Enrolled
September 02, 2021
|
Passed
IN
Senate
September 01, 2021
|
|
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Resolution
No. 54
Introduced by Senator Borgeas
(Principal coauthors: Senators Caballero, Eggman, Glazer, and Hurtado)
|
August 18, 2021 |
Relative to California Farmer and Farmworker Month.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SR 54, Borgeas.
Digest Key
WHEREAS, A healthy agricultural sector is foundational to fulfilling humanity’s most basic needs; and
WHEREAS, California’s farmers and farmworkers worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, keeping food flowing to families, front line workers, and food banks; and
WHEREAS, While many Americans were sheltering in place and working from home, the state’s agricultural community worked hand-in-hand with retailers and distributors to ensure a stable food supply; and
WHEREAS, California farming supports 1,200,000 jobs and provides $263,000,000,000 in total generated revenue for the state; and
WHEREAS, Agriculture is a critical economic driver that contributes to the state’s bottom line and needs support now; and
WHEREAS, Choosing food, wine, flowers, and garden and nursery plants grown in California directly supports and stabilizes California’s economy; and
WHEREAS, California is the nation’s largest producer of agricultural products, growing over 400 crops and providing one-third of the vegetables and two-thirds of the fruits and nuts in the United States; and
WHEREAS, California farmers and ranchers steward 25,000,000 acres of active farmland that are part of the state’s iconic landscapes; and
WHEREAS, Farming in California is not only important to ensuring a steady food supply, its landscapes contribute to the character of the state; and
WHEREAS, The fields along State Highway Route 99, Interstate Highway Route 5, and throughout the state are critical to maintaining the rural communities that surround them; and
WHEREAS, California’s farmers are vital to California’s food banks; and
WHEREAS, Farmers donate over 160,000,000 pounds of nutritious food each year, and have given even more throughout the pandemic, providing meals to the most vulnerable portion of the state’s population; and
WHEREAS, California provides approximately 1,000,000 meals a day, which are typically served through schools, hotels, and restaurants and are a vital component of a robust tourism industry; and
WHEREAS, People come from all over the world to experience the flavors of California; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate hereby recognizes, in perpetuity, October as California Farmer and Farmworker Month in order to honor their contributions and dedication to ensuring a safe food supply, even under the most daunting of circumstances; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.