Business News
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- Written by: California Department of Food and Agriculture
Through a two-phase competitive solicitation process, the SCBGP awards funds to projects that solely enhance the competitiveness of California specialty crops.
Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).
The SCBGP program priorities are intended to address the current needs of California's specialty crop industry and help guide prospective applicants to submit projects that address the most significant issues affecting the industry.
For 2021, CDFA is proposing changes to the priorities to respond to challenges related to COVID-19 and address issues of farmer equity.
Interested parties should review the Proposed Program Priorities and may attend a web-based public listening session or submit emailed comments.
To register for a webinar, please email
Public comments may also be submitted directly to
Comments from specialty crop stakeholders are strongly encouraged. The input received will be published on the CDFA SCBGP website and considered during the development of the final program priorities for 2021.
Listening Session Schedule:
– Webinar 1: Aug. 20, 1 to 3 p.m. PDT.
– Webinar 2: Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to noon PDT.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Proposed final regulations were submitted to the Office of Administrative Law, or OAL, by Attorney General Becerra on June 1, 2020.
During OAL's review process, additional revisions were made to the proposed regulations. The approved regulations go into effect immediately.
"In California, privacy is an inalienable right. Californians should control who possesses their personal data and how it’s used,” said Attorney General Becerra. “With these rules finalized, California breaks ground and leads the nation to protect and advance data privacy. These rules guide consumers and businesses alike on how to implement the California Consumer Privacy Act. As we face a pandemic of historic proportions, it is particularly critical to be mindful of personal data security.”
The California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, was signed into law on June 28, 2018, and was further amended on September 23, 2018, by SB 1121 and on Oct. 11, 2019, by AB 25, AB 874, AB 1146, AB 1355 and AB 1564. The law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.
CCPA grants California consumers robust data privacy rights and control over their personal information including the right to know, the right to delete, and the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information that businesses collect, and includes additional protections for minors.
The regulations establish procedures for compliance and exercise of rights, as well as clarifying important transparency and accountability mechanisms for businesses subject to the law.
The regulations approved by OAL were drafted after a broad and inclusive preliminary rulemaking process, which included seven public forums, during which the office received over 300 letters.
During the formal rulemaking process, Attorney General Becerra held four public hearings throughout the state, along with a 45-day comment period and two subsequent 15-day comment periods.
These comment periods resulted in the submission of over 1,000 public comments, each of which were taken into consideration when drafting the final regulations.
A copy of the approved final regulations can be found here.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, it is very important that businesses have access to the equipment necessary to protect their staff and customers.
They will help offset the cost the expense businesses are shouldering to keep the community safe and keep Lake County open for business.
Supplies will be available to businesses in quantities of 50 disposable surgical masks and one 16.9-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer per employee.
Business resource information will also be provided courtesy of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the Lake County Economic Development Corp.
Businesses will be asked for their business name and contact information, and number of employees during pickup. No documentation will be required. These supplies are meant for businesses and nonprofit organizations with 25 or fewer employees, but some exceptions may be made for larger businesses that have been unable to secure or finance the purchase of these items.
This safety equipment has been made available to California small businesses through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of the Small Business Advocate.
This distribution has been made possible through a strong network of local, regional, and State partners including Lake County businesses and business associations, the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport, Lake County Health Services, Adventist Health, Bruno’s Foods, Calpine, WestAmerica Bank, the Lake County Economic Development Corp., the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and many others.
Small businesses can pick up these supplies during normal business hours at the following locations:
– Clearlake Chamber of Commerce, 14295 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.
– Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive, Clearlake.
– Community Development Services, 3895 Main St., Kelseyville.
– Lake County Chamber of Commerce, 875 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport.
– Lake County Economic Development Corp./Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St. Lakeport.
– Aurora RV Park, 2895 Lakeshore Blvd., Nice.
– Lakeview Supermarket & Deli, 6084 Highway 20, Lucerne.
– Royalty Realty, Main Street, Upper Lake.
– Cobb Resource Hub, 16595 Highway 175, Cobb (two doors down from Cobb Post Office, Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon to 4 p.m.
– Middletown Mail & More, 21373 Highway 175, Unit D, Middletown.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Public Health said recent trends in Lake County and statewide data have shown frontline workers in retail businesses and other fields requiring public contact are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.
The following tools offer guidance for businesses:
– Return to Work Protocols for Local Businesses with COVID Exposure ;
– COVID-19 Employer Playbook .
For more information contact Public Health at
- CDFA’s Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel seeks public comments on Organic Systems Plan option
- California State Board of Food and Agriculture to discuss food assistance and farmer response to COVID-19
- California fisheries relief funding soon to be available for select sectors affected by COVID-19
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