Rep. Vasquez Appointed to House Agriculture Committee for the 118th Congress

Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) announced his appointment to the House Agriculture Committee for the 118th Congress. 

“It is an honor and privilege to serve on the House Committee on Agriculture, ensuring my constituents’ voices are heard in Washington. New Mexico is a vital part of America’s agricultural landscape. I look forward to working alongside farmers, farm workers, and ranchers in my district to ensure that all Americans have access to safe, affordable food,” said Rep. Vasquez. “I know first-hand the challenges farmers face, and I’m dedicated to bringing more opportunities to New Mexicans. When 1 in 5 New Mexicans survive on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and nearly 1 in 4 children live in poverty, I plan to waste no time helping my constituents in need. ”

The Committee is committed to maintaining access to healthy and affordable food while improving the quality of life for all Americans. Representing New Mexico’s second congressional districtRep. Vasquez plans to work hard to boost the state’s competition in agriculture. 

“First, I congratulate Representative Gabe Vasquez for being named to the House Agriculture Committee,” said New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte. “Representation on this committee is very important because of New Mexico’s diverse agriculture, as far as what we grow and the farmers and ranchers that produce our food. Also, considering we will have many discussions around the Farm Bill, it’s vital we have someone to advocate for various programs in our state, whether those programs include specialty crops, natural resources or other important components of New Mexico’s agriculture.”

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Background:

New Mexico is home to over 40 million acres of farmland across the state and the largest grower of chile peppers nationwide by acreage. The counties ranked first and second in the U.S. for chile acreage are found in New Mexico’s second congressional district–Doña Ana and Luna counties. 
Doña Ana County also leads the nation in pecan production. 

New Mexico is also a leading producer of dairy and livestock nationally, much of which is concentrated in Southern New Mexico and brings in millions of dollars to support the state economy. Farmers, ranchers and producers are the backbone of the district and the country.