Hello, my name is Jaime Irwin and my husband run a commercial sheep operation of 6,000 ewes and work with 8-10 Peruvians on H2A. We graze 5,000 acres of cover crops, 8,000-10,000 acres of vineyards and more than 10,000 or fire grazing. Current labor laws are making it almost impossible to do business in CA. We are currently paying more than twice any other state. This new law would put us out of business or make us somehow move out of state. We believe other producers would face the same decisions or ask their guys to be here illegally.
None of these options are good for California. More chemicals, more equipment and loss of sheep herding knowledge and infrastructure.
Thank you for your time, jaime
First of all, thank you to supervisors Rasmussen and Owen for bringing this matter before the board and drafting a letter in support of rectifying goat herder wages and aligning them with sheep herder wages. Targeting grazing is essential to controlling vegetation and preventing fires. Goats can access areas that are not accessible in any other way. Herding goats and sheep requires 24-hour supervision to ensure livestock is kept safe from predators and ensure proper care. This is not an 8-5 job. Asking employers to increase pay from approximately $5000 to $20,000, resulting in $240,000 per year plus all living expenses, is not tenable or viable for any producer. The result will be graziers leaving the state or dispersing herds, job loss, and an increase in fire fuels. Hopefully, our state legislature will be able to rectify this and permanently classify sheep and goat herders in the same category
Sincerely,
Katy Evans
Lower Lake, CA
Sheep producer, 2nd Vice President of Lake Co. Farm Bureau, and Immediate Past President of Lake Co. Chapter CA Women for Agriculture
Hello, my name is Jaime Irwin and my husband run a commercial sheep operation of 6,000 ewes and work with 8-10 Peruvians on H2A. We graze 5,000 acres of cover crops, 8,000-10,000 acres of vineyards and more than 10,000 or fire grazing. Current labor laws are making it almost impossible to do business in CA. We are currently paying more than twice any other state. This new law would put us out of business or make us somehow move out of state. We believe other producers would face the same decisions or ask their guys to be here illegally.
None of these options are good for California. More chemicals, more equipment and loss of sheep herding knowledge and infrastructure.
Thank you for your time, jaime
First of all, thank you to supervisors Rasmussen and Owen for bringing this matter before the board and drafting a letter in support of rectifying goat herder wages and aligning them with sheep herder wages. Targeting grazing is essential to controlling vegetation and preventing fires. Goats can access areas that are not accessible in any other way. Herding goats and sheep requires 24-hour supervision to ensure livestock is kept safe from predators and ensure proper care. This is not an 8-5 job. Asking employers to increase pay from approximately $5000 to $20,000, resulting in $240,000 per year plus all living expenses, is not tenable or viable for any producer. The result will be graziers leaving the state or dispersing herds, job loss, and an increase in fire fuels. Hopefully, our state legislature will be able to rectify this and permanently classify sheep and goat herders in the same category
Sincerely,
Katy Evans
Lower Lake, CA
Sheep producer, 2nd Vice President of Lake Co. Farm Bureau, and Immediate Past President of Lake Co. Chapter CA Women for Agriculture