CORPORATIONS
AND HEDGE FUNDS. I WANNA NAME A
FEW IMPORTANT STATISTICS. 5% OF
ALL LANDOWNERS OWN OVER HALF OF
CALIFORNIA'S CROPLAND, WHILE
ONLY 25% OF LAND IS OWNED BY
OTHER BY THE OTHER 85% OF SMALL
LANDOWNERS, AND NEARLY 40% OF
FARMLAND IS RENTED OR LEASED BY
NON FARMERS IN SUMMARY THE
MAJORITY OF AGRICULTURAL LAND
TODAY IS OWNED BY THE FEW AND
CERTAINLY NOT FARMERS. GIVEN
THIS DATA, IT MAKES COMPLETE
SENSE. WHY THE MAJORITY OF SMALL
BUCK FARMERS, WE WORK WITH
STRUGGLE TO FIND AND IT'S
ENTIRELY OUT OF REACH. AND FOR
FARMERS WHO MANAGE TO FARM FIND
LAND TO LEASE. UNFORTUNATELY
THEY'RE UNABLE TO INVEST IN THAT
LAND THEY MANAGE AND OFTEN ARE
AT RISK OF BEING KICKED OFF DUE
TO DISCRIMINATION. UNLESS YOU'VE
GAINED ACCESS TO LAND FROM A
FAMILY OR HAVE SEVERAL MILLION
DOLLARS READILY AVAILABLE.
SECURE ACCESS TO LAND IS 100%
IMPOSSIBLE. THE ONLY ENTITIES
THAT CAN PURCHASE LAND IN
CALIFORNIA A LARGE CORPORATIONS,
HEDGE FUNDS, INVESTMENT FIRMS
AND AS WE'VE SEEN IN MOST RECENT
NEWS, TECH MILLION TECH
BILLIONAIRES, NONE OF WHOM ARE
LOCAL FARMERS. UM, WE'VE GONE
OVER THESE EXAMPLES IN THIS
COMMITTEE OF WHERE THESE
CHALLENGES ARE HAPPENING IN REAL
TIME, BUT I WANT TO OFFER A
QUICK REFRESHER IN CUYAMA
VALLEY. IN EAST SANTA BARBARA
COUNTY. AS WE SPEAK TWO GLOBAL
COMPANIES GRIM WAY, WHICH IS
OWNED BY HEDGE FUND AND BOLT
HOUSE HAVE DECIDED TO SUE EVERY
SINGLE WATER RIGHTS HOLDER IN
THAT VALLEY. THESE COMPANIES ARE
SUING HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, FARMERS WHO PRODUCE OUR
FOOD AND THE LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICT THAT EDUCATES AND FEEDS
THE COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN, ALL OF
WHOM ARE AT RISK OF LOOTING,
LOSING THEIR WATER RIGHTS OR
COMPLETELY GOING BANKRUPT IN THE
PROCESS, AND, OF COURSE IN
SOLANO COUNTY, PROMINENT SILICON
VALLEY INVESTORS, INCLUDING
LAUREN POWELL, JOBS HAVE USED
VICIOUS LAND GRAB TACTICS THAT
THEY HAVE TAKEN TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF VALUABLE
FOOD PRODUCING LAND OUT OF
PRODUCT. AND OUR P PUTTING AT
RISK THE NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER IN
SOLANO COUNTY AGRICULTURE. AS
NOW AND NOW MANY OF THE SOLANO
COUNTY AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY ARE
FACING A $510 MILLION LAWSUIT,
WHICH THE FLANNERY GROUP HAS
ACCUSED THAT THESE FARMERS OF
POLLUTING SO WE NEED SOLUTIONS.
UM WE NEED IMMEDIATE AND SERIOUS
LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO STOP
THESE LAND GRABS FROM CONTINUING
IF WE HAVE ANY HOPE OF TAKING
BACK OUR CONTROL OF OUR
COMMUNITIES, SENATOR YOUR
LEGISLATION THIS YEAR S¼ B 1153
IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD TO
TACKLING THESE MAJOR ISSUES.
ALSO BODIES LIKE THE CALIFORNIA
LAND EQUITY TASK FORCE AT THE
STRATEGIC GROWTH COUNCIL IS A
GREAT STEP FORWARD AS WELL. AND
I WANNA NAME THE $145 MILLION
INVESTMENT FOR LAND ACCESS.
THAT'S CURRENTLY AN A B 408 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LAURIE WILSON.
UM BOND PROPOSAL AND MANY OTHER
BOND PROPOSALS CURRENTLY MOVING
THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, AND
FURTHERMORE, THERE ARE
INCREDIBLE SOLUTIONS BY THE
STATE SUPPORTING BOP FARMERS
WITH LAND ACCESS, THANKS TO THE
MAJORITY LEADER, AGUIRRE, A
GROUP OF BLACK FARMERS IN YOLO
COUNTY RECEIVED STATE FUNDING TO
PURCHASE LANDS. TODAY THEY HAVE
20 ACRES AND HAVE FORMED A
COLLECTIVE THE FARMER COLLECTIVE
. WE NEED THESE KINDS OF SUCCESS
STORIES AND THESE KINDS OF
INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY
FARMERS. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. THIS. I KNOW YOU SPOKE A
LOT OF YOUR TIME ON, UM ACCESS
TO LAND THE STATE CONSERVATION
PROGRAM. THE GRANT PROGRAM, UM
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON HOW?
HOW MUCH THAT SHOULD BE
AUGMENTED AND UM YOU KNOW HOW
EFFECTIVE IT IS? ABSOLUTELY I
THINK THOSE PROGRAMS ARE ARE
REALLY FOCUSED ON CONSERVATION.
WHICH IS IMPORTANT. I THINK WHAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS POTENTIALLY
EXPANSION WHEN IT COMES TO
ACCESS. ULTIMATELY A LOT OF
THOSE EXISTING PROGRAMS ARE ARE
MORE ACCESSIBLE TO LAND TRUSTS
AND EXISTING ENTITIES REALLY
FOCUSED ON EASEMENT, RIGHT?
WE'RE FOCUSED IN THOSE PROGRAMS.
THEY'RE FOCUSED ON KEEPING LAND
OUT OF DEVELOPMENT AND KEEP IT
IN AGRICULTURE. THE PROBLEM IS
THAT THAT IS SUPPORTING THOSE
THAT CURRENTLY HAVE LANDS. THE
CHALLENGE IS THAT WE HAVE SO
MANY BEGINNING FARMERS, FARMERS
OF COLOR AND SKILLED FARMERS
THAT HAVE NEVER HAD ACCESS TO
LAND. SO THEY'RE EITHER LEASING
OR THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AN
INCUBATOR PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, AND
ONCE THEY'RE DONE WITH THAT
TRAINING PROGRAM, THE LIKELIHOOD
OF FINDING LAND IS EXTREMELY
SLIM. SO FINDING WAYS IN WHICH
WE CAN ACTUALLY EXPAND THOSE
EXISTING PROGRAMS OR DEVELOP
SISTER PROGRAMS WHERE IT'S
ACTUALLY CREATING SOME STEPPING
STONES TO ACTUALLY GETTING
ACCESS TO LAND. UM, WOULD BE MY
RECOMMENDATION. YEAH MY
EXPERIENCE IN SANTA CLARA
COUNTY, UM ALTHOUGH FUNDING HAS
BEEN LIMITED IS THAT THE, UM THE
PROGRAM HAS BEEN USED TO TURN
LAND BACK OVER TO THE FARMERS
AND WITH THE 40% OF THE
POPULATION THERE BEING AN
IMMIGRANT POPULATION, AND IT
ALMOST SEEMS TO REPLICATE WHAT
WAS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, 100
YEARS AGO, WHEN MY GRANDFATHER
CAME IN WHERE UM ESSENTIALLY THE
HIGH PRICE OF LAND IS SUBSIDIZED
BY BY THE STATE AND THE COUNTY
WHO COME IN AND REALIZE THAT
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO
ESSENTIALLY TURN THAT LAND BACK
OVER TO SOME OF THE CONTINUED
FARMING IT, UM YOU KNOW, WITHOUT
THE WITHOUT WITHOUT ANY KIND OF
RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO THE
COUNTY. OR THE STATE. YOU KNOW,
IN TERMS OF LEAST VALUE OR UM,
YOU KNOW, AN OUTRIGHT SALE. UH,
SO WE FOUND IT TO BE A VERY
EFFECTIVE SUBSIDY IN AN AREA
WHERE THERE'S STILL 15,000 AG
WORKERS. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S
SANTA CLARA COUNTY IS
ESSENTIALLY THE FIRST SILICON
VALLEY UM, BUT THERE'S 12,000
ACRES OF FLAT LAND FARMLAND
THERE AND I KNOW THAT THE
PROGRAM HAS BEEN EFFECTIVELY
USED TO SOME DEGREE IN SONOMA,
BUT, UH IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT
THE FUNDING OF THAT PROGRAM. OR
SOMETHING VERY, VERY SIMILAR TO
IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY WITH
THE HIGH COST OF LAND, AT LEAST
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. WOULD AGREE
WITH THAT. THANK YOU. MY
QUESTIONS. NOT A Tð THE MOMENT
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND UP.
NEXT WE HAVE FRACTURE IS
PRESIDENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL
ENERGY CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION.
COME ON UP. WELCOME. GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR,
SENATOR. UH FIRST OF ALL, LET ME
START BY THANKING YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK
TODAY. UM I'M PRESIDENT AND èC
E Ó OF THE CALIFORNIA COTTON
GINS AND GROWERS ASSOCIATION IN
THE WESTERN AGRICULTURAL
PROCESSORS ASSOCIATION. BUT
TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT,
UH, A CRITICAL ISSUE AFFECTING
AG AND THAT'S ENERGY. AND I WANT
TO PIGGYBACK ON SOMETHING THAT,
UH MS BETANCOURT BROUGHT UP AND
THAT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PRICE
OF ALMONDS AND THE COST THAT IT
IS WHAT THE GROWERS ARE ACTUALLY
SEEING. I JUST EMPHASIZE THAT A
LOT OF COMMODITIES ARE SEEING
THOSE SAME CHALLENGES. I'M GONNA
USE WALNUTS. UH, TODAY FOR THE
BEST QUALITY CHANDLER WON, THAT
YOU COULD POSSIBLY GET IS 45
CENTS A POUND. BUT IF I WALK
INTO RALEY'S, IT'S GONNA COST
899. THE GROWERS ARE NOT SEEING
THAT THERE'S A HUGE DISCONNECT,
AND MANY PEOPLE WILL SAY WELL,
PRICES ARE DEPRESSED BECAUSE YOU
GUYS ARE JUST PLANTING TOO MANY
ACRES. AND I AND I WOULD ARGUE
THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE THAT
WE'RE SUBJECT TO RO PRICE AND
THAT MOST OF THE NATIONS AND
AREAS THAT WE COMPETE WITH DON'T
FACE ANY OF THE CHALLENGES FROM
A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE THAT WE
FACE HERE IN CALIFORNIA, AND
THAT'S REALLY WHERE I WANT TO
GO. TODAY IS TALK ABOUT ENERGY.
AND SPECIFICALLY ELECTRICITY.
