Almost every evening when we gather for dinner, my family enjoys
rice with our meal. And while I have driven past rice farms many
times, my knowledge about where the food my family eats comes
from has been somewhat limited. As a pediatrician, I frequently
counsel families about good nutrition, and I understand that too
often finding sources of good food can be difficult. As a first-
term Assemblymember, I welcomed the opportunity to learn more
about where our food comes from and how we can promote policies
that would truly improve access to good food for the people of
California. Despite the overall economic downturn, local family
farms continue doing what they have done for generations –
producing healthy, abundant and affordable food, while
contributing to our economy. This fall, I visited area farms
firsthand. A short drive from the state Capitol, the Sacramento
Valley is a unique place where the climate and the earth join to
create the most productive agricultural regions in the world. I
rode with family f