CAWG Day in the Capitol, Sacramento
March 15
CAWG Foundation Gala, Sacramento
March 16
CAWG Board of Directors meeting, Sacramento
March 21
Santa Barbara Grower Education Meeting, Buellton
March 22
Webinar: ICE Raids & Employment Documentation
March 23
Webinar: Tree Assistance Program & Vineyard Replants
March 29
CAWG 401(k) MEP Meeting, Acampo
April 26-27
National Grape & Wine Policy Conference, Washington, D.C.
May 17-18
CAWG Board of Directors meeting, Sacramento
July 17
CAWG PAC Golf Tournament, Napa
July 17
CAWG Awards of Excellence Program and Dinner, Napa
July 18
CAWG Summer Conference, Napa
July 19
CAWG Board of Directors meeting, Napa
|
CAWG's preferred partner
for insurance products
for more than 16 years.
Group Workers' Comp
Wine Industry Package
Federal Crop Insurance
Employee Benefits
For more info:
888-640-0593
or
Paid Sponsorship
|
Country Insurance Company Providing the very best California crop insurance services
|
Want to advertise in
eNews? Call 916-379-8995
|
|
|
|
| |
Space is still available! We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday in Sacramento!
For those who have not RSVP'd but are still interested in attending, please click on the link for registration information or call the office at 916-379-8995.
|
CAWG Weighs in on New Bills
California legislators have proposed more than 2,500 measures for consideration this year. Much of the proposed legislation deals with employment, farmworker housing, water, environmental law and other issues that are of interest to CAWG members. CAWG will engage the Legislature on pertinent bills and provide updates as legislation progresses. CAWG Director of Government Relations Michael Miiller expands on the following bills in the March issue of The Crush, in mailboxes this week.
CAWG SUPPORTS
AB 1420 (Aguiar-Curry)
:
Water rights: small irrigation use: lake or streambed alteration agreements.
Cosponsored by CAWG and Wine Institute.
AB 997 (Aguiar-Curry):
Alcoholic beverage licensees: winegrowers and beer manufacturers.
AB 12 (Cooley):
State government: administrative regulations: review.
AB 317 (Aguiar-Curry): Napa County; farmworker housing.
SB 524 (Vidak)
:
Employment: violations: good faith defense.
SB 240 (Dodd)
:
County service areas: farmworker housing: County of Napa.
CAWG OPPOSES
AB 1008 (McCarty)
:
Employment discrimination: prior criminal history.
SB 49 (De León and Stern)
:
California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2017.
SB 295 (Monning): Farm labor contractors.
|
CalChamber Survey Stresses Importance of Immigration to California Economy, Ag
A survey of California Chamber of Commerce members shows they have a strong sense of the importance of immigration - legal or undocumented - to the California economy. Further, respondents either strongly agreed (57.4 percent) or somewhat agreed (24.6 percent) that U.S. immigration policy needs comprehensive reform. According to a press release, a sizable percentage of respondents said employer access to workers will be affected if border security is significantly tightened along the southern border without comprehensive reform of other elements of immigration policy. The top impact identified was to the agricultural industry, with 27.9 percent saying there would be a labor shortage for the industry, and 13 percent saying access to legitimate H-2A visas for farmworkers would be among the impacts from tighter border security without comprehensive immigration reform.
|
House Ag Subcommittee Holds Farm Bill Hearing on Specialty Crop Policies
The House Ag Committee Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research held a
hearing today about the farm bill and specialty crops. In his opening statement, Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) said, "
The value of farm-level specialty crop production totaled nearly $60 billion, representing about one-fourth of the value of U.S. crop production. The sheer diversity of the category...makes the task of developing specialty crop policies particularly challenging.
" He highlighted successful programs of the previous farm bill - grants, pest and disease prevention, and research - and the need to make improvements for the next farm bill. As reported in eNews last week,
CAWG President John Aguirre and Scheid Vineyards President and CEO Scott Scheid met with Davis on Feb. 23.
|
Final Grape Crush Report to be Released on March 10
The final Grape Crush Report for the 2016 season is scheduled to be released on March 10 at 12 p.m. PST. Numbers may change slightly from the Feb. 10 preliminary report. CAWG will send an email upon release.
|
Early scouting and controlling the population before it gets into the fruit are critical to success in limiting vine mealybug damage.
Western Farm Press, March 8
Researchers have confirmed six weed species in California that are resistant to the popular non-selective herbicide glyphosate.
Western Farm Press, March 8
Pest continues to spread slowly, but no damage yet in California crops.
Wine Business, March 8
As expected, bud break and the growing season emerge first on the county's west side.
