WESTERN GROWERS URGES RENEWED COOPERATION ON WESTERN WATER BILL

IRVINE, Calif., (December 4, 2015) -- Statement by Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif regarding recent developments in the negotiations related to proposed Western drought legislation:

“For months, House Republicans have been working in good faith with Senator Feinstein, other western Senators, as well as the federal and state administrations, to craft bipartisan legislation offering some relief to California and other western states suffering from the drought.  We share the frustration many feel over the fact that compromise legislation that could help California take advantage of the coming El Nino storms has not been passed yet.  Time is running out, and we cannot accept failure.

I believe that House Republicans and Senator Feinstein are equally committed to achieving success, and that great progress has been made to close the remaining gaps between the parties.  I urge all the parties involved to resist an escalation of public criticism of the other parties.  Retreating to the seeming safety of partisanship is understandably tempting, but we know from past experience that it will only doom any hope of passing compromise legislation that provides our members water relief.  We urge all parties to resist the pull of partisan positioning and recommit to negotiation with a sense of urgency in light of the dwindling time left to take advantage of coming winter storms.”