[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



       LIVIO PALLA, KERN COUNTY'S 2000 AGRICULTURIST OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2000

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my friends in the Kern County 
farm community in honoring Mr. Livio Palla, this year's recipient of 
the Agriculturist of the Year 2000.
  One of the primary reasons California has been the nation's premier 
farm state for decades is its people. Today, many outside California 
are surprised to learn California is the nation's top dairy state, the 
nation's second largest producer of cotton and the primary source of 
almonds, pistachios, table grapes and other fruits and vegetables. 
Americans know Californians have been innovators in trying new 
industries, in exporting, in creating efficient ways to use land and 
resources and in marketing new products. Often overlooked is a key part 
of the development process: the hard work and dedication of California 
farmers themselves. This year, Kern County agriculture honors Livio 
Palla because we understand how hard people have had to work to make 
California what it is today.
  Livio Palla has spent over a half century building dairy and 
livestock businesses in the San Joaquin Valley. Starting with 40 cows 
and 120 acres, he built a family operation that now includes a family 
full of farmers, dairy and livestock operations and almonds, cotton, 
corn, alfalfa and apples. He has served on industry panels that have 
built infrastructure Kern County farmers have been able to use to make 
even more progress.
  By giving recognition to the lifetime of work and achievement of Mr. 
Palla, the Kern County farm community recognizes how important 
individual efforts can be. It is an important message and one I join 
with many others in acknowledging by extending congratulations to Livio 
Palla as this year's recipient of the Kern County Agriculturist of the 
Year.

                          ____________________