SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) today issued the following statement on Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement to invest $5.7 million to fund safer farming alternatives:

“In the Central Valley, we face many unique challenges compared to the rest of California. Not only do we lead the nation in agricultural production, but our most disadvantaged communities are also more likely to be impacted by public health concerns caused by poor air quality and lack of access to clean water.

That’s why I commend Governor Gavin Newsom’s holistic approach to ensuring that we carefully implement policies that are tangible to the livelihood of the diversity of our state. His announcement to provide transitional opportunities for farmers, invest in safer farming alternatives, and hold the Department of Pesticide Regulations (DPR) accountable while minimizing economic impacts is a bold demonstration of his promise to represent ALL of California.

In addition to answering many of the questions I posed in the Senate Health relating to the legislation on this issue, the Governor’s actions will move DPR forward in a responsible manner by beginning the process of canceling the registrations for products containing chlorpyrifos, and at the same time, convening a cross-sector working group to identify safer alternatives to avoid replacing chlorpyrifos with an equally harmful pesticide. ”

About Senator Melissa Hurtado

Senator Melissa Hurtado is an advocate for expanding access to health care, growing educational opportunities and creating more quality jobs. Representing the 14^th Senate district in California, which includes cities in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties. Senator Hurtado was born in Fresno, California and raised in the City of Sanger, where she still resides with her family.

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