The federal budget allocated a record-setting $170 billion for immigration enforcement. The money is set to go toward expanding detention facilities and hiring new agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After pledging in June to protect the agriculture industry from crackdowns, President Trump reversed course a few days later. Now, as California's annual grape harvest begins, the state's wine community is on edge.
According to the county, the proposed amendments are designed to help farmers and ranchers access undeveloped and actively farmed properties in unincorporated rural areas of Santa Clara County. These properties are being advertised for home development, which in turn has inflated land values. The proposal seeks to mitigate this by updating exclusive agriculture, agricultural ranchlands, hillside and rural residential zones.
Sonoma County's wine industry is facing significant challenges, in line with global declines in wine sales, and shifting consumer trends. Local vintners and grape growers are joining forces to explore a possible solution for the wine and ag sector. Industry leaders have formed a steering committee to explore creating a Sonoma County Wine Improvement District, or WID. A handful of California regions already have WIDs in place. Livermore Valley, Santa Barbara County and Temecula.
