As the 2018 mid-term elections near, our Policy Committee gathered to dig into ballot issues of concern to small farms, sustainable agriculture and local food systems across California. After careful consideration, we have determined our official endorsements, below.
NOTE: Our Policy Committee, comprised of volunteers from our statewide membership, primarily focuses on California propositions and does not comment on individual candidates. National issues are pursued through the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. As for local issues (city and county), we encourage our members to gather, discuss, and determine your own endorsements as chapters or as an affiliated Famers Guild.
STATE:
Proposition 3 (Water Bond) – Neutral
Prop 3 authorizes the state to sell $8.9 billion in general obligation bonds (i.e. repaid out of state general fund over 40 years) for a wide range of water infrastructure projects, including safe drinking water, watershed and fisheries improvements, habitat protection, improved water conveyance, groundwater sustainability and storage, and surface water storage and dam repairs.
Reason: Prop 3 funds a number of meritorious projects, and CAFF might ordinarily support this measure. But because of several nuances in the way that Prop 3 was written, we feel that farmers and farm advocates should take a closer look and decide for themselves. Among the variables to consider: Prop 3 was placed on the ballot via signature-gathering as opposed to by the Legislature. It includes pet projects by a number of large contributors to the campaign, which might not have withstood legislative scrutiny. For example, it provides $750 million for repairs to the Friant-Kern Canal, a federal project that has always been funded by the federal government, not state taxpayers. It allocates state cap-and-trade funds to the Dept. of Water Resources and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to offset their costs of complying with the state’s greenhouse gas reductions laws. The use of cap and trade funds for this purpose is dubious at best and could result in less money for other greenhouse gas-reduction projects, including climate smart farming programs. Finally, unlike most bond measures, which require that bond expenditures be approved in the annual state budget, the funds in Prop 3 are continuously appropriated without any legislative oversight. For these reasons, CAFF & The Farmers Guild will remain neutral on the measure.
Proposition 12 (Farm Animal Confinement) – Support
In 2008 voters approved Prop 2, which prohibited California-raised egg-laying hens, pregnant pigs, and calves raised for veal from being raised in cages or crates that don’t allow them to “turn freely, lie down, stand up and fully extend their limbs.” Prop 12 changes that law to require, by 2022, cage-free housing for hens, 24 square feet of living space for pigs and 43 square feet for veal calves.
Reason: Our organization is committed to both farm viability and humane treatment of animals, encouraging holistic, pasture-based production whenever possible. Although CAFF wishes the measure addressed living space for dairy as well as beef calves, which represent the vast majority of calves, we believe Prop 12 is a needed, if incremental step that will improve the health and well-being of the covered animals. For this reason, CAFF & The Farmers Guild supports Prop 12.
NATIONAL
“Public Charge” Rule Affecting Immigrants – Oppose
(Not on the ballot, but a policy change that our organization will advocate against. Public comments will continue until Dec 10. Expect to hear from us again soon, encouraging the voice of family farms.)
The Trump Administration recently released proposed regulations to greatly expand the concept of “public charge,” i.e. whether a person seeking a green card or entry into the U.S. is likely to use government programs for support. Under current law, immigrants who have been primarily dependent on cash aid, such as TANF (welfare) or long-term care, are more likely to be denied admission based on “public charge.” The Trump proposal makes two major changes: first, the threshold to meet the public charge standard will no longer be that the person is primarily dependent on government support, but merely uses an included program. Second, the types of publicly-funded programs that immigration officers must consider will no longer be limited to cash aid, but also to past or current use of healthcare, nutrition and housing programs, such as Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps) and Section 8 housing assistance, which are not currently considered negative factors. As a result, more immigrants will be subject to denial of entry because they will be deemed to be a “public charge.”
Reason: Because immigrant labor remains so central to our California farm communities, and as part of our organization's commitment to social justice, CAFF & The Farmers Guild opposes the proposed “public charge” rule.
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CAFF & FARMERS GUILD POLICY COMMITTEE
Do you have questions about our Policy Program? Would you like to get involved with our Policy Committee? Contact Evan Wiig, Director of Membership & Communications, here.
Pete Price
Chair • Sacramento
Ken Kimes
New Natives • Aptos
Bob Knight
Old Grove Orange • Redlands
John LaBoyteaux
Camp Grant Ranch • Humboldt and Lake Counties
Cindy Lashbrook
Riverdance Farms • Livingston
Doug Mosel
Mendocino Grain Project • Ukiah
Judith Redmond
Fully Belly Farm • Guinda
Steve Sprinkel
Rancho Del Pueblo Farm • Ojai
Dave Runsten
CAFF & Farmers Guild Policy Director
[email protected]
Phone: 530-756-1298
CAFF Legislative Representation, Washington DC
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
NOTE: Our Policy Committee, comprised of volunteers from our statewide membership, primarily focuses on California propositions and does not comment on individual candidates. National issues are pursued through the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. As for local issues (city and county), we encourage our members to gather, discuss, and determine your own endorsements as chapters or as an affiliated Famers Guild.
