Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture

Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for being here on time. So this hearing of the Committee on Agriculture is called to order. We are starting as a Subcommitee because we don't have a quorum just yet. So if we can just call the Members or if the Members are watching, to please head here, room 126.

Before we begin, I'd like to cover a few logistics. So as we proceed with the witnesses and public comment, I want to make sure everyone understands that the Assembly has rules to ensure we maintain order and run efficient and a fair hearing.

We apply these rules consistently to all people who participate in our proceedings, regardless of the viewpoints they express, in order to facilitate the goal of hearing as much from the public. Within the limits of our time, we will not permit conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of legislative proceedings.

For all those who will be providing comments today, we ask that you please state your name and and the organization you represent, and if you support or oppose the Bill being considered. Any Member of the public may also submit written comments to our Committee through email.

Emails may be sent to the address found on the Committee website, which is Agri Committee. Assembly.ca.gov today will be a short hearing. I anticipate. We have four bills on file. One Bill is on consent file. Item 4, AB 1506. It's an AG Committee Bill. We will hear Bill presentations in file order.

If the author of the next Bill on the file is not in the room, we will immediately move to the next Bill on file. Since we don't have a quorum yet, we will open the hearing, as I mentioned, as a Subcommitee to allow Bill presentations.

If we don't have the quorum by the end of the presentation of the Bill, the Bill will be placed on call until the Committee does have a quorum. Okay, so I think the only author in the room is our majority leader, Aguiar Curry. So do you. Do you wish to present at this?

So we will move on to file item 3, Assembly joint resolution 6 by Assembly Member Aguiar Curry. You may proceed when you're ready.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and Members. AGR6 calls on our federal representatives to protect federal funding for the local foods for schools and childcare. Proper nutrition helps children succeed, especially in school. As a mother and a grandmother, I've experienced how important food access is for our kids and how proper nutrition contributes to their academic achievement.

As a farmer and a farmer's daughter representing a rural agricultural district, I've seen and I've felt the impact of investing in family farmers. AJR6 asks our Federal Government to continue supporting California grown food for school meals, which strengthens our farmers, our food producers and our economy.

This first allocation from this program provided over 23 million in 22 and. Excuse me, 2022 and 2023. This was shared with 319 school districts across California to provide local food for school lunches.

The funding reached every corner of California, including 150,000 for school districts in Merced, over 200,000 for Modesto City Elementary School District, 185,000 for Desert Sands Unified School District, and over 104,000 for school districts in Shasta County.

The Federal Government has cut 70 million in federal funding for local school foods, local foods for schools and child care programs, and more funding for local foods is at risk. Research shows that every dollar invested in local food systems returns an additional $2.16 in economic activity. I wish my savings retirement accounts had that kind of return.

With the current federal cuts, we risk losing over $150 million in economic impact. Protecting federal funding for school meals builds a strong food system that connects our farms, our schools and our communities. For many kids, school meals in this program are their only meal of the day. And for many communities, agriculture is their primary economic lifeline.

And the Center for Community Culture. AJR6 will help us feed our kids, lower the cost of healthy food while creating jobs and strengthening our economy. With me today to testify in support are Shayne Zurilgen. I don't know how to say last name.

A founder of Fiery Ginger Farm, and Diane Flores, Executive Director of the Nutrition services at Sacramento City Unified School District.

Shaytne, if you'd like, before we proceed, Assemblywoman Aguiar Curry, I want to establish a quorum since we have a quorum now, so we will please. Secretary, if you can please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Great. So we do have a quorum. You may proceed. Okay. Yes.

Good afternoon, Chair Soria and Committee Members. My name is Shayne Zurilgen and I co own and operate Fiery Ginger Farm and Spork Food Hub based in West Sacramento and Davis. I'm here to support, to Voice support for AJR6 and to encourage USDA to reinstate funding for farmers and families.

Our farm grows fruits and vegetables primarily for K12 schools meals because we think children deserve the most fresh, nutrient dense and flavorful produce that you can find in the area to set them up for a better future.

Doubling down on this notion, we started SPORC Food Hub in 2021, where we aggregate and distribute produce from over 70 family farms for over 30 school districts. As the resolution notes, the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program is a win win for California farmers and school children.