UH, THE AG ENERGY CONSUMERS
ASSOCIATION. WE REPRESENT
SEVERAL 1000 GROWERS, IRRIGATION
DISTRICTS AND AG ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, REPRESENTING PROCESSORS AND
GROWERS, SO WE DEAL SPECIFICALLY
WITH ELECTRIC ISSUES,
ELECTRICITY ISSUES AT THE PU èC
AND THE ENERGY COMMISSION. BUT
WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IS THIS
STATE'S VERY AGGRESSIVE PUSH TO
ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. AND
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE
AGGRESSIVENESS IS GONNA PUT
AGRICULTURE RIGHT IN THE
CROSSHAIRS, AND IN PARTICULAR,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO VERY
IMPORTANT RULES THAT THE STATE
ONE HAS ALREADY ADOPTED. ONE
WILL BE ADOPTED THIS SUMMER, AND
ONE IS WHAT I CALL THE ELECTRIC
TRUCK ROLL OR THE ADVANCED CLEAN
FLEETS RULE AND THE ELECTRIC
FORKLIFT RULE OR WHAT THEY CALL
THE ZERO EMISSION FORKLIFT RULE
THAT WILL BE ADOPTED, UH, LATER
THIS SUMMER, AND BASICALLY WHAT
IT'S SAYING IS, WE'RE GOING TO
ELECTRIFY THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY
AND THIS ISN'T JUST AGRICULTURE.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S EVERYBODY BUT FOR
OUR CULTURE AND BRINGING IT BACK
THAT WE CAN'T PASS ALONG THESE
COSTS IS GONNA BE IMPACTFUL.
MHM. BUT WE'RE IT STARTS AT THE
VERY BEGINNING, AND ONE IS THAT
WE WANT TO ELECTRIFY EVERYTHING.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY TO EVEN
START THIS. UH, WE HAVE AN
ALMOND PROCESSOR THAT WAS BUILT
IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK OF MADERA
COUNTY. IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THIS,
THE INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT IS NOT
HOOKED UP TO ELECTRICITY. FROM
PG AND E. THEY HAVE NÓ CAPACITY
IN THAT AREA. THEY ARE RUN ON
NATURAL GAS GENERATORS AND SOLAR
PANELS. WHEREAS A CITRUS PACKING
HOUSE THAT'S BEING BUILT IN
SANGER. WHICH YOU'RE VERY
FAMILIAR WITH. UM BUT OUT THERE
THEY HAVE NOW HIT CAPACITY. I
HAVE AN EMAIL FROM PG AND E THAT
SAYS SEVERAL OF THE SUBSTATIONS
OUT THERE ARE MAXED OUT. WE CAN
EXPAND NÓ MORE. SO WHAT ARE THEY
GONNA DO? THEY'RE GONNA PUT
NATURAL GAS GENERATORS IN. SO
HERE WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS
CLIMATE CHANGE YET WE'RE GOING
BACKWARDS BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING
INSTALL NATURAL GAS GENERATORS,
ALBEIT VERY CLEAN, BUT THEY ARE
NOT ZERO EMISSION TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE POWER AND PROVIDE JOBS
HERE IN IN THE IN THE STATE. SO
YOU HAVE THAT BEFORE YOU EVEN
START AND THEN THAT YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT CHARGING A TRUCK A Dð
èC FAST CHARGE TRUCK CHARGING,
WHICH IS THIS? I'M TALKING ABOUT
HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS HERE TAKES
STILL TAKES 3 TO 4 HOURS, EVEN
WITH A FAST CHARGE IS A MEGAWATT
APIECE. OK THERE ARE 1.7 MILLION
TRUCKS OPERATING IN CALIFORNIA
ON ANY GIVEN DAY. A MEGAWATT
APIECE FOR A CHARGING STATION.
SO THINK ABOUT IF YOU IF YOU
DON'T THINK ABOUT OUR AG
FACILITIES, THINK ABOUT THE, UH,
TRUCK STOP AS YOU DRIVE DOWN I
FIVE OR 99, RIGHT. THERE'S AT
LEAST 5060 TRUCKS IN THERE IF
THEY'RE ALL ON CHARGING THAT'S
50 OR 60 MEGAWATTS. NOW, WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN? FOR EVERY 20
MEGAWATTS OF NEW DEMAND. YOU
HAVE TO BUILD A SUBSTATION. WE
HAVEN'T BUILT A SUBSTATION IN
PGE TERRITORY, BUILT ONE IN THE
LAST 10 YEARS. 1.7 MILLION
TRUCKS. A MEGAWATT A PIECE. WE
ARE NOWHERE NEAR THIS TO PUT IT
TO GIVE YOU ADDITIONAL SCALE
DIAL, BLUE CANYON, 2200 AND 50
MEGAWATTS. THAT'S ALL. THAT'S
WHAT ALL IT PRODUCES. WHICH IS A
LOT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. BUT
THEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY
TRUCKS NEED TO BE CHARGED. AND
AGAIN. I'M ONLY TELLING YOU THE
HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS. I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT MEDIUM OR LIGHT
DUTY TRUCKS OR THE THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF FORKLIFTS THAT WILL
HAVE TO BE ADDED ON AS THE STATE
GOES TO ELECTRIC FORKLIFT RULE.
SO THAT'S ONE ELEMENT THAT'S THE
SUPPLY SIDE. UM NOW IS THE COST.
SO IF WE THINK ABOUT COST, UM
FOR A CONVENTIONAL IF I WENT OUT
TO BUY A BRAND NEW DIESEL TRUCK
TODAY, THE CLEANEST BURNING
DIESEL IT'S GONNA COST ME A
LITTLE OVER $200,000. FOR AN
ELECTRIC TRUCK YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT $450,000. WE HAD ONE OF
OUR COTTON MODULE MOVER TRUCKS,
ESPECIALLY DESIGNED TRUCK TO
HAUL COTTON IS $475,000 TODAY.
IF I GO BUY A HYDROGEN TRUCK.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $525,000
MINIMUM. HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO PASS ALONG THAT COST?
WHETHER THAT'S THE RIGHT THING
TO DO THE APPROPRIATE THING TO
DO? IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US THAT
HAS NÓ ABILITY TO PASS ALONG
THAT COST. IN ADDITION, UM, ON
THE ELECTRIC SIDE FOR A HEAVY
DUTY TRUCK. IT'S £9000 OF
WEIGHT. FOR THE BATTERY. THAT'S
£9000 OF WEIGHT THAT I'M GONNA
LOSE. SO IF I EQUATE THAT AGAIN
TO THAT COTTON MODULE MOVER FOR
EVERY, UH £9000 ON THERE. I HAUL
FOUR ROUND MODULES AT 5000
APIECE, SO I HOPE £20,000 OF
WEIGHT. PUTTING THAT PUTTING OUT
ELECTRIC MEANS I CAN ONLY HAUL
TWO MODULES. SO WHAT THAT MEANS
IS I'M GONNA DOUBLE THE NUMBER
OF TRIPS. SO THAT'S GONNA DOUBLE
MY LABOR FOR ME TO, UH BUILD A
HALL IN THE SEASON. IF YOU
EQUATE IT TO ALMONDS, IT'S
£40,000 ROUGHLY TO THE 40 TO
£50,000 THAT WE'RE HAULING, SO
I'M GONNA HAVE TO DO AN EXTRA
TRIP. EVERY FOUR TRIPS IF WE
CONVERT OVER TO ELECTRIC, SO
THAT'S ANOTHER ADDITIONAL COST.
BUT THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT
IS THIS ALL LEADING WHAT ARE THE
RATES TODAY? AND I KNOW I
BELIEVE THIS HANDOUT HAS BEEN
GIVEN TO YOU GUYS IS THAT
CORRECT FROM ON THE RATES? SO
UH, THE FIRST SLIDE THAT I
WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS IS.
WHERE ARE WE TODAY? COMMERCIAL
RATES. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST IN
THE COUNTRY. ALREADY. THAT THOSE
RATES DO NOT INCLUDE WHAT'S
COMING TO BUILD ALL THIS
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT I TALKED
ABOUT THAT WE NEED, NOR DOES IT
COVER THE COST OF ALL THE
UNDERGROUND THAT WE'RE GOING TO
NEED TO DO OVER THE NEXT 20
YEARS. THAT COST IS NOT INCLUDED
IN THERE. THAT COST WILL BE
BORNE BY RATEPAYERS. SO THAT'S
AN ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE THAT WE
HAVE THE LAST SLIDE I PUT IN
THERE AGAIN JUST TO GIVE YOU
SOME COMPARISON WAS A COST
COMPARISON. THAT U S¼ Dð A DOES
EVERY THREE YEARS OF ALL THE
COTTON GINS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE WEST,
WHICH IS CALIFORNIA, WE ARE MORE
THAN DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE
FOR ELECTRIC RATES. THE COST TO
OUR TAR GENTS. THAT'S BEFORE ALL
OF THESE INCREASES THAT ARE
COMING. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
THE IMPACT TO THESE TWO RULES,
AND THIS STATE'S PUSH TO GO ALL
ELECTRIC WELL AGAIN, I
UNDERSTAND IT. IT'S GONNA
PRESENT A HUGE CHALLENGE FOR US
FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE TO STAY
IN BUSINESS AND ADDRESS THOSE
CONCERNS, SO THERE NEEDS TO BE
THOUGHT. MORE THOUGHT PROCESS
PUT INTO THAT, UH, GOING
FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ROGER AT THIS MOMENT, I WOULD
LIKE TO, UM, JUST, UH, ANNOUNCE
IT'S SENATOR BEN ALLEN HAS
JOINED US. THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US, AND I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR MR
ISOM. ANYBODY FROM THE
COMMITTEE? SENATOR CORTEZ. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I MEAN, JUST,
UH A SIMPLE QUESTION. UM YOU
KNOW, TRY TO GET ME UP TO SPEED.
BECAUSE, UH, I'M I'M MORE
FAMILIAR WITH. EGG CROPS AS A
COMMODITY. ESPECIALLY FRUIT, YOU
KNOW, GOING BACK SOME YEARS. WHO
WHEN YOU WHEN YOU ADD THE COST
OF E, VÆ OR HYDROGEN, YOU KNOW,
IN TERMS OF YOUR EQUIPMENT,
FORKLIFTS, UM LONG HAUL TRUCKS,
HEAVY EQUIPMENT ONTO THE
COMMODITY PRICE. OF WHAT YOU'RE
SELLING. WHO ARE YOU COMPETING
WITH TODAY? IS IT IS IT ARE YOU
COMPETING INTERNATIONALLY? 100%
OF THE TIME. ARE YOU COMPETING
WITH? OTHER STATES, UM, IN IN IN
IN. WHAT IS THE WHAT ARE YOU
SEEING? AS AS THE DIFFERENTIAL
THERE, UM YOU WHAT I'M HEARING
IS BUT IF WE NEED TO GET THERE,
CALIFORNIA IS BEING VERY
AGGRESSIVE, THOUGH I AM
PARAPHRASING WHAT YOU SAID VERY
AGGRESSIVE COMPARED TO WHO?
