On May 15, the White House announced it would add an agriculture representative to the White House Coronavirus Task Force after Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) sent a letter asking for the appointment. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will now serve on the task force, where he will advocate for the needs of the country’s farmers, including Valley agricultural needs.

“It’s about time. Agriculture is an essential industry that’s critical to our national interest – our farmers need a voice on the task force,” said Rep. Harder. “I’m glad to see the White House has come around and agreed to our request to consider the needs of our farmers.”

Representative Harder’s office has heard concerns from the agriculture community about the availability of masks and gloves for workers, access to labor, as well as addressing the steep drop in commodity prices. He’s also heard from consumers concerned about bare shelves at supermarkets. Having an agriculture representative on the Task Force will help to ensure all these concerns are heard at the highest level of government. Harder requested that the White House add the representative during the first month of the crisis.