Over the weekend, the California Cotton Ginners & Growers Association partnered with Blythe growers to raise money for Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez. Over 60 local growers and businesses packed the house to show appreciation for the 2^nd year Assemblyman. Gonzalez is the first republican to take the seat in 20 years, and his district was happy to show their support. Association President/CEO Roger Isom, Assistant Vice President of Technical Services Chris McGlothlin, as well as California Fresh Fruit Association’s Clayton Smith made the drive out to the desert for the event. Kicking off the event, Isom introduced the Assemblyman, highlighting Gonzalez’s commitment to his District in his first year in Sacramento. He then turned it over to the Assemblyman, who quickly endeared himself to the crowd by asking attendees to take out their phones and then provided his direct phone number so they can stay connected. Gonzalez highlighted the importance of having direct communication with his District so he knows his constituent’s position on bills as they work their way through Sacramento. After a lengthy question and answer portion, the Assemblyman took the time to personally thank each attendee for their support.
 
The Association would like to thank the event co-hosts Bart Fisher, California Fresh Fruit Association, California Citrus Mutual, Rain for Rent, RDO Equipment and the Western Tree Nut Association. Additionally, the Association would like to highlight the tremendous work of Board Members Rosie Navarro of Modern Ginning and Aaron Palmer of Rio Rancho Farms. This event would not have been possible without their hard work.  Additionally, the Association would like to thank the Mullian Family for agreeing to host everyone at their picturesque farm. This event would not have been possible without all of your hard work and support.

Our first regional training will be held in Tulare on March 10th! This year, the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, The Zenith, Fresno County Farm Bureau, Nisei Farmers League, California Fresh Fruit Association, California Citrus Mutual, InterWest Insurance Services, CopperPoint Insurance Companies, African American Farmers of California, and the Western Tree Nut Association are partnering to provide Forklift Safety Train- the-Trainer workshops. 

Beginning in March, the Forklift Train-the-Trainer workshops will be held in the following locations: Fresno, Tulare, Wasco, Le Grand, Turlock, and two additional locations in Dunnigan and Chico.
 
These workshops are designed for owners, managers, supervisors, safety personnel, and individuals responsible for employee training. Each participant will receive a comprehensive binder with the materials needed to understand applicable rules and regulations and to conduct effective forklift safety training. Attendees who complete the full class will also receive a certificate of completion.

In addition to the in-person workshops, the Association will host Machine Guarding, Confined Spaces, and Respiratory Protection webinars later this spring.

Training Cost:
·       $65 per person (members)
·       $85 per person (non-members)

For registration details and additional information about the workshops and webinars, please refer to the event flyer below.

This week the Bureau of Reclamation announced initial 2026 water supply allocations for Central Valley Project water users. Water supply allocations are based on an estimate of water available for delivery and reflect current reservoir storage, precipitation, and snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, as well as contractor-rescheduled water from the last water year. “While current snowpack conditions remain below average, we are encouraged by the recent storm activity and the additional precipitation it has brought to the state,” said Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels. “As we receive and analyze updated data from these storms, particularly snowpack and runoff forecasts, we are hopeful conditions may improve. We will continue to closely monitor hydrologic developments and update allocations accordingly to reflect the most accurate and up-to-date information available.”  Based on current hydrology and forecasting, Reclamation announces the following initial Central Valley Project water supply allocations:
 
North-of-Delta Contractors
Sacramento River

• Irrigation water service and repayment contractors north-of-Delta are allocated 100% of their contract total. 
• Municipal and industrial water service and repayment contractors north-of-Delta are allocated 100% of their contract total.   
• Sacramento River Settlement Contractors’ water supply is based upon settlement of claimed senior water rights. The 2026 water year is determined as non-critical, as defined in their Settlement Contracts, which allows for 100% of their contract water supply.

 
American River

• M&I water service and repayment contractors north-of-Delta who are serviced by Folsom Reservoir on the American River are allocated 100% of their contract total. 

 
In-Delta Contractors

• M&I water service and repayment contractors who are serviced directly from the Delta are allocated 100% of their contract total.
• Cross Valley water service and repayment contractors are allocated 15% of their contract total for irrigation; M&I water service and repayment contractors are allocated 65% of their historic use of public health and safety needs, whichever is greater.

