This industry is the lifeblood of our district, a district that is responsible for a disproportionately large share of the food the nation and the world consume. Priority must be given to family and small farmers to relieve the tax, water, and regulation burdens they feel. By encouraging sustainable agriculture, product promotion, healthful and safe farms, dairies and processing facilities, we can make District 11 the economical, healthy, and delicious jewel in America’s agricultural crown. Jeff Takada is especially interested in fostering a voluntary `Farm of Origin` labeling procedure. This would be a nation-wide program, similar to the “Buy California Grown” campaign, which would increase consumer confidence, act as a branding tool for local growers, and encourage safe and healthy agricultural production. As part of his trade policy, he is also dedicated to matching the demand for premium produce in foreign markets with the premium farms and first-rate processing centers of the Central Valley.
