Key legislation that the Association is sponsoring or co-sponsoring is continuing to move through the legislative process.  All three bills are now in the second house.  AB 732 (Macedo) would give more authority to the County Ag Commissioners to take action on abandoned or neglected properties passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee on a 5-0 vote last week.  Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom testified at the hearing stating that action is needed to help control unwanted pests and rodents from abandoned or unattended orchards and fields.  AB 1046 (Bains) would exempt tree nut processing operations from having to comply with reporting requirements for sending waste to a landfill, since they don’t send anything to a landfill.  The bill passed out of Senate Environmental unanimously on consent this past week.  Finally, SB 279 (McNerney) is a bill that would increase the permitting exemption for agricultural composting operations from 1,000 cubic yards to 5,000 cubic yards.  It passed out of Assembly Natural Resources unanimously this week. 

The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, a coalition of farmers, water agencies, businesses, and community leaders including the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and the Western Tree Nut Association, has taken decisive action to support the implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order 14181, aimed at restoring water supply reliability to California’s San Joaquin Valley. Through letters sent to President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and California Governor Gavin Newsom, as well as a detailed memorandum outlining stakeholder priorities, the Blueprint is advocating for urgent federal and state action to address the region’s worsening water crisis.

Letters to President Trump and Governor Newsom
On June 18, 2025, the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley sent letters to President Trump, Secretary Burgum, and Governor Newsom, urging immediate and aggressive implementation of Executive Order 14181 to address California’s water crisis. The letters emphasize the coalition’s support for the federal vision to increase water deliveries and modernize infrastructure, while calling for strong state-federal coordination to achieve measurable results.

The Blueprint’s letters outline a shared goal of increasing available water supply by 9 million acre-feet per year (MAF/yr) by 2040, with near-term progress through regulatory reforms and infrastructure development. The coalition urges the federal government to set this 9 MAF/yr goal as a benchmark, accelerate permitting for critical projects, and appoint experienced leaders to coordinate interagency efforts. Similarly, the letter to Governor Newsom calls for the state to adopt the 9 MAF/yr target, streamline permitting processes, and engage directly with federal agencies to reduce policy conflicts. The Blueprint stresses that only through a robust state-federal partnership can California overcome longstanding regulatory and legal barriers to water reliability.

These actions are critical for San Joaquin Valley water users, as the region’s agricultural economy and rural communities face devastating impacts from ongoing water shortages. By aligning state and federal efforts, the Blueprint aims to ensure a reliable water supply that supports California’s most productive agricultural region and sustains its economy and population.

Blueprint Memo on Stakeholder Priorities
The Water Blueprint’s memorandum, titled “Implementing Executive Order 14181 – Establishing Stakeholder Priorities for Federal Action and Leadership,” provides a practical roadmap for achieving the 9 MAF/yr water supply increase by 2040. The memo identifies four key priorities for federal agencies to deliver immediate and long-term results:

1. Update CVP and SWP Operational Rules: The memo calls for modernizing the operational criteria of the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) to yield at least 1 MAF/yr in additional deliveries. This includes real-time operational adjustments, rebalancing environmental flow objectives, and flexible reservoir management.
2. Eliminate Nonessential Regulatory Barriers: The Blueprint advocates for revising flow constraints that exceed Endangered Species Act requirements, potentially restoring 300,000 acre-feet per year in system flexibility and deliveries.
3. Accelerate Permitting for Infrastructure Projects: The memo prioritizes fast-tracking surface and groundwater storage, aquifer recharge, and conveyance upgrades, with a federal implementation schedule to be established by mid-2026.
4. Ensure Adequate Resources and Coordination: Effective implementation requires dedicated staff, clear interagency coordination, and regular progress reporting to stakeholders.

The memo underscores the need for competent federal leadership with experience in CVP/SWP coordination and navigating state-federal regulatory conflicts to ensure the Executive Order’s success.

These priorities are vital for San Joaquin Valley water users, who rely on a stable water supply to sustain agriculture, jobs, and community livelihoods. The proposed regulatory and infrastructure improvements will help address chronic supply shortfalls, ensuring the region can thrive economically and environmentally.

Why These Actions Matter
The San Joaquin Valley, a cornerstone of California’s agricultural productivity, faces unprecedented challenges due to water shortages that threaten farmers, businesses, and rural communities. The Water Blueprint’s actions—through this federal and state correspondence and memorandum—provide a clear, results-focused plan to restore water reliability. By advocating for a 9 MAF/yr increase in water supply, the coalition is addressing the scale of the crisis while pushing for immediate regulatory reforms and infrastructure investments. These efforts will support the Valley’s economy, preserve its agricultural heritage, and ensure a sustainable water future for Central and Southern California.

