Rep. Panetta and Colleagues Conduct Farm Bill 2023 Listening Session in Paso Robles

PASO ROBLES, CA – This week, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20) and his congressional colleagues, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA-16), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), conducted a listening session for the 2023 Farm Bill in Paso Robles, California. Hosted by Rep. Carbajal and chaired by Rep. Costa, the listening session was attended by agricultural stakeholders including local conventional and organic farmers and farmworkers, producers, shippers, ranchers, cattlemen, vintners, and nutrition advocates. During the two-hour event, the numerous stakeholders provided a wide array of information and comments about the many challenges that they face in agriculture and potential solutions through the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is written by the House of Representatives Agricultural Committee every five years. Rep. Panetta has been a member of that committee during his entire time in Congress and, if re-elected, the 2023 Farm Bill could be the second Farm Bill that he helps author and get signed into law.

"The Farm Bill is the largest investment that the federal government can make in American agriculture. As a federal representative for the Central Coast in the number one agricultural state in the nation, it is crucial that we fight for our interests in the bill when it comes to investments in research for our specialty and organic crops, increased nutrition programs for our most vulnerable, conservation programs to assist our farmers, farmworkers, and cattlemen contend with the effects of climate change, the prevention of wildfires in our national forests, and assistance for our beginning farmers and ranchers," said Rep. Panetta. "It's essential for my colleagues and me to come into agriculture communities and listen to the stakeholders to ensure that together we continue the fight for our communities' agricultural industry and our nation's food security."