Over the weekend Governor Gavin Newsom sign SB 279 (McNerney) which increases the exemption for on-farm composting from 1,000 cubic yards to 5,000 cubic yards. The legislation was cosponsored by the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and Western Tree Nut Association along with the California Association of Winegrape Growers, Californians Against Waste, and the People Food & Land Foundation. The legislation carried by Senator Jerry McNerney was passed unanimously in both the State Senate and Assembly. “California farmers and winegrape growers are facing a new challenge now that burning agricultural waste is no longer allowed and must ship their green waste to large composting facilities, often hundreds of miles away at great expense,” said Sen. McNerney, D-Pleasanton, who is a member of the Senate Agricultural Committee. “SB 279 is a significant tool that could help agriculture begin to answer the major dilemma it faces with the closure of so many biomass plants. It opens the door for many of our growers to get introduced to composting, which is especially critical in those times when you have to replace an entire orchard. For our smaller growers this may be the only solution, and we welcome its passage at a time we so desperately need answers,” said Roger Isom,  CCGGA and WTNA President/CEO.  SB 279 takes effect on January 1, 2026.