On Tuesday, U.S. Reps. David Valadao (R-CA) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) introduced legislation that would fix local roads and bridges used to transport goods from farms to markets.
The legislation, the Farm to Market Road Improvement Act, would make additional resources available to fix roads that play a role in America’s food supply chain, and address the disproportionate impact on local roads and bridges by heavy trucks carrying up to 40 tons of agricultural freight.
“The Central Valley plays a critical role in the security of our nation’s food supply,” Valadao said. “But after years of wear and tear from heavy trucks transporting the food that feeds the world through our roads, many are in desperate need of repair. This bill would make counties throughout the Central Valley eligible for additional federal resources to fix roads that are critical to our food supply chain. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to improve local infrastructure and support jobs throughout our community.”
The legislation creates a 10 percent set-aside in the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program for farm to market roads – specifically roads within a county that have an annual gross agricultural production value of at least $1 billion and at least $50,000 per square mile. As part of the legislation, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture would be required to create, and update, a list of counties covered under the bill.
The legislation is supported by Tulare County Association of Governments, Kings County, California Farm Bureau, the American Farm Bureau and Palm Beach County.
“Congressman Valadao’s bill will significantly increase federal funding availability to rural counties, like Tulare County, which are home to an exceptionally diverse and productive agricultural region. This proposal will improve traffic safety and help deliver Tulare County’s’ agricultural products to markets across the world,” Tulare County Association of Governments Chairman Rudy Mendoza said.