Modesto event challenges farmers to get political through Ag Unite

About 800 farmers and allies heard a rallying cry Thursday about water supplies, regulation and other strains on agriculture.

They came for lunch at Modesto Junior College and to hear about Ag Unite, a political arm of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

“We have Ag Unite because at the end of the day, we have to pull together and we have to be active politically,” said Paul Wenger, who grows walnuts and almonds just west of Modesto and is president of the federation.

The Farm Bureau already is involved in county, state and national affairs, but leaders said even more is needed to deal with the demands of government agencies and environmental groups. The event, in the big Ag Pavilion on the west campus, was for supporters in Stanislaus, Merced, Tuolumne, San Joaquin and Sacramento counties.

Wenger said Ag Unite can counter the misconception that farmers use too much of California’s water while contributing little to its economy. The reality is that agriculture gets 40 percent of the supply while 50 percent is for the environment and 10 percent goes to cities, he said. And while it’s true that goods sold by farmers account for only 2 percent of the state output, he said, that multiplies when processing, farm suppliers and other related businesses are added.

Wenger noted that most lawmakers do not have much farming in their districts, and they are influenced by groups trying to restrict pesticides and water use.

He told of dealing with hail that ruined his walnuts and of sharp drops in nut prices, experiences that help when taking on political issues.

“We use our stubbornness to be able to persevere,” Wenger said.

Rich McGowan, who helped launch the campaign in Butte County, said donations for its advocacy work are as important as what farmers spend on water, chemicals and other needs. “Ag Unite – a budget line item to preserve farming life,” he said.

Tony Toso, a Mariposa County cattle rancher and second vice president of the state Farm Bureau, said afterward that he agreed with the cause.

“We’re bringing the ag community from all over California together to tell our story,” he said.

This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Modesto event challenges farmers to get political through Ag Unite."