At a time when the cost of doing business puts California farmers and ranchers at a disadvantage with competing states and nations growers must be able to use innovative technologies to grow, harvest, process and market their products.
Agriculture remains a labor intensive segment of the economy and having a reliable, stable and legal work force continues to be a concern. Farmers and ranchers must also have ability to pass family operations on to the next generation so they can continue providing affordable food and fiber.
Farm Bureau Encourages
- Access to necessary agricultural production tools such as crop protection materials, fertilizers and biotechnology
- Effective programs to inspect and prevent the intended or accidental introduction of pests and diseases that might threaten plant or animal health
- Direct marketing of agricultural products at farmers markets and other venues
- International trade agreements that are equitable and will open new sales or expand existing markets for California products
- Passage of federal immigration reform to provide a stable, legal agricultural work force
- Preventing injury and illness through worker health and safety training
- Enhancing career technical education to ensure California has the necessary work force to carry out the increasingly technical jobs associated with agricultural production
- Reform to tax policy that enables the transfer of agricultural operations to the next generation
