Congressional Hispanic Caucus to Create Task Force on Farm Bill

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) plans to create an agriculture task force focused on the farm bill as multiple Latino members join the House Agriculture Committee. The taskforce is to be chaired by California Representative Jim Costa (D-Tulare) and includes Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D-Los Angeles), Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert), Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), Darren Soto (D-Florida), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Andrea Salinas (D-Oregon), Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (D-Washington), Yadira Caraveo (D-Colorado), and Nadia Velázquez (D-New York). Members of the CHC have pushed for immigration bills that would provide earned legal status for farmworkers who come to the United States. Freshman members, including Salinas, Gluesenkamp, and Pérez, are joining the House Agriculture Committee this year, adding to Latino representation on Congress’ agriculture panels. The task force is being created as lawmakers gear up to write the next farm bill, which will determine major aspects of agricultural policy for the coming years.