Association Presents on Indoor Heat Illness
In a special unprecedented presentation, Association President/CEO Roger Isom testified before the CalOSHA Standards Board on their proposed new standard “Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment.” The presentation occurred last week during the CalOSHA Standards Board regular Board Meeting, but the presentation by the Association was the only item on the agenda and the Board allowed Isom 15 minutes to present the topic. As a reminder the proposed standard is triggered when indoor paces of employment hit 82 °F, and requires engineering controls to bring indoor temperatures to below 87 °F. This would apply to any cotton gin, nut huller or processor and any farm warehouse or shop building.The requirement to cool the buildings to below 87 °F is the primary issue and presents the biggest and most expensive challenge to meeting such a low target temperature. Isom provided cost estimates from $1 million for a single building to $9.5 million for multiple buildings to install air conditioning, but also stated it would present operational issues with cotton gins and almond hullers as those operations require large volumes of air to either move products from point A to point B, or is used to pull hulls, shells, and dust from the conveyance of products.The proposed regulation states this is only required unless it is not feasible, but “feasible” is not defined.The lack of a definition is what causes the most concern as it leaves it up to enforcement discretion and subjectivity.The Association emphasized the need to define “feasible” in the context of this regulation. No other presentation was provided and we will now have to wait and see what CalOSHA does with the proposed regulation in response.
Associations Join Forces to Tackle Sacramento
This past week the leadership of both the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association (CCGGA) and Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) went to Sacramento for three days of regulatory and legislative issues. The Associations’ Executive leadership and staff met with legislative and regulatory representatives on a multitude of critical issues including water rights legislation, FARMER funding, property and stock throughput insurance, the proposed indoor heat illness regulation, water quality fees, air quality legislation for the SJV, funding of water projects for medium and high priority area GSAs, port issues, and several other important topics. The entourage met with legislators including Assemblyman David Alvarez (80th), Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (4th), Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal (69th), Assemblyman Juan Carrillo (39th), Assemblyman Vince Fong (32nd), Assemblyman James Gallagher ( 3rd), Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (27th), Assemblyman Greg Wallis (47th), Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner (77th), and the staff of Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, and Senator Lena Gonzalez (33rd). The group also met with Agency staff from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) Director Katie Hagen, State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and State Water Resources Control Board Member Dorene D’Adamo. CCGGA was represented by Chairman Matt Toste, First Vice Chair Gary Martin, Second Vice Chair Adriane Carbonel and Secretary/Treasurer Jake Cauzza. WAPA was represented by First Vice Chair Pat Andersen, Past Chairman Michael Kelley and Board Member John Rodriguez. Association staff included President/CEO Roger Isom, Assistant Vice President Priscilla Rodriguez and Director of Technical Services Christopher McGlothlin.
SCE Proposes Major Rate Increase in Next General Rate Case
Southern California Edison has proposed a 45% rate increase over already approved 2024 rates, which would generate another $3.9 billion in revenue for SCE. This follows the proposed 46% increase in rates by PG&E by 2026. With the state’s push to electrify everything how can businesses survive in this state? The association will be working with the Ag Energy Consumers Association (AECA) on both of these important general rate cases (GRCs). Association President/CEO Roger Isom is the President of the Board of AECA and Association Assistant Vice President Priscilla Rodriguez also sits on the AECA Board of Directors, so this will be a priority!
SCE 2025 GRC |
||||
Revenue Requirement |
$ increase |
Total $ increase over 2024 rates |
% increase over 2024 rates |
|
2024 |
$8.367B |
|||
2025 |
$10.267B |
$1.9B |
$1.9B |
23% increase |
2026 |
$10.985B |
$619M |
$2.5B |
30% increase |
2027 |
$11.549B |
$664M |
$3.2B |
38% increase |
2028 |
$12.253B |
$704M |
$3.9B |
45% increase |
From the Central California Intelligence Center /Sacramento County Sheriff's Office
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Isom Named President of Ag One Foundation at CSU Fresno
This week, Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom was named President of the Ag One Foundation at California State University, Fresno. In 1979, several faculty, alumni and friends of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State had a million-dollar idea -- to start a foundation that would benefit, promote and support the college and its programs. The supporters set out to raise $1 million in permanent funds. Today, the Ag One Foundation has raised more than $27 million in endowed funds which are invested with the Fresno State Foundation. Over the years, donors, board members and volunteers have made it possible to award some 5,000 students with over $8.5 million in scholarships and program support. For the 2022-23 academic year, Ag One will provide more than $850,000 to deserving students and programs. In response to the appointment Isom stated, “This is truly an honor and a privilege to be associated with such a dedicated board and team helping students in JCAST achieve their dreams and help agriculture remain viable for the next generations”. This marks Isom’s 6th year on the Ag One Foundation’s Board of Directors. Joining Isom as officers will be Vice President: Nick Biscay, Stanislaus Farm Supply; Treasurer: Fendley Ragland, PGIM Real Estate Agricultural Investments and Secretary: Jason Baldwin, Panoche Creek Packing.