The cotton industry in California is faced with a critical issue, and that is the continued presence of sticky cotton.  We have discussed this issue many times, and brought it to the forefront last year in our first ever Sticky Cotton Summit.  We walked away from that meeting with several action items, and now it’s time to see where we are.  The cotton industry in California can ill afford to be labeled with sticky cotton.  Our Board of Directors has called for an update on where we are on those action items. This important meeting will be the 2018 CCGGA Sticky Cotton Summit and will be held on Wednesday, April 25^th at the Wyndham Garden Fresno Airport Hotel in Fresno. Registration and Continental Breakfast will begin at 8:30 am.  The actual program will begin at 9:00 am and will end with lunch.  This event is FREE; however registration is REQUIRED in order to provide us with an accurate count for room and lunch needs. You may register online at https://2018stickycottonsummit.eventbrite.com or you  can call our offices at (559) 252-0684.

The culmination of tough legislation, and six months of negotiations resulted in the approval of $135 million for agricultural equipment in California.  This momentous event occurred at the California Air Resources Board (CARB) hearing in Riverside this past week. This funding will replace ag tractors and harvesters, ag trucks and ag irrigation pump engines.  This is critical because the California Air Resources Board is forced to consider mandatory tractor replacement regulations in the San Joaquin Valley, due to the imposition of incredibly restrictive federal ambient air quality standards.  Without federal action to delay those standards, CARB is obligated to consider all potential measures, including a mandatory tractor replacement rule, such as those already being implemented on trucks and construction equipment.  The Association pushed for this funding, as it is the only way agriculture can comply without being forced out of business.  At the hearing, Association President/CEO Roger Isom stated “the problem with agriculture is that we have no way to pass along the cost.” The funding plan was approved unanimously and money should start flowing to the air districts in the late spring.

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association is pleased to announce that Tom Gaffney, of the J.G. Boswell Company has been named Chairman of the Association’s Board of Directors.  Gaffney succeeds outgoing Chairman Phil Hansen, of Hansen Ranches.  The Association would like to recognize Hansen for his outstanding service to the Association, especially during the critical time of merging the Ginners and Growers Associations into one organization.  President/CEO Roger Isom stated “Phil was a true asset to the Association during this transition, and the cotton industry in California owes a debt of gratitude for his leadership and service during this time.  During his time at the helm, Chairman Hansen led this Association in addressing critical issues like sticky cotton, the Association’s Section 18 for Transform, as well as the many regulatory and legislative issues we faced.  He also served as the face of the California Cotton Industry during his tenure speaking at critical events in support of FFA and the construction of Temperance Flat Reservoir.”  Also appointed were 1^st Vice Chair, Bryan Bone of Buttonwillow; 2^nd Vice Chair, Mike Davis of Dos Palos Coop; and Secretary/Treasurer Gary Martin of Firebaugh.  Re-elected to the board were the following Ginners: Tom Gaffney, J.G. Boswell Company; Greg Gillard, Olam Cotton; Tom Pires, West Island Cotton Growers; and Mason Otten, Semi Tropic Cooperative Gin.  The following Growers were re-elected: Kings County: Jim Razor, J.G. Boswell Company; and Phil Hansen, Hansen Ranches; and Southern California: Tim Cox.  Newly elected to the Board of Directors was Kings County Grower Geoff Toledo of Hanford.  Sam Carreiro, of Kings County was appointed as an Advisor to the board.  All board member positions are three year terms, while officers serve in those positions for two years.

The cotton industry in California is faced with a critical issue, and that is the continued presence of sticky cotton.  We have discussed this issue many times, and brought it to the forefront last year in our first ever Sticky Cotton Summit.  We walked away from that meeting with several action items, and now it’s time to see where we are.  The cotton industry in California can ill afford to be labeled with sticky cotton.  Our Board of Directors has called for an update on where we are on those action items.  This important meeting will be the 2018 CCGGA Sticky Cotton Summit and will be held on Wednesday, April 25^th at the Wyndham Garden Fresno Airport Hotel in Fresno. Registration and Continental Breakfast will begin at 8:30 am.  The actual program will begin at 9:00 am and will end with lunch.  This event is FREE however registration is REQUIRED in order to provide us with an accurate count for room and lunch needs. You may register online at https://2018stickycottonsummit.eventbrite.com or you can call our offices at (559) 252-0684.

