Agriculture is the county’s leading commodity that for the last several years has topped the $1 billion mark. January’s four-night freeze decimated crops and caused an estimated $280 million in damage.Supervisor Kathy Long said that Jessica Arciniega - who coordinated the forum - is due “enormous thanks... she has set up farm worker housing task forces in all the cities, and because of that they just jelled into a coalition.” Since those initial efforts, “We are on the agenda with cities for wonderful projects that showed respect for our farm workers” and their families.The Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance, noted Long, created the “roots” of such success. The fact that 400 farm worker housing units have been built or are in permitting or construction process is “a remarkable achievement for the county community, especially since it was achieved in just three years,” added Long.The $40,000 donation to the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Farm Working Housing Fund is part of the more than $100,000 in proceeds from the Kristofferson concert, held at Ventura Theater in February.
Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance celebrates donation, achievements
June 27, 2007
Santa Paula News
The Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance Farm Worker Housing Task Force and Ventura County Community Foundation had plenty of reasons to celebrate at a recent forum, actually 40,000 reasons.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe Ventura County Ag Futures Alliance Farm Worker Housing Task Force and Ventura County Community Foundation had plenty of reasons to celebrate at a recent forum, actually 40,000 reasons.A concert by acclaimed musician, songwriter and activist Kris Kristofferson, staged to benefit farm laborers affected by the January freeze, raised $40,000 to help those who lost their jobs. And there was cause for celebration for another 400+ reasons - the number of farm worker housing units that have been created, are under construction, or are being planned since the task force was formed in 2002.The forum was held at Faulkner Farm, where attendees addressed challenges and future efforts to create even more housing for the county’s estimated 25,000 laborers that need same.
