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California farmers are pushing back on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal to conserve 30% of the state’s land by 2030.

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture and has tapped Gloria Montaño Greene as deputy undersecretary for farm production and conservation.

Even as congressional Democrats push through a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package, attention is turning to legislation that could be use to fund agricultural climate initiatives: an infrastructure package that could be in the range of $3 trillion.

An organic agriculture leader is hoping for more diverse perspectives in USDA discussions about climate change.

Advocates for minority farmers say historical discrimination justifies providing payments totaling 120% of debt held by “socially disadvantaged” farmers, as approved by the House Agriculture Committee in its $16.1 billion COVID relief package, part of a larger $1.9 trillion relief bill to be considered by the full House of Representatives.

The California Legislature is planning an active session this year to make up for lost time in 2020.

Have you received a new mailer from USDA, asking for help on the next census?

The Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm Vilsack as the nation’s Secretary of Agriculture, giving the former Iowa governor another term at the helm of USDA.

PG&E is expected to increase rates by 4%, which adds up to a 40% overall increase since 2013.

The Adverse Effect Wage Rate that farmers are required to pay H-2A workers is rising by an average of 4.5% nationally to $14.62 per hour this year, with some western and Plains states seeing significantly higher increases.