We source fresh produce to schools throughout Yolo, Sacramento and other counties and are able to pay farmers like ourselves a fair price to do so. Local Food for Schools is also an economic multiplier program with $105 million in total economic impacts in California, particularly in rural communities.

That's because we spend our money locally at hardware stores, feed stores, gas stations, repair shops, et cetera, and we are rebuilding local food systems in the process. The resolution also notes the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program California is a participant in. SPORK currently serves three food banks and a tribal food distribution program.

Through these funds, USDA's termination will mean $47 million in reduced purchasing from farmers for food banks at a time when they need additional Support and over $100 million in reduced direct food purchasing here in California. USDA needs to do better for family farms and our communities and I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Good afternoon. My name is Diana Flores. I'm the Executive Director of School Nutrition and the Central Kitchen at Sacramento City Unified. I'm speaking today on behalf of my colleagues across the state to request your continued support for the Local Food for Schools federal funding that is essential to our School Meals programs.

As a first generation daughter of a Dutch farmer, Farm to School is deeply personal to me. I understand firsthand the challenges faced by both rural and urban farmers. The Local Food for Schools funding has been a lifeline for small growers, providing them opportunities to sell directly to schools, something many have never before considered.

At Sacramento City Unified, we have proudly partnered with local farms to bring fresh, locally sourced produce to our students. With this funding, for example, we supported Route 64, a two acre farm in Sacramento that supplies in season vegetables to our Mark Twain elementary salad bar.

We also feature products like Solo Bee Farms Honey from Woodland, California and our freshly made granola tree, Ripened Mandarins from Highland Orchards, Penryn, California Vine Ripened Watermelons from Viera Farm, Sacramento and organic lettuce from Soil Borne Farms in Rancho Cordova, California, among many other growers.

These partnerships benefit local farms and directly enhance the nutritional quality of the meals our children receive every day. However, there is still much work to be done. In California alone, it is estimated that over 15,000 family farms have closed in the last 13 years. According to the U.S.

census of Agriculture, the Ongoing disappearance of small farms is a worrying trend. One that signals the urgent need for investments in food systems. Farm to school programs not only improve the quality of school meals, but also help shift perceptions about the value of school nutrition programs.

Our families are grateful for the high quality California grown produce we are able to offer and our children deserve nothing less. Your continued support for the restoration of this critical federal funding will benefit not only our farmers, but also our California kids. Thank you for your time.

Thank you for your testimony. Is there anyone in opposition? Seeing none at this time, we will open it up for public comment. Do we have any Members of the audience that would like to register their supporter opposition for this Bill? Again, please state your name, organization and whether you support or oppose here on.

Behalf of the California School Employees Association in support.

Good afternoon. Scott Sadler on behalf of the Community Alliance for Family Farmers and support AJR6.

Clifton Wilson on behalf of the office of Cat Taylor in support. Thank you.

Great. Now I will bring it back to the Committee. Members of the Committee, do you have any comments, questions seeing no comments or questions. Assemblymember Aguiar Curry, would you like to close on your Bill?

Local food for school programs are proven to have greater benefit for children and farmers and the communities they live in than the dollars spent on the programs. As I mentioned, for every dollar spent there's $2.16 in economic benefits on top of that. Members.

Every Member on this Committee has schools in their district that receive funding from this program. The loss of funding will mean our constituents children have less healthy food to eat and our local farmers lose business with that. I ask for your. Respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Great. Thank you for your closing. We have a motion and a second. Perfect. So there is a motion and a second before we call the roll.

I did want to just make a couple comments because I think that this resolution is not just symbolic, that it's important that we stand up as legislative Members of this state because as we heard from the testimony, not only do our kids lo our farmers lose, our communities lose.

And as a first generation daughter of farm workers, someone that went to public schools relied on a hot meal from those that were being provided at the public schools that I attended and also my parents, when, you know, the seasons were bad, we had to rely on the food bank.

And so I know very intimately the challenges that our families will have to be faced if we really see these cuts come to fruition.

And so I'm supporting this today because not only is the right thing to do, I think that we must Demand the Federal Government to do the right things for our kids, for our small farmers in our community, and so for our families to have the ability to have a healthy meal when they get home.

And so thank you, Majority Leader, for bringing this resolution forward. I think that we must continue to do more to ensure that we're protecting our kids, farmers and our families. Thank you so much. Madam Secretary, if you could please call.

