An Honest Economy for Modoc County
California's forgotten corner — 9,000 people, wide open rangeland, and zero patience for empty promises
Modoc County is high desert ranching country on the Oregon and Nevada borders. People here are fiercely independent and self-reliant. They don't want the government in their lives — they want the government to do its job and then get out of the way. In 2023, grasshopper infestations wiped out over $52 million in crops and rangeland because federal agencies failed to act in time. These three bills hold the government accountable, invest in the basics, and leave ranchers alone to do what they do best.
The Government Failed Modoc. These Bills Fix That.
Modoc County lost $52 million to grasshoppers because federal agencies didn't spray on time. Ranchers can't get affordable insurance. The nearest hospital is hours away. Broadband barely exists. These aren't campaign promises — they're drafted federal legislation that holds the government accountable when it fails, invests in the basics that every community deserves, and respects the independence that defines Modoc. Read them yourself.
American Agriculture Resilience & Pest Management Act
$52 million in losses because the government didn't do its job — this bill makes sure it never happens again
In 2023, grasshopper swarms destroyed crops and rangeland across Modoc County. Ranchers begged federal agencies to spray. The response came too late — or didn't come at all. The damage topped $52 million. Modoc is specifically named as the case study in this bill because what happened here should never happen to any agricultural community again. The bill creates a $5 billion Pest Suppression Trust Fund — self-funded through existing USDA mechanisms, not new taxes — that pays ranchers for documented losses when federal agencies fail to act on time. It sets mandatory response deadlines for federal pest management and creates a standing rapid-response capacity so the government is ready before infestations become disasters. And it establishes clear accountability: when the feds fail, they pay. Period.
Rural Prosperity and Security Act
Nine thousand people, one county — and the same right to broadband, healthcare, and insurance as everyone else
Modoc County has the smallest population in CA-2 and some of the biggest infrastructure gaps in California. The nearest hospital is a long drive on two-lane roads. Insurance companies are pulling out because their risk models don't account for the reality of high-desert living. Broadband is so limited that kids can't reliably do homework online and ranchers can't access the markets and weather data they need. This bill doesn't try to turn Modoc into something it's not. It invests in the basic infrastructure that every American community deserves. It funds healthcare workforce recruitment with loan forgiveness for providers who serve rural areas. It stabilizes the insurance market so ranchers and homeowners can protect what they've built. It brings broadband, water security, and road investment to communities that have been waiting decades. And it creates workforce housing so the people Modoc recruits can actually afford to stay.
Climate-Resilient Organic Transition & Food Security Act
Modoc ranchers have always taken care of the land — this bill makes that pay
Modoc's economy runs on cattle and hay. Ranchers here already practice the kind of land stewardship that keeps soil healthy and water clean — not because the government told them to, but because their livelihood depends on it. This bill rewards those practices instead of punishing them. It creates tiered tax incentives for regenerative ranching — the more you invest in soil health, rotational grazing, and drought-resistant forage, the more you save. It opens carbon sequestration credit markets so ranchers can earn real income from the carbon their grasslands absorb. It funds drought resilience programs tailored to high-desert conditions — not one-size-fits-all coastal programs. And it supports livestock sustainability through water-efficient practices and rangeland restoration. Every incentive is voluntary. No mandates. No penalties. Just an honest deal: take care of the land and the land takes care of you.
Every Bill Meets These Standards
No mandates. No overreach. Drafted legislation tested against eight ironclad principles. Read the bills and check the math.