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Inventory of the Assembly Agriculture Committee Records
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Title: Assembly Agriculture Committee records
Dates: 1972-2003
Collection number: See series description
Creator:
Assembly Agriculture Committee
Collection Size:
13 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The Assembly Agriculture Committee Records consist of 13 cubic feet of records reflecting the committee's activity in investigating
and introducing legislation of concern to California's large agricultural community and the subsidiary industries that support
it.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of item], Assembly Agriculture Committee Records, LP[number]:[folder number], California State Archives, Office
of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Tha California State Archives acquired the Assembly Agriculture Committee records as required by state law.
"The Constitution makes it the duty of the Legislature to encourage agriculture, that first and noblest of all industrial
pursuits," declared Governor Peter H. Burnett to the first session of California's Legislature (Senate Journal, December 21,
1849). Not surprisingly then, Agriculture was one of the Assembly's original ten standing committees. Over the last century
and a half, the committee's interests have gone from establishing favorable conditions for the development of agriculture
to protecting what has become a multi-billion dollar agribusiness industry.
Just four weeks after its first meeting in 1850, the committee expressed deep concern that American farmers would not be attracted
to California. Members feared that the state's destitute appearance "leads to doubt of the adaptation of the soil and climate
to a successful experiment in that business, and is deterring many from engaging in it" (Senate Journal, January 14, 1850).
As well, many farmers had not yet returned to the plough after heeding the call of gold. Finally, numerous conditions existed
which discouraged engagement in farming, including horse stealing, the intentional setting of prairie fires, and the ever
present destruction caused by wild animals. The committee devoted their attention over the next few years, and in some cases
decades, to promoting legislation that would alleviate these problems.
Thanks to subsidized irrigation, agriculture in California has become a multi-billion dollar industry. The committee has
grown from its original five members to as many as seventeen in recent years. Members are usually from agricultural districts.
Most issues reviewed by the committee pertain to the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Food and Agricultural Code.
Each year the committee addresses critical issues related to commodities, industry-related commissions, agricultural land
use and preservation, fairs and expositions, marketing law, pest management, pesticides, veterinary medicine, plant and animal
health, and food labeling. They address state budget impacts to agriculture as well. The Agriculture Committee's 1997-1998
Legislative Summary from the committee chairperson states, "The Chair is committed to ensuring the continued viability for
the agricultural industry, related industries, and the communities that rely on those industries, as well as making sure that
there is full conformity to the laws of the state."
The chairpersons of this committee from 1971 were:
- Briggs, John V. (Rep.), 1971-1974
- Thurman, John (Dem.), 1975-1982
- Waters, Norman (Dem.), 1983-1990
- Areias, Rusty (Dem.), 1991-1994
- Harvey, Trice (Rep.), 1995-1996
- Cardoza, Dennis (Dem.), 1997-2000
- Matthews, Barbara (Dem.), 2001-
The Assembly Agriculture Committee Records consist of 13 cubic feet of records reflecting the committee's activity in investigating
and introducing legislation of concern to California's large agricultural community and the subsidiary industries that support
it. Much of this legislation either added to or amended the California Food and Agricultural Code. Materials include bill
files, member resolutions, hearing files, select committee hearing files, and subject files. The bulk of the collection consists
of bill files from 1972-1986 and again from 1993-2000. Bill files for the years 1987-1992 were not sent to the State Archives.
A random assortment of committee working papers (1949-1979) exists which are not included in this finding aid. As well, there
are a few documents from 1853, 1855, and 1883. Please see card catalog for information on the exact content of these files.
Researchers should also check for recently received, unprocessed records of this committee.
Because of the size and complexity of California's agricultural industry, the subjects covered in this collection are widely
varying. The committee's files document the legislature's continuing efforts to combat exotic pest threats to the state's
agricultural industry, in particular the Mediterranean Fruit Fly and the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter. Another major area of
legislative activity involves amendments to the California Land Conservation Act, commonly known as the Williamson Act. This
legislation has acted as the state's agricultural land protection program since it was enacted in 1965. Researchers may also
be interested in the many bills reviewed by the committee concerning the humane treatment of animals. As the files document,
this area of legislation continues to capture the attention of large numbers of constituents, including private citizens and
animal rights interest groups.
This record group is arranged into five series: Bill Files (1972-1986, 1993-2003), Member Resolution Files (2000-2003), Hearing
Files (1997-2001), Select Committee Hearing Files (2001), Subject Files (1981-2003).
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California -- Legislature -- Assembly -- Agriculture Committee
California. Dept. of Food and Agriculture
Agriculture and state
John V. Briggs Papers
John Thurman Papers
Norman Waters Papers
Rusty Areias Papers
Trice Harvey Papers
Dennis Cardoza Papers
Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee Papers
Joint Interim Committee on Agriculture and Livestock Problems/Senate Fact-Finding Committee on Agriculture Papers