…the economy are compounding traditional farm labor challenges. Agricultural labor supplies also began to tighten up earlier than normal this year. The labor trends are creating worry about the more…
Week in Review: Roundtable Addresses Farm Labor, Proposed Tax Changes Have Costly Implications
A recent farm labor reform roundtable brought together Senate leadership, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and farm and farmworker organizations. Table olive industry members are looking to keep the crop competitive…
Supreme Court Sides with Farmers in Right of Access Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a decision outlining “right of access” rules for labor unions. In a 6-3 decision, the Court upheld the rights of property owners in limiting…
‘Large Step Forward’ Taken with Farm Labor Reform Roundtable
A recent farm labor reform roundtable brought together Senate leadership, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and farm and farmworker organizations. The group discussed the need for change as detailed in the…
Opposing AB 616: Farm Bureau Supports Secret Ballot for Union Voting
…employee has to provide on that card is the signature. The labor union organizers can furnish everything else, take that card, and turn it into the Ag Labor Relations Board,”…
Acreage of Mechanically Harvested Raisins Declines, But Percentage Increases
…which has led to an increase in dried-on-the-vine raisins, increased machine harvesting, and decreased hand labor use. Mechanical harvesting by variety shows that 64 percent of Selma Pete acreage, 48…
Lemon Demand Growing, But Domestic Producers Face Challenges
…Professor of Public Policy at UC Riverside, Bruce Babcock said that labor has been particularly troublesome for domestic producers. “The overall demand for lemons is growing in the United States,…
Cattle Market Concerns Outlined for Lawmakers
…The group is advocating for updated solutions to the problem, aside from the restoration of mandatory country-of-origin labeling. As labor continues to be an issue for many areas of agriculture,…
Water Concerns Conveyed to Lieutenant Governor
…vital for keeping the agricultural industry strong in the years ahead. Along with water concerns, the discussion also included the topics of trade and labor. Kounalakis indicated that she would…
Farmers Have Rights to Refuse Property Access in Certain Instances
In light of recent developments, farmers are being encouraged to understand their rights when it comes to refusing property access. Secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Julie…
Several Factors Contributing to Wider Adoption of Agtech Innovation
…more and more popular with growers dealing with labor challenges. The costs associated with labor have been steadily increasing. The availability of a qualified workforce has also declined, making the…
Reduced Rice Plantings Provide Opportunity to Address Weed Issues
…up a field rapidly in one season. “It’s not something I would say to do in every field obviously because it takes labor and time,” said Brim-DeForest. “But since we…
Ag Industry to Streamline Development of Harvest Automation Technology
…automating at least half of the harvest process within 10 years. The ambitious initiative has been developed out of necessity in addressing consistent labor issues. WG Vice President of Innovation…
Almond Girl Jenny: Using the Tools Available to Help the Industry
Farming in California continues to become more difficult and complex each year. Water availability, labor shortages, and regulations all contribute to the challenges producers have to navigate. Some of the…