Yolo County Supervisors Angel Barajas and Lucas Frerichs hosted a successful Western Yolo Ag Roundtable on Thursday, June 22, which was held at the Turkovich Family Winery in Winters, generously hosted by the Turkovich family.
The goal of the roundtable was to build and bolster relationships with the agricultural community in western Yolo County, present current information on programs and services and provide a forum for discussion.
Frerichs represents District 2 which includes the city of Winters, portions of the city of Davis and unincorporated rural areas in southwestern Yolo County.
"I greatly appreciate the opportunity to hear directly from constituents who live and work in the more rural parts of our county about the challenges they face, particularly in the agriculture industry," Frerichs said. "I look forward to ongoing conversations and partnerships to support our agricultural economy throughout Yolo County."
Barajas represents District 5 which includes parts of Woodland, Knights Landing, Madison, Esparto, Dunnigan and the entire Capay Valley.
"We will continue to build relationships with our agricultural community so we can better understand their needs and areas of concern," Barajas emphasized. "No other Board of Supervisors duo has launched an initiative as such. It is critical that we work with our rural communities and keep them informed about initiatives and services that may be beneficial to them."
Among those who spoke at the roundtable were:
● Gerardo Pinedo, Yolo County chief administrator, providing an overview on the state of the county.
● Kristin Sicke, executive officer of the Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District and the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency, provided an update on groundwater and surface water conditions.
● Mitch Sears, executive officer of Valley Clean Energy, provided an update on the AgFit program.
● Gretchen Bennitt, new executive director of Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District (YSAQMD), and Stephanie Holliday, senior administrative analyst of YSAQMD provided an update on Clean Air Incentive Programs.
● Humberto Izquierdo, Yolo County Ag commissioner provided an update on the Yolo County Ag Pass Program.
Following the speakers, Barajas and Frerichs invited those present to an open discussion. Attendees discussed a variety of issues, including solar installations, prime ag land preservation, groundwater well drilling and monitoring, social service needs and illegal dumping, among other topics.
Barajas and Frerichs appreciate all who attended the roundtable discussion. This is something they intend to continue, alternating locations within Districts 5 and 2. Additionally the supervisors acknowledge and thank Turkovich Family Winery for hosting the first of many discussions.
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