Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA) visited Humboldt Creamery in Humboldt County, Calif., last Friday for a tour and discussion with employees. Humboldt Creamery was established in 1929 by a local association of 152 dairy farms, and, in 2009, Crystal Creamery in Modesto, Calif., purchased the assets of Humboldt Creamery.

“Representative Huffman’s visit to our facility was good exposure and well worth the effort,” said Mike Callihan, general manager, Humboldt Creamery. “We had the opportunity to talk about important issues such as school nutrition, the state of the dairy industry, the impact of organic regulations, as well as transportation issues. The visit also included a plant tour, followed by the opportunity to taste our new organic ice cream line.”

In an interview with the local NBC-TV affiliate News Channel 3, Huffman described his visit, saying, “Coming here and meeting with them about what they do gives me a better sense of what one very successful small business in my district does and how I may want to keep that in mind as I go back to Washington next week and do my job.”

He added, “Everything from the school nutrition programs, to the way we regulate the dairy industry, to our transportation system which is kind of the lifeblood for a company like this moving its goods around the state and around the country to many, many other aspects of their business.”

Huffman, who represents the second congressional district in Calif., was first elected to Congress in 2012. He sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Natural Resources Committee.

Through IDFA’s GrassRoots Action Network for Dairy (GRAND) program, members can find more information on how to set up plant tours or how to reach members of Congress. Visit the GRAND website at www.dairycounts.org or contact Ashley Burch, IDFA director of political programs, at (202) 220-3534 or aburch@idfa.org.