San Joaquin Times

Rep. Josh Harder, a U.S. Congressman representing California's 9th District since 2019, has been actively engaging with his constituents and advocating for local agricultural interests through a series of recent social media posts. Born in Turlock, California, Harder has a background in education from Stanford University and Harvard University.

On March 3, 2025, Rep. Harder highlighted the significance of Lodi's wine grape production by stating that "Lodi grows the best wine grapes in the world—no contest." He expressed his honor in joining the Lodi District Grape Growers Annual Dinner to celebrate the farmers responsible for this achievement.

The following day, on March 4, 2025, he shared his enthusiasm about having Stuart Spencer as his guest for the Presidential Address. He described Spencer as "a local farmer and winemaker whose family has been farming for decades," emphasizing Spencer's role in ensuring that family farmers are not overlooked by Washington policymakers.

On March 5, 2025, Rep. Harder addressed concerns regarding new tariffs affecting Valley wineries. He pointed out that Canada is "the #1 buyer of our local wine," warning that these tariffs could lead to reduced sales and increased struggles for wineries in the region. He emphasized that this issue transcends political affiliations by stating "I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican—this is bad policy for our community."