Federal committee seeks farmers' input
By: Nick Juliano
Tracy Press
March 6, 2006

STOCKTON — The House Agriculture Committee made an appearance in Stockton today to receive input from Central Valley farmers on a pending update to a sweeping farm spending bill.

The 2002 Farm Bill, set to expire next year, authorized $82.5 billion in federal spending on agriculture programs.

Farmers who testified at a committee field hearing at the Stockton Arena said they worried that international competition and rising energy prices make farming a less viable profession. Some committee members agreed with that assessment.

“I believe many of our producers will make the decision not to produce because they just can’t compete in the global economy,” said Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, a senior member of the committee.

Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., said protecting farmers is a “national security issue” because he does not want to see the U.S. depend upon foreign sources of food as it depends upon foreign sources of oil.

Bruce Fry, who owns a vineyard near Lodi, said he worries about the way expanding cities encroach on prime agricultural land. In the 1950s, his family had to relocate its farming operation from Alameda County to San Joaquin and Sacramento counties because of urbanization in the East Bay. Now, he said, he sees the process repeating itself.

The Agriculture Committee has held hearings across the country as lawmakers prepare to draft a new farm bill. Congress would have to adopt a new law before the legislation expires at the end of 2007.