The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley is committed to working with federal and state leaders to turn this once-in-a-generation opportunity into lasting progress. Copies of the letters and Stakeholder Priorities memo are available here.  The Association’s Assistant Vice President Priscilla Rodriguez sits on the Board of Directors for the Water Blueprint.

SAVE THE DATE!
July 15, 2025 @ 2 PM CST

USDA AMS – Cotton & Tobacco Program (C&T) is announcing a webinar that will introduce users of the Cotton Price Report series to exciting customizable enhancements and new features that will launch August 1, 2025. The webinar will be held on July 15th at 2:00 PM CST.

For a detailed overview, see the Notice to Trade. Register here for the webinar.

The Association participated in a coalition of 23 agricultural organizations opposing new staggered work schedules and lowering of the mandatory masking for only agricultural workers as proposed by Cal/OSHA. In a letter to the Cal/OSHA Standards Board, the coalition commented the staggered work schedule of 20% for day 1, 40% for day 2, 60% for day 3, 80% for day 4, etc. was not only unworkable, it would force employers to pay workers for time they did not work and to hire extra people to cover the time the original workers would not be allowed to work. The coalition also commented on the lowering of the mandatory mask wearing requirements from 500 AQI to 300 AQI for only agricultural workers. The proposed changes are a result of AB 2243, legislation that was passed in 2022.  AB 2243 said CalOSHA must “consider” these changes but did not mandate the changes. The coalition included the African American Farmers of California, Agricultural Council of California, American Pistachio Growers, California Apple Commission, California Blueberry Commission, California Citrus Mutual, California Cotton Ginners & Growers Association, California Fresh Fruit Association, California Wild Rice Advisory Board, Farm Bureau of Ventura County, Fresno County Farm Bureau, Grower Shipper Association of Central California, Merced County Farm Bureau, Milk Producers Council, Nisei Farmers League, Olive Grower Council of California, Olive Oil Commission of California, Raisin Bargaining Association, Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, Tulare County Farm Bureau, Ventura County Agricultural Association, Western Plant Health Association, and the Western Tree Nut Association.

Make time now to join the Regenerative Agriculture: The Way Forward workshop on Tuesday, July 1st at UC Merced on knowledge and a dialogue session on regenerative agriculture. The workshop will be from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM and registration is free! It will include talks from researchers and people from the industry, as well as a farmer panel to discuss their perspectives and thoughts on regenerative agriculture. Lunch and refreshments are included. Registration sign-up is linked here. For more information, please see the flyer below.

California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association (CCGGA) Board Director Kirk Teixeira has been chosen as one of eight participants in the National Cotton Council’s (NCC’s) Emerging Leaders Program for 2025-26.  Participants include: PRODUCERS – Branden Ahrens, Corpus Christi, TX; Bryce Howard, Dalhart, TX; Kirk Teixeira, Fresno, CA; GINNER – Craig Rohrbach, Farwell, TX; MERCHANT – Ashley Paddock, Olney, IL; WAREHOUSER – Matt Hennig, Amarillo, TX; COTTONSEED – Luke Flair, Elkhorn, NE, and MARKETING COOPERATIVE – Kaimi Whitaker, Lubbock, Texas.

Now in its tenth year, the NCC’s Emerging Leaders Program is supported by a grant to The Cotton Foundation from Bayer.  Overall, the Emerging Leaders Program provides participants with a better understanding of how the NCC carries out its mission of ensuring the U.S. cotton industry’s seven segments can compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad. Specifically, participants get an in-depth look at: 1) the U.S. cotton industry infrastructure and the issues affecting the industry’s economic well-being; 2) the U.S. political process; 3) the NCC’s programs as well as its policy development and implementation process and 4) Cotton Council International’s activities aimed at developing and maintaining export markets for U.S. cotton, manufactured cotton products and cottonseed products.  The Emerging Leaders Program also provides participants with professional development and communications training such as presentation and business etiquette, instruction for engaging with the news media, and utilizing social media tools and tactics.  Class members will participate in three sessions. The first session, set for the week of June 8, 2025, in Memphis and St. Louis, will provide an orientation to the NCC, professional development and communication skills training and an agribusiness briefing. During the second session, class members will see policy development at the NCC’s 2026 Annual Meeting in February. The third session, to be conducted later in 2026 in Washington, DC, will provide a focus on policy implementation.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Visalia, CA Classing Office
9:00am

Please join us to review, comment, and approve the six guide boxes of the 2025 American Pima Grade Standards. Once approved, the guide boxes will be used as the reference to match all the 2025 American Pima Grade Standards. The guide box review and the standards matching will both take place the morning of July 16^th.

