BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — From food production to fire mitigation, local ranchers say the sheep ranching industry serves the community in various ways. Now, these owners say the industry may cease to exist due to a state law.
- Kern County Wool Growers have been a community staple for generations– but that could change with one California law.
- Local sheep ranchers share the impact of that law, known as AB-1066.
- The California Wool Growers Association is appealing its case to the governor, sending him a letter asking that a shepherd's pay be based on a 48 hour workday, also claiming it’s a potential loss of firefighting.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Sheep and goat farmers in Kern County are sounding the alarm over what they say is an economic burden imposed by state overtime rules.
“Sheep numbers of the last couple years in California have decreased 13%. And this impact with this wage rate is gonna cause it to even decrease more,” said Freddie Iturriria, owner of A&F Sheep Co.
Since 2019, state law requires ranchers to pay shepherds overtime for 24 hours per day, seven days a week.
But sheep ranch owners in Kern County say this law is unrealistic and threatens the industry.
“It has a very large impact on my industry. I have a bunch of employees that now are required to pay overtime,” said Iturriria. “They’re considered 24/7 employees and their salaries have increased 75-80% over the last three years.”
Previously, sheep ranchers had an exemption from this law. But since herders live on site, it's considered working 24/7.
John Goyeneche, owner of J Goyeneche Sheep LLC., says this could mean the end of his family business.
“My grandpa was down in Lancaster, ran sheep. My dad came here originally as a sheep herder and started sheep herding… was able to get… his own sheep and started in ‘72,” said Goyeneche. “My son would like to, he’s been bugging me, bugging me, but I just don’t see a future right now.”
But outside of the financial standpoint, sheep ranch owners say without this resource, they are taking away a tool used to stop wildfires.
“Everywhere these sheep graze, they’re preventing fires… We wouldn’t have any grazing or any target grazing or any way to control vegetation to prevent fires,” said Iturriria.
The California Wool Growers Association is appealing its case to the governor, sending him a letter asking that a shepherd's pay be based on a 48 hour workday, also claiming it’s a potential loss of firefighting.
Many owners question if their business will be able to keep running.
“They were asking about how long, how much longer we can sustain this… if it keeps increasing, I can’t sustain it all,” said Iturriria. “I can’t justify keeping my business going to lose money from here on out.”
For details on the Kern County Wool Growers Association, visit the California Wool Growers website.
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