FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – U.S. Senator Kamala Harris visited the Central Valley Wednesday to discuss agriculture issues facing farmers. The Senate Democrat joined Representative Jim Costa, Fresno City Council members and local ag leaders at Fowler Packing Company to discuss water storage, immigration, health care and other issues facing farmers.
Senator Harris said she wanted to get together with Valley farmers so that she could be better informed on the issues they’re facing when she goes back to Washington, D.C. She, along with Senator Diane Feinstein, have proposed the Agricultural Worker Program Act, which would allow illegal farm workers to get on the path toward citizenship.
“We’re losing workers,” said Harris. “We don’t have the people who we rely on to pick the fruits and vegetables that keep this whole [agriculture] process running and flowing.” The two seantors are currently working on gaining more sponsors for the bill.
Senator Harris said in taking a tour of the Fowler Packing facility, she learned more about the impact technology has on the industry. In the discussion with farmers, ag leaders made a point to inform the Senator on water storage issues and pushed for projects like Temperance Flat Dam.
