Near-complete ban on agricultural burning finally takes effect in San Joaquin Valley
LA TimesMany San Joaquin Valley farmers opposed the ban on agricultural burns that took effect Jan. 1, 2025, saying burning waste is cheap and convenient. Starting this week, San Joaquin Valley farmers are banned from burning agricultural waste in the field, a legislative mandate aimed at improving air quality that has been decades in the making. Former state Sen. Dean Florez, the San Joaquin Valley Democrat who authored the legislation and until recently served on the Air Resources Board, called the milestone “deeply emotional.” He initially pushed for an immediate burning ban, he said, but has “come to appreciate that true progress often requires compromise and patience.” “Farmers needed time to adopt new technologies and practices, and giving them that time has made this transition more sustainable and lasting,” Florez said. “What’s most gratifying now is knowing that this moment is definitive — there will be no delays, no loopholes, and no turning back.” Historically, San Joaquin Valley growers burned more than 1 million tons of agricultural waste a year, according to the air district.
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