This week, the State held a hearing to discuss moving forward on the goals of SB 100 – California Renewables Portfolio Standard, which requires the state to institute requirements that all retail sales of electricity (100%) to California end-use customers be made up of eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources.  With representatives from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) in attendance, Association President/CEO Roger Isom told the audience that “we are at a tipping point with electricity rates and any more rate increases are unacceptable”.  Isom stated that it is clear electricity rates will go up with the implementation of SB 100 if this state tries to meet the renewable goals set forth in the legislation.  Isom said that we already have rates that are too high and that make agriculture non-competitive with the rest of the country and the world.  For example PG&E rates are 50% higher than the national average, and according to USDA ARS data California cotton gins pay 43.3% more for electricity on average than the rest of the country.  And that is based on current rates not including SB 100 or the impending rate increases due to the wildfires including paying for utility liability from the fires, system hardening to help avoid future issues, and ongoing wildfire mitigation.  The hearings will continue into 2020 and the Association will continue to make its voice heard and stand against future rate increases.

Late Friday, the Governor announced that he vetoed SB 1 (Atkins).  In his veto message, Governor Newsom stated “While I disagree about the efficacy and necessity of Senate Bill 1, I look forward to working with the Legislature in our shared fight against the weakening of California’s environmental and worker protections.”  The veto is good news as the effort to arrive at a resolution of the Voluntary Agreements for the tributaries to the San Joaquin River hinged upon the outcome of SB 1.  Hopefully, those efforts can now continue and come to a close.  The defeat of SB 1 was a priority for the Association as the team worked extensively against the bill, even meeting with Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins last month to plead our case for resolving the Voluntary Agreements

A special Retirement Celebration was held yesterday to honor Dr. Sandra Witte, Dean emerita of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (JCAST) at Fresno State.  University President Joseph Castro spoke of Dr. Witte’s accomplishments at the University and her contributions to JCAST.   Assemblyman Jim Patterson issued a proclamation from the valley delegation recognizing Dr. Witte for her contributions to Fresno State and Valley Agriculture.  The Association’s President/CEO Roger A. Isom thanked Dr. Witte for her service to the University and for reaching out to Valley Agriculture.  Isom highlighted the $1 million nut processing line being installed at Fresno State, the new tree nut processing course at Fresno State, and the ongoing groundbreaking cotton research at Fresno State as signs that Dr. Witte’s goals to improve the University’s agriculture department and its relationship with Valley agriculture are well on their way to being realized.  The Association would like to thank and recognize Dr. Witte for her efforts and for making JCAST at Fresno State the destination for students of agriculture in this valley and beyond!

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Pink Bollworm Program has released its report for monitoring Silverleaf Whitefly. The program monitored for whitefly and other cotton pests from August 26, 2019 to September 6, 2019. For the full report, please follow the button link below:

Silverleaf Whitefly Monitoring Report

California law requires employers with 5 or more employees to provide not only two hours of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to supervisors, but also a 1-hour training to all nonsupervisory employees. This training must be completed by January 1, 2020.

The Western Agricultural Processors Association and California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, in partnership with AgSafe, are providing Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars.

Employers must provide training to temporary and seasonal employees, as well as any employee who is hired to work for less than six months. The training must occur within 30 calendar days after the hire date or within 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.

1 – HOUR SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION NON-SUPERVISORY TRAINING
Cost: Each registered participant will be issued an electronic certificate of 
completion. 
$25 per attendee | WAPA and CCGGA Members
$20 per attendee if registering 5 or more | WAPA and CCGGA Members

SPANISH CLASSES
September 6, 2019 | 6:00am – 7:00am 
September 17, 2019 | 6:00pm – 7:00pm
September 20, 2019 | 6:00am – 7:00am 
October 18, 2109 | 9:00am – 10:00am

ENGLISH CLASSES
September 20, 2019 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm
October 18, 2019 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm

2 – HOUR SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION SUPERVISOR TRAINING
Cost: Each registered participant will be issued an electronic certificate of 
completion. 
$50 per attendee | WAPA and CCGGA Members

SPANISH CLASSES
September 9, 2019 | 8:00am – 10:00am
September 13, 2019 | 8:00am – 10:00am
September 23, 2019 | 8:00am – 10:00am

