HR 19
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Date of Hearing: March 10, 2025
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
Blanca Pacheco, Chair
HR 19 (Soria) – As Introduced February 25, 2025
SUBJECT: California Agriculture Day.
SUMMARY: Recognizes and honors all those who work in California agriculture for their
dedication and productivity by designating March 19, 2025, as California Agriculture Day and
by observing March 18, 2025, as National Agriculture Day. Specifically, this resolution makes
the following legislative findings:
1) March 19, 2025, 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 fifth largest
in the world.
2) The theme of California Agriculture Day 2025 is “Ag at Work: Cultivating Careers &
Communities” in recognition of the vital role that agriculture plays in our state. From
nurturing careers to building vibrant communities, our agricultural industry is the backbone
of California. Let us honor the dedication and hard work of those in the agricultural sector
who help feed the nation and sustain our communities.
3) 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 over
one-third of vegetables and nearly three-quarters of the fruits and nuts produced in the United
States.
4) Farming and related industries employ more than 22.1 million people, making up over 10.4
percent of employment in the United States.
5) Today’s agricultural industry offers over 200 challenging and rewarding career opportunities,
from on-farm cultivation to food science and engineering.
6) California is the nation’s leader in agricultural exports, shipping $23.6 billion of food and
agricultural commodities around the world in 2022.
7) California is the nation’s sole exporter of many agricultural commodities, supplying 99
percent or more of the nation’s exported almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, garlic, kiwifruit,
olives and olive oil, pistachios, prunes, raisins, table grapes, tomatoes for processing, and
walnuts.
8) 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.
9) Science, technology, and innovation have enabled California agriculture to continually
improve quality, safety, and consumer product choice, and drive advancements in organic
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production, reduced water use, and more sustainable pest management practices, including
biological controls.
10) Public-private partnerships are continually being developed to improve quality and ensure
safe handling practices on the farm, in transit, and during processing.
11) California consumers say that it is important to them to purchase food items grown in the
state and they have demonstrated increased support of farmers’ markets, community-
supported agricultural programs, and Farm-to-School programs.
12) California is estimated to lose 797,400 acres of agricultural land by 2040, and more than
300,000 acres of it will have been highly productive irrigated cropland, and thus California
should continue to work for conservation to preserve California’s agricultural heritage.
FISCAL EFFECT: This resolution is keyed non-fiscal by Legislative Counsel.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by: Michael Erke / RLS. / (916) 319-2800