may-jun-2019

Emily Rooney, President, Agricultural Council of California concerns and needs of the residents. Not long after, he followed up with a trip to Parlier to sign legislation to increase funding for emergency preparedness relating to fire recovery and clean drinking water for schools. The bills were the first two of his governorship to be signed. He has also taken the time to meet with agricultural leaders in Fresno on more than one occasion, in addition to sitting down with local mayors in the region. What’s next ? Many political insiders in and around Sacramento are calling these actions the governor’s rural resiliency strategy – putting a spotlight on issues impacting some of the overlooked areas of California. His “State of the State” speech reflected this sentiment, too. Some of the more skeptical types may wonder if he might use this approach to build a future platform to run for president. Either way, issues such as poverty and infrastructure in rural areas are rising to the top of Governor Newsom’s agenda. Those of us in agriculture will likely support some and oppose some of his policy ideas for rural California. However, we need to maximize this opportunity on all fronts by engaging in the conversation and working toward solutions. We look forward to working with Governor Newsom as he seeks to lift up the people and the job creators in our rural communities. With an energetic governor at the helm, Ag Council welcomes his focus on inland, and often neglected, areas of the state – it is long overdue. To listen to Ag Council’s podcast on this topic or other state policy-related subjects, search “Capitol Farm Connection” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Pocket Casts. As background, Ag Council advocates for more than 15,000 farmers ranging from farmer-owned businesses to the world’s best-known brands, including Blue Diamond Growers , and Ag Council is celebrating its centennial this year. Please go to www.agcouncil.org for additional information about Ag Council. 2 9 M A Y – J U N E 2 0 1 9