California smothers future efforts to burn agriculture waste

DAILY Bites

• SB-705 bans most agricultural burning to improve air quality.

• Farmers face high cost for alternatives.

• Burning reduced from 1 million tons in 2021 to 122,000 tons by 2023 in one area alone.

DAILY Discussion

The timing could be any more eyebrow-raising as a two-decade-old bill to ban agricultural burning has finally fully gone into effect in California. The long-delayed effort, called Senate Bill 703, officially started last week and bans nearly all agricultural burning in an effort to reduce air pollution. This comes while “California” and “fires” are at the front of people’s minds nationally, as the Eaton and Palisades fires have claimed 24 lives and destroyed more than 10,000 structures. (The causes of those blazes is suspected to be either arson or utility lines.)

The bill in question, SB-705, was introduced over 20 years ago by then-State Sen. Dean Florez and aims to curb the spread of air pollutants by prohibiting the open burning of agricultural waste.

Florez, who now serves on the California Air Resources Board, acknowledged the lengthy process to bring the law to fruition, describing it as “tough sledding.” Despite the challenges, he expressed satisfaction in seeing the ban finally enforced, emphasizing its significance in protecting air quality.

The bill defines agricultural waste as including field crops, prunings, weed abatement, orchard debris, and surface harvested prunings. According to the National Institutes of Health, just a few years ago, California burned the largest acreage of crop residue of any state, producing an estimated six tons per day seasonally of fine particulate matter. By comparison, a densely populated city like Los Angeles produces 11 tons per day (when there are no wildfires raging).

Advocates of the regulation, such as Stephen Montgomery, chair of the Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club, told 23abc that they view the law as a critical step toward limiting harmful emissions. Sierra Club consistently opposes agricultural practices from larger-scale operations with few exceptions. 

However, farmers expressed significant concerns. Jonny Holtermann, a fourth-generation farmer and president of the Kern County Farm Bureau, pointed out to the news station that the transition to alternatives has been costly.

Subsidies from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District have been made available, but the funds are limited, and it remains uncertain whether additional financial support will come from state or federal sources.

A series of postponed deadlines marked the path to enforcement before a staggered rollout began in 2021. While some financial assistance was provided to help farmers adapt, the overall costs of compliance have left many growers frustrated.

Critics argue that the new regulations place California farmers at a competitive disadvantage due to the higher costs of alternative waste disposal methods.

Despite the opposition, the deadline for full implementation held firm this time. As of last week, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District may issue agricultural burn permits only under limited conditions, such as for disease prevention or specific crop types.

Florez reflected that while he initially advocated for an immediate ban, he now recognizes the importance of a gradual transition. “Farmers needed time to adopt new technologies and practices, and giving them that time has made this transition more sustainable and lasting,” Florez said. “There will be no delays, no loopholes, and no turning back.”

Historically, burns in California have been concentrated in three regions: San Joaquin Valley, Butte County, and Imperial Valley. Growers in the San Joaquin Valley, for example, burned over a million tons of agricultural waste annually. In 2021, it was agreed that the law would be phased in, with large farms the first to be affected and a near-total ban coming into force at the start of 2025.

As of this month, the  San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District can only issue burn permits for certain crops to prevent the spread of disease.

In 2021, these renewed efforts reduced the amount of waste being burned by San Joaquin Valley farmers from around 1 million tons to 480,000 tons. By 2023, Air Quality News notes that this had dropped to 122,000 tons.