Ag Committee assignment promises payoff for district

As a freshman member of Congress, you learn pretty quickly that time is of the essence in Washington, D.C. Wasted moments on the House floor can turn into missed opportunities for your district in the blink of an eye. So I came to the Capitol with a plan to fight for my community on day one.

From the time I arrived, I began working to earn a seat on the House Committee on Agriculture, which holds jurisdiction over agricultural and food issues. Though many might not realize it, the Ag Committee considers a legislation that impacts every single person in Oregon’s 6th District.

The farmworkers who work the fields of the Willamette Valley may see their lives improved by this committee. The farmers and growers who face drought or fire this year may have their businesses buoyed by this committee.

Oregonians who love and cherish our environment may value our committee’s work to protect it from pollution and climate change. And for mothers and fathers who need help feeding their children, this committee’s work could be the difference between having food on the table and having to go without.

I made my case at every opportunity, in every way I could. I spoke to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, expressing my strong interest in serving on the Agriculture Committee.

I told colleagues the heart of our community lies in the Willamette Valley, which features more small family farms and specialty crops than those of any other state. I informed them that one-in-six Oregonians — including tens of thousands of farmworkers — rely on federal SNAP benefits to feed their families.

I stressed the importance of rural development to communities in Yamhill County and the rest of the district. And I reminded them about my background as a state legislator — something that has prepared me well for the work of the Agriculture Committee.

Those efforts paid off when I got word that I’d received a spot on the committee. Now, the real work begins.

This year, for the first time since 2018, Congress will take up the Farm Bill, a critical piece of spending legislation that will impact every part of the 6th district — including the communities of Yamhill County.

Whether you’re a farmer seeking crop insurance for your specialty crops or a mother trying to put nutritious food on the table to feed your kids, the Farm Bill will ensure that the programs you rely on get funding and support from the federal government. It will also include conservation efforts to help protect our environment and natural resources from the threat of climate change.

As a member of the Ag Committee, I’ll have a unique opportunity to contribute to this legislation and ensure Oregonians of all backgrounds have a seat at the table as we craft this vital bill. I’m ready to work across the aisle on this and other important pieces of legislation that will impact the lives of Oregonians in the sixth district.

Together, we will make a difference for Yamhill County and all of Oregon.

This editorial was written by Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) for the Yamhill County News-Register. It was published on Friday, February 3, 2023.