Industry participation is key to this process, and we hope you all can come and be a part of this important annual event.

For additional information please contact:

Ryan Phillips, Acting Area Director 
E-mail: ryan.phillips@usda.gov
Visalia Classing Office                                 
7100 West Sunnyview Avenue                                            
Visalia, CA 93291                                         
Phone: (559) 651-3015

or

Monte Mutchler
E-mail: monte.mutchler@usda.gov
Standardization and Engineering Division
3275 Appling Road
Memphis, TN 38133
Phone: (901) 384-3030

The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology is proud to announce the prestigious appointment of Dr. Margaret Ellis as the incoming J.G. Boswell Endowed Chair in Plant Science at Fresno State. Established through a generous $1.2 million gift from the James G. Boswell Foundation in 2004, the position has created a vessel for groundbreaking research and transformed student experiences in plant science. Dr. Ellis’ passion for agriculture began in her hometown in Illinois, where she participated in a local 4-H program. With a biology degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she began bridging her scientific background with her love of plants. She was introduced to the field of plant pathology when she started a position in a soybean pathology lab as an undergraduate student. Afterwards she completed her master’s and Ph.D. programs in Plant Pathology at Michigan State University and The Ohio State University, respectively. Upon joining Fresno State, Dr. Ellis embraced a new path, shifting her focus from Fusarium diseases in soybean to cotton. That pivot allowed her to continue working in Fusarium research—an area she continues to specialize in today. One of her earliest collaborators was the J.G. Boswell Company, which supported her initial survey work and played a key role in launching her research in California.  “The disease I study is very important to growers in California,” Dr. Ellis explains. “Being named the J.G. Boswell Endowed Chair means a lot to me because it tells me the work I do matters. I love working one-on-one with students, and this position allows me to do even more of that.”  Dr. Ellis’ impact resonates through her students, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers in research, university extension, and industry leadership. Several now work as technicians or farm managers within the University of California system and beyond. In her new role, Dr. Ellis will continue her work in cotton pathology, focusing on pathogen interactions – an area that desperately needs further exploration. For Dr. Ellis, the J.G. Boswell Endowed Chair in Plant Science empowers her to continue nurturing both of her passions: teaching and research. “I came to Fresno State because I wanted to teach. I love teaching and I love research. Getting this position is a happy marriage between both worlds.” Congratulations to Dr. Maggie Ellis, and a huge shoutout to the J.G. Boswell Company for their contribution to the future of the cotton industry in California.

On May 27, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) issued an advisory regarding the implementation of its Zero-Emission Forklift (ZEF) Regulation. The advisory clarifies that CARB has not yet sought authorization from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under section 209(e)(2)(A) of the Clean Air Act. Consequently, CARB will not enforce the ZEF regulation against privately-owned or operated fleets, manufacturers, or dealerships until such authorization is granted or deemed unnecessary.
 
CARB is encouraging all manufacturers and fleets to voluntary report and the adopt zero-emission forklifts. This advisory provides temporary relief from enforcement. However, the Association remains concerned about the long-term implications of the ZEF regulation. The transition to zero-emission forklifts poses significant challenges as our state has not addressed the state wide infrastructure constraints with converting to all electric. We will continue to monitor this regulation and will keep you updated.

The Association as part of the Modern Ag Alliance expressed major concerns with the release of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report that questioned American farmers’ use of crop protection tools. “Farmers are already facing a host of challenges—uncertainty about their access to critical crop protection products shouldn’t be added to the list,” said Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, Executive Director of the Modern Ag Alliance. “Crop protection tools are not only safe, they are essential to food security, affordability, and the survival of family farms all across this country. Losing access to these critical inputs would be a devastating setback to American agriculture.”  The Association’s President/CEO Roger Isom was quoted in the Modern Ag Alliance press release as saying “Crop protection tools that have been registered through EPA, have gone through the most rigorous, scientifically based, and health-protective process in the world. They have been analyzed to ensure there are no impacts to humans, workers, plants, animals, air quality, and groundwater. Application rates have been limited and buffer zones implemented to ensure the safest application possible, and where safety concerns could not be met, those chemicals are not registered for use in the United States. American agriculture already has far less tools than the rest of the world, and we cannot afford to lose any more and still produce the world’s best food and fiber.”

About The Modern Ag Alliance

The Modern Ag Alliance is a diverse coalition of more than 100 agricultural organizations advocating for U.S. farmers’ access to the crop protection tools they need to ensure we have a robust and affordable domestic food supply. To learn more, visit MODERNAGALLIANCE.ORG