 
South-of-Delta Contractors

• Irrigation water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta are allocated 15% of their contract total.
• M&I water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta are allocated 65% of their historic use, or public health and safety needs, whichever is greater.
• San Joaquin River Settlement Contractors and San Joaquin Exchange Contractors’ water supply is based upon settlement/exchange of claimed senior water rights. The 2026 water year is determined as non-critical, as defined in their contracts, which allows for 100% of their contract supply.
• In addition to this allocation, Central Valley Project contractors south-of-Delta are expected to reschedule approximately 180,000 acre-feet of unused allocated water from 2025 for use in 2026. South-of Delta allocation and rescheduled water supply accounts for 100% of the total south-of-Delta Water Repayment Contractors contract supply.

 
Eastside Water Contractors 

• Eastside water service contractors (Central San Joaquin Water Conservation District and Stockton East Water District) will receive 0% of their contract total. 

 
Friant Division Contractors

• Friant Division contractors’ water supply is delivered from Millerton Reservoir on the upper San Joaquin River via the Madera and Friant-Kern canals. The first 800,000 acre-feet of available water supply is considered Class 1; Class 2 is considered the next amount of available water supply up to 1.4 million acre-feet. The Friant Division water supply allocation 100% of Class 1 and 0% of Class 2. 

 
Wildlife Refuges

• The 2026 water year is determined as non-critical, as defined in their contracts, which allows for 100% of contract supply for wildlife refuges (Level 2), both north- and south-of-Delta. 

 
“These initial allocations reflect a cautious but realistic assessment of water availability,” said Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels. “There is still a portion of the traditionally wet season in front of us, and we are committed to delivering as much water as possible to our Central Valley Project contractors.”  

At last week’s California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board public hearing, the Board heard recommendations for revisions to the proposed First Aid kit Standard, particularly the inclusion of naloxone (Narcan) and the removal of detailed kit content tables from regulation.
 
During public testimony the Association’s Assistant Vice President Priscilla Rodriguez addressed the Board regarding the practical challenges of requiring naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, in first aid kits. Rodriguez explained that naloxone must be stored in a cool temperature to maintain stability, a requirement that would be extremely difficult to meet in farming and agricultural operations. She noted that first aid kits are commonly stored in supervisors’ vehicles or in shaded area environments that routinely exceed recommended storage temperatures. As a result, compliance could prove nearly impossible.
 
Rodriguez also opposed the proposal to remove the table listing required first aid kit contents and instead rely solely on reference to the ANSI first aid kit standard. She emphasized that eliminating the detailed list from the regulation would require employers to purchase the ANSI standard to determine what is required for compliance. “Workplace safety regulations should be accessible to all employers,” she testified, noting that regulated parties should not have to buy a private standard in order to understand legal requirements.
 
The Associations formally opposed both the inclusion of naloxone in mandated first aid kits and the removal of explicit kit content language from the regulation. The Standards Board will continue deliberations as part of its broader effort to revise California’s first aid kit standard.

Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom addressed the crowd at this past week’s Annual AgSafe Activate 2026 meeting in Monterey, California. Isom reported on the recent changes in CalOSHA Appeals with regards to violations classified as serious. “You are no longer dealing with Division Managers” commented Isom. “You are dealing directly with legal counsel, who have less experience with equipment and plant operations, and see things in black and white, period!” Isom also reported that he has worked on serval cases in recent months and legal counsel is less inclined to negotiate and are working under a “Do not settle” mindset. Isom lamented “This is not your Daddy’s CalOSHA!” stating that if an employer challenges, then legal counsel is inclined to go directly to a hearing with little, if any, negotiation. With serious violations costing $18,000 each, this is a major development and should have the attention of every employer. Isom encouraged attendees to be as proactive as possible, stating “Every employer needs to have a disciplinary program for failure to follow safety rules, and you must enforce it.” Failure to do so, not only exposes the employer to more potential accidents, but it also severely limits your ability to fight them down the road.

Our first regional training will be held in Tulare on March 10th! This year, the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, The Zenith, Fresno County Farm Bureau, Nisei Farmers League, California Fresh Fruit Association, California Citrus Mutual, InterWest Insurance Services, CopperPoint Insurance Companies, African American Farmers of California, and the Western Tree Nut Association are partnering to provide Forklift Safety Train- the-Trainer workshops. 

Beginning in March, the Forklift Train-the-Trainer workshops will be held in the following locations: Fresno, Tulare, Wasco, Le Grand, Turlock, and two additional locations in Dunnigan and Chico.
 