ENGLISH CLASS
September 13, 2019 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm

To register for Webinars, please visit: http://www.agsafe.org/wapa-ccgga-sexual-harassment-prevention-training-2/

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Pink Bollworm Program has released its report for monitoring Silverleaf Whitefly. The program monitored for whitefly and other cotton pests from August 12, 2019 to August 23, 2019. For the full report, please follow the button link below:

Silverleaf Whitefly Monitoring Report

Below is information regarding the deadline to train on sexual harassment courtesy of The Saqui Law Group, a division of Dowling Aaron Incorporated.
Written by Adrian Hoppes

Last year, the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 1343 cascaded the requirement for sexual harassment training to all California employers with 5 or more employees. Prior to SB 1343, sexual harassment training was only required for California employers with 50 or more employees, and limited to supervisory personnel, requiring two hours of sexual harassment training within six months of hire, then every two years thereafter.

SB 1343 required all California employer with 5 or more employees, including temporary or seasonal employees, to provide at least 2 hours of sexual harassment training to all supervisory employees and at least one hour of sexual harassment training to all nonsupervisory employees by January 1, 2020. SB 1343 included no grace period for employers who completed the training in 2018, as required, and there was little direction from the Department of Fair Employment and Housing on how an employer could meet this commitment since the Department was allowing themselves most of 2019 to develop a training plan to roll out to employers.

Governor Newsom listened to the cries for help from employers and signed SB 778 which went into effect immediately on August 30th. The new legislation pushes back the deadline for training nonsupervisory employees until January 1, 2021. In addition, SB 778 clarified that any supervisory employee who received training in 2018 or 2019 as required under the prior law, could remain compliant if supervisors continue with the training biannually.

COUNSEL TO MANAGEMENT:

Although a win for employers, SB 778 only provides a reprieve of time for employers. The requirement to train all employees is still in effect and employers should not sit on their laurels for the next year. The law provides specific details regarding requirements of content, duration, frequency, training methods and trainer qualifications. If you have any questions about moving forward to ensure your company is compliant with SB 1343, contact the experts at the Saqui Law Group, a division of Dowling Aaron Incorporated.

Join us at the farm of Gary and Mari Martin in Mendota, CA, September 13th, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM to learn about local investigations in the SJV of management impacts on soil health and GHG emissions. We’ll also plan new farmer info sharing network.

California law requires employers with 5 or more employees to provide not only two hours of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to supervisors, but also a 1-hour training to all nonsupervisory employees. This training must be completed by January 1, 2020.

The Western Agricultural Processors Association and California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, in partnership with AgSafe, are providing Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars.

Employers must provide training to temporary and seasonal employees, as well as any employee who is hired to work for less than six months. The training must occur within 30 calendar days after the hire date or within 100 hours worked, whichever comes first.

1 – HOUR SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION NON-SUPERVISORY TRAINING

Cost: Each registered participant will be issued an electronic certificate of
completion. 
$25 per attendee | WAPA and CCGGA Members
$20 per attendee if registering 5 or more | WAPA and CCGGA Members

SPANISH CLASSES
September 6, 2019 | 6:00am – 7:00am 
September 17, 2019 | 6:00pm – 7:00pm
September 20, 2019 | 6:00am – 7:00am 
October 18, 2109 | 9:00am – 10:00am

ENGLISH CLASSES
September 20, 2019 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm
October 18, 2019 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm

2 – HOUR SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION SUPERVISOR TRAINING

Cost: Each registered participant will be issued an electronic certificate of
completion. 
$50 per attendee | WAPA and CCGGA Members

SPANISH CLASSES
September 9, 2019 | 8:00am – 10:00am
September 13, 2019 | 8:00am – 10:00am
September 23, 2019 | 8:00am – 10:00am

ENGLISH CLASS
September 13, 2019 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm

To register for Webinars, please visit: http://www.agsafe.org/wapa-ccgga-sexual-harassment-prevention-training-2/

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Pink Bollworm Program has released its report for monitoring Silverleaf Whitefly. The program monitored for whitefly and other cotton pests from July 29, 2019 to August 9, 2019. For the full report, please follow the button link below:

Silverleaf Whitefly Monitoring Report