[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 130 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3765-S3766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Feinstein,

[[Page S3766]]

        Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Warren, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Wyden):
  S. 2703. A bill to amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
Act of 1994 to establish the Office of the Farm and Food System 
Workforce; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the 
Supporting Our Farm and Food System Workforce Act of 2023, which I 
introduced today.
  Farm and food system workers feed our Nation. We know this well in 
California--the agricultural heart of the Nation--where we have one of 
the largest populations of farmworkers and food system workers in the 
United States. Throughout pandemic, these workers put food on our 
tables and kept our grocery store shelves stocked--despite facing deep-
rooted inequities in the workforce and often experiencing food 
insecurity themselves.
  Right now, just one person in the entire Federal Government is 
statutorily dedicated to serving as a liaison between farmworkers and 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture--the Farmworker Coordinator. While 
the 2008 farm bill created this position, Congress has never provided 
the proper resources to support or staff this position. The 2023 U.S. 
Department of Agriculture Equity Commission Interim Report even 
included a strong recommendation for USDA to fund and elevate roles for 
professional staff solely dedicated to farmworkers' concerns and 
perspectives.
  It is time that we give those who provide the food for our Nation a 
voice in the national conversation. We must give farm and food system 
workers a dedicated office within the USDA to integrate their 
invaluable perspectives into the decisions that directly affect their 
lives and livelihoods.
  That is why I am proud to introduce this bill, which will create the 
USDA Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce to not only serve as 
a liaison for farm and food system workers but also to provide a 
platform for their concerns and interests to assist in the creation of 
recommendations and new initiatives for the Department.
  The bill would also create a Farm and Food System Worker Advisory 
Committee, composed of a diverse cross-section of members representing 
these workers' varied interests and perspectives, such as workers 
themselves, labor unions, higher education professionals, civil rights 
advocates, women worker focused groups, and trusted community-based 
nonprofits.
  The legislation would also establish a Farm and Food System Workforce 
Interagency Council comprised of representatives from various Federal 
Agencies to improve coordination, planning, program development, and 
policymaking across Cabinet-level leadership. The Office will also 
appoint staff to various USDA entities to serve as liaisons on matters 
related to farm and food system workers within the Department.
  Finally, the bill would require annual, publicly available reports in 
multiple languages about the Office's work in the past year, including 
recommendations to improve the work and livelihood of farm and food 
system workers, climate change impacts on the food system, and the 
barriers workers face in accessing Federal programs.
  During this year's Farm Bill, I urge my colleagues to remember the 
workers behind the American food system, the workers who keep our 
families and communities fed and healthy. These workers deserve a seat 
at the table.
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