[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 135 (Friday, September 19, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING NICOLE MONTNA VAN VLECK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following:
       Nicole Montna Van Vleck (Rice grower and industry leader; 
     Sutter and Sacramento Counties): Nicole Montna Van Vleck is 
     the managing partner of family owned and operated Montna 
     Farms in Yuba City, a major grower of Japanese short grain 
     specialty rice. Nicole is actively involved in all aspects of 
     the operations from growing to drying and milling and her 
     involvement with California agriculture is long-standing. She 
     is a third generation Sutter County rice farmer who has been 
     a leader in numerous associations as an advocate for the 
     state's farmers.
       For more than a decade she has served on the California 
     Rice Commission where she currently sits on the Board of 
     Directors and on numerous committees. She is a member of the 
     California Rice Industry Association Board and in 2011 joined 
     the Board of Directors for American Commodity Company. From 
     February of 2011 to July 2013, Nicole served as co-chair for 
     the USA Rice Federation Rice Quality Task Force and remains 
     active. She also is active in the USA Rice Producers Group.
       In the area of water, Nicole has leadership roles in the 
     Northern California Water Association. She is Vice President 
     of the Sutter Bypass Butte Slough Water Users Association, 
     having been president for more than a decade. She is 
     Treasurer of Garden Highway Mutual Water District. Outside of 
     agriculture, Nicole is a member of the Board of Directors for 
     River Valley Community Bank. Nicole is a graduate of the 
     California Agricultural Leadership Program, and of the USA 
     Rice Leadership Program. Early in her career she worked as a 
     legislative analyst for the law firm of Morrison & Foerster 
     before returning to the family farm in 1994. As Vice Chair of 
     the California State Fair Agricultural Advisory Board, Nicole 
     advocates for agricultural education programs for youth. She 
     raised money for State Fair Scholarships and school tours of 
     the State Fair Farm. Nicole is a respected leader and 
     champion for women in agriculture statewide and for economic 
     development in Sutter County.

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