[Roll Call]

We. We have six votes. At this moment, we'll leave the roll call open for Epson Members. Thank you. Yes. Before we move on to the next Bill, we will be doing. Take action. Taking action on the consent consent calendar.

Members, there is one Bill proposed for today's consent calendar, which is file item 4, AB 1506 of the AG Committee. If there are any questions, concerns from Members of the Committee seeing none. Is there a motion to approve the consent calendar? And a second? We have a motion and a second. Perfect. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

The consent calendar has six votes. We will leave the roll call open for absent Members. Next we move on to item number one, AB732 with Assembly Member Macedo. So if you can, please proceed whenever you're ready.

Right. Good afternoon, Chair and Members, thank you for the opportunity to present AB732. Across California, especially in the Central Valley, we are seeing a troubling rise in abandoned or neglected agricultural land, often left unmanaged due to market forces and water availability.

Several factors are driving this trend, including a lack of access to surface water and tight groundwater restrictions under SIGMA that have forced land out of production, Low commodity prices and high input costs also make it financially unsustainable for growers to maintain certain crops, especially perennial ones like orchards and vineyards, leading to more fallowed and unmanaged acreage.

Unfortunately, when these properties are neglected, they become breeding grounds for pests and diseases that threaten farmland, crops and other agricultural economy at large. Current law allows county agricultural commissioners to place liens on these properties, an expensive and time consuming process that often delays action or prevents it altogether.

AB732 provides county agricultural Commissioners with a more efficient tool, the ability to issue civil penalties to compel landowners to address the nuance nuisance in a timely and fair manner. The Bill includes built in fairness measures, including multilingual notices and a grace period for property owners to take any corrective action before any fines are imposed.

I'm pleased to be joined by two expert witnesses. The big guns Roger Isom, President and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and the Western Agricultural Processors Association, as well as another big gun, Melissa Cregan, Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner, who will speak to the real world impact of this Bill will have in the field. Roger, I'll hand it off to you.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Madam Chair, Members of the Committee. My name is Roger Isom. I'm the President and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and the Western Tree Nut Association, representing growers, haulers and processors of almonds, walnuts, pecans and pistachios.

Let me dive right into it and I'll start off by stating that the Sustainable Groundwater Management act, or sigma, has had a significant impact on farming in California, especially San Joaquin Valley, coupled out with low commodity prices, especially for tree nuts and vine crops, which have continued for a number of years. Now.

These conditions have led to abandoned orchards and Vineyards where we've seen an increase in pests, including insects, rodents and in one case, wild pigs living in an orchard. These invasive insects and pests, such as navel orangeworm and Carpophylus beetle, harbor in abandoned orchards, causing havoc to surrounding orchards as they can overwinter in these abandoned orchards and Vineyards.

This past year we saw a huge devastating impact caused by Norway and roof rats that we suspect are living in nearby abandoned orchards. CDFA estimates the losses to be somewhere between 100 and $300 million.

While we understand no one wants to abandon an orchard or vineyard, it's unfair to the surrounding orchards to pay the price for these destructive pests. We respectfully ask that our Ag Commissioners be given the tools to help take these timely and effective measures to eliminate these abandoned and neglected orchards and properties. We urge the Committee to support this effort and respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Good afternoon, Chairwoman Soria and Members of the Committee. My name is Melissa Cregan. I'm the Agricultural Commissioner for Fresno County. I'm here today to provide comments on AB732, a Bill that addresses the critical issue of neglected or abandoned crops and the pests that they harbor.

As an Agricultural Commissioner, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that abandoned fields can have on neighboring farms in the broader agricultural community. These neglected areas become breeding grounds for pests, which then spread to adjacent fields, causing significant damage and financial losses.

In Fresno county alone, we have seen millions of dollars in damages due to pests originating from abandoned properties. The current abatement procedures place a cost prohibitive burden on the counties as they must bear the cost of abatement before attempting to recover the costs through placing a lien on the property.

For example, in Fresno County, a pension firm purchased and subsequently abandoned 7,000 acres of trees and vines. The cost to abate the property by removing the abandoned trees and vines would have been between 2000 and 2500 dollars per acre, totaling between 14 million and 17.5 $1.0 million.

Local governments simply do not have the funds to front these costs. AB 732 provides a practical and necessary solution by enabling county agricultural commissioners to encourage compliance by landowners whose abandoned fields pose a public nuisance.