BECAUSE THAT SHOULD BE THE ON
THE TO ME. THE ONE QUESTION IF
WE'RE IF WE'RE REALLY TALKING
ABOUT COMMODITY PRICES. IF
EVERYBODY'S NOT COMING ALONG,
THEN SOMEBODY'S GOING TO
UNDERCUT YOUR PRICES. YOU AND
YOU GO UNDER, RIGHT, RIGHT? CAN
YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME JUST IN
TERMS OF THE OVERALL MARKET, SO
OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE
DIFFERENT FOR EVERY SINGLE
COMMODITY. SOME ARE JUST MAYBE
DOMESTICALLY, UM AND COMPETING
WITH OTHER STATES AND OTHERS ARE
GOING TO BE INTERNATIONAL. UH,
FOR EXAMPLE, IN TREE NUTS, WE
EXPORT 70% ON AVERAGE. WHEN YOU
ADD ALL THE TREE NUTS TOGETHER
ON COTTON, WE EXPORT 100% OF OUR
COTTON UM, BUT EVEN I'LL JUST
USE COTTON AS AN EXAMPLE. UM
WHILE I'M COMPETING ON ON AN
INTERNATIONAL MARKET, I AM
COMPETING AGAINST OTHER STATES
THAT ARE PRODUCING THE SAME
COMMODITY BUT DO SO AT A
FRACTION OF THE PRICE. UM SO
IT'S UH IT'S NOT AN EASY ANSWER
TO GIVE YOU BUT IT'S BOTH. UM
WHEN I LOOK AT IT FROM FROM THIS
STANDPOINT, UH AGAIN, YOU KNOW
THIS CONVERTING TO ELECTRIC
ISN'T OUR FIRST FORAY INTO AIR
QUALITY ISSUES. WE'VE HAD TO
REPLACE OUR TRUCKS ONCE ALREADY.
WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE SEVERAL.
YOU KNOW OUR TRACTORS NÓ OTHER
STATES ARE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND DON'T HAVE THAT IN THE
FORECAST, SO WE'RE HAVING TO DO
THAT, AND THE ONLY WAY THAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IS
THROUGH INCENTIVE PROGRAMS LIKE
FARMER AND OTHERS DOING ON OUR
OWN. WE COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE
THERE'S NÓ WAY THAT AGAIN. I
CAN'T CHARGE MORE FOR A POUND OF
COTTON OR A POUND OF ALMONDS. UH
THEY'RE JUST IT'S NOT GONNA
MATTER. THEY CAN FIND THAT
SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHAT? WHAT IS
THE WHAT IS THE WORST EVIL? UH,
FOR YOU IN TERMS OF COMMODITY
PRICES OF THE COST RIGHT NOW THE
COST OF WATER OR THE ANTICIPATED
COST OF THESE ENERGY
CONVERSIONS. THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION PRO. I HM? I. I DON'T
KNOW IF I'D SAY THE COST OF
WATER BUT CERTAINLY THE
AVAILABILITY OF WATER IS
PROBABLY AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
UM ENERGY LABOR WOULD BE UP
THERE, UH, PESTICIDES OR THE
AVAILABILITY OF PESTICIDES, UH,
WOULD BE UP THERE AS WELL PROB,
PROBABLY THE AVAILABILITY OF
WATER. IN IN THE COST. IT SEEMS
TO ME THE COST OF WATER BECAUSE
OF LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF IT.
UM THE RISING COST OF WHOLESALE
WATER WOULD WOULD HAVE YOU KNOW
A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YOUR
ABILITY TO COMPETE IN THE
MARKETPLACE. BUT AGAIN, I'M I'M
NOT CLEAR. WHO ARE COMPETING
WITH OBVIOUSLY ALMONDS WOULD BE
WHOEVER HAS WATER CHEAPER THAN
US IN OTHER PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE
ANYONE'S EVEN GETTING ANYWHERE
NEAR US. GIVEN THE STATISTICS OF
HOW MUCH OF THE WORLD'S SUPPLY
IS BEING, UM, IS BEING PRODUCED
RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA. THERE
WOULD SEEM TO BE SOME ABILITY TO
INCREASED PRICES, YOU KNOW, ON
THE MARKET TO HELP COVER SOME OF
THESE COSTS, BUT I? I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT'S THE CASE ACROSS THE
BOARD RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW
WHERE. OTHER THAN SOUTH OF THE
BORDER. WHERE ELSE? UM YOU KNOW,
NECTARINES ARE COMING FROM
POMEGRANATES ARE COMING FROM
APRICOTS ARE COMING FROM, UM
COTTON IS COMING FROM AND WHAT
THEY WHAT THOSE FARMERS OUTSIDE
OF CALIFORNIA ARE EXPERIENCING
IN TERMS OF WATER COSTS. YEAH, I
DON'T KNOW A MAY. MAYBE IT'S NOT
FAIR THAT THE ALMOND QUESTION
BETTER THAN I CAN. UM BUT I YOU
KNOW AGAIN, IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON
DEPEND ON THE COMMODITY, I'LL
I'LL USE COTTON, FOR EXAMPLE,
BRAZIL CERTAINLY WOULD BE, UH UH
, ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THESE
CHALLENGES HAS THE WATER. UH,
YOU CAN SAY THE SAME THING WITH
AUSTRALIA, UH, SOME OTHER ONES,
BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT COME
TO MIND. SO UM, ALMONDS
SPECIFICALLY? YES WE HOLD THE
DOMINATION BECAUSE QUITE
HONESTLY, WE'RE BLESSED BY
GEOGRAPHY AND BY HYDROLOGY, UH,
OR A CLIMATE UM, THAT BEING SAID
, WHERE I'M WORRIED. TO BE
HONEST IS THE REST OF THE WORLD
KNOWS HOW MUCH ALMONDS HAVE
POTENTIAL FOR MARKET GROWTH AND
KNOWS THE DEMAND FOR ALMONDS IN
THE WORLD AND THEY SEE THE
PROBLEMS AND THE CHALLENGES WE
FACE HERE, AND THEY'RE
ANTICIPATING NÓ EVENTS HOW TO
SELL US OUT. OK THEY'RE GONNA
HERE'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
ALMONDS ALL OF OUR CROPS.
THEY'RE GONNA CHASE CHEAPER
WATER, CHEAPER LABOR, CHEAPER
ENERGY, AND SOMEONE WILL
GENETICALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO
GROW THESE IN PLACES THAT WE
DON'T RIGHT NOW. IT'S ALREADY
HAPPENING. THERE'S INVESTMENTS
IN THIS ACROSS THE WORLD FROM
RESEARCH IN SPAIN, AUSTRALIA AND
OTHER PLACES, SO WHAT'S
HAPPENING IS RIGHT NOW WE
DOMINATE. BUT THE WORLD KNOWS
THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE ARE
NOT THE PROBLEMS FROM ELSEWHERE.
SO TO YOUR POINT WHAT HAPPENS IF
YOU'RE GROWING SOMETHING SOUTH
OF THE BORDER, AND BY THE WAY, I
HAD A FARMER IN CHIHUAHUA. CALL
ME AND SAY WE WANT TO GROW
ALMONDS. THEY DON'T HAVE THE
SAME REGULATORY PRESSURES. THEY
DON'T HAVE THE SAME COST OF
INPUT. THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME
VALUES WE DO QUITE FRANKLY, AND
THEY WILL PRODUCE CHEAPER. AND
THE MARKET WILL CONTINUE TO
CHASE THAT. IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING AT SOME POINT, YOU
KNOW TO GET I THINK, UM THROUGH
THE CHAIR, YOU KNOW TO GET
INFORMATION IN TERMS OF WHAT
THOSE NUMBERS ARE, YOU KNOW,
REGIONALLY, UM INTERSTATE AND
THEN INTERNATIONALLY. I MEAN,
I'M I'M REALLY JUST FOCUSING
BACK ON THE PRESENTATION ABOUT,
UH, ENERGY COSTS AND WATER PER
S¼. E. I MEAN, WE KNOW THEY'RE
GOING UP. WE KNOW THE STATE
POLICIES ARE DRIVING SOME OF
THOSE UP. YOU KNOW, BY DESIGN. I
MEAN, WE'RE IF WE'RE GOING TO
HYDROGEN AND YOU KNOW AN
ELECTRIC POWER MORE? INSTEAD OF,
UM YOU KNOW? TRADITIONAL FOSSIL
FUELS, DIESEL AND SO FORTH. BUT
I, I THINK IT WOULD HELP US AT
SOME POINT AND I'M SURE YOU
DIDN'T COME IN HERE TODAY
PREPARED TO BREAK THINGS DOWN
FOR US. BUT TO THE EXTENT THE
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES CAN CAN
PROVIDE UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE
NUMBERS ARE MORE THAN NUANCES.
AGAIN I DON'T I DON'T. I'M NOT
GONNA SPEND THE WHOLE MY WHOLE
YEAR IN THE COMMITTEE TALKING
ABOUT MY OWN EXPERIENCE, BUT I
CAN GUARANTEE YOU AT SANTA CLARA
VALLEY WOULD NOT BE DEVOID OF
ORCHARDS TODAY. AND PRODUCING
NOTHING BUT SEMICONDUCTORS. IF
WE HAD NOT, AT ONE POINT BEEN
COMPETING. ON THE MARKET AGAINST
THE CENTRAL VALLEY. WHICH AT
THAT TIME HAD WATER AVAILABLE TO
IT IN ABUNDANCE AT $12, AN ACRE
FOOT AND WE WERE PAYING UPWARDS
OF $100 AN ACRE FOOT. YOU CAN'T
TACK THAT ON TO THE PRICE OF
FRUIT AND SHIP IT TO L A AND
COMPETE. AND WELL, YOU'RE GONNA
SHIP IT TO L A AND THE MARKET'S
GONNA PAY WHAT IT WANTS TO PAY.
UM AND YOU'RE GOING TO PULL IN
YOUR TREES OUT AND THAT'S REALLY
THE STORY OF THAT'S THE REAL
STORY OF SILICON VALLEY. UM, BUT
BUT THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE
QUESTION. THE IRONY OF IT IS
THAT AS NOT TO DIGRESS, BUT THE
SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY USES FAR
MORE WATER THAN WE EVER USE IN
AGRICULTURE. UM AND SOME AT
TIMES THAT'S BEEN SUBSIDIZED,
BUT BUT CHIPS DON'T HAVE THE
SAME CAP ON ON COMMODITY PRICING
AND NEVER HAVE UM DIFFERENT, YOU
KNOW, DIFFERENT PRODUCT.
DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP TO THE
MARKET. SO I'M JUST EXPLAINING
WHY I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS
BECAUSE I DO. UNDERSTAND. THAT
HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF. IF
WE AREN'T CAREFUL AND YOU KNOW
WHETHER THAT'S UM BETTER STATE
PROTECTIONS AGAINST COMPETITION
OR WHETHER IT'S UM YOU KNOW
BETTER STATE PROTECTIONS AGAINST
FOLKS MONOPOLIZING WATER. UM I
DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUT I
THINK A STARTING POINT IS FOR US
TO UNDERSTAND. JUST JUST HOW HOW
IMPACTFUL. THOSE NUMBERS ARE AND
WHERE AND WHERE THAT COMPETITION
IS COMING FROM. I CAN'T BLAME
THE OTHERS FOR COMPETING IF THEY
GOT CHEAP WATER, BUT I'D LIKE TO
KNOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. NÓ
ABSOLUTELY SENATOR AND THAT LAST
SLIDE THAT I HAD THERE THAT
COMPARES ELECTRICITY TO
DIFFERENT REGIONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
U S¼ Dð A DOES EVERY THREE
YEARS. THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT
SINCE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS TO TRY
TO GET AT SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT. WHAT I DIDN'T
INCLUDE IN THERE IS THEY ALSO DO
IT FOR LABOR. THEY ALSO DO IT
FOR FUEL FOR PROPANE OR NATURAL
GAS, WHICH WE USE TO DRY AND IN
EVERY SITUATION WE, THE WEST IS
THE HIGHEST OR CALIFORNIA IS THE
HIGHEST, BUT IT'S A IT IS A
GREAT QUESTION AND SOMETHING WE
CERTAINLY ARE FACED WITH EVERY
DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
CHAIR. QUESTIONS. VÆ OK, WELL,
I, I APPRECIATE, UM YOUR
TESTIMONY HERE TODAY. I MEAN,
FOR ME PERSONALLY, I ALWAYS TALK
ABOUT, UM, WE TALK ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT
AGRICULTURE. RIGHT? AND I THINK
TO YOUR POINT. THERE'S JUST A
REALLY, UH DEEP CONNECTION
BETWEEN OR AS THEY REFERRED TO
IT. THE ENERGY, WATER AND FOOD
NEXUS. YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT
AGRICULTURE WITHOUT TALKING
ABOUT WATER WITHOUT TALKING
ABOUT ENERGY AND HOW HOW THEY'RE
VERY MUCH LINKED WITH ONE
ANOTHER AND RELY ON EACH OTHER
TO THEY, THEY DON'T THEY CAN'T.
