California lawmakers wrapped up a consequential week in Sacramento with major budget decisions and legislation that could have lasting implications for agriculture.

In this episode of Seen & Herd, Western United Dairies CEO Anja Raudabaugh joins us to break down what happened and what dairy farmers need to know.

The conversation begins with AB 2253, legislation connected to California’s single-use packaging and recycling requirements under SB 54. Anja explains why negotiations around the bill ultimately became unworkable for agriculture and food processors, WUD’s concerns about additional costs making their way through the supply chain, and why the organization is preparing to request a veto from Governor Newsom.

From there, we turn to the state budget and the funding decisions that will directly affect California agriculture. Anja walks through where funding landed for water conveyance and subsidence repairs, land repurposing, groundwater storage and recharge, the FARMER program and other agricultural priorities. She also discusses several WUD priorities that went unfunded, including LandFlex and efforts related to berm infiltration, as well as the significant reductions made to other historically important agricultural programs.

Those individual funding decisions lead to a much bigger conversation about California’s approach to water, farmland and affordability. Anja argues that while Sacramento continues to measure conservation successes in acres, California’s agricultural economy depends on acre-feet of reliable water supply. Retiring farmland alone does not create the water infrastructure or supply needed to sustain farms, food production and growing communities.

So where does WUD go from here? Anja discusses the need to regroup, look for new opportunities to invest in water supply and storage, reduce regulatory barriers to groundwater recharge and continue making the case for policies that allow California dairy farmers and agriculture to remain productive and resilient.

Listen for the full legislative and budget update and a look at the work ahead for WUD.