Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, is the Assembly Majority Leader in the California State Legislature. She represents Assembly District 4, which encompasses Yolo, Napa, Colusa and Lake counties and part of Sonoma County. Aguiar-Curry’s office provided written responses to questions from Ag Alert. The below conversation was edited for length and clarity.

You have an important position in the Legislature as the Assembly majority leader and you also represent an agricultural district. What are your priorities for this year?

My priorities include keeping our agricultural industry competitive while addressing water management, workforce challenges and climate change. I’d also like to see broadband expansion to more rural areas to increase economic opportunities for farmers and their communities. Another priority is educating my colleagues. This year, I have 23 new colleagues in the Assembly, and we need to educate them on agriculture. I have historically brought them on tours in my district. This is always a huge success for teaching my colleagues from Southern California and the Bay Area.

These are challenging times for California agriculture. Do you have any thoughts about how to reduce regulatory burdens for farmers in the state?

There’s no doubt California’s farmers face significant challenges. It’s critical we strike a balance between protecting our environment, ensuring agriculture remains viable and making sure working people can afford to support themselves and their families. I support streamlining permitting processes, increasing transparency and providing technical assistance to help farmers efficiently comply with regulations.

What actions should the Legislature take to ensure we continue to be the No. 1 agricultural state in the country?

We should be investing in innovation, water infrastructure and workforce development. The Legislature should expand programs that promote climate-smart agriculture and provide support for adopting new technologies. Personally, I want to make sure we make progress on the Sites Reservoir project. Ensuring we have access to reliable water supplies and addressing our supply chain vulnerabilities will help maintain California’s leadership in agriculture.

What are your thoughts on challenges that rural communities in California face today?

Rural communities face unique challenges that other communities don’t, including access to health care, housing and broadband, and impacts from drought and wildfires. We should prioritize investments in infrastructure, education and economic diversification to support our rural communities. Making sure rural voices are heard in policymaking is one of my priorities.

California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is projected to cause as much as a million acres of farmland to come out of production in the San Joaquin Valley by 2040, with major economic impacts. What role should the Legislature play in providing relief or economic solutions for farmers in the region?

We have a responsibility to ensure a transition balances economic viability and environmental sustainability. We should invest in programs that support farmers as they adapt to SGMA, like providing financial incentives for land repurposing or implementing groundwater recharge projects. We need to expand support for water efficiency and innovation by funding technologies like precision irrigation or soil moisture sensors that can help farmers maximize water use and productivity. We should strengthen rural economic development initiatives, including workforce training programs and grants for small businesses. We also need to facilitate more collaboration among stakeholders for transparency in decision-making—from farmers to water districts, local governments and community organizations—to develop solutions tailored for each community and region.

We just had a very contentious presidential election. What are your takeaways on the results and its impacts in California?

The general election was a reminder to me that affordability is a top priority for voters. And I know, coming from a farming family, inputs are too expensive, and the price we get for our product is way less than what it is sold for in California. I hope we do better for agriculture in the next round. We’ve got to make sure the rules we make to meet our environmental goals are fair and that we respect the needs of our workers, small farmers and businesses. Few people argue with our broader environmental goals. The arguments come when we don’t feel our regulators are being sensitive to challenges we face in meeting those goals.

What actions do you anticipate the state Legislature will take in response to new federal policies that have been or may be implemented by President Trump?

There’s a lot of uncertainty on how new federal policies will impact international trade, particularly tariffs, which could have a significant impact on California agriculture. Regardless, we want California’s agricultural industry to thrive. We will closely monitor federal developments and take actions to protect Californians, particularly in areas like health care, immigration and environmental standards. Collaboration with federal agencies will be important, but we will also stand firm when our state’s priorities are at stake.