Are you a veteran living in Ventura County? Please make sure you're aware of all the federal, state and local benefits you are eligible for. The County's Veteran Services Agency is a great resource to visit. You can access their website here: https://www.ventura.org/human-services-agency/veteran-services, and thank you for your service to our nation.
As a state, we know that our small farms are critical for both the economy and ecological diversity. AB 552 would have relieved some of the heavy financial burden these farmers often face by helping them build cooperatives and pool resources.
Nate Gonzalez-Siemens of Fat Uncle Farms and Melissa Sorongon of Piedrasassi are exceptional in the south SanJoaquin Valley and the Central Coast: They are both small-scale farmers who grow grain as part of their diversifiedoperations. Consequently, small-scale and biologically diverse farming operations like Nate's and Melissa's require agreater variety of costly equipment, some of which is only used a few times a year.
Today, the realities of climate change, the structure of the supply chain, and food system inequities disproportionatelynegatively impact California's local food producers. The high costs of land, equipment, infrastructure, and water havemade it nearly impossible for young, beginning, and small farmers such as Nate and Melissa to access thesebaseline needs. And the farmers who are able to overcome these barriers and establish small businesses stillstruggle to access these resources. Roughly three-fourths of farmers in California operate on less than $100,000 inannual sales, making the purchase of any new equipment, which can average between $5,000 to $30,000 or more, achallenge. Some types of equipment, such as harvesting equipment, electric tractors, or refrigeration units can costover $100,000.
Assemblymember Steve Bennett and Coastal Keepers cleaned the Ormond Beach area for 2023 Coastal Cleanup Day. Our gratitude to the City of Port Hueneme for providing assistance with trash bins for the event.
Assemblymember Bennett took part in a press conference, presenting Westminster Free Clinic & Community Care Center with a ceremonial check. The conference was held at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Oxnard.
Assemblymember Bennett, presented a ceremonial check from the State of California to the Ventura Land Trust. Assemblymember Bennett, in partnership with Senator Monique Limón, secured $7.2 million in this year's State Budget to complete the acquisition and permanent conservation of Mariano Rancho Preserve.
