Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
Reddit
Delicious
LinkedIn
StumbleUpon
2012 Call for Supplemental Positions
Position Details
229 Ventura/Santa Barbara Livestock/Range/Natural Resources Advisor
Proposed Location/Housing
Ventura
Proposed Area of Coverage
Ventura and Santa Barbara
Contacts
- Sheila Barry - Main Contact
Associated Documents
- Ventura position (docx), uploaded 05/18/2012 by Sheila Barry
Status
This proposal has been formally submitted for the 2012 cycle.
Comments
39 Comments
1
As the Natural Resources Advisor in Ventura County, I currently serve clientele with watershed information. My background is in aquatic ecology and general resource conservation, but I have no background in livestock and range management, and have not been able to fully serve ranchers in this area. This position would greatly compliment mine, and I support it.
2
Great, I am glad someone thinks we need this position, but its not top on our list of priorities. And it would be nice if we knew it was going into the list.
3
Santa Barbara and Ventura County Livestock Producers would greatly benefit from UCCE hiring an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources.
4
Yes, UCCE should hire an advisor to assist with livestock and natural resources in Santa Barbara and Ventura County.
5
We have needed a livestock person in Santa Barbara ever since Wayne Jensen retired. This has left a hugh gap in service in our area. We worked with Wayne for years and have eagerly waited for his replacement to be hired. There are many important issues we are currently dealing with that having someone in this position that has livestock experience would help our industry tremendously. Thank you, Bill Giorgi.
6
I think that we would benefit from having a qualified person who will contribute to our needs in this area. However, given the financial crisis that exists, I think it might be better to transfer an existing and capable employee from some less important assignment. Wayne Stewart
7
Santa Barbara/Ventura would greatly benefit from UCCE hiring an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources. In addition to the duties that have been fulfilled by this person in the past, there is additional work to be done helping the operators meet the requirements placed on them by the Central Coast Water Quality Control Board and staff.
8
As an employee of the Resource Conservation District, this position would be very beneficial for better serving our clients, as we are lacking in this specialty.
9
Santa Barbara/Ventura would greatly benefit from UCCE hiring an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources
10
Santa Barbara County is long overdue for appointment of an Advisor skilled in livestock and natural resource issues. It has been many years since the previous advisor retired and Santa Barbara County cattlemen, as well as the citizens of the County, have suffered from the vacancy in this position.
11
Santa Barbara County had a great Livestock advisor, Wayne Jensen, since he has retired there has been a void that needs to be filled.
Please do what you can to hire someone for this position.
Please do what you can to hire someone for this position.
12
As someone who regularly provides advice to Santa Barbara ranchers, I strongly concur with the comments expressing support for the appointment of an Advisor who is knowledgable on ranching and environmental issues.
13
With shrinking budgets and increased workloads for technical providers it is critical to provide additional support to what I feel is an underserved community. A livestock and natural resource advisor is critical to existing and future programming in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Given the draws on current agencies/partners office’s discretionary budgets, this solution is critical to continuing to provide resources and assistance for these communities.
14
We desperately need a range advisor for the 250,000 acres of rangeland, now more than ever. Folks are tending to switch from cattle to avocados because they don't have support, technical, economical, and environmental, like the citrus and avocados do. We need to support our ranchng industry in this county.
15
We sure enough need another Wayne Jensen. If the budget process works, I think we should have a say on who is hired and on the individual's qualifications and experience. Perhaps Wayne would be willing to guide us through a vetting process if he is still around. keep in mind we need somenone who knows the Costal range and its resources.
16
Santa Barbara & Ventura County agriculture will be well served if UCCE hires an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources.
17
In my opinion, a Natural Resources Advisor/Rangeland Expert in this service area would be a valuable addition from the perspective of the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Readily available technical assistance for ranchers and livestock operators in this area would help facillitate rangeland water quality protection and implementation of our water quality programs. -- Peter Osmolovsky, staff Engineering Geologist, Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
18
I believe this position would provide a beneficial service to our specific community.
19
Santa Barbara/Ventura would greatly benefit from UCCE hiring an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources.
20
Santa Barbara/Ventura "need" a livestock and rangeland expert. This kind of technical assistance would compliment the Ventura RCD Stormwater Quality BMP implementation program, Livestock & Lands program, and from the perspective of the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Readily available technical assistance for ranchers and livestock operators in this area would help facilitate rangeland water quality protection and implementation of water quality programs.The RCD can provide office space in Ventura County to help facilitate the position.
