A.G. Kawamura, Food and Agriculture Secretary

A.G. Kawamura, Food and Agriculture Secretary

Kawamura donated $21,200 to Arnold. He is a past chairman of the
Western Growers Association, which has been a vocal opponent of
legislation protecting farmworkers and the environment enacted over
the past several years.

The Food and Agriculture Department is responsible for environmental,
public safety and other regulations governing agricultural interests.
Kawamura's appointment is incongruous - it places a man who ran an
anti-regulation organization in charge of development and
implementation of regulatory safeguards. Farmworkers, and the
environment in farming communities, are bound to suffer when
agribusiness interests take the forefront at the department.

Among the legislation opposed by the Western Growers was last year's
SB 700, which required farmers to obtain pollution permits for
certain diesel powered field machinery. Previously, agricultural
interests were exempt from the emission rules that require permits
for other industries and Central Valley air quality was greatly
compromised as a result.

Agricultural interests gave Arnold's campaign committees more than
half a million dollars.