THEY CAN'T LIVE ALONE, RIGHT?
THEY THEY GO TOGETHER, SO I
APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOU
PROVIDING US WITH YOUR PUT HERE,
UH, THIS THIS MORNING? THANK
YOU. AND WE UP NEXT WE HAVE
MICHAEL DEL BAR èC E Ó,
CALIFORNIA RANGE LAND TRUST HERE
TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT. GIVE
US SOME INSIGHT INTO THE
WILLIAMSON ACT. WELCOME.
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, SENATORS.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO
CELEBRATE THE BOUNTY OF THE
GOLDEN STATE AND PARTICULARLY ON
THE WEST STEPS. I HOPE YOU HAVE
ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT
THERE TODAY. HØI MICHAEL DEL
BAR, THE èC E Ó OF THE
CALIFORNIA RANGELAND TRUST AND
THE RANGELAND TRUST MISSION IS
TO SERVE THE LAND PEOPLE AND
WILDLIFE BY CONSERVING
CALIFORNIA'S WORKING RANGE
LANDS. WE WORK WITH RANCHING
FAMILIES THAT WANT TO
VOLUNTARILY CONSERVE THEIR
WORKING RANGE LANDS IN
PERPETUITY THROUGH THE USE
PRIMARILY OF AGRICULTURAL
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS SINCE
1998 WE'VE HELPED OVER 90
RANCHING FAMILIES PERMANENTLY
PROTECT NEARLY 400,000 ACRES OF
PRISTINE RANGE LAND FROM THE
THREAT OF DEVELOPMENT AND
CONVERSION. OUR SMALL
ACHIEVEMENTS ARE 32 ACRE PORTION
OF A RANGELAND OF RANGELAND IN,
UH, BAY AREA AND OUR LARGEST IS
THE 80,000 ACRE HURST RANCH IN
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. BUT HERE
IN CALIFORNIA, THE NATION'S
LARGEST AG STATE, WE ARE SEEING
SOME OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE FARM
AND RANCH LAND BEING LO LOST TO
DEVELOPMENT AT ALARMING RATE
WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF OUR
FOOD, SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
NEEDS. ALONG WITH PROVIDING FOOD
AND FIBER TO OUR STATE AND
NATION. WORKING LANDSCAPES ALSO
PROVIDE AN ARRAY OF ECOSYSTEM
SERVICES BY CLEANING OUR AIR,
SEQUESTERING CARBON RECHARGING
OUR GROUNDWATER SUPPLY,
SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY AND
MITIGATING CATASTROPHIC NATURAL
RESOURCES. NATURAL DISASTERS
SORRY, LIKE WILDFIRES. ACCORDING
TO A STUDY OF THE AMERICAN BY
THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST
465,900 ACRES OF AG LAND IN
CALIFORNIA WERE DEVELOPED OR OR
COMPROMISED BETWEEN THE YEARS OF
2001 AND 2016. THAT'S
APPROXIMATELY 31,000 ACRES OF AG
LAND LOSS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
TODAY I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS
IN OUR STATE THAT ARE HELPING TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF
AGRICULTURAL LAND LOSS AND THE
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
WITH THOSE PROGRAMS. SO FIRST
THE WILLIAMSON ACT. THE PURPOSE
OF THE WILLIAMSON ACT, ALSO
KNOWN AS THE CALIFORNIA LAND
CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965, IS TO
ENCOURAGE THE PRESERVATION OF AG
IN OPEN SPACES BY REDUCING
PROPERTY TAXES FOR QUALIFIED
LANDOWNERS. IT PROVIDES CRITICAL
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR THE
OWNERS OF AROUND 16 MILLION
ACRES OF RANGELAND AND FARMLAND
THAT'S ENROLLED IN THE STATE.
UNDER THE ACT. LANDOWNERS WHO
ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM AGREE TO
KEEP THEIR LANDS IN AGRICULTURE
OR OPEN SPACE FOR A PERIOD OF 10
YEARS, AND IN EXCHANGE, THEY
RECEIVE LOWER PROPERTY TAXES
BASED ON THE AGRICULTURAL INCOME
VALUE OF THE LAND RATHER THAN
ITS POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT VALUE.
BIG DIFFERENCE. THIS REDUCTION
IN PROPERTY TAXES PROVIDE A
FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR
LANDOWNERS TO PRESERVE THEIR
LANDS RATHER THAN SELL THEM OUT
FOR DEVELOPMENT. ACCORDING TO
THE STATUS REPORT FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
RELEASED IN 2022 54 OF THE
STATE'S 58 COUNTIES PARTICIPATE
IN THE WILLIAM SNACK PROGRAM.
PRIOR TO 2006. THE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION WOULD REVIEW AND
VERIFY ACREAGE PER COUNTY UNDER
CONTRACTS, AND THE STATE
CONTROLLER WOULD THEN PAY
PARTICIPATING CITIES AND
COUNTIES AND ESTABLISH
SUBVENTION PER ACRE ENROLLED IN
THE PROGRAM TO OFFSET THE CITY
AND COUNTY'S FOREGONE PROPERTY
TAX REVENUES. DUE TO STATE
BUDGET CUTS. THE SUBVENTION
PAYMENTS WERE FULLY ELIMINATED
IN 2010 AND 11 FISCAL YEAR
BUDGET UNDER GOVERNOR
SCHWARZENEGGER. THE TOTAL
PREVENTION FUNDING IN THE FINAL
YEAR OF THE APPROPRIATION WAS
APPROXIMATELY 38 MILLION. TODAY
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THE
APPROPRIATION WOULD BE SOMEWHERE
AROUND 40 TO $45 MILLION.
FOLLOWING THE ELIMINATION OF THE
PREVENTION PAYMENTS. IMPERIAL
COUNTY ALSO FILED NON RENEWAL OF
ALL OF THE WILLIAMSON THAT
CONTRACTS EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY.
2011 THAT COVERED ABOUT 100 AND
17,246 ACRES FOLLOWING THE
ELIMINATION OF THIS INVENTION.
MANY OF THE MANY OTHER COUNTIES
HAVE SLOWED THE PACE OR PUT A
MORATORIUM ON THE ACCEPTANCE OF
NEW APPLICATIONS. BUT OVERALL,
THE LANDS UNDER CONTRACT HAVE
REMAINED FAIRLY STABLE. THE
WILLIAMSON ACT. IS THE MOST COST
EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR LAND
PRESERVATION IN THE STATE. IN
ADDITION TO BEING STRUCTURALLY
COST EFFECTIVE, THE PROGRAM IS
ALSO FAIRLY EASY TO ADMINISTER.
TO CONTINUANCE OF THE ACT IS A
CORNERSTONE TO A STRONG AG
INDUSTRY IN THIS U S¼ NUMBER ONE
AG STATE AND AS MYRIAD BENEFITS
THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO HELPING
THE STATE MEET ITS POLICY GOALS
TO ENHANCE CLIMATE RESILIENCY
AND BIODIVERSITY. PRODUCTION.
AGRICULTURE ISN'T THE MOST
LUCRATIVE BUSINESS. BUT IT'S A
NECESSARY BUSINESS. AND WE NEED
TO BE OFFERING PRODUCERS
SOLUTIONS TO HELP THEM STAY IN
BUSINESS TO ENSURE A SAFE AND
SECURE FOOD SYSTEM. IN ADDITION
TO LAND CONSERVATION THROUGH
WILLIAMSON ACT. PERMANENT
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ALSO ARE
AN IMPORTANT MEANS TO ADDRESS
AGRICULTURAL LAND LOSS. I
MENTIONED THE RANGELAND TRUST AS
CONSERVED NEARLY 400,000 ACRES
ACROSS 90, PLUS RANCHES. TO DATE
, HOWEVER, WE HAVE ANOTHER 95
RANCHING FAMILIES REPRESENTING
OVER 225,000 ACRES ACROSS THE
STATE OF WORKING RANGE LANDS
THAT ARE VETTED AND IN OUR
PIPELINE. THEY ARE ALL WAITING
ON FUNDING TO MAKE THOSE
CONSERVATION DREAMS A REALITY.
WHILE PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE IS
WORTHY AND FULFILLING ENDEAVOR.
IT IS NOT TYPICALLY A LUCRATIVE
BUSINESS THANKS TO MARKET
FLUCTUATIONS, WEATHER EXTREMES,
NATURAL DISASTERS OVER
REGULATION. WATER. AND INPUT
PRICES. MS BETANCOURT MADE A
STATEMENT EARLIER AND I THINK
IT'S WORTH REPEATING. RANCHERS
AND FARMERS ARE PROBABLY THE
ONLY ONES THAT PAY RETAIL AND
SELL WHOLESALE. IN MANY CASES,
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE A
TOOL THAT CAN HELP A LANDOWNER
AND THEIR FAMILY STAY IN
BUSINESS. CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY
RELIES ON PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE
. YET A STUDY BY THE AMERICAN
FARMLAND TRUST FOUND THAT OUR
STATE ONLY INVESTS 11 CENTS PER
CAPITA IN PERMANENTLY PROTECTING
AGRICULTURAL LAND COMPARED TO
DELAWARE. WHICH EARNED THE TOP
SCORER AMONG THE STATES OF AN
AVERAGE SPENDING PER CAPITA OF
$6 AND THREE CENTS CALIFORNIA IS
FORTUNATE IN ITS POLICIES,
HOWEVER, AND IT RANKS UP IN THE
UPPER PART OF THE LAND
PROTECTION POLICIES. WE HAVE
SOME WONDERFUL FUNDING PROGRAMS
IN CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING THE
SUSTAINABLE AG LANDS
CONSERVATION PROGRAM, WHICH I
BELIEVE SENATOR YOU MENTIONED
ALLUDED TO EARLIER UH, WHICH IS
FUNDED THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA'S
CAP AND TRADE SYSTEM AND
ADMINISTERED BY DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION SINCE 2015 SOK
REPORTS FUNDING 168 EASEMENT
ACQUISITION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE, ENCOMPASSING 194,000
ACRES. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, AND
THEY DO THEIR BEST TO GET THE
DOLLARS OUT ON THE GROUND. BUT
EVEN THIS YEAR THERE'S THEY'RE
THEY'RE TAPPED IN TERMS OF HUMAN
RESOURCES, AND WE WON'T BE
SEEING ANY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
THIS YEAR THROUGH THE SO
PROGRAM. ANOTHER BIG FUNDING
PROGRAM IS THE WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION BOARD. WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION BOARD IS BACK IN
ITS BUDGET SURPLUS OF 2022 WAS
GIVEN $250 MILLION FOR LAND
CONSERVATION. WE WERE ALL PRETTY
EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT A BIG
CHUNK OF THOSE DOLLARS WENT INTO
FEE ACQUISITION ON BEHALF OF THE
GOVERNMENT. SO THOSE LANDS NOW
HAVE TO BE MANAGED. WHEREAS LAND
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS COME WITH
THE LAND MANAGER AND THOSE LANDS
STAY ON THE TAX ROLL. MUCH OF
THAT FUNDING. UH, WE UNDERSTAND
IS NOT A IS NÓ LONGER AVAILABLE.
