Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and public statements from President Trump have heightened anxiety in the ag sector. Protests and the forcible removal of Sen. Alex Padilla highlight national tensions, while unconfirmed reports and workforce shortages disrupt farms across California.
The Senate Agriculture Committee released its version of the GOP reconciliation bill, scaling back House-proposed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cost-sharing. States would only contribute to benefit costs if error rates exceed 6%. California's 2023 rate was 13.4%, triggering a potential 15% cost share. Most agricultural provisions mirror the House version. The package still faces uncertainty in the Senate and will require a conference committee to reconcile differences with the House.
President Trump signed Congressional Review Act resolutions to revoke California's electric vehicle mandate, diesel vehicle phaseout and truck emissions rule. Other states' concerns helped drive the effort. The California Air Resources Board may pursue legal action to preserve its authority. Updates to follow.
USDA Secretary Rollins told the House Agriculture Committee more agricultural input is needed for the Make America Healthy Again Commission, especially on pesticide messaging. She also commented that H-2A reforms are necessary to make the program more affordable, but congressional action is required for major changes.
Assembly Bill 470 made it out of the Appropriations Committee, but did not make it to the Assembly Floor for consideration. AB 470 (McKinnor) would usurp a rulemaking opened by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2024 to broadly consider changes related to landline or Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) requirements and procedures.