As a dairy farmer, I’ve seen firsthand how rising costs, natural disasters, and global instability have impacted farming communities over the last few years. The needs of our farmers and rural communities have shifted, and so should Congress’ spending priorities. As we continue working on government funding for fiscal year 2024, we cannot leave our farmers and rural communities behind. Read more »

California has the highest number of reported human trafficking cases of any state in the country. Sadly, the Central Valley is no stranger to this epidemic. Bakersfield and other towns in the Central Valley sit between some of the largest hubs for human trafficking in the nation — Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This international crime is having a direct impact right in our own backyard. Read more »

A few weeks ago, under Yosemite’s iconic Half Dome, I joined my congressional colleagues on the House Committee on Natural Resources at the Curry Village Amphitheater for a field hearing on wildfires and forest management. The backdrop symbolized the health and beauty of America’s forests, but also stood testament to the urgency of the wildfire crisis that our state is all too familiar with. Read more »

Right now, one of the biggest items on Congress’ to-do list is the Farm Bill, a package of legislation that governs a wide range of agriculture, forestry and nutrition programs, and is typically reauthorized every five years. Legislation that impacts livelihoods throughout the Valley should not be crafted behind closed doors without your input. Read more »

The lights of food shortages are blinking red — now is the time to do everything in our power to ensure the safety and security of our domestic food supply. Read more »

After a years-long drought, much of California is now under water. The state has been hit by a series of atmospheric rivers that have devastated Central Valley communities with flooding and caused widespread damage to farms, businesses, homes, and critical infrastructure. This flooding has brought renewed attention to California’s water problems. Read more »

I get asked a lot what can be done to bring down these costs, and the truth is the only way to ensure long-term stability in energy prices is to increase our domestic production. Last week, House Republicans passed HR 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, to do just that. Read more »

The last two years have been defined by uncertainty — a global pandemic, war in Ukraine, supply chain disruption, record inflation and skyrocketing costs from the gas pump to the grocery store. America’s agriculture sector was not spared from these challenges. In fact, despite these challenges, the nation’s farmers and ranchers continued to provide the safest, most abundant and affordable food and fiber supply to not only our nation, but also the globe. Read more »

Read the Op-Ed in the Bakersfield California Taking a drive through Bakersfield, you’re almost sure to pass at least one oil derrick pump. For the city that’s home to the Bakersfield High School “Drillers,” it doesn’t come as a surprise that Kern County is the seventh largest oil-producing county in the nation. The oil and gas industry in Kern County accounts for a quarter of the… Read more »

Water is the lifeblood of the Central Valley. With less than 1 percent of our nation’s farmland, the Central Valley supplies a quarter of our nation’s food and the majority of our nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables. Our well-deserved reputation as America’s breadbasket comes from the help of nature and a whole lot of hard work and skill from our farmers, ranchers and producers. Read more »