[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 119 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING JOEL NELSEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. VINCE FONG

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2025

  Mr. FONG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of 
Joel Nelsen, who passed away on July 1, 2025, at the age of 78. For 
nearly four decades, he served as President of California Citrus 
Mutual, where he became a leading voice for citrus growers in 
California and throughout the Nation.
  From 1982 to 2019, Mr. Nelsen led California Citrus Mutual through 
significant challenges to and changes in the agricultural landscape. He 
worked to ensure citrus growers were represented in key policy 
decisions related to water, trade, pest management, regulation, and 
beyond. His efforts helped strengthen the industry and protect the 
long-term viability of farming in the Central Valley.
  Throughout his career, Joel built relationships across the 
agricultural community, in Sacramento, and in Washington, D.C. He 
believed in the future of Central Valley agriculture and worked to 
support family farms and the people who rely on them. He also took time 
to mentor others in the industry and help prepare the next generation 
of advocates and leaders.
  Joel Nelsen will be remembered for his deep knowledge of the Citrus 
industry, his decades of service, and his unwavering commitment to the 
growers he represented. I have no doubt that his legacy will last 
generations.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Joel Nelsen 
for his lifelong dedication to California agriculture and the citrus 
industry.

                          ____________________