California Farmers Testify On Farm Bill
May 20, 2010 | 1 min to read
Traditional farm programs have not played well in California. The No. 1 agricultural state in the nation ranks ninth among 50 states in subsidies from 1995 through 2009.
Two of the non-traditional planks of the federal farm bill — greatly expanded conservation funding and the first ever specialty crops programs — netted praise for the House Agriculture Committee in a rare appearance in California.
Collin Peterson, D-Min., Committee chair, brought his congressional panel to the heart of California agriculture, Fresno, to get input from farmers and ranchers on the 2012 farm bill. Fresno County is the No. 1 agricultural county in the nation with $5.6 billion in income from more than 250 crops.
To read the rest of the story, please go to Western Farm Press.