CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY

September 3, 2024

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Legislature Adjourns 2023-24 Session; Governor Calls Special Session on Gas Prices
The 2023-24 Legislative Session came to a close at midnight on Saturday, the Constitutional deadline for the Legislature to wrap for the year.

The end of session had little impact on CCA-priority bills that survived the appropriations committees’ “suspense day” culling (previously reported in California Cattleman Weekly), with the fate of bills targeted by the Association now in the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom.

Five CCA-priority measures were addressed by the Legislature in the final week of Session. Two CCA-supported bills to enhance wildfire resilience advanced to the Governor’s desk: SB 1101 (Limón) would streamline CAL FIRE’s contracting ability for large-scale prescribed fires, and SB 2330 (Holden) would improve local governments’ ability to address potential incidental take of sensitive species in conducting wildfire preparedness activities.

The only CCA-opposed bills that made it out of the Legislature all pertain to pesticide application. AB 99 (Connolly)would restrict CalTrans’ ability to apply pesticides along roadways in cities and counties with pest management policies more restrictive than the state’s policy. AB 1963 and AB 2552, both authored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), seek to restrict the availability of the pesticide paraquat dichloride and of first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, respectively. While significant favorable amendments were taken in the Senate to water down AB 1963 and AB 2552, CCA remains opposed to the measures.

While the end of the Legislative Session held no surprises for CCA’s priorities, there was plenty of drama among legislative leadership and the administration. After Assembly Democrats failed to advance Newsom’s late-session package of energy-related bills – objecting that the chamber had insufficient time to properly vet the proposals – Newsom on Saturday convened a special session of the Legislature “to address the pernicious problem of gasoline price spikes at the pump,” according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.

However, while Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) has convened his chamber and expects hearings to begin as soon as next week, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) is refusing to re-convene the Senate, arguing that the energy proposals ought to have been addressed in regular session. Governor Newsom’s office has argued that McGuire has no discretion over whether to convene the Senate, citing the Governor’s constitutional power to “cause the Legislature to assemble in special session.”

The Governor has until the end of the month to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature by the end of the regular session. CCA will keep members apprised of any developments on CCA’s regular session priorities – and any major developments regarding the as-yet uncertain special session – over the coming month, with a full legislative recap published in the November edition of the California Cattleman magazine.

New Episode of Sorting Pen: The California Cattleman Podcast
A new episode of Sorting Pen: The California Cattleman Podcast is out now! In this week’s episode, California Cattle Council Executive Director Justin Oldfield explains why 10% of the Council’s Annual Budget is put into a response fund, of which dollars are only deployed if an emergency or a potentially significant disruption to California’s cattle industry arises. Tune in to hear how this response fund is proving to be vital and about the special educational campaign, it is currently funding in Sonoma County. To listen to the episode, click here.

CLEAR Center Hosting “Salute to Ag” Football Game at UC Davis Home Opener
You’re invited to join the CLEAR Center and the California Cattlemen’s Foundation in honoring farmers, ranchers, workers, and allied industry members at the first-ever Salute to Ag Football Game at UC Davis. The CLEAR Center is sponsoring this home opener for the Aggies on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the UC Davis Health Stadium.

The California Cattlemen’s Foundation, one of the many agricultural organizations with an informational booth at the game, will distribute factsheets about ranching in California and share the positive roles ranchers play in managing our state’s natural resources.

Thanks to the CLEAR Center’s sponsorship, CCA members are invited to purchase discounted tickets for this game. Enter the promo code CLEAR at goagspromo.com to receive approximately 50% off your tickets.

“What a great night it will be when we sponsor the Aggies’ first home game, treat students, alums, and families to specially priced tickets, and put our incredible agriculture industry in the spotlight,” said Frank Mitloehner, an animal agriculturalist, air quality specialist and director of the CLEAR Center. “Farming and ranching in California are among the best in the United States, if not the world. The growers and all the partners who make their work possible are showing what can be done when we come together to make the essential undertaking more sustainable.”

If you have any questions about the game, contact Katie with the Foundation at katier@calcattlemen.org. More details on the event are available here.

2024 CCA Scholarship and Internship Applications Now Open 
The application period for the 2024 California Cattlemen’s Association Scholarships and Convention Internship are now being accepted. To learn more, click here. Any young, regular or feeder member are eligible to apply for the scholarship and internship. Past recipients and interns are eligible to reapply. If you are not currently a CCA member and would like to join visit https://calcattlemen.org/join. Contact Maureen in the CCA office at maureen@calcattlemen.org with any questions. 

Upcoming CCA Events

Upcoming Industry Events

CCA in the News

Senator Limón’s Legislation to Expand the Use of Beneficial Fire Heads to the Governor Office of Senator Monique Limón “‘As stewards of the state’s 38 million acres of rangelands and residents of its rural communities, cattlemen are on the frontlines of California’s wildfire resilience efforts and suffer immensely when those efforts fall short,’ said Kirk Wilbur, Vice President of Government Affairs, California Cattlemen’s Association. ‘Prescribed fire is the single most effective tool available to prevent catastrophic wildfire; SB 1101 makes it easier for CalFire to nimbly and efficiently apply that good fire to California’s landscapes, and CCA thanks Sen. Limón for championing this vital reform.’” To continue reading, click here.

Gray wolf population growing fast in California – up sixfold in the past five years The Press Democrat “One hundred years ago, in the summer of 1924, a government hunter named Frank Koehler set 21 traps near the remote town of Litchfield, in Lassen County about 75 miles north of Lake Tahoe, to catch a coyote that had killed a local farmer’s turkeys.” To continue reading, click here.

Industry News

California Continues to Prioritize Water and Climate Programs Despite Budget Cuts Public Policy Institute of California “Thanks to California’s extraordinary budget surpluses in 2021 and 2022, the Newsom administration invested the historic sum of $16.3 billion in water and climate projects through various budget packages. In the last two years however, decreased tax revenues necessitated significant cuts to the state budget, and water and climate projects experienced a 21% reduction, resulting in a final FY25 budget of $12.9 billion. But even after these cutbacks, the General Fund budget allocated to climate and natural resources investments since 2021 remains significant—larger than any general obligation bond that’s ever been on the ballot.” To continue reading, click here.