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YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS
FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY
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This week's eNews Includes:
- Newsom's Second Term
- Reminder: Renew Your CAWG Membership
- Minimum Wage Increase + Ag Overtime Threshold
- CA New Pay Scale Disclosure
- Cal/OSHA Permanent Regulation Compliance Packet
- USDA Announces Lending Rates for Ag
- McCarthy Loses 11th Vote for Speaker
- Michigan Sen. Stabenow Will Not Seek Reelection
- Webinar: Optimizing Labor Management with Inelliculture
- Webinar: SVB State of the Industry
- Webinar: $120m in Tax Credits
- Events During Unified Wine and Grape Symposium
- 2023 Family Business Survey
REMINDER: Register by January 17th to utilize your CAWG member discount for the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium!
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Tomorrow, Gavin Newsom will be sworn in for his second term as Governor of California. Because of term limits, this will be his final term. In his 2019 inauguration, Newsom proclaimed that our state would be “A California For All” and one that would reject President Trump. It will be interesting to see what Newsom has in store tomorrow for his second inauguration and what he plans for the next four years.
Much of Newsom’s first four years were dominated by a global pandemic. Many of Newsom’s pandemic responses were very controversial. Yielding police powers, Newsom made unilateral decisions that did not sit well with many Californians but were welcomed by others. Coming out of the pandemic, Newsom embraced almost every policy change sought by labor unions. This included bowing to political pressure in an election year by signing card check legislation that he had preciously promised to veto.
Continuing his anti-Trump theme, Newsom announced that tomorrow’s inauguration will be preceded by a march. “This observance of the California spirit of opportunity and inclusion — ‘the California Way’ — will stand in peaceful contrast to the violent insurrection and assault on our democracy which occurred two years ago,” Newsom’s inaugural committee wrote in a statement.
Historically, the last term of a governor often reveals the true politics and values of the office holder as that governor is no longer facing reelection and sometimes feels more free to be themselves. However, Newsom is rumored to be running for President of the United States and his continued anti-Trump messaging may be an indication of his focus.
If he is ultimately a candidate for president, it is unclear what approach he might take in the first year of his second term. Newsom could lean right because California politics are not in keeping with the national electorate – What sells in Los Angeles does not necessarily sell in Cincinnati. However, Newsom may choose to continue leaning left, because if he is to ever become president, he first must win the Democrat Party nomination.
In the first year of his second term, Newsom will face a $25 billion budget deficit, historic homelessness, drought, and several industries that are leaving California or are shrinking substantially. How Newsom sees his political future, be that on a state or national stage, may be the greatest influence on the actions he takes on these and other important issues.
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CAWG Membership Renewals - RENEW TODAY!
Don't forget to renew your CAWG membership. All first invoices were sent in November, with second invoices going out next week!
Need a copy of your invoice? Contact Natalie Collins.
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Minimum Wage Increase + Ag Overtime Threshold Drops for Small Growers | |
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Minimum Wage: Effective on January 1, 2023, the minimum wage for hourly employees in California is now $15.50. Although the change applies to the entire state of California, some larger businesses in about 30 cities are already paying a higher local minimum wage.
Minimum wage FAQ
Overtime: California’s overtime rate for employers who employ 25 or fewer employees will change starting January 1, 2023. Employers with 25 or fewer employees will be required to pay overtime for all hours after an agricultural employee works over nine hours in a workday or over 50 hours in a workweek.
The chart below provides more details about the phase-in.
Overtime Read More
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California Provides Some (But Not Much) Guidance on New Pay Scale Disclosure Requirement: 6 Key Takeaways for Employers | |
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By Fisher Phillips
California officials recently updated their Equal Pay Act FAQs to answer a handful of questions about the state’s new pay transparency requirement for job postings — which went into effect on January 1. But California employers who were expecting their stockings to be filled with clarifications and insightful guidance from the state may instead be left feeling like they received a lump of coal. While the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement’s (DLSE’s) December 27 update provides some needed clarification regarding SB 1162, it leaves many questions unanswered and falls short of the more detailed and comprehensive guidance issued by states like Washington and Colorado regarding their own job posting requirements. Read more on the six key takeaways for employers as you prepare to comply with California’s new law.
