CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY

October 7, 2024

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2024 CCA Convention Internship Applications Due Friday!
Applications for the 2024 CCA Convention Internship are due Friday, Oct. 11. To learn more, click here. Any young, regular or feeder member are eligible to apply for the internship. Past 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.

Governor Newsom Finalizes Action on 2023-24 Legislative Session
On September 30, Governor Gavin Newsom finished acting on legislation sent to his desk in the 2023-24 Legislative Session. As reported in last week’s California Cattleman Weekly, Newsom acted on several CCA-priority bills in his final week of signing and vetoing bills:

• Newsom vetoed CCA-opposed AB 99 (Connolly), which would have restricted CalTrans’ ability to apply pesticides in local jurisdictions with pest management policies more restrictive than the state’s.
• Newsom signed into law CCA-opposed AB 1963 (Friedman) and AB 2552 (Friedman), which seek to restrict the availability of the pesticide paraquat dichloride and of first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, respectively. While CCA remained opposed to both measures, agricultural interests forced significant amendments to both bills this session which softens their impacts upon the industry.
• Newsom approved CCA-supported AB 2900 (Soria), which establishes the Small Agricultural Truck Fleet Assistance Program at the California Air Resources Board, charged with providing technical assistance for farmers and ranchers subject to CARB regulations.
• Newsom also signed into law CCA-supported SB 1101 (Limón), which will streamline CAL FIRE’s contracting ability for large-scale prescribed fires.

More details on these bills, as well as a full rundown of CCA’s legislative efforts this Session, will appear in the November edition of the California Cattleman magazine.

California Politicians Seek Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Park, Borel Fires
As reported in last week’s California Cattleman Weekly, Governor Gavin Newsom late last month sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for the Park Fire, which burned 429,603 acres in Butte and Tehama counties this summer, and the Borel Fire, which scorched 59,288 acres in Kern County over a 53-day period. If approved, the Declaration would render residents and businesses in the impacted communities eligible for USDA Emergency Loans, Small Business Administration Disaster Loans and other relief. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA01) and Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA20) have written in support of the request. As of press time, President Biden had yet to authorize the Declaration.

For information regarding wildfire assistance, visit the Ranchers Technical Assistance Program website.

Plan ahead for new traceability rule beginning Nov. 5
If you expect to move cattle in November, start planning now for a new USDA traceability rule that may require you to use an electronic identification device (EID) in some of your cattle beginning Nov. 5.

In 2013, a USDA Animal Disease Traceability rule required that all sexually intact cattle over 18 months, rodeo and exhibition cattle and dairy cattle moved interstate have official identification. Under this new 2024 Animal Disease Traceability rule, starting on Nov. 5, all sexually intact cattle over 18 months, rodeo and exhibition cattle and dairy cattle moved interstate must have an official ID with an EID. The only EID technology approved by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at this time is an 840 tag—that will be required starting Nov. 5 for these classes of cattle.

CCA members voted and chose to support the adoption and implementation (see CCA’s policy on animal disease traceability) of EIDS for interstate movement for these groups of cattle only. In short, the change coming Nov. 5 is going to require tags to be electronically readable on top of visually readable.

A webpage with information to answer questions and help producers prepare for this change is now available on the CCA website. Visit calcattlemen.org/EID to download FAQS for producers, FAQs for livestock markets, factsheets on how to get 840 tags from the state at no cost and more. Last week’s episode of Sorting Pen with Dr. J.J. Goicoechea, a Nevada rancher and the Director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture, also discusses this new rule and the importance of traceability.

Questionnaire on Wolf-Livestock Compensation Programs
From Oregon State University Graduate Student Tyler Allen
Oregon State University’s (OSU) Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences is seeking help to understand livestock producer’s thoughts about wolf-livestock compensation programs. Graduate student, Tyler Allen asks that you or another member of your household or company over the age of 18 please complete the following questionnaire in the next few days.  
 
The accuracy of conclusions OSU makes depends on opinions from all livestock producers being represented, so even if you live outside of the current range of wolves or have not applied for compensation in the past, your participation is still very much needed and greatly encouraged.
 
The questionnaire should take less than 15-20 minutes to complete and the survey can be accessed here. 

This research study is part of a requirement for Tyler Allen to complete his Master’s degree, and this study is not being funded by any agency or organization. Participation is voluntary, responses are confidential, and you can refuse to answer any question(s) for any reason. 

OSU and Allen value your time and opinions. Completing this questionnaire will help them understand how livestock producers think about, engage with, or could engage with compensation programs.  
 
If you have questions about this questionnaire, please contact Tyler Allen at Tyler.Allen@oregonstate.edu or (503) 998-9537. 

California Beef Cattle Improvement Association Now Accepting 2024 Seedstock Producer of the Year Award Applications
The California Beef Cattle Improvement Association (CBCIA) is now accepting applications for the CBCIA Outstanding Seedstock Producer of the Year Awards. The awards recognize progressive beef cattle breeders who use practical, scientifically accepted selection and management methods and integrate them into successful ranching operations. Applications are due Oct. 15. To learn more about the award and view the informational flyer click here and here. To download the application click here.

National Cattlemen’s Foundation CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship Applications Now Open 
The National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2025 CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship. The application deadline is Nov. 8, 2024 at midnight Central Time. To learn more, click here.

Upcoming CCA Events

Upcoming Industry Events

Industry News

Time runs out for the Farm Bill Food Safety News “The nearly $900 billion bill is dead, but some of its spending will continue through the end of the year. That means the current Congress has little time to work on the issue, or it will have to leave it to the new Congress that takes over in January.” To continue reading, click here.

Pacific Southwest Region wild horse gather planned The Inyo Register “The forests plan to gather excess wild horses from areas within and outside the Devil’s Garden Plateau and outside of the Montgomery Pass WHTs during the next 12 months.” To continue reading, click here.