Advocacy in Action: California Farm Bureau tackles New World screwworm, USDA support, fungicide strategy, Colorado River and employment technology

New World screwworm

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 12 cases of New World screwworm, or NWS, within the United States as of June 15. Confirmed detections include eight cattle cases, two goat herds and one sheep flock in Texas, and a dog in southeastern New Mexico. USDA, along with state animal health officials, continues surveillance, detection and mitigation efforts to limit further spread.

The risk to California remains low. However, producers should remain informed and vigilant. To date, the Mexican states closest to California and Arizona remain free of NWS detections, although more than 27,000 cases have been confirmed in Mexico since the pest was first detected there in late 2024.

NWS is a parasitic fly whose larvae infest living animals by burrowing into flesh and feeding on living tissue. The pest can affect livestock, pets, wildlife and, in rare instances, people. If left untreated, infestations can cause severe injury and death.

The United States successfully eradicated NWS in 1966 using sterile insect release programs and later eliminated a localized outbreak in the Florida Keys in 2017. Following the reemergence of NWS in southern Mexico, USDA suspended imports of live cattle, bison and horses from Mexico and has supported extensive sterile fly releases and eradication efforts. Despite these efforts, approximately 2,000 active cases remain in Mexico.

USDA continues to lead a coordinated “one health” response involving federal, state and international partners. Officials emphasize that NWS is not a food-safety issue, and the current risk to animals and people in the United States remains very low.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture encourages livestock owners to inspect livestock, horses and pets daily for wounds or unusual fly activity; clean, treat and cover wounds immediately; monitor animal movement requirements and restrictions; and contact a veterinarian or local CDFA district office immediately if unusual larvae are observed in an animal wound.

USDA support

California Farm Bureau last week joined more than 100 agricultural organizations in a letter urging congressional appropriators to provide additional funding and staffing support for local U.S. Department of Agriculture offices of the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The coalition highlighted growing concerns that staffing reductions, retirements and workforce attrition have led to delays and service disruptions in USDA field offices across the country, including in California. These offices play a critical role in administering farm programs, conservation assistance, disaster relief and technical support for farmers. 

According to the letter, several USDA agencies have experienced significant workforce losses during the past year, creating challenges for producers seeking timely access to programs and services. The coalition urged Congress to provide adequate funding to help maintain staffing levels and ensure farmers and ranchers can continue receiving the support they need.

California Farm Bureau will continue advocating for resources that strengthen USDA’s ability to deliver essential services to agricultural communities.

Fungicide strategy

California Farm Bureau joined an extension request in a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week, urging it to consider a 90-day deadline extension for a comment period on its draft fungicide strategy.

The measure is intended to identify practical, science-based protections that fungicide users can adopt to safeguard more than 1,000 federally endangered and threatened species. 

Farm Bureau has previously commented on past strategies, urging consideration on the impacts farmers could face from overly onerous and complicated regulatory requirements. The organization welcomes member feedback as it determines priorities and comments for the rule.

Colorado River

The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held an oversight hearing last week focused on the future of the Colorado River Basin and ongoing negotiations about water allocations and reservoir operations.

The seven basin states have been working for more than a year to develop a long-term agreement governing water use and storage after existing operating guidelines expire. However, states have thus far been unable to meet federal deadlines for reaching a consensus, increasing the possibility that the U.S. Department of the Interior may ultimately establish its own framework for future river operations.

During the hearing, lawmakers expressed frustration with the slow pace of negotiations and continuing uncertainty surrounding one of the nation’s most important water supplies. Committee Chairman Mike Lee, R-Utah, cautioned that states pursuing litigation against one another about Colorado River operations should not expect additional federal funding support from Congress.

Meanwhile, Alex Padilla, D-California, emphasized the importance of maintaining sufficient water levels in Lake Mead, a critical reservoir that helps provide water to more than 20 million people across California, Arizona and Nevada.

Whether basin states ultimately reach a negotiated agreement or the Interior Department steps in with its own proposal remains one of the most significant water policy questions facing the West. 

Employment technology

Two bills regulating the use of artificial intelligence and workplace technology, which California Farm Bureau opposes, advanced out of the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee and will be heard in the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee.

Senate Bill 947 by Jerry McNerney, D-Stockton, would regulate the use of automated decision-making systems in the workplace, including many low-risk workforce management tools commonly used by employers. Farm Bureau is concerned the bill would create significant compliance obligations and increased legal liability for employers using modern technologies to support personnel management and business operations.

Senate Bill 951 by Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-Colton, would expand California’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act by imposing new notification requirements on employers when workforce reductions are alleged to be connected to the implementation of technology or automation. Farm Bureau believes the proposal would create additional regulatory burdens and uncertainty for employers making operational decisions.

SB 947 passed the committee on a 5-1 vote on June 10, while SB 951 passed on a 5-2 vote the same day. 

In this edition…

• Labor expenses push farmers to automate
• Policymakers, ag leaders gather to discuss key issues
• Regulatory costs put Napa County wine future at risk
• CCA Today: Managing soil health using biostimulants
• Counties struggle with new abandoned orchard law
• On the Record: How farmers can help fight wildfires
• Virtual workshop on disaster relief funding is July 9
• Local farmers grow malting barley for brewing beer
• How can growers monitor and control citrus scale pests?
• Water uniformity tool helps farmers identify savings
• Fix poor infiltration with gypsum and water tests
• Dial 811 first to protect your land, workers and neighbors
• Advocacy in Action: Farm Bureau tackles New World screwworm, USDA support, fungicide strategy, Colorado River and employment technology