BILL NUMBER: ACR 147	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  27
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  APRIL 29, 2016
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  APRIL 25, 2016
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 10, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 10, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Dodd and Gallagher
   (Principal coauthors: Senators Cannella and Galgiani)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Eggman, Gray, Grove, Irwin,
Jones-Sawyer, Mathis, Quirk, Salas, Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen,
Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke,
Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh,
Dahle, Daly, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia,
Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Hadley, Harper, Holden,
Jones, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mayes,
McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, Olsen,
Patterson, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Santiago, Steinorth,
Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams,
and Wood)
   (Coauthors: Senators Allen, Anderson, Bates, Beall, Berryhill,
Block, Fuller, Gaines, Glazer, Hall, Hertzberg, Hill, Huff, Jackson,
Lara, Leno, Leyva, Liu, McGuire, Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning,
Moorlach, Morrell, Nguyen, Nielsen, Pan, Pavley, Roth, Runner, Stone,
Vidak, Wieckowski, and Wolk)

                        FEBRUARY 29, 2016

   Relative to California Agriculture Day.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 147, Dodd. California Agriculture Day.
   This measure would recognize and honor the men and women of
California agriculture for their dedication and productivity by
observing March 15, 2016, as National Agriculture Day, and
designating March 16, 2016, as California Agriculture Day.



   WHEREAS, March 16, 2016, is designated as California Agriculture
Day, a day of celebration to commemorate agriculture's importance in
our daily lives, its vital role in keeping Californians nourished,
and its role in keeping the state's economy ranked as the eighth
largest in the world; and
   WHEREAS, The 2016 theme of California Agriculture Day is "Golden
State on Your Plate" in recognition of the diversity and significance
of California agriculture; and
   WHEREAS, For more than 60 consecutive years, California has been
the number one agricultural state in the nation, producing more than
400 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 millions of farmworkers have
contributed greatly to the success of the industry; and
   WHEREAS, California's agricultural community relies on 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, 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 300 challenging
and rewarding career opportunities, from on-farm cultivation to food
science and engineering; and
   WHEREAS, Over the past seven decades, advances in production of
agriculture have resulted in a drop in consumer spending on food
products from 22 percent of average household disposable income in
1949 to 11 percent today; and
   WHEREAS, California is the nation's leader in agricultural
exports, shipping more than $21 billion of food and agricultural
commodities around the world in 2014; 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, Public-private partnerships are continually being
developed to improve quality and ensure safe handling practices on
the farm, in transit, and during processing; and
   WHEREAS, California consumers say that it is important to them to
purchase foods grown in California and California consumers say that
"California grown" is more important to them today than it was in
years past. In the last decade, California consumers have increased
support of certified farmers' markets, community supported
agricultural programs, and farm-to-school programs; and
   WHEREAS, A broad approach to agricultural education is vital to
ensure that California agriculture continues to flourish; and
   WHEREAS, California is estimated to lose 500,000 acres of
agricultural land by 2050, more than 300,000 acres of which will have
been highly productive irrigated cropland. Thus, California should
continue to work for conservation to preserve California's
agricultural heritage; and
   WHEREAS, It is appropriate for all Californians to recognize our
farmers, ranchers, 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, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes and honors the
men and women of California agriculture for their dedication and
productivity by observing March 15, 2016, as National Agriculture
Day, and designating Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 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.