Please remember to direct your testimony to trade policy matters as this is not a forum for discussion of domestic agricultural policy. Furthermore, please remember that all comments are public and will be recorded for the public record. Finally, as a courtesy to all speakers, please turn off all cellular telephones and pagers.

We have a full day of activities beginning with comments from our host, the Assembly Speaker, Antonio Villaraigosa.

Antonio.

ASSEMBLY SPEAKER VILLARAIGOSA: Good morning, all of you. And we had a great breakfast this morning and yesterday's reception welcoming you here to Sacramento. It was, I think, an important opportunity to get to know one another. Many of you know that Sacramento is the Capitol of this State and center of the central valley. It's California's heartland. One of the most productive and fertile valleys in the world, encompassing about 500 miles from the Grapevine grade to Mount Shasta. And so we're particularly heartened that you would be here with us.

We have a diverse group of speakers representing California's agricultural trade interests throughout the west. Many of you know, and we talked about earlier today, that California agriculture is very diverse, much like its people. And some of these complexities and that diversity are going to be issues that are going to be raised today.

There are particular issues that are specific to California that you need to be armed with as you enter into your negotiations in this next round of multilateral trade negotiations. Many of you know that, and of course, California has been the nation's leading agricultural producer for over 50 years.

There are approximately 350 crop and livestock commodities. Our production of fruits, nuts and vegetables account for 50 percent of the nation's total. Ag business alone in California is contributing more than $26 billion annually through cash from farm receipts and more than $100 billion in related activities. Ten California counties alone reached a billion dollars in annual sales. So when you think about that, it boggles the mind how critical this sector of the California economy is.

People talk about Silicon Valley and entertainment and biotech and the like, but make no mistake about it, California agriculture is the number one sector of the California economy.

Agriculture is credited with providing one of every 12 jobs here in California, one of every ten jobs in the central valley. In Los Angeles, trade has an even higher impact. The city I come from, one out of seven jobs are trade related. And so this issue is very, very important to all of us in this state, whether you come from a rural area or you come from an urban area.

California exports about a fifth of our agricultural products for approximately $6.7 billion in exports, and about one-fourth of the nation's total agricultural exports. And so this is a very critical issue to us.

And we welcome you here to Sacramento. I think in the course of the day you're going to hear from a lot of very interested and interesting people who have a lot to say and hopefully will arm you with the facts that you need as you get ready to engage in these negotiations.

I can tell you, I have a favorite California crop, and I shared that with you this morning. And I'm particularly proud of our California wines. And I can tell you that, for me, when you think about California exports, obviously that's an important issue that we're going to have to resolve. We've had some issues with Chile and Argentina and other places in Europe as well. And so we hope that you'll get to hear from these good people behind us and that you'll be armed with some facts as you engage in your negotiations.

In Spanish we have a saying "mi casa, su casa" and so you're at home, my home is your home. And so feel free to use our facilities and any of the legislative staff that you may need in the day.

So thank you so much.