Central Valley congressman named to Agriculture Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C.
November 27, 2012 9:00pm

Central Valley Congressman John Garamendi, D-Fairfield, has been named to the House Agriculture Committee.

The rancher and farmer will take his seat on the powerful committee as talks continue on renewing the Farm Bill.

While the Senate passed its version of the $497 billion bill months ago, it has been stalled in the House as right-wing Republicans have insisted on deep cuts in the bill’s biggest spending item: food stamps for the poor.

“I didn’t enter Congress to twiddle my thumbs and sit quietly in the background. I must be where the needs of my district are and that’s in the final negotiations for the five-year farm bill,” says Mr. Garamendi. “As a farmer and rancher, I know we need to get this done, and I will work around the clock to make sure California specialty crops and commodity programs are protected.”

To join the Agriculture Committee, Mr. Garamendi is required to resign from the House Natural Resources Committee, which he did Tuesday.

Despite producing farm and ranch products with a total dollar value greater than any single state, the Central Valley has had just one congressman on the committee: Jim Costa, D-Fresno. The only other Californian on the committee is Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino, but Mr. Baca lost his bid for re-election earlier this month.