Contacts: Kari Hamerschlag, CA Coalition for Food and Farming, 510-295…

Contacts:
Kari Hamerschlag, CA Coalition for Food and Farming, 510-295-4781-o 510-207-7257-c/kariham@earthlink.net
Heather Fenny, California Food and Justice Coalition, 310-822-5410-o; 310-591-4017-c/heather@foodsecurity.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 19, 2007

                    HALF OF CALIFORNIA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION URGES
                       AG LEADERSHIP TO ENACT A HEALTHIER FARM BILL

            LETTER CALLS ON HOUSE AG COMMITTEE TO SHIFT FUNDING PRIORITES
                     AND EMBRACE NEW URBAN-RURAL PARTNERSHIP

Watsonville, CA--In a strong show of unity, 26 members of the California Congressional delegation representing
urban and suburban districts have joined together to urge House Agricultural Committee Chairman Collin C.
Peterson (D-MN) and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) for major reforms in the 2007 Farm Bill. In a
letter today to the leadership of the House Ag Committee, the Congressional delegation expanded its traditional
focus on food stamp and nutrition programs, and advocated for a significant expansion of programs that increase
markets for organic, family and beginning farmers, promote healthier local food systems, and provide farmers the
resources they need to protect our environment and preserve our farmland. Despite widespread support, these
programs have failed to garner sufficient mandatory funding levels in the House subcommittee mark up process.
House Ag Committee members will have an opportunity to consider further amendments on these programs in
full committee mark up later this month.

"Despite California being the country's major provider of fruits and vegetables, many low-income and
communities of color cannot afford, or lack access to healthy foods. The lack of nutritious foods has contributed
to the alarming increases in rates of obesity and diet-related diseases. The 2007 farm bill is a historic opportunity
to help reverse these trends and emphasize programs that strengthen conservation and local food systems and
increase access to healthy foods. It is critical to support family farms, promote local food systems and connections
to regional agriculture, and leave a legacy of healthy land, water, and air for our children," said Representative
Hilda L. Solis, who, with Representative Barbara Lee, galvanized 24 members of the California delegation,
including Reps. Howard Berman, Lois Capps, Susan Davis, Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Bob Filner, Jane Harman,
Mike Honda, Tom Lantos, Zoe Lofgren, Doris Matsui, Jerry McNerney, George Miller, Grace Napolitano, Lucille
Roybal-Allard, Linda Sánchez, Loretta Sanchez, Adam Schiff, Ellen Tauscher, Mike Thompson, Maxine Waters,
Diane Watson, Henry Waxman, and Lynn Woolsey.

Although California produces half of the country's fruits, vegetables, and nuts, many of its urban and suburban
communities have become "food deserts," where it is often easier to find convenience stores or fast food
restaurants than a grocery store with healthy options. California's specialty crop producers get little, if any, Farm
Bill support, while over the past three years, California rice, cotton and corn growers received nearly $1 billion in
government payments. The letter highlights the serious health impacts resulting from this imbalance in farm
policy, stating, "This lack of healthy food has contributed to the alarming increases in rates of obesity and diet-
related diseases. If current trends continue, one in three Caucasian children and one in two African American and
Latino children in California will have diabetes by the time they are eighteen."

"California's urban members of Congress are hearing from their constituents that they want a serious
reprioritization of Farm Bill funding. Now more than ever, we have the opportunity to create a new urban-rural
partnership that supports sustainable agriculture and links California's specialty crop growers need for markets
with schools' and low income communities' need for healthier food," said Kari Hamerschlag, policy director for
the California Food and Justice Coalition, which, with the California Food and Justice Coalition, worked to garner
support among the delegation.
Urban legislators hope for cooperation and support for their proposals from the four California members of the
House Agriculture Committee Joe Baca, Dennis Cardoza, Jim Costa, and Kevin McCarthy. Rep. Cardoza, the
Chair of the House Agriculture Committee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, represents crop-abundant
Merced County, which, according to a new report by the Center for Health Policy Research at UCLA, ranks third-
worst in California for a family's ability to provide itself adequate food.

Members specifically call for greater investment in food stamps and nutrition education, direct marketing
assistance for small farmers, organic agriculture, and beginning and minority farmers, local farmer preferences in
government food purchasing, and a significant expansion in the Community Food Project (CFP) grant program
and Conservation Security Program (CSP). During this week's U.S. Conference of Mayors in Los Angeles, a
resolution calling for investment in many of the same priorities will be introduced by four major urban city
mayors: Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, Richard Daley of Chicago, Manuel Diaz of Miami, and Michael
Bloomberg of New York City.

"We need to ensure that people have the resources to eat well and live healthy lives. Increasing food stamp
benefits so they offer a meaningful safety net to people in need is part of the solution, and we must also invest in
initiatives that bring healthy food into our communities," said Rep. Lee, who earlier this month took the Food
Stamp Challenge and lived on the food stamp benefit level of $1 per meal for a week.

A copy of the letter sent to the House Agriculture Committee can be found on:
http://www.calfoodandfarming.org/docs/CACongressSignOnLetter.pdf

                                                        ###