Ag Tech
AB-1016 , authored by Assemblymember Reginald Jones Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by the California Farm Bureau passed from the Senate Agriculture Committee on a vote of 3-0. As previously discussed, the bill aims to increase farmers’ access to precision agriculture technology by creating a new way to train drone pilots to become applicants for the pesticide aerial applicator examination. Supporting the bill were Chair Melissa Hurtado and Senators Marie Alvarado Gil and Steven Padilla. Senator Shannon Grove was absent from the hearing. New support for the bill comes from the Central Valley Community Foundation, recognizing the opportunity for the bill to further its goals of training community college students for agriculture careers focused on new technologies. Also, joining to support the bill and help farmers to use technology to save money by increasing efficient pesticide applications are the California Alfalfa and Forage Association, California Association of Wheat Growers, California Grain and Feed Association, California Pear Growers Association, California Seed Association. Western Growers Association supported the bill at the last Senate hearing.
The Kings County Farm Bureau reached out to Chair Hurtado and the Senate Agriculture Committee Consultant, raising nearly identical issues made by the California Agriculture Aircraft Association (CAAA) in this and previous hearings, and creating some confusion as to why a farmer-based organization was asking for the same amendments as airplane pilots. The CAAA appeared at the hearing, again, asking to limit the use of drones in ways that are not limited in statute today. The Senate Agriculture Committee, as have three previous policy committees, rejected their arguments, noting that if DPR exercises its authority to establish new training processes, that there will be a lengthy public hearing process where those concerns may be addressed. The bill has not received any No votes and has bipartisan support. It moves next to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Staff: Peter Ansel, pansel@cfbf.com
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