California Farm Bureau endorses Jim Nielsen for Assembly

» April 2, 2008 «

A property-rights advocate with a history of support for family farmers and ranchers, Jim Nielsen, has earned the California Farm Bureau Federation endorsement for election to the state Assembly. Nielsen seeks the Republican nomination in the 2nd Assembly District, which serves nine Northern California counties.

Nielsen, a cattle rancher and former state senator, founded the California Alliance to Protect Property Rights. Along with the California Farm Bureau and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the alliance co-sponsors Proposition 98 on the June statewide ballot. Proposition 98, the California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act, will protect property against abuses of eminent domain, a process government agencies use to seize private property.

"Jim Nielsen has a distinguished history of support for the causes that matter to family farmers and ranchers," California Farm Bureau President Doug Mosebar said. "He understands the need to strengthen property rights and to reduce taxes. As a rancher who once ran an agricultural business, he knows what's needed to assure a sustainable future for farms and ranches."

The 2nd Assembly District encompasses Colusa, Glenn, Modoc, Siskiyou, Shasta, Sutter and Tehama counties, plus portions of Butte and Yolo counties. Agricultural revenue in the nine counties totals more than $2.6 billion annually.

"Family farms and ranches are crucial to the Northern California economy and environment, and we need knowledgeable legislators such as Jim Nielsen to keep agriculture vital," Mosebar said. "He will work for policies that enhance rural communities, increase market opportunities and improve government accountability."

Nielsen seeks to replace Assembly Member Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, who has served the maximum three terms in the Assembly and has also endorsed Nielsen.

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of 92,000 members statewide.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.