CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY

Nov. 10, 2025

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California Voters Approve Proposition 50, Authorizing Mid-Cycle Redistricting
In last week’s special election, California voters approved Proposition 50, green-lighting new Congressional maps gerrymandered in favor of California Democrats ahead of the 2026 Midterm Election. If upheld, the maps will also apply to Congressional elections in 2028 and 2030, after which time redistricting authority will revert to the nonpartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

While ballots are still being counted, as of this morning the Secretary of State’s office showed the measure passing by a vote of 64% in favor to approximately 36% against.

The new maps swing the demographic makeups of five Congressional districts currently held by Republicans firmly in favor of Democrats, giving the party a potential electoral advantage of 48-4 in future elections. The current Republican districts targeted by the gerrymander are those of Reps. Doug LaMalfa (CA01), Kevin Kiley (CA03), David Valadao (CA22), Ken Calvert (CA41) and Darrell Issa (CA48).

On Wednesday, state Republicans filed a lawsuit challenging Proposition 50, alleging that the measure violates “the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution” by basing determining Congressional districts based on race “to favor Hispanic voters.” The California Supreme Court twice in August rejected previous Republican lawsuits challenging Proposition 50.

An initiative constitutional amendment was also filed with the Attorney General’s office on Wednesday which seeks to ask California voters to revert the 2028 and 2030 Congressional election maps to those previously developed by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Senate Agreement Signals Possible End to Shutdown in Days Ahead
Today was the 41st day of the federal government shutdown, the longest in history after lawmakers failed to agree to a government funding plan ahead of an October 1 deadline.

But hope finally emerged last night that an end of the government shutdown may be in sight: eight Democratic senators – none of whom are up for reelection in 2026 – voted with 52 Republicans to advance a House-passed continuing resolution, narrowly clinching the 60-vote threshold necessary to break the Senate logjam.

Under an agreement between the eight centrist Democrats and Senate Republican leadership, the House’s continuing resolution will be amended to fund the Department of Agriculture, Food & Drug Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs and Congressional operations through September 30, 2026. All other agencies will be funded through January 30, 2026 – requiring legislators to again work toward a broader funding compromise to avoid another government shutdown.

The USDA funding provision would ensure SNAP benefits, which have been a major flashpoint of the current shutdown, are paid out through the end of the fiscal year. The Senate agreement would also provide a one-year extension of the Farm Bill.

While the Senate overcame a procedural roadblock last night, as of press time the chamber had yet to take a substantive vote to approve the funding measure. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA04) has signaled that he will likely call the House back for a Wednesday vote, meaning that the government shutdown could finally end later this week if President Donald Trump signs the compromise legislation.

For details of how the still-ongoing government shutdown impacts federal agencies upon which cattle producers rely, see the October 6 edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order to Expand Prescribed Fire Implementation
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order “directing state agencies to reduce red tape and expand tools to safely deploy prescribed fire.” Among other provisions, the Executive Order directs CAL FIRE “to assist local agencies and beneficial fire practitioners to complete beneficial fire projects that limit dangerous wildfire conditions,” and exempts CAL FIRE’s efforts to do so from the California Environmental Quality Act. The Executive Order also seeks to streamline deployment of prescribed fire on private lands by making CAL FIRE site visits in advance of burn permit issuance discretionary rather than mandatory, and allows resource conservation districts and volunteer fire departments to avail themselves of the state’s Prescribed Fire Claims Fund Pilot Program. For more details on the beneficial fire executive order, see last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

CDFW Removes Beyem Seyo Pack from Sierra Valley
Late last month, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that, in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it had removed the Beyem Seyo Pack of gray wolves from the Sierra Valley, including through lethal removal of four wolves. Despite what CDFW acknowledged as “extensive adaptive management deterrence efforts” by ranchers and wildlife officials in recent months, the Beyem Seyo Pack was responsible for 92 confirmed or probable livestock depredations since just March of this year. For additional details, see the October 27 edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

USDA Announces “Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the release of a “Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry,” an effort undertaken by USDA in collaboration with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Small Business Administration to reinforce and prioritize “the American rancher’s critical role in the national security of the United States.” Several elements of the Plan would directly advance CCA policies and priorities. For example, the Plan directs the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to “jointly assess the viability of vacant grazing allotments and prioritize reopening them for permitted use.” For additional details, see the October 27 edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

CDFA Extends Comment Deadline for Climate Resilience Strategy Through Nov. 21
The California Department of Food & Agriculture has extended the public comment deadline for the agency’s Climate Resilience Strategy for California Agriculture to November 21 (the deadline was initially set as last Friday). According to a CDFA news release, the Strategy “outlines a comprehensive vision to help California farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and agricultural communities prepare for and adapt to current and future climate impacts.” CCA is reviewing the Strategy and will provide feedback to CDFW prior to the deadline.

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Industry News

Trade mission to Mexico concludes — important opportunities to connect on trade issues as well as New World Screwworm CDFA Planting Seeds Blog “Mexico’s agricultural officials provided a detailed overview on the nation’s response to New World screwworm — a significant threat to the U.S. cattle industry.  Strong collaboration between Mexico, the US, and state departments of agriculture is ongoing to try to prevent the screwworm’s spread to the U.S.” To continue reading, click here.

Trump directs DOJ to investigate meatpackers amid beef price pressure Politico “President Donald Trump said Friday that he asked the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into meatpacking companies, which he accused of illegally manipulating beef prices at the expense of beef farmers and consumers.” To continue reading, click here.

White House says recovery plan for wolves not necessary in California, elsewhere The Sacramento Bee “The Trump administration said this week that it would not develop a new recovery plan for gray wolves, a move environmentalists say could be a first step toward removing endangered species protections for the apex predators in California and beyond.” To continue reading, click here.