Advocacy

Agriculture is an essential part of our daily lives and is increasingly the subject of legislation and regulatory interest. It’s impossible to be at every meeting and stay current with local, state, and federal issues impacting agriculture, so Farm Bureau is there when you can’t be. Farm Bureau advocates for farmers and ranchers throughout the agicultural community in venues including the State Capitol, Halls of Congress, the Courthouse, and offices of state and federal regulatory agencies. Your Solano County, California, and American Farm Bureaus all work together to represent YOU.

At Solano County Farm Bureau, our Board of Directors, staff, and members work together to be present and participate in local meetings such as the Supervisor’s Meeting, Land Use and Transportation Committee Meeting, and Solano County Water Agency Meeting, just to name a few. Our goal is to protect agriculture by finding solutions to problems facing the farm, farm home, and rural community.

Thriving agriculture is vital to Solano County. We are fortunate that our region grows an abundance of diverse commodities. We boast resilient farmers and ranchers that will rise to any challenge to produce the food and fiber that America and other countries need, even as those challenges may change dramatically. While we have just over 700 farms* in Solano County, this number has dwindled over the years, so it is even more imperative that we protect our agricultural community for generations to come.

*2023 Solano County Crop Report

The Solano County Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)

Prior to the development of the Solano Project, groundwater was extensively used in Solano County both for municipal supplies and for agriculture. One of the main reasons for the development of the Solano Project was to rectify groundwater overdraft in some of the agricultural areas. Once the Solano Project started making agricultural water deliveries, groundwater levels rebounded.

Regional Board: Wineries Require Stormwater Permit

The California Farm Bureau Federation, California Wine Institute, Family Winemakers of California, California Association of Winegrape Growers and others have developed the attached two-page guidance document to help our members understand the new Stormwater permitting requirements put on small wineries, food processors and others. The document focus is geared towards winery operations, but should assist other food processing operations and is intended to offer assistance in complying with these requirements that are new to many of our small wineries and processors. This two-page guidance document was also mailed recently to a list of wineries obtained from a winery publication.

**This program should not be confused with the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program, which is a program developed by the regional water quality control boards to address runoff from agricultural irrigation practices.**

More Issues / Resources

Ground Water Legislation:
Click on links below for more Info
California Groundwater
Solano County Water Agency

Waters of the United States (WOTUS)

Bee Where * California Bee Keepers