Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco has built a reputation for ambitious climate bills, namely his 2023 measure requiring corporations to report on Scope 3 emissions.
His latest proposal would enable insurers like the California FAIR Plan to sue polluters over harms suffered from climate disasters. Wiener reasons wildfires will burn 77% more acreage over the next 30 years, leading insurance costs to skyrocket another 18%.
But his colleagues have grown apprehensive about levying more costs onto businesses during an affordability crisis. Several sympathized with the opponents, who argued SB 222 would increase gas prices and lead to economic instability. Several ag groups joined the opposition coalition.
The affordability anxiety extended to staunch labor advocates as well. Sen. María Elena Durazo of Los Angeles argued the bill posed a “false choice of either environmental justice or economic justice.” Believing it to be an example of achieving both, Durazo mentioned her 2019 bill to ban chlorpyrifos (though the governor undermined the effort with his own ban). Other lawmakers worried Wiener's bill would lead to “too much money spent on lawyers and courts.”
The committee made the rare move of voting down an ambitious climate bill in its first hearing.
Newsom suspends barriers for prescribed grazing
California launched an online request process to speed up vegetation management projects across the state. The governor’s office said proposals could now be approved in 30 days.
The suspension request platform follows through on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wildfire prevention emergency proclamation from March. Project eligibility is determined by the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency secretaries.
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The Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan lists prescribed grazing among the acceptable fuels reduction measures, with a few conditions attached.
Remember: The California Cattlemen’s Association expressed interest in working with the state to promote grazing when the emergency proclamation was first announced.
California tackles invasive mussels
California is launching a coordinated effort to fight against the invasive golden mussel, which poses a major threat to water infrastructure and water quality in the Delta.
The Department of Water Resources discovered the first known case last October in the Port of Stockton. The response framework will guide state policy and local emergency response. The effort aims to prevent further spread of the species and suppress populations to minimize environmental and economic impacts.
Nutrition, ultraprocessed food researcher exits NIH, citing censorship
A leading nutrition researcher who studied ultraprocessed foods has left the National Institutes of Health, citing censorship by agency officials.
Kevin Hall announced on social media Wednesday night that he had accepted an early retirement offer from the Department of Health and Human Services. He worked inside NIH for 21 years, primarily focusing on food, nutrition and how diets can contribute to chronic diseases.
Read our full report at Agri-Pulse.com.
‘Glimmers of hope’ for reconciliation farm safety net boost
Congressional Republicans are still a long way from agreeing on the giant budget reconciliation bill they need to pass to enact President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities. But ag policy veteran Chuck Conner says he’s hopeful that the bill could be used to increase funding for farm bill programs.
Conner, who’s president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, says in an interview with Agri-Pulse Newsmakers that he’s hopeful that “not a lot, but a little” SNAP funding could be moved over to the commodity title.
“If you can make that … relatively minor adjustment, I think that paves the way to potentially actually get this farm bill done over a five-year period,” he said.
This week’s Newsmakers will be available today at Agri-Pulse.com.
Trump ‘100%’ sure of trade deal with Europe
Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are optimistic about a possible deal between the U.S. and the European Union. But Trump suggests nothing is imminent.
“There will be a trade deal, 100%,” Trump told reporters ahead of a planned lunch with Meloni. “I fully expect it. And it will be a fair deal.”
But even though Trump’s pause on country-specific tariffs lasts only 90 days, he said the U.S. is in “no rush” to cut deals because tariffs are bringing in substantial revenues.
Take note: EU trade policy falls under the European Commission’s purview. But an EU spokesperson said earlier this week Meloni would convey the EU position and had coordinated with the commission ahead of the visit. Meloni is known for having a good relationship with both the president and Elon Musk and was the only European leader to attend Trump’s inauguration.
“I’m sure we can make a deal,” she told reporters. “I’m here to help with that.”
USTR offers ag relief on port fees
Ag shippers are getting some relief from new port fees the Trump administration will be using to promote domestic shipbuilding.
The fees won’t apply to ships that arrive empty to transport U.S. commodities or to those on some shorter routes.
The fees will “disincentivize the use of Chinese shipping and Chinese-built ships, thereby providing leverage on China to change its acts, policies and practices, and send a critically needed demand signal for U.S.-built ships,” according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Keep in mind: Agriculture producers had warned that the fees could impose particularly steep costs for bulk commodity exporters, given Chinese-made vessels make up more than half of all port calls from dry bulk carriers.
Groups call on USDA to unfreeze funds for program for young and minority farmers
One-hundred-and-sixty-eight agricultural organizations are urging Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to unfreeze funding for a program that helps connect young and minority farmers to land and resources.
A letter from the organizations says that most projects funded through the Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Program “have been partially or fully suspended.” It said some farmers who were expecting support from the projects “will not be farming this year.”
The organizations include the National Young Farmers Coalition, the Rural Coalition, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and American Farmland Trust.
Take note: USDA awarded $300 million to 50 projects that help new producers with payment assistance, low-interest loans, relending programs, technical assistance and training.
Leaked HHS budget proposal includes changes to food safety
A leaked version of the Trump administration’s budget priorities for the Department of Health and Human Services includes 30% cuts in overall agency funding and changes to food safety programs.
In total, the document proposes a cut in FDA funding from the $3.54 billion in the 2023 appropriations bill to $2.93 billion. This includes a 16% decrease in food program funding and a nearly 20.5% decrease in the animal drugs and feed program funding.
The document also calls for eliminating FDA’s role in routine food facility inspections. Instead, it proposes expanding state contracts for inspections. The document says the final budget will include short- and long-term actions to strengthen FDA’s oversight of food programs so chemicals and food additives can be quickly removed from the food supply.
Keep in mind: The document should still be considered a work in progress as the White House preps its formal budget proposals to Congress.
EU simplifies deforestation law enforcement
The European Union is streamlining the implementation of its forthcoming deforestation regulation to reduce costs for exporters.
From 2026, exporters of commodities like soy and beef and other derivative products to the EU will have to prove the products did not come from deforested areas.
In new guidance, the EU says exporters will only have to submit documentation annually, instead of for every shipment. They will also be able to reuse previous due diligence declarations for products previously on the European market and re-exported. Large companies will be able to submit reference numbers for due diligence statements from their suppliers.
The commission estimated in a statement that the measures will reduce the cost burden on exporters from the regulation by 30%.
Final word
“The real answers may be found if lawmakers look in the mirror and ask themselves, ‘What can I do to reduce California’s self-imposed tariffs?’” — Michael Miiller, director of state government relations at the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
Miiller argues in a blog post that the governor and state lawmakers should support businesses not just by opposing tariffs, but by cutting California’s regulatory costs by at least 20%.
