The ag labor bill known as the Farm Workforce Modernization Act was passed by the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 18-12 last week. The next step in the …
Agriculture Industry Experiences Most Workplace Fatalities in 2019
According to data from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), the agricultural industry has experienced the highest number of workplace fatalities in 2019 as of November. The National …
New Lighting Requirements for Agriculture Arriving by Next Harvest
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is moving quickly on implementing lighting requirements for agricultural operations working at night. The concept for updating nighttime regulations for lighting dates …
Significant Support for Farm Workforce Modernization Act
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 that was introduced by Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Dan Newhouse is receiving significant support from the agricultural industry. The bipartisan bill seeks to …
Farmworker Housing Bill: ‘No farmer is going to use this.’
Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill 1783 (AB 1783) into law, significantly altering how farmworker housing will be administered in California. AB 1783, the Farmworker Housing Act of 2019, …
New 2020 Requirements for Reporting Injuries
Assembly Bill 1804 has updated the requirements for reporting injuries to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). The changes are being implemented in an effort to simplify …
‘Increase in Citations’ Expected with Labor Code Changes from AB 1805
Assembly Bill 1805 (AB 1805) made two significant changes to the labor code by revising the definition of ‘serious injury or illness’ and ‘serious exposure.’ The bill broadens the scope …
More Stringent Air Quality Standards on The Way
Air quality standards could become even more strict as a new proposal is making its way through the regulatory process. Back in July, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health …
Mitigate Liability Risk by Vetting Your Farm Labor Contractor
Working with a farm labor contractor to supply the necessary workforce on a farming operation does not eliminate the liability risk for the grower in the event of an accident. …
New Smoke Exposure Regulation Arriving at Height of Fire Season
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Standards Board has unanimously approved new regulations pertaining to wildfires and smoke exposure. The decision comes after an emergency rulemaking proposal was …
Labor Shortages Continue for California Farms
California farmers and ranchers report that labor shortages continue to be an issue despite multiple efforts to help remedy the problem. The California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF) worked with the …
CFBF: New Nighttime Lighting Requirements ‘Unrealistic’
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Standards Board recently held a public hearing on the proposed nighttime lighting requirements for agricultural operations. Several ag industry groups expressed concern …
Ag Employers Urged to Weigh in on Nighttime Labor Regulations
The opportunity for public comment on the proposed changes to nighttime labor regulations for the agricultural industry is nearing its end. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is …
Emergency Process Pushing New Air Quality Standard for Wildfire Smoke
A new air quality standard that addresses wildfire smoke which contains high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is moving quickly. A petition that was filed at the end of …