FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – The trends of farmland rates discussed at the Annual AG Lenders Society Meeting in Fresno at Tornino’s, as a vigil against Congressman Devin Nunes was held outside.
Farmer Mac Economist Ryan Kuhns was the keynote speaker, and Congressman Nunes of the 22nd district was the guest speaker.
With the anti-Nunes vigil being held outside, no media was allowed inside to cover the event but Comerica Bank’s Touradj Etezadi told KMJ News what Nunes had to say.
“The forecast according to the info Devin [Nunes] brought is a 30% reduction in farmable land – so that will have a huge impact on farmable economy.” -Touradj Etezadi, Comerica Bank.
Etezadi says Nunes said Sacramento is not sympathetic to farmers; “Apparently, Governor Brown said ‘Well, we just agree to disagree in terms of what’s important.’”
Etezadi says Nunes also said something’s fishy with the Governor’s smelt population numbers.
Outside, attendees left for their cars to encounter a swarm of media and protestors, including a man named David [photo, above left] who spoke to KMJ. “Nunes, do your damn job! Everything that he’s doing as the chair of the committee indicates that we probably won’t really have a change of knowing whether or not there was wrongdoing because he’s more interested in the partisanship.” – David, Vigil Attendee.
Hundreds gathered for a vigil along Blackstone Avenue by Shaw outside where Congressman Nunes was addressing Valley farmers. They were there, mostly peacefully to say they don’t support the Tulare congressman.
Fresno Police Captain Mike Reed says police are now investing an alleged incident in the parking lot of Tornino’s, where a woman allegedly slammed a megaphone onto a car.
She was arrested but Captain Reed says it was for a prior incident, when she lay down in front of the jail at a previous protest, and police had to close traffic.
Click below to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
