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“REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF FRED STARRH, SR.” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E488 on April 25, 2019.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF FRED STARRH, SR.
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HON. KEVIN McCARTHY
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Fred Starrh, Sr., who passed away on April 16, 2019 at the age of 89. Fred was a renowned farmer in California's Central Valley whose career spanned nearly seventy years. He was also a devoted family man, philanthropist, follower of Jesus Christ, and my dear friend.
Born to a family of cotton farmers at the onset of the Great Depression and having come of age during the Second World War, the value of hard work and the importance of serving one's country were instilled in Fred at a young age. In fact, Fred answered the call to serve when his draft number was selected during the Korean War. Stationed in Fort Lewis in Washington State, it was there he met his first loving wife of 54 years, Nancy Johnson, who passed away in 2009. Fred then fell in love with and married Linda.
Fred returned to his roots after the war, managing the 35-acre family cotton farm in Shafter, California, that his father founded in 1935. The operation quickly expanded and diversified under Fred's guidance, with an additional location in Buttonwillow, California, and the production of specialty crops, including pistachios and almonds. Today, the Starrh Family Farms operation spans over 9,000 acres.
Fred was also a staunch advocate for Kern County and Central Valley farmers and the farming industry generally. For instance, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture closed a research facility in Shafter, California, that was doing critical research on a cotton disease, Fred, through the San Joaquin Valley Quality Cotton Growers Association, stepped up to the plate and led the charge to keep the facility open and in operation by partnering with Kern County and the local community college.
Throughout his 68-year career, Fred also advanced agricultural interests by serving on countless boards and councils, and joining numerous associations. Among these, Fred was particularly proud to sit on the Kern County Water Agency Board of Directors. In this capacity, Fred played a critical role and was a key decision-maker advancing commonsense water policies in Kern County and California. For those of you who know California water politics, things can get heated quickly, but Fred, the consummate gentleman, could draw on his vast experience and detailed knowledge to find common ground to bring people back to the table to get solutions--all without raising his voice.
Fred also served on the Kern County Farm Bureau's Board of Directors, was a Director for the California Farm Bureau Federation, and was appointed to serve on the Cotton Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee and the Cotton Marketing Committee by then-Secretary of Agriculture Ed Madigan, where he advised the Secretary and other officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the landmark 1990 Farm Bill. Fred further served his beloved Central Valley community on the board of the Kern High School District for 17 years, and was a founding member of the Shafter Recreation District, where he both supported and participated in local music and arts programs.
Fred held unwavering faith in the goodness of God. As a member of the Shafter Congregational Church, Fred could always be found singing in the choir with his family and friends.
Fred is survived by his wife, Linda, his four children, Fred Jr. and his wife Cris, Larry and his wife Shana, Carol and her husband Jay, and Anne and her husband Dale, his seven grandchildren, two great-
grandchildren, and an entire family that loved him deeply. Fred Starrh was truly a larger-than-life personality, and when I would seek his counsel on any issue big or small, he always had sage advice. I am honored to have been able to call Fred one of my close friends.
On behalf of Kern County and our friends and neighbors throughout the 23rd Congressional District of California, Judy and I extend our deepest condolences to the Starrh family as we remember and honor the life of Fred Starrh, Sr.
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