These workshops are designed for owners, managers, supervisors, safety personnel, and individuals responsible for employee training. Each participant will receive a comprehensive binder with the materials needed to understand applicable rules and regulations and to conduct effective forklift safety training. Attendees who complete the full class will also receive a certificate of completion.

In addition to the in-person workshops, the Association will host Machine Guarding, Confined Spaces, and Respiratory Protection webinars later this spring.

Training Cost:
·       $65 per person (members)
·       $85 per person (non-members)

For registration details and additional information about the workshops and webinars, please click here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that enrollment is now open for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, providing direct financial support to eligible producers based on 2025 planted acreage. Cotton growers will receive the second-highest payment rate under the program at $117.35 per acre.

Producers with a Login.gov account can access and submit their pre-filled FBA applications online. Growers who do not have a Login.gov account may obtain and complete their pre-filled application by visiting their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office.

The deadline to submit FBA applications is April 17, 2026. Payments will be calculated based on 2025 planted acres as reported to FSA on Form FSA-578. According to USDA, payments are expected to begin hitting producers’ bank accounts as early as February 28.

Cotton’s payment rate of $117.35 per acre reflects its continued importance in U.S. agriculture and the financial pressures facing producers. Payment rates for all eligible commodities are available through USDA.

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced an increase to the State Water Project (SWP) allocation for 2026. The allocation is now 30 percent of requested supplies, up from the initial allocation of 10 percent on December 1. Storms in mid-December have made it possible for the SWP to increase the expected amount of water deliveries this year to the 29 public water agencies served by the SWP, which provides water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.  SWP allocations are based on a number of factors including hydrological conditions, existing reservoir storage, and an assumption of dry conditions through the rest of the year. The assumption of dry conditions is increasingly important given the shrinking and warming of California’s traditional precipitation season. In December, all of California benefited from winter storms. However, January has been unseasonably dry and warm and, as a result, snowpack and precipitation are below average for this time of year.  Despite the dry January, California’s reservoirs remain above average at 125 percent statewide. Lake Oroville, the SWP’s largest reservoir, is at 138 percent of average for this time of year.  In December, the SWP received approval from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for an amendment to their Incidental Take Permit (ITP) that helps guide operations of the SWP. This amendment allows for flexibility in decision-making around fish protection actions, including for a pumping reduction known as a “first flush” action. First flush is triggered when early winter storms swell river flows. DWR analysis shows that the rules triggering these actions can sometimes be relaxed without impacts to listed species. That flexibility allowed the SWP to capture 15,000 acre-feet of additional water supply in December and January, enough to support 45,000 homes for a year. The SWP will continue utilizing real-time operational flexibility to benefit water users and the environment.

The National Cotton Ginners Association (NCGA) announced the opening of registration for the 2026 Gin School circuit.  The registration website has been updated, and the process is easier than ever.  Interested parties can now register multiple attendees in one page, and can select multiple gin schools if interested in attending the regional events.  Each of the locations will provide attendees with Level 1, 2, 3 and Continuing Education offerings for those interested.  The dates for the schools are as follows:

• April 4^th – 6^th, Southwest Ginners School, Lubbock, TX
• May 5^th – 7^th, Western Ginners School, Mesilla Park, NM
• June 2^nd – 4^th, Stoneville Ginners School, Stoneville, MS

If interested, please follow the link to register for the school(s) and levels you are interested in attending. https://ncga.cotton.org/ginschool/

This week, the California Cotton Ginners & Growers Association was happy to welcome Assemblyman David Tangipa (AD 08) for a tour of Fresno County agriculture. Enduring a break in the rain, the Assemblyman grew a couple inches taller maneuvering through the muddy conditions in the gin yard at Pacific Ginning Company in Cantua Creek. Gin manager, and CCGGA Board Member, Matt Toste showed the Assemblyman the detailed ginning process from module to finished bale. After the gin tour, the Assemblyman was then taken to Errotabere Ranch to meet with CCGGA member Dan Errotabere for lunch. The group spent time talking about impactful regulations on the agricultural industry, what the updated water allocations mean for ag, and the current difficulties with ag labor in the post ag-overtime world. 

The Association would like to thank Assemblyman Tangipa and his District Director, Austin Gilbert, for taking the time to visit with CCGGA Members.