Memorandum
Date: August 4, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Brad Rasmussen, Chair, District 4 Supervisor
Helen Owen, District 1 Supervisor
Subject: Consideration of a Letter of Support for Permanent Sheep/Goat Herder Wage Parity in the August Budget Trailer Bill
Executive Summary:
As your Board will recall, during last week’s Legislative Update, Supervisor Owen raised concern regarding recent loss of wage parity between goat and sheep herders. This change carries unintended consequences, including increased wildfire risk from projects deferred where goat-herding was previously the most effective and affordable way to mitigate vegetation in steep terrain. Administrative Office staff conferred with Katherine VanDerWall, Lake County’s Agricultural Commissioner, regarding this matter, and she noted Tehama County had submitted a letter, and she would support Lake County likewise submitting a Letter, noting, “Not only would this have an impact on goat herders in Lake County, [it] would negatively impact that industry statewide, and… [potentially] put producers out of business.”
I therefore ask that our Board join Tehama County in urging Speaker Rivas and the California State Assembly to include language in the August Budget Trailer Bill permanently restoring wage parity, as sheep and goat herders perform substantially the same duties. This action will approve the attached Letter, which will be distributed as described.
Further, I recommend our Board approve the attached Letter, and authorize me to sign, as Chair.
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Recommended Action: Approve the Letter of Support for permanent sheep/goat herder Wage Parity in the August Budget Trailer Bill and authorize the chair to sign the letter