[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2235 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2235

To designate the facility under development by the Stanislaus Ag Center 
   Foundation, in Stanislaus County, California, as the National Ag 
                            Science Center.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 25, 2007

 Mrs. Boxer (for herself and Mrs. Feinstein) introduced the following 
      bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To designate the facility under development by the Stanislaus Ag Center 
   Foundation, in Stanislaus County, California, as the National Ag 
                            Science Center.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Ag Science Center Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL AG SCIENCE CENTER IN STANISLAUS COUNTY, 
              CALIFORNIA.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the State of California is a preeminent producer of 
        more than 350 different agricultural commodities, including--
                    (A) more than 90 percent of all of the tomatoes and 
                grapes produced in the United States;
                    (B) all of the commercial almonds, dates, figs, 
                olives, cling peaches, prunes, and raisins produced in 
                the United States; and
                    (C) 1 out of every 5 glasses of milk consumed in 
                the United States;
            (2) California is the leading State in terms of 
        agricultural exports, annually shipping more than 
        $7,000,000,000 in agricultural commodities around the world;
            (3) the total investment by the 78,500 farms in the State 
        of California, in terms of direct and indirect economic impact, 
        is staggering;
            (4) if California intends to keep its agricultural industry 
        strong and vibrant, the State must focus on the needs of 
        farmers who are valuable contributors to the economic, social, 
        and cultural life of the State and the United States;
            (5) since 1945, agricultural land has been rapidly 
        disappearing across California, as soil erosion, urbanization, 
        the growth of deserts, and salinization have all contributed to 
        loss of productive farmland;
            (6) if those trends continue, California will no longer be 
        able to supply food for its population, let alone the United 
        States, and will be unable to export food to the rest of the 
        world;
            (7) as people in the United States grow more and more 
        detached from the great agrarian history of the United States, 
        fewer of those people understand the fundamental importance of 
        agriculture to society in the United States;
            (8) educating young people in the United States about 
        agriculture and its importance to the United States is an 
        investment that will pay off in future benefits;
            (9) greater public understanding and appreciation of the 
        importance of agriculture to California, the United States, and 
        the world is needed to secure a positive future, in which the 
        United States can rely on healthy food that is produced 
        domestically;
            (10) citizens of all ages, especially youth, must play a 
        meaningful, hands-on role in determining the future of 
        California agriculture;
            (11) as planners, conservationists, and other interested 
        persons around the State of California organize to help protect 
        agricultural resources, the proposed National Ag Science Center 
        in Stanislaus County, California, is preparing to educate and 
        alert future generations about the need to preserve 
        agricultural land and to foster an understanding of the 
        importance of agriculture;
            (12) the mission of the National Ag Science Center will be 
        to provide exciting and fun agricultural learning opportunities 
        and resources in order--
                    (A) for young people to learn how a vibrant 
                agricultural economy is necessary for a vibrant 
                society;
                    (B) to prepare young people for career and 
                leadership opportunities in agriculture; and
                    (C) to ensure a bright future for all aspects of 
                the agriculture industry;
            (13) according to findings of the Center for Public Policy 
        Studies at California State University, Stanislaus, the 
        National Ag Science Center will create or support up to 359 new 
        local jobs, create or support up to $57,500,000 in economic 
        activity and $15,200,000 in labor income through construction 
        of the new facility, generate as much as $8,500,000 in total 
        annual economic activity, and result in as much as $3,400,000 
        in total annual labor income;
            (14) on September 14, 2005, the Yosemite Community College 
        District Board, in Stanislaus County, California, voted 
        unanimously to approve the dedication of a 3.5 acre site on the 
        West Campus of Modesto Community College for the National Ag 
        Science Center; and
            (15) establishment of the National Ag Science Center is in 
        the national interest, as the proposed Center will enable 
        future generations to help ensure a healthy and profitable 
        place for agriculture in the economy of California and the 
        United States.
    (b) Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The facility under development by the 
        Stanislaus Ag Center Foundation, in Stanislaus County, 
        California, shall be known and designated as the ``National Ag 
        Science Center''.
            (2) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
        document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
        facility under development referred to in paragraph (1) shall 
        be deemed to be a reference to the National Ag Science Center.
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