READ MORE
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Cal/OSHA Permanent Regulation Compliance Packet - CAWG Discount | |
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As you may have heard, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted on December 15, 2022 to approve a new “permanent” Cal/OSHA regulation to replace the current Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which will be in effect for two years. Please review Fisher & Phillips LLP’s recent Insight for a detailed discussion of what is in the new regulation and how it differs from the ETS.
Effective Date of the New Regulation
The new regulation will be effective when reviewed and approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and filed with the Secretary of State. OAL has thirty (30) “working days” to complete their review. While we do not know precisely how long they will take, it appears that it will likely be sometime in January before the new regulation is effective. It is important to note that according to Cal/OSHA the ETS will remain in effect until the new regulation is approved (even if this takes the ETS beyond the end of the year).
Compliance Packet
Fisher & Phillips LLP has prepared a compliance packet with everything an employer will need to comply with the new regulation. This packet is available for purchase at $750. Please note that this is a completely new regulation and a new compliance packet.
VIEW MORE INFORMATION
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USDA Announces January 2023 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers | |
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This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for January 2023. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans
FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time, or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.
Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for January 2023 are as follows:
Access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process Loan Assistance Tool.
Additional information on Commodity and Storage Facility Loans, Pandemic and Disaster Support, and Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Producers.
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McCarthy Loses 11th Vote for Speaker as Rivals Refuse to Budge | |
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For a third consecutive day, a group of 20 Republicans denied GOP leader Kevin McCarthy the speaker’s gavel.
It marked the 11th straight defeat for McCarthy, who has vowed to fight on. While he still maintained support from roughly 90% of his GOP colleagues, the 20 Republicans banded together and were able to block McCarthy from securing the majority of the House needed to be elected speaker (a number that can shift).
The inability to agree on a leader also raises questions about whether Republicans will force a government shutdown or risk default later this year in a bid to extract steep spending cuts. Some of the holdouts say they expect McCarthy or any other Republican speaker to take that approach.
If McCarthy ultimately fails to unite Republicans, they would have to search for an alternative. Possibilities include No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise and Representative Jim Jordan, who have both backed McCarthy. Jordan received 20 votes when nominated by the holdouts on Tuesday. At the time, Jordan said he plans to continue supporting McCarthy.
READ MORE
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Sen. Debbie Stabenow Will Not Seek Reelection in 2024 | |
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Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced today that she will not seek reelection next year. Stabenow has been a champion for agriculture and rural communities and will be a huge loss for agriculture in the senate.
Her departure opens a Senate seat in a key battleground state as Democrats prepare to defend their majority in the upper chamber in 2024. Stabenow, 72, said she will step down from the Senate after more than two decades in office. She said has been "inspired by a new generation of leaders" and decided to "pass the torch." Her term concludes Jan. 3, 2025.
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Optimizing Labor Management with IntelliCulture | |
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Join the California Association of Winegrape Growers on Tuesday, January 17th at 1:00pm for a webinar to discuss best practices for optimizing labor in your vineyard. Presenting will be IntelliCulture CEO, Cole Powers, and Chris Pierce, Constellation Brands. This session will share real-world examples from the vineyard in measuring and improving efficiency to decrease operational costs.
This webinar will review three main case studies:
1. Efficiency Benchmarking for Staff: Implementing training and incentivization programs
2. Block Level Cost Accounting: Automated labor tracking for billing and improved budgeting
3. Risk Mitigation and Safety: Leveraging daily safety and spray reports to prevent critical mistakes
If you are ready to increase efficiency, streamline processes, and optimize your operation, this webinar is for you!
