Farmers Markets Lobby Lawmakers

Laura Avery
Mirror Contributing Writer

The Santa Monica Farmers Market went to Sacramento last week to lobby for passage of Assembly Bill 593 that would enable the Farmers Market program to fund itself and eventually set up a commission that would advise and oversee the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) on Farmers' Market operations.
   Funding for a Direct Marketing Program, which was gutted by the Wilson administration, would be provided by assessing each participating farmer as much as 50 cents per market day—or $26 per year from a farmer who participated in one Market per week annually. Those farmers who participate in multiple markets would be assessed accordingly.
    John Tenerelli, a popular peach farmer from Little Rock, Marion Kalb, legislative specialist and Market organizer from the Southland Farmers' Market Association, and I, Santa Monica Market manager, spent several hours in the Capitol Building, Sacramento, meeting with the Senate Agriculture and Water Committee staff to pushing for a "yes" vote on AB 593, which has already been approved by the Assembly 69-10. As of 5 p.m., Tuesday, June 29, it passed the Senate Ag and Waster Committee 9-0.
   To become law, the bill must now be passed by the Senate and signed by Governor Gray Davis. Anyone who supports passage of the bill can contact the Governor (phone: 916 445 2841, fax: 916 445 4633, mail: State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814) and State Senator Tom Hayden (fax: 916 324 4623).