21
The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner supports hiring an additional advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources for the Ventura and Santa Barbara County areas. The retirement of Wayne Jensen from the office in Santa Barbara County some time ago has left a gap in service to both counties. Sabrina Drill, the current Natural Resources Advisor in the Ventura County office, has commented that she has not been able to fully serve the ranchers in this area. The Resource Conservation District in this area is also lacking a specialist in livestock and rangeland management.
In addiiton to traditional duties filled by the livestock advisor, there are new requirements for operators due to regulations from the Regional Water Quality Control Districts in both the South and the Central Coast. Local, state, and federal government agencies are asking and requiring more from the industry, both as stewards of the land and producers of livestock. Readily available technical assistance for ranchers and livestock producers would help to facilitate rangeland water quality protection and implementation of water quality programs. The livestock producers in this area are seriously underserved in this era of shrinking budgets and increased workloads for technical advisors of all types.
Ventura County has over 90,000 acres of rangeland and pasture, about equal to the irrigated crop acreage. There are over half a million acres of rangeland and pasture, if the acreage of Santa Barbara County is considered. Livestock and Poultry production is worth over $6 million in Ventura County alone.
We believe that both Santa Barbara and Ventura County agriculture would be well served by the addition of a specialist in Livestock and Rangeland Management to the University Extension staff. Thank you for offering us this opportunity to comment on this important issue.
In addiiton to traditional duties filled by the livestock advisor, there are new requirements for operators due to regulations from the Regional Water Quality Control Districts in both the South and the Central Coast. Local, state, and federal government agencies are asking and requiring more from the industry, both as stewards of the land and producers of livestock. Readily available technical assistance for ranchers and livestock producers would help to facilitate rangeland water quality protection and implementation of water quality programs. The livestock producers in this area are seriously underserved in this era of shrinking budgets and increased workloads for technical advisors of all types.
Ventura County has over 90,000 acres of rangeland and pasture, about equal to the irrigated crop acreage. There are over half a million acres of rangeland and pasture, if the acreage of Santa Barbara County is considered. Livestock and Poultry production is worth over $6 million in Ventura County alone.
We believe that both Santa Barbara and Ventura County agriculture would be well served by the addition of a specialist in Livestock and Rangeland Management to the University Extension staff. Thank you for offering us this opportunity to comment on this important issue.
22
With the Waterboard creating TMDL's for Ventura River, we need a Livestock Advisor for Santa Barbara/Ventura to assist those in the watershed to modify operations to endeavor toward compliance.
23
I have been growing avocados in Ventura County for 16 years and the advice and education I've received directly from UCCE Farm Advisors has been without a doubt the most useful thing I've experienced. I knew nothing when I started out. I am positive hiring an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources in Santa Barbara/Ventura would greatly benefit me and my fellow growers as well. We are getting more and more into IPM practices and having more advice available on conserving natural resources will help us preserve the beautiful ranches we live on hope to pass on to our children some day.
24
A livestock advisor is greatly needed in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Regional Water Board staff would benefit from an advisor that not only is a livestock and rangeland expert, but also understands the local issues of coastal California livestock operations
25
This is a vital position for existing and future Livestock producers. I am the only Veterinarian in the area that limits my practice to Beef Cattle and the need for a Rangeland Conservationist is great. By sharing the costs between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties this position is a bargain. The present and future benefits to not only the producers but the entire population by enhancng and developing our grazing lands are considerable and sorely needed.
26
A livestock advisor would greatly benefit our agricultural industry in Santa Barbara County.
27
An expert to advise in rangeland management would be of big benefit to Santa Barbara County.
28
The Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties need a Livestock/ Natural Resources Advisor to replace Wayne Jensen. Wayne played an important role and we need someone to provide similar insight and advise.
29
With the changing face of rangelands potential and a need to move away from a commodities based livestock model we need a progressive Livestock/Natural Resources Advisor that understands how beneficial disturbance of grasslands by livestock (being managed correctly) can not only benefit things like carbon sequestration and perennial grassland recovery but with the right person we can realize and support the Sustainable- Organic- and Local (SOL) movement thus bringing a much needed boost to our local farmers and ranchers. Please fund this position!
30
As the Regional Board is developing new programs affecting livestock operations in Ventura County, our region would greatly benefit from an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources.
31
Ventura/Santa Barbara is a different environment from much of the rest of California. It is still an important livestock growing areas away from the coast. Livestock have an important impact on fire, water runoff and environmental pollution. It is important that we protect the resources in this area as in all areas, and we have not had a livestock advisor for many years.
