Rodents, Insurance Costs and SB 54 Top California Ag Concerns, Isom Says

One 160-acre California orchard suffered rodent damage in virtually every row, and a Fresno County grower abandoned harvest on an 80-acre block after rodents consumed much of the crop. Roger Isom, president and CEO of the Western Tree Nut Association and the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, delivered those figures in Part 2 of his conversation with Nick Papagni on the AgNet News Hour, laying out the cost pressures now hitting California growers.

How bad is the rodent damage?

The damage runs through irrigation infrastructure, tree bark, crops and equipment. Isom described one grower who replaced damaged irrigation lines only to find rodents had destroyed the new system within days. Stripped bark, consumed crops and chewed equipment round out the loss picture.

Isom warned that proposed restrictions on rodenticides could make an already expensive problem worse. Limiting available control methods, he argued, would leave growers with fewer tools against a threat already forcing some blocks out of production.

What is happening to insurance costs?

Some agricultural businesses have seen insurance cost increases exceeding 100%, according to Isom. Others cannot obtain enough coverage for stored commodities. Wildfire-related insurance challenges now reach agricultural operations even in areas with relatively limited wildfire exposure, he said.

The insurance squeeze compounds the rodent losses. Growers face higher premiums and coverage gaps at the same time infrastructure damage raises their operating costs.

What does SB 54 require?

California's packaging regulations under Senate Bill 54 already impose reporting requirements and fees on agricultural businesses tied to the state's recycling initiatives. Isom cautioned that differences between California's rules and emerging European Union regulations could create additional complications for growers and processors selling into multiple markets.

Compliance costs from divergent regimes would land on the same operations already absorbing insurance hikes and rodent damage.

How did the 2026 session go?

Isom offered a somewhat more encouraging assessment of the 2026 legislative session. Several proposals opposed by agricultural organizations failed to advance, he noted. Regulatory challenges involving labor, pesticides and workplace safety remain on the books regardless.

The legislative scoreboard matters less than the regulatory one. Agencies continue to shape grower costs through rulemaking that survived the session.

What should growers expect in 2027?

Uncertainty defines the outlook. Isom said the incoming state administration, regulatory appointments and the federal farm bill all make it difficult to predict what growers should expect in 2027.

He encouraged farmers to become more involved with agricultural organizations and to participate in policy discussions affecting their operations. Engagement, in his view, is the lever growers still control while they wait for clarity from Sacramento and Washington.

Hear the full conversation in the player above or on podcast apps.