Farm Bureau Weighs In as California Legislative Session Ends

As California lawmakers wrap up the legislative session, California Farm Bureau says agriculture is walking away with a few wins, but also some significant unfinished business.

California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass thanked Senator Hurtado for efforts to keep goats available for wildfire fuel reduction. She also pointed to Assemblymember Hadwick and Senator Blakespear’s work to secure funding for the Wolf Livestock Compensation Program, saying $5 million was secured to help ranchers dealing with cattle losses.

But Douglass says one major priority did not make it across the finish line: autonomous farm equipment.

She says California remains the only state where farmers cannot use the technology, putting agriculture here at a disadvantage and limiting access to tools Farm Bureau says can improve efficiency, sustainability and worker safety.

Douglass says changing that will be one of the organization’s highest priorities next year.

And as lawmakers close out the session, Douglass left them with this:

“We hope lawmakers weigh these consequences carefully and decide whether they want to stand behind agriculture in this state or make it harder to grow food here at home.”