REGISTER
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Silicon Valley Bank - State of the Wine Industry | |
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Wednesday, January 18, 2023
9:00AM – 10:30AM PST
WEBINAR
Silicon Valley Bank will be hosting its annual state of the industry webinar on Wednesday, January 18th to review findings from the new 2023 State of the Wine Industry Report.
REGISTER
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Webinars - $120 Million in Tax Credits for Businesses | |
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The next California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) application period starts Tuesday, January 3, 2023, with $120 million in available tax credits. Businesses interested in applying can register to view a live webinar explaining the application process.
CCTC is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to come to California or stay and grow in California and create quality, full-time jobs. Tax credit agreements are negotiated by Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and approved by the CCTC Committee. For more information about GO-Biz visit: www.business.ca.gov.
The deadline to submit applications is Monday, January 23, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) and the online application website will automatically close once this deadline has passed. The online application can be accessed starting January 3, 2023, at www.calcompetes.ca.gov.
Upcoming Webinars
January 12, 2023
Details and Registration
January 17, 2023
Details and Registration
For assistance, contact CalCompetes@gobiz.ca.gov or (916) 322-4051. An application guide, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), program regulations, and a downloadable version of the webinar presentation are available here.
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Exciting CAWG & Other Event Opportunities During Unified | |
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There are several different CAWG opportunities to take advantage of during the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium.
CAWG Member Discount - - REMINDER
Your CAWG membership entitles you to a $200 discount on your 2023 UW&GS registration. To secure your pre-registration discount, you must register no later than January 17, 2023. The registration discount may be used for all employees of your company, so the more you register, the more you save! You will need your CAWG code to register. REGISTER HERE
CAWG Conference Room Rental
Need a place to meet during the 2023 UW&GS? The CAWG Conference Room is located just two blocks from the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center & across from the Hyatt. The room includes internet access, space for up to 30 people, screen and conference room phone. You are allowed to bring in outside food and beverage. The room is available from 8 am - 5 pm, January 24 - 26, for $100/hr. ONLY available to CAWG Members! RENTAL INFORMATION
Awards of Excellence Reception
The 2023 CAWG Awards of Excellence Reception will be taking place on Tuesday, January 24, at 6:00 PM, immediately following the Unified Welcome Reception. CAWG will be honoring Dana Merrill, Mesa Vineyard Management as Grower of the Year and Jeanne Malitz, MalitzLaw as Leader of the Year. We invite all CAWG members to join at no cost. PRESS RELEASE
WGA Annual Luncheon
It’s that time of year again, where nationwide industry members come together for the Winegrape Growers of America annual Leadership Luncheon. The luncheon will take place during the 2023 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, at the Hyatt Regency, in Sacramento. The lunch program will include a special panel on "The Gentle Power of Collaboration" with several industry leaders, moderated by Jason Smith, Smith Family Wines, followed by presentation of the Rich Smith Award of Excellence. Please join us for an afternoon with good food, excellence wine and an opportunity to network with your peers. REGISTER HERE
CAWG PAC Event
Join the CAWG PAC for a rockin' good time at the Torch Club on Wednesday, January 25 in downtown Sacramento. Live music will be on tap by Remedy 7, featuring our very own Michael Miiller (CAWG's Director of Government Relations) on drums. Sponsorship Opportunities are available! REGISTER HERE
Questions
CAWG Member Code & Conference Room Rental
Natalie Collins | natalie@cawg.org | 916-379-8995
CAWG Awards of Excellence & CAWG PAC Event
Jenny Devine | jenny@cawg.org | 916-432-0133
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2023 Family Business Survey | |
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Family Enterprise USA is a national organization that advocates on behalf of American multi-generational businesses. They are conducting their annual survey to gather data to show legislators in DC that family businesses are vital to America and our communities!
Please take the 5-minute survey and thank you for being supportive of our work!
Thank you, the Family Enterprise USA team
TAKE SURVEY
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