Newsom Signs McNerney’s Bill to Help Farmers and Winegrape Growers

Oct 14, 2025

Farmers and winegrape growers will be able to compost large amounts of agricultural waste onsite, such as when they remove an old orchard of vineyard, thanks to a new law, SB 279, by Sen. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed today.

The enactment of SB 279 follows the state’s ban earlier this year on most agricultural burning in the San Joaquin Valley.

“California farmers and winegrape growers are facing a new challenge now that burning agricultural waste is no longer allowed and must ship their green waste to large composting facilities, often hundreds of miles away at great expense,” said Sen. McNerney, D-Pleasanton, who is a member of the Senate Agricultural Committee. “With the governor signing SB 279, California farms and vineyards will have a more affordable alternative that is also good for the environment.”

SB 279, which takes effect Jan. 1, will also benefit community composting programs, urban farms, and school farms by allowing them to compost larger amounts of green waste onsite.

Source : ca.gov

Video: Democratizing Gene Editing - Pairwise’s Vision for the Future of Agriculture

Pairwise has built its business around an idea that runs counter to how many companies approach innovation: make transformative technology easier to access.

In this Seed World interview, CEO Tom Adams discusses why broader access to gene editing could speed crop improvement, expand innovation opportunities and help agriculture address emerging challenges. He explains why Pairwise believes no single company can solve all of agriculture's problems alone—and why making advanced breeding technologies available to more organizations could accelerate progress across the industry.

The conversation explores how consumer trust influences technology adoption, why innovations like pitless cherries and seedless blackberries matter beyond convenience, and how future crop improvements could help address labor shortages, automation, harvest efficiency and other production challenges. Adams also shares his perspective on what the industry may be underestimating about the next wave of gene editing innovation.

Watch the full interview to hear why Pairwise believes agriculture is approaching an important inflection point for gene editing, and why the pace of innovation over the next decade could surprise the industry.

Topics Covered:

o Democratizing agricultural innovation

o Consumer trust and technology adoption

o The business case for sharing innovation

o Expanding innovation beyond major crops

o Next-generation breeding technologies