Senate debates merits of keeping Ag agency
Majority Leader directs cost-cutting review of single-industry $100 million department

SACRAMENTO – Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez (D-Shafter) will hold a hearing Tuesday in Sacramento to consider whether or not it makes sense for agriculture to remain the only California industry with its own $100 million general fund-backed agency, when most of its functions could be performed by other departments.

Early this month, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged that every dollar of government waste and inefficiency saved will be a dollar that won’t have to be cut from critical services such as health care and education. 

To that end, Florez will lead a hearing on potential cost savings at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, which his committee oversees.  Florez sees the potential for

With the Governor’s stated commitment to reforms, Florez, who had already pledged an in-depth review of efficiencies within CDFA, promptly called for a hearing on what cost savings could be realized for California taxpayers.

“In agriculture, there are business considerations, and there are public health considerations, and we already have agencies that serve both of those functions,” said Florez.  “Agriculture had its own set of rules on air quality and worker protections for a long time, but we have finally reversed those to protect both the environment and public health. There are certainly more changes in the pipeline to protect the state’s finances.”

Tuesday’s Food and Agriculture hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. in Room 113 of the California State Capitol.  The committee expects to hear testimony from a wide range of agricultural interests.
 

*** MEDIA ADVISORY *** MEDIA ADVISORY *** MEDIA ADVISORY ***

WHO:             Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter
                        Chair, Senate Food and Agriculture Committee

WHAT:           Hearing on the future of CDFA

WHEN:           Tuesday, June 16, 2009; 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:         State Capitol, Room 113; Sacramento, CA

For Immediate Release                           Jennifer Hanson
June 15, 2009                                         916-651-4016