SANTA BARBARA’S AGRICULTURE:
Growing Our Community
Santa Barbara’s agriculture sector plays a central role in our county, providing fresh locally grown food and wine, supporting thousands of good-paying jobs, boosting our local economy and supporting local education, fire protection and other public services.
Some special interests are pushing costly, damaging proposals that would hurt this important sector, forcing growers out of business, costing workers their jobs, and driving up food costs at a time we can least afford it.
A coalition of small businesses, growers, vintners, workers and more throughout the county have come together to protect the agriculture economy and Keep Santa Barbara Growing.
WHY THIS MATTERS
01
Protect Local Jobs
Agriculture provides thousands of good-paying jobs in Santa Barbara County, from farmworkers to supporting industries like tourism, shipping, and restaurants. Losing these jobs would devastate our local economy.
02
Keep Food Affordable
Santa Barbara families already face a high cost of living. These proposals will only increase food prices, putting more strain on working families.
03
Support Sustainable Agriculture
Local farming practices help keep Santa Barbara’s food supply sustainable and reduce our environmental impact. If local farms close, we will be forced to import more food from other regions, increasing carbon emissions.
WHat You Can Do
Sign The Petition
Join the thousands of community members fighting to protect Santa Barbara’s agriculture.
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Share our message with friends and family. Follow us on social media to stay updated on the latest news.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this impact H-2A workers?
Yes. Employers must pay the highest-of the local or state minimum wage, prevailing wage or adverse effect wage rate. A local minimum wage of $26 per hour would apply to H-2A employees and U.S. employees working the same jobs.
What are farmworkers paid currently?
According to the USDA’s Farm Labor Survey (FLS), average hourly earnings of crop and livestock workers was $19.75 in California in 2023. $19.75 is now the minimum wage paid to H-2A workers doing harvesting and U.S. workers in corresponding employment. Many farmworkers earn significantly more doing piece-rate work.
Why can’t farmers and vintners pay higher minimum wages if they’re already paying comparable costs for H2A workers once benefits are included?
H2A workers make up a small fraction of the total farm work force and are hired to complement the domestic workforce. Applying their cost structure to the entire agricultural work force will drive up costs dramatically with serious economic consequences – ag businesses will shut down, jobs will be lost and supportive industries and the broader economy will suffer.
Do farmworkers currently receive other benefits beyond wages?
According to a recent annual survey of compensation and HR practices among growers statewide:
– 61% of companies include field workers in a bonus or incentive plan.
– 88% of companies offer field workers 401(k) plans.
– 98% of companies offer field workers health plan coverage.
– 68% of companies have a formal vacation policy, with an average of 8 days per year.
