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Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed housing reforms into law that include significant exemptions to the California Environmental Quality Act that affect farmworker housing and food banks.

Thanks to the discovery of a detergent-like compound derived from yeast at UC Davis, environmentally friendly, nontoxic cleaning products have been developed by Ruby Bio. 

Western Growers promoted Bryan Nickerson to director of membership. Mike Bittner was promoted to western regional director at Atticus. Kyle Kunkler is now the Environmental Protection Agency’s top pesticide officer. 

Progressive Produce named Andy Webb vice president of business development. Veg-Land Inc./JBJ Distributing and Fresh Cut Inc. hired Todd Linsky to join the leadership team. Rudy Placencia was named vice president of sales at Fowler Packing. 

Republicans forced their version of the One Big Beautiful Bill through the Senate  after a dramatic, marathon vote-a-rama before Vice President JD Vance could cast the deciding tie-breaking vote shortly after noon Tuesday on the massive budget reconciliation measure.

The California Farm Water Coalition executive director Mike Wade will step down in February. Matthew Dumlao was appointed executive officer of the California State Lands Commission. The Foundation for Fresh Produce selected Jelena Gligorijević to fill the newly-created role of chief medical officer. 

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation hired Jessica Lara as marketing and communications manager. Paul Brierley was confirmed as Arizona Director of Agriculture by the state senate. He was previously executive director of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture and earlier served as a director for the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation. 

New electronic cold-pasteurization (ECP) technology has enabled Georgia-grown peaches to meet Mexico’s import requirements for the first time in 27 years.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will continue to conduct inspections of ag operations but will focus on criminal activity, White House border czar Tom Homan said Thursday.