NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
18
Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2017
Niemela Pappas
& Associates
Additionally,
Blue Diamond
works with an advocacy team
who directly advocates for the
cooperative and its products –
Niemela Pappas and Associates
(NPA). This duo of seasoned
lobbyists is responsible for telling
Blue Diamond’s
specific story.
“In large part due to the
quality of our product, and
to our diverse and innovative
product lines,
Blue Diamond
has
a phenomenal reputation in the
Capitol. It is a natural point of
pride for Californians that our
superior product is recognized
as the standard for almonds
worldwide,” said Emily Pappas,
partner at NPA. “Our product is
recognized and utilized in all of
our targeted legislative districts.”
Erin Niemela, also partner at
NPA, explained that because
of this reputation and universal
recognition, “we have a unique
potential to move beyond
agriculture’s traditional
‘constituence’ in the Capitol,”
she said. “We have the ability as
a brand to be heard in corners
of the Capitol where the greater
industry may not.”
Legislators Listen to
Young Leaders’ Concerns
“It’s really amazing – everything we eat and wear
comes from agriculture. I have a lot of ag in my
district and in my short time in the legislature, I’ve
done a lot of ag tours and I’ve learned so much. I’m
very grateful that the folks in the ag industry have
taken the time to educate me so I can educate my
fellow members.”
– Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove)
“We know that we have the safest food supply in
the world and we have much to be proud of. In
spite of all the demands on your industry, you’ve
employed technologies for smart irrigation,
you’ve employed water sensors and you’ve done
everything in your power to make sure that you
can continue to stay in business to provide us
with the safest food supply in the world.”
– Senator Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton)
“No other industry in the state of California has
felt the regulatory pressure like agriculture has. I
want to make sure that we move in a more positive
direction for agriculture. I want to ensure that
California continues to be the largest and most
innovative ag state in the country. There are a lot of
legislators like me who want to make sure we do a
better job for agriculture in the state of California.”
– Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa)
“As we all know, water is a tremendous issue
for us in agriculture. We have opportunities for
improvement. Through Prop. 1 that was allocated
a couple years ago, we have roughly $5.8 billion
allocated by the state and committed for water
projects and $2.7 billion was earmarked for
surface water. That money has not been spent so
we are working very hard with the legislature to
see that the money is spent and in the ways that
most affect us.”
– Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Ripon)
