Panelists L-R: Rick Tomlinson – CA Strawberry Commission, Tricia Geringer – Ag Council, & Paul Towers – Community Alliance with Family Farmers. Not pictured, but participating remotely: Gail Delihant – Western Growers Association.
Ag Council Participates on State Board of Food & Ag Panel
—
Ag Council Vice President of Government Affairs Tricia Geringer spoke on a panel this week during CDFA’s State Board of Food and Agriculture’s July meeting regarding implementation of SB 54, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, SB 54.
Ag Council appreciated the opportunity to provide the Board with an update on the packaging regulation and its impact on our members.
Among its provisions, the law requires that all single use packaging (plastic and otherwise) be 100 percent compostable or recyclable by 2032 and mandates a 25 percent statewide source reduction of single-use plastic packaging by 2032.
Below is an excerpt from Ag Council’s comments to the Board.
SB 54 represents one of the most consequential regulatory changes facing food and agriculture today—comparable in scope to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act—because it affects nearly every segment of the food and ag supply chain while many implementation costs remain unknown.
Though an on-farm exclusion is in the law, and narrow opportunities for exclusions and exemptions are available, the regulation is going to be extremely costly to implement.
CalRecycle estimates implementation will cost approximately $21 billion over five years. In food and ag, that estimate does not include investments in research and development, manufacturing equipment for new packaging lines, software, staffing or compliance with similar laws in other states. Final fee rates are expected to be released in October.
Ag Council’s team is regularly meeting with members and our priorities are straightforward:
* minimize compliance costs;
* reduce supply chain impacts;
* evaluate legal and regulatory options;
* review available pathways under federal regulations related to exclusions and exemptions, although those options appear limited;
* continue working collaboratively with stakeholders, Circular Action Alliance, CalRecycle, CDFA and other state agencies.
Ag Council has also engaged with CDFA Secretary Ross and CDFA Undersecretary Birdsong in regular discussions, and we greatly appreciate their efforts.
We seek a workable compliance pathway for products where plastics remain necessary, such as for food safety or to prevent the spread of agricultural pests and diseases.
Harmonization with other states is also vital to promote greater consistency in packaging requirements. Without greater harmonization, producers will face an increasingly complex patchwork of laws and regulations, which drives up costs impacting affordability throughout the supply chain.
Interested in learning more about SB 54 and Ag Council’s work? Click HERE to read an op-ed by Ag Council President Emily Rooney.
Get to Know Ag Council’s Intern – Gianna Vaccarezza
—
Ag Council is pleased to welcome Gianna Vaccarezza who is working with our team as an intern.
Gianna has been working for Ag Council remotely while at school since January 2026 and spent the earlier part of summer working on her family’s farm during cherry harvest. Ag Council is pleased to have her in-person during the summer.
“I have loved working for Ag Council, and I am thrilled to be able to come in-person during the summer. I am excited to learn more about the policies affecting farmers and help advance thoughtful solutions that enable California agriculture to thrive.” Vaccarezza said.
Gianna grew up in Linden where her family farms walnuts, cherries, apples, almonds, and olives. She is a senior at Auburn University majoring in Agriculture Business and Economics with minors in Environmental Law and Agriculture Leadership.
At Auburn University, Gianna serves as an Ag Ambassador giving tours of the College of Agriculture to potential students and representing the University at various events. She participates on the College of Agriculture’s student council as an Outreach Chair where she coordinates sponsorships for the college, and she serves on the officer team for the Agriculture Business Club, which connects with industry professionals to learn about their career paths and opportunities in the industry.
Outside of the college, Gianna is an active member of her sorority where she served as Delta Zeta’s Vice President of New Member Education. In this role, she led the onboarding and development of new members throughout their transition into Delta Zeta and facilitated educational programming, mentorship, and chapter integration to help new members build strong connections and understand the values, traditions, and expectations of the organization.
After graduation, she plans on attending law school and working in agriculture policy.