Panetta Welcomes House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Ranking Member Sanford Bishop to Central Coast for Agriculture Tour
SALINAS, CA – This week, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) welcomed Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-02), ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, to the central coast of California to tour agriculture facilities, meet with producers and farmworkers, and learn more about the over 100 specialty crops grown in California's 20th congressional district.
"As the representative of the Salad Bowl of the World, I believe it is critical to share with my colleagues the important work of our growers, shippers, and farmworkers. I thank Ranking Member Bishop for coming to the Central Coast to gain a deeper understanding of the uniqueness, diversity, and expansiveness of our agriculture industry," said Congressman Panetta. "I look forward to working together to advocate for the resources and funding for programs that our producers, community organizations, and research entities need to thrive."
"Regardless of dietary preferences or political affiliations, we all need to eat to survive, and I am honored to tour these vital agricultural sites with my friend, Congressman Jimmy Panetta," said Congressman Bishop. "California's 20th and Georgia's 2nd congressional districts are alike in that agriculture does not just live here, it thrives here. Going into the next Farm Bill and working to closeout FY18 appropriations, I see no better time to ensure we are responsibly resourcing industries, programs, and efforts that will keep U.S. agriculture flourishing and competitive on the worldwide stage."
Congressman Bishop serves on the House Appropriations Committee as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. In this role, Congressman Bishop serves as the subcommittee's lead Democrat. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture has funding jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Farm Credit Administration, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
The three-day tour, which took place from August 23rd to 25th, included visits to berry, lettuce, and other specialty crop producers; a large-scale organic operation; a beginning farmer training association; and the USDA Agricultural Research Service lab in Salinas.
Ranking Member Bishop's tour is the second in a series of agriculture-specific visits Congressman Panetta has organized in California's 20th congressional district to educate his fellow Members of Congress on the Central Coast's agriculture industry. On August 10, Congressman Panetta hosted House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (MN-7) and Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) in Salinas, CA for an agriculture roundtable session at Hartnell College. During the roundtable, the Congressmen heard from local agriculture producers, farm workers, and nutrition organizations about their concerns and priorities for our nation's food policy, including the Farm Bill.