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The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will not send a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom asking for changes to the state’s plastic packaging law implementation as of its Tuesday board meeting, marking a course change after the board voted in July to move forward with a note.
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Newsom signed Senate Bill 54 — California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act — into law in 2022 with a phased roll-out. The law will overhaul California’s entire plastics and packaging use system in the food industry and beyond.
The letter would have been a win for the agriculture industry’s large players who strongly oppose it as written. The state board heard pleas for intervention from industry groups representing those growers at last month’s board meeting.
Don Cameron, president of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, told The Sacramento Bee that the board is “still working with the governor’s office” on SB 54. Josh Eddy, executive director of the agriculture board, said there would be “no action at this time” regarding a letter.
California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross said briefings have been taking place between her department, the board and the Governor’s Office regarding SB 54, which is what led to the board’s decision to not send a letter.
“In this particular case, it seemed person-to-person dialogue was the more appropriate way,” Ross said.
The Governor’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.
Agriculture associations and lobbying groups representing large growers say while they are supportive of reducing plastic waste and furthering sustainability, they have asked the state for amendments to the policy and more time for implementation. They say the law as it is now will cost Californians billions of dollars. These cost increases, they say, will come by way of millions of dollars in fines for food producers who do not comply with the law, which will then lead to higher grocery bills for consumers.
Board members expressed sympathy and shared concerns with industry representatives who spoke at last month’s board meeting. The board voted to draft a letter to the Newsom administration outlining concerns and suggestions such as roll-out delays and the creation of a technical committee with the agriculture community.
The August board meeting agenda had a line item to discuss the draft of the letter, but Cameron announced at the beginning of the gathering that it was scratched.
The state board advises the governor and state agriculture secretary. It is composed of 15 members who represent California’s $61 billion agriculture industry that grows over 400 commodities. There is currently one vacancy on the board.
The law aims to reduce plastic packaging waste and ensure that waste is recycled. The state argues the law is necessary in order to meet its recycling and climate goals and will Californians over $53 billion. Representatives for larger agricultural interests say the state’s cost predictions for producers are severe underestimates.
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Packaging makes up 50% of landfill waste volume, according to CalRecycle. With SB 54, the state has three plastic and packaging requirements to hit by 2032:
- 25% reduction in single-use plastic
- 65% recycling rate in single-use plastic
- 100% rate of recyclable or compostable single-use packaging.
Agriculture groups representing large players in the industry expressed optimism but also disappointment in the board’s decision to not send a letter asking for changes to SB 54’s implementation.
“We’ve been working with CDFA leadership … since the bill was signed into law. They are fully aware of the issues, and I’m sure they are absolutely engaging with the governor’s office on it,” said Emily Rooney, president of Agricultural Council of California.
While glad that the board mentioned ongoing conversations with the Newsom administration, Gail Delihant, senior director of government affairs in California for Western Growers, a large agricultural trade association, said a formal letter would have more impact.
“They were all very enthusiastic about understanding the severity (of this issue for the) agricultural … community when I was there, and I really thought they were going to alert the governor and his office,” Delihant said. “…This is very disappointing to say the least.”
The California law mimics environmental policies in other states, including Colorado and Oregon. The policies are also known as extended producer responsibility programs. California’s program is being challenged in court by environmentalists who say the law doesn’t go far enough and by states that argue the law will extend across their borders.
There are various exemptions to the law, including two that will allow most small producers to be excluded: if a producer earns under $1 million in gross annual sales and/or if a producer harvests and packs goods in the field. A group representing small farmers strongly supports SB 54.
California growers, packers and shippers had to submit plastic packaging reduction plans to Circular Action Alliance, a national nonprofit organization tasked with managing state extended producer responsibility laws, by Aug. 1.
Circular Action Alliance submitted its plan to California on June 15, and the SB 54 Advisory Board and the public have until Aug. 14 to review the plan and submit comments. CalRecycle must approve the plan on or before Jan. 1, 2027, and then the program begins.
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This story was originally published August 4, 2026 at 4:53 PM.