Association Attends Meeting with Senator Butler and Congressman Costa
This past week, Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom attended and spoke at an invitation only meeting with United States Senator Laphonza Butler and Congressman Jim Costa. Representatives from Westlands Water District, Friant Water Authority, San Luis Delta-Mendota Water Authority joined representatives from the Nisei Farmers League, California Fresh Fruit Association, African American Farmers of California, Fresno County Farm Bureau, California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and the Western Agricultural Processors Association. Discussions focused on water, immigration, exports and equity. Isom commented on lack of water is impacting crops in the San Joaquin Valley and highlighted the efforts of the San Joaquin Valley Water Blueprint and its goal of attempting to makeup the 2 million acre-feet of water shortfall to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
Association President/CEO Isom Addresses APMA Convention
Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom gave the keynote address to more than 450 people at this year’s Ag Personal Management Association (APMA) 2024 Forum in Monterey. California. Isom discussed the State’s push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to improve climate change, as well as the push to improve labor conditions and the alleged impacts of pesticide applications. Isom highlighted rules and regulations devastating the agricultural industry based on hysteria and baseless claims. Isom encouraged the crowd to “get involved” and help push back at hearings and workshops when agriculture is outnumbered every single time at rates as much as 10 to 1. He stated “agriculture’s voice mush be heard, and the facts have to be presented above the noise of the accusations with no scientific basis to support them.
WAPA Board Election Results
This past month, the Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) sought nominations for five (5) open Board positions and received six (6) nominations, which included the five incumbents and one new nomination. At the December Board Meeting, the WAPA Board members voted to expand the Board of Directors to 21 members, to forego an election and then appointed all six candidates to the Board. Reelected to the Board of Directors was Pat Andersen of Andersen and Sons Shelling; Jason Baldwin, of Perfect PAC; Dwight Davis of ShoEi Foods; Kirk Squire, from Horizon Nut, and David Stanfield of Summerfield Farms. Newly elected to the Board is Todd Crosswell, of JSS Almonds. This brings the current number of directors on the Board to sixteen (16).
Association Testifies at CDPR Hearing on Statewide Notification
More than 50 people attended the public hearing last night in Clovis on the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (CDPR) proposed regulation to Provide Public Access to Pesticide Information Prior to Applications. The Association’s President/CEO Roger A. Isom was in attended and spoke in opposition to the proposed regulation. At the beginning of his comments Isom stated “CDPR is doing a disservice to the people in attendance here tonight and to all parties involved. CDPR must explain the lengthy and robust process that every single pesticide goes through to become registered. The restrictions on the labels come after years of testing and thorough review by the scientists at CDPR and EPA. I do not believe CDPR would allow the use of any pesticide that would cause harm to any farmworker, resident, or innocent bystander. So why is this regulation needed if the necessary precautions to ensure a safe environment are already in place. CDPR needs to explain that”.
Many commenters blamed pesticides for cancer, asthma, valley fever and one even blamed pesticides for fading the color of her clothes within days of exposure to pesticides. Another blamed pesticides for causing all the fallowed lands in western Fresno County stating “they must be contaminated from pesticides.” Isom further commented “our opposition is not to the notification itself, but to the ramifications of the notification like we have seen in Monterey County where applications have been put on hold for weeks due to public appeals only to be approved in the end.” Joining the Association in commenting was the Nisei Farmers League and several growers, PCAs and an aerial applicator. Comments are being accepted until January 12th.
Association Part of Two Panels at the 2023 SJVAPCD Governing Board Study Session
Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom represented agricultural interests on two important panels at the 2023 San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing Board Study Session. The two-day Study Session is held every year to allow the Governing Board to take a deeper dive into major issues facing the District. The issue for the first panel was the topic of “Continued Efforts to Partner with Valley Agriculture to Reduce Nut Harvest Emissions”. Isom kicked off the panel and focused on highlighting the existing incentive programs for “low dust harvesters”, as well as a need to expand the programs to include conditioners and “low dust conditioners”. Isom further highlighted the need for research to support these efforts, while emphasizing the importance of incentives as the key to any successful and meaningful replacement of this equipment, especially given current commodity pricing. Joining Isom on the Panel were representatives from the Almond Board of California and the USDA NRCS. On the second day, Association President/CEO Isom opened up the panel on the issue of “Zero-Emission Heavy Duty Vehicle and Equipment Infrastructure Challenges and Opportunities.” Isom focused on major issues with the lack of infrastructure for both electric and hydrogen fuel sources, as well as major cost implications. Isom commented that compliance dates need to be adjusted once we truly understand our infrastructure needs including how much, when and where the demand will be for either electricity or hydrogen. He also stated that two rules are impacting agriculture in this matter, including the new truck rules and the proposed forklift rule, and stated incentives were needed to assist agriculture on both of these regulations. Joining Isom on the panel were representatives from the California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission, Go-BIZ and the California Transportation Commission.