In addition, we are soliciting sponsorship from our Associate Members to help defray the costs of this meeting.  Your support will be duly recognized in print in the meeting program and during the meeting.  You may download the Sponsorship Form below.  Please consider helping by choosing a level of sponsorship from the levels listed and faxing the form back to our offices promptly at (559) 252-0551 to allow for proper advance planning and recognition.
Draft Agenda
Online Registration
Sponsorship Flier

REMINDER:

Join the WCSA in Monterey, CA for the 2018 Annual Convention, April 9-11, 2018 at the Monterey Plaza Hotel.
Please register soon with the hotel as March 15, 2018 is the cut-off date!  Also, if you would like to play in the Golf Tournament there are still a few spots remaining.  Click here for more information.

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association in partnership with other Ag Organizations are now conducting the Forklift Train-the-Trainer Workshops. The first workshop began in Reedley to a great start with already 70 participants trained!  These workshops are for Owners, Farmers, Managers Supervisors and those who are responsible to conduct training on forklifts.  The training will review what is needed for the trainer to cover with their forklift operators at their facility.  Be sure to visit our website www.ccgga.org for registration.  If you have any questions, please contact our office at (559) 252-0684.

Registration Form and Flyer

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s Governing Board held a hearing today where the issue of agricultural Biomass was discussed.  The Association’s President/CEO Roger Isom testified that this is a crisis issue that’s needs everyone’s attention.  Isom spoke to the different technologies currently underway including biogas plants such as the one at West Biofuels, renewable diesel such as that being tested by Technikon, and air curtain burners like the one recently permitted at an Almond Huller in the valley.  Isom thanked the Air District for helping push these technologies and support of the projects the Association is working on.  The Governing Board voted to support these types of solutions as an alternative to open burning.

Once again, the Association voiced its opposition to CalOSHA’s proposed Indoor Heat Illness Regulation.  President/CEO Roger Isom spoke at the most recent CalOSHA workshop in Oakland expressing our opposition to not only the proposed standard but also to opening up the existing outdoor heat illness standard.  But as has occurred on numerous occasions, CalOSHA allowed the workshop to be overrun by labor activists espousing accusations and unsubstantiated claims of employers not providing water and/or breaks to employees allegedly suffering heat illness.  Furthermore, the labor groups also voiced their opposition to the proposed standard saying it did not go far enough, including asking for a temperature threshold of 70 degrees Fahrenheit!  This is the third draft of the proposed regulation which was mandated by the California State Legislature.  This effort was precipitated by a single case that stemmed from a 2012 serious citation issued to a warehouse and distribution center for the heat illness suffered by an employee who was working inside a metal freight container with a temperature of over 100 degrees.  In this latest draft, unfortunately, DOSH is not “limiting the applicability” and is including any and all employers with an indoor place of employment where the temperature is equal to or greater than 80 degrees.  This means farm shops, packing houses, hullers and processors would all be subject to the new regulations, even if they haven’t had a single incidence of heat illness.  These operations must provide access to water and a “cool-down area”.  The cool-down area must be open to the air or “provided with ventilation or cooling”.  A cool-down area must be provided when the temperature exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and employees shall be allowed and encouraged to take a “preventative cool-down rest” in a cool-down area when they feel the need to do so.  We remain opposed and will continue to push CalOSHA to limit the applicability of this regulation to only those specific jobs where indoor heat illness has proven to be a significant health risk.

