Cooperative Extension is an educational outreach program conducted cooperatively by the County of Santa Barbara, University of California, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This cooperative arrangement was initiated by the federal Smith-Lever Act in 1914. In 1927 the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors created a county support base to work with the University of California and the United States Department of Agriculture in providing educational programs for county residents on topics of agriculture, foods and nutrition, food safety, family relations, food preservation, family economics, and youth development. Support for family and consumer sciences was added later.

Agriculture

The University of California acts as an agent of scientific research and application in advancing California's competitive advantage in food and fiber production, processing, and distribution through the development, assessment, and introduction of technological innovations. Grower adaption has resulted in bountiful food supplied in concert with preservation of natural resources.

According to the 1998 Agricultural Commissioner's Production Report, the gross production in Santa Barbara County was valued at $611,859,484. Santa Barbara County's diversified agriculture continues to provide a strong base for the local economy. Through the multiplier effect it has a local impact in excess of one billion dollars.

Family and Consumer Sciences


The Family and Consumer Sciences program brings research-based information to the community to enhance the quality of life of residents in the areas of nutrition, food safety, family resource management, human development, and public policy issues related to family well-being.An objective is to create a better understanding between agriculture and consumers.

4-H Youth Development

The objective of the 4-H Youth Development program is to help youth develop into responsible, self-directed, and productive members of the global society. The goal is to improve the well-being of youth, their families, and their communities.

FACT SHEET
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

Total PopulationMaleFemaleWhiteHispanic BlackNative AmericansAsian+Pac.Is.
398,262
201,325
196,937
230,753
127,912
11,883
4,855
22,859
57.9%
32%
3.2%
1.2%
5.7%

ClimateElevation
Average temperatureAverage rainfallSea level to 6,828 feet
60o F
12.5 inches

GEOGRAPHY
Santa Barbara County is about 1-3/4 million acres in size and is located along the coast with four offshore islands, and thus has the longest coastline of any county in California. The county has four plant climate zones: maritime (summer fog), very mild; coastal, mild; transition, more frost and heat; and interior, short growing season (Cuyama Valley). It is also split into the south coast, southern California climatic area, and the rest of the county that is more temperate and thus like central California. Most of the county is mountainous, California's coast range, with a large number of small valleys.


Extension AdvisorsPrograms
Jensen, WayneCounty Director/Farm Advisor--livestock, natural resources
Gaskell, MarkSmall Farms/Specialty Crops Farm Advisor (also San Luis Obispo County)
Marzolla, Michael 4-H Youth Development Advisor
Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP) 
Alderete, RobertaCommunity Program Representative
Cross-County Assignments 
Phillips, Phil A.Area IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Advisor (Ventura)
Bianchi, MaryFarm Advisor--viticulture and deciduous fruits (San Luis Obispo)
Downer, James A.Farm Advisor--environmental horticulture (Ventura)
Faber, Ben Farm Advisor--soils and water, avocados/minor subtropicals (Ventura)
Newman, JulieFarm Advisor--environmental horticulture (Ventura)
Santa Barbara County StaffAssignments
Kraus, Jenny Office Manager/Departmental Assistant
Sherrill, Maria Office Assistant/Santa Maria office
Hughes, Zelda Office Assistant/4-H Program/Santa Barbara office

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION REPORTS
  YEAR ACREAGE FOB VALUE
Vegetables 2004 69,837 $349,750,241
  2003 70,411 $376,091,424
  2002 69,835 $325,720,147
       
Field Crops 2004 603,264 $9,410,838
  2003 606,238 $11,252,321
  2002 604,685 $9,944,272
       
Fruit & Nut Crops2004 34,157 $317,027,109
  2003 31,873 $274,973,942
  2002 31,626 $248,370,404
       
Nursery Products2004 2,497 $176,087,838
  2003 2,325 $151,484,825
  2002 2,192 $144,487,321
       
Seed Crops2004 1,910 $10,840,247
  2003 1,573 $6,017,528
  2002 1,305 $7,264,616
       
Livestock & Poultry2004  $33,022,762
  2003   $27,829,109
  2002   $23,626,541
       
Livestock, Poultry & Apiary Products2004  $6,752,863
  2003   $10,367,434
  2002   $12,249,685
       
Total 2004 711,665 $902,891,898
  2003 712,420 $858,016,583
  2002 709,643 $771,662,986

Source: Santa Barbara County Agricultural Production Reports 2002, 2003, and 2004. Agricultural Commissioner's Office.

For detailed information on agricultural production reports, refer to http://www.agcommissioner.com/crops.asp

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Last modified by Jenny Kraus, Webmaster, August 2005.