What We Do

Ventura County agriculture has a long, rich and dynamic heritage. Crops have been grown commercially here since the mid-1800s; for most of a century, farming and ranching were the single most important economic activity in the region.

Agriculture’s economic role has diminished, but farming still shapes the county’s landscape and culture to a unique degree in coastal Southern California. The remarkable fact that there is an acre of irrigated farmland in Ventura County for every acre of city — despite the county’s proximity to a sprawling metropolis of nearly 18 million people — means that farming plays a critical role in maintaining the quality of life Ventura County residents cherish. Everyone here has a stake in agriculture’s success.