The National Cotton Council invites its members and interest organizations to participate in regional information webinars regarding provisions of the recently authorized 2018 Seed Cotton farm program. Information will be provided on the provisions of the Seed Cotton program including examples of support levels under various price scenarios and examples of generic base conversion options. IN addition, updates on the new farm bill will be discussed. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions at the end of each session.

**Given that there is a limit on the number of participants per call, the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association will be hosting a group webinar for the West Region in our offices (1785 N. Fine Ave. Fresno, CA 93727) on Tuesday, February 20 at noon. Mike Brueggemann with National Cotton Council will be in attendance provide assistance in answering and directing questions. If you are unable to participate in the CCGGA group webinar in our offices, you may use the information below to join the webinar.**

For details on connecting to the webinar please download the “Webinar Information” form below.

Webinar Information

Seed Cotton Program Summary

Less than 5 days to register for the 2018 CCGGA Annual Meeting taking place at the Monterey Plaza from February 21-23. Registration forms and payment must be submitted to our offices no later than Friday, February 16^th.

CCGGA will be offering a FREE Irrigation & Nitrogen Management Planning Certification course in conjunction with this year’s meeting. The course will be held the morning of Thursday, February 22^nd. Growers are HIGHLY encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity as this self-certification will become increasingly valuable to achieve compliance with the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.

Other highlights of this year’s meeting will include a Wednesday evening reception, the CCGGA Annual Golf Tournament at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club as well as the CCGGA Annual Meeting dinner Thursday evening where guests will enjoy the comedic entertainment by Adam Ferrara! Adam Ferrara comes from the critically acclaimed & Emmy award winning TV shows Rescue Me & Nurse Jackie, he is also one of the hosts of the world renowned automotive series TopGear US.

Attendees will receive critical industry updates at the Friday Business Meeting, which will include a ginner’s and a grower’s track. Topics of discussion will include an annual insect panel review, classing office activities, gin lab research updates and MUCH MORE! Guest speakers include representatives from the National Cotton Ginners Association, National Cotton Council, Cotton Board, Supima and Association staff.

The deadline to receive rooms at the Annual Meeting discount rate has passed, rooms are now at regular price and subject to availability. Please complete and return your registration forms with payment ASAP. Deadline to register is Friday, February 16^th. You can pay for your registration online and download forms at https://ccgga.org/membership/ccgga-annual-meeting/.

If you have any questions please contact our offices at (559) 252-0684.

Tentative CCGGA Annual Meeting Agenda
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
5:00 pm               Welcome Reception – Lower Terrace
Thursday, February 22, 2018
8:00 am                Irrigation & Nitrogen Management Plan Self Certification Workshop – Carmel Room
8:30 am                CCGGA Golf Tournament – Quail Lodge and Golf Club, Carmel Valley
6:00 pm               Reception – Lower Terrace
7:00 pm               Dinner – Monterey Bay Room
8:00 pm               Entertainment: Comedian Adam Ferrara – Monterey Bay Room
Friday, February 23, 2018
Business Meeting Agenda
8:00 am                Welcome/Introductions – Phil Hansen, Chairman, CCGGA
8:05 am                CCGA Financial Report – Janell Attebury, Baker Peterson Franklin
8:15 am                National Cotton Council Update – Mike Brueggemann, National Cotton Council
8:35 am                Supima Update – Earl P. Williams, Supima
8:55 am                Cotton Inc. Update – Christi Chadwell, Cotton Inc.
9:15 am                BREAKOUTS

10:15 am             **BREAK**
10:35 am             Sacramento Update – George Soares, Kahn, Soares & Conway
10:55 am             Regulatory and Legislative Issues Update
Roger Isom, President/CEO, CCGGA
Christopher McGlothlin, Director of Technical Services, CCGGA
Jodi Raley, Director of Regulatory Affairs, CCGGA
11:55 am             Closing Remarks – Phil Hansen, Chairman, CCGGA

Regular Registration Packet

Associate Packet

Irrigation & Nitrogen Management Training Registration