Amodei visits Fallon next week

Congressman Mark Amodei, R-Nev., will be in Fallon on Tuesday to tour the new multi-million dollar Dairy Farmers of America ingredient manufacturing facility and to discuss a variety of legislative items at a luncheon.

Amodei, who was elected to his first full term in November, has been touring Congressional District 2 since Congress adjourned for its five-week recess. The highlight of Amodei’s stop in Fallon will be the DFA dry milk manufacturing facility. The DFA is a farmer-owned cooperative focused on securing markets to produce dairy products primarily for world markets. Construction on the 110,000 square-foot plant is slated to be completed this autumn. Once completed, DFA earlier reported the Fallon plant will be equipped to process 2 million pounds of raw milk daily and, at full capacity, will produce upward to 300,000 pounds of dried dairy ingredients daily for customers in the U.S. and worldwide.

According to Amodei’s Washington, D.C. office, the congressman wants to become familiar with he plant’s operations and to reaffirm his commitment to agriculture, one of Nevada’s leading industries, especially in the rural counties and within his congressional district.

“Congressman Amodei will discuss exports to Asia,” said Brian Baluta, Amodei’s press aide. “It’s a growing part of their business, and we have a Hong Kong visa waiver bill for travel that would help in that arena.”

Amodei will also speak at noon at the weekly Fallon Rotary Club luncheon at the Fallon Convention Center. Baluta said Amodei will discuss prior and current legislation and give a recap of Washington politics that could include sequestration, Sage Grouse and veterans’ issues.

The lunch is open to the public, but non-Fallon Rotary members must RSVP by calling Karla Kent at 775-691-9357 no later than today at 5 p.m.

Amodei, a former state assemblyman and senator who grew up in Carson City, won a special election on Sept. 13, 2011, to replace Dean Heller, who had been appointed in May of that year to fill the unexpired term of former Sen. John Ensign. The vacancy necessitated a special election in which Amodei handily defeated three challengers.