I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2321 

To authorize the designation of the facility under development by the 

Stanislaus Ag Center Foundation, in Stanislaus County, California, as 

the National Ag Science Center. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 15, 2007 

Mr. CARDOZA (for himself, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. COSTA, and Mr. NUNES) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To authorize the designation of the facility under development by the Stanislaus Ag Center Foundation, in 

Stanislaus County, California, as the National Ag 

Science Center. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Ag Science 

5 Center Act of 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL AG SCIENCE CENTER 

7 IN STANISLAUS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. 

8 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

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1 (1) The State of California is a preeminent pro2 ducer of more than 350 different agricultural com3 modities, including more than 90 percent of all of 

4 the tomatoes and grapes produced in the United 

5 States, all of the commercial almonds, dates, figs, ol6 ives, cling peaches, prunes and raisins produced in 

7 the United States, and one out of every five glasses 

8 of milk consumed in the United States. 

9 (2) California is the leading State in terms of 

10 agricultural exports, annually shipping more than $7 

11 billion dollars worth of agricultural commodities 

12 around the world. 

13 (3) The total investment by California’s 78,500 

14 farms in terms of direct and indirect economic im15 pact is staggering, and, if California is going to keep 

16 its agricultural industry strong and vibrant, it must 

17 focus on the needs of farmers who are valuable con18 tributors to the economic, social, and cultural life of 

19 the State and the United States. 

20 (4) Since 1945, agricultural land has been rap21 idly disappearing across California, as soil erosion, 

22 urbanization, the growth of deserts, and salinization 

23 have all contributed to loss of productive farmland. 

24 If these trends continue, California will no longer be 

25 able to supply food for its population, let alone the 

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1 United States, and will be unable to export food to 

2 the rest of the world. 

3 (5) As Americans grow more and more de4 tached from the great agrarian history of the United 

5 States, fewer Americans understand the funda6 mental importance of agriculture to American soci7 ety. 

8 (6) Educating young Americans about agri9 culture and its importance to the United States na10 tion is an investment that will pay off in future ben11 efits. 

12 (7) Greater public understanding and apprecia13 tion of the importance of agriculture to California, 

14 the United States, and the world is needed to secure 

15 a positive future, in which the United States can 

16 rely on healthy food that is produced domestically. 

17 Citizens of all ages, especially youth, must play a 

18 meaningful, hands-on role in determining the future 

19 of California agriculture. 

20 (8) As planners, conservationists, and other in21 terested persons around the State of California orga22 nize to help protect agricultural resources, the pro23 posed National Ag Science Center in Stanislaus 

24 County, California, is preparing to educate and alert 

25 future generations about the need to preserve agrimstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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1 cultural land and to foster an understanding of the 

2 importance of agriculture. 

3 (9) The mission of the National Ag Science 

4 Center will be to provide exciting and fun agricul5 tural learning opportunities and resources in order— 

6 (A) for young people to learn how a vi7 brant agricultural economy is necessary for a 

8 vibrant society; 

9 (B) to prepare young people for career and 

10 leadership opportunities in agriculture; and 

11 (C) to assure a bright future for all as12 pects of the agriculture industry. 

13 (10) According to findings of the Center for 

14 Public Policy Studies at California State University, 

15 Stanislaus, the National Ag Science Center will cre16 ate or support up to 359 new local jobs, create or 

17 support up to $57,500,000 in economic activity and 

18 $15,200,000 in labor income through construction of 

19 the new facility, generate as much as $8,500,000 in 

20 total annual economic activity, and result in as much 

21 as $3,400,000 in total annual labor income. 

22 (11) On September 14, 2005, the Yosemite 

23 Community College District Board, in Stanislaus 

24 County, California, voted unanimously to approve 

25 the dedication of a 3.5 acre site on the West Cammstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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1 pus of Modesto Community College for the National 

2 Ag Science Center. 

3 (12) Establishment of the National Ag Science 

4 Center is in the national interest, as the proposed 

5 Center will enable future generations to help assure 

6 a healthy and profitable place for agriculture in the 

7 economy of California and the United States. 

8 (b) DESIGNATION.—The facility under development 

9 by the Stanislaus Ag Center Foundation, in Stanislaus 

10 County, California, may be known and designated as the 

11 ‘‘National Ag Science Center’’. 

Æ 

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