Farmers work to create political opportunities

Issue Date: March 10, 2010

By Christine Souza
Assistant Editor

Orange County Farm Bureau President Allan Price, right, presents information about Farm Bureau legislative priorities to state Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, as Farm Bureau members visited Correa's office at the state Capitol last week.

The theme of the California Farm Bureau Federation 2010 Leaders Conference, "Opening Doors... Creating Opportunities," set the tone when about 460 farmers and ranchers from throughout California gathered in Sacramento last week. They heard from Farm Bureau leaders, political analysts and elected officials about the importance of political involvement, then put those ideas into practice by visiting with dozens of legislators and staff members at the State Capitol.

California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger encouraged farmers and ranchers to be strong advocates for agriculture.

"Folks, we have to get out of the coffee shops. We have to get involved, we have to go to meetings and we have to get politically active," Wenger said. "It is going to be an investment of time and an investment of money, but we can change this state."

During a presentation entitled "Securing our Place in the Political Arena," farmers and ranchers heard from experts with first-hand experience in reaching out to legislators and the general public.

Mario Santoyo, technical advisor for the California Latino Water Coalition, an organization dedicated to improving the state's diminishing water supply, discussed the coalition's efforts to focus attention on San Joaquin Valley water shortages. The valley was hit hard following three years of below-average rainfall, combined with legal decisions and regulatory restrictions limiting operation of state and federal water pumping facilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Santoyo discussed how the coalition's concerns about water and the economy became national news last year, following a campaign that included a march to the San Luis Reservoir.

"You need to go to the public and let them know what the issues are. By doing that, it forces the legislators to recognize that it is an issue of importance and needs to be dealt with," Santoyo said. "In Sacramento, we changed the discussion from business vs. environment to a balance between people and the environment, and that resonated. Republicans and Democrats came to the table."

Last November, the California Legislature finalized a package of water bills that include a variety of water infrastructure and supply projects and an $11 billion bond measure.

Whether the water bond will pass in the November election, political analyst Gary Dietrich said, just depends on how the case is made to the people.

"Framing the issue isn't the most important thing, it is the only thing," Dietrich said. "If the issue about the bond is framed in a way that Californians get that, it will be passed even in the economic circumstances we face now."

Dietrich, founder and president of Citizen Voice, an organization that strives to involve citizens in the public arena, told Farm Bureau members that massive political change is underway.

Napa County Farm Bureau board member Cio Perez, right, discusses legislative issues with Assembly Member Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa.

"I'm calling 2010 potentially a political cage fight because in Sacramento and in Washington, that is how it is being played. The old rules of the game clearly are changing," Dietrich said. "I'd encourage you that while this strong political wind is blowing out there, it is not time to be hopeless. It is time to take a look around and say, 'What's really going on and what can we do about it to engage this proactively?'"

Dietrich encouraged farmers to be aware of the fact that people want credible information, and they want trustworthy sources who speak not just for themselves, but for the collective good.

"You can set yourself apart by finding at least one thing significant that you can give that will affect the collective good in a positive way," Dietrich said.

One way farmers can create new advocates is by reaching out to urban legislators such as Assembly Member Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, who also addressed the conference. Ma serves on committees including Agriculture, Labor, Higher Education, and Revenue and Taxation.

"The most important thing is for you to invite people like me to visit your farms. My first couple of tours, I didn't know what to expect but everybody has been really friendly and bent over backwards to educate me and answer all of my questions," she said. "That really sets a good tone in terms of building relationships with urban legislators."

Farm Bureau members put the conference theme into action that afternoon, by opening the doors of 70 legislative offices at the State Capitol. Nearly 125 Farm Bureau members met with their representatives to discuss issues important to California farmers and ranchers, including topics such as water, costly regulations, pests and diseases, and the California Land Conservation Act, or Williamson Act.

Farm Bureau members from Orange and Los Angeles counties met with Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, where conversation turned to Assembly Bill 1721, known as the Healthy and Safe School Zones Act. It would prohibit restricted-use pesticides used for agriculture or a state pest eradication or control program to be applied within one-half mile of a school, within 24 hours of when children are or will be present.

"This bill could be the end of agriculture in our county and would be devastating for farmers in any urban county. This would mean that they couldn't protect their crops," said Orange County Farm Bureau President Allan Price, who works for a multi-generation farming operation that grows mostly row crops. "There are already laws on the books that do protect the public, especially in urban areas. Currently, our agricultural commissioners coordinate the pesticide use laws with us and they monitor our use."

Price confirmed with Sen. Correa that he understands the value of agriculture to the local community and to the state of California, and added that the meeting went well.

"We look forward to working with Sen. Correa as we go forward in addressing legislation that impacts our farmers," Price said.

Growers from Farm Bureaus in Napa and Solano counties met with Assembly Member Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, who chairs the Assembly Budget Committee. During that meeting, Cio Perez, who operates his family's vineyards near St. Helena and is a director of the Napa County Farm Bureau, said Evans expressed support for the Williamson Act.

"Assemblywoman Evans is supportive of getting the Williamson Act re-established and commented that it would have bipartisan support," Perez said. "Anybody we spoke to regarding the Williamson Act felt that it was an important program, not just for the farmers but for communities."

Perez and others who took part in the legislative visits say they recognize the value of reaching out to representatives from both urban and rural communities. He added that more can be done to introduce agriculture to those from urban communities and said he was especially impressed with Ma, who has an interest in learning about topics such as agriculture that may be outside of her comfort zone.

"In our own organization, there are individuals that are passionate about different aspects of farming and you can't help but get excited with them," Perez said. "I think if we just get more legislators out to the farm to kick a few dirt clods, that may be enough to get them to learn more about our business."

(Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item. Top