nov-dec-2020

ADVOCACY REPORT Writing Our Future Amid this unparalleled year, Ag Council continues its core mission to provide a voice to cooperatives and farmer-owned businesses in the state legislative and regulatory arenas. Ag Council consistently takes a proactive approach to forge new partnerships and create alliances to achieve positive outcomes. Writing our future in California requires taking a unique and sometimes unconventional approach to politics as usual, and it involves working with traditional and non-traditional allies. This effort also requires investments in elections to carve a strategic path for our members and agriculture, and we must take risks to make a difference. California Voters Reject Prop 15 In 2020, one of those risks Ag Council vigorously took on was to successfully oppose Prop 15 — the largest property tax increase in state history. We are pleased voters rejected this massive property tax hike, which would have devastated family-owned farms. Thanks to Blue Diamond and other Ag Council members who stepped up to provide needed funding to inform voters about the dangers of Prop 15 to the agricultural community. Ag Council raised over $557,000, and this significant commitment assisted in the defeat of the measure. Unity among statewide agricultural associations was crucial to help stop the measure. Ag Council collaborated with California Farm Bureau Federation and Western Growers, under the coalition umbrella, Family Farmers Against Prop 15. Ag Council also supported the larger statewide No on Prop 15 committee comprising hundreds of unique partners from throughout California. Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable and co-chair of the No on Prop 15 campaign said, “Prop 15 was defeated as a direct result of the agricultural coalition co-chaired by Ag Council. You were one of the earliest leaders to oppose split roll and your efforts with agriculture and the business community reflect true leadership to protect all Californians from the largest tax increase in California history. We could not have been successful without your help.“ State Legislature Though a massive “Blue Wave” did not occur as predicted by pundits, the outcome of the 2020 Election did result in an expanded supermajority for Democrats in the State Senate. This is because two seats in Southern California “flipped” in favor of Democrats. In the Assembly, much remains the same with just one seat switching from Democrat to Republican. Post-election, the political makeup of each chamber reflects the following: • Democrats in the State Senate now hold 77 percent of the seats — well over a supermajority • Assembly Democrats have a 75 percent supermajority 3 8 A L M O N D F A C T S