April 13, 2018 – -Paul Ryan announced this week that he will not seek re-election and thus will surrender the speakership in January and has endorsed House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) to replace him as Speaker. McCarthy’s only rival at this point appears to be House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana. McCarthy […]

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April 13, 2018 – -President Donald Trump has asked trade officials to explore the possibility of the United States rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, a free trade deal he pulled out of during his first days in office as part of his “America first” agenda. Trump directed Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, […]

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April 13, 2018 – -The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California voted this week to take a majority stake in the $16.7 billion twin-tunnels project, a fiercely controversial plan proposed by Gov. Brown as a way of protecting the water supply for more than 25 million Southern California and Bay Area residents.  Metropolitan’s historic breakthrough […]

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April 13, 2018 – –AB 1913 (Klara) was heard in the Assembly  Judiciary Committee this week. AB 1913 would extend the existing foreign labor contractor law to cover H-2A visa holders and farm labor contractors. The association joined a coalition in opposition to the bill and we testified that the bill is unnecessary since farm […]

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April 13, 2018 – -The California Water Commission has reopened applications for the $2.7 billion of water storage money currently awaiting allocation by California water officials. Late last year, the Commission staff found none of the twelve water projects that applied had a public benefit cost ratio that qualified for the funding.   After multiple […]

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April 13, 2018 – -Gov. Brown’s January Proposed Budget included $1.8 million in General Fund for key Bee Health budget items.  However, over the past few years, the Almond Alliance, working with the California State Bee Keepers Association, UC, Almond Board of California researchers and CDFA, have been identifying an assortment of action items essential […]

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April 13, 2018 – -Thursday, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) introduced the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2) The five-year farm bill restores funding for Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) under the new International Market Development Program. It also seeks to expand and improve crop insurance policies for specialty […]

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Press Release April 4, 2018 – -The Almond Alliance of California (AAC) is closely monitoring the impacts of China’s decision to impose increased tariffs on 128 imported U.S. agricultural products. For almonds, the 15% additional tariff, on top of the existing 10% tariff, results in an effective tariff of 25% to almond products. The tariff will apply to almond kernels and in-shell almonds. It is unclear if […]

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March 23, 2018 – -Controversial legislation mandating a “right to repair” electronics was introduced this week by Asm Susan Eggman (D – Stockton).  AB 2110 (Eggman) requires the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of electronic equipment or parts sold in California to provide to independent repair shops and owners of the equipment certain parts, tools, repair […]

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March 23, 2018 – -To much fanfare the California State Senate last week elected a new leader, Senator Toni Atkins (D – San Diego) . Sen. Atkins took the oath as President Pro Tempore of the California Senate two years after serving as speaker of the Assembly. She’s the first legislator since 1871  to hold […]

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