Governor: State will work to protect farmers and ranchers

» December 6, 2005 «

California Farm Bureau President Bill Pauli, center, presents Gov. Schwarzenegger with wine made from grapes grown on Pauli's ranch; CFBF First Vice President Doug Mosebar looks on.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told family farmers and ranchers today that his administration will do everything that it can to support California agriculture.

The governor spoke to the state's largest farm group, the California Farm Bureau Federation, during its 87th Annual Meeting in Monterey.

"We should be your partners in prosperity rather than a roadblock to success," Schwarzenegger said. "We should make sure you don't get over-regulated. We should make sure you can operate freely and that you can really do your job, really grow and feed the world. That's what our administration is all about."

The governor said he would continue to promote California-grown food and farm products around the world, but that the state must invest in transportation and other infrastructure projects, in order to ease the movement of crops to market.

"We need to build more schools, provide more energy and provide more water. We need to build the roads and bridges and tunnels, the railroads and the ports, to move our goods," Schwarzenegger said. "We should be bold, we should be courageous, we should be ambitious, so that we can build a California for the future."

California Farm Bureau President Bill Pauli said the governor's speech addressed issues important to farmers, ranchers, and owners of other family businesses.

"All Californians benefit from actions that protect family farmers and ranchers," Pauli said. "The governor understands that we provide not only food, fiber and flowers, but also valuable habitat and open space. He also understands that California must invest in its future. Governor Schwarzenegger articulated a vision for the future and the need for Californians to move forward together."

More than 800 people are attending the Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 88,000 members statewide.

Read the governor's full remarks.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.