The October 16 edition of the AgNet News Hour featured a powerhouse guest, Bill Jones, former California Secretary of State, lifelong West Side farmer, and one of the most respected political figures in Central Valley history. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill continued their “Hall of Fame Week” series with Jones, who offered rare perspective on the intersection of agriculture, politics, and hope for California’s future.
Jones, who still farms almonds, pistachios, pomegranates, and tomatoes near Firebaugh, shared insight into the challenges and cycles of California farming. “We need the water for irrigation, but it has to come at the right time,” he said, noting that most of this year’s rainfall will once again “go right to the ocean” instead of into storage. He criticized decades of political inaction and urged cooperation between Sacramento and Washington. “Until both are on the same page, California’s water problem will never truly be fixed,” he warned.
The conversation turned to California’s political history, where Jones reflected on his time leading the Assembly during the 1990s, a period he called “the last time Sacramento worked for the people.” He lamented the rise of one-party control and called Proposition 50 a direct threat to rural representation. “One-party rule is never good. Prop 50 takes power away from the people and gives it to politicians. Vote no,” he said firmly.
Jones also discussed the importance of voter ID laws and ensuring election integrity. Drawing from his experience overseeing international elections in Mexico and Nicaragua, he said, “Every vote counts. People have to believe in the system. Without that, democracy fails.”
The former Secretary of State offered advice to young farmers and aspiring leaders to stay engaged. “Agriculture and politics are deeply connected, that’s just the nature of it,” he said. “We need people who understand farming to run for office, to step up and serve.”
The discussion also covered immigration and labor, with Jones calling for “common sense solutions” and long-term federal reform. “You can’t have open borders, but you also can’t ignore the workers who’ve built this country. We need a fair system that works for everyone.”
On water, Jones argued that California’s crisis is man-made, not climate-driven. “The drought isn’t from climate change, it’s from poor planning,” he said. “We built a world-class system in the 1960s but stopped maintaining it. You can’t run a 40-million-person economy on 60-year-old infrastructure.”
Still, Jones ended on a note of optimism. “California is great already,” he said. “We’ve come back from bad leadership three times before — and we’ll do it again. With good candidates and fair elections, this state will come back stronger than ever.”
Papagni and McGill closed the segment by echoing his message. “That’s what the Central Valley needs — leaders with common sense and courage,” Papagni said. “Bill Jones gives us hope that California can still be fixed.”
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