The California Senate today unanimously approved Senator Jerry McNerney’s SB 279, which is designed to benefit farmers and winegrape growers by allowing them to compost large amounts of green waste onsite — now that California has banned nearly all agricultural burning in the San Joaquin Valley.
Press Release

CA Senate Greenlights McNerney’s Bill to Help Farmers and Winegrape Growers

The California Senate today unanimously approved Senator Jerry McNerney’s SB 279, which is designed to benefit farmers and winegrape growers by allowing them to compost large amounts of green waste onsite — now that California has banned nearly all agricultural burning in the San Joaquin Valley.

“With the banning of agricultural burning, California farmers and winegrape growers now must ship their green waste to large composting facilities, often hundreds of miles away at great expense,” said Sen. McNerney, D-Pleasanton, who is a member of the Senate Agricultural Committee. “SB 279 will provide California farms and vineyards with a more affordable alternative that is also good for the environment — the ability to compost large amounts of green waste onsite.”

SB 279 would also benefit community composting programs, urban farms, and school farms by allowing them to compost larger amounts of green waste onsite. 

The Senate approved SB 279 on a vote of 37-0. The bill now goes to the Assembly for consideration.

SB 279 is sponsored by Californians Against Waste, California Association of Winegrape Growers, Western Tree Nut Association, California Alliance for Community Composting, The Climate Center, and People Food & Land Foundation.

Currently, California has a shortage of composting facilities, making it even more challenging for farmers and winegrape growers to dispose of their green waste. According to a recent report from CalRecyle, the state needs 50 to 100 additional organic waste recycling facilities to meet current demand. 

SB 279 would enable:

  • Farmers and winegrape growers to compost onsite when they have large amounts of agricultural waste, such as when they remove an old orchard or vineyard, and combine their compost with agriculture waste from offsite;
  • Community composting, urban farms, and school farms to compost up to 500 cubic yards of green waste (they’re currently capped at 100 cubic yards);
  • Composting operations to sell or give away up to 5,000 cubic yards of compost a year (farms and vineyards are currently capped at 1,000 cubic yards).

 

Sen. Jerry McNerney is chair of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee and his 5th Senate District includes all of San Joaquin County and Alameda County’s Tri-Valley.