FRESNO (KMJ) — Mayor of Tulare Carlton Jones said his post on Facebook criticizing the ag industry was taken out of context.
A screenshot of his words have been circulating on social media. Jones told KMJ News that the statement, which includes the line “ag strips the natural resources and contaminates our ground water and air,” was one part of a longer thread responding to another user’s post.
“What sparked the conversation is the comment and my reaction to her saying that ag in California has been obliterated. I totally disagree with that.”
Jones said his comments appearing to blast the industry should be taken in context.
“We were talking about ag and some of the concerns and issues that we have with ag in the Central Valley. Those are real concerns. Not to say that we are not addressing them…if we choose to ignore what’s been happening we will never improve.
“You’re reading a part of the conversation.”
Jones adds that he was writing as a private citizen, not in an official capacity.
The post was later shared on the ‘My Job Depends On Ag’ Facebook page by Erik Wilson.
“I thought that his comment was very ignorant in his claims…and I just wanted to challenge people, and him included, to maybe step back and look at your daily life,” explained Wilson.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
