Freezing Weather in California

FREEZING WEATHER IN CALIFORNIA

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk of the severe damage that the recent freezing weather in the Central Valley and Central Coast has had on our crops.

Mr. Speaker, Congress must do what we can to help the hardworking farmers and workers who were hit this past week with freezing weather and are predicted to have lost almost all their crops which feed our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, California's fresh citrus industry is valued at over $1 billion and provides 95 percent of the country's fresh citrus. Kern County alone, which I represent, produced over $350 million worth of citrus in 2005. While we do not know the full extent of the damage yet, over 75 percent of our citrus crops may have been lost.

Also in my district is San Luis Obispo, where over $7 million worth of avocados were grown last year, this freeze could have ruined the next year's crops as well.

My heart goes out to all my constituents who have spent sleepless nights trying to save their crops. I applaud Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has already declared a state of emergency in Kern and San Luis Obispo and eight other counties. My California colleagues and I have already sent a letter to the Agriculture Secretary.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this Congress to speed all Federal disaster assistance they can to California farmers and workers.

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