Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House Committee on Agriculture hosted a Farm Bill listening session at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. Congressional Western Caucus Executive Vice Chair Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), and Congressional Western Caucus Members ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-15), Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), David Valadao (CA-22), David Rouzer (NC-07), and John Duarte (CA-13) participated.

“I remain committed to bringing the voices of rural America to the table as we deliberate the 2023 Farm Bill,” said House Agriculture Committee Chair ‘GT’ Thompson. “Our first official bipartisan listening session at the World Ag Expo was a tremendous success, and I’d like to thank Speaker McCarthy, Rep. David Valadao, and all my colleagues for joining me to hear from those directly impacted by this critical legislation. The feedback we received will serve as a guide while crafting a Farm Bill that meets the needs of all farmers, ranchers, producers, foresters, and consumers nationwide.”

“Agriculture takes the traditions of the past and applies it to a changing future. We realized competition makes it tougher, but we also realize if America is given a level playing field, we can compete anywhere and we can win,” said Speaker Kevin McCarthy. “There’s no better place to learn about agriculture than the AG Farm Show right here in Central Valley, one of the top agricultural producing regions in the world.”

“I was happy to bring our ongoing Farm Bill conversation to my home state,” said House Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry Chair and Western Caucus Executive Vice Chair Doug LaMalfa. “California producers face many unique challenges, so ensuring they are a part of the early discussions is critical. I thank Chairman Thompson for the listening session and the time spent seeing California’s specialty crops.”

“My constituents are the farmers who feed the world, and their feedback is critical to making sure our Farm Bill reflects the needs of the Central Valley,” said Rep. Valadao. “This week, we heard a lot of valuable input about how to best support California agriculture in the upcoming Farm Bill – from strengthening crop insurance to addressing skyrocketing input costs. I want to thank Chairman Thompson for bringing the committee to Tulare, and Speaker McCarthy for continuing to put the Central Valley first. I look forward to working alongside members of the House Agriculture Committee on this vital legislation.”

“The Farm Bill listening session was a bi-partisan success,” said Rep. Duarte. “I look forward to working with Speaker McCarthy and Chairman Thompson to ensure our next Farm Bill puts our farmers and working families first.”

“It was an honor to join Speaker McCarthy, Chairman Thompson, Congressman David Valadao, and other colleagues at the World Ag Expo to hear from industry stakeholders on how Congress can strengthen and improve farm programs in the 2023 Farm Bill,” said Rep. Rouzer. “This listening session reinforced our commitment to delivering a Farm Bill that strongly reinforces the agrarian principles put forth by our founders. Doing so is critical for our economy and our farm families who work to ensure every American has access to the safest, most abundant food supply in the world. After all, food security is national security.”

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