SO THAT IS A TOUGH ONE FOR THE
LANDOWNERS THAT WERE EXCITED
ABOUT COMING OFF THAT THAT
WAITING LIST AND ACTUALLY SEE IN
THEIR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
MATERIALIZE. WE ALSO HAVE FUNDS
COMING INTO CALIFORNIA THROUGH
THE FARM BILL. THE N R èC S¼
TYPICALLY GETS IN CALIFORNIA FOR
THEIR AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION,
EASEMENT PROGRAM AND
AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENT
PROGRAM OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A S¼
E, A Ó. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 78 7
TO $8 MILLION A YEAR, WHICH IS
NOT A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE
STATE. I DO WANT TO ADDRESS A
COMMENT THAT SENATOR REGARD TO
IN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, UH,
AND THE ACCESS. TO RANCHERS AND
FARMERS WHILE THE LANDOWNER THAT
HAS THE THAT LAND ACQUIRED. WE
ACQUIRED THE EASEMENT ON THAT
THAT LOWERS THE VALUE OF THAT
LAND. SO WHEN THAT LAND IS SOLD,
IT IS NOT SOLD AT ITS MARKET
VALUE. IT'S SOLD AT IT CLOSER TO
THE DEVELOPMENT VALUE IS GONE.
IT'S BEEN REALIZED BY THE
LANDOWNER, SO IT DOES PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNGER FARMERS
AND RANCHERS TO ACQUIRE THOSE
LANDS AND GET STARTED. BECAUSE
AS WE ALL KNOW, LAND ACQUISITION
IS A HUGE IMPEDIMENT TO GETTING
MORE FOLKS INTO THIS BUSINESS.
JUST TO SUM UP. UH, THE
WILLIAMSON ACT PROVIDES THE BEST
AG LAND CONSERVATION IN
CALIFORNIA FOR A NOMINAL
INVESTMENT BY THE STATE. AND DUE
TO THE STRONG SUPPORT AND
COMMITMENT BY COUNTIES. I THINK
THAT NEEDS TO BE REITERATED THAT
COUNTIES THAT HAVE STUCK THROUGH
THIS DESPITE THAT LOSS OF TAX
REVENUE, THEY SEE THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE POLICY THAT THAT
WILLIAMSON ACT PROVIDES. DO THAT
STRONG SUPPORT. THOSE BENEFITS
ARE STILL OUT THERE FOR 16
MILLION ACRES THAT ARE ENROLLED.
WHILE THE WILLIAMSON ACT
PROVIDES PROTECTION ON A ROLLING
10 YEAR BASIS, CONSERVATION
EASEMENTS ARE AN IMPORTANT TOOL
TO STAVE OFF DEVELOPMENT,
PERMANENTLY PROTECTING WORKING
RANCHES AND HELP KEEP FARMERS
AND RANCHERS IN BUSINESS.
HOWEVER DEMAND FOR EASEMENTS
HEAVILY OUTWEIGHS THE SUPPLY OF
STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS
ALLOCATED TO CONSERVATION
EASEMENTS. IT'S A GREAT PROBLEM
TO HAVE ON ONE HAND BECAUSE WE
HAVE LANDOWNERS THAT ARE WILLING
TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT THESE
WORKING LANDS IN THE STATE. BUT
WE HAVE TO HELP THEM REALIZE
THAT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE IN
ORDER TO ENSURE WE CONTINUE TO
HAVE THESE VALUABLE AND VITAL
LANDS IN OUR FOOD SECURITY FOR
OUR FOOD, SECURITY, WILDLIFE,
WATER AND AIR QUALITY OPEN SPACE
AND TO MEET THE STATE'S GOALS.
FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE. WE NEED
TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT THESE
LANDS WHILE WE HAVE THE CHANCE
BEFORE WE LOSE THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES AND WE LOSE THE
LANDS THEMSELVES. THANK YOU.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP
TO, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ANTES.
J. I JUST WANTED, UH TO UM, SAY
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATION. I HAVE TO STEP OUT
FOR JUST A MINUTE AND I'LL BE
BACK. BUT UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, BUT I CERTAINLY WILL
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, UM WITH
REGARD TO ANY BRAINSTORMING IN
TERMS OF YOU KNOW HOW TO CHASE
DOWN FUNDING TO INCREASE THE
PROGRAM. IT'S UM IT. IT'S BEEN
PHENOMENAL. TO THE POINT. UH
THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS
THE WAITING LIST. IT'S BEEN
DISAPPOINTING TO THE TO THE
EXTENT TO SEE 3RD 4TH GENERATION
FARMERS WHO NÓ LONGER HAVE
FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE WILLING
TO FARM BUT ARE WILLING TO SELL
THOSE EASEMENTS, WHICH IS A BIG
A BIG JUMP, A BIG STEP FOR
SOMEBODY EVEN EMOTIONALLY
SENTIMENTALLY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO
SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE'LL WE'LL TAKE
THE EASEMENT DOLLARS. UM, GO
AHEAD, LET SOMEBODY ELSE UM, A
RETIREE, A YOUNG PERSON? AN
IMMIGRANT, NEW TO THE COUNTRY,
YOU KNOW, FARM THIS LAND. UM
IT'S IT. IT'S PROVEN TO HAVE
TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL AND I THINK
SENATOR LAIRD WAS ACTUALLY
INVOLVED. UH, DURING HIS TIME,
AS, UH, AS A SECRETARY, UM IN IN
HELPING TO STAND UP THE PROGRAM,
AND I THINK WE NEED TO
PERSONALLY THINK WE NEED TO GO
BACK NÓ. IT'S TOUGH TIMES RIGHT
NOW, UM BUT WE NEED TO GO BACK
AND HAVE SOME KIND OF A STRATEGY
FOR BUILDING THE PROGRAM UP,
RAMPING IT UP. UM SO THAT THE
PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST START
TO COME OFF AND WE START TO
DEVELOP. UM YOU KNOW, HOPE. UM
IMPATIENCE. THESE PEOPLE KNOW IF
THEY KNOW THE MONEY IS COMING,
THEY'LL BE PATIENT AND THAT LAND
WON'T GO TO SO QUICKLY TO
DEVELOP AN INTEREST OR, UH WHAT
WHOEVER ELSE THEY MIGHT SELL
SOMETHING TO LIKE THEIR WATER
RIGHTS OR OTHER UH, OTHER AREAS
IN THEIR BUNDLE OF RIGHTS THAT
THAT GO AWAY AND THEN IMPEDE
THESE THE VARIABILITY TO DO
SOMETHING WITH THAT LAND. THERE
IS A TREMENDOUS EXAMPLE IN OF
ALL PLACES. LONG ISLAND, NEW
YORK. UM WHICH WOULD HAVE A FEW
YEARS BACK? NEVER THOUGHT HAD
ANY EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS. UM,
BUT THEY ACTUALLY, UH,
CONSERVED. VIRTUALLY ALL OF
THEIR AGRICULTURAL LAND THERE
THROUGH, UH THROUGH AN EASEMENT
PROGRAM. THAT WAS JUST FULLY
FUNDED. IT WAS FULLY FUNDED,
AND, UH IT'S CREATED A BEAUTIFUL
MARKETPLACE THERE WHERE PEOPLE
COME IN FROM MANHATTAN MAKE THE
LONG DRIVE ALL THE WAY INTO LONG
ISLAND JUST TO GET THE FARM TO
TABLE PRODUCTS THAT ARE BEING
PRODUCED IN THOSE FARMERS THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF BUSINESS
A LONG TIME AGO OR UM YOU KNOW
ARE EITHER UH YOU KNOW, HAVE
EITHER PASSED PASSED THAT ALONG
TO SOMEBODY ELSE. UM, YOU KNOW
WHO'S WHO'S WHO'S DOING THE
FARMING. OR IF SOMEHOW, YOU
KNOW, BENEFITED FROM THE PROGRAM
THEMSELVES. SO UM, LIKE I SAID,
I'M I'M A BELIEVER IN THE
PROGRAM, BUT I LIKE TO BE PART
OF THE SOLUTION GOING FORWARD.
SENATOR WE WELCOME THAT AND
APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT OUR
WAITING LIST, OR OUR PIPELINE
WAS ALMOST AS HIGH AS HALF A
MILLION ACRES. UH, NOT TOO LONG
AGO. UH, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SOME
OF THOSE PROJECTS. SOME OF THOSE
PROJECTS ARE ARE OBVIOUSLY STILL
ON THE LIST, BUT WE LOST THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS. THE WHEN
LANDOWNERS ASK, WHAT DO I NEED
TO DO TO BE PART OF THIS
PROGRAM, AND I SAID, YOU HAVE TO
HAVE PATIENCE AND LOTS OF IT
DOES. IT TAKES YEARS TO GET
THROUGH AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE
FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE, AND WE
ARE LOOKING UNDER EVERY ROCK TO
FIND IT AND MATCH IT WITH OTHER
FUNDERS. IT TAKES A LONG TIME.
SO THE LUXURY OF TIME IS NOT
WHAT A LOT OF LANDOWNERS HAVE.
WHERE THEY HAVE TO SETTLE A
DEATH TAX BI BILL OR THAT ONE,
YOU KNOW, FAMILY MEMBER THAT
DOESN'T WANT TO BE PART OF THE
RANCH DOESN'T WANT TO DO THE
WORK BUT WANTS THEIR SHARE OF
THE VALUE. AND SO THOSE ARE
THOSE FACTORS REALLY PLAY IN SO
HELPING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO
THAT FOR A LONG TERM, AS WE HAVE
SOME IDEAS, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH
WITH YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. NÓ GOOD? YES, MAYBE OK?
FOLKS WHO KNOW I'M I'M HERE AT
THE INVITATION OF THE CHAIR. A
LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING
ISSUES. I'M GONNA GO OVER THESE
MATERIALS. I I'M NOT A MEMBER OF
THIS COMMITTEE, BUT UM, AND AS
AS A RESULT, I'VE BEEN SCHEDULED
OVER, UH, SEVERAL TIMES THIS
MORNING, BUT, UH, UH, I I'M
EXCITED ABOUT ACTING AND ALL THE
WORK YOU'RE DOING. I REALLY DO.
WANNA GET MY HEAD AROUND SOME OF
THESE CHALLENGES YOU'RE ALL
FACING SO WE CAN BE HELPFUL. SO
THAT'S MY PRESENCE HERE. OR WE
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE
HERE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US,
UM I. I DO WANT TO KIND OF TOUCH
A LITTLE BIT. UH OR JUST TRY TO
HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF,
UM THE WILLINGTON ACT AND IF YOU
COULD RUN ME THROUGH, AND I KNOW
WE ALSO HAVE HERE WITH US. UM UH
UH UH, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES, UH, CATHERINE FREEMAN,
UH, AS WELL BUT I, I WANTED TO
GET A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A
RUNDOWN IN TERMS OF THE
CANCELLATION. WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN? IS IT DOES YOU KNOW IF THE
CANCELLATION OF A CONTRACT IS
THAT A GOOD THING IS THAT A BAD
THING? DOES IT IMPACT? ANYBODY
OR ANYTHING. UH, IF YOU COULD
RUN ME THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT
MORE, THAT'D BE VERY HELPFUL TO
ME. SENATOR. UH TWO WAYS TO
CANCEL THE COUNTY CAN CAN CANCEL
AND START THE NON-RENEWABLE
NON-RENEWABLE PHASE OUT OVER A
10 YEAR PERIOD, ASSUMING IT
WASN'T THE SUPER WILLIAMS AND
AWARD OF THE 20 YEAR CONTRACT.