Wines & Vines, March 3
WGA, March 2
Women seem to have a thing for white wine, with many drinking it almost exclusively. What's at the root of this love connection?
Wall Street Journal, March 2
|
Brown Declares State of Emergency, Requests Presidential Major Disaster Declaration
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on Tuesday and requested a presidential major disaster declaration following heavy storms that caused major flooding, mudslides, power outages and damage to infrastructure across the state. The presidential request is intended to bolster state and local recovery efforts. Brown also issued two emergency proclamations for 53 of California's 58 counties due to the storms. The proclamations direct Caltrans to formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program. The proclamations also direct the Office of Emergency Services to provide assistance to specified counties as a result of the January storms.
|
Water Articles and Resources
CAWG board member Bill Berryhill discusses the status of his vineyard after heavy rains and flooding (article and videos).
Stockton Record, March 4
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross is interviewed by the Public Policy Institute of California about the progress of
the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
.
March 1, PPIC
|
Call for Nominations: Grower of the Year and Leader of the Year
Recognize your colleagues who have made a difference! CAWG's Awards of Excellence Program spotlights exceptional people who have benefitted the broader community of winegrape growers through exemplary leadership and outstanding commitment to the well-being of the winegrowing industry, California communities and the environment. Nomination forms are available on the
CAWG website
.
|
CAWG Membership Directory
Make sure your CAWG dues are current by March 31, 2017. Otherwise, you will miss your opportunity to be listed in the 2017 membership directory - which is a great way to be seen in the winegrape industry. The membership directory is a valuable communications tool with a long shelf life and features grower member listings, associate member listings and other valuable content. If you have membership questions, call CAWG at 916-379-8995.
|
Upcoming CAWG Meetings and Webinars
Santa Barbara Grower Education Meeting
MARCH 21 / 8:30-11 a.m. / Buellton Rec Center
The meeting will cover federal and state issues, winegrape grower contracts and liens, and CAWG's 401(k) multiple employer plan and the benefits it can provide for you and your employees.
ICE Raids & Employment Documentation Webinar
MARCH 22 / 10-11 a.m.
With the release of immigration executive orders, it is important that growers are prepared for I-9 audits, ICE raids and how to handle social security mismatch letters. Presented by Cassandra Ferrannini and Alexandra LaFountain of Downey Brand.
Tree Assistance Program & Vineyard Replants Webinar
MARCH 23 / 10-11 a.m.
Disease, fire, wind, rain and other factors have destroyed many California vineyards and affected production. Financial assistance for lost vines due to natural disaster is available through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP), which was authorized through the 2014 farm bill. Presented by Navdeep Dhillon, farm program chief with Farm Service Agency.
CAWG 401(k) MEP Meeting - Lodi
MARCH 29 / 9 a.m. / LangeTwins Winery & Vineyard
Learn more about CAWG's 401(k) multiple employer plan and the benefits to your company and employees. Presented by Kristina Keck of Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.
|
2017 CAWG Foundation Scholarship Applications Due March 25
The deadline for scholarship applications is two weeks away. If you have not yet shared the information with your employees, please do so as soon as possible. The CAWG Foundation awards the following scholarships to high school seniors whose parent or legal guardian is an employee of a California winegrape grower.
1)
Two $8,000 scholarships for four years at any campus in the University of California or California State University system.
2)
Four $2,000 scholarships for two years at any California community college.
3) Robert Miller Scholarship
for a student enrolling or currently enrolled at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo or Alan Hancock Community College and planning to study viticulture and/or enology.
|
USDA Disaster Assistance Programs for California Farmers
USDA is reminding California farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses that were affected by the recent storms that the agency has several programs that provide assistance - before, during and after disasters. The presidential disaster declarations in California are for severe winter storms, flooding and mudslides for incident period Jan. 3-12. The application deadlines for all of these declarations is Oct. 16, 2017. Click on the link to read more about property damage, crop loss and recovery resources.
|
California Agriculture: Water, Labor and Immigration Conference
This free conference examines current issues in agriculture and farm labor. Farm labor and farm labor law have changed over the past four decades.
There are fewer newcomers to the farm workforce, prompting farm employers to take steps to satisfy current workers, stretch them with mechanical aids and substitute machines for hand workers, and supplement with H-2A guest workers.
When: April 14 / 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where:
Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom
, King Hall, UC Davis, One Shields Ave.
|
2017 National Grape & Wine Policy Conference
Voice Your Value: Positioning the Wine Industry to a New Administration
The 2017 National Grape & Wine Policy Conference is slated for April 26-27 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. The conference will feature expert speakers and an evening congressional reception. Participants will also visit with legislators and staff on Capitol Hill.
|
|
| |
|