32
Over the time of his employment by UCCE, Wayne Jensen's opinion was a consistently reliable and informed factor in thousands of decisions dealing with rangeland issues in Santa Barbara County. It is a position that needs to be filled again.
33
I will add my support of this new Advisor position to the list above. This is a particularly well-conceived and described Advisor position. As such, it suggests strong backing from within UCCE and ANR, which will be critical to the selected scientist's success in the ambitious roles proposed.
The relevance of the proposed Advisor position to the emerging conservation theory and analyses of ecosystem services and sustainable working landscapes is promising. This position could help to bridge the gap between modern, mostly international, conservation theory (sustainable development, community based conservation, food security, ecosystem health, ecosystem services) and the very popular coalitions that have brought together the professional managers grass-roots and the agency regulators top-down approaches. While the basic issue of misunderstandings about the role of science in practical management is daunting and frustrating, this Advisor position could bridge that gap, too.
Establishment of this new Advisor position would also signal to the Central Coast Rangeland Coalition (of which I am a leader) that UCCE is taking its role as provider of scientific support very seriously. Linking this new Advisor position to the new Specialist in Rangeland Soils position would be most effective.
The relevance of the proposed Advisor position to the emerging conservation theory and analyses of ecosystem services and sustainable working landscapes is promising. This position could help to bridge the gap between modern, mostly international, conservation theory (sustainable development, community based conservation, food security, ecosystem health, ecosystem services) and the very popular coalitions that have brought together the professional managers grass-roots and the agency regulators top-down approaches. While the basic issue of misunderstandings about the role of science in practical management is daunting and frustrating, this Advisor position could bridge that gap, too.
Establishment of this new Advisor position would also signal to the Central Coast Rangeland Coalition (of which I am a leader) that UCCE is taking its role as provider of scientific support very seriously. Linking this new Advisor position to the new Specialist in Rangeland Soils position would be most effective.
34
Santa Barbara County can greatly benefit from an ANR Rangeland Advisor. Since Wayne retired, we have not even had a Watershed Advisor. We have great diversity in ranching and conservation interests, from 3rd generation ranchers needing access to current research to remain viable to hobby ranchettes in critical need of land management guidance. Many local ranchers have a strong interest in land stewardship, water quality, carbon sequestration, erosion management, managed rotational grazing, marketing/local food… and are eager to make improvements based on the leadership that only a UC Farm Advisor can provide.
35
An advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources for Santa Barbara and Ventura County would be an amazing asset to both the agricultural and environmental endeavors in these Counties.
36
A Rangeland Advisor for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties would greatly benefit this region of the coast where such technical assistance and guidance has been very limited to producers. Rangelands of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties provide important habitats and linkages for many species of wildlife and plants. Any support and assistance that can be provided through UCCE to enhance and maintain local rancher’s continued stewardship of these rangelands would greatly benefit many native resources.
37
Santa Barbara and Ventura County producers would benefit from an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resource issues.
There are many additional regulations burdening producers and having someone in this position with experience would help the livestock industry tremendously.
There are many additional regulations burdening producers and having someone in this position with experience would help the livestock industry tremendously.
38
I recently retired from the NRCS, and had the pleasure of working with Wayne Jensen before he retired. Santa Barbara County benefited greatly from having a Rangeland Advisor, such as Wayne. I believe it is critical this position gets refilled. Our rangelands in Santa Barbara and Ventura County support a highly diverse animal and plant community, with over 100 rare, threatened, and endangered species. Couple that with a highly variable Mediterranean climate, constant pressure from urban development, food safety and water quality issues, threats from invasive species, etc., and you have one of the most challenging areas in the country to be a livestock producer. Our rangeland operators need a source for advice and technical assistance. A Rangeland Advisor would provide the latest in scientific research and education, and help build, maintain, and promote economically viable and environmentally sustainable livestock operations.
39
Santa Barbara & Ventura County agriculture will be well served if UCCE hires an Advisor to assist with Livestock and Natural Resources.
Letters submitted via e-mail today from Cachuma RCD, NRCS, SB Cattlemen's Association and Joni Gray 4th District Board of Supervisor's office:)
Letters submitted via e-mail today from Cachuma RCD, NRCS, SB Cattlemen's Association and Joni Gray 4th District Board of Supervisor's office:)
Add New Comment/Feedback for this Proposal
Comments are currently closed.