UH OR THE LANDOWNER CAN CAN
CANCEL IT AND PAY A HEFTY FINE
OR PENALTY. UH, FEE TO DO THAT.
I GUESS I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE
RIGHT WORD TO USE THERE. UH, BUT
WHEN WE CANCEL A CONTRACT, WE
OBVIOUSLY WE LOSE THAT AG
PROTECTION AND THAT'S THE THAT'S
THE ONE WEAKNESS IN THE ACT OF
IT'S. IT'S A RULING 10 YEAR
PERIOD OR 20 YEAR. AND SO THAT
CAN THAT CAN END SOON OR IT CAN
END OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD. SO
IT'S NOT A PERMANENT PROTECTION.
BUT WHEN WE LOSE THAT CONTRACT,
THE LANDOWNER IS STARTING TO PAY
. NOW THE FULL PROP 13 ASSESS
VALUE. AT SOME POINT AND WE LOSE
THAT. POTENTIALLY WE LOSE THAT
THE AG VALUE DEPENDING ON WHAT
THE LANDOWNERS YOU KNOW, PURPOSE
IS USUALLY, IF IT'S GOING TO BE
A CANCEL A CONTRACT, THEY HAVE
SOMETHING OTHER THAN AG IN MIND.
I THE CANCELLATIONS. I MEAN,
DOES THAT USUALLY HAPPEN? LIKE
BEFORE THEY SELL LAND OR IS JUST
I MEAN, HOW WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE? IF SOMEONE DECIDES TO
CANCEL IT. EXPERIENCE. WHAT UH,
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT WOULD
REQUIRE ME TO BE IN THE MIND OF
EACH OF THOSE. AND SO IT'S HARD
FOR ME TO ANSWER THAT ONE. UM MS
FREEMAN MAY BE BETTER ABLE TO MS
FREEMAN THAT COME ON UP. GOOD
MORNING. I'M CATHERINE FREEMAN
WITH THE CALIFORNIA STATE
ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES SO THE
CONTRACTS CAN BE CANCELED ON
EITHER SIDE OF THE LEDGER. UM
FOR THE FARMER. I MEAN, IT'S A
VERY DIFFICULT DECISION, BUT IT
MAY BE PRESSURED BY HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT. AND AS YOU KNOW,
COUNTIES HAVE, UM, UH, REGIONAL
HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT WHERE
WE NEED TO BE DEVELOPING HOUSING
. THE QUESTION IS WHERE AND HOW
AND THE WILLIAMSON ACT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN THIS INCREDIBLE TOOL
TO ALLOW FOR THERE TO BE OPEN
SPACE. EVERY EVERY PIECE OF
FARMLAND ON THE OF A COMMUNITY.
IS USED MULTIPLE TIMES. IT'S NOT
JUST THE FARMER BUT THE OPEN
SPACE AS AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY,
UM AND SO WHEN THE CONTRACT IS
CANCELED, UM, NORMALLY THERE'S
THIS 10 YEAR PERIOD WHERE WE
SORT OF PHASE IT OUT. BUT AS UH,
MR DEL HAS SAID, THIS CAN HAPPEN
VERY QUICKLY, AND THE FEES PAID
IN, UH MEAN THAT IT'S LIKELY
THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A CHANGE
IN LAND USE NOW. COUNTIES
CONTROL LAND USE, BUT THERE IS
PRESSURE TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP
HOUSING. UM FOR ALL THE MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY, AND, UH, TO
ANTICIPATE. GROWTH IN THE FUTURE
. ONE THING I WOULD MENTION
ABOUT THE WILLIAMSON ACT IS THE
SUBVENTIONS THAT STOPPED IN 2009
PAID FOR A CORE SERVICES FOR
COUNTIES. SO AS WE SEE
CHALLENGES IN OUR HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY WAS
PARTIALLY PAID FOR BY THE
SUBSIDIES THAT THE STATE PAID
INTO COUNTIES FOR THESE
WILLIAMSON ACT INVENTIONS, UM
AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THEM BACK.
UM ANYTIME SOON. WE'VE WE'RE WE
WILL ALWAYS ADVOCATE AS COUNTIES
FOR THIS INVENTIONS. RETURN UM,
BUT FOR THE LAST, UH OVER 10
YEARS, IT HAS NOT HAPPENED SO IT
IT SORT OF ADDS TO THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL. UM, BUT WE
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE
WILLIAMSON ACT AS A REALLY
CRITICAL TOOL FOR PRESERVING OUR
AGRICULTURAL LAND FOR ALL
COUNTY. UM, UH, FUNCTIONS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO IT
SO THE FULL PROP 13 VALUE GO
ONCE IT THAT GOES INTO EFFECT
ONCE THE CANCELLATION OCCURS, IS
THAT CORRECT? WHEN IT'S
COMPLETED. YES IT'S A IF IT'S
ROLLED OUT OVER THAT 10 YEAR
PERIOD WITH THE 10TH YEAR THEN
THAT KICKS IN. WELL I SEE NÓ
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON MY
END AND I. I APPRECIATE YOU, UM,
BOTH. UH THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THIS,
BUT ALSO TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
AND, UM WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
INVITE OUR NEXT SPEAKER UP.
THANK YOU, UH, WE HAVE DANIEL
HARTWICK, PRESIDENT OF THE
CALIFORNIA FRESH FRUIT
ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
AND SPEAK THIS MORNING. I'M
DANIEL HARTWIG. I'M THE
PRESIDENT, AS YOU SAID OF THE
CALIFORNIA FRESH FOOD
ASSOCIATION. UM BEFORE THAT I
WORKED AT FOR A LARGE FARMING
OPERATION AND CURRENTLY MY
BROTHER AND I ALSO ARE PARTNERS
IN OUR OWN FARMING OPERATION AS
WELL. UH GROWING ALMONDS, UH,
AND FORAGE WITH BOTH OF WHICH
HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DISCUSSED
HERE THIS MORNING. UM WANNA TALK
THIS MORNING TO YOU GUYS ABOUT,
UH, THE INVASIVE FRUIT FLY ISSUE
. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TOPIC OF
TODAY IS, YOU KNOW CHALLENGES
HERE. UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY.
TODAY SO FAR HAVE BEEN KIND OF
BROAD, YOU KNOW, BROADER BASED
CHALLENGE. THIS IS A VERY
SPECIFIC CHALLENGE HERE FOR A
LOT OF THE COMMODITIES. UM
CALIFORNIA, UH, PRE ASSOCIATION
USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE
CALIFORNIA GRAPE AND TREE FRUIT
LEAGUE PREVIOUS AND BEFORE THAT
WAS A GROWER AND CHIPPERS
PROTECTIVE LEAGUE AND TABLE
GRAPE GROWERS AND SHIPPERS
ASSOCIATION A LOT EASIER TO SAY,
CALIFORNIA FRESH FOOD
ASSOCIATION THAN UH THAN WHAT WE
WERE KNOWN AS BEFORE, AND WE'RE
A VOLUNTARY NONPROFIT TRADE
ASSOCIATION. SO A LITTLE BIT OF
BACKGROUND ON OUR ASSOCIATION.
UH, WE HAVE MEMBERSHIP, UH,
GOING FROM LAKE COUNTY IN THE
NORTH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
COACHELLA COACHELLA VALLEY IN
THE SOUTH. UH, WE REPRESENT 13
FRESH FRUIT COMMODITIES. UH,
TABLE GRAPES. STONE FRUIT, UH,
PALM FRUIT AND BLUEBERRIES, FIGS
, KIWIS, POMEGRANATES, AND, UH
UH, PERSIMMONS. OUR MEMBERSHIP
CATEGORIES INCLUDE SHIPPERS AND
MARKETERS. UH GROWERS, UH, AS
WELL AS VARIOUS ASSOCIATE
MEMBERS, AND WE REP IN
CALIFORNIA REPRESENTS ABOUT 99%
OF TABLE GRAPE PRODUCTION IN THE
UNITED STATES. 99% OF NECTARINE
PRODUCTION 95% OF PLUMS AND 70%
OF PEACHES. SO TOUCHING ON THE,
UH THE INVASIVE SPECIES AND
INVASIVE PEST ISSUES THAT WE'VE
BEEN SEEING, UH, YOU KNOW, MOST
RECENTLY WE'VE YOU KNOW, WE'VE
OUR PREVIOUS TO 2023. I SHOULD
SAY WE SAW, UH, GLASSY WINGED
SHARPSHOOTER AND PIERCE'S
DISEASE. I WAS I WAS WITH MY
FAMILY FARMING GRAPES AT THAT
TIME. I REMEMBER YOU KNOW THE
ISSUES YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTING
GRAPES AND MAKING SURE THAT NONE
OF THOSE PESTS WERE BEING
TRANSPORTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE
. UH, WE USED TO ALSO SEE, UH,
EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH AS WELL.
UH, THE SPA SPOTTED LANTERN FLY
AND THE BLACK FIG FLY. THOSE ARE
JUST SOME OF THE ONES WE
PREVIOUSLY SAW. UH THE ONES WHAT
WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR. IS IT
KIND OF BLOWS ALL THOSE OUT OF
THE WATER? UM THIS THIS YEAR IS
FAR BEYOND ANYTHING. WE'VE SEEN
PREVIOUS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN
OCTOBER ALONE, THERE WERE YOU
KNOW, WE WERE UP TO 600
DETECTIONS THAT GROW TO 700 BY
NOVEMBER AND JANUARY. WE'RE AT
1000. IT'S KIND OF STABILIZED
AT, UH, AT THAT POINT RIGHT NOW.
UH BUT PREVIOUS TO THAT THE
AVERAGE WAS 75 DETECTIONS, AND
IT'S NEVER BEEN HIGHER THAN 500
BEFORE. SO WE'RE MORE THAN TWICE
. YOU KNOW, ANY RECORD, YOU KNOW
RECORD LEVELS WE'VE SEEN
PREVIOUSLY. AND THERE'S FOUR
MAIN LEVELS OF, UH MORE MAIN
PEST OF CONCERN. WE HAVE THE
MEDITERRANEAN FLIGHT. A LOT OF
FOLKS KNOW IT AS THE MED FLY.
UH, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE
ISSUE IN THE EIGHTIES. UH, THE
ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY, UH, THE
TOWER FRUIT FLY AND THE
QUEENSLAND FRUIT FLY AS WELL. SO
THOSE, UH A LOT OF THE ISSUES
BEEN HAVE BEEN FOUND KIND OF
DOWN IN THE IN THE SOUTH PART OF
THE STATE. UH THE MED. THE MED
FLY, UH, HAS BEEN FOUND MOSTLY
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. UH, THE
TOW FLY IS ALSO, UH, L, A COUNTY
BUT CLOSER TO SANTA CLARITA. UH,
THE QUEENSLAND. UH, FRUIT FLY
HAS BEEN IN VENTURA COUNTY. BUT
THE BIGGEST ONE SO FAR HAS BEEN
THE ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY, AND
THAT'S MOSTLY AROUND THE
RIVERSIDE IN SAN BERNARDINO
AREAS. UH THAT THAT ALONE KIND
OF IS THE EPICENTER OF WHAT
WE'RE SEEING. THERE'S 800 OF THE
FINES HAVE BEEN IN THAT AREA,
AND THAT'S KIND OF CENTERED
AROUND. UH THE REDLANDS AREA. IF
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, UH,
THAT LOCATION UH, A LOT OF FRUIT
HAS BEEN HAD BEEN TAKEN OUT OF
THOSE LOCATIONS ABOUT £440,000
OF FRUIT FROM 1700 DIFFERENT
PROPERTIES. AND A LOT OF THAT IS
JUST RESIDENTIAL AREAS. UM WHAT?
YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY
SEEN IS A HUGE, YOU KNOW,
COMMERCIAL UH, YOU KNOW, SET OF
ISSUES YET, BUT, UH, BUT THAT'S
REALLY WHAT WE'RE WE'RE GETTING
TO BE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS TO COME
INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEY OR OR OF
, YOU KNOW OF, YOU KNOW WHERE WE
SEE A LOT OF FRUIT BEING GROWN.
UM DETECTIONS STILL ARE
OCCURRING, YOU KNOW, THROUGH IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THERE ALSO
HAVE BEEN FINES IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AS WELL, ALBEIT A LOT
SMALLER FINES IN SACRAMENTO
COUNTY. UH, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
UH, IN SANTA CLARA, SANTA CLARA
COUNTY AS WELL AND THOSE WERE
ALL ALSO THE ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY
AS WELL. UH, THERE HAVE BEEN ANY
NEW FINDS. SO IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA SINCE OCTOBER. UM ONE
OF THE YOU KNOW THE MAIN ISSUES
HERE FOR CALIFORNIA CROPS, SO
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT HOSTS
THAT ARE IMPACTED HERE. THREE
100 SPECIALTY CROPS. YOU KNOW,
THE BOUNTY OF CALIFORNIA IS THAT
WE GROW A LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS HERE, UM, WHICH PROVIDES
A LOT OF DIFFERENT HOSTS,
UNFORTUNATELY, 300 DIFFERENT, UH
, CROPS THAT ARE GROWN HERE IN
CALIFORNIA THE COMMODITIES THAT
THAT WE REPRESENT THAT ARE
IMPACTED. UH, APPLE'S APRICOTS,
FIGS, GRAPES, NECTARINES, PEARS,
UH PERSIMMONS, PLUMS,
POMEGRANATES, UH, OTHER
QUANTITIES INCLUDE AVOCADOS,
BELL PEPPER. MELONS TOMATOES,
WALNUTS, UH, YOU CAN MAKE A
REALLY GREAT SALAD OUT OF ALL
THE THINGS THAT ARE, UH, YOU
KNOW THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS,
UH, CITRUS IS THE CROP OF, UH OF
REALLY KIND OF THE MAIN CONCERN
RIGHT NOW, MOSTLY BECAUSE IT'S A
WINTER CROP AND A LOT OF IT'S
WHAT'S GROWN IN THERE IN THIS,
YOU KNOW, IN THE SOUTH IN THE
SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE AS
WELL, UM AND WHAT I WENT AHEAD A
LITTLE BIT HERE, UM, AND THEN
BASED ON THE COMMERCIAL VALUE
ALONE OF JUST THOSE COMMODITIES.
THAT'S $16.4 BILLION IN IMPACT,
IF THOSE IF THOSE COMMODITIES
WERE ALL, UH, TO BE, YOU KNOW TO
BE ESSENTIALLY QUARANTINED OR
UNABLE TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOLD
OR TRADED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,
UH, AND THERE'S ADDITIONALLY
THERE'S THREATS TO OUR YOU KNOW
THIS THE STATE'S FRUIT FLY FREE
STATUS, UH, FOR TRADE AND EXPORT
. UH, WHICH IS A HUGE PART. I'M
GOING TO TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE
BIT LATER AS WELL ON ON THE
TRADE IMPACTS AS WELL, UM WE
MOVE ON NOW AND TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT OUR QUARANTINE
REQUIREMENTS. UM IF YOU'RE
ACTUALLY ON A SITE WHERE YOU
KNOW, THE FRUIT FLIES HAVE BEEN
FOUND IT SO DETECTION SITE THAT
FRUIT CAN'T BE MOVED OFF
PROPERTY. IT HAS TO BE PROCESSED
OR JUICED. UH, BASICALLY JUICE
ON, YOU KNOW A LOT OF, UH, YOU
KNOW, A LOT OF COMMODITIES,
ESPECIALLY ORANGES ARE ONE THING
, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S A
LOT OF MOBILE JUICERS, YOU KNOW,
UH, FLOATING AROUND OR ANYTHING
LIKE THAT. SO UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S
OBVIOUSLY A HUGE PROBLEM. IF
YOU'RE A GROWER, AND YOU HAVE
ONE OF THESE FINES ON YOUR
PROPERTY IF YOU'RE WITHIN ONE OF
THE CORE AREAS, UH THERE'S
TREATMENTS AVAILABLE THAT YOU
CAN DO. UH THERE'S POST HARVEST
TREATMENTS. UH AND THEN YOU CAN
TRANSPORT TRANSPORT IT FOR
PROCESSING, JUICING OR FREEZING,
BUT ONLY WITH THE APPROVAL OF
THE COUNTY ACT. COMMISSIONER. UH
AND IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF THAT
HALF MILE RADIUS, THAT CORE AREA
, UH THEN YOU CAN DO PRE HARVEST
TREATMENTS, YOU KNOW, USING MION
, UH WHICH IS, UH, WHICH IS AN
INSECTICIDE, BUT IT TAKES FOUR
APPLICATIONS OF THAT WITH, UH,
FOR 30 DAYS AND ALL THAT HAS TO
BE MONITORED BY èC Dð FA. UM
AND THEN, WITH THAT TREATMENT,
IT CAN BE TREATED IT CAN BE
TRANSPORTED OUTSIDE THE
QUARANTINE AREA. UH, FOR
DOMESTIC AND INTERSTATE
TRANSPORT. BUT YOU CAN'T
TRANSPORT IT INTERNATIONALLY. SO
YOU LOSE THAT ENTIRE THAT
MARKETING OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
UM THERE'S ALSO A COMPLIANCE
AGREEMENTS. THERE'S JUST A TON
OF PAPERWORK THAT COMES WITH
THIS AND IT BECOMES REALLY,
REALLY DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO
SELL YOUR PRODUCT. IF YOU HAVE
ONE OF THESE FINES, UH, ANYWHERE
NEAR YOU. WANNA TOUCH A LITTLE
BIT AS WELL ON THE TRADE
IMPACTS. UH, ABOUT 25% OF THE
FRESH OF OUR FRESH FRUIT, UH,
GROWN HERE IN CALIFORNIA GETS
EXPORTED. AND WE AGAIN HAVE
FRUIT FLY FREE STATUS. UH WHICH
IF YOU SAY IT THREE TIMES FAST,
UH, I'M I CAN DEFINITELY APPLAUD
YOU IF YOU IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT, UH, IF
YOU'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU
IF YOU HAD THAT FLU FLU, FLY
FREE STATUS, SEE, I COULDN'T DO
IT. UH THEN YOU HAVE THAT
PREFERRED STATUS. UH THERE'S
FEWER TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS.
BASICALLY YOU DON'T HAVE IF YOU
ARE USING SOMETHING CALLED A
SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR EXPORTING.
UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH
DO ALL THESE TREATMENTS YOU
DON'T HAVE TO. YOU KNOW, YOU
DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW,
FUMIGATE. THERE'S A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU CAN AVOID
BY HAVING THE FRUIT FLY FREE
STATUS. UM AND BECAUSE WE HAVE
THAT IT GIVES US A LOT MORE
OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPORT TO A
VERY YOU KNOW, TO AAA VARIETY OF
EXPORT. UH, AND TRADING PARTNERS
AS WELL. UM YOU KNOW, YOU CAN
USE METHYL BROMIDE IF YOU WANT
TO. METHYL BROMIDE IS BEING
PHASED OUT. OF COURSE. UM IT'S
NOT A IT'S NOT A TOOL THAT A LOT
OF FOLKS LIKE TO USE. UM AND AS
WE'RE TRYING TO OPEN NEW MARKETS
AS WELL WITH A LOT OF OUR
COMMODITIES, UM IT MAKES TRADE
NEGOTIATIONS A LOT MORE
DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY PUT MORE
RESTRICTION. ON WHAT? YOU KNOW
WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO TO BE
ABLE TO EXPORT INTO THEIR
COUNTRIES. UM AND THAT, YOU
KNOW, THAT DEFINITELY IMPACTS
OUR COMPETITIVENESS, THE PRICE
AND EVERYTHING THERE. UH,
TOUCHING ON THE NEXT STEPS HERE,
UH, THE FUNDING. UH, WE WERE
GRATEFUL TO GET, UH, FUNDING,
YOU KNOW, 100 AND $3 MILLION
FROM U S¼ Dð A. THAT CAME BACK
IN DECEMBER. UH, THAT REALLY IS
SUPPORTING A LOT OF THE EFFORTS
THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW TO
DO THESE CONTROLS, UH, THE STATE
ALSO, YOU KNOW, I THINK GOVERNOR
NEWSOM, I SHOULD SAY, I THINK
GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS PROPOSED $22
MILLION INTO JANUARY AND IN
JANUARY BUDGET PROPOSAL, UH,
AGAIN TO HELP CONTROL THAT WITH
WE DEFINITELY LIKE TO MAKE SURE
THAT MONEY, YOU KNOW, STAYS IN
THERE. UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE
HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW A LOT AT
STAKE. BASICALLY OUR OUR
INDUSTRY IS AT STAKE IF WE DON'T
GET THESE THINGS UNDER CONTROL,
UH, èC FA HAS DONE A GREAT JOB
AND, YOU KNOW HAS HAS DONE A
GREAT JOB COMMUNICATING AND
TALKING TO STAKEHOLDERS. UH, WE
NEED TO CONTINUE THAT
COMMUNICATION AS WELL. UH BUT
THE REALLY THE NEXT STEP WE NEED
TO DO, THOUGH, IS, YOU KNOW,
FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED THIS
RIGHT? WHY WHY IS THIS ALL OF A
SUDDEN? WHY ARE WE SEEING MORE
THAN TWICE WHAT WE'VE EVER SEEN
BEFORE? UH, IT'S YOU KNOW, RIGHT
NOW THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF
EXPLANATIONS. A LOT OF THEORIES
GOING AROUND. UH, BUT WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE CONTROLLING
THAT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE'RE
FINDING THE ANSWERS HERE. UH SO
WE CAN CONTROL IN THE FUTURE AND
WE DON'T HAVE THESE TYPES OF
OUTBREAKS IN THE FUTURE. UH, ONE
OTHER THING I DO WANNA KIND OF
PIVOT TO AND TOUCH ON IS, YOU
KNOW JUST THE AMOUNT OF YOU KNOW
THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO
CONTROL THESE, YOU KNOW, AS AS
THE STATE, YOU KNOW IS MOVING,
YOU KNOW, TOWARDS AN S¼ PM
MODEL, UH, SOFTWARE TOOLS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW,
IT TAKES AWAY A LOT OF OUR TOOLS
TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THESE
THINGS. I MEAN, CAN YOU IMAGINE
IF YOU BROUGHT YOUR CAR TO ME
AND YOU OR YOUR CAR? HAD A
PROBLEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
AND I AND I SAID, WELL, HERE,
THAT'S I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW
TO FIX YOUR PROBLEM. BUT ALL I
HAVE IS THE CRESCENT WRENCH AND
A SCREWDRIVER, YOU KNOW, GO
AHEAD AND GET YOUR CAR FIXED OR
WHATEVER, NÓ. THAT'S NOT GONNA
WORK VERY WELL. RIGHT WE HAVE
THE TOOLS. WE KNOW HOW TO
ACTUALLY FIX THESE THINGS. WE
KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THEM. BUT AS
WE TAKE AWAY THE YOU KNOW THESE
TOOLS WE'RE TAKING. YOU KNOW, WE
JUST DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO BE
ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM IN THE
WAY WE USED TO. SO YOU KNOW, Dð
PR REALLY NEEDS TO FIX. YOU KNOW
THEIR THEIR LICENSING, YOU KNOW,
THE SETBACKS AND THE AND THE
AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO
ACTUALLY GET THINGS PERMITTED.
