Supreme Court seems ready to rule against unions in farm case [Associated Press]
The Supreme Court appeared ready Monday to side with two California agriculture businesses that want to bar labor organizers from their property, a case that could be another blow to unions. … While the access regulation is unique to California, unions and others say ruling for the businesses could threaten regulations that allow government to access private property to conduct workplace health and safety inspections, among other things. … The court could also side with the businesses without making a broad ruling.
Editorial: The Supreme Court should side with California farmworker organizers in this case [Los Angeles Times]
… Property owners have rights, including fair compensation if their property is taken by the government. But in the case of the California regulation, the owner neither loses access nor suffers harm when organizers visit under proscribed conditions to talk to workers about their right to form a union. … The justices should recognize that the California regulation strikes a reasonable balance of interests.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-03-23/supreme-court-california-farmworker-organizers
Sonoma County wine industry has vaccinated over 95% of essential vineyard and production workers [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
More than 95% of Sonoma County’s 8,000 essential vineyard and winery workers have now been vaccinated, wine industry leaders announced Monday, the result of a coordinated effort with local health clinics that California’s top agriculture official lauded as a model for the state. … Tawny Tesconi, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, aims to speed up vaccinations for vulnerable agriculture workers by using the model established by the wine industry. Only about 26% of local agriculture workers have received immunizations, Tesconi estimates. Her organization is acting as a “clearing house” for local farms, dairies, creameries and meat processors.
Farm Bureau: 25% of Monterey County farmworkers receive COVID-19 vaccine [KION TV, Monterey/Salinas]
The Monterey County Farm Bureau and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California announced that about 25% of the expected farmworker population in the Salinas Valley has received a COVID-19 vaccine. The farm bureau and GSA said that number was achieved after several vaccine clinics in Monterey and Santa Cruz County specifically designated for farmworkers and efforts to get more vaccines from the state supply. … The farm bureau and GSA said there will be more clinics for Monterey County farmworkers in the coming weeks, and they will include temporary workers arriving in the county for harvest crews.
Local growers see price bump from Texas storm [Bakersfield Californian]
The winter storm that knocked out power across Texas last month has become the latest example of Mother Nature picking agricultural winners and losers — and this time it’s Kern County growers coming out on top. U.S. and Canadian grocery stores that were forced to look elsewhere after extreme weather clobbered Texas citrus orchards have turned to California grapefruit growers, including Kern County producers who normally focus on markets around the Pacific Rim. … Meanwhile, some consumers may be tasting California grapefruit for the first time.
Opinion: On this National Ag Day, celebrate our farming heroes who grow food and fiber for America [Fresno Bee]
… If this past year has taught us anything, it is that our agricultural community is resilient yet human. For a year now, while our faces may have been covered by masks, our neighbors throughout the nation have seen our images toiling to bring a reliable, safe and affordable food supply to those who haven’t given much thought before to where their meals come from. On this National Ag Day, pause and give thanks to our agricultural heroes. Recognize the diversity of food, fiber, flora and fuel gained from our nation’s agriculture is not something we can take for granted. Real people throughout the farm-to-fork process made it all happen.
https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article250121619.html
Opinion: Agriculture workers perform essential work [Napa Valley Register]
… As we continue to deal with the effects of COVID-19 and other challenges facing agriculture at the moment, it is important to recognize the men and women in Napa County who have continued to face the challenge head on and who strive to rebuild our economy and communities in this unprecedented time. It is important for us in Napa County to pause and recognize the positive and significant impact that agriculture has on our communities. … During this National Agriculture Week, the Napa County Farm Bureau applauds and thanks the men and women of Napa Valley agriculture for continuing to provide their essential services during this time of unequaled adversity.
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