This Bill would allow us to efficiently and effectively carry out our duties ensuring that growers take responsibility for their land and address pests issues promptly. The proposed penalties, which can rise up to $500 per acre, are a reasonable measure to encourage compliance and protect the agricultural community.

It is important to note that the Bill includes provisions to waive penalties if the problem is resolved within 15 days, offering a fair opportunity for landowners to address the issue without facing undue financial burden. This approach balances enforcement with support, ensuring that farmers can continue their operations while maintaining the health and productivity of their fields.

Additionally, the increased pest levels resulting from abandoned fields have led to a rise in pesticide use among neighboring farms to protect protect their crops from increased pest pressure. This not only increases the cost for farmers, but also poses environmental and health risks.

By addressing the root cause of pest proliferation, AB732 will help reduce the reliance on pesticides and promote more sustainable farming practices. While some stakeholder groups have raised concerns, I believe that continued collaboration will help refine the enforcement tools and address any unintended consequences.

AB 732 is a common sense measure that will empower agricultural commissioners to protect our farms, reduce pest related damages and promote responsible land management. Thank you for your time and concern.

Great. We have a motion and a second. Is there any opposition? Seeing none at this time. We will open it up for public comment. Do we have Members of the audience that would like to register their supporter opposition for the Bill? Please, please come forward.

Clifton Wilson, on behalf of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors in support. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Aaron Norwood, on behalf of the Almond Alliance, would just like to express our. Thanks to the author for introducing this and strong support. Thanks.

Trisha Garringer, Agricultural Council of California, in support.

Daniel Hartwig, California Fresh Fruit Association, in support.

Taylor Trifo, on behalf of Growershippers of Central California, Nisei Farmers League, Western Plant Health Association, California Association of Pest Control Advisors, American Pistachio Growers and California Citrus Mutual.

And support. Perfect. Thank you. Do any Members of the Committee have any questions or comments? Assemblywoman Irwin thank you.

Assemblymember Macedo. I supported this Bill last year and. Will support again today, but it was vetoed by the Governor. And so I was wondering if you. Could address the veto message. There was a concern about working with stakeholders. There weren't sufficient protections for beneficial insects.

Absolutely. So that was where, when we saw the positive veto message from the Governor, we dug into why that happened. And the main purpose was we needed to engage with stakeholders.

And I think, as evidenced by the individuals I have up here with me and those that spoke and support, we have been diligently working to make sure this is a good piece of legislation that is beneficial to agricultural as a whole. So I'm grateful that we had a starting point to make a good Bill. Really great.

So looking forward to hopefully getting this signed into law. And we start here today with this Committee.

Great. Assemblymember Macedo, would you like to close on your Bill?

Well, thank you to the chair and this Committee for the opportunity to present this Bill. And I request your. Humbly request your aye vote.

Great. So there is a motion and a second. The motion is on. The Bill is to pass to Judiciary Committee. Madam Secretary, please call the roll on item one.

[Roll Call]

So there are seven votes. We will leave it open for a few more minutes for the absent Members. Thank you again. So we have. We will move on to our final item file. Item number two, Assembly Bill 1042 by Assembly Member Ransom. Ms. Ransom, whenever you are ready, please proceed.

Hi, how are you? Okay. Well, we'll just go ahead and get started. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon, Chair and Members. I am here today to talk About Assembly Bill 1042, the Honeybee Health Act. Managed honeybees are crucial for the health of California's agriculture. With over 100 California crops relying on pollination.

That includes the things that we Enjoy such as almonds, berries and melons. These crops are critical to our multi $1.0 billion agricultural economy here in California. And with the rapid loss of managed honeybees population, our crops are increasingly at risk. Managed honeybees populations have been declining due to various factors including habitat loss, climate change, pest and disease.

Assembly Bill 1042 establishes the manage Honeybee Health program to provide incentives, grants, research, technical assistance and more to support our managed pollinators. To direct the program's work, the Bill will also include an Advisory Committee made up of beekeepers, farmers, agricultural commissioners and key stakeholders.