UH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE
LOSING MORE AND MORE TOOLS AND
WE'RE NOT PUTTING ANYTHING ELSE
BACK IN OUR TOOLBOX. SO UM,
THAT'S THAT'S REALLY ALL I
WANTED TO TOUCH ON TODAY. IF
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE
HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE AT THIS
TIME. IF I JUST WAS WONDERING IF
THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU MAY
WANT TO TOUCH ON AND HOW YOU
KNOW? PAST OR OR LACK OF BEING
ABLE TO USE THE TOOLS THAT YOU
NEED, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE
RAMIFICATIONS THEREOF? LIKE DOES
THIS HAVE AN OUT A HEALTH IMPACT
? DOES THIS HAVE A OBVIOUSLY
THERE? THERE'S A PRODUCTION
IMPACT, RIGHT? UM, SO IF YOU
COULD JUST TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON
THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT. WELL YOU
SAID, I MEAN, YOU SAY HEALTH,
RIGHT? SO I MEAN, FRESH FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES ARE SOME OF THEM.
YOU KNOW, HEALTHIEST THINGS THAT
WE CAN YOU KNOW, WE CAN EAT AND
THE HEALTHIER THINGS WE COULD
PUT IN OUR BODY. UH, IF WE HAD
ONE OF THESE OUTBREAKS IN THE
CENTRAL VALLEY, FOR INSTANCE,
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GET
UNDER CONTROL. WE DON'T HAVE THE
TOOLS TO CONTROL IT THERE. UM
YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD TO
QUARANTINE ALL OF YOU KNOW
FRUITS HERE. I MEAN, THE ENTIRE
UNITED STATES WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO GET ACCESS TO AS I SAID, YOU
KNOW, 99% OF THE NECTARINES OR
95% OF THE PLUMS. UH EVERYTHING
WE GROW IN IN CALIFORNIA, AND
IT'S YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY IN
THE VALLEYS HERE, UM, THERE, YOU
KNOW THAT THAT FEEDS YOU KNOW SO
MUCH UNITED STATES AND TO THE
WORLD. UH AND IF WE CAN'T CON,
YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T GET
CONTROL OF THIS, THEN THAT'S
THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM. I. I
DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER. I DON'T
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM OTHER
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. UM BUT I WILL
GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO, UH, THANK
YOU, DANIEL. SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION AND WHAT I'LL DO IS
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO PUBLIC
COMMENT. SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO
COME UP AND HAVE YOU ANY
ADDITIONAL THEY WANNA ADD TO
THIS HEARING. PLEASE PLEASE COME
ON UP AND DO SO NOW. NOW IS THE
TIME. GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING CHAIR AND, UH, MEMBER.
MY NAME IS BRIAN èC. AND I'M A
POLICY DIRECTOR WITH THE
CALIFORNIA CLIMATE AND
AGRICULTURE NETWORK, OR CALC,
AND MY FAMILY HAS BEEN FARMING
FOR AS FAR BACK AS WE CAN TRACE
IN OUR FAMILY HISTORY, UM, AT
LEAST A FEW CENTURIES AND ACROSS
THE CENTURIES IN THE CONTINENTS,
UM, THE CROPS THEY'VE GROWN THE
LANGUAGES THEY'VE SPOKEN. THE
TECHNOLOGIES THEY'VE USED HAVE
CHANGED. UM, BUT ONE THING HAS
REMAINED THE SAME AND ALLOWED
THEM TO THRIVE AND THAT IS A
STABLE CLIMATE. TODAY UM,
AGRICULTURE'S NUMBER ONE
BUSINESS PARTNER, WHICH IS AND
HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE WEATHER, UH,
IS LESS RELIABLE. AND FRANKLY,
UH, INCREASINGLY HOSTILE, AND
THAT'S MAKING ALL OF THE
CHALLENGES AND THREATS YOU HEARD
ABOUT TODAY, UM, INCREASINGLY
COMMON INCREASINGLY SEVERE FROM
THE DROUGHT TO FLOOD WHIPLASH TO
INCREASING INVASIVE PESTS AND
LONGER BREEDING CYCLES OF THOSE
PESTS, UM TO WILDFIRES, ETCETERA
AND EVEN HIGHER ENERGY COSTS AND
GRID. OPTIONS. UNTIL WE FIGURE
OUT HOW TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE.
THOSE THREATS WILL BECOME WORSE.
AND SO WHILE YOU HAVE THE
IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF TENDING TO
ALL OF THESE IMMEDIATE
CHALLENGES, I ALSO ASK YOU TO
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THAT LONGER
TERM CHALLENGE BOTH FOR THIS
GENERATION OF FARMERS AND MY
GENERATION OF FARMERS WHO HAVE,
UH, HOPEFULLY ANOTHER GOOD 40
SEASONS AHEAD OF US. UM SO ON
BEHALF OF CALC, AND ALSO THE
FOOD AND FARM RESILIENCE
COALITION, UH, WHICH IS A GROUP
OF 18 AG, ENVIRONMENTAL FARM
WORKER AND FOOD SECURITY
ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE ASKING THE
SENATE TO INCLUDE INVESTMENTS IN
FOOD AND FARM RESILIENCE IN THE
SENATE'S CLIMATE BOND PROPOSAL.
I KNOW YOU ALL HERE. AGREE WITH
THAT, UM, AND ARE HERE TO HELP
US AND SO FOR THAT REASON I WANT
TO THANK YOU CHAIR, ESPECIALLY
FOR INVITING SENATOR ALLEN TODAY
. UH HE NEEDS TO HEAR THAT AS
WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR HOSTING
THIS HEARING, AND I'LL SEE YOU
OUT AT AG BA THANK YOU HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
NÓ EVERYONE'S SUPER SHY TODAY.
OK? UM WELL, GO AHEAD AND OK, WE
HAVE ONE MORE ALL RIGHT. MADAM
CHAIR LOUIS BROWN ON BEHALF OF A
VARIETY OF AGRICULTURAL
INTERESTS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND I JUST WANT TO
FIRST START BY THANKING YOU FOR
YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE INDUSTRY.
UH, THE EFFORTS THAT YOU AND
YOUR STAFF ARE MAKING TO RAISE
THE PROFILE ABOUT THE ISSUES
THAT ARE IMPACTING AGRICULTURE.
UM I CAN'T SAY THAT. YOU KNOW,
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE ARE
HAVING AG DAY OUT ON THE CAPITOL
TODAY, AND THERE'S GOING TO
PROBABLY BE ANYWHERE FROM 80 TO
100 MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE
THERE CELEBRATING AGRICULTURE
YET THE ISSUES THAT YOU HEARD
TODAY ARE REAL. AND THERE'S MORE
OF THEM. UH, THAT ARE IMPACTING
PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO GROW FOOD
FIBER FLOWERS IN THE GREATEST
PLACE IN THE WORLD TO ACTUALLY
MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND SO WHAT? I
WOULD ASK THAT WE DO AS A
CONTINUING EFFORT FROM THIS IS
NOT STOPPED THIS CONVERSATION
TODAY. THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY
EMERGING ISSUES. THESE ISSUES
HAVE BEEN OCCURRING FOR A WHILE,
AND THEY'RE GETTING WORSE EVERY
DAY, IMPACTING PEOPLE'S ABILITY
TO STAY ON THE LAND. SO IF WE'RE
GONNA BE TRUE TO OUR COMMITMENT
OF CELEBRATING IN CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE IN AG DAY, THESE
CONVERSATIONS NEED TO CONTINUE.
WE NEED TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT
LOOKING AT THE ISSUES THAT ARE
IMPACTING CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE
, OUR ABILITY TO COMPETE WITH
OUR NEIGHBORS AS WELL AS OUR
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. AND IF
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE CURIOUS ABOUT
THAT IN A FEW YEARS, THE
LANDSCAPE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
YOUR DISTRICT, THE CENTRAL
VALLEY ARE GONNA LOOK A WHOLE
LOT MORE LIKE THE SILICON VALLEY
. UNFORTUNATELY AND SO AGAIN, I
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO
THIS AND HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE
THE CONVERSATION. ANYBODY ELSE
GOING ONCE GOING TWICE, OK. UM
IT WE'LL MOVE ON TO CLOSING
REMARKS, SENATOR CORTEZ? YEAH,
GO AHEAD. AND IF YOU LIKE TO SAY
A FEW WORDS BEFORE ENDING THE
COMMITTEE HEARING, PLEASE FEEL
FREE TO DO SO. JUST THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I'M SURE I'VE ENJOYED
MY FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, ROLLING
UP OUR SLEEVES AS WE'VE DONE IN
A COUPLE OF OTHER ISSUES AND
WORKING TOGETHER. UM YOU KNOW TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES,
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS, UM, GREAT
TESTIMONY TODAY. UM A GREAT
FORMAT FOR THE TESTIMONY. UM,
ALLOWING FOLKS TO COME UP. I'M
SORRY. I MISSED ONE OF THE
SPEAKERS. WILL MY OFFICE WILL
CIRCLE BACK? UM, AND MAKE SURE
TO GET THAT PRESENTATION. UM
AND, UM AND GO BACK AND REVIEW
IT, BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR
PUTTING TOGETHER A GREAT
HEARING. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE FOR BEING PART OF THIS
COMMITTEE. WE'RE SO EXCITED TO
HAVE YOU, UH, AND ALSO WANNA I
KNOW HE'S NOT HERE AT THE
MOMENT, BUT WE WANNA THANK
SENATOR. UH, BEN ALLEN, UH, FOR
JOINING US THIS MORNING.
OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, I CONTINUE
TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH
ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY WHO ALLOWS
ME TO TALK TO ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE, NOT
JUST ON AG DAY, BUT EVERY DAY I
REALLY TALK AND TRY TO HIGHLIGHT
THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. NOT JUST
YOU KNOW FOR FOOD, BUT FOR ALSO
YOU KNOW HOW AGRICULTURE IS
CONNECTED TO HEALTH HOW IT'S
CONNECTED TO, UH, THE FOOD THAT
THE CLOTHES, NOT THE FOOD THAT
WE WEAR, BUT THE CLOTHES THAT WE
WEAR, AND, UH AND SO IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, TALK
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES BUT ALSO
THAT WE BE, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITIES AND I KNOW
THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES
TO IMPROVE. THERE'S PLENTY OF
OPPORTUNITIES. UM OUT THERE. WE
JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM
WE COME TOGETHER AND FIND A
SOLUTION. SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR
PARTICIPATING FOR THE PANEL FOR
BEING HERE FOR ANSWERING
QUESTIONS. AND, OF COURSE, UM,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO,
UH, LISTEN TO ANY ADDITIONAL
IDEAS OR THOUGHTS. YOU HAVE, UH,
ON ALL THINGS, AGRICULTURE. I
HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY. UH, TODAY'S
CELEBRATION OF AG DAY OUT HERE
AT THE BELIEVE IS A WEST. THE
WEST STEPS. SO WITH THAT, UH,
THIS, UH, THE ME THE SENATE
MEETING. THE MEETING FOR THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
HAS NOW CONCLUDED.