STATE:
Proposition 3 (Water Bond) – Neutral
Prop 3 authorizes the state to sell $8.9 billion in general obligation bonds (i.e. repaid out of state general fund over 40 years) for a wide range of water infrastructure projects, including safe drinking water, watershed and fisheries improvements, habitat protection, improved water conveyance, groundwater sustainability and storage, and surface water storage and dam repairs.
Reason: Prop 3 funds a number of meritorious projects, and CAFF might ordinarily support this measure. But because of several nuances in the way that Prop 3 was written, we feel that farmers and farm advocates should take a closer look and decide for themselves. Among the variables to consider: Prop 3 was placed on the ballot via signature-gathering as opposed to by the Legislature. It includes pet projects by a number of large contributors to the campaign, which might not have withstood legislative scrutiny. For example, it provides $750 million for repairs to the Friant-Kern Canal, a federal project that has always been funded by the federal government, not state taxpayers. It allocates state cap-and-trade funds to the Dept. of Water Resources and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to offset their costs of complying with the state’s greenhouse gas reductions laws. The use of cap and trade funds for this purpose is dubious at best and could result in less money for other greenhouse gas-reduction projects, including climate smart farming programs. Finally, unlike most bond measures, which require that bond expenditures be approved in the annual state budget, the funds in Prop 3 are continuously appropriated without any legislative oversight. For these reasons, CAFF & The Farmers Guild will remain neutral on the measure.
Proposition 12 (Farm Animal Confinement) – Support
In 2008 voters approved Prop 2, which prohibited California-raised egg-laying hens, pregnant pigs, and calves raised for veal from being raised in cages or crates that don’t allow them to “turn freely, lie down, stand up and fully extend their limbs.” Prop 12 changes that law to require, by 2022, cage-free housing for hens, 24 square feet of living space for pigs and 43 square feet for veal calves.
Reason: Our organization is committed to both farm viability and humane treatment of animals, encouraging holistic, pasture-based production whenever possible. Although CAFF wishes the measure addressed living space for dairy as well as beef calves, which represent the vast majority of calves, we believe Prop 12 is a needed, if incremental step that will improve the health and well-being of the covered animals. For this reason, CAFF & The Farmers Guild supports Prop 12.
NATIONAL
“Public Charge” Rule Affecting Immigrants – Oppose
(Not on the ballot, but a policy change that our organization will advocate against. Public comments will continue until Dec 10. Expect to hear from us again soon, encouraging the voice of family farms.)
The Trump Administration recently released proposed regulations to greatly expand the concept of “public charge,” i.e. whether a person seeking a green card or entry into the U.S. is likely to use government programs for support. Under current law, immigrants who have been primarily dependent on cash aid, such as TANF (welfare) or long-term care, are more likely to be denied admission based on “public charge.” The Trump proposal makes two major changes: first, the threshold to meet the public charge standard will no longer be that the person is primarily dependent on government support, but merely uses an included program. Second, the types of publicly-funded programs that immigration officers must consider will no longer be limited to cash aid, but also to past or current use of healthcare, nutrition and housing programs, such as Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps) and Section 8 housing assistance, which are not currently considered negative factors. As a result, more immigrants will be subject to denial of entry because they will be deemed to be a “public charge.”
Reason: Because immigrant labor remains so central to our California farm communities, and as part of our organization's commitment to social justice, CAFF & The Farmers Guild opposes the proposed “public charge” rule.
###
CAFF & FARMERS GUILD POLICY COMMITTEE
Do you have questions about our Policy Program? Would you like to get involved with our Policy Committee? Contact Evan Wiig, Director of Membership & Communications, here.
Pete Price
Chair • Sacramento
Ken Kimes
New Natives • Aptos
Bob Knight
Old Grove Orange • Redlands
John LaBoyteaux
Camp Grant Ranch • Humboldt and Lake Counties
Cindy Lashbrook
Riverdance Farms • Livingston
Doug Mosel
Mendocino Grain Project • Ukiah
Judith Redmond
Fully Belly Farm • Guinda
Steve Sprinkel
Rancho Del Pueblo Farm • Ojai
Dave Runsten
CAFF & Farmers Guild Policy Director
[email protected]
Phone: 530-756-1298
CAFF Legislative Representation, Washington DC
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
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