We want to make sure that we offer support when, where and how it is needed to and that will improve our health of our honeybees and through the Honeybee Health eth program. So with me here today to Testify, we have Mr. Daniel Hartwig who is President of the California Fresh Fruit Association and I will turn it over to him. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and Members of the Committee. My name is Daniel Hartwig and I'm the President of the California Fresh Fruit Association. Thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of AB 1042. CFFA is a nonprofit voluntary trade Association that represents the interests of the fresh food industry in California.

We represent growers, packers, shippers and marketers of fresh fruit, grapes, berries, stone fruit such as peaches and plums, and other fresh produce. Without pollination services, many of our crops like berries and stone fruits would simply not exist. We can't grow this delicious fruit without pollination, which is essential for the quality and quantity of the fruit we grow.

And healthy bees are at the heart of that process. To grow crops, we tend to say we need water, soil and sunlight. But as a farmer myself in Fresno County, I know firsthand how critical bees are to the success of our farms. Apiarists and managed honeybees are the unsung heroes behind much of our fresh fruit production.

Unfortunately, beekeepers are struggling and that poses direct threat to our farmers and the broader agricultural community. While California is heavily invested in helping farmers scale sustainable agricultural practices, which we support, it's all for naught if we don't have a healthy and thriving beekeeping industry to support us.

AB 1042 seeks to support our under resourced beekeeping industry through grants and research to help maintain hive health and by extension supports our farming industry. If we want to ensure the future of fresh fruit farming in California and continue to provide healthy, affordable produce to consumers, supporting bee health has to be a priority.

So with that, I humbly ask for an aye vote on AB 1032. And I thank you for the opportunity to speak on this matter.

Thank you. So we have a motion and a second. Did you have your second witness here or no? Okay, perfect. Do we have anyone testifying in opposition? Seeing none at this time. We will open it up for public comment. Do we have Members of the audience that would like to register their support or opposition? Please come forward now.

Good afternoon. Raymond Contreras with Lighthouse Public affairs on behalf of the California Beekeepers in support.

Aaron Norwood on behalf of the Almond alliance also in support. Thank you.

Chair Members Trisha Garringer with Agricultural Council Of California also in support.

Good afternoon. Matthew Allen, with Western Growers also in support. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Taylor Trifo, on behalf of Western Tree Nut Association, American Pistachio Growers, Rice, Crop Life America and California Citrus Mutual and support.

Good afternoon. Richard Filgas with the California Farm Bureau and support. Thank you.

Great. Thank you. So we do have a motion and a second. Any Members of the Committee have questions or comments? Assembly woman Hadwick.

I just want to thank the author. I think that most Californians don't know. The importance of bees. And we raise bees on our farm, too. And I just really look forward to. Seeing the progress of this Bill. And I would love to be a co author. Thank you.

Great. Anyone else? Assembly Member Aguiar Curry.

My apricot tree is the happiest it's ever been. Bees are out there, so I'm a happy camper. I'll have food on the table for my kids.

Great. Thank you for that. Members, Assemblymember Ramson, would you like to close on your Bill? And the motion on the Bill is to pass to appropriations.

Awesome. I'd like to thank the chair and those in the room for their support. We know that California is the breadbasket of the world. Not just of California, and particularly here in the Central Valley. But without protecting our bees, our little bread basket will go empty. All the things that we enjoy.

We just do it without even thinking about how the food and fruits get on our table. We can thank the honeybees for that. And so it's really important that we protect the honeybees. And this Honeybee Health act is a step in the right direction. So with that, I want to say thank you and ask for your aye vote.

Great. Again, there is a motion and a second. Madam Secretary, please call the roll on item two.

AB 1042, ransom. Motion do pass to Appropriations Committee. Soria, aye. Soria, aye. Alanis. Alanis, aye. Aguiar Curry, aye. Aguirre Curry, aye. Connally, aye. Connolly, Aye. Gonzalez, Aye. Gonzalez, Aye. Hadwick. Aye. Hadwick, Aye. Irwin. Aye. Irwin, Aye. Ransom. Aye. Ransom, Aye.

Great. The Bill has eight votes. So it's out. Thank you. Now we will go back to those that were absent and go through the bills. So Madam Secretary, if you can call the roll on the Members that just showed up.

[Roll Call]

Consent has eight votes. Thank you.

[Roll Call]

A.B. 732 has eight votes. And it's out.

[Roll Call]

AGR 6 has eight votes. And it's out. Great. Easy peasy. Oh, which. Great. So easy peasy. We are adjourning really quickly.