Residents from across Santa Barbara County gathered to express frustration and support for a committee that would explore establishing a higher minimum wage for farmworkers.

The item was proposed by Supervisor Das Williams of the First District and Supervisor Joan Hartmann of the Third District in response to a report by advocacy groups, “Harvesting Dignity: The Case for a Living Wage for Farmworkers.”

The Board of Supervisors approved an ad hoc committee to research farm wages and working conditions after discussing the issue at Tuesday’s meeting.

The county has not proposed a specific dollar amount, but several speakers referenced wages of $26 per hour, which would be higher than the $16-per-hour state minimum wage for most industries.

Claire Wineman, president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, was the first of 12 speakers who asked to comment on the proposal.

“We have not yet seen the details of the proposal beyond that it increases the wages of some workers by 62%,” Wineman said. “However, it raises a number of serious concerns for farmers, vintners, supporting businesses, and workers in our county.”

Wineman added that a higher minimum wage would have an impact on small family-owned farms and other businesses that rely on them. She also asked how it would affect the cost of food and land in Santa Barbara County.

“We take issue with the county providing implicit endorsement of the county-level ordinance through the formation of a subcommittee and strongly believe the board should reject it outright at this juncture,” Wineman said.

Other speakers talked about the immediate impact that a mandatory wage increase would have on their operations and how they would not be able to keep all of their employees.

Russell Duty, a local farmer, said that if the minimum wage was increased, he would probably have to lay off employees. He employs three full-time workers and two part-time workers during part of the year.

“If you would really like to help [agricultural] workers, make it an easier process to get [agricultural] worker housing,” Duty said.

Even though most speakers opposed the proposal, some speakers supported forming the committee and the impact it could have on local families.

Daniel Segura, a community organizer for the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), asked the supervisors to seriously consider moving forward.

“Our community is not naïve,” Segura said. “We know that this is a conversation and proposal that will require time, hard work and money.”

He expressed his appreciation for local farmers and agriculture but stated that workers are not making enough to survive.

“You have the ability to change the reality of our families. I urge you to have the courage to fully discuss the proposal in an open and transparent manner,” he said.

In his response to the public comments, Supervisor Bob Nelson of the Fourth District described the committee to discuss the minimum wage as a kind of “grenade.”

He acknowledged that the proposal was just to establish a temporary committee to investigate the issue, but he added that the discussion could create expectations for people on both sides.

“You have one group that’s really afraid of being put out of business, and another group, Mr. Segura said there’s a lot of hope in the community because now you set up expectations that the board is moving forward with the living wage,” Nelson said.  

Nelson suggested changing the committee’s name from the “Farmworker Living Wage Temporary Ad Hoc Advisory Committee” to something that would look at all issues facing farmworkers.

He said the name gives the impression that the Board of Supervisors is moving forward with the minimum wage increase.

Williams responded that the committee was not purely his invention and Hartmann’s, but that it was proposed in response to issues raised by community members.

However, Williams did agree with Nelson’s suggestion that the name be changed to include more topics.

“I would prefer to have a productive conversation, and if we can have a more productive conversation by having a wider of a mandate, I think that’s a legitimate route,” Williams said.

Hartmann agreed with Nelson and said broadening the focus of the committee to farmworker conditions would allow it to investigate other issues.  

“I think this gets us to the issue of housing, which is one of the things farmworkers are flagging for us,” Hartmann said.

The board unanimously voted to approve the committee and change the name to the Advisory Committee to Work on Farmworker Conditions in Santa Barbara.

The board also voted to appoint Hartmann and Williams to the committee. When Williams leaves office at the end of the year, Nelson will take his seat, they decided.

Williams lost his re-election bid in March, and the First District will be represented by Roy Lee of Carpinteria starting next term.