In lieu of the annual Silent Auction, CLFP’s Supplier Host Council is hosting a reception, open to all Expo attendees, for a fun night of networking and socialization. Please consider donating to CLFP’s Scholarship Program which directly benefits various California college students each year. We sincerely appreciate any monetary donation your company can contribute to the program!

 

To donate, please visit CLFP’s Scholarship Page, or contact Jacqueline Ostrander at jackie@clfp.com.

The threat of a labor strike on US railroads was seemingly resolved last week after Congress approved and President Biden signed a bill prohibiting rail workers from commencing a nationwide work stoppage after a “cooling-off period” expires Dec. 9. But commodity trade analysts and industry leaders were still concerned about economic impacts from diminished rail performance while some believed a strike was still possible despite legal ramifications.

 

Are shoppers accepting price hikes as a necessity or do they see food & beverage processors as opportunists? We talk about that and more in this year's forecast.

 

Rising interest rates, a shortage of skilled labor and unresolved supply chain issues will impact everyone, but none more than the underprepared.

 

Our Manufacturing Survey shows people still coping with shortages of supplies and labor.

 

A bomb cyclone hit California this week, knocking out power, downing trees, and dumping massive amounts of water.

Some California residents are watching this precious H20 wash away and wondering, why can't we save the water for times when we desperately need it?

The state grapples with drought, but it's not as simple as putting out a big bucket, says hydrogeologist and professor at UC Santa Cruz, Andrew Fisher.

The Governor released his initial Budget for 2023-24 on January 10.  The Governor’s Budget forecasts General Fund revenues will be $29.5 billion lower than at the 2022 Budget Act projections, and California now faces an estimated budget gap of $22.5 billion in the 2023-24 fiscal year. As a result of this deficit, there are many program cuts in the Governor’s Budget proposal.  Of particular interest to CLFP, is a proposed reduction of $10 million from the Food Production Investment Program at the CEC. This maintains approximately $65 million (87 percent) for support of projects that help with the decarbonization of the food production process.