Coungressman Bera, MD Tours Sacramento County Farms and Businesses Impacted By Drought

Press Release

This week, Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. toured local dairy and cattle farms in Elk Grove and Rancho Murieta, as well as companies in Folsom that rely on the local clean water supply, to survey and bring attention to the local impacts of California's drought. Bera brought a representative from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service along for the farm tours so that the federal agency could learn more about the drought's impact on Sacramento County.

"California's historic drought is hurting many Sacramento County small businesses and farmers, which impacts not only individuals, but our entire local economy." said Bera. "I'm doing everything I can to both help those being affected in the short term, and to find long-term solutions for securing water access and storage that add to our water supply rather than taking from it."

Bera visited Walter Hardesty Beef, Van Steyn Dairy, and Van Vleck Ranch. The ranchers raised concerns about having to cull their herds to stay afloat as production costs rise. Though ranchers are no strangers to drought, the current drought conditions are worsened, the say, by several dry years in a row. The Sacramento County Farm Bureau helped arrange the tours.

Bera also visited Kikkoman Soy Sauce manufacturing plant and Gekkeikan Sake factory in the City of Folsom. Both companies located in the area because of its direct access to clean surface water and agricultural products in the valley. Both companies are conserving water in ways that have yet to impact production, but have concerns if the drought situation does not improve. The drought is anticipated to cause price increases for the agricultural products that are essential to the production of soy sauce and sake, such as rice, soy, and wheat.

In addition to the tours this week, Bera held a Drought Resources Workshop Tuesday with representatives from the USDA and Small Business Administration to inform local famers and small business owners about the resources available to them from the federal government. Those who were unable to attend the workshop but need help can call Bera's office at (916) 635-0505 or visit his Drought Relief Resources page at bera.house.gov/droughtrelief for more information.

Bera is also working in Congress to preserve Sacramento County's water supply. He has helped lead the fight against the misguided Bay Delta Conservation Plan to build tunnels under the Delta, and a recent partisan water grab bill. Both would take already-scarce water from Sacramento County and send it to other parts of the state. He also voted in January to reauthorize the Emergency Drought Relief Act and helped secure funding for upgrades to the Folsom Dam that will increase its water storage capacity to help during future dry periods and give us greater flood protection.

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He's fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country's debt in a responsible way. One of Bera's first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. As a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers, he's working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation's challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit http://www.bera.house.gov.

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