BILL NUMBER: HR 4	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Galgiani and Valadao
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Bill Berryhill, Hill, Ma,
Mendoza, Olsen, Perea, and Yamada)

                        JANUARY 27, 2011

   Relative to California Agriculture Day.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
             HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST



   WHEREAS, March 22, 2011, is designated as California Agriculture
Day, a day of celebration to commemorate agriculture's vital role in
keeping Californians nourished and the state's economy ranked as the
eighth largest in the world; and
   WHEREAS, California's agricultural community provides a vital
infrastructure that aids in the exclusion and early detection of
plant and animal pests and diseases that impact public health, the
environment, and commerce; and
   WHEREAS, For approximately 62 consecutive years, California has
been the number one agricultural state in the nation, producing more
than 350 crop and livestock products and accounting for approximately
50 percent of the nation's supply of fruits, vegetables, and nuts;
and
   WHEREAS, The inexhaustible efforts of approximately 850,000
farmworkers have contributed greatly to the success of the industry;
and
   WHEREAS, With less than 1 percent of California's population
engaged in farming and agriculture, each agricultural worker today
provides for more than 100 other people, compared to just 13 in 1947;
and
   WHEREAS, Today's agricultural industry offers over 200 challenging
and rewarding career opportunities, from on-farm cultivation, to
food science and engineering; and
   WHEREAS, Over the past five decades, advances in production
agriculture have resulted in a drop in consumer spending on food
products from 24 percent of disposable income in 1949 to
approximately 9 percent today; and
   WHEREAS, California is the nation's leader in agricultural
exports, shipping more than 12 billion dollars worth of food and
agricultural commodities to continents ranging from Europe to Asia,
and from Africa to South America; and
   WHEREAS, California's agricultural industry constantly seeks to
incorporate the latest scientific and technological production and
marketing techniques to meet the demands of changing consumer needs
and complex world markets; and
   WHEREAS, Government-industry partnerships are continually being
developed to improve quality and ensure safe handling practices on
the farm, in transit, and during processing; and
   WHEREAS, "California Grown" is a public-private partnership
campaign that emphasizes our strong ties to the land and our
neighbors, and our desire to restore pride in our homegrown products
and our quality of work; and
   WHEREAS, A broad approach to agricultural education is vital to
ensure that California agriculture continues to flourish; and
   WHEREAS, The California "5 A Day--For Better Health" campaign,
launched in 1988, was the precursor for the national "5 A Day"
program, which spreads the message that healthy eating through the
consumption of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of heart
disease and cancer by as much as 30 percent; and
   WHEREAS, It is appropriate for all Californians to recognize our
farmers, farmworkers, and others involved in providing such a bounty
to our nation and the entire world; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That it takes
great pleasure in honoring the men and women of California
agriculture for their dedication and productivity by observing the
week of March 16 to March 22, 2011, inclusive, as National
Agriculture Week, and Tuesday, March 22, 2011, as California
Agriculture Day; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.